“What’s that sir? You’d like a glass of carbonated hobo’s urine? That will be 25 cents please!”

Apparently Beer Hoi is the cheapest beer in the world; it is also the weakest and most likely to keep you up all night peeing. That said, a lot of fun can be had by chilling out on a grubby side street and sipping Bia Hoi from a plastic tumbler with locals.

Bia Hoi means ‘fresh beer’, and allegedly it’s brewed daily all over the country, distilled into plastic litre bottles and shipped to local bars, restaurants and corner shops, where locals and tourists with a tight budget can drink 10 pints for just over a pound. At that price, can you really complain?

Probably – lets be quite clear here, unless your bladder is the size of a blimp, there is no way you can drink enough of the stuff to get merry without finding yourself permanently stationed over a squattie.

It is undeniably part of the Vietnam experience (especially in Hanoi) and worth at least one night out on the piss (literally) – but if you are a beer connoisseur or on a serious mission, stick the glass bottles. 3/10

Things had been getting a little chilly ever since we left Mui Ne. In Hanoi I brought my hoodie out of hiding; in Halong bay the long underused shivering muscles stuttered into life; but it wasn’t until we hit Sapa that I felt that sensation I had fled eight months before – I was actually cold.

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Our complete photo album from Vietnam is now on the gallery page, have a peek:

Sapa

32 Photos

Hanoi

18 Photos

Halong Bay

45 Photos

Hue

56 Photos

Hoi An

40 Photos

South Central Coast and Dalat

32 Photos

Around Saigon

44 Photos

Mekong Delta

29 Photos

It is hard to describe the breath taking beauty of Ha Long Bay. Out of the still blue waters almost 3000 dramatic limestone karsts rise up, creating a maze in the sea that looks like it belongs in a fantasy movie. The water is populated with wooden sailing junks and small fishing boats, while the karsts contain hundreds of grottoes, caves and small beaches. As the sun sets over the beautiful skyline, it is impossible not to be blown away by the magnificence of nature. Read the rest of this entry »

At least, I think that’s what it’s called – it’s above a café immediately opposite the bus station. The guesthouse was nice enough, and the family who ran it gave us no bother, probably because they spoke no English at all. The big problem with this place was the lack of heating. At night our room felt like it dropped below freezing (it was colder in our room than outside). While other guesthouses endeavour to provide heating, from fire places to electric blankets, Tay Ho made no effort whatsoever. We had to sleep in a single bed, with two duvets, and a lot of clothes on the make it bearable. It was also very humid, meaning our towels never dried. But it only cost $6 a night. 4/10

From Hue we hopped on a sleeper bus for a rather uncomfortable 14 hour bus ride north to the capital of Vietnam, Hanoi. We have taken sleepers before, and they tend to be OK – but this one was low rent. The beds were tiny, there were no rails on the side to stop you falling out, and the toilet onboard was rank.

All this meant that when we arrived in Hanoi we were exhausted and irritable, and found ourselves staying at the crappy Star Old Quarter because we could not be bothered to look around.

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Hue was UNESCO world heritage site three of four in our month long stay in Vietnam, and was a fun two days of history as we cycled around to take in the sites.

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Walking down the narrow cobbled streets, admiring the beautiful Chinese temples, quaint architecture and adorable shop fronts, it is easy to see why Hoi An has achieved UNESCO World Heritage status. From the 17^th to 19^th Centuries, Hoi An was an important trading port, a peer of Melaka in Malaysia and Macau, used frequently by Dutch, Portuguese, Chinese and Japanese traders. The ban on motorised transport (something Hanoi might want to consider) and the harmonious blend of Chinese, Vietnamese and French architecture creates a unique atmosphere that leaves you feeling like you have steeped back in time. Left unscathed by the Vietnam War, Hoi An has retained its old world charm, although this has been facilitated by transforming many of the old buildings into shops selling tourist souvenirs and tailor made clothes. Don’t let this put you off though – the shops themselves are full of beautiful things, and the streets still hold many hidden gems tucked away down side alleys.

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Nha Trang is a beach town, and like all good beach towns, when the sun don’t shine, there ain’t much to do. While we were here the weather was pants: we didn’t get to the beach once, despite the very insistent touts that were trying to sell us boat tours. Instead, we spent our time drinking cheap beer, playing pool, and cycling to the nearby attractions.

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Before arriving in Hanoi we consulted our Lonely Planet and Rough Guide to find out information about visiting Ha Long Bay. We were disturbed to read that many tourists have complained about tours that are overpriced, over crowded, with terrible food and a rushed itinerary, and so we spent a good couple of days looking around to see what was on offer. Read the rest of this entry »