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The first metro line in Hanoi has come into commercial operation this month. I remember that the project started when I was in my first year of college, got delayed several times, several years. Eventually, after 10 years of waiting, Hanoian is finally able to experience the first metro line in the city.

Before, the only mean of public transportation was buses, which was obviously not enough to solve the congested traffic in this crowded city. This metro line, for locals, is like a dream come true, and expected to be a game-changer that will encourage people to use public transportation instead of personal vehicles.

The 13-kilometer metro line comprises 12 stations from Cat Linh to Ha Dong – the suburb of Hanoi. The whole metro system with travel routes around the city will be completed in 2050 expectedly. Commuters are allowed to travel for free in the first two weeks of operation. After that, it will cost about VND8,000 – VND 15,000 depending on the distance (US$0.35-0.66), and approx. VND 30,000 (US$1.30) for a day pass with unlimited rides during the day. In the first week of operation, thousands of people flock to metro stations despite complex Covid-19 situations. It is not that people take advantage of free tickets, but the excitement after a long time of delaying is actually what makes them cannot wait any longer. I was no exception. Although I had tried the metro in other countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, Korea, Chile, etc while traveling there, checking out the metro in Hanoi, for me, is still a whole new and delighted experience to have.

Our plan was that we would take a round trip from Cat Linh to Ha Dong back and forth. To avoid the crowd, we decided to go in the second week of operation, after most people have tried in the first week. We even came in noon to make sure that there would not be many people gathering.

As expected, the train was quite deserted and there was a lot of space for us to take photos and tiktok videos. We stopped by every single station to explore around. Each station had a different theme and color, which was quite lovely to take photos with.

The ride was very smooth and fast, it took approx.. 20 minutes to go from the first to the last station.

Many young people came here to take photos, as it brought a new vibe as if they are in foreign countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, etc. As it is new, it is somewhat special and excited to locals. However, I believe it will just be like bus stations when people get used to it.

It was reported that approx. 80,000 passengers have boarded the train in the first weekend of operation.

Our intended plan was to have a food tour in Ha Dong, too. However, Ha Dong, at that time, was an alarming area of Covid-19, we decided to just go back to city center to have some coffee and foods.

A weekend chilling out with friends in the old quarter

A hot bowl of steamed rice cake was a perfect way to end a Sunday hanging out.

@hanggggbeeee

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A rainy weekend with housemates

We are 4 youngsters living in a 4-floors house for over 2 years. We normally throw parties or have meals together on the weekend. As we all are not good at cooking, we always prefer something basic, does not require many ingredients, and is easy to prepare and cook. One of our go-to dishes is “Bún đậu mắm tôm” (Fried tofu with vermicelli and shrimp paste), which, in spite of containing quite a few components, does not require good cooking skills.

An unique dish of Vietnamese cuisine

This dish is very unique and not for everyone, even Vietnamese people. For foreigners, you’ve probably never heard of this dish before. Even if you have, you may not want to try it. For some people, its smell is not appetizing at all. The smell comes from the shrimp paste. You can have another type of dipping sauce, for example, fish sauce in replacement for shrimp paste. However, the dish would lose its uniqueness. Shrimp paste has controversial flavors, like blue cheese, or durian. You know, there are people who can't stand it, but also people who love it.

Main ingredients The main ingredients of the dish, as you can see from its name, are fried tofu, vermicelli and shrimp paste. This is also the original as well as the most basic version of Bún đậu mắm tôm. However, it is quite plain and people gradually upgrade it by adding more protein into the dish such as boiled pork belly, Vietnamese sausages, spring rolls, etc. As meat lovers, we of course did an upgraded version.

Tofu
Pork belly
Spring rolls
Vermicelli
Fresh vegi and hẻbs: lettuces, cilantro, Elsholtzia ciliata (this one is a must. There is no proper Bún đậu mắm tôm without this herb), perilla.
Shrimp paste

Preparation and cooking There are no high cooking skills required for this dish. Trust me, it is so basic that anyone can make it.

Pork belly: just boil it. Add some green onion, lemongrass, pepper, whatever to remove the bad smell from the meat.
Tofu: cut it into medium bite-sized peacies then fry until it turns to light golden colors.
Spring rolls: buy frozen ones from the mart. All you need to do is fry it.
Vegi and herbs: Wash it and drain the water.
Vermicelli: cut it into bite-sized
Shrimp paste: the recipe for the best shrimp paste is: 1-1-2-1, in which: 01 tablespoon of shrimp paste, 01 tablespoon of sugar, 02 tablespoons of lemon juice, 01 tablespoon of boiling oil which was left from frying tofu and spring rolls. The boiling oil is a very important component to make the shrimp paste tastes better. It does not only help to slightly cook the shrimp paste but also brings a fatty flavor to milden the strong taste of the same.

Nothing of the above requires high cooking skills. You just can't go wrong with this dish.

