Sapa

One of the last things I did during my time in Vietnam was take a tour to Sapa, a Northern town famous for nearby villages of ethnic minorities. I got to see the village where Hmong people come from, which was really intriguing since South Dakota, where I come from, has a considerable Hmong population.

Starting our 12 km trek. Rain boots were a godsend.

Cute little piglets running about.

Breathtaking but a tad dangerous to hike when its muddy {lesson learned}.

Homestay

The food prepared at our homestay was so good!

Our tour guide - Chai! a 20 year-old Black Hmong girl that learned English from tourists.

Sapa women will hound you and follow you for hours since selling their handmade goods to tourists is the way lots of women are able to provide for their families. They carry around their products in these basket/backpacks.

Hanoi

Although all of Vietnam was really great, Hanoi was by far my favorite place. The French influence is really strong and the streets have an authentic, cozy feeling that loud and powerful Ho Chi Minh City really doesn't have. That said, I met a lot of people who still prefer HCM so it's really up to the person.

All of the above taken at the lovely Ngoc Son Temple - must see!! Kyoto aside, one of the most beautiful temples I have seen in a while.

At 87 Ma May - the address of one of the only ancient Vietnamese houses built in the 20th century that still remains today.

Souvenir shopping.

Opera House in the French Quarter.

Decorations on the street in the French Quarter.

Cathedral.

At the Temple of Literature everyone was getting a wall-hanging done with a particular Chinese character for the New Year - chaos!

Also at the Temple of Literature.

Streets of Hanoi.

A shop I went to multiple times to pick up lanterns for my apartment. :)

Halong Bay

Halong Bay is simply a must-do for any trip to Vietnam! I opted for a 3-day/2-night tour and was really impressed by everything. Plus I met 4 really cool British people on the boat and made some really good memories together.^^

Ship patio.

My room for the night - bed/shower were amazing.

Cruising away.

Arriving in Halong Bay.

Our ship.

Much clearer on day 2.

Me!

Day 3 at Monkey Island

Relaxing by the beach, spent a night in a bungalow - serenity!

Ho Chi Minh City

Some pictures from my days in Ho Chi Minh - a really humid, vibrant, and interesting city.

Rereading a favorite book with coconut juice at dusk.

Took a 4-hour "Contrasts of Saigon" motorbike tour with Saigon Riders.

Met up with Hung, a friend from my time in Japan.

Lunch with Hung @ Wraps N' More

Visiting Chinatown in Ho Chi Minh (temple entrance, thank you notes, and hanging incense trees)

Coffee on the terrace at Kita Coffee

Hours and hours spent just exploring around.

Cathedral.

Post Office.

Dong Khoi - When French and American soldiers were in HCM, this was THE place to be seen.