Hanoi’s Last Morning

On our final day in Hanoi, we walked from our hotel, classychotel (see on map), to St. Joseph’s Cathedral (see on map).

The cathedral was built in 1886. The interior wasn’t as large as I imagined, but the atmosphere was calm and beautiful.

Stopping by Starbucks

Near the cathedral, we visited a Starbucks (see on map). They were selling rainbow cake, so it might have been part of a Pride-related campaign.

Cooling Down with Hoa quả dầm

Hanoi was hot again today, with trees looking full and vibrant. Because of the heat, we headed to Hoa Béo (see on map) for Hanoi’s popular dessert, Hoa quả dầm.

Their menu had photos, so ordering was easy. It’s a dessert where crushed ice is mixed into a bowl of fruit.

The coconut-flavored ice cream was light and delicious, the mango pudding was firm and tasty, and it came with plenty of jackfruit.

The total was 70,000 VND.

Afternoon by the Pool

My friend went out for a massage, so I returned to the hotel. The rooftop pool felt open and refreshing.

June in Hanoi is extremely hot, and it was hard to walk around during the day, so relaxing by the pool felt perfect.

Dinner: Returning to Chả Cá

For our last dinner in Vietnam, we discussed what to eat and agreed that it had to be Chả Cá.

We returned to Chả Cá Thăng Long, the place we visited two nights ago.

The staff cooked everything right in front of us, with plenty of dill and green onions. Absolutely delicious.

The sauce was lightly seasoned with a bit of acidity, and the white fish was cooked with turmeric and tasted great.

Even the fried spring rolls that came with the set were excellent.

Dinner for two was 423,000 VND.

Trying Tào Phớ

We then found a tofu dessert shop, but we couldn’t read the posted menu at all.

By pointing at what another customer was eating and gesturing, we managed to order. The staff showed us both the take-out cup and the dine-in dish, and we chose the cup.

I showed them my wallet, and the staff pulled out a 20,000 VND bill from the register to indicate the price.

When the dessert was handed over, the staff kindly used gestures to explain, “Pour the black one (tapioca) onto the white one (the tofu).”

I gave them a thumbs-up and said “OK,” and they smiled and gave me a thumbs-up in return.

It was a fun body-language-only transaction.

Ending the Night at a Lakeside Café

At night, we had tea at a café by Hoàn Kiếm Lake. As I sipped what might be my last Vietnamese coffee of the trip, the café suddenly had a blackout.

It came back about five minutes later.

We returned to the hotel to finish packing, and then my friend said, “I want another massage!”

So this time, I joined him.

Evening Massage

There are many massage shops in Hanoi, but I avoid the ones where women shout “Hello massage!” outside—I have a vague suspicion that they might offer questionable services.

We chose a place that felt calm and welcoming: HO KINH DOANH TAM SPA.

The staff were polite and didn’t aggressively approach people, which made it feel comfortable.

A 90-minute oil massage was 550,000 VND per person.

Since we paid with a credit card, an extra fee was added, so the total for two was 1,130,000 VND.

I was paired with a very skilled therapist, and the massage was wonderful.

After the session, we gave a 100,000 VND cash tip.

A Hot and Humid Hanoi Night

When we stepped outside, the air was thick with humidity and heat.

Even before 11 p.m., the weather app showed 32°C with 80% humidity.

Hanoi in June is intensely steamy—but that’s also part of the city’s charm.

<p>The post Hanoi Travel Diary 2024-03:A Day at St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Hanoi Desserts, Pool Time, Chả Cá, Tào Phớ, and a Relaxing Massage first appeared on ふたり暮らし。.</p>

Morning at the Hotel

We stayed at ClassyCHotel (see on map), all paid for by my friend, and honestly, it was perfect.

The breakfast room felt elegant. There were many kinds of bread, beautifully arranged salads, tempting fried spring rolls, Western dishes, fresh fruit—everything looked great.

Visiting the Thang Long Imperial Citadel

We called a Grab taxi and headed to the Thang Long Imperial Citadel (see on map), a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The entrance fee was 70,000 VND per person, and credit cards were not accepted.

Right after entering the grounds, we reached the first building, which turned out to be the main highlight.