The dish for a rainy weekend. “Bún đậu mắm tôm” (Fried tofu with vermicelli and shrimp paste) is quick and easy to make at home. I and my housemates indeed had a good time preparing this dish together.

Enjoyyy!

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People get used to staying inside the house due to the pandemic. We prefer working from home to going to the office. We would like to lay down in bed binge-watching Netflix during the weekend. We are gradually getting comfortable being inside the house. How long have you not had a day out to see how it has been out there?

Let’s hang out! At least in the weekend.

Hi everyone,

I had a very relaxing weekend and couldn’t help making a video about it to share with you guys.

Last Sunday, when I was lazy staying in bed and browsing Facebook, I saw a post saying that “One more daisy season has come”. I realized that oh it was late October already. In late October and early November, Daisy season is what we should not miss in Hanoi. Then I decided to go out.

The weather seemed nice lately, quite cold and sunny. My plan was to tour around West Lake where I believed, many farmers came to sell daisy; then stop by Phan Dinh Phung Street - the most beautiful street in Hanoi; and if I still had time, I would spend a half hour to admire the sunset in West Lake. Sound pretty cool, right?

I was surprised by how lovely the weather was. It was a cool, windy, and dry with so much sunshine. It explains why many people claim that Hanoi is the most beautiful during this time of the year.

Daisy season In flower season, it is not hard to see many street vendors riding bicycles with many types of flowers in every street of Hanoi. It looks like a huge lovely bunch of flowers moving around the city and attracting all eyes of passers.

A bicycle full with daisies. Beautiful and delicate. It looked better in bright sunlight of an autumn day.

Phan Dinh Phung Street A lot of people stopped by to buy daisies, then came to Phan Dinh Phung Street to take photos. Phan Dinh Phung street is known as a green street as well as the most beautiful one in Hanoi with rows of trees lined up along the sidewalks. People come here looking for a peaceful and romantic vibe in the hustle and bustle inner city of Hanoi.

Also an attractive spot for photography. Phan Dinh Phung Street in Autumn when trees shed leaves is something very iconic with Hanoian.

Light rays shine through the green foliage which not only made a nice backdrop for photos but also brought a nostalgic feeling. The pace of life seems to be slow down a little bit here in this street.

A historical site – North Gate located in Phan Dinh Phung street.

A mini food tour I spent about an hour there in Phan Dinh Phung Street. There was still a bunch of time before the sunset. I decided to ride around and find something to eat. Combining a food tour while waiting for sunset is not a bad idea, right?

Stop by to have some street food. It is called “Bò Bía”. Don’t really know what its main ingredients are but anyway it tasted sweet and delicious.

Go to have some spring rolls and deep-fried pancakes.

A desert from “tofu” added with syrup and toppings.

Sunset in West Lake 5.pm.

The sun was about to set.

I headed up to the lakeside road to find the best spot for sunset. The road got crowded as many people come here for the same reason. Sunset in West Lake is not something stunning, but very relaxing to admire.

@hanggggbeeee

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After a busy night of partying, I woke up in the morning with a terrible hangover.

The weather was pretty nice outside tho. October was always a beautiful time of the year as the winter is about to come and the autumn is yet to leave. It must be relaxing to ride bike in the cool air while the sun is shining, the birds are singing, and the wind is calm. Not going out in this weather is a waste.

I didn't want to spend a whole lovely morning in bed suffering either, I decided to go out looking for something that could make me feel better.

As per my partying experience, a bowl of snail noodles is definitely the best for a hangover morning. I headed to a restaurant located in Kim Ma Thuong Street, which had been serving their family recipe of snail noodles for decades. Snail might not sound appetizing to some of you, but I always had a big appetite for these little critters, especially in these cold day.

I love all types of noodles. But snail noodle always has a special place in my heart. This dish is one of the well-known dishes of Hanoi, kind of a specialty. It has a fabulous taste that you may not find in any other types of Vietnamese noodles. If Pho has a deep flavor that comes from long hours of stewing bones and meat, snail noodle broth is a rich harmony of flavor coming from snail-based stock and steamy potatoes. The flavorful mix of light sweetness and sourness is what cures the hangover as it ceases all of the bitter tastes of alcohol left in your mouth.

Nothing can beat a hot bowl of snail noodles in a cold day

With about $2, you will be served with a hot bowl of noodles with full toppings: snails, beef, Vietnamese sausages. Adding fresh herbs, chili oil and garlic pickled in vinegar will balance everything out and make the texture more fantastic, like a symphony in your mouth.

Right next to the restaurant was a new coffee shop. It looked neat and cool. I couldn’t help stop by and have a drink. After a busy working week, I felt like I deserved a couple of hours chilling out there. Kind of a way for me to find a work-life balance.

A cup of chocolate milk shake to enjoy moments of me-time. This coffee shop seemed environment-friendly with drinks served in paper cup and with paper straw.

Turning on my favorite list on Spotify, watching people passing by, and preparing some ideas for my new Hive posts.

