Travel Journal
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A Long Stay in Hanoi (Vietnam) in 2022: Between Gastronomy, Shopping, and Frustrations
Every time I’m in Hanoi, my hometown, I struggle to post on the blog because I don’t have a moment to myself. There’s too much to do, too many people to see, too many dishes to try, too many weekends to plan in the North… We spent several months in Hanoi, and here’s a summary of what we did. We flew from Paris to Hanoi in March 2022 on a nearly empty plane. We each had three seats to ourselves. I slept straight through. Because of the war, we had to take a longer route to avoid flying over Ukraine. The usual 10 hours turned into 11 hours and 20…
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Yen Tu & MGallery Legacy: The Most Spiritual Place in Vietnam
At the end of JB’s recovery in Nha Trang, we return to Hanoi for a month. Due to our very busy schedule, we only have one long weekend to recharge our batteries. Having lost a lot of energy in that “surprise” surgery story, we all (my parents & us) need to recharge. That’s when I think back to a 5-star hotel not far from Hanoi whose photos made me dream a few years ago: Mgallery Legacy Yen Tu (Booking link). Note: we paid for everything out of our own pockets Part 1: Travel JournalPart 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Journal Yen Tu is a name that vaguely rings a…
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Recovery in Nha Trang (Vietnam)
It’s August 2022, and after emergency surgery in Nha Trang, JB is recovering for a month. My parents know people in Nha Trang (even though we’re from Hanoi), and during JB’s hospitalization, my mom and I get to visit two apartments. Located in a condominium, presented by her friends, and we end up choosing, of course, the most beautiful one, with an incredible view of the beach from the 24th or 36th floor. In short, paradise! It’s perfect for recovery. Don’t ask me how to rent it, because it’s been resold since. Every day, we can enjoy the beautiful morning light. It’s a three-bedroom, so my parents can stay with…
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Digital Nomads: A Week in Ninh Hoa (Vietnam)
In 2022, during our stay in Vietnam, we decided to settle in Ninh Hoa, a fishing village 1.5 hours from Nha Trang. I had been following on Facebook for a long time a Vietnamese entrepreneurs’ club and one of the club’s members had a hotel particularly suited to digital nomads, with half-board facing the ocean. The hotel sent a driver to pick us up at Nha Trang airport. It’s actually closer to Cam Ranh than to Nha Trang, and it took us 2 hours to get to Ninh Hoa. The flight was incredible—Nha Trang has many more mountains than I remembered, and I got to see Cam Ranh from above.…
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Bali (Indonesia): Taman Ayun Temple, Ulun Danu Beratan Temple & Leke Leke Waterfall
We take advantage of our Ubud – Lovina drive to make a few stops along the way. We’re going with the driver who took us to Mount Batur, but 20 minutes before departure, he calls to say another driver will replace him. The reason: a member of the community has passed away. In Asia, you don’t lie about deaths because it brings bad luck, so we take his word for it, but he could have let us know the day before instead of dropping it on us at the last minute. Luckily, the new driver is friendly and drives carefully. Part 1: Travel JournalPart 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel…
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Sunrise at Mount Batur, hot springs, and waterfalls in Bali (Indonesia)
After resting well for several weeks following my long period of stress, I finally decided to do some sightseeing. But by going through an agency, because I no longer feel like organizing anything. Unfortunately, tourists have been absent for a long time, so no one knows the new prices, what time you need to leave, etc. We end up making a deal with a taxi driver, who seems to know the points of interest and rates better than anyone we’ve asked. We set a meeting for 4 AM. Part 1: Travel JournalPart 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Journal The early wake-up was tough for everyone, including our driver, who…
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Mixed First Impressions of Bali (Indonesia): Canggu, Ubud
I chose to write about Bali first, and I’ll catch up on the Vietnam travel journals later. Even though we’ve been traveling for 6 years, this is our first time in Bali. For us, Bali is synonymous with mass tourism and is the “clichéd” destination of the digital nomad. That’s why we’ve always carefully avoided this place. It’s only after 3 months in Vietnam, and while the number of open Asian countries is still limited, that we go there, with a rather negative preconception. In mid-June 2022, the PCR test is a bad memory; only a vaccination certificate (two doses) is required to arrive in Indonesia. From the plane, I…
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My Current Favorites [May 2022]: Jade Bracelet and Small Leather Goods
Since we’ve been back in Vietnam, I’ve been spending more time eating and shopping than reading, so unfortunately my current favorites don’t include any books. We’ll just talk about the talent of Vietnamese artisans. Type A Jadeite Bracelet at Duong Ha Gemstones & Jade 139 Hang Bac Street, Hanoi I found this jeweler by chance. He’s the only one offering this type of bracelet, made of jade beads. While others only sell jade bangles, which I find not only old-fashioned but also fragile (easily breakable). I also don’t like the green color, “imperial jade” style either, so finding this slightly bluer shade was a real feat. He didn’t have the…
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3 Days 2 Nights in Sapa (Vietnam): flooded rice paddies in late April
Our friend A. was supposed to join us in Vietnam in 2020, but it was only after 2 years of covid that this project became a reality. We’ve traveled together several times before, but this is the first time he’s meeting my parents and traveling with them, in my country. Since I’ve often planned and organized our shared road trips all by myself, A. jokingly calls me “Anh Agency“. My parents are amused to see me acting like a tour guide, that is, paying for everything, booking everything, and setting the itinerary every day. It also lets my parents rest a bit and explore off the beaten path, as they…
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[Review] Avana Retreat Mai Chau, the best 5-star retreat hotel in Asia (Vietnam)
After a few days in Ha Giang, we got back in the car to head to Mai Chau for a relaxing long weekend. First stop: Avana Retreat. Note: this post is NOT sponsored. We paid for everything out of pocket. Part 1: Travel JournalPart 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Journal Mai Chau is a beautiful valley. It’s about a 5-6 hour drive from Hanoi. It’s a popular weekend destination. Avana Retreat “Retreat” hotels are a category of hotels whose main purpose is to rest, retreat into nature, and fully enjoy it. Avana Retreat (5 stars) was voted the best retreat in Asia. It’s “the place to be” right now.…