If I knew more about Vietnamese history, I’m sure I would have found more things to appreciate.

Inside the building, there were wooden temple instruments and offerings, but nothing that looked like a main deity.

The Buddha’s hand citrus fruit offered there had a very unusual shape.

Because of the humidity, the walls were covered in what looked like mold, moss, or algae.

Some of the decorative patterns—possibly influenced by Chinese design—were also completely mossy.

But honestly, it made sense. The heat and humidity were overwhelming, and my T-shirt stayed stuck to my back the entire time.

There was a small exhibition room on-site, with displays mainly of roof tiles and ceramics. Jewelry and ornaments were limited.

We also found jackfruit trees growing in the area. I saw them as street trees as well, and they looked dangerous—if one fell, it could definitely split someone’s head.

Exploring Dong Xuan Market

We moved on to Dong Xuan Market (see on map).

Many shops were selling hats, and in the fabric section, one of the staff members was literally lying down on the merchandise taking a nap.

Unlike the market in Nha Trang, I didn’t see any suspicious goods that looked like diverted brand-name products from Nike or Adidas. Maybe Hanoi, being the capital, has stricter controls.

Instead, there were plenty of obvious knockoffs—like a JIL SANDER–style shirt labeled “JIL UNDER.”

Break at LAIKA Café by Hoan Kiem Lake

After leaving the market, we walked through the Old Quarter and stopped at LAIKA Café by Hoan Kiem Lake to rest.

Because Hanoi was so unbearably hot, our new rule for choosing cafés became: “Does the air conditioning work well?”

From the terrace, we could see the lake.

Inside the café, families were eating sunflower seeds and tossing the shells onto the floor, someone was watching videos on full volume, everyone spoke loudly, and kids were running around bumping into other customers. It was chaotic in its own way.

What is considered “manners” in Japan simply didn’t apply here. And kids in Hanoi—whether on the street, indoors, or probably at home—seem to run around with endless energy.

Lunch and Water Puppet Theater

We stopped by a bánh mì shop we happened to find. Two sandwiches cost 70,000 VND.

Since we had booked tickets online the day before (5,018 yen for two), we picked up the tickets at a nearby travel agency and headed to the water puppet theater.

We rented an audio guide for 50,000 VND, but the Japanese translation was awkward and hard to understand. Some parts were too literal to make sense, which was funny in its own way.

Even without the audio guide, just watching the puppets’ comical movements and listening to the traditional instruments was entertaining.

Visiting the Temple at Hoan Kiem Lake

After the show, we visited a temple on Hoan Kiem Lake (see on map), which was also featured in the puppet show.

The entrance fee was 50,000 VND per person. There was a display of a preserved giant turtle—perhaps a softshell turtle.

Shopping at Vincom Center

Because it was raining and we couldn’t get a Grab at all, we took a street taxi to Vincom Center (see on map), which cost 100,000 VND.

It was a very nice department store, and the VinMart inside accepted credit cards, so we could buy souvenirs without worrying about our remaining cash.

We bought coffee, lotus tea, dried mango, cashews, lotus seeds, pistachios, and mung bean cakes.

Dinner: Chả Cá Again

When deciding what to eat for dinner, we couldn’t stop thinking about how good yesterday’s chả cá was, so we decided to have it again.

We went to a place near Hoan Kiem Lake (see on map), but in the end, the chả cá from yesterday’s restaurant was better.

It wasn’t bad, but today’s fish had a slight smell, and they didn’t add as much dill. The dipping sauce also leaned heavily toward fish sauce, while yesterday’s had a lighter, more flavorful broth.

Ending the Day with Egg Coffee

Before heading back to the hotel, we stopped by a café (see on map) for egg coffee.

The interior felt old and a little shabby, but it had a nostalgic charm that added to the experience.

<p>The post Hanoi Travel Diary 2024-02:A Day Exploring the Old Quarter: Thang Long Imperial Citadel, Dong Xuan Market, Water Puppet Theater, Chả Cá, and Egg Coffee first appeared on ふたり暮らし。.</p>

Leaving Nha Trang on the Final Morning

It was my last day in Nha Trang, and I was taking a midday flight to Hanoi.

