Mystic Misty Charm of Sapa

The touristy town of Sapa in northern Vietnam is a well-known and popular destination. With cheap travel costs, easy and convenient access via train, beautiful landscapes and interesting ethnic tribes, it's certainly formula for mass tourism.

But it was exactly it's popularity that had somewhat kept me from visiting Sapa for a time. Tales of incessant hassling from the ethnic minorities had put me off, and scamming of independent travelers are common. Nevertheless, I finally made a trip, and it turned out to be quite a pleasant experience, especially photography-wise!!

While the hassling by the local Hmong ladies are indeed a tad annoying, the charm of the place was hard to deny. I love a good landscape opportunity, and I was not disappointed. September was rice harvesting time in Sapa, and the fields are covered in glorious golden green. But surprisingly, what actually fascinated me was the mists!! I had 2 days of complete misty weather and it gave a different feel to the photos.

And the biggest surprise was when Sapa revealed glorious sunlight amidst the mysterious mists within a short window of time. It was exciting and truly spectacular. As shown in the timelapse below, towards the end of the video, the land was again shrouded in mists.

Thus the tip of the day is, whatever the forecast or outlook is, rise early to try to catch a glimpse of the sunrise. You never know when you would be treated to a show!!

Mekong Delta

The Mekong Delta is a region in south Vietnam where the mighty Mekong River empties into the sea. Millions of Vietnamese call this area home. They build their houses along the river edge and their "backyard" is their livelihood. For some, their boats are their home...


A trip through the delta will open up your eyes, and is a highly recommended side trip from Ho Chi Minh. In fact, my suggestion is to go for at least a 2-day trip. This is because one of the highlights of the trip is to see and experience the early morning floating markets. For the single day-trip, you will miss this highlight.


The Mekong Delta marketeers do their transactions on "floating markets". Their merchandise are brought along in their boats, and they scour around a large area, or hang around an area. Residents on the banks of the Mekong who need to buy something will just take their small boats to these areas - essentially "going to market". Those living in the boats just bring their "home" to market!!

Among the things you'll see along the delta and its tributeries, are "factories" which produces various kinds of snacks that are rice-based. One of them, known as poprice, is certainly interesting to see them made. They take rice grains, after being de-husked, and throw them into hot sand where they will be "popped" (like pop corn). Then they are mixed with a concoction of maple syrup, coconut milk etc. Then they are put into a mold, and cut into blocks of sweet nice snacks! Yummy!

The people of the Mekong Delta are among the friendliest in Vietnam, especially if compared to city folks in Ho Chi Minh. I really enjoyed the Mekong Delta.

Hoi An, Vietnam

For those making a trip to Vietnam, esp when you're flying in to Danang, here's a recommendation. Visit Hoi An.

Hoi An is a lovely town north of Danang. Declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the old town has a charming ambience with a more relaxed feel than the bigger towns like Hue. The section by the Thu Bon river is very nice and is my favourite part of the town. 

Hoi An is also home to many art galleries and tailors. So, besides just relaxing in town, you can have your shopping fix. Guesthouses are plentiful, and if you have the budget, there're more upmarket "boutique hotels" being built as well. Besides spending a couple of days here to chill out, you could also arrange day tours out to another UNESCO site : My Son (pronounced Mee Sawn). It is basically a site containing Cham ruins dating back to the 7th century. The Cham are a race that inhabited these areas then. If you're into historical and cultural stuff, this should be interesting.

In Hoi An itself, my favourite  part be the morning wet market. Here, it is a true local market, and nobody bothered a tourist like me. So it's great to see and experience a true authentic scene. 

Overall, Hoi An is an excellent place to just relax and enjoy a slow pace break from work/citylife. Well, before it gets overrun by tourists!