Cat Ba Island, Halong Bay

We arrived in Cat Ba after a 5 hour multi-step process, starting with our shuttle bus pick-up from our hostel where we were introduced to the man who would be explaining the trip to us as well as apologizing for getting to drunk the night before and showing up with only one ticket for the 12 of us. Therefore, we picked a "leader" to follow for each leg of trip who would be responsible for our ticket. He was Russell Brant's doppelgänger and stood,out in a crowd. From here we boarded a bus to Haiphong (2.5 hours), bus to Haiphong port (.5 hours), high speed boat to Cat Ba (45 minutes), and lastly a bus to the center (.5 hours), which conveniently dropped us off across the street from our guesthouse. (We decided to book ahead as we were aware that this was the last night of Independence Day holiday and were told all vacation hotspots would be packed). 

During the 5 part trip to Cat Ba, we made some foreigner friends who informed us that not only were we arriving for the last day off the Vietnamese holiday, but it was also the last night of the first ever full moon party on Cat Ba island. While the likes of us don't often seek out these types of parties, we figured "when in Rome" and began preparations for the inevitably long night ahead. 

Mr. Khan, the owner of our guesthouse, recommended a "good and cheap" vegetarian restaurant nearby for dinner. Those words were music to our ears and we immediately began the short walk up the hill to Buddha's Belly. This became our go-to eatery which we frequented twice a day for the duration of our stay on Cat Ba. It was owned by the coolest monk you'll ever meet and the food is as fresh and healthy as it gets while filling your belly with massive portions. We opted for set meal, which is different everyday but always includes rice, vegetables, some form of vegan protein and a soup for 30K VND (about $1.50). 

After loading up on sustaining ingredients, we grabbed red bulls and hopped on the free shuttle to the full moon party. We immediately felt the anticipatory energy in the packed bus, where we grabbed the last two seats. There were young backpackers toting their newly purchased Vietnamese water pipes (intended for tobacco), as well as Vietnamese vacationers looking to have a good time. We sat next to a young, red faced, Vietnamese man who proudly announced to us that he was police and showed us his picture in uniform. He was quick to clarify that he was not going under official business, which was obvious enough by his slurred speech. 

Upon arriving we were happy to realize that entrance was free because not that many people had shown us as expected for this first annual festival. we entered a beautiful cove surrounded by steep cliffs secluded from any residential area. There was a massive stage on the beach with DJs and dancers facing the sea. First we checked out the bar where we ran into our friends from the bus, Martyn and Olga. We then spent most of the evening dancing by the water. All in all, it was a great experience and we were relieved it was as tame as it was. We were happy to spend time with older, like-minded travelers and made plans with Martyn (Scotland) and Olga (Spain) the next day. We took moto taxis home around 2 am and slept off the 2 for 1 vodka drinks. 

 

After a late wake-up, we rented s $4 motorbike and headed to the national park. We climbed to the top and sweated gallons. On the way back we stopped in a creepy bat infested cave. I wasn't sure about walking under them to the end but Alex encouraged me to face my fears of getting pooped on by a bat (again). Bats were flying close to our face and we ducked to avoid both them and the low ceiling.  We ended the day by meeting Martyn at the beach and catching some waves.

Our last day we booked a private boat with Martyn to kayak in Lan Ha bay and explore monkey island. The bay was full of breathtaking, limestone mountains emerging out of the blue water for as far as the eye could see. That night we met Olga and Martyn for dinner and 25 cent Bia Hoi (draft beer).We ended the night at our favorite place enjoying smoothies and complimentary traditional snacks served by the monk.

The next afternoon we did the reverse trip back to Hanoi to then catch the night train to Sapa. 

Next stop, Sapa. 

Nha Trang, Vietnam

If the low key beach of Mui Ne was too boring for you, the urban sprawl of Nha Trang may better suit your energy. It's easier to find hostels and street food so there are some upsides. The downside is it's a much more common beach destination, especially with Russians, with massive, tall resorts. There are many places that have menus in Russian but not English. This was a strange experience, however, there are plenty of places for everyone to eat. 

I arrived at 6:30 PM and Alex had enough time before her bus to Hoi An to get dinner. We went to a vegetarian place and said our goodbyes. We'd be traveling solo for the next two weeks until we meet up in Hanoi. 