At breakfast, I said goodbye to the dining area that had taken care of me for days, and as always, I enjoyed plenty of fresh dragon fruit.

My friend wanted to visit the Dam Market (see on map), so we booked a Grab taxi and headed out. We arrived around 8:30 a.m., but many of the shops in the second-floor clothing area were still closed. My friend bought a T-shirt from a shop that was already open, and because he never negotiates prices, I stepped in again and bargained for him. This market seemed cheaper than the tourist-oriented night market in the center of Nha Trang (see on map).

A Last Swim and the Ride to the Airport

We returned to the hotel and took one last swim.

When checking out, the staff asked if we needed a taxi. I showed them the Grab app screen, which said the ride to Cam Ranh Airport would cost at least 500,000 VND. The staff offered to arrange one for 350,000 VND instead, so I asked them to book it.

While we were waiting, the staff asked where we were going. When I said “Hanoi,” he smiled and said, “Very romantic. Enjoy.”

My friend and I wondered aloud whether Hanoi was considered a romantic city—but most likely, he simply thought we were a couple.

The hotel we stayed at, Citadines Bayfront Nha Trang (see on map), was excellent in terms of location, price, breakfast, and service.

Chaos at Cam Ranh Airport

When we arrived at Cam Ranh International Airport, the domestic terminal was packed. The lines for baggage drop-off and security were unbelievably long.

In Vietnam, cutting in line happens naturally and constantly. After seeing local driving manners in Nha Trang, I wasn’t surprised—but it was still pretty rough. Any small gap—what I would consider personal space—invited someone to slip in. My friend even got annoyed and cut back in front of the people who had just cut us, but they didn’t seem to care at all.

It felt as if people cut whenever they felt they could, and also didn’t mind being cut. It was strange to me.

The gate area was also overcrowded, so I escaped to The Champ Lounge using my Priority Pass. This was exactly when Priority Pass proves its worth. There were light snacks, fruit, and even pho. The seats were comfortable, and I waited for boarding in peace.

I also realized something: I rarely saw Vietnamese men with thinning hair.

Flying to Hanoi

For the flight from Cam Ranh Airport to Hanoi’s Noi Bai Airport, I had booked VietJet Air. Two days before the flight, I received an email saying the departure time had changed. And the return flight from Hanoi to Narita was also rescheduled due to cancellation. VietJet seemed to do things very freely, but perhaps that’s just how low-cost carriers operate.

When we arrived at Noi Bai Airport, we called a Grab taxi, but since Grab cars cannot enter the arrival area pick-up zone, we had to walk to a designated area. When getting out of the taxi, the driver asked for an extra 30,000 VND, so I handed him 50,000 VND.

A Rough Start at the Budget Hotel

We had booked a very cheap hotel in Hanoi—1,500,000 VND for two nights without breakfast—but the room was extremely humid and hard to breathe in.

Inside the shower booth, I found a cockroach of a size rarely seen in Tokyo lying on its back. When I tried to pick it up with tissue to flush it down the toilet, it suddenly moved its legs, so I decided it was “not the moment” and left it there. My friend was horrified when I told him.

The air conditioner I turned on right away barely worked, blowing a slightly moldy, lukewarm breeze. My friend started looking visibly unwell. Then we spotted a mosquito flying in the room, and he finally went silent.

Online photos made the hotel look charming and colonial, but at 500,000 VND per night, I thought, “Well, this is what you get.”

An Incredible Chả Cá That Saved the Day

We needed mosquito coils anyway, so we headed out for dinner despite the heat. It began to rain, but even with the rain, the temperature didn’t drop—it felt like a steam bath. Exhausted by the humidity, my friend muttered, “This is basically a sauna löyly.”

We entered a restaurant that served chả cá, and the dish was unbelievably good.

Snakehead fish coated in turmeric, fried in oil, and filled with generous amounts of dill and green onions. You mix it with thin noodles and a special sauce—it was fantastic.

Two portions plus two juices cost 423,000 VND.

It was so delicious that my mood completely recovered.

My friend then suddenly said, “Let’s change hotels.”

I suggested staying one night first and deciding later, but he said, “I’ll pay. Let’s move.” Since he was covering the cost, I happily agreed.

