Travel journals · Vietnam

Here’s a little clip we filmed in November–December 2019 (just before Covid) of a trip from Hanoi to Cat Ba Bay and then on to Xishuangbanna via Luang Namtha.

https://youtu.be/suZYN3LvgkQ

Not sure if I’ve already posted this, so here it is again!

https://hiddenhoian.com/travel/tam-thanh-mural-village/

Imagine a peaceful coastal fishing village completely transformed by artists who worked their magic on the walls of 100 residential houses. That’s the remarkable story of the Tam Thanh mural village in Quang Nam province. Once similar to many other coastal villages in the area, it now firmly stands out on the tourist map for day trips from Hoi An. In the summer of 2016, Tam Thanh was selected by a joint Korean-Vietnamese project called “Art For A Better Community.” The village was chosen to be their blank canvas, inspired by the success of mural villages in Korea. The project aimed to make Tam Thanh the first painted village of its kind in Vietnam. The team included five Korean artists and seven Vietnamese artists, along with local volunteers. Their goal was to show Vietnamese people that art could be part of everyday life, no matter their place in society. The effort began with about three weeks of wall washing, followed by painting the walls of over 100 residents’ homes. The project was a success, and the village came alive with the paintings. The entire village is now a breathtaking gallery just waiting to be explored. The murals capture the life and soul of the village, from young children playing to fishermen in the ocean. A mix of fantastic pieces offers stunning backdrops for photos. The painted art around the town hasn’t just had a visual impact—it’s also had a social one. The village was chosen not only for the layout of the houses but also to contribute to economic development opportunities in Tam Thanh. Tourists now visit the once-overlooked village, creating more income for locals and making it a successful “art for a cause” project. For example, one entrepreneurial resident who owned a small local café invested 000,000 VND (390 USD) in a sugarcane press a week before the paintings were completed. Sugarcane juice vendors then multiplied with the growth of tourism (5,000 VND - 0.20 USD). Walking down the village’s single street, it’s common to find locals selling refreshments and handmade crafts. In one house in particular, a tailor and his family are painted on an outer wall with incredible detail. The family started selling tote bags decorated by their young daughter. The price for the bags is 100,000 VND (4 USD). If you’re looking for a way to support the village’s economy, this is it. Since there’s no middleman here, you can be sure your money goes directly to the community. You can have lunch at a house with a terrace right by the beach at the edge of the village.

How to Get There Route No. 1: Cross the large Cua Đai bridge. Once you’ve crossed it, continue toward Duong 129/Duong Ven Bien. Stay on this road for 33 kilometers. Upside: this route has light traffic, no traffic lights, and no trucks or buses. It’s a great direct route to the village but offers little to see along the way. You’ll eventually reach a crossroads. Turn right toward Tam Ky town, while the left will take you toward the Tam Thanh mural village. Stay on Route 608 as it turns twice before reaching a bridge. Cross the bridge, and you’ll arrive at Thanh Nien Road. Finally, turn right to reach the village. This route takes about an hour. Use your best judgment. For reference, it costs about 5,000 VND (0.20 USD) to park a motorbike.

Route #2: Cross the large Cua Đai bridge. Once you’ve crossed it, continue toward Duong 129/Duong Ven Bien. Stay on this road for 12 kilometers, then turn left onto Route 613, where you’ll continue for 1.5 kilometers until you reach Thanh Nien Road. Finally, turn right and drive 23 kilometers to the painted village. For most of the trip, taking Thanh Nien Road will take you through a much more local part of the region. The journey takes about an hour and a half.