“Good communication is just as black coffee, stimulating and hard to sleep after” – a slogan on the front door of the coffee shop.

I just sit there for about 2 hours until my phone battery was about to run out. I left and went to a mart to pick up some ingredients for my Korean fermented soybean stew. This is one of my Korean favorite dishes, but I haven’t cooked it for almost 2 years. Let’s see if I still remember how it’s cooked and tasted. I’ll share with you the recipe in my next post :))

If cannot travel due to the pandemic, making daily vlog to share my ordinary life seems not bad hah? 😆

@hanggggbeeee

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How long have you been locked inside the house due to the pandemic?

How long haven’t you had a chill-out time in a coffee shop with your friends or dined out in your favorite restaurant?

For me, it has been 04 months. Being locked up inside the house for too long made me really craving for a normal life.

Fortunately, that situation officially ended last week as the pandemic has been brought under control. People were allowed to go out, coffee shops and restaurants were re-opened, and most activities were resumed. I also planned to have a day out with my friends in the coolest place in Hanoi – West Lake.

West Lake is the biggest lake in Hanoi, surrounded by many coffee shops and restaurants. It is known as a popular spot for young people for gathering and meet up. One of the reasons which make West Lake become a favorite place of many people is the relaxing vibes. It seems like the hectic pace of life of the city become slower here in West Lake, where people can ride bikes leisurely around the lake, stop by any spot to have a chat while enjoying the fresh breeze, or take a seat in a corner of a coffee shop to admire the view and watch people passing by.

I was very excited to finally be able to hang out. The winter came early this year. Although it was cold and raining heavily, it couldn’t stop me from heading to West Lake. I used to hate the rain, and prefer to stay in bed rather than going out in this type of weather. But 04 months inside the house was more than enough for me, I needed to go out. Riding a bike under the rain shower and in the fairly cold weather was surprisingly enjoyable. I had so much fun to the point that, for the first time ever, I rode a full round of West Lake. Did I tell you that its shoreline is about 17km?

West Lake Ice Cream, a must-have when you visit West Lake.

Highland coffee post-pandemic. This is one of the biggest coffee shop franchising in the country. This one in West Lake is well known for its superb lake view, an iconic one in Hanoi, together with the one in Hoan Kiem Lake. Despite the heavy rain, some people still love to a paddleboat. Seem like everyone is over excited to get back to normal life.

A pagoda in West Lake.

Tran Quoc Pagoda – the oldest pagoda in the city.

It took me more than 1 hour to go around the lake (I stopped by many places to take photos). It’s still raining heavily, and I decided to get into a coffee shop to wait for my friends. After being deserted during the lockdown, West Lake now starts to be crowded again. All the coffee shops are fully filled with people. Luckily, I still found a small corner in the Santorini Coffee – the most popular coffee shop in West Lake.

Taking a sip of a hot drink, playing board games with friends, enjoying the chitchat in person after a long time doing it online, etc. We felt so much better. The pandemic has really made us appreciate these ordinary moments of life more than ever.

Since an afternoon hanging out was not enough to make up for our misery during the lockdown, we decided to extend our plan to go for a BBQ dinner. There was a famous BBQ restaurant in West Lake, where we visited quite often before the pandemic.

We thought that we would be full after the dinner. But It did not end there. After the BBQ, we were still craving for many things and decided to have Phở (Beef noodle). I had never imagined that a bowl of noodles could make us that much happy. Thanks to the pandemic, a day out became so special, and foods also tasted better. :D

@hanggggbeeee

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Ha Giang, located about 300km away from Hanoi, is a northern province of Vietnam, which is a frontier area bordering China. It is a mountainous area being well-known for its magnificent landscapes. Although Ha Giang is an ideal place for travelers who love taking adventurous trips, it is still unspoiled and yet to be so touristy due to its remote geographic location which is far away from most attractions of the country.

Ha Giang is a place where you may find yourself returning more than once. I have been there twice, and I’m planning for the third. People ask me why Ha Giang again and again, there are no other places for me to travel in Vietnam or what? I don’t know. It is just beautiful and worth-visited almost all year round.

There are several times of the year that people would love to take a trip to Ha Giang such as: Spring is the best time for peach blossoms and enjoying Tet atmosphere (Lunar New Year) of ethnic minorities; Summer is time to visit emerald-green Nho Que river; and Autumn is when those rice terraces turn golden and create breathtaking scenery. Not just that, Ha Giang’s attractions are also located in different parts of the province and require visitors to take different routes to travel. Normally, with a trip lasting for 3 to 4 days, people can only take one route. It explains why people, including me, visit Ha Giang many times for the new route and also for the new season.

Previous Ha Giang post of mine was about rice terraces in Autumn, this one will be all about Ha Giang in Summer with the following route: Ha Giang City – Quan Ba – Yen Minh Pine forest - Tham Ma pass – House of Pao - Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark – Dong Van Town - Mansion of Vuong Family – Lung Cu (National Flag Pole) – Meo Vac Village - Ma Pi Leng Pass – Nho Que River. It’s going to be a very long and detail review and comes in series. So, stay tuned!