I checked into iHome hostel in a great location. No one was around so I walked down to the beach to explore. While sitting and admiring the view I met a Vietnamese college student, Thout, who wanted to practice his English. I obliged. After talking a while I asked if I could buy him a beer. He politely declined. I was very thirsty and didn't want to be rude so I offered to buy him a fruit smoothie. He accepted and brought me to an outdoor stand across the street where his sister made us two delicious smoothies from what looked like a a basketball sized mango. Afterwards, Thout took me around on his motorbike in search of food. He ended up dropping me off right at a dumpling stand a block from my hostel. Good things can happen when you open up and give people a chance.

A walk to the beach in Nha Trang, Vietnam

The Beach at Nha Trang, Vietnam

The following morning, while eating breakfast, I met a Finnish girl, Anna, who was trying to pawn off her white bread toast. We got to talking about being open to new experiences, opportunities and people while traveling. We get so accustomed to saying "no thank you" to anyone holding a flyer or saying "excuse me, sir." I told her about Thout and Anna told me about how she hired a motorbike tour guide who took her and her friend around Southern Vietnam for three days. She said it exceeded any and all expectations. I had heard people did this and I was intrigued. 

We made plans to meet up after I switched hostels. I had a booking at Mojzo Inn which was rated by hostelworld as the best hostel in Asia this year. I had to see what it was all about. They were all booked the night before for my last minute early arrival to Nha Trang. 

The staff at Mojzo is like nothing else. They are pros. The girls remember everyone's name and what their plans were that day. So when you return they ask you "how was_____ today?" It's a big and always packed place so it was impressive. The rooms were also super clean and well set up, leaving everyone staying there in good moods. It was this environment where I met Ray and Alice whom I shared a room with. They were super cool, laid back and down for whatever.

I secured my valuables and headed to the beach. However, on the way I was distracted by a Vietnamese man on the corner who said "hello, handsome man!" He got my vain and delusional attention. He approached me and said he was a motorbike tour guide and asked if I wanted to see rural Vietnam. In fact I did but I told him I think it's out of my budget so I don't want to waste his time. His name was Mr. Bang and he was a character and a great salesman. He said he didn't mind just talking. We ended up talking for over an hour about how I feel in Vietnam as an American and about how my father was here during the war and I want learn more about it. He told me how he had two uncles who fought for the South and how he sees Americans as friends. He also told me that the ideal tour to Hoi An (my next destination) would go trough the central highlands full of battlefields and Pleiku, were my father was stationed. Mr. Bang was very knowledgeable, funny and understanding. We negotiated a good price and that night I emailed him to confirm after changing a couple hostel reservations and selling my bus ticket.

Then there's this guy 

The best sunscreen there is

After my new plans were set up, I went with Ray to iHome to meet Anna and her friend for a beer on the roof. The next day we met up on the beach. Ray tried being modest about his frisbee game but that guy can chuck. I've been carrying around that frisbee for seven weeks and finally, someone who wants to throw. That night Alice and I walked around eating street food and then we all just chilled in our six person dorm room talking while I anxiously packed for my motorbike tour beginning the next morning. 

Next stop, the Central Highlands via motorcycle with Mr. Bang. 

Mui Ne

Mui Ne is a sleepy beach town along 10 kilometers of picturesque beach. It is more laid back and far less urban than it's popular northern counterpart, Nha Trang. In fact, all that seems to exist, are low rise resorts, guesthouses, and restaurants along the highway by the beach. Beyond that it's mostly sand dunes that you can book day trips to, go sandboarding, or just explore. 

We arrived in Mui Ne around 1 PM after a five hour bus from Saigon. Our guest house was a few kilometers north around the 17-18 kilometer mark where places are cheaper. Further south is more high-end resorts. We booked one night at a new and nice guesthouse across the street from the beach for $10. The owner didn't speak a word of English and was trying to get us to book a tour with him which was awkward, but he was very nice. He brought us complimentary tea and dragon fruit.

Our cozy guest house, Hoang Nga

The highway right outside our guest house. This ran all the way up the coast of Vietnam. 

After getting ready for the sun we headed to the beach. I hadn't eaten lunch and as soon as we got the beach we saw a stand that was selling fresh bbq seafood. I ordered a bucket of scallops for 80,000 VND ($4) and feasted.

