Tag: vietnam

In the northern Vietnamese hinterlands

A couple weeks ago I took a motorbike trip through Hà Giang province in northern Vietnam. It is considered one of the most beautiful parts of Vietnam with its rugged, mountainous terrain and breathtaking views. It is also one of the least explored areas of the country, having been largely inaccessible due to a lack of reliable roads until recently.

The weather was mostly overcast and included some light rain with temperatures in the 60’s Fahrenheit. There were some warmer spots, but the sun was hidden the majority of the time. The views were constantly amazing and it was really neat to see all the ethnic Hmong people in their brightly colored outfits along the mountains. They continue to live a very traditional lifestyle of subsistence agriculture.

Below are a few unedited videos I took from the trip. The other person in some of the videos is Gita, my (former) housemate from Canada.

Morning commute in Hanoi

I had heard about the crazy traffic in Hanoi before coming here. But experiencing it first hand gives you a better appreciation for it.

What’s interesting is how orderly everything seems beneath the chaotic surface. Drivers here don’t follow “formal” standards like obeying traffic lights and stop signs, driving on the right side of the road, etc. But people are actually pretty cautious if a different way.

There is a lot of honking, which serves as a helpful warning that drivers are passing or just letting you know that they are there. Cars seem to honk the most because they take up the most room on the road and therefore need to alert people of their presence.

There also appears to be no road rage whatsoever, which is strange considering how everybody cuts each other off all the time. I guess since everyone does it nobody takes offense. As far as I can tell, honking is rarely intended as malicious or aggressive. Driving here is generally less anti-social than in the U.S. where everybody jealously guards “their” territory on the road and is quick to get upset about “those other idiot drivers”. Driving in the U.S. (or driving cars in general) can be a stressful and isolating experience.

In contrast, driving in Hanoi can actually be fun and exciting. It can also be stressful and tiring as well, but more in terms of having to be constantly on alert. Driving during rush hour and in crowded areas like the Old Quarter is also much more demanding physically and mentally with the amount of other bikes, motorbikes, cars, and pedestrians. Since I live in the “suburbs” of Tay Ho I don’t experience this heavy traffic very often.

A factor that makes driving in the city less dangerous is that the speeds are generally quite low. My motorbike, for example, tops out at 30 mph, but most of the time I am travelling at a much lower speed. Most people wear helmets here. I would estimate around 80% or so, although some helmets are so thin I doubt they would help much in a serious crash.

Overall, driving in Hanoi is a unique experience that makes you appreciate the city!

Intersection by Hoan Keim lake

Welome to the fifth and final edition of this American‘s impressions of Vietnam’s second largest city. In no particular order, here are yet more observations of my adopted city for the past two and a half months.

• Bills are paid in person
  Every now and then a random person will ring the doorbell and ask for money for the water, electricity, or Internet. Apparently this is how bills are paid in Hanoi.
• There is little separation between indoors and outdoors, public and private
  This was especially noticeable over the Tet holiday (Chinese New Year) when a lot of families were at home. Walking around the streets you could hear the sounds from inside peoples’ homes (TVs, music, people talking) and even look into their living rooms and kitchens from the street as it is common to leave the doors open.
• It helps to be able-bodied
  This is probably true for travelling and life in general, but having good overall fitness and flexibility makes life here much more enjoyable. Being able to negotiate traffic and roadside obstacles as well as make do with tight spaces is quite useful. Motorbiking can also be physically demanding. Hanoi would be a difficult city for a handicapped person.
• Lack of religion
  As an officially atheist nation, there is not much open display of religious belief. Since religion is a non-factor in my life, I find his charming.
• Public urination
  It is an infrequent, yet not uncommon sight to see men standing by a wall to relieve themselves. If this were any more prevalent it would probably be off-putting, but it’s not a rampant occurrence and usually quite discreet.
• No beggars
  Even though Vietnam is not a rich country, I have yet to encounter a classic “beggar” here. I’m not sure if this is because of the communist system taking care of everyone or if Vietnamese people have too much pride to ask for handouts directly. Or if it’s culturally taboo in some other way. The closest thing to “beggars” are the occasional people offering to shine your shoes for a small fee.
• It’s easy to get lost
  Google Maps exists here and I use it on my smartphone to get around the city, but often I end up turned around. My sense of direction has improved over time, but navigating the streets can be confusing.
• Motorbike taxis
  It took me a while to realize that the people waving at me shouting “moto-bike” were not offering to sell me a motorbike. Rather, they were offering me a ride. As far as I can tell, motorbike “taxis” are just regular people offering to drive you from point A to point B on their bike. Kind of like an informal Uber. I have never taken one but I hear they are much cheaper than regular taxis.