A 3-day trip to Ha Giang to get away from the heat of Hanoi City Ha Giang has a majestic mountain complex with an average altitude of 800 m to 1,200 m, especially some peaks rising over 2,000 m above sea level. That is the reason why the mountainous region of Ha Giang always has an average temperature of tens of degrees Celsius lower than Hanoi and other plains. Even in the midst of boiling summer days, while the temperature in Hanoi is up to 38-40 degrees Celsius, Ha Giang always remains its temperature at approx. 25-30 degrees Celsius. The fresh and cool climate of Ha Giang also draws a lot of visitors who just wish to escape the bustling city and get away from the heat. We are no exception either.

Spending a night in a sleeping bus, we arrived Ha Giang city in the early morning. This is always how a Ha Giang trip started: early arrival, renting a bike, having breakfast in the city, then heading up to the mountainous areas and letting adventures begin.

Quan Ba Heaven Gate From Ha Giang city, this was our first destination. It is just about 50km only but girl driving took much longer time than usual, not because that we were not skilled drivers, but we stop by a lot of places on the way just to take photos. :D

New way of taking "check-in" photo. :D

Driving along Highway 4C about 35km, we got Bac Sum Pass which led us to Quan Ba Heaven Gate. After riding up to the top of the pass, then turning to look down at the scene below, we couldn’t help but stop and take a bunch of photos. Compared to the landscapes on the whole journey, Bac Sum pass is only a beginning, so don’t spend much time here like us.

Going straight for about 15km, we set foot on Quan Ba Heaven Gate. We left our bikes at the parking lot and climbed up to Heaven Gate’s viewpoint. It was kind of exhausted on a summer day. However, the feeling of standing on the sky gate tower, overlooking the endless range of mountains was a pay-off.

Not too far from this Heaven Gate, there was also another viewpoint for admiring a unique topographical structure of Quan Ba. It called “Núi Đôi” which was a mountain in a shape of “a pair of boobs”. We stop by outside of this place real quick, but didn’t get inside However, I think you may want to visit this fascinating site. Below is a photo of a natural pair of boobs for your ease of imagination. :D

Source

Yen Minh pine forest Located 35km from Quan Ba and also along Highway 4C, Yen Minh pine forest is also an attraction drawing a lot of visitors, especially young people. If you have visited Da Lat and fell in love with the endless pine forest of this mountainous city, you probably feel the same with Yen Minh pine forest. People call Yen Minh “a small Da Lat” for a reason.

The way from Quan Ba to Yen Minh. The pine forest showed up in the part closer with Yen Minh, not here.

Riding on the way from Quan Ba to Yen Minh, where pine trees were lined on the side of the narrow and winding road, was so enjoyable. No wonder people call this road is a “Happy road”.

Leaving our bikes, we strolled around the forest. We already made 2/3 way to Dong Van Town. Although there were still a lot of places to stop by on the first day (according to our schedule), we just wanted to spend a little more time in this place. it was very relaxing to get some fresh air and immerse ourselves in the quietness of the forest.

Tham Ma Pass One thing we love about Ha Giang was that the mountainous scenery was satisfying at every point of the trip. There was always something interesting to behold, not only at the main attractions but also along the way.

On the way from Yen Minh to Tham Ma Pass

Went off the beatten path. Just 1km away from Tham Ma Pass

Tham Ma Pass is not just a destination; it is a highlight of every Ha Giang trip. It shows how adventurous a Ha Giang trip could be. Tham Ma Pass is one of the legendary roads that every traveler wants to conquer when coming to Ha Giang. Although it has a rather steep slope and constant zigzag bends, if you take it slowly, it won’t be too dangerous. We actually found another road that was even more insane, which will be introduced later. Stopping by this place for a photo is a must, to evidence your conquest of one of the most famous and beautiful passes in Vietnam.

Looking down from above, the shape of the bendy road looked like a soft silk ribbon.

Its name “Tham Ma” has a story behind it. It is originated from an old custom of the ethnic people. At that time, horses were the only means of transportation. In order to assess and evaluate whether a horse was strong or weak, they were loaded with goods from the foot to the top of the slope. The horse that passed would be kept alive to continue to be a means of transportation, the weaker ones were mostly slaughtered. Tham Ma Pass can be basically interpreted as "A slope for horse strength assessment". Today, it is no longer a place for such purpose, but for the assessment of skilled drivers.

There were a lot of ethnic kids hanging out in this pass while still carrying baskets of flowers and corn on their backs. We were reminded by the media not to give the ethnic kids money, gifts, or even candies. As there were rising concerns that those kids (being forced by their parents) would prefer hanging out in tourist attractions to earn their living from tourists rather than going to school.

We asked the kids if it was ok to take a picture together, and they were so into it. They were shy and quiet, sometimes talked to each other in their own ethnic languages. But their smile was so bright and their eyes were so innocent. How adorable!

