Vietnamese Food Ingredients

Generally speaking, Vietnamese food sustains a balance between sweet and salty. I like to believe this equilibrium represents the reality of life, recognizing that daily existence contains both of these elements. Or, perhaps it is related to a type of yin and yang as Vietnamese culture has been heavily influenced by the Chinese over the centuries.

Another common thread is the use of fresh vegetables. In the States, I pretty much avoided vegetables. Most of the time they had been canned or frozen, and they just had flavors and textures that didn’t work for me. However, in Asia I have been eating more vegetables than any other time in my whole life! They have such great flavor, and since they are fresh their texture is so much more palatable as well.

Vegetables are not only fresh, but often dishes will contain raw veggies. In the south, when you’re given a bowl of pho, it is accompanied by a large supply of leafy vegetables and herbs. The person who is about to devour their bowl of yumminess adds these into their soup right before eating, and the greens retain their crispness and flavors.

Where Thai food tends to homogenize flavors, Vietnamese cuisine is all about the individuality of flavors and textures.

“Parts” are not wasted either. In Vietnam, pretty much the whole animal is consumed. A trip to a wet market can be quite fascinating. Unless you have a weak stomach.

You will find everything from live frogs, fish, and crabs to brains, intestines, pigs ears, and even piles of cooked, shredded pig skin.

Regional Differences in Vietnamese Food

The north is not an ideal agricultural area. Most of their produce is shipped from the central and south areas of the country. Because of this, northern dishes tend to contain less vegetables.

The central and southern areas are much better suited for growing food. During what is referred to locally as “the American war,” the US had an active deforestation program to counter guerilla attacks and ambushes, among other things. Decades later, these areas have mostly rebounded, and the food from these regions celebrates this abundance. A south Vietnam dinner would not be complete without the presence of vegetable dishes.

Saigon (officially renamed Ho Chi Minh City after the Fall, but still referred to by most people, and even signage, by its former name) in particular offers much more diversity in food. The local markets in Saigon easily rival any market I’ve seen in the world so far.

Even if you don’t plan on shopping, the locals’ market is worth the experience.

Food is medicine

Many Asian cultures share this concept, and Vietnamese food definitely is no exception. Chinese medicine has a concept of foods having hot and cold energies. The body has these as well. Foods are eaten in such a way as to balance out the body’s energies, thereby maximizing health.

It’s the best-tasting medicine you’ll probably ever have.

Presentation

Even in its simplicity, Vietnamese food doesn’t require a lot to appear delicious. Lacking Western sensitivities to food and a belief in using the entire animal, food prepared in Vietnam does not try to hide what you’re eating. If you order pigeon, it won’t be nicely chopped up so that you have no visible evidence to remind you of the little birdie you’re eating.

Remember that whole “waste not” philosophy? Well, some things are considered edible that might surprise you. Once again, they aren’t going to hide you’re eating something that many might consider unusual.

Isn’t there anything “normal” besides pho?

Oh yes! And plenty of it. But sometimes the unusual is just too tasty to ignore. Although, you won’t find me snacking on deep-fried silkworms either (pictured above).

What’s your favorite Vietnamese food?

The noodle soup pho is probably the most famous Vietnamese dish. While pho is quite enjoyable, it pales in comparison to other Vietnamese cuisine.

There is no way to sum up the large array of food in Vietnam, but I’ll touch on some basics.

Soups

I’ve always been a bit mystified as to why soup is so huge in this steamy country. Living for so much of my life in the Pacific Northwest and in Colorado, we have definite soup weather. I associate soup, chowder, and stews with fall and winter weather. When it’s cold and damp outside, nothing can warm you from the toes up like a nice hearty stew or chowder.

Perhaps it’s, like with Chinese food, a belief in the medicinal value of food. Or perhaps it’s related to the older days where refrigeration wasn’t something that existed or was easily acquired. I imagine keeping food at a boiling temperature is safer than leaving meat to sit out for hours.

But even in this sweltering heat, I’ll gladly order a bowl of liquid deliciousness.

A strong contender for pho’s crown is the dish known as bún chả (pronounced boon chah). This northern Vietnamese dish, believed to be a Hanoi specialty, should come with instructions. Although it did provide great entertainment to the proprietor when I looked at the three bowls of food sitting before me and asked “How do I eat it?”

For the more adventurous, there is bun rieu. Like pho, there are regional variations, but generally it’s more of a seafood lover’s type of dish.

If you want to participate more in the preparation of your meal, then order a claypot dish. In the north, these were usually small, manageable portions. However, in the cool mountain town of Dalat, a claypot order could easily feed at least three people. I found this out by surprise when I ordered it thinking I was getting one of the nice, smaller pots.