Getting Caught in a Sudden Squall

As the rain turned into a violent squall, we took shelter in a café. For the first time in Vietnam, I drank coffee made with an espresso machine. In Ha Long and Nha Trang, most places served Vietnamese coffee made by dissolving powdered coffee, which had a strong burnt flavor.

When the rain finally stopped, the area around the lake in the Old Quarter was flooded. We walked back to check out from the budget hotel and moved to the new place my friend booked: Classy Chotel (see on map).

Finally, a Comfortable Hotel

At Classy Chotel, they welcomed us with butterfly pea tea, a cool towel, and small sweets. We both felt relieved.

“We’re not young anymore. We can’t stay in super cheap places. It’s too hard on the body,” we said to each other.

The room wasn’t large, but it was clean, and most importantly, the air conditioner worked beautifully.

It felt like paradise.

<p>The post Hanoi Travel Diary 2024-01:Using Priority Pass at Cam Ranh International Airport — And the Incredible Chả Cá We Ate in Hanoi first appeared on ふたり暮らし。.</p>

A Relaxed Morning Alone in Nha Trang

I really love the song “Mahou no Kotoba” by Spitz and used to listen to it a lot. I often wondered what the “magic word” actually meant. I never imagined I would learn its meaning in Nha Trang, Vietnam.

My friends went out of the city, so I stayed in Nha Trang alone.

I swam in the pool, went to the beach, and relaxed under a parasol. It was a perfect beach-resort day.

When I stayed near the parasol, I could use the Wi-Fi from my hotel, Citadines, so it was very comfortable.

Hotel staff were also standing by at the beach, and they kept my phone and room key while I swam. That made me feel safe.

For lunch, I ate a cup-noodle pho I had bought earlier at WinMart in Ha Long. It was surprisingly good.

A Market Overflowing With Famous-Brand T-Shirts

After lunch, I called a Grab bike taxi and headed to Dam Market（see on map）.

The first floor sold souvenirs, dried foods, and daily goods.

The second floor was filled with clothing and bags.

There were huge amounts of T-shirts with famous brands like Nike, Adidas, and Stüssy.

I wasn’t sure if they were real. But when I touched a Nike shirt, the fabric felt just like real Dri-FIT material.

Maybe the market was some kind of wholesale distributor?

Or maybe these items came out of factories through unofficial channels?

If that were true, would the buyer get in trouble?

I didn’t know the details.

But there were many shirts with proper logos and solid fabric—much more than I saw in the Ha Long market.

Of course, a few shirts looked obviously fake.

Since Japanese customs warns travelers about counterfeit goods, I decided to buy only the shirts that seemed real to me.

Using the “Magic Word” to Bargain

When I asked the shop clerk for the price, he said 300,000 VND for one shirt.

Then I used my “magic word” in Vietnamese:

“Mắc mắc! (Too expensive!)”

Suddenly the clerk smiled, tapped my shoulder in a friendly way, and offered two shirts for 500,000 VND.

I said the magic word again—“Mắc mắc!!”—and this time he took out a calculator and showed me 400,000 VND.

I kept bargaining, and in the end I bought two shirts for 330,000 VND.

There are no fixed prices in the market, and I didn’t know the usual cost of clothes in Vietnam, so I had no idea whether this was a good price or not.

But the clerk smiled and said, “Thank you, bye bye,” when I left, so I think it was a fair deal for both of us.

I felt relieved and walked out of the market.

Riding Back and Dinner With Friends

I called another Grab bike taxi to return to the hotel.

It was cheaper than a car, arrived quickly, and moved smoothly through traffic.

It was extremely comfortable.

My friends came back to the hotel around 8 p.m., and we all went out to eat pho.

This place(see on map) served pho where you cook the meat in a hot-stone pot. It was incredibly delicious.

Trying Durian for Dessert

After dinner, we went to eat durian.

It was heavy and looked fresh.

My friend who loves durian said, “This one is too young, so it’s not very good.”

I don’t like durian, so for me it was honestly, “Ugh… this is tough.”

But my friend insisted,

“If you eat really good durian, you will definitely love it.”

Since she became a durian fan, she even keeps a special refrigerator—or maybe a freezer—at home just for storing durian.

