Van Hai Resort

Just by chance rather than good planning, my friends and I got the last available booking at Van Hai Resort which is located on a wild hidden beach on Quan Lan Island. The recent public holidays joined to the weekend created the perfect opportunity for a break from life in the chaotic capital. And the atmosphere on Quan Lan Island is about as relaxing as you’ll get. The simple accommodation offered by the Van Hai Resort was fitting too.

With rooms in stilt houses looking through the conifer trees and down the sand dunes onto the sea, we settled down for a five day stay. The cold shower bathrooms and fan rooms may not be everyone’s cup of tea but the sheets and towels were replaced daily and the beer was delivered cold in a polystyrene box full of ice. We sat on our long balcony with our feet on the rails, beers in hand, forgetting the pressures of city life.

The complex is owned by Viglacera, a government owned company which makes porcelain basins and toilet bowls. Ironically, this company is also responsible for the sand mining one beach around from their resort! Mr. Ngoc, the deputy manager, says the resort has recently been renovated but has been operating for three years. The surrounding foreshore is largely untouched and uninhabited – no more resorts on the drawing boards as yet, which is a good thing.

The only criticism is the difficulty getting fed. There are several little stalls run by local women within the resort grounds but there’s not much on offer apart from steamed squid, grilled dried squid and instant noodles with egg. There is a restaurant, too – though it has no menus and, anything that can be eaten there needs to be ordered in advance in the morning at highly inflated prices. One night, we had a set menu meal there, the dessert for which was one orange on a plate to be split between six people! Go to town for meals is the lesson here!

But we were not there for the food. As an escape, to see a bit of my country where development is happening slowly, to be the only one walking along the entire beach – these are the reasons to visit Quan Lan Island. And, with sunrise views over the sea, Van Hai Resort is the accommodation of choice.

Van Hai Resort
Son Hao - Quan Lan
Van Don - Quang Ninh
Tel : (84).(33).877316

Quan Lan Island

Quan Lan Island is ‘coming out’ as a holiday destination for both local and western tourists. Though still not on the typical tourist itinerary, the island is situated in Bai Tu Long Bay in the Van Don District of Quang Ninh Province, home also to the world famous Halong Bay. With an area of 11 square kms and around 6000 local residents, it is worth visiting for its beautiful white sand beaches and lush green countryside. Mass tourism is yet to make an impression here, which is another bonus. This is probably because Quan Lan is not the easiest place to get to and involves some travel challenges.

The journey takes a full day of independent travelling, first by public bus from Gia Lam bus station in Hanoi to the ferry terminal in Hon Gai. This four hour trip is not for the faint-hearted as the moves of these bus drivers would not be out of place on an F1 race track – in fact, my friends and I abandoned the bus less than halfway to Haiphong after several near misses. I called for a private car from one of the roadside restaurants which did blow the budget a bit but we wanted to arrive alive! From the ferry terminal, it’s a further four hours on an overcrowded boat. So it might sound like a horror trip but it's truly worth that much travel time to reach this great island.

Five years ago on my first trip here, in a week I only saw two other tourists. I had to order my meals in advance and rent one of the local’s motorbikes to get around. Since then, guest houses have tripled in price and, like in other tourist spots, the owners make heaps of money on national holidays and long weekends by charging unbelievably high rates for quite basic rooms. Some charge 400,000Vnd for a double room with a fan or 600,000Vnd with air-conditioning, keeping in mind that electricity is a new commodity on the island only supplied from 6 pm to 11 pm. If you are lucky and the guesthouse has its own generator, you will be supplied with power overnight. These days, food is served by some small restaurants and guest houses though menus do not exist and what you eat depends on what came over on the ferry and what last night’s catch was. Asking the price before ordering is necessary if you don’t want to run out of money, which we nearly did! Some restaurants take advantage of the isolation of the island to charge wildly inflated prices. I had to bargain for every single dish which is not much fun. Compared to five years ago, the residents of the island are more commercially-minded. I can understand that they want to raise their standard of living but it made me angry some times. When I questioned one of the local business owners about the obvious changes in the cost of everything, he said that “five years ago we were dumb.”