How do you know which you’re getting? Generally, you’ll notice the small reddish claypots sitting around in the restaurant or street food cafe. If you don’t see them but notice claypot on the menu, you may be getting the larger cauldron. Another way to possibly differentiate between them is the price. The smaller ones are often around 60,000 VND (about $3 USD), and the large ones are closer to 150,000 dong.

Street food

Almost always a diverse assortment, street food in Vietnam has something for everyone. “Meat on a stick” is readily available, although it tends to get added to a lovely French-style baguette and called bánh mì. Some vegetables will get added along with a slightly spicy sauce. The result is a filling combination that delights your taste buds with a wonderful mix of unique flavors. Vegetarians can usually find tofu quite easily.

This blend of diverse flavors is one of the trademarks of Vietnamese cuisine. Where Thai food brings several sweet and sour flavors together and joins them, this country’s food highlights individual flavors. The taste of each ingredient stands out making it quite delightful. Even if it won’t make you break out in a sweat.

My recent street food addiction is bánh bao. They closely resemble Chinese dumplings, and we like to refer to them as “crack balls” because they’re remarkably addictive.

Imagine pork or chicken mixed with onions, mushrooms, and vegetables. Add a couple of hard-boiled quail eggs, wrap it in a fluffy dough, and cook it with steam. It may not sound like much, but once you’ve bitten into one of these delightful soft balls, I think you’ll be hooked, too.

Not only will they please your mouth, but they’ll make your pocketbook sing as well. The average price for a dumpling a bit larger than my palm (and I have large hands) is 10,000 VND, or about 50 cents. I have found them for as low as 3000 dong, though. Two can easily be a meal.

Just remember to peel the paper off the bottom before biting into it. Picking out partially masticated paper from your mouth isn’t as much fun as it might sound.

Spring rolls

These are usually served fried or fresh. When they are listed as fresh, they are usually wrapped in rice paper. It looks like plastic wrap, but it’s 100% edible and has a very mild, subtle flavor.

Spring rolls are often a vegetarian’s best friend and when served fresh they can be quite healthy. When ordering these in a restaurant, don’t be surprised if you have the opportunity to roll them yourself. I think it just adds to the fun.

The best fresh spring roll I’ve had so far were catfish spring rolls. They had amazing flavor. Of course, it’s hard to go wrong pairing fresh herbs with grilled fish. Just another example of the explosion of flavors that is common with Vietnamese food.

When served fried, they are very reminiscent of what are often called eggrolls in the States, although they are smaller. I love the texture of the crunchy wrapping, but I don’t find the flavors to be quite as good as with the fresh rolls. The flavors are more homogenized when fried.

Social component

The Vietnamese culture is very social. At night you will find locals in the street seated on small, low plastic chairs at roadside cafes, sharing food in restaurants, and/or playing games in coffee houses. It is fun to hear them laugh and tease each other. Vietnamese people are very playful, especially in the south, and you really get to experience this in the nighttime eateries that seem to spring up out of nowhere. Like in France, meals are meant to be enjoyed and shared.

The food is just part of the overall experience.

Do you have a favorite Vietnamese cuisine that wasn’t included above? Please share it with us in the comments section!

Our landlady made a phone reservation for us for the bus. They have a pretty cool system where a minivan picks you up and takes you the bus station. It’s included in your bus fare. Not too shabby! We were able to get our train tickets booked online, and the tickets were to be delivered to our hotel and would be waiting for us when we checked in.

Several hours after leaving Dalat, a rather interesting drive, especially if you’re crazy enough to look out your window during the windy mountain pass portion of the trip, we stepped off the air-conditioned bus into hot, take-away-your-breath humid air.

We stayed at the Golden Lotus Hotel on the recommendation of our friend. I went ahead and splurged a bit so we could have an oceanview room. Our beds faced the big glass sliding door so that we could relax in our beds and stare out at the beautiful sea while enjoying the air-conditioned chill of our room.

It’s a hard life, but someone has to live it.

Interestingly, the area is a hotspot for Russian tourists, and you’ll find signs in Russian everywhere. I had a few people come up to me speaking Russian, which is not one of my languages. I just smiled and replied “English?” and they walked away.

Vinpearl Land

In addition to beach time, we had heard about an amusement park on its own island—Vinpearl Land. They were kind enough to sponsor us, and I’d say coming here is a must-do in Nha Trang. Your admission ticket includes transportation to and from the island. You can arrive and depart by either ferry, slow boat, or by taking the world’s longest sea-crossing cable car system.

In spite of my little issue with being afraid of falling, I opted for the cable car, and surprisingly was never panicky during the ride. We came back at nighttime, and the pillars that hold up the system are lit up and look like miniature Eiffel Towers.

