Vietnam
Northern Vietnam: Contrasting Experiences of Nature and the City of Hanoi
Article and photography by Steve Gillick
At 5:30 am, the only sounds came from the crowing roosters. We were two hours south of the Capital City of Hanoi in the Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve in the Red River Delta, Gia Vien District, Ninh Binh Province, Vietnam. The comfortable Van Long Green Hotel, where we had spent the night, was located directly across the road from the fishermen’s boat dock, where we would meet our guide, Luc Nguyen, for a pre-breakfast stroll. At the creeping of dawn, we could see the mist rising on the shadowy outlines of the Van Long Mountains while clouds of croaking white Great Egrets flew out of the trees to forage for food. The distant howl of Langurs added a mystique to the scene as we started our walk.
Van Long is the largest wetland in Northern Vietnam. From April to October, the villagers cultivate the rice fields, plowing, planting, and harvesting. But in the off-season, wearing the ubiquitous conical hat (Nón lá) for protection against the sun, they take charge of flotillas of fishing boats filled with day-trippers from Hanoi and elsewhere to explore the incredible wetland scenery.
Taking a more rustic approach, we hiked along the road, past villages, mountains, and rice fields, to photograph birds: Yellow Bitterns, Chinese Pond Herons, Paddyfield Pippits, Sooty-headed Bulbuls, Brown Shrikes, and more. On one of the mountains, a troop of Assam Macaques, a threatened species of Old World Monkey, foraged for food.
After breakfast back at the hotel (Vietnamese Chicken Pho (noodle soup), rice cake, dumplings, and coffee), we drove further along the road to find Delacour’s Langur, of which there are only 300 in the world. This critically endangered species of Old World Monkey, endemic to Northern Vietnam, lives in the forests amidst the limestone karst mountains. From a distant vantage point, we took photos of the black Langurs, with their bristly white sideburns and distinctive diaper-like patches of white fur over the rump and outer thighs. We watched the troop members interact as they fed on leaves and groomed one another. The long bushy tails used for balance on rocks and trees were also handy for younger Langurs to grab onto and keep their balance!
Afterward, we headed west for the 90-minute drive to Cuc Phuong National Park, passing small towns and villages and dramatic mountain peaks poking through the morning mist.
Cuc Phuong, also in the Red River Delta, is the oldest national Park in Vietnam, with lush forests, walking trails, mountain caves, plants, amphibians, mammals, and birds. We lodged at the Cuc Phuong National Park Guest House, where the park literature noted, “The Cuc Phuong forest and people have always been eager to share the relationship between the forest and life. Because ‘Forest is one, future is two’. You can’t get to two without going through one”.
Meals were a treat. We feasted on delicious stir-fried chicken with lemongrass, roasted chicken with lime, salt, and chili, crispy fried spring rolls, stir-fried morning glory, steamed rice, and Bia Saigon (beer). For breakfast, we relished Bun Cha, a traditional dish of fried minced pork paddy in noodle soup. We added our own mint leaves, lettuce, bean sprouts, chili, garlic, and bamboo from the dishes provided on the table. So good!
The best way to describe our park experience would be to borrow the Japanese phrase “Shinrinyoku”, which refers to immersion in the forest’s ambiance, sounds, and scents. This included plants, flowers, ancient trees, kaleidoscopes of butterflies, and reveling in the sight of endemic birds such as the White-throated Kingfisher and the stunning Crimson Sunbird.
In one of the blinds, set up to take photos without disturbing the wildlife, we had visits from Orange-headed Thrushes, White-rumped Shamas, Tonkin Partridge, Blue-rumped Pitta, and Pallas Squirrels.
On the evening walks, we encountered Mountain and Collared Scops Owls, an Indochinese Flying Squirrel, and a venomous Horned Pit Viper.
The next morning we climbed up to ‘The Cave of Prehistoric Man’, dating back 7500 years. But we couldn’t hang around like the Shield-faced Roudleaf Bats in the cave. Hanoi was beckoning!
“Ha Noi” means ‘the city located within the river’ and refers to its location on the bank of the Red River. After a three-hour drive, we checked into the 5-star Hotel du Parc. From there, it was an energetic 30-minute walk through motorcycle-congested streets to Hang Buom, popular for Street Food. We sat at a curb-side restaurant munching on crispy Crab spring rolls with Bia Saigon. And then, across the street, we indulged in chicken Banh Mi, a traditional Vietnamese sandwich made with meat, vegetables, and herbs, on a baguette.
We spent the following days discovering Hanoi, mostly on foot. In the morning, locals visit the Botanical Garden for exercise, badminton, tai-chi, ballroom dancing, jogging, and meditation. Close by is the 11th-century Taoist Quan Thanh Temple and the Tran Quoc Pagoda, the oldest Buddhist Temple in the city, dating to 548 CE.
We hailed a ‘cyclo’, a bicycle taxi, to take us to Hoan Kiem Lake, ‘the Lake of the Restored Sword’. Legend has it that in the 15th century, Heaven gave Emperor Ly Thai To a magical sword which he used to drive the Chinese out of Vietnam. One day, while boating, a giant golden tortoise grabbed the sword and disappeared into the Lake.
The Huc (Red) Bridge leads to the island where the Ngoc Son (Jade Mountain)Temple rests. The promenade around the Lake provides a glimpse of locals (and tourists) taking selfies by Turtle Tower, strolling, socializing, and enjoying the scenery.
Train Street is only a few blocks away. We arrived early to secure a railside seat at this 200-meter stretch of outdoor cafés that hug the railway track. The afternoon train arrived precisely at 3:15 pm and passed by us, literally only a foot in front of our noses. Afterward, the tourist crowd engineered their own high-speed departure. All in all, the 30-second thrill was well worth it!
With an interest in history and culture in mind, we visited The Old Quarter Cultural Exchange Center. Displays cover the reasons for the city’s founding in 1010 by King Ly Thai To, the establishment of craft villages, and the city’s evolution up to the present time.
The vast indoor/outdoor Dong Xuan Market is excellent for meeting locals and taking photos. Vendors sell vegetables, fruits, flowers, turtles, chicken, meats, and prepared foods in the tiny, congested back streets. It’s an explosion of chatter, color, commerce, and culture.
The impressive Vietnam Museum of Ethnology showcases the 54 ethnic groups in the country with exhibits that include handicrafts, textiles, photographs, and masks. In the Architecture Garden, several traditional ethnic houses can be visited.
The energy of a city can be absorbed by walking the streets and observing: A motorcycle entirely hidden by the baseball caps about to be sold. Massage and Spa signs everywhere. Street stalls selling bamboo smoking pipes. French colonial architecture, small temples, souvenir stores, Vietnamese flags, flower boxes, restaurants, bakeries, cafes, and people going about their daily affairs.
Those who love interacting with a destination will love Northern Vietnam for its remarkable contrasts, all within the Red River Delta, from stunning nature in Van Long and Cuc Phuong to the immersive sensory explosion of Hanoi.
