Tunnel Vision
Natural wonders, imperial relics and a brutal history lesson
A three hour bus ride took me from Cat Ba island to my next stop south, Ninh Binh. As bus journeys go, this was pretty frightening. The driver had only one speed – as fast as the engine pistons permit, and without as much as a thought for anyone else. Motorcyclists have it worst off; they’re forever hooted at and shoved off the road by bus drivers (from what I hear, this is a pretty common story across SE Asia). As if looking out of the front window wasn’t enough entertainment, the attendant also spent half of the journey trying to hook me up with a lady twice my age (no thanks!).
Ninh Binh
Arriving in Ninh Binh, I transferred to my accommodation just out of town called the Nguyen Shack which in retrospect I consider the greatest home away from home – hotel, hostel, resort, guesthouse or otherwise – that I have ever stayed at. It’s a low density homestay consisting of several bamboo bungalows set in the wilderness. Aside from the spectacular setting, the staff are warmer and more genuine than any luxury resort I’ve been to. Unlimited breakfast, bicycle usage, snacks, laundry, and shower gel are all included; not to mention delicious home cooked food and comfy dorm (which I had to myself). It’s incredible what £7/ night can get you, but regardless of cost; this experience changed my view on what genuine hospitality really is.
Nguyen Shack
The dorm is set just beside a natural lake, which makes for a noisy, itchy but unique night’s sleep!
Perhaps the main motivation to reside at Nguyen Shack was the opportunity to teach English to young children over the course of my stay. It had been a few years since I held my last classroom lesson but I quickly got back into the swing of it. To make things a little more interesting beyond a typical whiteboard approach, I would disembowel my backpack with the children to name my belongings, or play a game of Chinese whispers to help improve their pronunciation. I even held lessons with the staff who were keen to learn from a native speaker. The whole experience was fulfilling and was a key travel objective accomplished.
It’s not a great image, but here’s me finishing up one of my lessons with a class-selfie.
Just a short cycle ride from the shack is a village where the staff took us around to get a glimpse of rural life. Other than visiting some rice paddies, the local school and brick factory, it was the stop at a tofu factory that I was most looking forward to, as I hoped seeing the production process would convince me to actually eat it. That didn’t happen – I still dislike tofu, but I have a huge appreciation for the hard, dirty and rather unrewarding job that goes into making it.
Family run tofu factory
A pagoda in the countryside outside of Ninh Binh. The sole monk residing here is 103 years old and she still looks in great shape.
Hue
Hue is Vietnam’s former capital city located 300 miles south of Ninh Binh. Getting there involved an overnight train on Vietnam’s only major railway that connects Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh city. It exceeded my expectations – second class consisted of stylish, air conditioned berths and even a TV in each compartment.
A fancy train compartment.
The city bizarrely reminds me of my trip to Washington D.C earlier this year. (I’m not sure why exactly, it’s just the general ambience) Hue is one of the most historically important regions in Vietnam having been the home to Nguyen dynasty emperors until the mid 20th century. In the centre is the Imperial City, the remains of a palace still well preserved and encased amongst a large perimeter wall.
Imperial Palace
The emperors of Vietnam constructed some quite extraordinary tombs for themselves, and these can be found dotted around the outskirts of the city. I only visited one, the tomb of Minh Mang, set amongst a crescent shaped lake and man made hill. Despite an intense downpour, I managed to grasp the intriguing symbolism of the site’s layout and the precise architecture. It felt quite serene, with the surroundings being so quiet and the tomb so remote. I’m sure the emperor is resting in peace.
Minh Mang tomb
Hue and the surrounding relics were largely undamaged during the American war, which stands in marked contrast to the surrounding region. On a tour towards the demilitarised zone north of the city, the entire landscape even today is visibly scarred as a result of explosives and defoliant dropped by American bombers. The DMZ strip itself is barren and the propaganda speakers either side still remain.