The path to the beach

The Fresh Seafood Lady

Back to the guest house

One advantage of staying on the North side is it allows for a slightly better angle at the sunset. We hadn't seen a good sunset since Boracay, Philippines because of all of the haze, but Alex noticed hues of pink and blue and we rushed to the beach to catch it.

I had planned to stay in Mui Ne for a second night but decided to leave the following afternoon on the bus with Alex as she was heading to Hoi An. We shared a 6 hour bus ride, stretched out in back by the toilets before we arrived at Nha Trang. 

Next stop Nha Trang. 

Boracay, Philippines

Boracay is an incredibly beautiful and suprisingly undeveloped island with cheap food, cheaper beer and incredible beaches. This is probably the best beach destination I have ever seen.

In order to get there from Manila, we took a 3-4 hour bus to the port at Batangas and boarded a cruiseship-like overnight ferry with 2GO travel. We booked a stateroom for the three of us which was $35 each for a comfortable private room. We had a bathroom, a TV, a double bed and a bunkbed. There were cheaper options in large rooms with up to 200 people. We paid more to be comfortable and it was worth it. We also got access to the VIP dinning room for our complimentary dinner. The boat sold cheap beer and there was even kareoke and live music. Since it was from 9 PM to 6 AM we turned in early to get some sleep.

We arrived at Caticlan Jetty Port as the sun was coming up. There we boarded a much smaller ferry to take us across to Boracay.

We stayed at Frendz Resort, which was a cheap hostel. We stayed in 6 person dorms for $11 a night. The hostel had a great vibe and setup. The common area was very chill and open and everyone seemed to talk to one another. Solo travelers easily joined in with larger groups and hung out throughout the time we were there. It was located a 3 minute walk to the beach and there were beach chairs reserved for people staying at the hostel. A restaurant served the chair areas and would bring drinks or food if you liked but didn't once hastle us to do so.

The main beach is White Beach and it is crazy long. The whole beach is lined with restaurants and bars, all offering a different vibe and pricerange. At night, the lounge chairs were swapped out for various group seating where you could go for a 60-70 peso beer (about $1.50) and see live music, smoke hookah, see fire dancers and watch the sunset. The sunset was ridiculous.

Boracay, Philippines. I didn't edit this photo in the slightest to show the natural beauty of this place. 

A fire dancer shows he can handle the heat

If sitting on the beach isn't your thing, there are tons of activities for the restless. You can go jet skiing, banana boating, sailing, snorkeling, scuba diving, parasailing, kite surfing and cliff diving. We unfortunately stayed 3 nights and we only had time (and money) to choose one. So we chose cliff jumping at Ariel's Point. We paid 2,000 pesos eac ($40) for a day at the point. We were taken there by boat and arrived after 30-40 minutes. They served beers and rum and cokes faster than we could drink them (don't worry mom, I took it easy before the cliff jumping). When we arrived, people began kayaking, snorkeling, and lining up for the jumps. There were 3, 5, 8 and 15 meter jump points. I did the 5 once, then the 8 once, and then went straight for the 15 meters. Even the 8 was intimidating and it seemed to take a while to hit the water. The 15 was a different animal. We were told there have been serious injuries when people don't hit the water correctly. I had a near flawless jump but my legs recoiled the split second I hit the water. I felt a little banged up for a couple days but that was totally worth the thrill. I highly recommend the cliff jumping if you end up in Boracay. 

Alex had a style of her own

So did Audra. 

Falling 8 meters (26 feet) to the sea

My splash from the 8 meter jump. 

Our Scottish friend jumping off the 15 meter board in style. 

Going for it!

Falling 15 meters (about 50 feet). It took a long time to fall and that force of the water was something I may not volunteer for again.

Great idea guys. The people in back are amazed. 

The crew was really pushing the Philippino rum on us. They made us play spin the bottle. If it lands on you its your turn to drink. Too much.

The ship's crew got in on the action. This was just crazy.

We unfortunately had to make our way to Cebu for our flight to Sigapore coming up so we couldn't stay. I could spend a lot more time chilling in Boracay.

The food: how can I forget? I thought things would be a lot more expensive on such a well known island paradise. However, we managed to find great and cheap options. Our last night we ate in D Mall at a popular placed called Smoke. The place was packed and we had to wait for 20 minutes or so. We had great fish and stuffed squid for 150-200 pesos ($3-4). 

If Boracay had waves it'd be the beach I want to live on. If waves aren't your thing, this is your heaven.