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<strong>VP</strong> travel<br />
Uncovering Vietnam:<br />
A Complete Travel Guide<br />
Text & Photos by Eden Morales<br />
Vietnam is a close neighbor to the Philippines. It is vastly<br />
different and similar to the our very own country, at the<br />
same time. From agricultural landscapes to breathtaking<br />
seascapes, Vietnam’s tourist destinations will feel eerily<br />
familiar to us, Filipinos. But is there more to it than these?<br />
Let me share to you how I uncovered Vietnam within my<br />
10 days of stay.<br />
Night time lanterns at Hoi An<br />
Hanoi: The Heart of the North<br />
I started my very long journey in Hanoi, the heart of the north. I<br />
booked a hotel room at Little Hanoi Hotel via Airbnb and the room<br />
exceeded my expectations! We had a bathtub and the interior is very<br />
high-end looking. I felt like a royalty though the expenses were really<br />
affordable.<br />
Hanoi Opera House<br />
Cold and very laid back, Hanoi has easily grown on me. I woke up<br />
early and started to navigate the streets. I intentionally do this every<br />
time to get really lost. It’s where the most unforgettable stories are<br />
made. Plus, you can really get to know the ins and outs of a foreign<br />
city the organic way.<br />
The famous Pho<br />
Vietnamese Egg Coffee<br />
We rode a rickshaw driven by an elderly Vietnamese man headed<br />
to the Old Quarter where Hoan Kiem Lake is particularly located.<br />
We spent more than 2 hours just strolling along the bank, eating and<br />
buying souvenirs.<br />
In the afternoon, we drank the very famous Vietnamese egg coffee<br />
and devoured my first local Pho. We sat on tiny stools and just let the<br />
world pass us by even for just a few minutes.<br />
Afterwards, we hailed a taxi that took us to Maison Centrale or<br />
Hoa Lò Prison in Viet, a museum of the chilling encounters of the<br />
prison during the Vietnam War. It was eerie — you can feel a little<br />
somber while reading it’s history. Truth be told, some of the tourists<br />
cried as they roam around the museum.<br />
Other spots we had the pleasure of visiting were National Museum<br />
of Vietnamese History, Vietnam Museum of Revolution, Hanoi<br />
Opera House, Temple of the Jade Mountain and St. Joseph’s<br />
Cathedral.<br />
Before sundown, we took another cab ride to Ba Dinh Square<br />
where the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum lies. Reaching it in the nick of<br />
time is the most perfect thing we did that day. We slowly watched<br />
the skies turn to deep shades of purple while the lights faintly<br />
flicker to life.<br />
Hanoi by Night<br />
We retired after experiencing the night life of Hanoi. We ate fried<br />
ice cream even though it was a little cold and another Banh Mi<br />
because we can’t have enough of it.<br />
4 | VILLAGE PIPOL MNP|villagepipol
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