Pao’s House We arrived Pao’s House at about 4 o’clock. At this point, we were behind the schedule. There was 25km left to get to Dong Van Town. We needed to make it there before dark as riding in the mountainous road at night was very dangerous.

We decided to pay a short visit to Pao’s House, since we considered this was not the main attraction. Located in Sung La Village, this is a place where a famous movie “Pao’s House” was filmed. Thanks to the success of the movie, this place also became a place for sightseeing when coming to Ha Giang. The house was built almost 100 years ago. Quite similar to the houses of the ethnic people, Pao's house was designed in a U-shape with the middle space being a courtyard surfaced with stone. This place was still well preserved and displayed a lot of daily necessities of the Mong community such as rice mills, knitting cloth, etc.

The photos taken here were lovely. However, for me, there was not much to see in this place. We left earlier than we expected and headed up to Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark to catch the schedule.

Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark Finally, the last destination of the first day of Ha Giang trip, before heading up to our homestay in Dong Van Town. We thought we were behind the schedule, but no, we came right in time when the sun was about to set and the Dong Van Karst Plateau was in the most beautiful time of the day. The pristine and majestic beauty of the rocky mountain was shimmering in the afternoon light, and the golden sky was peculiarly stunning. This splendid view was definitely something that I would not forget any time soon.

A magnificent sunset in Dong Van Karst Plateau

Having grilled pork skewers as a snack before heading up to our homestay. At this point, the first day of Ha Giang trip was full of satisfaction.

Video: Tony

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The ripe rice season in the North of Vietnam normally lasts for 2 months, September and October. While the harvest season in other popular places for rice terraces such as Mu Cang Chai in Yen Bai Province and Y Ty in Lao Cai Province begins in early and mid-September, the one in Phung Village ripens later than elsewhere. Sometimes, it also depends on the cultivation schedule of the local each year, but normally, the rice field in Phung Village brightens in late September and will be harvested in mid-October. We came right in time when the whole scene was shining up like gold.

Phung & Luoc villages have long been considered as top tourist attractions in Autumn and also deemed natural heritage of Ha Giang. In the previous post, our journey to the homestay in Luoc Village was troublesome, but in the end, we were all satisfied with the landscape in front of the homestay. For us, the trip was already fulfilled at the point when such picturesque view of ripe rice fields opened up in our sight. However, as we still had one day of excursion ahead, we planned to visit Phung Village which is recognized as the highest rice terraces.

Located 40 km away from Luoc Village, Phung Village is home to La Chi ethnic people and other minority tribes such as Tay, Nung, etc. It took us more than 2 hours to get there from our homestay. I must say that Ha Giang never ceases to amaze us with its magnificent landscape. The curving terraces blended in very well with the background of green jungle and cloud-covered peaks, as if it was carved and painted on those rocky mountains.

This marvelous beauty is not natural, of course, it is created by generations of La Chi ethnic people who have been living here for centuries. For locals, it is their way of cultivation in unfavorable geographical conditions of mountainous area, but for tourists, it is indeed a man-made artwork, a masterpiece of indigenous people.

In Phung Village, there is an observation point that you can have a panoramic view, a bird-eye view of the whole breathtaking scene of vast ripe rice fields below. The photo we took doesn’t do any justice to the scenery but the video from our drone does. Check out the video to see a spectacular landscape captured from our drone. Below are some photos of Phung Village taken by me. Enjoy!

@hanggggbeeee

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It was the first time I visited Ha Giang, back in September 2020. It was a perfect time to go to Hoang Su Phi, Ha Giang, which had long been considered as one of the top attractions in the north for enjoying golden rice terraces.

We began our trip with so much hope and expectation. Little did we know that it could turn out to be basically a “where-is-our-homestay” journey. It was so fun, adventurous and exhausted, and sure will be long remembered.

The homestay is called “Nậm Lỳ Retreat”

I have never thought it would be that hard to get to a booked homestay. To successfully book a homestay is one thing, to make it there is another.

We arrived at Ha Giang city in the early morning and rented bikes to begin our road trip. It was raining, not a very good sign. I should have known that it was a signal sent from the universe that our trip was going to be in so much trouble.

We headed up to the mountainous area and planned to arrive at the homestay, which was located in Luoc Village of Hoang Su Phi, in the early afternoon. Then we would have the rest of the day to chill out and spend the next day exploring paddy rice fields nearby.

The homestay was about 100km away from Ha Giang City. When I made my reservation with the host, he asserted that it would take 3 hours as maximum to go from Ha Giang city to his homestay (he noted that “3-hour riding is for a wimp tho, normally skilled travelers like us can make it 2 hours only”. Hmmm okay). But given that the mountain road was narrow and winding, although we’re no wimp 😅, we decided to take it slowly to have some kind of excursion on the way going up, too. So it is ok to get there at around 1 pm. That’s our plan.

