Despite being an ardent foodie, I have never taken a food tour so I decided that Hanoi would be the perfect opportunity to find some hidden gems. Luna, our Airbnb guide, made the evening jaunt worthwhile. First of all, the tour cost $0 so we were already ahead, but we paid for the cost of our food and left our guide a bit of a tip at the end.
We started out sampling some delicious and piping hot pork eggrolls and pork cutlets from a street vendor.
Then we headed off to try some sticky rice,
followed by a sampling of Vietnamese papaya salad and ending the food tour with an off-the beaten path beef pho.
The latter didn’t even have a storefront sign but did have a sign hanging off a tree and was located literally inside a family’s home.
The family previously had a stall but the government forced them to shutter so they have made do and hold a pop-up in their home with limited hours, from 3-7 p.m., serving only one speciality dish that they have clearly perfected.
To get to their establishment, you have to find the sign first and then enter a narrow pathway and climb up very narrow cement stairs which wind upwards. Then you end up on the landing and make a sharp right, taking a few steps before arriving at the restaurant. As in all Asian homes, you’re required to remove your shoes before entering.
We sat down on the low level plastic stools and a few minutes later our pho arrived. The broth was perfectly clear but distilled with hours upon hours of layers of beef essence. The pieces of beef were tender and the noodles were perfectly cooked. There were some herbs in the pho but they weren’t overwhelming. As we were the last customers, I saw the staff heading with our bowls to the kitchen which was in another room, where they were hand washing all of the plates and silverware.
Every square inch was used economically and efficiently which just goes to prove that one doesn’t need a state of the art kitchen to create an amazing dish.
What I particularly enjoyed about our evening, aside from the delicious and unique food of Hanoi, was hearing some of the stories about the norms in the city. There are certain jobs and responsibilities relegated only to women. Regardless of income, the government rations how much each person is able to buy to eat. The reason why storefront businesses are very narrow, deep and tall is property taxation is based on width and not height. Several families and generations of families live within one room, sometimes sharing one bathroom amongst them all with some homes not equipped with any bathrooms.
All of that seems shocking having been raised in the U.S. but it’s just a part of life in Vietnam, and there is a great and overwhelming sense of optimism and ambition amongst the people of Hanoi. If I had to describe the rhythm of the city, it’s a bustling metropolis in the heart of a young country that is readying and positioning itself to be a contender in the world of commercialism.
I just hope that in Hanoi’s valiant efforts to modernize, that it doesn’t turn its back on its roots, history and its values. Only time will tell.
Chiang Mai is known for its abundance of night markets throughout the city. It doesn’t take much effort to find one each night of the week.
There are also plenty of street vendors on the way to the actual markets so supply most definitely outweighs demand. However, unlike in other countries where vendors aggressively try to sell you their goods or wares, the vendors wait until they are approached by a potential buyer expressing his/her interest and even then, the vendors have a tendency to take a more laid back approach.
On our first full day in Chiang Mai, we walked 10 minutes north from our AirBnb to Anusarn Market which is best known for its abundant food options.
We opted for a seafood restaurant based on several reviews on TripAdvisor but unfortunately it was fairly mediocre and frankly forgettable.
However, we had a front row seat to the dancers of the Chiang Mai Cabaret soliciting customers. My husband decided to take a photo with them which resulted in a few good laughs.
After dinner, we walked around and saw a sign for the fish spa. At 120 baht it seemed like a very cheap thrill so we opted to try it. Not surprisingly, it was definitely memorable and noteworthy. It seemed hilariously ticklish and odd at first. After a while, we got used to the rhythmic nipping around our feet. The best part were the people we met who came by to chat with us. Having fish eating your dead skin was definitely a great conversation starter. We met an Irishman with whom we shared the story of my husband’s mistaken belief that he was of Sicilian descent only to discover from 23andMe that he was predominantly of British Irish descent. Our Irish companion on realizing he met a fellow countryman shared a few tales about the Motherland to incentivize him to come visit.
We ended our evening by stopping off to get my husband’s favorite dessert: mango sticky rice.
The next day, we opted to visit the famous Saturday Night Market on Wua Lai Road. It is literally one road with a few off-shoots for food vendors. We took a Grab, which is the equivalent of an Uber or Lyft, and were dropped off at one end of the market. There were some similar wares that we had seen the night before but a handful of a few unique ones. The street was busy but not oppressively packed.