The island boasts amusement rides, a beach, water park with an impressive wade pool, video arcade (and all the games and rides are free), Vietnam’s largest aquarium, 4D movie theater, and a 5000-seat outdoor ampitheater.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that the restaurants were reasonably priced, comparable to other restaurants on the mainland. There was a great selection of Western and Vietnamese food. They offer both casual and fast food dining. We ate dinner at one of the restaurants which was next to the ocean. It made for a perfect end to the day.

If you’re looking for a different kind of lodging experience in Nha Trang, there is also a resort on the island. We didn’t check that out, though.

The park was tons of fun, and we ended up spending the entire day there.

Scuba diving

It had been a while since we had been diving, and our gills were really dried out. We checked out several centers in town. The only one that impressed me was Sailing Club Divers. We paid about $45 USD per person (I was given a professional discount because I’m an instructor) for 2 dives, and the fee included all the gear, pickup and drop off from the hotel, transportation to the marina, marine park fees, and lunch.

I was very impressed with their boat. It was probably the most comfortable diving boat I’ve been on. Staff were very professional, equipment was in good condition, and the lunch was pretty good. I also really liked that they had small group sizes. I think the largest group any divemaster had was 3 people. Divemasters gave a great briefing and had good diving practices during the dives, i.e., weren’t damaging the coral or harassing the marine life.

My whole diving career thus far has been Caribbean diving. Vietnam was pretty similar in terms of coral, but we did get to see a lot of fish I hadn’t seen before, including my first wild cuttlefish and plenty of nudibranches.

I initially made fun of the people donning wetsuits, but I discovered what the DMs already knew—they have lots of thermoclines. One minute you’re in bathtub 29-degree water (Celsius) and the next you’re almost shivering in 26 degrees. It just made you appreciate those warm currents even more.

Food

This is a very touristy town,including Vietnamese and Chinese tourists. Many of the restaurants are priced accordingly. However, we found that taking the side streets and walking just a few blocks away from the main drag brought us to the places the locals eat. The food was outstanding and inexpensive.

One of our favorite lunch places didn’t have a name. Walk past the KFC and the street where Rainbow Divers is located, and you’ll find it on the corner. They have a fruit stand in front. They are so unaccustomed to non-Asian tourists that they kind of huddled around us while we ate and peppered us with questions. They marveled that I was eating with the chopstick/utensil combination that is common when eating noodle soups. They warned me when they saw me shovel peppers into my food. “That very hot!”

“I know. I like it like that.”

They watched unconvinced as I ate some of the spicy food. When I didn’t explode, they all let out their breath and laughed.

We also bought some mangosteens from their little stand. They were quite good.

On your way to this eatery, you will have no doubt noticed that you passed a place called Romy’s Italian Ice Cream. You will want to have dessert here. The gelato was some of the best I’ve had.

Near our hotel is an Indian and pizza restaurant (yes, seriously), and the food is pretty decent. It’s called Omar’s. If you’re dying to have some Indian, it’s a good place. Don’t expect super food, but it helps take care of the craving. The pizza was also fairly good.

I would not recommend Salina Restaurant. They supposedly have draft German beer, but it was total crap. The food wasn’t much better and was way overpriced.

Beach Activities

They have everything else you could possibly want for fun in the water: Kitesurfing, wakeboarding, jet skis, you name it. The beach is really clean and practically abandoned during the day. It seems that most Vietnamese beachgoers only head out around 4 PM when the sun is lower in the sky.

Bottom line

It is very touristy, but Nha Trang is still a fun place to visit for a few days, especially if you’re interested in any of the above.

Overland or by Cruise

If you’re coming into Vietnam by land or sea, you must have a visa in advance (for most countries). These are obtained by visiting a Vietnam embassy or consulate prior to your trip to Vietnam. The process is relatively painless, but it does take time. Typically, you’ll have to come in the morning, stand in line, turn in documents, etc. Usually you return the next day to pick up the documents granting you entry into the country.

The easy way

Airfares to Vietnam from its neighboring countries is quite often extremely reasonable, and when you consider how many hours bus or train travel will require, along with border crossing wait times, etc., it’s often to your advantage to fly into the country.

If you choose to fly, you can save yourself a lot of time and repeated trips to an embassy by doing the visa on arrival program. When you factor in the time and transportation costs, you’ll save a good deal of money by doing a VOA. Furthermore, the fees are the same whether you’re visiting the embassy or doing a VOA.

The visa on arrival is a lot cheaper in the long run.

When we prepared to fly into Vietnam, I used My Vietnam Visa to process our visas. However, there are several companies out there charging anywhere from $7 to $19 per person (for a 30-day, single-entry visa; other visas have different fees associated with them). Even though this company charges more than the cheaper ones, it had been recommended to me and that was worth the extra money in my mind. Another traveling family I know used Vietnam Visa Pro and had good success with them. They charge the least.