The nearby Vinh Moc tunnels were constructed by local villagers as a shelter, in defiance to not be uplifted from their home amidst war. It’s a sprawling complex set on three levels beside the sea. Inside these tunnels are dugouts housing an entire village – not just for the troops, but farmers, doctors, the elderly and sick. Children were even born in these tunnels. I left with nothing but admiration for the people who lived here: it felt stuffy and claustrophobic after only 20 mins of being in there. How so many people could forge a living here for weeks at a time to fight to remain at their homeland is incredibly admirable.
One of the many tunnel entrances at Vinh Moc
On the other end of the spectrum, we visited a scene that epitomised the bloodshed that the war inflicted on both sides. Walking around the site of Khe Sanh was one of the most eerie experiences of my life. The sandbags forming American’s defensive structures against the advancing North Vietnam Army still remain, as do various tanks, aircraft and weapons strewn out across the field. About 100 000 tons of bombs were dropped here and thousands died on both sides. There was no way I could fathom the amount of pain and suffering just standing there, with the place so quiet and overgrown, but to think I was walking where so many took their last breath amongst total chaos was an emotional experience.
American B-52 bomber at Khe Sanh
Discarded artillery shells
Picture: In Vietnam, the unthinkable goes on a moto. This guy’s got a live barbeque on the left, a fridge on the right and a loudspeaker on the back! Talk about mobile commerce..
Hoi An
I decided to go on two wheels for the next leg of my trip. The Hai Van mountain pass is a scenic stretch of road that was featured in a Top Gear from a few years back. Having natural fresh air in my face rather than AC was a welcome change after dozens of bus and train journeys. I had reservations about riding a motorbike without a license or travel insurance coverage, so instead I opted to ride pillion with a driver. This had the benefit of just being able to appreciate the awesome scenery around and not worry about the driving side of things.
Bill, who was my driver, is an amazing guy. As we rode through the scenic countryside he told me about his role as a translator to the Americans in Saigon. He was paid handsomely – even by today’s standards – and made a fortune of $200 000 by secretly auctioning off rations he received from U.S. soldiers. Unfortunately his wife left him along with most of his money, leaving him now as a rice farmer and occasional tour guide in his seventies. He also turned down an opportunity to move to the USA and join the barracks; a decision which he now dearly regrets. It’s a sad story, and I could see through his visor how deeply these experiences had hurt him.
Lunch with Bill on the beach
We passed through the beach-side city of Da Nang and stopped by at the Marble Mountains, a group of limestone and marble hills overlooking the city. At its base are dozens of shops selling marble religious statues. There are some small temples interspersed in the hills, and the climb to the top is rewarded with a picturesque view of Da Nang and the former American airbase that now lies abandoned.
Admiring the view from a beach near Da Nang. It was here that the Americans boarded ships to leave Vietnam at the end of the war.
I parted company with Bill at my hostel just outside of Hoi An.
Hoi An is a beautiful little town. It’s probably become overly tourist-centric these days but the quaint charm is still there. The town is world-renowned for its tailor made clothes and outfits (though with just the one fully-loaded backpack, I couldn’t buy anything even if I wanted to!). The main road is pedestrianised which makes it a pleasure just to walk around old town, especially at night when the lanterns lining the road bring it to life. On the night of full moon the lanterns are set along the main river too – it brings about a cosy atmosphere is something to behold.
Hoi An Old Town
Lanterns floating down the river
My hostel, Under the Coconut Tree, was a bit too hipster for my liking, although it was an experience living in a bamboo-dorm beside the beach. Unfortunately I caught a stomach bug leaving me feeling completely devoid of all energy as I lied on a sun-lounger on a beach. It came at a good time though, I was due my first break after 6 intense weeks on the go. I had an excuse to myself to do nothing!
When I wasn’t at the beach, I would just meander around the old town, perhaps visit the market or walk into a shop or two. Just sitting and watching the world go by was my highlight in Hoi An – whether waves of water or people. Sometimes, treasuring the simple things can be surprisingly fulfilling.
-S
