Day 2 in Vietnam started with the alarm going off at 6:30 AM, but I sort of stayed in bed until 7:00 AM. It’s a holiday, after all.
At 7:42 AM I headed down for breakfast at the homestay. It was a simple spread—pineapple juice, milk coffee, and bread with a boiled egg. I noticed they had a banana that was very similar to what they call a “Kerala banana” in India; they are quite firm, but good. The pineapple juice was clearly fresh, and the coffee was slightly sweetened but not overly so. And I have to give credit where it’s due; the egg was cooked perfectly. Despite its simplicity, breakfast was very good.
At 8:00 AM I got a message from Max, our guide for the day, saying he was on his way. This was for the “Hoa Lu, Bai Dinh, Trang An, & Mua Cave Tour“ I had booked earlier on GetYouGuide for 4,411 INR ($52.30 USD). I left the homestay at 8:10 AM and was in the vehicle by 8:12 AM. We spent some time gathering the group. At 8:43 AM we picked up two more people, making us 11, and I put my phone on airplane mode to save battery. By 8:45 AM we picked up three more, bringing the total to 14.
The Ancient Capital
We reached our first stop at 8:55 AM: Hoa Lu, the ancient capital of Vietnam. Shortly thereafter at 9:01 AM we were handed tickets to give to the collector literally less than a minute later.
As I understood it, Hoa Lu is now really just a temple. Max explained a bit about the symbolism of the place. At 9:13 AM I noted the flag which has 5 colors. Max said they represent the 5 elements (or maybe he said 5 metals? I missed the exact word).
We learned that after the incense burns down, you take the offering back home and it’s believed to be blessed or lucky. The fake money, however, is burned . . . I wondered why one might not leave real money as an offering and also collect that as lucky/blessed?
At 9:32 AM we got a bit of a history lesson. Evidently, Vietnam used to have a mixed alphabet using Vietnamese and Chinese characters, but they switched to the Latin alphabet, presumably because of colonization, but Max insists it is just easier. It’s also interesting to note that this isn’t strictly Buddhism, but a kind of ancestor worship.
The “Biggest” Everything
Back in the bus at 9:48 AM, we headed to our next stop: Bai Dinh Pagoda, where we arrived at 10:00 AM. Right off, it was clear that this place is massive. At 10:14 AM we were told to keep our tickets this time, then piling into yellow tourism electric cars to be shuttled to the main site at 10:18 AM.
The complex is relatively new, built in 2003. Max explained that while the “temples” are for traditional worship, the Pagodas are Buddhist.
At 10:32 AM I noticed dark marks on the statues of the Arhats; I asked about that and was told it is from people touching them for luck.
What followed was a series of superlatives. At 10:44 AM I think Max said this is the biggest Buddha statue in Vietnam. But then at 10:53 AM, he clarified: actually, it is the largest “Gold plated bronze statue of this particular type of Buddha in Vietnam.” It became a bit of a running joke in my head.
At 11:08 AM we reached another hall, but I decided it was too much trouble to take off my shoes to go in, so I just waited outside. Nearby at 11:10 AM we reached the Buddha Sakyamuni Hall. Keeping with the theme, this is the biggest gold-plated bronze of this type of Buddha (in Vietnam).
We headed back to the tourist vehicles at 11:31 AM. The logistics were a bit chaotic; I was put in a vehicle going up with strangers while my group followed behind. But by 11:41 AM my group arrived, and we headed to the restaurant.
Lunch and Assembly line rowing?
At 11:52 AM I realized that even though I had slept well, I was feeling very sleepy, but I didn’t want to fall asleep. We arrived at Trang An Resort for a buffet meal at 12:08 PM, staying until 12:59 PM. The food wasn’t exquisite, but it was decent. I particularly liked the fried goat, but several of my fellow travelers were less impressed.
Back in the vehicle at 1:08 PM, we were given the “suggestion”: “If you like the boat trip you can give the rower 50,000 VND.” This always annoys me. If we are supposed to give 50,000, just include that in the price and charge us properly.
I didn’t want to think negatively, but there was a Dutch solo traveler on the tour who was clearly quite sick with a cold or flu, and of course, I got stuck next to him for this part of the ride. He really shouldn’t have come on this trip . . . Great, now the woman in front of me is also coughing! Am I a bad person for having these thoughts?
We arrived at the boat launch at 1:14 PM. The whole boat system is like an assembly line at a factory. Anyway, we got onto the boat at 1:32 PM. I’m not really sure what the point of this is. Still, everyone else seemed enthusiastic, so it must be good?
I observed that almost all the rowers seem to be slim women, though looking closer later at 2:46 PM, I guessed it was about 70% women and 30% men. Several times we saw what appeared to be baby ducklings, but no adults. I wonder why.
It was all very beautiful, but by 2:25 PM I kind of just wanted this boat ride to be over. The rowing style they use is interesting . . . it seems backwards from what I feel would work better . . . but after an hour, the novelty wears off. The seat was relatively comfortable with the mats they put on the benches, but it’s a fairly long-feeling ride.
We finished at 3:24 PM. I gave my 50,000 VND “tip” to the rower, and the two others in my boat did the same.
The Endurance Test
We were back in the car at 3:45 PM. Max told us we would be at the next destination in five minutes and gave us a choice: the left path which has 200 more steps but is more beautiful or the right-hand path, which is easier but with a less impressive view. Upon arrival to Khu Du Lich (Mua Cave) at 3:57 PM. We were told to be back at 5:20 PM.
At 4:08 PM I realized this seems to be another one of those endurance test tourism sites. I made it to the top, but at 4:33 PM I noted that the system up there isn’t very good at all. Nobody can tell who is going up or coming down, and it’s all uneven rock. Honestly, it’s a major disaster waiting to happen. Don’t even get me started on that weird crevasse you have to go through. But anyway, yay me! I conquered the dragon and got the “best view”.
I was finally down from the main difficult climbing area at 4:47 PM. Seriously. That was crazy. I then started back down and peaked in at a little side temple which mas mostly neglected by other visitors.
By 5:04 PM I was all the way down and back on safe ground, with a few minutes to just wander around the area near the entrance.
We got back in the vehicle at 5:24 PM and I was dropped off at 5:59 PM.
Evening
After a quick rest, I was out the door again at 6:31 PM. I decided to stick with what works and went to the same place as yesterday, Thuy Linh Restaurant. I ordered stir-fried bok choy with mushroom sauce, pork with Vietnamese vermicelli and peanut dipping sauce, and a draft beer. It was a bit more food than I had planned on, but it was very satisfying.
I paid 137,000 VND ($5.40 USD) and left at 7:43 PM. It had been a long day of “sort of biggest” statues and endless steps, but it was also a good one.
So, was this what you were expecting when I said I would be going to northern Vietnam, or was it something else you had in mind? What was your favorite part of the day? Do you have any thoughts on the “biggest” statues and pagodas? How about that climb up to the dragon sculpture? Let me know your comments and questions below, and keep following along for more adventures.
Travels with Jay 