We headed to the first food court and ordered a small bowl of the famous Khao Soi for 50 baht,
grilled fish for 200 baht
and a plate of pad Thai for 40 baht.
We ate our dinner while listening to a guitarist strum some tunes.
After listening to a few more melodic songs, we moved on and walked through the rest of the market.
We fell upon another more diverse food court.
There were 2 sushi roll stalls but one in particular was incredibly crowded as it was selling each piece for 10 baht. I’m not quite sure what the quality and freshness of the rolls since it was oppressively humid and it hardly seemed appropriate to have raw fish exposed to the elements. However, the excitement and intensity of the customers was palpable as they aggressively barked out their orders at a rapid pace and fevered pitch.
Moving on, we looked at the other food options and when we turned the corner to the end of the cul-de-sac of stalls, we couldn’t help but notice the shawarma stand. We ordered a quesadilla from the woman who was teaching her son how to prepare the dish. It was interesting to observe that the teen was being groomed to help or possibly take over the business. She explained each step, how to carve the meat, how much to place on the tortilla, how much cheese to add and how long to cook on each side. Hopefully, he took mental notes as the quesadilla was perfectly crisp on the outside and moist and gooey on the inside.
After our second dinner, we meandered to the other end of the market and opted to take a Tuk Tuk back to Anusarn to check out the Boy Blues Club.
It was located on the second floor above the market offering a nice view and a breeze to boot. The band was pretty good but the alcohol selection was lacking. Still it was a nice chill spot to hang out, relax and listen to some solid tunes.
The next day, we went to the famous Sunday Night Market. To say that market was overwhelming would be an understatement. It was massive with various offshoots on to other streets.
What is interesting about the Sunday market was it actually had some unique vendors, with original artwork, ornate and exquisite inexpensive bookmarks and cards. I enjoyed seeing what was available but one could seriously spend 6 hours before seeing everything that was available. We didn’t stay long as it looked like rain and the aisles were filling up with people, making the browsing and sightseeing less enjoyable by the minute so we retreated and headed back to our humble abode.
Chiang Mai Night Markets provide a place where one could definitely find and haggle for unique souvenirs to remind one of their time in Chiang Mai.
They’re also great for sampling local food at a relatively low price point.
For us, night markets are another entry point into the mindset of the people and what they found to be of value enough to sell to locals and tourists alike.
When I was in the planning stages for this trip a few months ago, I had identified three excursions on our must do list. Our first day and first outing was an island hopping tour to three islands. I booked all our tours with Island Trek Tour which is a one-stop shop, a tour company which handles bookings with local tour guides.
Our first outing was subcontracted to Fun Sun Dive & Travel. Their location wasn’t too far from where we were staying but with the flooding from the previous evening’s rain storm and the narrow and congested roads, it took about 20 minutes to arrive at our destination.
We ended up chatting with the local tour guide’s manager while we were sipping on tea and coffee. He’s American, probably somewhere around our age. In his prior life, he was a purser from Northwest and Delta but when they merged, he took an early buyout and decided to become a dive instructor. His last gig was in the Palawan/Coron area managing a dive shop there which featured wreck diving amongst its many islands but it closed for renovation so he was happy to find an opening on Mactan Island which is more urban and not as remote and isolated. He said that although the shop offers diving, most of their boats and others they had to subcontract were booked primarily for island hopping that day, indicating its popularity.
After our brief chat, our crew was ready to head out to sea. We had a small group of 7. There was a Korean family, a husband and wife with their young son on the boat with us as well as an American born Asian guy in his early 30s traveling with his girlfriend. Though he’s originally from Orange County, they now live in Japan.
We made a few pit stops with the crew, dropping some off on boats on the way and/or dropping off supplies until we finally made it to our actual island hopping boat which was anchored the furthest out to the right of the harbor. We weren’t quite sure if we were actually going to make it out because it took about 20-30 minutes to get the engine started which sounded like it had been flooded possibly from the evening’s storm.
We finally went to our first snorkel stop. It took a while to get there, probably 30 minutes or so. We passed by quite a few islands as we made our way across the vast sea before arriving at our first site, Hilutungan Island, where it appeared there were close to 8-10 other boats already anchored.
I noticed a few yellow kayaks with guys dressed in yellow vests who appeared at first glance to be life guards. I saw one guy board our ship who immediately started chatting it up with me and asked if I’m Tagalog. I had never been referred to by that term but I understood what he meant. It was also very clear that he was getting a read on us to see if we would be willing to buy a few things from him. He immediately offered us some coconut juice, other types of beverages and beer. I sensed that we were being hustled so I turned to Troy and gave him that warning look. We opted for the coconut juice and that’s when he said it was going to cost 300 pesos but not to worry about it until after we finished snorkeling.