Someday, I also want to try truly delicious durian.

<p>The post Nha Trang Travel Diary 2024-04:A Market Full of Famous-Brand T-Shirts, Hot-Stone Pho, and My First Durian first appeared on ふたり暮らし。.</p>

June 8, 2024

Morning by the Sea

At 5:45 a.m., people were already swimming in the sea — locals enjoying the water early in the morning. For breakfast at our Citadines Hotel (see on map), there was bun cha (grilled pork with noodles). I also had toast with honey, a very bland, small fruit that looked like an apple, and Vietnamese coffee. The breakfast buffet was full of so many tempting choices.

We met up with a Vietnamese couple who live in Vietnam and are helping us during our stay in Nha Trang. Then we called a Grab and headed to Nui Spa (see on map).

Relaxing at Nui Spa

From the entrance, we saw the price list and chose the Nui Spa plan. With this plan, guests go through a special gate, take an elevator up, and then ride an electric cart to a private zone.

Inside, we had private lockers, and the mud bath and herbal bath were reserved for our group. There was also a pool just for Nui Spa plan users. Behind the lockers was a shower area.

After soaking in the mud, I felt warm and smooth skin. The floor and tub were muddy, but the feeling was pleasant, and the buoyancy made me feel like I was floating. The herbal bath was very relaxing — it smelled unique, and its color was like cola. They provided water, towels, and even watermelon.

When lunch time came, we were hungry — but there was only one restaurant on the spa grounds. So we took the cart back to the entrance. We sat in a beautiful garden filled with blooming flowers and shared several dishes.

After lunch, we returned to the private spa zone and swam in the pool. They served us pickled ginger in sugar and ginger tea as a service. The tea, flavored with lemongrass and lime, was really good. The pickled ginger was quite spicy, though — too spicy for me, so I left most of it. I learned that this ginger sweet is a snack people eat during the Vietnamese New Year.

Khmer Temple & Dance Show

On our way back, we visited ruins from the Khmer era (see on map). There was also a dance show by a local ethnic minority group from Nha Trang.

Although the temple is a tourist spot, it is still a sacred place. Inside the temple, visitors wearing only short sleeves and shorts are not allowed. We borrowed free cloth to cover our skin.

Inside the temple, the space was dark and soot-blackened, probably because of candlelight. The atmosphere was solemn. Some people were praying deeply, which made the moment feel very spiritual.

Evening: Hot Pot at Hai Di Lao

For dinner, we went to Hai Di Lao, a hot-pot restaurant. The place was so much fun: they performed noodle-pulling tricks, and there was a face-changing show. The kids seemed to love it. I didn’t know this, but it turns out Hai Di Lao has branches in Japan.

After dinner, everyone else went to a rooftop bar for drinks. Since I don’t drink, I returned to the hotel early. There, I peeled and ate a chilled custard apple (soursop). It was sticky and a little gritty on the tongue, sweet and refreshing, though the many seeds made it a bit tricky to eat. But it was so, so, so delicious — I really want to eat it again.

<p>The post Nha Trang Travel Diary 2024-03: Mud Bath at Nui Spa, Khmer Temple & Hot Pot first appeared on ふたり暮らし。.</p>

June 7, 2024

Morning at the Beach

My friend had a remote meeting starting at 7:00 a.m., so I headed to the beach alone to avoid getting in the way. The beach is right in front of our hotel, Citadines (see on map). To get there, though, I had to cross the main road.

There is a crosswalk, but there’s no traffic signal. And here in Nha Trang—maybe in Vietnam in general—drivers don’t yield to pedestrians at all. I’m not sure what the law says, but one thing is certain: pedestrians are not prioritized.

Even though it was only 7 a.m., cars were flying past nonstop. A couple I know who lives in Nha Trang once told me that the local rule is simple: cars come first, then private vehicles, then motorbikes, and pedestrians are dead last. You can’t approach the road with Japan’s expectations.

When I finally got to the beach, it was already lively. Local families were finishing their early-morning swims and heading home.

After taking a quick swim myself, I tried to return to the hotel—but traffic had become even heavier. Without signals, I just stood there praying for a break in the flow. That’s all I could do in a foreign country: pray and wait.

