accidental goddess

Until I took this trip with NextTribe, my favorite all-women travel group, I always associated Vietnam with the ugly war of the 1960s and 70s.  It hit my generation hard, affecting all those around me. You couldn’t avoid it; the nightly news always included horror stories, body counts, protests and counter-protests. It tore our country apart.  I grieved over the loss of friends, wrote admission letters to get my brother into college, and helped others leave for Canada to avoid the draft. March 2023 commemorated 50 years since the war ended and this trip seemed like a good opportunity to reconcile my old, negative association with the modern reality.

On November 5, 2024 I joined 13 smart, bold, and like-minded women in Hanoi for a two-week tour of the Northern province. The trip was everything I expected from NextTribe:  great accommodations, a full schedule with women-centric activities, and plenty of camaraderie.  But, beyond that, I didn’t know what to expect. The good news is that I was surprised and delighted at every turn.

Hanoi, the capital city

Our hotel was a serene sanctuary in the heart of the Old Quarter, a chaotic maze of 36 streets, most devoted to (and named by) a specific craft or product, such as Silver Street, Fabric Street, Sugar Street, Christmas Street, and the crazy Train Street where twice a day the train whizzes through within inches of the sidewalks.

Living on the edge
Everything seemed to happen right on the curb, even food prep.  People walk or pull up on their scooters to make a purchase.

The traffic was a real thing

There was a slew of motorbikes and cars, interspersed with bicycles, jitneys, buses, golf carts, and very few traffic lights. Crossing the street seemed life-threatening or exciting, depending on your appetite for danger. Our guide Pham May Li told us: Go slow, keep moving, don’t stop!

We had to learn quickly because we had a street food tour our first night.  It was a great intro to the delightful Vietnamese cuisine. We sampled pho, bun cha, bahn mi, papaya salad, and egg coffee. And, we got to sit/squat on the little plastic stools just like the locals!

Diversion and immersion

While the USA was spinning after the Presidential election, we spent a few days exploring the local history and culture. We took a serene morning walk to beautiful Hoan Kiem Lake, which has a turtle with a sword legend and attracts many Instagram influencers for their photo shoots.  We followed this with a sobering visit to the Hỏa Lò prison. It’s where the Vietnamese were held prisoners by the French in the 1940s and was then sarcastically nicknamed the “Hanoi Hilton” by the American POWs in the 1960s. Some of us also went to the Women’s Museum, focused on the contribution of women to Vietnam’s history and culture, and we all went to see a comical Water Puppet show that included the famed turtle with the sword.

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Sapa

The next day we boarded a bus, driving past the terraced rice fields to the mountain town of Sapa, home to many diverse ethnic groups. The diversity was apparent at the Bac Ha Hill Market, where Red Dzao, Flower H’Mong, Tay and other tribes come to sell their handicrafts and buy provisions.

Up we went
And, because we were in the mountains, we hiked!  First we went up to Heaven’s Gate, over one mile high with stunning natural views and lots of decorative additions for tourist photos.

Our second hike was to the Silver Waterfall (Thác Bạc) for more stunning scenery. The water appears like silver as it rushes down the mountain, hence the name.

Cultural immersion
To learn more about the local tribes and their culture, we visited an Indigo store/workshop where the women harvest hemp plants and weave them into fabric, which they then dye and make into clothing and decorative items.

We had lunch at our guide Pham’s family Homestay, which is a place to experience the day-to-day activities of a family.  We had an opportunity to see and buy their handicrafts, and then enjoyed a traditional herbal bath and massage using plants and herbs from the local area.

Ninh Binh

Ninh Binh Province is home to the Trang An Landscape Complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that encompasses the Hoa Lu ancient capital and the Tam Coc-Trang An scenic landscape. We started our adventures with an iconic paddleboat ride on the Trang An River, through limestone caves, past local people fishing for crabs. It was magical.  The water lilies were in full bloom and women rowed the boats using their feet!

More hiking!
We took our third and most strenuous hike up 500 rugged steps to the almost-top of Hang Mua, twin peaks that served as a vantage point back in the day (early 1200s) to warn of Mongol invaders. Difficult, but worth the effort. Now they have a lovely park with gardens, decorative statues, and a lily pond at the base.

We also visited the ancient capital of Hoa Lu to see the temples of King Dihn and King Le, leaders of two different dynasties. At night, we went to Ancient Town at Ky Lan Lake Park where old meets new. The town has been rebuilt with tourism in mind while keeping the temples intact. Ninh Binh goes Disney!

On the bay

The finale was two enchanting nights aboard the Dragon Legend One, cruising among the karst mountains that jut up in Bai Tu Long Bay. It was delightful—with cave exploration, kayaking, a visit to a floating village, a beach BBQ by day, and romantic dinners at night.  Only 34 guests (including our small group), all treated like royalty.

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Hands-on activities

Throughout the trip we had optional classes from local masters in cooking, batik, pottery, and embroidery. Yet another way to appreciate Vietnamese history and culture.

Fun facts!

• The food is healthy, tasty, and beautifully served.
• You can get an Uber-like ride in a car or on a motorbike.
• Anything and everything can be transported on two wheels.
• Everyone squats…all the time. Eat, drink, socialize, on little plastic stools.
• There are 54 recognized ethnic groups or tribes, distinguished by their clothing.
• What we call “the Vietnam War”, they call “the American War of Destruction”.  Yet, we were warmly welcomed. Fifty years seem to have helped both sides heal.
• The women do a lot of the work. They cook and keep house, make their tribal clothing and all of the handicrafts, and sell them everywhere. They do it all while caring for their children, often with babies on their backs.
• Every type of massage was available at our hotels and elsewhere, along with places to get your hair and nails done. Get pampered at a reasonable price!
• You might want to bring an extra suitcase. There are so many locally made, unique things to buy even if you are not a “shopper”.

Happy Campers