I arrived at Ha Long Bay through the Hanoi airport and a 2.5 hour drive. Staying at the InterContinental hotel for a week was a step above what I expected, and the fact that I was upgraded to a 1-bedroom suite made it even more special. I had 1 ½ bathrooms, a walk-in closet and a balcony the length of the suite with doors leading from the bedroom and living room. The bougie girl in me was extremely happy! LOL
While there, I went on a cruise boat tour. Prior to the tour starting, there was a young lady from New York that was as confused as I was. We seemed to be the only English speaking people around and didn’t know where we were supposed to wait. Later on the boat we were seated with a couple and their son, who were also English speaking. The couple were from Cincinnati . As we found out, we were all travelers, which gave us so much to talk about. During the tour, we were served a big spread for lunch (spring rolls, squid, shrimp, cucumber salad, rice, steamed cabbage, and watermelon for dessert). Our first stop was a cave. We were given the option of a 2-person canoe steered by ourselves or a small boat steered by a Vietnamese person. I chose the latter. The cave experience was nice. We also made a stop at the beach, which was crowded with passengers from other boat tours.
I also booked a private city tour with a travel company recommended by someone in one of my community groups. They were also able to make transportation arrangements to and from the Bay; this was a blessing.
My guide was born and raised in Ha Long Bay and was excited to show me his city. We first went around what he calls the “tourist” area and then across the bridge to where the locals live. He showed me where the fishermen spend the entire day fishing and then we headed to the market where it’s sold. He said that he actually shops at this market for seafood. We wandered through the streets and alleyways. Down one alleyway, I noticed this woman looking at me as if she has never seen a Black person, and then these men stopped talking to look also. I mentioned to my guide, and he said I was right. They don’t see people like me in this area (most of these people don’t go over to the tourist side). He said, the lady probably was more in awe of my braids.
We made our way to our first stop, which was lunch. Because of my research, I already knew that lunch would be eaten outside on these kindergarten type chairs (low to the ground). And sure enough, I found myself squatting so low and trying to figure out how to place my long legs. I finally managed and enjoyed some bánh phở (soup with rice noodles). The flavor tasted like chicken noodle soup. Vietnam is known for their phở, which is something I discovered while living in Houston and have enjoyed it ever since. And now to be in the country of origin meant I could experience it their way. However, the phở in Vietnam tasted the same as in Houston.
As we continued walking through the streets, we passed a fruit stand. I inquired about the strange fruit that looks like a strawberry but a bit different. It was a rambutan (chôm chôm, meaning “messy hair.” My guide wanted me to try it since I was curious. You punch through the skin like you would an orange and then you peel back the layer to reveal a white fleshy almond shaped fruit with a seed in the middle. It had a sweet taste but not overly sweet. Glad I had enough to enjoy later that evening.
We also stopped to have egg coffee (pic below). The Vietnamese version (cà phê trứng) is made with a sweet, whipped egg yolk and condensed milk foam on strong coffee (there’s also a Swedish version). While in the store, I noticed a teenaged couple trying not to get caught staring. When they noticed me looking, the boy said… she thinks you’re beautiful. Awwww… thank you!
The rest of my stay was spent hanging around the hotel in my 1-bedroom suite.