The process is pretty simple:

• Go online and fill out the minimal required information.
• Enter your credit card information and submit.
• Within 48 business hours, you’ll get an email with the letter of authorization. Print this letter and bring it with you on your trip. The email will include links to another form you’ll need. To save time, print these (2 per adult applicant, children under 14 can be included on the adult’s form) and fill them out before you arrive. You will also need 2 passport-sized photos per person.
• Upon arrival in Vietnam, go the visa on arrival desk. Submit the letter, forms, passport photos and $45 USD per person in cash. (There is no discounted fee for children.) It doesn’t have to be exact change, and they will usually accept other “strong” currencies such as euros and Australian dollars.
• Once you have your passports back (about 5-15 minutes), head to immigration control and that’s it!

Preparation

Make sure you have the following items ready before you head to the airport for departure to Vietnam.

• Printed letter of approval to enter Vietnam. Keep this handy as you’ll most likely need this when you check-in at the airport.
• $45 USD per person in cash.
• 2 copies of the Application for Entry and Exit Visa filled out per adult and child over the age of 14.
• 2 passport-sized photos per person.

I hope that’s helpful! Is there any information on visas you’re still looking for?

What is it like in Vietnam today?

Vietnam is composed of 54 different ethnic groups. For much of its earlier history, it was actually 3 separate kingdoms and regions. While it is well known that the French occupied Vietnam for a fair amount of time, China was its most frequent foreign occupier, and its influence on Vietnamese culture is much more obvious. For Americans, most of our information about Vietnam is related to the US’s efforts to keep communism from spreading southward during the almost 20-year war that began in 1955.

The other most common factors my fellow Americans seem to be familiar with are: There are lots of rice paddies, they wear conical hats, and pho is absolutely delicious. Perhaps they’ve also seen photos of the insane motorbike traffic in the former Saigon. (Saigon’s name was officially changed to Ho Chi Minh City after the fall of Saigon; however, people still call it Saigon, and even many of the official signs in HCMC refer to the southern city by its former name.)

While the impressions above are certainly correct, Vietnam is so much more. It is a country with breathtaking scenery with some of the best cuisine I’ve ever tasted. The markets in Saigon are absolutely incredible, with some of them being the cleanest and freshest wet markets I’ve experienced in a large city. When you can stand next to organ meats sitting on blocks of ice and not really notice a foul smell, you’re seeing some of the freshest meat available.

With the exception of the capital city of Hanoi, the Vietnamese are among some of the friendliest I’ve interacted with in Asia. They are very community minded and ready to help each other out.

While some areas and practices may seem more. . . vintage, smartphones are everywhere. Almost all cafes, restaurants, bars, etc., have free WiFi that has decent speeds.

It is perfectly normal to see a person carrying a large refrigerator or a pane of glass on their scooter. Speaking of scooters, Vietnam is one of the most chaotic when it comes to driving. Or crossing the street. And they love their horns. You honk to let people know you’re coming through an intersection, to tell someone to get out of your way, and to inform them you’re about to crush them with your vehicle if they don’t move. I’m pretty sure sometimes the honking is simply just to honk, too.

Some cities, like Saigon, simply defy expectations. This city is an amazing blend of sleek and modern and dull, old Soviet-style buildings occasionally mixed in with beautiful French architecture. Not many cities would offer a French-named popular bar with salsa dancing that is owned by a Japanese man.

Not many towns in the world offer an amusement park on a nearby island complete with a free, multilevel arcade; fantastic water park; lovely aquarium; extremely reasonably priced food; and which can be reached by riding the world’s longest sea-crossing cable car system.

And don’t even get me started on the incredible and very diverse food!

Vietnam is unlike any other country I’ve been to. While part of me wants to keep it a secret, the other part of me wants more people, especially Americans, to come experience its extreme beauty, fantastic people, and absolutely delicious cuisine.

The way things constantly change, and with the government’s apparent interest in attracting more foreign companies, etc., visiting Vietnam today is the best idea. Who knows how quickly some of these great areas will drastically change! Although, part of me believes there is a large section of the country that will always remain somewhat untamed. And that puts a smile on my face.

Have you been to Vietnam? If not, what’s holding you back? Please share your thoughts.

Southeast Asia seems to have the low-budget airline crown. I’ve often been amazed, and boxed in, by the really cheap airfares here. Vietnam is no exception. In investigating prices, we discovered that it would be cheaper, and 23 hours shorter (and that doesn’t include the necessary 3-1/2-hour bus ride), if we flew from Hanoi rather than by train.