Hello everyone,

I’m planning my upcoming trip from North to South Vietnam for May 2026. There’ll be two couples in their sixties and older... I’ve received proposals from three agencies with a driver and French-speaking guide. The one I’ve chosen, which is often mentioned in this forum, suggests this itinerary, and I’d love to hear your thoughts: HANOI, arrival on 04/29/26, 2 nights BAC HA, 1 night HA GIANG, 1 night NAM DAM, 1 night DONG VAN, 1 night BAO LAC, 1 night BA BE, 1 night HANOI, 1 night NINH BINH, 2 nights HALONG BAY (BAI TULONG), 1 night HUE, 2 nights HOI AN, 3 nights SAIGON, 1 night CAN THO, 1 night SAIGON, 1 night I’d like to know if the stop in Nam Dam is worth staying overnight or if we should just visit and continue to Dong Van. Also, would it make more sense to fly from Hoi An to Can Tho and finish with 2 nights in Saigon instead? That’s what I’d like your input on. Thanks in advance, and have a great summer! 🌞 Monique

What we commonly call "Halong Bay" is actually made up of three bays. From south to north:

- The small Lan Ha Bay, south and east of Cat Ba Island, inaccessible to large cruise junks because the channels aren’t deep enough for big boats—so it’s more intimate and, above all, cleaner;

- Halong Bay itself, north of Cat Ba, also very beautiful but crowded with tourists since it can accommodate large boats (up to 35 cabins), making it very dirty due to many Asian tourists—except for the Japanese—who throw everything into the water: cigarette butts, bags, empty cans, etc.; - The large Bai Tu Long Bay, north of Halong Bay, characterized by larger islands with beautiful beaches and fewer tourists since it ideally takes 3 days to explore all three bays. PRIORITIZE LAN HA BAY FOR 2 DAYS AND BAI TU LONG BAY FOR THREE. Some travelers want to visit the bay in just one day. Strongly discouraged ! In fact, you need to allow 7 to 8 hours for the round trip between Hanoi and the bay; adding boarding time, you’ll only spend a few hours on a boat and barely scratch the surface of the bay. Plus, one of the most magical moments of the cruise is waking up in the morning surrounded by limestone karsts. Two days/1 night on a junk is the minimum to enjoy the enchanting landscapes. AVOID cheap junks! There’s no secret: cheap = limited comfort, laughable food, and service that’s barely acceptable. Never forget this is a unique site in the world, so it’s worth visiting under the best conditions. Don’t confuse Halong Bay with the "terrestrial Halong Bay" in Ninh Binh (Tam Coc). The first is 110 km north of Hanoi, the second 100 km south, right in the Red River Delta. Both are magnificent, and it’s now possible to take a direct bus from one to the other. To visit the bays, you have two options: - Travel to Cat Ba Island or Halong City on your own and book a junk on-site. We don’t recommend this, as there are many issues—especially overcharging for foreign tourists in ground transport and shortened cruises, not to mention you don’t speak Vietnamese. You’ll end up paying at least the same price as through a Hanoi agency, likely more, since you’re at high risk of being ripped off. - Book an organized tour in Hanoi with a good agency. Given the complexity of traveling from Hanoi to Halong and renting a junk on-site, this is by far the easiest option, with countless possibilities—from private junks (more expensive but with huge advantages) to luxury, superior, and standard group junks. Benefits: with a good agency, you’ll have a hassle-free cruise with no scams, and everything is included in the price: round-trip transfers from your hotel to the boat, guide, junk, all meals, site entries, kayaking, etc.

When it comes to choosing a junk, there are also two options: A private junk is by far the best for many reasons: - You’re the only passengers on board - Smaller than group junks, a private junk can navigate channels inaccessible to large boats and stop at small beaches also off-limits to big vessels - Private junks can anchor wherever the captain chooses, so in a quiet little bay, whereas all large junks are required to spend the night in the same big bay by local police order - Better service and food Of course, these advantages come at a cost—but after all, Halong is a once-in-a-lifetime trip! For luxury private junks, I recommend Bhaya Cruises and Indochina Junks. For superior, one of the best is Oriental Sun (2 cabins/2 bathrooms), owned by the excellent agency Oriental Bridge Travel. Also excellent are the two Dai Duong junks—the 02 with 2 cabins and the 03 with 3.

