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Hanoi, Vietnam: Part II

8/7/2024

 
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Summary

Airport Rating ****
Reception of locals *****
Cost: £££
  • My second trip to Hanoi and the surrounding area
  • The city has gotten a lot busier and a little more expensive but feels safe and the prices are reasonable
  • An intense experience with a lot of energy concentrated in the city centre
  • Main Sights: Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Temple of Literature, Train Street, Tran Quoc Pagoda, Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, French Quarter

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Ho Chi Minh City: Part II

24/6/2024

 
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Summary

Airport Rating ***
Reception of locals *****
Cost: £££
  • My second trip to Ho Chi Minh City, almost nine years after my first
  • The city feels a lot busier than my last visit, but that's not necessarily a bad thing
  • No issues as a Sikh in airports or in the city
  • Main Sights: Cu Chi Tunnels, Independence Palace, Ben Thanh Market, Central Post Office, Ba Thien Hau Temple, Book Street, Landmark 81, Tan Dinh Church, Cafe Apartments, Bui Vien Walking Street

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Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in pictures

4/12/2017

 
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Vietnam

It's one of only a handful of one party communist states in the world and is best known in the west for two very violent wars that were fought in the territory in 20th century.

There is no doubt the Vietnamese people have had a rough couple of hundred years. After first being colonised by the French, they were then overrun by the Japanese during the Second World War. Two bloody wars of freedom followed, first defeating the French, and then defeating the Americans.

The country was, for decades, an international pariah. However, a shift to a more markets based economy has seen the country post impressive growth figures and is now one of the fastest growing economies in the world. In addition, a tourism sector that was destroyed by war is also thriving. I paid a visit to two of the major cities in Vietnam; Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), capturing the life of these two distinct areas of the country; two areas that were once bitter enemies, now reunited as one Vietnam.

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5 things I loved about Vietnam

24/5/2016

 
vietnam, 5 things i loved about vietnam, travel, sikh, south east asia, hanoi
The 20th century saw large scale decolonisation throughout the world. Whilst some transfers happened relatively peacefully (Hong Kong, Macau) others happened more violently. One of the most violent struggles for freedom occurred in Vietnam. After fighting the Japanese, French and Americans, Vietnam entered the second half of the 20th century scarred by fighting and Saigon was a byword for destruction.

However, Vietnam is finally emerging from its tragic recent history by projecting an image of hope and beauty. Vietnam is no longer associated with just a war, its now associated with adventure and fun. From the communist feel of North Vietnam, to a more capitalist feel in South Vietnam, the country still has strong footprints of a tragic conflict, however it also adds to an already rich culture and history.

I didn't have time to visit the famous Ha Long Bay, and I'll be sure to make a return trip to visit the famous area, however, here are my top 5 favourite things about Vietnam.

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SE Asia v South America

16/5/2016

 
travel, sikh, south east asia, south america

Summary

  • South East Asia has a cheaper cost of living and travelling within SE Asia is also cheaper due to the shorter distances between countries in the area
  • The topography of South America is incredible, with the Andes and other mountain ranges providing the backdrop to some incredible scenery
  • SE Asia places significant importance on tourism and therefore locals are especially friendly and helpful. This is also true of large areas of South America, especially Peru
  • SE Asia has more cultural gems over a smaller area, with Angkor Wat and northern Thailand being particularly special
  • South America has vast areas of emptiness where you can feel completely disconnected from the 'real world'
South East Asia or South America. These two parts of the world have seen an explosion of popularity over the past decade and for most people the decision of where to visit first is often a difficult one. In this entry, I'll try and rate each of the locations on factors that are important to the average person and come up with an overall rating.

Things to consider

Before I get things started, its important to note that my experiences over the two locations will vary. I spent more time in South East Asia, and it was also the place I decided to visit first. There are important locations missing from both locations. I didn't visit Laos in SE Asia and I didn't visit Colombia and Argentina in South America. Personally, I feel that Argentina is a significant omission due to the size of the country and the number of things to see and do. Ratings and experiences are also very subjective, my experience could be significantly different from the experience of others so I'd bare this in mind when you make your decision.

Finally, a comparison between the two locations isn't an exact science. The phrase apples and oranges comes to mind. Peru and Brazil have completely different cultures, speak completely different languages, yet for the purpose of comparison they have been lumped together under a loose 'South American' category. This entry is a subjective rough overview of my experiences and can form part of your research into each location.

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Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

10/4/2015

 
ho chi minh city, saigon, vietnam, travel, south east asia, sikh

Summary

Airport Rating *****
Reception of locals *****
Cost: ££
  • The largest city in Vietnam, located in the south of the country
  • Formerly known as Saigan, the city used to be the capital of the capitalist south of the country
  • A distinctly different feel from Hanoi, with large skyscrapers and more of a big city feel
  • A little more expensive than Hanoi, but cheaper than similar sized cities in South America
  • Main Sights: War Remnants museum, Saigon Cathedral, Independence Palace, Saigon Grand Central Post Office, Ben Thanh Market.
Ho Chi Minh has a definite big city feel to it. While Hanoi had a quiet charm, Ho Chi Minh is a loud, brash, confident city - one that wouldn't feel particularly out of place in Europe.

As with other areas of SE Asia, you can very quickly feel the French influences, however, Ho Chi Minh City has developed significantly, firstly as part of the the Republic of Vietnam, and then as part of a reunified Vietnam. Skyscrapers such as the Bitexco Financial Tower dominate the skyline, streets are wide and clean and the core of the city is devoid of the street vendors that dominate other large cities in the area.

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Hanoi, Vietnam

1/4/2015

 
hanoi, vietnam, sikh, travel

Summary

Airport Rating ***
Reception of locals *****
  • No Sikh specific issues of note at the airport, however, getting a landing Visa is not an easy task and the old Soviet style uniforms can be quite intimidating
  • Make sure you take a few passport sized photos with you otherwise you wont be allowed access into the country
  • The city itself has a strong French influence and is centered on the beautiful Hoan Kiem Lake
  • Very strong communist vibe around the city, with the city covered in red
  • Main Sights: Hoan Kiem Lake, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, a number of museums, Hanoi Night Market
Hanoi was similar in feel to Siem Reap and Chiang Mai, the conveniences and buzz of a city but smaller in scope than Bangkok, Phnom Penh and Ho Chi Minh City, despite being the Capital of Vietnam. Hanoi was the beginning of a trip that would take me East to West from Vietnam to Thailand, crossing Cambodia and I knew the few days I had in the city were possibly going to be the only one's where I wouldn't be joined by other travellers, so I made sure I spent some time alone discovering the city and away from hostel socials etc.

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    Author

    British Sikh, born in the Midlands, based in London, travelling the world seeing new cultures.

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