Living abroad is not easy but, somehow, I enjoy working here. I make sure that I have a healthy work-life balance. I travel during the holidays. The most important thing is to enjoy life. It’s all that matters! 2021 was a tough year yet, I explored six provinces. Let’s take a look back at my journey last year in the beautiful country, of Vietnam.
- Yen Bai
– Traveling every new year is like my tradition already. My friends and I headed to the remote part of Yen Bai. It’s a place good for relaxation. The place is surrounded by beautiful mountains, rice fields, a waterfall, and green trees. We stayed in a homestay called Xoi Farmstay. This farmstay is highly recommended. The owner is very friendly and accomodating. You can search their facebook page: Xoi Farmstay.
2. Da Lat, Mui Ne, and Nha Trang
– Another long holiday, another trip. It was Tet holiday when my friends and I went there. The plan was to go there by plane from Hanoi to Dalat then by bus to Mui Ne, and Nha Trang. If you are a budget traveler like us, traveling by sleeper bus is highly recommended. Da Lat is one of my favorite cities in Vietnam. Đà Lạt, the capital of Lâm Đồng Province in southern Vietnam’s Central Highlands, is centered around a lake and golf course and surrounded by hills, pine forests, lakes, and waterfalls. Known as the “City of Eternal Spring” for its distinctive temperate climate. We had camped on the top of the mountain. It was one of the most unforgettable experiences as I explore Vietnam.
After Da Lat, we hopped on the bus heading to Mui Ne. Mui Ne is famous for seafood and sand dunes. The last stop is Nha Trang. Nha Trang is a coastal resort city in southern Vietnam known for its beaches, diving sites and offshore islands. Its main beach is a long, curving stretch along Tran Phu Street backed by a promenade, hotels and seafood restaurants.
3. Sapa
– We conquered the highest mountain in Vietnam! It was May, last year (another holiday) when my friend and I decided to go for a hike. It isn’t an ordinary hike since we are going to climb the highest mountain in Vietnam, the Fansipan. It was a two-day hike but the best experience. The height of the mountain was 3,143 metres in 1909, but now the height of the mountain is 3,147.3 metres. It is the highest mountain in the Indochinese Peninsula, hence its nickname “the Roof of Indochina” It was tiring but worth it. If you are into adventure, you should definitely try this. Here’s the video of our two-day hike to Fansipan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unLdGa8MuRo
It was December last year, I went back to Sapa together with friends. It was a trip with a cause. We went there to help the mountainous kids. We went to a school at the top of the mountain. A school for some of the ethnic minority groups in Vietnam. We gave them clothes, school supplies, and noodles. We stayed there for two days and one night. This event is one of the highlights of my 2021. Here’s our vlog on this trip, please click the link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFWh_OApzd8
4. Cao Bang
– Cao Bằng is a mountainous province in northeast Vietnam, home to many ethnic hill tribes. At Ban Gioc Waterfall, on the Chinese border, the Quây Sơn River cascades over towering limestone cliffs. Nearby, the Nguom Ngao Cave is filled with stalactites and rock formations. We left Hanoi at night via sleeper bus and we arrived at the border around 4:00 am. We went there in the middle of the covid19 outbreak in Hanoi so we can’t enter the city without the swab test. Luckily, our result was negative (it was scary tho). We rented motorbikes and went to Bao Lac (where we booked our homestay) It was 3 hours drive by motorbike from the center. It was raining yet, the expedition continues. Despite the bad weather, we enjoyed the road trip because of the picturesque mountains. We vlog our trip there, just click the link to watch the full video, thank you! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96n8FGN3UBs
As I end this blog, let me leave this quote from Agustine of Hippo ” The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page “. Thank you for reading and see you on my next blog. Stay safe 🙂
Ryan Gañolon 