The one-road village of Quan Lan has changed quite a bit with many new houses beside the few remaining traditional ones. A wander through the narrow alleys reveals some century old scenes of rural life, though; cottage gardens, courtyards spread with drying food produce, women hand-washing clothes and children playing with stones and sticks. Almost every single house has a dog or two, which are not really aggressive but they do tend to bark during the night and sleep during the day!

Outside of the town, renting a motorbike or bicycle is the preferred option although there are dozens of xe lam (tuk tuk) drivers roaming the streets. This form of transport is quite expensive for tourists and, again, requires hard negotiation. We had to pay 100,000Vnd for a seven kilometre round trip, while motorbikes and bikes can be rented for 100,000Vnd and 50,000Vnd per day, respectively, plus petrol.

So, with the wind in our hair and a beach in our sights, we toured through the stunning green fields of young peanut plants and rice. A few days spent on one of the islands isolated beaches is a million miles away from the chaos of Hanoi and at least a few kilometres away from the negotiation for our evening meal. That’s the great attraction of Quan Lan Island.

Quan Lan Island
Bai Tu Long
Quang Ninh Province

Yen Tu Pagoda II

The weather at Yen Tu was terrible with heavy rain and strong winds on the morning of our climb. We had to buy simple plastic rain coats to keep warm. The rocks we were climbing over were really slippery so we had to climb up carefully. We were the first group at the cable car station but we weren't the first group on the top of the mountain as there were hundred of people already up there. I couldn't believe my eyes. If they were there that early it meant they had to climb during the night in the dark. They had all settled down to nonstop chanting in the rain with their raincoats on. It looked surreal. We were on the top of the mountain at the bronze pagoda and it seemed the wind would blow everything away any minute, including the chanting ladies in raincoats. It was also a little bit scary. This was truly a memorable trip for me.

This small pagoda is made completely of bronze and everyone tries to reach the pagoda then touch it hopefully to get some blessing from the gods. I tried to take some photos but it was not difficult as there were too many people and also the strong wind and heavy rain. I was quite surprised about how religious these people were, some were 70 to 80 years old and had by-passed the cable car, choosing to walk from the base to the top in such horrible conditions. Some of them may not have been able to afford to buy tickets as it's quite expensive(140.000vnd).

We stayed there for around 20 minutes and walked down again for lunch before heading to other temples and pagodas on the way back to Hanoi. I'm sure this would be a more beautiful place with amazing surrounding view if we came here on a clear day. Hope the weather is good on my second trip back.

To be continued.

Yen Tu Pagoda

Last week, I joined a trip with my friend's company to Yen Tu Pagoda, the most holy and highest pagoda in the north and in fact, the whole of Vietnam. We started our trip at 3pm the day before and arrived at the base of the mountain after two and a half hours in the bus. The weather wasn't good as we expected as it was raining the whole day before and it meant the road was very wet, slippery and dangerous. We stopped at a small temple on the way and then spent almost an hour at Thien Vien Pagoda. After that we went straight on to Giai Oan Temple for 15 minutes of praying to release whatever we had done wrong in the past year, before heading up to buy cable car tickets for the next day. We decided to sleep overnight on the chieu nghi(sleeping mats) in Ngoc Hai restaurant, right next to Hoa Yen Pagoda then take a cable car at 6 am the next day. We hired the whole second floor of the restaurant for the 39 people on the trip. A few of us stayed at the place to prepare the dinner while most of our group went to Hoa Yen Pagoda for a short prayer.

The Sofitel Plaza staff, who I was invited to travel with, were really organized and had everything imaginable prepared, including a great dinner with lots of vegetables, cheeses, ham, boiled eggs, tofu with tomato sauce, chicken, square cake, sticky rice, bread, butter and of course, lots of wine, beer, soft drink and juice. I've never ever joined such a trip like this and just loved eating and talking with them. I found out that one of the ladies works in the hotel kitchen so no wonder she did it so amazingly well.

After dinner, everyone went upstairs for a nap trying to save energy for the next day but only a few of the women went to bed as most people started playing games. I couldn't sleep very well because whenever someone won the game of cards a cheer went up. It seemed to keep going from 9 pm until 5am. It's truly amazing that they still looked fine the next day and walked so fast up to the top of the moutain. There must have been something special in the chicken porridge they had for breakfast.

