In this latest series, I will be going through all the countries I’ve travelled to on my mission to visit every single country in the world. In this article, we will be covering country #27: Vietnam. If you haven’t gotten a chance already, read this story first to find out why I’m trying to visit all 193 UN-recognized countries.
VIDEO – Country #27: Vietnam
Blog post on Vietnam
- 8 Days In Nha Trang Vietnam – What We Did, Ate, And Saw
- How To DIY Nha Trang Vietnam City Tour – Ponagar Tower, Long Son Pagoda, And More!
- Vinpearl Nha Trang – Exploring The Disneyland Of Vietnam (21 Pictures!)
- My Complete 30 Days Vietnam Spending Breakdown
- My Frustrating Experience Visiting Halong Bay Vietnam
- How to Buy a Tailored Suit (or Coat) in Hoi An Vietnam
- Da Nang Vietnam – My Experience Trying the Digital Nomad Lifestyle
Unfriendly immigration staff
The first time I travelled to Vietnam, I was treated poorly by the immigration officers in the Ho Chi Minh airport. Because they were rude, it’s easy to assume that Vietnamese people are not friendly. This is definitely not true. From my experience, Vietnamese people are one of the friendliest people in the world.
When I went back to Vietnam the second time, I warned my girlfriend that the immigration officers are not friendly at the airport. But, once we get out of the airport, it gets a lot friendlier.
Renting a room with kitchenette and scooter in Da Nang
During my one year trip around the world, I decided I would try out the digital nomad life in Da Nang. I rented a studio apartment that had a kitchenette for 27 days. With that booking, I also decided to rent a scooter so I can learn how to ride one.
Turns out renting a scooter was a bad idea. I was scared to death when I tried riding it for one week. Learning how to ride a scooter is not a good idea when you’re travelling. At the same time, I also didn’t need the kitchenette in my apartment because I never used it. Street food is so cheap in Vietnam that there’s no point in cooking your own food.
Buying a suit in Hoi An
During my first three days in Da Nang, I went on three-day trips to Hoi An. This city is famous for its colonial buildings. And, it’s also famous for its suits and dresses that you can get custom made.
I purchased a suit from here that cost me $245 USD. I’m happy with this decision because I still wear the suit to this day.
It was also fun to explore Hoi An. I ate lots of food at the cafes here in between sightseeing.
Do keep in mind that there are a lot of scams when taking buses from Da Nang to Hoi An. I was charged 40,000 VND the first time I took it while white tourists were charged 50,000 VND. The real price was 30,000 VND which I found out later.
Checking out Da Nang
After my adventures in Hoi An, I explored Da Nang with a friend who was also travelling in the area. We explored the beach and a nearby castle.
Eventually, my friend flew out of the country and he was off to his next travel destination.
Digital nomad life in Da Nang
As for me, I lived life as a digital nomad in Da Nang. I spent the vast majority of my time working on my blog and doing paid writing gigs. To be honest, life in Da Nang is pretty boring and I wouldn’t recommend it as a digital nomad hubspot. I did make friends with some locals who were very sad when I left. It goes to show how genuine Vietnamese people are. Sadly, I don’t know if I’ll ever go back to Da Nang ever again. This is the sad part about travelling is making friends you will most likely never see again.
Hanoi
My next stop during my one year trip is the city of Hanoi. I have a friend from Canada who got me in touch with his friend living in Hanoi. I ended up staying at his apartment and he even helped me book my trip to Halong Bay for $30.
We also watched the King Kong movie that was filmed at Halong Bay as well. And of course, we ate numerous street food.
Halong Bay
My trip to Halong Bay was pretty chaotic. When I arrived at the city where Halong Bay is located I was left in a random cafe corner waiting for the tour guide. The tour guide didn’t know what to do with me and just left me to my own accord in the boat. The tour to Halong Bay was just okay. It’s my least favourite of all 7 New Wonders of Nature that I visited.
After the tour of Halong Bay was finished, the tour guide tried scamming me. He tried charging me for a ride back to Hanoi when it was actually included in the tour. After some arguments, he let me take the bus back to Hanoi. But, he dropped me off in the middle of nowhere and had to grab a taxi.
The taxi that I took also tried scamming me. He tried increasing the price of the taxi ride. So I told him Vietnam is number one and he laughed and he charged me a more fair price. Sometimes, a little compliment goes a long way.
Nha Trang
Two years later, I returned to Vietnam and this time, I brought my girlfriend, Karen, with me. Normally, we go on adventure travel. This time around, we decided we would start our vacation with a relaxing southeast Asia trip first before jumping into an adventure.
I used my 7-night hotel and air package certificate with Marriott and stayed at a Sheraton hotel for free for one week. This was the perfect start to our vacation. I especially loved our super delicious breakfast every morning.
We also had a fantastic view of the beach whenever we look out the window.
Vinpearl
On our second day in Nha Trang, we decided to be a kid again and go to Vinpearl. This place is the Disney Land of Nha Trang with lots of rides, food, and games. It was a fun-filled day. However, it was also very expensive and I don’t think I’ll ever go back there again. But it’s nice to visit once in your life.
Ponagar Tower
One one of the days in Nha Trang, we decided to do our own city tour. The first stop is the local popular tourist spot which is the Ponagar Tower.
I enjoyed the cultural show with music and dance. But, I didn’t like how insanely crowded this place was.
Long Son Pagoda
Our next destination in our city tour is the Long Son Pagoda. We loved this place! It was nice and serene and it was cool seeing the monks go through their rituals.
You also get a good workout when you hike to the top of the monastery.
Christ the King Church
The last religious place we visited is the Christ the King Church. There was a couple taking wedding photos here which tells us this is a popular wedding spot. The church itself was nothing to write home about but I guess it’s a neat place to visit if you’re already in Nha Trang.
National Oceanographic Museum
Our last destination during our city tour is the National Oceanographic Museum in Nha Trang. This place is a weird mix of an aquarium and a fish market looking place.
I wouldn’t say this place is a must-see, but because it’s weird, maybe it’s not a bad place to visit.
Street Food
Hands down the best part of travelling in Nha Trang is the street food scene. They have some amazing food here. My personal favourite is those random warehouses that serve seafood. They sell seafood per kilogram. I can’t even describe how good the food is. Even if you’re drowning in sweat eating outside since it’s so humid, you won’t mind because the food is so good!
Conclusion
I love Vietnam. I will return one day. Ironically, the only place I haven’t seen is Ho Chi Minh which is the most popular city in this country. I’ll definitely visit Ho Chi Minh one day the next time I return to this beautiful country with friendly people and delicious food.
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