The first trouble was that after just 30 minutes of riding, we got stopped. As the rain had triggered landslides, the locals needed about 30 minutes to clean up the road and make way for us to pass through. A sunny day would be better for admiring rice fields. But It’s was raining and foggy. No big deal, we were still so exciting.

We kept going and then got stopped again by police officers to check our licenses. Guess what? My friend forgot his license at home. We stuck there explaining about 30 minutes more and finally let go with a fine of $20.

Urghh. Not even one good thing happens since we started this trip.

The long way and the dreary weather soon made us exhausted all our excitement. It was 11 am already we still had halfway to go. Luckily, the further we went, the better weather was. It stopped raining and showed some sun lights shining through grey clouds. Our plan still seemed to go as expected, we arrived at the territory of Hoang Su Phi at 1 pm. Now we just needed to take about 20 kilometers more to reach Luoc Village and find the homestay, then we all could take a rest. Sound good, but it was not that easy.

People might not know why and how 20 km of distance could take us until 3 pm. And even when we already saw our homestay from the main road, it took us 1 hour more to make it there. But we knew exactly why, once we saw that so-called road, which we truly believed could lead us to hell. Lol.

It is 2 km long, but very steep, slippery (due to the rain), winding, extremely narrow, and of course, it is two-way, too. Lol. 3 hours as maximum? with this so-called road? No way in hell. You know what, at first we could not find the way up from the main road, so I called the host to come to lead the way. Seeing him riding, I knew why he could make it just 2 hours from Ha Giang city to his homestay. He is indeed a real racing man.

We were all exhausted because of the long way riding but we just laughed like hell. 1 hour struggling with this road is 1 funniest hour that we had in the whole trip. I tried to stay still on the bike at first, but I could not bear a surge of adrenaline so we 3 girls got down and walked to the homestay, while the boys still tried to ride on that road, like a rollercoaster.

I can’t help laughing while writing these. Lol. Flash right back to those moments when I saw the road and couldn’t say a word.

Eventually, it’s all paid off. At the end of the road, we know it’s definitely worth all our time and efforts. The whole scenery of magnificent curving terraces shined up like gold. A marvelous beauty, a masterpiece created by indigenous ethnic people was opened up in front of us. The location of the homestay was just perfect, right in a valley surrounded by paddy rice fields, and further away was a spectacular waterfall. (check out the video will bird-eye view from drone).

We still had the whole next day to explore Hoang Su Phi, but at this point, we already had our own satisfaction.

I still don’t know if I should recommend this homestay, people may blame me for the road, but it’s likely that they will thank me for the view tho.

What is more chilled-out than a morning waking up but still too lazy to get out of bed, opening a window, listening to raindrop sounds while admiring this picturesque view? Could it be any more relaxed?

A bunch of amazing photos and videos of rice terraces in Hoang Su Phi is coming next post. My posts about Ha Giang is going to be series. Stay tuned!

@hanggggbeeee

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Hue is well-known as an ancient city but its cuisine is what actually lures me in.

Exploring cuisine is always a huge part in every travel plan of mine. Experiencing and enriching your taste is one thing, but understanding that food is an expression of cultural identity is another. Local cuisine sometimes tells you more stories about that place than anything else. Ingredients, flavors, food making processes, etc. may reflect even history, culture and tradition, which have been passing through generations to present on dishes. That is why my travel plan is always divided into 2 main parts: Where to go and What to eat. In previous post, where to go in Hue city was well presented. This post will be all about the latter “What to eat in Hue city”.

Located in central of Vietnam and being a capital of the country for more than a century during Nguyen Dynasty, Hue indeed can offer a diverse range of authentic Vietnamese cuisine and abundant specialties imprinted with a very Hue style. I didn’t miss my chance to try most dishes that Hue is being well-known for: Bún Bò Huế (Hue beef noodles), Nem lụi Huế (Hue lemongrass skewers), Cơm hến (clam rice), Bánh bèo (steamed rice cake), Bánh Khoái (Crispy rice pancake), Bánh Nậm (Flat rice dumplings), Bánh bột lọc (Hue tapioca dumplings), and many types of sweet soup, to name a few.

I did try my best to eat as much as I could when I was there in 2 days. There were so many things to try, and everything is delicious. I couldn’t help eating like four - five times a day, and even re-visited a restaurant 3 times just to try more food in its menu. Here it comes 10 dishes that I tried and I highly recommend you to do the same.

Bún Bò Huế (Hue beef noodles) What is being in Hue without trying its specialty – Hue beef noodles?

Being known as a symbol of Hue cuisine and one of the best noodles of the country, rivalling Phở, you can find Hue beef noodles anywhere here in this city. Trying a dish in the place where it is originated, it just can’t go wrong.

Although the dish is famous and popular to the point that you may find it in most places in Vietnam, but Hue beef noodles in Hue still have distinctive features. The broth is what brings so much depth in flavor for this dish. The topping may be various from fresh beef, trotters, meat ball, crap cake, and some cubes of … pig blood (yea. Pig blood. I heard some “eww” already. Lol. It is not that bad, it is just like a black pudding. But if it is too much for you, you can customize and note with the restaurant to leave it out, and the whole thing is still great).

