The road climbed steadily through mist shrouded mountains, hairpins directing views to forests and valleys far below. Above, the grey sky lightened steadily through pale blue to a rich piercing blue of pure mountain air. The mountain peaks still high above us were suddenly bathed in warm sunlight as the rays of dawn surmounted the surrounding peaks. We were headed to Sapa, 1,600 metres above sea level and 40km from the Chinese border, in northern Vietnam.

We travelled from Hanoi in a rather nice two berth compartment on the Livitrans overnight train. Our warm welcome in Sapa was announced by a good breakfast and strong Vietnamese coffee with a hefty glob of condensed milk in the bottom. Sapa is surrounded by the 3,000 metre high Hoang Lien Son range, the highest mountains in Vietnam. From our hotel balcony the mountains marched magnificently to every horizon.

Starlight, brighter than we had ever seen mesmerized us on our first night. The cool crystal clear mountain air allowed the stars to gleam in their full splendour. Orion arched overhead with such clarity that even the nebulosity in the sword was clearly visible.

At the weekend the local ethnic minority peoples come in to the market wearing their colourful traditional costumes. They are incredibly friendly and inquisitive people and we soon struck up conversations with Tami, a 34 year old Red Dzao woman with two sons and a daughter, who was given to her by a friend. We also chatted to Gow, a twenty year old, Black H’mong woman carrying goods to the market.

It was clear from the shy glances exchanged between the brightly dressed girls and boys around the market that this was an opportunity to meet your significant other. Huddles of girls would follow the approach of a bunch of blokes then explode into serious conversation then peals of laughter.

Exploring the spectacular scenery around the town was essential. Many visitors came just to trek through the valleys and some to try to scale the peaks. We hired a Russian made jeep and a driver to follow the old supply road to Dien Bien Phu. This was built by the French in their abortive attempt to suppress the Vietnamese in the 1950s. We stopped at the highest point on the road, 2,000 metres above sea level, to take in the breathtaking view of the high mountains. We also visited other natural sights such as the 200 metre high silver waterfalls with Moon our delightful Vietnamese guide.

Since the population of the town is 70% Buddhist and 20% Taoist we asked Moon why the entire town was bedecked with Christmas trees, coloured lights, tinsel and fake snowmen. It’s all for the tourists she confided simply. Ah well deck the halls and turn up the jingle bells, its Christmas after all.

Despite the poor weather forecast for the area we had glorious sunshine for our week in Sapa. It was only when we were leaving and we drove down through the cloud layer at 1000 metres that we realised that Sapa and the surrounding mountain peaks had been above the clouds!

Sapa Pictures

Where we were:

People were beginning to move about in the grey dawn of a new day in Hanoi. Already the government policy announcements and earnest music were being broadcast from loudspeakers on the street corners. As we stepped off the bus waste water was swilling from shops and houses into the freely flowing gutters of the Old Quarter.

We travelled from Hué to Hanoi for thirteen hours on a sleeper bus. This was a new coach kitted out with bunks, complete with blankets and pillows. Theoretically it was a good idea but the tight bends and bumpy roads took a bit of getting used to. The regular toilet stops, though welcome, also meant we took short naps rather than slept. Still if you don’t try new things you never find out.

We stayed in the Old Quarter, a hustling, bustling hive of industry and retail acumen. Similar businesses were clustered together. So there was a street of metal bashers, a street of tool shops, a street tailor shops and even a street of Christmas decorations and Santa Clause outfits.  These narrow streets pulsated with life, people and motor bikes all weaving in and out and squeezing past. The people though looked solemn and serious maybe even a bit anxious and worried about something.

Being smaller than Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi has a more immediate appeal.  It is possible to walk around the central area comfortably. On our first day we paid our respects to Ho Chi Minh in his Mausoleum. The Mausoleum is closed for two months each year for restoration works and luckily we arrived on the opening day.  So we saw the great man at his best.  On other days we walked around the picturesque Hoan Keim Lake in the centre of the city and browsed through some museums.  The History Museum and the Museum of the Vietnamese revolution are well worth visiting.  We rather took to a street café where we sat on very low stools and cooked our meat on solid fuel burners on the pavement.

Further afield a walk around Truc Bach Lake offered the opportunity to count the number of dead fish and rats floating belly up in the polluted waters as you perused the lakeside restaurants.   There is also an interesting memorial to anti aircraft gunners who shot down an American plane into the lake in October 1967.

We hoped to attend an opera in the magnificent French built Opera House but the opera house programme didn’t fit in with our timetable. 

From Hanoi we took a trip to the beautiful Halong Bay. Organising this wasn’t as straightforward as we expected. We also took small rowing boats up the Red River to the Perfume Pagoda. 

Pictures of Halong Bay and the Red River.

The huge red flag with the single yellow star emblazoned in the centre waved majestically against the cloudless blue sky over the Hué Citadel. Its massive, seven metre high, walls and moat extend two kilometres on each side enclosing, encompassing and protecting the ancient city of Hué.  The dark walls exude power and stability. Inside this bulwark the Imperial City protected by its own set of mighty walls and moat glitters in past splendour. Here successive Emperors built magnificent red and gold reception halls, palaces, theatres and temples. There were also residential areas for mandarins, soldiers and the staff needed to organise and run the city.   It’s not hard to imagine the rows of red robed mandarins on one side of the palace square and army officers in disciplined ranks on the other side kow towing to the Emperor on his golden throne. 

Fortunately many of the important buildings have survived Vietnam’s recent turbulent history with most damage occurring during the Second World War. Neglect during the French war and the American wars also added to the decay.  Today however the surviving buildings are being repaired and renovated and these attract millions of visitors every year. Here are some pictures of the buildings in the Imperial City.

Away from the Imperial City the Emperors built Mausoleums and Temples in the valley of the Perfumed River.  We thoroughly enjoyed a day sailing up the romantically named Perfumed River stopping off to wander around the extensive and beautifully landscaped grounds of several of the Mausoleums. Some were a little distance from the river but local motorcycle taxis were happy to take us the few kilometres to the sites. Surveying the macho male drivers gunning their throttles with some misgivings Margaret opted to ride pillion with a slight girl with pony tails.  This slim maid however transformed into a banshee who took off in a shower of dust and stones overtaking all the men on the road.  Click here for pictures.

Outside the Hué Citadel there were two distinct areas. An old Chinese Quarter where the Chinese merchants settled a few hundred years ago and the more modern French Quarter. Hué is not a huge city but too big to cover conveniently on foot. So we sometimes took a cyclo to cover the ground in more comfort. 

We enjoyed Hué and its people so much we extended our stay and lingered for a week relaxing in the grounds of the Citadel more than once.  If you ever get the chance to visit Hué don’t miss it.

Pictures of the Imperial City, Perfume River Mausoleums, Chinese and French Quarters