I was curious what it would be like to fly on a  domestic low-budget airline in Vietnam. I wasn’t sure what to expect. I still remember our interesting flight from Mexico to Cuba which was on an old Russian jet from the 70s. This plane was much more modern, and it was fun to be only 2 of 5 Westerners doing this voyage.

As soon as our shuttle bus began the drive into town, I felt like we had made the right choice. Da Lat just had a good energy about it.

We stayed at the same place recommended by our friend (L’Auberge Ami), and it was nice to have a kitchen again. We were in a very quiet neighborhood which was a much-needed break from Hanoi’s omnipresent noise. The streets by our place had several shops for food. While Da Lat is popular with Vietnamese tourists (it’s often referred to as the Niagara Falls of Vietnam and is a popular wedding and honeymoon location), there are very few Westerners. The lack of foreign tourists also means less English speakers, which made it even more of a fun adventure.

Da Lat is also the food bowl of Vietnam, so it was very easy to find wonderful produce. The local shops all sell very fresh meat. I was grateful I could order chicken without having to pantomime it. Although I’m sure those antics would’ve been met with delight by the locals.

Another immediately apparent difference between Hanoi and Da Lat was the friendliness of the locals. I had read many times how grumpy people in Hanoi seem to be (a reputation that many Vietnamese agree with). We went there with an open mind, but it was hard to find too many people who broke the northern stereotype. Da Lat, however, was welcoming and uber friendly.

I even had my first Vietnamese marriage proposal on our first day:
“Where you wife?”

“No wife,” I said.

She looked at Tigger a bit perplexed. Pointing to him she asked “Where boy mom?”

Tigger didn’t skip a beat as he pointed to me. I laughed and replied there was no mom.

It took her a bit to process everything before she asked, “You want Vietnam wife?”

Unsure of Vietnamese attitudes towards gay people, and not sure if the word would even be familiar, I responded: “No wife. Easier.”

She nodded in understanding and agreement. Interestingly, most of the Vietnamese women I chatted with all agreed life was easier without a wife.

We attracted a lot of attention everywhere we went. First of all, we weren’t in the backpacker district, and we didn’t stay in the big hotel zone. White faces weren’t a familiar sight in most of the places we explored. Then, of course, Vietnamese people absolutely adore children, and even though Tigger is older and about as tall as most of the adults, he’s still a child. On top of the cute kid status, he was wearing a local version of the Vietnamese conical hat. People driving their scooters almost crashed while staring at him in wonder, huge grins on their face.

The Vietnamese culture doesn’t share the Western attitude about personal space. In fact, not only is there no such thing as personal space, but it’s totally acceptable to pat a kid on the tush, grab you by the arm in a good-natured way, pinch your cheeks, etc. It took some adjustment for both of us to be walking down the street and have someone grab your kid by the arm and pull them away from you. None of it was menacing. They always were laughing, gushing over him, and just loving on him. And they were so excited he was wearing this hat.

While Tigger was generally the main attraction, I did have a time where someone came up to me, patted my belly, and shook their head. I just smiled and did the hopefully universal nonverbal expression of quiet resignation.

It was also really fun to walk around town and have people of all ages shout out “Hello!” which was most likely the extent of their English vocabulary. They always looked so proud when I replied, and people were almost as excited whenever I said “thank you” in Vietnamese.

Da Lat is also where I became addicted to banh bao, the Vietnamese version of a steamed Chinese dumpling. I like to refer to them as “crack balls.”

We came to Da Lat to get a break from sweating and to slow things down. I knew it would mean we would see less of Vietnam, but we needed some time to just stay in one spot, relax our pace, and have a place that we could thoroughly explore.

Da Lat fit the bill perfectly. We didn’t “do” a lot or see a lot, but our experience was so rich it is one of my fondest memories of this beautiful country.

Okay, yes I was a little concerned about how I would be received. Not like I expected to be attacked or anything. It’s just. . .

Complicated.

Even though I was very young during the Vietnam War, it was still something I grew up with. By the time I was old enough to understand anything in particular, I was trying to figure out the continuing debate. Vietnam was blamed for a lot of things, including being offered up as a reason why my biological . . . paternal unit allegedly abandoned me and wanted nothing to do with the woman who gave birth to me.

We learned only a little about the war in school. Generally, the focus was on major battles, the draft, how evil the Viet Cong were, American deaths, the life of POWs, and how vets were treated upon their return.

School ignored the plight of the Vietnamese people, a population that is compromised of 54 ethnic groups.

By the time I was in my teens, the war was in the background except for the occasional disturbing movie. Although racism against Vietnamese, Cambodians, and Laotians (all lumped in together) still was rampant among my peers. I ended up on the unexpected side of it when my first teenage girlfriend happened to be Vietnamese.