This dish is served with several kinds of herbs like beansprouts, cilantro, basil, mint, sliced banana blossom, etc. I normally ask the restaurant to poach those herbs to soften it a bit before adding to my bowl. I kind of like it that way, but other people may just add fresh ones directly, and it is ok, too. Last but not least, don’t forget to squeeze some lemon and add a bit of chili oil to create a combination and balance of flavor: sweet, sour and spicy. That is how a perfect bowl of Bun Bo Hue is supposed to be.

There is no shortage of options of where to get this dish, but I highly recommend 2 restaurants that are also local choice: Cẩm Restaurant – 45 Le Loi Street and Me Tuyet Restaurant – 47 Nguyen Cong Tru Street. Same price at both place but the former serves excellent broth with not much topping, the latter is the opposite.

Cẩm Restaurant – 45 Le Loi Street

Me Tuyet Restaurant – 47 Nguyen Cong Tru Street

Nem lụi Huế (Hue lemongrass pork skewers) Another specialty of Hue that you can find it easily here. By looking at the photo, you will be able to imagine how it is made. It is basically meat wrapped around lemongrass and then grilled. It is served with special sauce made from peanut, and eat together with rice paper, lettuce, herbs and pickles. When you eat, remember to pull out the lemongrass stick, wrap up inside the rice paper with the meat which has been grilled and scented with lemongrass smell, and all other ingredients served on the table, finely roll it up like a spring roll then dip into peanut sauce. Its taste will make you feel like a burst of flavors in your mouth.

Hue lemongrass pork skewers at Hanh restaurant – 11 Pho Duc Chinh Street

I tried this dish at Hanh restaurant. I found it on TripAdvisor and it is a real gem. Believe me, in a city where does not have many travelers coming in like Hue, a restaurant with more than 2000 reviews on TripAdvisor is something very exceptional. The restaurant serves almost every dish that Hue is well-known for, especially type of dishes which you can have like snack in the middle of afternoon, or turn into a main course if you have it for dinner, like this lemongrass pork skewers. It attracts both locals and tourists hence it is often crowded, but with good services, you won’t have to wait long.

So many good reviews on TripAdvisor

Another dishes that I’m going to recommend in this post like Bánh bèo (steamed rice cake), Bánh Khoái (Crispy rice pancake), Bánh Nậm (Flat rice dumplings), Bánh bột lọc (Hue tapioca dumplings) are also from this restaurant, too. This is a restaurant that I had to return 3 times just to try more dishes in its menu, and none of them went wrong. Highly recommend this decent, neat, clean and good-food-serving restaurant to you if you have a chance to visit Hue City.

Bánh bèo (steamed rice cake) I don’t know if I have translated its name right in English, because it is so hard to find the right word that could describe this dish. The name “banh beo” comes from its shape which is rounded, thin, and flat, just looks like duckweed. For the ingredients, it is made from rice flour which is put in small saucers to steam, then added on top with shredded dried shrimp, fried pork fat, fried onion, etc. and served with sweet and spicy fish sauce.

It looks so lovely in those small saucers. I and my friend ordered one set (20 saucers). We meant to have it as a snack, but it turned out be our main course as we were so full after this. This one is at Hanh Restaurant, too.

Bánh Khoái (Crispy rice pancake) I didn’t know this dish is famous in Hue. I didn’t plan to have this on my list of what to try in Hue city either. But when I visited Hanh Restaurant, the fact that people kept ordering this one really piqued my curiosity. It looked so appealing that I could not resist. It is a thick and crispy turmeric crepe filled with pork, shrimp and vegetable like beansprouts and sliced carrots, served with herbs, pickle and dipping sauce.

It is funny that the word “Khoái” in its name means “Happy”, “feeling good” in English. I and my friend keep wonder if it would make us happier after eating. Indeed, if good food cannot make us happier, I don’t know what can.

Do you think its shape is a bit like Taco? 😄 Other than that, everything is different tho

5 & 6. Bánh bột lọc (Hue tapioca dumplings) and Bánh Nậm (Flat rice dumplings) Made from tapioca flour, Hue tapioca dumplings is a small, clear and chewy, filled with pork and shrimp, and wrapped with banana leaves. Bánh Nậm (Flat rice dumplings) comes with similar concept of tapioca dumplings but there are differences in the flour which it is made from, type of leaves wrapped outside, and the seasoning.

Bánh bột lọc (Hue tapioca dumplings) and Bánh Nậm (Flat rice dumplings)

Both are steamed before serving and you better eat when it is still hot. There is also dipping fish sauce with fresh chili set aside if you want it to be more flavorful. The smell when you unwrap it is very mouthwatering and it tastes delicious, too.

