5 Amazing Experiences You Can Only Have in Vietnam
Vietnam is a remarkable country with a captivating landscape, a rich history, an exciting culture, beautiful historical monuments, charming people, breathtaking natural beauty, and cuisine which gets considered as one of the healthiest and yummiest in the world.
Whatever you are looking for gets delivered effortlessly, making you fall in love with the country. You might have read about Vietnam, or even seen a bit of Vietnamese stuff in an urban centre near you. But you can only have the real experience if you get your travel documents ready, hop in a plane and explore Vietnam. Here are the fantastic experiences you will only encounter in Vietnam.
- The egg yolk coffee
Vietnam is the second largest producer of coffee in the world, and the Vietnamese are crazy about coffee. You will notice the locals sitting on short plastic stools sipping their drinks as they chat happily. Ca Phe Trung, ‘egg coffee’ is a must try whenever you are in Vietnam. The coffee gets made using egg yolk, condensed milk, sugar, and Robusta coffee. You can have it hot or cold, and it tastes like a flavoured coffee ice-cream, and you will like it.
- Hang Son Doong Cave
Located in the UNESCO recognised Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park, Hang Son Doong is the world’s largest cave. If you love adventure and can tackle any challenge thrown at you, you will live to remember the incredible experience you will encounter in this cave.
To reach the entrance, you will need to trek in the jungle for two days and cross rivers. As if that is not enough, you will have to crawl, climb, and swim through underground rivers to get to the exit. However, there are local guides, rangers, chefs, and porters that will join you and the cave gets well looked after, so you can rest assured of safety.
- The Cai Rang Floating Markets
Located in Cai Rang River, a few kilometres away from Cai Tho (Mekong Delta capital), the market has existed for over 100 years. You will get to experience the lifestyle of the countryside locals and enjoy watching the trading activities. Boats filled with flowers, fruits, and other commodities float on water. You will get amazed by the way the traders toss fruits from one vessel to the other.
Go as early as 7 am and witness the beginning of the trading, still the sun is not yet hot. Opt for a pineapple boat (you will notice that boats have poles on their front showcasing samples of what they sell) as they have a rooftop where you can climb to take a picture of the whole market. Apart from the fruits and coconut candy sold, you will see floating restaurants which sell cheap, delicious meals.
- The Awe-inspiring Halong-Bay
Your trip to Vietnam can never get complete without visiting the extraordinary Halong-Bay. Located in northern Vietnam, Halong Bay gets famous for its thousands of limestone islands topped by thick rainforest, lush mountains, and emerald waters. A day can never be enough for exploring this natural wonderland, take a 2 or 3-day cruise, and you will have endless memories of this mesmerising scene.
Activities you can undertake in Halong Bay
Halong Bay has so much to offer apart from the general scene of the site. Once you arrive in this beautiful bay, you will find it difficult settling for your favourite activities because it gets filled with lots of adventure. Here are some of the things you can do.
- Cycling on Cat Ba Island
It is the largest island on Halong Bay, blessed with natural beauty and it is also home to some rare species of animals. Rent a bicycle and cycle around, and you will discover caves and lakes, waterfalls, limestone hills and even see the Cat Ba Langur (a medium-sized leaf-eating monkey which drinks salty water) found only in this island.
- Water sports like swimming, kayaking, and diving, you will get the right gears for rent for these sports.
- Learning Tai Chi onboard a boat to improve your mental and physical health, the serene environment of the Halong Bay makes the learning process easier.
- Hiking on the little paradise of Ban Sen Island, a peaceful, thick-forested inhabited island which gives you a chance to meet locals for a chat during the hike.
- Bargaining in a local market
As a tourist, the only way to get reasonable prices in Vietnam is haggling with the traders. You will buy items at almost 75% lower than the initial cost.
Vietnam is indeed a unique tourism destination with everything for everyone. To witness these and more amusements, indicate Vietnam travel as one of your priorities, and you will live to remember the adventures.