Our relationship was a very brief one because of reactions from her friends and her family. Her family still had fresh memories of what they had fled. They also had not been treated well by people with the same skin color as myself. And mixing races was still not “kosher” in many cultural groups.

Growing up during the Cold War also programmed me heavily to have a healthy fear of communist governments. Visiting Cuba helped me feel more at ease, but I’m still a bit nervous when entering a communist-run country. Don’t you just love brainwashing?

Later on in life I had the opportunity to work with several Vietnam vets both in the hospital and in hospice. It was the latter environment that introduced me to more of the dark realities behind the cleansed version we were treated to in school.

I will never forget one man who could not face his internal demons more completely before he lost the ability to communicate. The things he had done and seen left him writhing in emotional agony during his final days. We did everything we could to address his distress. His agony was so extreme that finally many of us on the team begged our doctor to apply palliative sedation. It was the only way we could provide him some peace.

I would eventually be connected with my paternal unit and his side of the family. He had served two tours in Vietnam, and an uncle had served as well. The PU had been in the Navy and Air Force, so he did not have the experiences that those on the ground have shared.

Shortly before he took his own life, he had sent me some of the chapters from the memoirs he was working on. The darkness he shared from his experiences was powerful but still very limited compared to that of my former patients.

I was curious, but I still wondered about coming to Vietnam.

Aside from all the bad things I heard from fellow travelers, I wanted to see the country that had figured so prominently in my life and had left such a dark stain in my country’s history. I was curious to see what had changed. I also love living in and exploring less-developed countries, and Vietnam definitely falls under that umbrella.

As we prepared to come here, I wondered if I should claim another country’s citizenship when asked by locals in the street. How would they respond to an American in Vietnam?

Especially now! Our arrival has coincided with the 38th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon (also known as the Liberation of Saigon), the day that the last remaining Americans (and other anti-communism forces) were driven out of Vietnam.

So how is Liberation Day celebrated?

Well, if it weren’t for the pretty decorations and the red flags & banners flying everywhere, you probably wouldn’t know it’s a holiday. In speaking with some locals, it seems the holiday is celebrated by travel. That’s pretty much it.

No fireworks. No wild partying. No tanks parading down the main street.

I was surprised until I learned that between 65-75% of the population was born after the Fall. While it is part of their history, the majority of the population did not grow up during those days and is more removed from it. Most of the monuments we saw in Hanoi were dedicated to independence from France in the mid-40s. The infamous Hanoi Hilton itself is mostly office buildings and apartments now.  Only the gatehouse remains as a museum.

Do the Vietnamese care that we’re American?

When I respond I’m from the US, they don’t even blink. “You buy hat?”

Yes, I feel kind of stupid. I don’t completely understand my war-based fears considering I’ve traveled enough to know better. Yet, there they were, stirring quietly in the back of my mind. Even when waiting for our passports to be returned with our visas, I expected at least questions.

All I got was: “Two people? 90 dollar.” I handed him a crisp one hundred-dollar bill, and he unceremoniously handed me our passports and change before moving on to the next person in line.

I could easily beat myself up for my naivete and silliness, but instead I’ll focus on the positive—I came anyway. I didn’t let fear, doubt, or other people’s experiences stop me from having my own.

Sure, Hanoi is horribly noisy and chaotic. It doesn’t feel as safe as other places I’ve been. The food isn’t as good as Thailand or Malaysia. Most of the people in Hanoi are the opposite of the friendly Thais and Malaysians we’ve encountered over the last few months. Crossing the street is an exercise in overcoming fear, using intuition, and is a good exercise for peripheral vision. Walking down the sidewalks is, as someone else described, a full contact sport.

Now we’re in Dalat where the temperatures are cooler, the city is more relaxed, and the people are much more friendly.

So, how is it being an American in Vietnam?

I’m in love with it.

Have you ever been nervous about going somewhere? Where was it? How did you handle it?

We came downstairs for breakfast and were greeted by the owner as usual, but this time I noticed his eyes appeared bloodshot. His movements lacked their usual energy, and the smile that was almost always on his face was noticeably absent.

As we began eating, I asked if he enjoyed running a hotel. When I was growing up, the person who gave birth to me had managed hotels. Well, she checked people in and ordered things. I did the rest. I have a deep appreciation for how tough it can be.

“It’s been good. It runs well.”

I said nothing hoping that he would continue.

“It can be hard,” he admitted.

“Yes, it can be very hard.”

“It’s very hard getting reception staff with the language skills. If they have the language skills, they want to work at the big hotels.”

That made sense to me. I’m sure a hotel charging $100 a night might pay its front desk staff better than a small place charging $15.

They are both from the countryside but moved to the city for school and for better job opportunities.

“Do you live here, or do you have a separate home?” I asked. I’ve seen both he and his wife here during different stretches of the day, and they have an almost 2-year-old child, too.