Group junks range from Deluxe to Superior. Choose a medium-sized junk (8-12 cabins). Among the Deluxe, Bhaya Cruises and Indochina Junks are flawless. For Budget, the superior Swan, Cozy Boutique, and Ocean 7 are great.

Warning: While group junks can be booked once in Hanoi (except during peak season), private junks must be reserved well in advance, especially in high season.

To make your choice and booking easier, the best is to contact Oriental Bridge Travel, which, unlike other agencies that offer every junk imaginable (from the best to the worst), has carefully selected 2 or 3 in each category. Check their website and, in the menu, click all the "Halong" links from "Luxury Private Junks" to "Superior Group Junks."

TRANSPORT TO HALONG BAY

Cruise prices include round-trip transfers between Hanoi and Cat Ba City or Hon Gai. If you want to go to Halong on your own, there are three departure ports for cruises: Cat Ba Island (especially for Lan Ha Bay), Halong City/Bai Chay port (Lan Ha, Halong, and Bai Tu Long), and Cai Rong, which serves only Bai Tu Long Bay. From Hanoi: To Cat Ba, take the Hanoi-Haiphong bus and the Haiphong-Cat Ba speedboat (3-hour journey). This is the fastest option since the boat arrives directly in Cat Ba City. Buy a combined ticket for Hanoi-Haiphong + Haiphong-Cat Ba speedboat. For Halong City, there are frequent direct buses. From other cities: Direct buses from Haiphong or Cat Ba City to Ninh Binh and Sapa. WHERE TO STAY IN CAT BA? If you spend a night in Cat Ba (not essential), there are more and more hotels. Here are the ones I liked among those I’ve visited: 2-star: Cat Ba Dream Impeccable, with a large terrace overlooking Cat Ba Bay, and unbeatable prices: $15-20 for a single/double/twin, $30 for a large triple. The owner is a great cook. 3-star: Hung Long Harbour Brand new and spotless, overlooking Cat Ba Bay. Ask for rooms with a balcony (the suites have very large terraces). Great value for the quality! Single/double: Standard 65 $, Deluxe 80 $, Suite 100 $, extra person: 30 $ There are also several bungalow hotels on the beach: on Monkey Island (3 km from Cat Ba City), the Cat Ba Monkey Island Resort; another on a different island 5 km south of Cat Ba City, the Cat Ba Ocean Beach Resort; and a third, the Cat Ba Beach Resort. In the mountains inside the island, you can stay at the Cat Ba Suoi Goi Resort and the Cat Ba Whisper Bungalows. RESTAURANTS In Cat Ba City, I’ve tried quite a few restaurants—more bad than good. Two excellent floating restaurants in Cat Beo, especially the one on the left. WHAT TO DO? Beyond cruises, there are some interesting sites to visit on the island: · Visit the Cannon Fort: No one goes there, and everyone’s wrong! It’s not far, just behind Cat Ba City on Nui Ngoc Road, the street leading to Cat Beo. You climb to 177 m altitude at the top of a hill with a superb panoramic view of Halong and Lan An Bays. In 1942, the French installed an artillery fort with three 137 mm cannons controlling the passages in the bay; two remain, along with the casemates. It later became an anti-aircraft post during the Vietnam War. Unfortunately, the last time I went, the road was blocked. Still worth a try—great views from the climb. Entry: 50,000 dong, and it’s worth it! · The national park: It covers three-quarters of the island. You can simply stroll or go trekking, especially the 15 km to Viet Hai village. No animals in sight. Just before the park entrance, visit the Viet Hospital, a series of caves remarkably set up as a hospital during the Vietnam War (there was even a natural pool and a cinema room). · The beaches (Cat Cô): The three beautiful beaches in coves at the southern end of Cat Ba City’s esplanade are taken—the first by a children’s water park and the other two by a huge hotel complex.