By: Cristina
Time is flying in Vietnam, it hardly feels like I should be writing about the highlights of our last country in Southeast Asia! You know what they say...
I must also note that posts have been a little out of order lately, so I'm backtracking a little bit in writing about Hue, Hoi An, and Dalat. The first two cities noted, were our subsequent stops following Hanoi. Dalat came after the bicycle trip down Highway 1 (which you can read about here, here, here, here, and here), and was our second to last stop in vibrantly peaceful Vietnam.
Hue is a small-ish city in the middle of Vietnam famous for its imperial city. We were only in Hue for two nights, but that was plenty of time to explore the remnants of this once fortified city and wow were we impressed! The ruins are well-preserved and have been carefully restored - sadly many of the original buildings were destroyed during the Tet Offensive. Today, the imperial city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and visitors can meander in and out of temples and gardens; and stroll through long hallways, and gaze at ornate and decorative mosaics, intricate carvings and bright lanterns.
Time is flying in Vietnam, it hardly feels like I should be writing about the highlights of our last country in Southeast Asia! You know what they say...
I must also note that posts have been a little out of order lately, so I'm backtracking a little bit in writing about Hue, Hoi An, and Dalat. The first two cities noted, were our subsequent stops following Hanoi. Dalat came after the bicycle trip down Highway 1 (which you can read about here, here, here, here, and here), and was our second to last stop in vibrantly peaceful Vietnam.
Hue is a small-ish city in the middle of Vietnam famous for its imperial city. We were only in Hue for two nights, but that was plenty of time to explore the remnants of this once fortified city and wow were we impressed! The ruins are well-preserved and have been carefully restored - sadly many of the original buildings were destroyed during the Tet Offensive. Today, the imperial city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and visitors can meander in and out of temples and gardens; and stroll through long hallways, and gaze at ornate and decorative mosaics, intricate carvings and bright lanterns.
Hoi An is quite popular with tourists, and for good reason. The ancient city's architecture is an aesthetically pleasing blend of Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and French persuasions, each bringing nuances and character to the yellow-colored buildings. It felt akin to a fairy tale! Hoi An is also popular for tailor-made clothing and practically every shop specializes in one-of-a-kind clothing and shoes. We, however, purchased bicycles and outfitting them for our then-upcoming seven-day trip.
Now, fast forward about ten days and Ryan and I were happily perched in the mountain town of Dalat. We heard positive things about this colorful city, and were lured by the promise of cooler weather. Dalat was originally established as a resort retreat for affluent French during the colonial era. The remnants of this history persist today as many of the city's buildings are a shout-out to old French, Haussmann and chalet styles. The city itself is much bigger than we thought, but still walk-able. We visited the Gaudi-esque Crazy House, the night market, walked around the lake, and visited the botanical gardens. Dalat also has a smattering of vegetarian restaurants, where we devoured some delectable dishes. While here we also had the good fortune of meeting up with friends of friends, Kat and Roger, who we originally met in Chiang Mai two months ago. What a small world - and a nice treat!
As I mentioned above, time is flying in Vietnam. Speaking of flying, we're getting ready to board our flight to Ho Chi Minh, and our last stop in Vietnam. Check back soon for our take on Vietnam's biggest city!
As I mentioned above, time is flying in Vietnam. Speaking of flying, we're getting ready to board our flight to Ho Chi Minh, and our last stop in Vietnam. Check back soon for our take on Vietnam's biggest city!