A weary hand swept over his face. “We live here,” he replied with an added measure of exhaustion.

“So you never really get a break.”

He almost chuckled. “No, there are no breaks. We both do 4 or 5 jobs around here,” his hand sweeping outward indicating the neighborhood. “We work every day, and it’s often 20 hours of work.”

“Twenty hours a day!” I repeated.

He nodded his head, forcing his drooping eyelids open as he continued. “Last night I went to bed at 2, and I was up at 5.”

“Three hours of sleep.”

“There is no break,” he said softly. “There is no holiday. Once, a year ago, I went to visit my father on his land, but that was part of the day. There is no whole day off.”

“Do you enjoy living in Hanoi?” I asked.

His smile and distant gaze told me more than his words. “We worry about life here. There is more violence among young people. They watch it on TV, and they want to try it. It’s too easy for them.” He pauses before continuing. “And the food is not good. There are vegetables, and no poison is used, but the people are small. They eat more meat, but they are still small.”

There’s probably enough food, but it isn’t good enough to provide the nutrition they need. As we walk around, I do note the lack of fruits and vegetables that we’ve seen in other Asian areas. A friend explains to me that it is hard to grow food in the north. The main agricultural area is in the south.

Our brief conversation remained with me the whole day and into the next. Curious, I researched and discovered that the average monthly income of a person in Vietnam recently “surged” almost 20% to a whopping $150 USD per month. Utilities can easily take a third of that.

A popular relocation website lists the average monthly rental of a 1-bedroom apartment in the city center to be about $50 a month more than what a person usually earns.

As I write this, I glance around our hotel room with its walls that by typical Western standards are in serious need of a paint job. Scuff marks cover much of their surface. The base of the walls show signs of water damage, and mold is visible in the tiny bathroom. Street noises penetrate the ill-fitting windows as we endure a long power outage.

But, I feel as if I’m sitting in the lap of luxury.

In the States, I made more in an 8-hour shift than the average Vietnamese will make in an entire month.

To say I feel humbled would be an understatement. I can’t even feel annoyed at the loss of power, which also means no Internet access, and therefore no work.

Hours later it still isn’t working. This is life in Hanoi.

Travel teaches me a lot of things.

It also makes me incredibly more grateful for my amazing life and the life I can offer my son.

Noise

Thailand has a calmer culture. You honk only when it’s necessary. Traffic noise is really pretty quiet for a big city. Actually, so is most of the noise. Sure, every so often you’ll have a club thump thump thumping into the night, but generally speaking it’s pretty mellow.

Hanoi is not. Hanoi loves its noise. It cherishes it. It has far more motor bikes than cars, and they’re loud. That’s before you factor in all the honking. All the freakin’ time.

But variety is the spice of life, and the noise isn’t limited to just honking and engines. We also have the cars that drive slowly through the neighborhoods blaring announcements and what sound like infomercials. At night, the place gets a rockin’ from loud music. Thankfully, we’ve at least been spared the karaoke that is reminiscent of cats doing the dance of love in alleyways.

Food

Vietnamese food is really quite good, but Thai food kicks it culinary butt in my book. If you don’t like eating with chopsticks, definitely stay in Bangkok. (I love them personally, but I know not everyone does, including Tigger.) From what I’ve seen in Hanoi, I would also say that Thai food in Bangkok is fresher. Most Thai food is prepared as it’s ordered, whereas a lot of the Vietnamese food we’ve seen in Hanoi is prepared and just waiting to be ordered.

Another interesting thing about Vietnamese restaurants and booths is that they often specialize in and serve only one specific dish. Can make ordering things a bit easier, though.

Prices are fairly similar. Depending on what you order, you can eat in both cities for around the same cost (around $1-2 per serving).

If you tend to be a bit more. . . squeamish about street food, stick with Bangkok. The food there is cooked on grills and in woks while the person stands. In Hanoi most street food is prepared just above the ground, with everyone walking by, with the person squatting next to it. I have no concern with it, but someone who is more sensitive might not enjoy that.

Ditto when it comes to comfort level while dining. Street food vendors in Hanoi have limited, very low tables and chairs that make me feel like I’m visiting a preschool. Obviously, it works for them, but for my Western hiney and my bad knees, it’s rough and uncomfortable. In Bangkok, you’ll find more comfortable seating (or you walk around with your food).

Note: Restaurants in Hanoi have standard seating and often have flatware. That food is quite a bit more expensive, though, just as it would be in Bangkok.

Walkability

Bangkok is a pedestrian’s friend compared to Hanoi. If there is a busy street, you will easily find an overpass so that you can get to the other side safely. On a less busier street, most Thai drivers, including taxis, will slow down or even stop so that you can cross. Even if you’ve gone against the light, Thais are too polite to honk at you or run you over.