As I stood there helplessly, a line from Namie Amuro’s song echoed in my mind:

“I never knew what the word eternity even meant.”

Watching the stream of cars, I wondered, “Maybe people feel ‘eternity’ when the world around them moves fast, yet they alone can’t take a step forward.”

I don’t know how long I waited.

A Family Saves Me From ‘Eternity’

Finally, a family came up from the beach and approached the crosswalk. A boy around ten calmly raised his hand, signaling the speeding cars to slow down. His younger sister copied him, standing tall and confident, and the three of them started crossing. I quickly followed behind.

I was saved. Thank goodness.

Hotel Breakfast

Before heading back to the room, I swam a bit in the pool. By the time I finished, my friend’s meeting was over, so we went to the breakfast buffet together.

Breakfast was fantastic—noodles, an egg station, cheeses, pastries, and even Chinese and Korean options. I love dragon fruit, so I ate plenty.

A Visit to Lotte Mart

After breakfast, we walked along the beach toward Lotte Mart (see on map). It’s a clean and spacious supermarket, great for souvenirs. There’s a small food court as well.

On the way back to the hotel, the bougainvillea trellis looked beautiful against the blue sky. Nha Trang is incredibly hot, so we stopped at GION Café (see on map). We ordered a cheese cream coffee and a cold brew, which came to 175,000 VND.

Lunch: Cơm Tấm

We met up with the couple who has been helping us since yesterday, plus another local friend, and all went to eat cơm tấm (see on map).

After lunch, we had tea at a café, strolled along the beach, and climbed a seaside monument (see on map).

An Oil Massage and Evening Dinner

After that, everyone else headed to a high-end spa, but I decided a neighborhood massage shop would be enough. I went to Celine Spa (see on map) near our hotel and got a one-hour oil massage for 350,000 VND.

Nha Trang has many Korean tourists. Whether walking on the street or entering a restaurant, people almost always speak to me in Korean first. Maybe because there are no direct flights from Japan, I’ve barely encountered any Japanese visitors.

In the evening, we met up again and had dinner at a seafood restaurant (see on map) right in front of the Citadines hotel. You choose from the live tanks and tell the staff how you want each item cooked. Everything was delicious.

<p>The post Nha Trang Travel Diary 2024-02:Crosswalk Chaos and a Glimpse Into “Eternity” first appeared on ふたり暮らし。.</p>

Leaving Hanoi for Nha Trang

Today was our last day in Hanoi, and we were flying to Nha Trang.

For breakfast, we walked to a pho place (see on map) near our hotel. The restaurant was crowded with locals. Since only Vietnamese menus were displayed on the wall, we ordered by pointing.

The staff also brought us freshly fried bread that we hadn’t ordered, but it looked good, so we bought it. The total was 120,000 VND for two bowls of pho and two portions of fried bread. Everything tasted great.

My friend is a light eater and barely touched the bread, so I ended up eating most of it.

Heading to Hai Phong Airport

After breakfast, we took a taxi to Hai Phong Airport (see on map). We booked it through an app called Xanh SM: Book EV Rides, which one of the hotel staff members—who had been incredibly helpful during our stay—recommended.

He insisted, “It’s better than Grab! You can even schedule pick-up times.”

The green EV car was clean, quiet, and comfortable. The ride from downtown Ha Long to Hai Phong Airport, including the highway tolls, cost 532,000 VND.

At the airport, I enjoyed my usual treat—using Priority Pass to spend some relaxing time at the Phuong Vy Business Lounge. Light snacks were available, and the seating area was pleasant.

Our flight started boarding about 30 minutes late. We flew with VietJet Air again, and the one-way fare was 21,914 yen per person.

Arriving in Nha Trang

At Cam Ranh International Airport, we had a pre-booked transfer to our hotel, which made the arrival very smooth.

We checked in at Citadines Hotel(see on map). The four-night stay in a two-bedroom unit with breakfast was 41,952 yen.

The hotel is right in front of the beach, and guests can use the laundry machines for 150,000 VND each for washing and drying.

After settling in, we took some free time and explored Nha Trang separately. As expected from Vietnam, the streets were full of motorbikes.