It was an overcast day so the visibility wasn’t optimal. We spent about 40 minutes watching the schools of fish as they went about their day, heading en masse towards one area where they were occasionally being fed by one of the crew from a boat alongside ours. It was a nice peaceful and relaxing introduction to the islands and being welcomed back by the sea.
When we came back onboard, our coconut juice with 2 straws was ready. Our fellow passengers also ordered the same thing. While we were sipping, Troy noticed a net of shellfish being shown to the family. He asked what it was and that’s when our guy said for us not to pay attention to the guy showing them his goods but to look at what he brought us. He showed us a live abalone which was clearly trying to escape as it pushed its way off the bench and onto the floor. He offered to grill us some of his catch to which we politely declined. Then he tried to offer us some bracelets and necklaces to purchase. Even though I stiffened at the thought of being solicited while we were on a private charter, I reminded myself that he lived on that remote island, that he had few opportunities to make a living, that he was being pleasant enough and just like the abalone, he was trying to survive. Eventually, he got the hint and after we paid him for the juice, he left the boat.
Our next destination was quite a ways away. It probably took us close to an hour to get to Pandanon Island which is halfway between Cebu and Bohol with the latter laying claims to the island. We were told that while we walked around and swam around the island, the crew would be preparing our lunch for us. We walked around the beach for a bit and saw that families and friends had rented covered thatched cottages. There were guys playing beach volleyball and several groups grilling out and serving delicious looking local food in batches. I realized that some of the people were there with families and friends enjoying their weekend. This is how they spent their leisure time, cooking for themselves and their loved ones, out on the beach, catching up, laughing and eating and enjoying each other’s company. If the locals who lived in their very humble homes on a remote island with likely very meager means could find contentment in the simple and basic joys of life, then I should learn from them. It made me smile that they didn’t take for granted the importance of relationships and truly made an effort as a group to show their appreciation for each other by putting together an amazing feast and serving it for all to enjoy.
With that, we headed to the other side of the beach, leaving the groups to enjoy their private celebrations. We decided to take in a bit of island time, our way. I had planned on a beach outing and brought our picnic blankets, lined with tarp-like plastic on one side and a fuzzy cloth material on the other. I knew it would make dusting off the sand much easier than a regular beach blanket. The sun was shielded behind the clouds but the air was warm and there was a cool beach breeze making for a nice day to lay out. We closed our eyes and listened to the waves lapping, the sound of coals burning and of food sizzling, blending in with the sounds of laughter and conversations by our fellow beach companions. It was our first full day on vacation and I finally started to relax and unwind.
At 12:30, we headed back onboard and we were welcomed by an unbelievable feast which was somehow prepared and grilled to perfection on the actual boat. There were triangles of sticky rice ensconced in banana leaves. Grilled pork, chicken and shrimp skewers were laid out in island style baskets and the meal was finished off with mango halves, squared for easy consumption along with some local bananas. What was unique about this meal was there were no forks, spoons, knives or even napkins. Everything was eaten with your hands which made it that much more authentic, more rustic. It was the perfect island dining experience with amazingly delicious, moist and flavorful food prepared in a very humble setting. One of the boat’s crew dunked a pail into the sea and offered that water to wash off the remnants of our meal from our fingers. It was a very grounding experience to say the least.
Our last snorkel stop, Nalusuan island, seemed quite a ways away and by the time we arrived, the sun was peeking out, warming up the sea and enhancing the visibility. We swam alongside tiny schools of fish as they weaved together in synchronicity, watched as other fish took sustenance from the coral below and others as they swam along their merry way.
After some time in the sea, it was finally time time to head back. I fell asleep briefly on the boat and felt like I woke up a new person with a deeper appreciation for my Homeland’s culture, its people, their generosity and spirit. I wanted to remember the lessons of humility and gratitude that the islands taught me and to encapsulate and incorporate that mindset in my day-to-day life going forward. I now remember that life is about making connections, maintaining them and enjoying each other’s company while we have the opportunity. Life may have its challenges but we should never feel downtrodden as long as we have each other.
Island Trek Tours
https://www.islandtrektours.com
Fun Sun Dive & Travel
https://www.funsundivetravel.com/island-hopping/open-boat/
Grace Gambin
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