Hanoi, the City of Lakes, does not have this compunction. Crossing the street here is an event. Generally speaking, scooters, bicycles, and motorcycles will just move around you. The drivers of cars, however, are seemingly only too happy to plow right over you.

While the Venice of the East has sidewalks that are in fairly decent repair, Hanoi doesn’t want you bored while you’re out for your stroll. You’ll have plenty of cement obstacles to keep you awake.

Bangkok makes getting around without a car quite a bit easier, too. Taxis are also cheaper in Bangkok.

Escaping the heat

Both countries are a warmth-loving person’s friend. But temps in the 40s (Celsius) can be quite sweltering. In Bangkok, it’s very easy to tuck into a place with AC to get a reprieve. Hanoi offers a bit more of a challenge to that. A lot of places just have fans running indoors. If you can sit right in the fan’s path, you’ll be fine, but those seats are often already occupied. Bangkok has a fondness for large shopping centers that is not shared by Hanoi’s more humble surroundings.

Culture

This is really a big one for me personally. Thailand is the Land of Smiles. When you purchase something, a clerk will hand you your money carefully, often holding it in both open palms, while giving you a dazzling smile. In Hanoi, they fling your dong (the name of the Vietnamese money) at you, rarely crack a smile, and just seem surly. It might be exaggerated for us since we’ve spent the last few months in very friendly Thailand and Malaysia, but I’ve read similar comments from other people so I’m thinking it’s a cultural reality here in Vietnam.

In Thailand, I always felt welcomed. When we had a struggle communicating, it usually ended up with both of us laughing as we worked our way through it. Hanoi has a much grumpier crowd. Many of the merchants I’ve dealt with have acted like we were inconveniencing them with our business. I’ve watched and seen that locals are treated the same way. It’s just how it is here.

The touts and cyclo and motorcycle taxi drivers are much more aggressive than the ones in Bangkok. From what I’ve seen, I’m going to chalk that up to a different economic situation between the two cities. Nevertheless, it’s part of the experience and can affect different people different ways.

Safety

I never once felt at risk in Bangkok and was generally left alone. Yeah, we had the occasional taxi driver that didn’t want to use the meter and the people who tried to convince us the Grand Palace was closed when it wasn’t, but pretty much that was the extent of it.

Hanoi exhausts me. Not only do we have all the honking, “fun” street crossings, and the heat to deal with, but scammers are out in full force. During our first 30-minute walk, I spotted no less than 5 people actively sizing me up (even Tigger caught it a couple of times, which tells you something), and disappointed at least one possible pickpocketing attempt.

I have felt much more “on guard” in Hanoi than anywhere else we’ve been.

Activities

Comparing things to do and see in Bangkok versus Hanoi, I’m going to give Bangkok the win in this category as well. There is more of a variety of things to do in Bangkok than in Hanoi. And the former makes it so much easier and affordable to get around and experience things.

Getting there and visas

Thailand gives most countries a free, no hassle, 30-day stamp upon airport entry (overland visitor get 15 days). Vietnam requires an advance visa and charges a $45 USD stamping fee per person. You can get a visa on arrival, but you have to go through an online agency which charges its own service fee on top of the stamping fee you’ll pay at the immigration office.

Flying to Bangkok is usually much cheaper as well, unless you’re flying from another Asian country. Even then, prices are generally lower flying into Bangkok than Hanoi.

On a side note, Thailand’s rail system is better and cheaper as well.

If you’ve decided Thailand is the place for you, here are some cheap hotels in Bangkok.

Tigger’s perspective

Hanoi has “crazy insane roads,” and he’s nervous crossing the street here. He also feels Bangkok is a lot safer than Hanoi. (We haven’t discussed my opinion regarding this, and I haven’t said much to him about any of this.)

Summary

Comparing the two cities is really a lot like comparing apples and oranges. They’re both Asian countries, but that’s where the big similarities really end. We feel like we’re in a completely different world here in Vietnam compared to the other countries we’ve been in Southeast Asia.

That isn’t necessarily bad.

We have found Thailand to be a very easy country. That’s not always the best thing when you’re looking for experiences, but it helps explain to me why so many people go there and end up staying a long time. It’s also an extremely welcoming culture, which is quite enjoyable.

If you aren’t an experienced traveler, I would probably steer you toward Bangkok compared to Hanoi. I feel like the level of scams and awareness you need, the lack of infrastructure, and some of the cultural differences in Hanoi are going to tax a person more than using Bangkok as an introduction to SE Asia.

Hopefully, the above will assist you in deciding whether to visit Bangkok or Hanoi first.

What are your thoughts? Which of the two do you prefer and why? Would love to read your comments!