One month in Vietnam.

Despite having no real plan when arriving in Vietnam, I would say my month long trip was pretty fulfilling and my first 'taste' of the country met above satisfactory needs that will lead me longing for another trip in the future once I save up enough moola. 

When I think of Vietnam, I see a poor country and air pollution, lots of motor traffic and a city that wakes up very early but also sleeps very late. Food and services are very accessible for very cheap; sometimes you get what you pay for or you find hidden gems (many, in fact) that is well worth the low price. Morning life is constantly bustling and everyone seems to always have a place to go. Morning is dedicated to business and purpose. Mid-afternoon is when the scorching heat reaches its peak and it seems a bit quieter (maybe by a half decibel) because people are hiding indoors or taking late naps. By night, the streets fill up with people again and the vibe shifts to something more festive and rowdy; people getting off work, picking up their children from school, or setting up street stalls. The lifestyle is different from what I'm used to and although I would have loved to document daily life in Saigon, the city became a part of me and I went with it. 

Even in a city overpopulated with sky-rises and construction, we chanced upon a restaurant hidden somewhere I can't even remember, that was enveloped in forestry and nature. There were gazebos extended into a huge lake where you could sit and enjoy the morning sun without the noise of the city. Although you could spot some apartments and buildings from this view, it was absolutely peaceful and an insanely large mass of land for one restaurant.

Outside of Saigon, I visited Da Lat, VN located high in the mountains and optimal for breathtaking views and beautiful parks. 

(Dambri Falls)

I also took the time to visit some of the many churches and temples in Da Lat. Both displayed equally amazing architecture. 

Aside from the cultural aspect, I also spent some cheat days enjoying the luxurious side of Vietnam at a resort. I traveled independently by taking a ferry boat directly from Rach Gia to Phu Quoc Island. The lodgings cost around $130 US/night, but was very worth for the prime location of the resort and all of its services including outdoor pool, backyard access to the beach, breakfast, tennis court, and others. 

One of my guilty pleasures that I indulged in almost everyday were these tiered taro-flavored cream popsicles.

Finally, I could not forget my visit to the countryside. Even without the privilege of air con, or convenience of the city, the countryside was hands down my favorite place. Every day life is simple and laborious, but there existed life of a different caliber. A part of me is also sad when I think about the countryside but I also feel grateful for the experience.

After thoughts -- 

Sitting here trying to determine how I want my first travel post to look, I can't decide on the style so I'm going to wing it (just like my whole travel experience and absence of planning/itinerary) ! I don't want to make it sound like a review, so I'm not. I spent a portion of time with family and exploring local areas; some days were as simple as sitting in and people watching from the front door, others were paying respects to relatives or grabbing Vietnamese coffee at random home-cafes.

However, the one comprehensive tip I would give when landing in Vietnam is to GET A SIM ! If you opt for your home country's international phone plan, then forget this, but otherwise, I highly recommend buying one to stay connected for obvious reasons. You can easily obtain one right from the airport. Or, like me, find a random stall on the streets offering SIM cards and scratch cards for very low prices (~60,000VND + whatever amount you want to fill up with the scratch cards). I went with Vinaphone, but there are other options such as Mobiphone and Viettel as well. Overall, I would say I only spent about 200,000VND (a little less than $10US) on scratch cards for a whole month of data usage that I mainly used for checking up on Facebook, emails, Snapchat, Instagram and random web browsing. --