Tobe continued

Tourism in Ha Long Bay

Ha Long Bay is such a beautiful place, a tourist spot visited by everyone who makes it to the north of Viet Nam . Tourism here has created tons of jobs and business opportunities for the locals. The unique landscape which is probably taken for granted by them, is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I often wonder what it means for Halong Bay to be on this list, if anything. I’ve been reading some of the documents on their website and it states that Halong Bay has “geological and geomorphologic value” and that it “requires protection for all of humanity.” On my latest trip, I’ve been convinced that tourism is having a deep impact on the environment there.

Most people visit Halong Bay to see the rock formations and caves as well as to have a relaxing holiday after a year or period of work. I some times go to Ha Long Bay with friends for one night, two days and just love it. I love kayaking around the beautiful calm water, through the caves, and onto little beaches. It’s awesome but of course, the only way to get out onto the bay is by motorised boat. On my trip recently, I noticed fifty or more boats. Each of them is carrying a dozen or so tourists on most days of the year. The bay is being polluted by petrol and oil which can be clearly seen on the surface of the water in parts. Nowadays, there are so many tour operators working in Ha Long Bay with the same itineraries, meaning hundreds of people are stopping and travelling through the same waters and caves. I’ve seen people flicking cigarette butts into the water and leave plastic bags and bottles lying around. It makes me sad and angry.

The other problem is over-fishing, another industry which provides employment and a livelihood for the families who actually live floating on the water. A seafood meal aboard one of the boats is a highlight for visitors, of course.

There are lots of problems to solve but the decisions have effects that will be far-reaching. Someone needs to do something about the pollution and the amount of tourism even though it provides work for the local labor force. Tourists numbers rose from 200,000 in 1995 to 1,700,000 in 2002. This year the number is higher. It will only grow more in the future.

If Halong Bay is still worth visiting.

Amazing Experience In Ha Long Bay

After a long morning filming with Tom and Rob, the boat stopped at Ti Top island for us to climb up the hill for the an amazing view of Ha Long Bay. Even though it had started raining, we decided to stop nearby the island for swimming. We swam for a while and the rain was getting heavier and heavier but we wanted to go kayaking. We were the only four people kayaking in the whole wide area under the heavy rain, thunder and lightning. It was really scary for me at the beginning but the others were so excited. We returned to the boat after 30 minutes paddling around before the two tour guides told us that they wanted to show us some amazing caves that not many people go through.

We kayaked behind them for about 20 minutes to two really deep and low caves with tiny entrances that you have to lay in the boat to get into. Bats were flying around and luckily the guides gave us the torches so we could see. We were scared but we wanted to go through and we did. We missed the last cave because too many bats were flying around and Tom was a bit nervous.

When I'm at home and I hear a storm I always close the doors and sit inside. But I loved swimming in the rain, seeing the lightning and hearing the thunder right on top of my head. Kayaking on Halong Bay is a great experience.

Food In Ha Long Bay

During my work with the crew filming about food in Viet Nam I had the chance to meet some interesting people in the fishing villages and talk to them. Yes, they are very friendly and very sweet. I met the mayor of Cua Van fishing village and we filmed him fishing in the bay. I also met his and his relatives and talked to them about why they're living here and what's the main reason to keep them here in the middle of nowhere for generations. They told me they just love being here in Ha Long Bay, they love the ocean and they love fishing. Fishing also is the only skill that they have to bring in income and daily food.

The fishermen cook their fish broth in a different way with lots of herbs, a bit of stir fried and lots of water. My mother and my sister cook fish broth alot and I just love their cooking , especially their broth which is a bit sweet from the fish, a bit sour from the herbs and a little bit salty from the fish sauce. It's a really great combination, a simple dish eaten with rice dipping the fish in fish sauce with some chilli, garlic and maybe some MSG. It's quite easy to do at home.

Back To Ha Long Bay

I went back to Halong Bay for one night and two days as I was invited to be involved in some filming for an American TV show called Diary of a Foodie. I had such a great time working and relaxing, meeting new people, and enjoying the great bay view.

