Our Notes From the Road
-
Hoi An Ancient Town lived up to its reputation for lantern-lit streets and historic charm. Yet our favorite moments came during the quieter hours, when the crowds faded and the town’s history, architecture, and atmosphere could be appreciated at a slower pace.
-
Before Hoi An’s lanterns and Ancient Town, we found its everyday rhythm in the streets around our apartment — neighborhood festivals, local food, and unexpected evenings shaped by kumquat growers and karaoke. These early days revealed a side of Hoi An that guidebooks rarely show.
-
In January, our Vietnam travel became more budget-friendly. Staying longer in Ninh Binh and Hue, cooking some meals at home, and using land transport kept costs low. At CAD 72.97 per day for two, this was our cheapest month so far, without compromising on experiences or comfort.
-
Hue reveals itself beyond its imperial monuments — through quiet museums, family homes, and unexpected encounters. From royal palaces to private ancestral houses, the city blends history and daily life in ways that feel personal, lived-in, and unexpectedly human.
-
A day inside Hue’s Imperial City and a journey through three royal tombs revealed the city’s imperial past. Along the way, we discovered peaceful gardens, grand mausoleums, a living monastery, and a few unexpected moments that became some of our strongest memories of Hue.
-
Our walks in Hue slowly expanded beyond the Imperial City walls, across canals and old streets, until we reached the Perfume River, where the city’s layered geography and everyday life began to come together.
-
We arrived in Huế after a long train journey, unsure of what to expect from our new home. In the days that followed, it slowly began to make sense in ways we had not anticipated.
-
Our final day in Ninh Binh began with a boat journey through Tràng An Route 3 and continued with a walk through karst landscapes. A freshly prepared fish meal and a fading sunset in Tràng An completed a day of contrasts and discovery.
-
We followed a trail that wasn’t on Google map and ended up at a sealed gate in the cliffs. Only later did we realize we had been standing at the edge of Tuyệt Tịnh Cốc—just on the wrong side of it.
-
Hoa Lu reveals how timing reshapes experience. The same ancient capital can feel crowded and overwhelming at one moment, then quiet and deeply atmospheric the next. Walking between temples, villages, and karst landscapes, we discovered how much of travel is shaped not by place, but by when you arrive.