Hanoi is an exciting city with an abundance of sights, excellent restaurants, and hotels that range from Backpacker Hostels to 5*****. If a super-cheap airfare materializes, it could be just the spot for a whirlwind 5-day trip! Hanoi is also incredibly noisy and chaotic with motor scooters and cycles by the gazillion weaving in and [...]
“Travel Tips & Advice on Vietnam”
Travels With Sheila’s Fast and Easy Hanoi, Vietnam
October 12th, 2010 
Sheila Simkin 
Posted in Vietnam 
Tags: accommodation, adventure, culture, destination, event, events, food, hanoi, hotels, log, nature, sightseeing, tours, transportation, travel, travel advice, vietnam 
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Northwest Vietnam: Hindsight is 20/20
July 24th, 2009 Sheila Simkin A bit of hindsight pertains to the dynamics of this particular tour. The fact that only four people were on it created a developing problem. It’s always been our practice not to travel with good friends and/or acquaintances. What begins as a pleasant relationship “usually” undergoes a drastic change from spending morning, noon and night [...]
Posted in Vietnam Tags: adventure, Asia, destination, event, events, information, landmark, log, minority people, nature, Northwest Vietnam, sightseeing, travel, vietnam No Comments »
One Last Day in Hanoi Was Not Enough, Vietnam
July 23rd, 2009 Sheila Simkin Off the train and back to the Hoa Binh Hotel at 5:30 am, everyone was exhausted. The front desk staff promised room by, perhaps, 9:30 am. A few cups of coffee before disheveled ex-Marine and I set out for an early morning walk to West Lake where active Hanoi gathers in the early morning hours [...]
Posted in Vietnam Tags: adventure, Asia, destination, event, events, hanoi, information, landmark, log, nature, sightseeing, travel, vietnam No Comments »
The Overnight Train From Lao Cai to Hanoi, Vietnam
July 22nd, 2009 Sheila Simkin There are approximately five trains every night from Lao Cai to Hanoi leaving at different times for the nine hour train ride. Hard class with wooden seats, Soft seats, trains with 6-berth compartments, trains with 4-berth compartments and the deluxe Victoria Sapa Express with 2-berths per compartment that runs three times a week and is [...]
Posted in Vietnam Tags: adventure, Asia, destination, event, events, hanoi, information, landmark, Lao Cai, log, minority people, nature, sightseeing, trains, transportation, travel, vietnam No Comments »
Lao Cai is A Chinese Border Town in Northwest Vietnam
July 21st, 2009 Sheila Simkin Lunch at one of the big tourist restaurants on the square at Bac Ha before driving back to Lao Cai where we’d take the 8:15 pm overnight train to Hanoi. Haven’t a clue what restaurant it was but if you visit Bac Ha, it won’t be difficult to find. It’s the restaurant with every Western [...]
Posted in Vietnam Tags: adventure, Asia, Bac Ha Sunday Market, Chinese border town, destination, event, events, information, landmark, Lao Cai, log, minority people, nature, Sapa, sightseeing, trains, transportation, travel, vietnam No Comments »
The Famous and Colorful Bac Ha Sunday Market, Northwest Vietnam
July 20th, 2009 Sheila Simkin We missed Bac Ha Market in 2001 because of abominable weather. So much rain and mud, the roads were impossible (and impassable) and ex-Marine and I were really looking forward to finally getting here. The Bac Ha Market has a reputation for being one of the most colorful markets in the world…View image… The most [...]
Posted in Vietnam Tags: adventure, Asia, Bac Ha Sunday Market, destination, event, events, Flower Hmong, information, landmark, log, minority people, nature, Sapa, sightseeing, travel, vietnam No Comments »
Food, Glorious Food in Vietnam
July 19th, 2009 Sheila Simkin Vietnam Restaurant Recommendations – Sapa and Hanoi had the best restaurants In Sapa, we ate at Sapa Lotus twice…View image…. Once for some tasty tuna sandwiches and the second time for really great pizza. The cost for three tuna sandwiches, french fries (chips) and two glasses of very good wine including tip and tax was [...]
Posted in Vietnam Tags: adventure, Asia, destination, event, events, food, information, landmark, log, nature, restaurants, sightseeing, travel, vietnam No Comments »
The Sapa Trek Continued Through Ta Van Commune, Northwest Vietnam
July 18th, 2009 Sheila Simkin We learned quickly not to respond to a single question put to us by the Hmong. Sounds brutal but that was the only way they finally left us alone. When I played deaf and dumb, my Hmong shouted a final insult, “I don’t like you…you don’t have money.” How true! Seven kilometers later, it was [...]
Posted in Vietnam Tags: adventure, Asia, destination, event, events, information, landmark, log, minority people, nature, Sapa, sightseeing, travel, trek, trekking, vietnam No Comments »
A Day Trek in Sapa Valley, Northwest Vietnam
July 17th, 2009 Sheila Simkin A major shocker when ex-Marine and I ventured into the lobby of the Royal View Hotel this morning. The lobby was filled with tour groups who had just arrived on the early morning train from Hanoi and other tourists already in Sapa with hordes of Black Hmong eagerly standing outside the front doors…View image, just [...]
Posted in Vietnam Tags: accommodation, adventure, Asia, Black Hmong, destination, event, events, hotels, information, landmark, log, minority people, nature, Red Hmong, Royal View Hotel, Sapa, sightseeing, travel, trek, trekking, vietnam No Comments »
A Typical Day in Sapa, Northwest Vietnam
July 16th, 2009 Sheila Simkin Jenny and Myriam visited the Sapa Market the day we arrived and noticed some dog meat for eating, tails still on. Walk down the steps into the main, outside Sapa market area with sellers displaying fruits, vegetables…View image, cooking Pho and other local dishes. The inside section of the market has stall after stall selling [...]
Posted in Vietnam Tags: adventure, Asia, destination, event, events, information, landmark, log, minority people, nature, Sapa, sightseeing, travel, vietnam No Comments »