We arrived in Ha Long City at about 11 am after picking up the crew at Noi Bai airport. Rob and Tom, the producers and cameramen for the show, seemed very happy to be here in the north after almost a week in the south filming about Vietnamese food. I spent lots of time taking hundreds of photos of people, boats and scenery.

I just love this gorgous place plus the great seafood that the tour company supplied on the boat. We had huge fish, big prawns, lots of big crabs, yummy scollops, fresh and tasty squid and of course some over-priced Chilean and Australian wines. Sorry but I love white wine and I can drink lots of it especially when I am on holiday :).

Laying on the roof of the boat with a glass of chilled wine, talking to friends about life, about the beauty of Ha Long Bay is a great way to release stress, don't you think? You can't expect anything more than that.

To be continued

Ha Long Bay Part II

I was really surprised about the motivation of small business operators here.There are a few girls in small boats hanging around very early in the morning, at about 5am, trying to sell all kinds of stuff, from rice wine to chewing gum or vegetables but all really expensive. From what I've seen and heard the people here are so nice and friendly. They are calm and always smiling. Maybe they are do that for their business but at least they know how to smile.

The boat stopped at a fishing village for whoever wanted to buy fresh seafood or check out the fishing lifestyle. There are many floating houses located nearby and they have constructed lots of floating nets to keep the seafood in for selling. I bought some crabs and some prawns to bring home for a meal. I realized that it is more expensive than in Hanoi but I think the quality is better. Maybe I don't know how to bargain or that's the price for ocean service.

I understand that people can live in all kinds of conditions, but I don't think I could live in the middle of nowhere for my whole life. People who live in this area seem very happy with their life. I saw quite a few guys and girls dyeing their hair with different colors and by the way they were talking, it seems that nothing can affect their life and they do really enjoy their life. They earn quite a lot of money from their seafood business and they go to Hai Phong twice per week. They have all of the latest entertainment such as DVDs and the latest music. The local children have their own school. They have a pretty good life with whatever they want.

Vega travel is a very well organized tour company, and this tour was well worth what I paid. The tour guide was good, the boat and the bus were clean and driven well, and the bed was very comfortable and clean. I think this is my high recommendation for whoever comes to Vietnam and wants a good tour agency. Vega travel: 24 Hang Bac- Ha Noi - Viet Nam -Tel: (84-4)9262092- Fax(84-4) 9260910 - Email: vegatravel@fpt.vn or go to their website: http://www.vega-travel.com/.

Sorry about no posts but my work has been busy and I had some time away for the Independence day holiday.

Ha Long Bay Part I

I took a two day, one night boat trip to Ha Long Bay with Vega Travel this week for a short break. Halong Bay is such an amazing place for a quiet and relaxing time, to get away from the motorbike horn, the shouting and the job stress. It is no wonder that this is one of the world natural heritage sites. Here is my story.

The tour company picked me up from my house then we headed to Ha Long Bay, the trip taking us about three hours. The weather wasn't too good in the morning but it got better and the sun came out finally. I loved sunbathing on the top roof, and I took heaps of pictures and enjoyed drinking wine and cold beer. I took a small group trip with only eleven other people, a few from Spain, England and Viet Nam. The food was good on board the boat, we were served seafood, of course, and spring rolls, soup and salad and they also prepared a special menu for vegetarians as well.

We went to what they call 'Surprising Cave' at first and this is a real wonder with an amazing cave with light and interesting rock formations. "Do you know what makes women happy?" asked my tour guide. Look at the picture below and you will get the answer :)

After the cave, we went to Ti Top island where the boat stopped for awhile for us to climb up to the top of the hill which has an amazing view of Ha Long Bay. We left Ti Top to go kayaking nearby and swimming. This was the first time I'd ever tried kayaking and it was great. We swam until about six in the evening when we had dinner. I was a bit drunk at about eight after finishing off my wine and a few beers. I went to bed early but I woke up early the next day to catch the sun rise,at 5.30 in the morning. It was so quiet, nothing much happening around, just the boat engine going sometimes on and off. Sitting on the top of the boat in that peaceful atmosphere made me feel life is so nice and I just forget about the busy stress of normal life.

To be continued...