Exploring the City

We walked through the tourist-friendly night market (see on map). The neon lights were beautiful.

We later met up with a couple—friends of a friend—who live in Nha Trang, and we all had dinner together.

Dinner With Local Friends

First, we had bánh căn, an egg dish cooked in small clay molds.

Then we tried bánh canh, a noodle dish made from cassava (the same ingredient used to make tapioca). The noodles were smooth, chewy, and incredibly delicious—one of my favorites.

We also tried an omelet wrapped in rice paper.

This is the traditional tool used to cook bánh căn.

The couple told us that today happened to be Vegetarian Day in Vietnam, a day when many restaurants that serve meat are closed. We originally planned to go to a place with meat dishes, but it was closed because of the holiday.

Buying Fruit Before Returning to the Hotel

Before going back to our hotel, we stopped by a fruit shop (see on map).

We found a fruit called sugar apple—known in Japan as シャカトウ（釈迦頭）—which neither of us had seen before. We bought two for 50,000 VND.

We’re excited to see what it tastes like.

<p>The post Nha Trang Travel Diary 2024-01:A Day of Pho, Airport Lounges, and Our First Night in Nha Trang first appeared on ふたり暮らし。.</p>

The next morning was the big event: our Halong Bay cruise. But from the moment we woke up, thunder roared and rain pounded down. We called the taxi we’d arranged and headed to the pier (see on map), where we boarded a cruise ship run by Sea Octopus.

Inside, the ship felt cozy. Outside, the rain cloaked the karst hills like a moody ink painting — eerie, misty, but strangely beautiful.

Then we transferred to a smaller boat and landed on a little island. Despite the rain, a few daring souls even braved the water for a swim. My friend refused to trek, saying, “My shoes will get dirty,” and settled on a bench on the beach to read. But I figured, “We came all this way — I should try everything,” so I set off up toward the hilltop.

That decision backfired a little: the mosquitoes were ferocious. Within minutes, I’d been bitten four times on my legs and twice on my arms. My limbs puffed up bright red, and the itching was brutal.

The trek itself was steep — endless stairs, wet slopes. We were wearing the raincoats the cruise provided (they were basically garbage bags), so we were sweating like we’d climbed in sauna suits. It was exhausting and muggy.

When I finally reached the top, the panoramic view was… rainy. But I shrugged, telling myself that rainy days have their own charm. Still, climbing those steep stairs was no joke.

Back on the boat, lunch was served buffet-style. They had roast beef, chicken, pork — all kinds of protein. I stuffed myself. There was also a colorful array of sushi, which was a fun surprise.

Then we sailed to an island cave full of stalactites. The cavern was massive, and even in the dim light it felt awe-inspiring. Near the exit was a little souvenir stall — but the staff looked defeated, totally drained. It was humid, dark, and the work environment must be brutal. I felt for them.

We exited the cave, and though it was still raining, the view was hauntingly beautiful.

Back on board, afternoon tea was laid out: roll cake, Vietnamese coffee, and tea.

Despite the downpour, I really enjoyed myself. The cruise cost us 1,440,000 VND per person.

Once we got back to shore, we grabbed a Grab and returned to our room. We threw our rain-soaked clothes in the wash, trying to get rid of the damp and salt from the sea.

A Hearty Local Lunch: Bun Cha

After freshening up, we went to a bun cha restaurant (see on map). Bun cha is a northern Vietnamese dish where you dip noodles into a sweet-sour broth. The menu was totally in Vietnamese — Google Translate Lens didn’t help much — but the staff kindly showed us photos of the dishes on their phone, so we could just point and order.

I asked what the staff like the most, and they strongly recommended something that looked like a tempura of worms (yes, worms). My stomach twisted at the picture, so I declined. I want to try everything when I travel, but worm tempura was a bridge too far. They kept pushing it, but I stayed firm.

We ended up with the bun cha itself — the noodles were thin like somen, and the dipping broth was tangy and sweet. I realized I still prefer pho, though. We also ordered a combo of fried spring rolls and grilled meat. The spring rolls were incredible — definitely a highlight.

To drink, we had a mixed juice of orange and carrot. The total for lunch was 190,000 VND.