Bánh Nậm (Flat rice dumplings)

Bánh ướt và bún thịt nướng (Grilled pork noodles and rice rolls) This restaurant was recommended to me by a local. When I was visiting royal tombs Khai Dinh and Minh Mang (two places mentioned in the previous post), I met a local guy and asked he if there was anything I should try here. I was expecting that he’s going to say Hue Beef Noodles, but surprisingly, he said that Grilled pork noodles and rice rolls are must-try dishes. He even noted me the most famous restaurant for those, and insisted that I must eat there, nowhere else. I was like “okay, I’ll give it a try”.😅

The restaurant is named Huyen Anh, located at 50 Kim Long street. According to him, there are a lot of fake Huyen Anh in Hue, but only the one at this address is authentic. Being highly recommended by a local, so I really expected a lot. When I got there, it was very crowded. There were only three items in the menu, and all is surprisingly cheap. We ordered what we had been recommended: Grilled pork noodles and rice roll. The moment I tasted it, it lived up to all my expectation and I knew it was crowded for a good reason.

Aww. I need to be back here to eat this one more timeeeee

I don’t know what made it special, basically just a few normal ingredients, but it was so good to the point that I and my friend ordered 5 times, as if we could not get enough of it. This place is a little off the road but well worth seeking out. Besides Hanh restaurant, this place is hands down a must when you visit Hue city.

Chè Huế - All type of sweet soups

Even though sweet soup is popular throughout the country but Hue is home to many types of it. You may need to spend several days to try all. People normally have it like snack in the middle of the day, or a light meal in a hot summer evening. There are some types that are highly recommended such as: sweet soups with lotus seed, longan stuffed lotus seed, corn, mung bean, purified cassava with coconut, etc. Each type has its own taste and way of cooking. It can be served hot or cold depending on diner’s preference. We wanted to try as many as we can, so we ordered a special set with a bit of each.

A set of sweet soups. Honestly it was not as I expected, may be because that I tried many things at the same time, so I was not able to distinguish and enjoy fully the taste of each one.

The one I tried right in the parking lot of the Imperial City on the other day. Much better. Cooling down a whole hot summer day.

Cơm hến & Bún hến (Rice and noodles with baby basket clams) Rice with baby basket clams is an iconic dish of Hue. When I told people I was going to Hue City, I was highly recommended trying this one. You may find this dish sold in every street, every corner of Hue city, as it is a common, ordinary dish for local people here. I followed a review on the internet and went to a restaurant named Hoa Dong (at Ung Binh Street). The restaurant looked just like a local house made me feel a little bit down, but still expected a lot about the quality of food. It is basically a bowl of rice which is topped with stir-fried baby basket clams, fried pork skin, onion, peanuts and herbs (seem like Hue cuisine can’t go without herbs. 😅), and served with a bowl of clam water set aside. My friend ordered a different version with rice being replaced with noodles.

Overall, it is… not my type. It is not bad but it is just not as outstanding as other dishes that I had in Hue. Perhaps you may find it tasty like other people. Give it a try.

I found that food in Hue is very cheap. It is hard to find a grilled pork bread with just $0.5, and other dishes come maximum at $1-2 in any tourism places, but Hue. I paid less than $1 for a bowl of baby basket clam rice. We were surprised that if we ordered all items in the menu of this restaurant, like more than 10 items including both food and beverage, it would cost only $6. Lol. We ordered a dish of steamed rice cake, too. But it was not as good as the one served in Hanh restaurant (as recommended at the third listed item above).

Grab a beer in the most crowded street of Hue City When it comes to Hue, people normally think of a “purple city” that is ancient and peaceful with slow-living pace. I felt the same, too, especially when riding bike through those street lined with beautiful green trees and sweet-scented flowers, when visiting those historical places. But Hue seems to know how to surprise visitors. When the night falls, the inner city turns into a buzzing and vibrant place.

Did I tell you that Hue is home of a popular beverage: Huda Beer? Vietnamese loves beer and we are ranked 2nd in South East Asia for beer consumption. How proud 😆. We have Hanoi beer in the north, Saigon beer in the south, and guess what beer for the central of the country? Yes. It is Huda Beer which is produced in Hue.

Trying Huda beer here is a must. I and my friend went to Vo Thi Sau Walking Street - the most alive corner of the city to grab some Huda. The street was totally crammed with people and all the restaurants are fully booked. The busy scene, the music, the noise of people chatting, etc. really showed a whole new aspect of the city. As there were no room left for us, we just toured around and took a sit in a corner in the end of the street where seemed to be much less crowded.

We decided to come back on the next day and made sure to make reservation at the most famous beer restaurant there. And finally we had a perfect spot to chill out through the last evening in Hue city, with Huda beer and Hue dishes. Hue cuisine normally comes with spiciness. Although the spiciness may go very well with beer, you should note with the restaurant if you cannot eat spicy food, otherwise, your mouth is going to be burned up.

A drunken night was a perfect end point for our memorable Hue trip

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