Sweet Comfort: Egg Coffee at TIN Café

Next, we went to TIN Café (see on map). Note: map pins in this town aren’t very accurate — the café turned out to be in a different building than the one we saw on Google Maps.

I ordered an egg coffee, and oh man, it was good. Rich espresso, bitter but mellow, topped with a custard-cream layer and crushed coconut. The way the sweetness and bitterness balanced—they nailed it.

My friend ordered a “smoke something” drink. When it arrived, there was actual smoke drifting in a glass dome — very Instagram-worthy. Once the smoke cleared, he sipped. He said it tasted good, though.

Together we paid 120,000 VND. The café’s interior was full of fake flowers in bloom — very dreamy.

Little WinMart Stop Before Bed

On our way back, we popped into WinMart (see on map) to buy instant noodles for breakfast the next morning. They were 29,000 VND, paid with a credit card.

There was a pile of unfamiliar fruit next to the register, but when a staff member told me it was sold by the kilogram, I passed. No way I was lugging that home.

<p>The post Halong Travel Diary 2024-03:Wild Rain, Bay Cruise & Local Flavors first appeared on ふたり暮らし。.</p>

Morning Market Adventure

We decided to walk to the morning market(see on map). The road ran along the coast, and as we passed a fisherman, I made a casting gesture—he laughed and called out in Japanese, “Sakana! chicchai Sakana!” Hearing Japanese in a foreign place always warms my heart.

The market was bursting with energy. Inside, we bought squid-fish-paste tempura and other delicious fried treats—honestly, I wasn’t entirely sure what the second kind was, but it was really tasty. When we pointed at what we wanted, the vendors snipped the piece with scissors, put it on a skewer, and the women standing by the fryer rushed over to deep-fry it for us. The squid tempura especially was fantastic.

Next to the market was a fairly large Winmart(see on map), so we popped in to buy detergent and bleach. My friend had spilled cola on his pants and stained them, so we needed something to treat it.

Fruit & Pho for Lunch

Back at the market, we bought fruit: dragon fruit, four mangosteens, and a bunch of rambutan—all for 90,000 VND.

On the way home, we stopped at a pho shop for lunch. We dunked deep-fried bread into the pho broth—it was unbelievably good. Two bowls of pho and two servings of the fried bread came to 131,000 VND.

Sweet Treats & Unexpected Laundry

Later, on the walk back to the hotel, we dropped into a dessert shop (see on map). We ordered frozen yogurt and lotus-seed chè, which cost 70,000 VND. The lotus-seed in syrup had a texture like lily bulbs—and it was really delicious.

Since many places didn’t accept credit cards, we stopped by an ATM before returning to the hotel. Back in our room, we cracked open the mangosteens—and wow, they were insanely good.

Then, in a moment of experimentation, we soaked my friend’s pants in bleach to try to remove the cola stain. But instead of just removing the stain, the bleach (which turned out to be chlorine-based) left the fabric patchily bleached and white. Oops.

Booking the Cruise & Heading to Sun World

Yesterday, a staff member had offered to book our Halong Bay cruise, so we made a reservation for the next day: 1,440,000 VND per person.

We called a Grabto take us to Sun World Halong (see on map). In Vietnam, Grab is used like Uber, and it’s very affordable.

Sun World Halong is divided into three zones: a pool area, an amusement-park area, and a garden zone accessible by cable car. Each zone charges its own entry fee.

A Rainy Pause & Coffee Break

Just before entering Sun World, it started raining, so we paused and took shelter at a nearby Highland Coffee (see on map). The rain didn’t really pick up, though.

We ordered a banana cake and a mulberry “babuty” (a kind of drink), and my friend had a cookies-and-cream coffee. It all came to 143,000 VND, and we paid by credit card.

Shopping for Pants

Checking the map, we saw another market within walking distance (see on map), so we strolled there. My friend’s bleached, patchy pants looked terrible, so we decided to buy something cooler for him. He didn’t want to haggle, but I jumped in and managed to shave the price down from 350,000 VND to 300,000 VND.

Up to the Hills: Cable Car & Attractions

Rain was no longer in the forecast, so we returned to Sun World and bought tickets for the cable car that goes to the garden zone. For both of us, it was 720,000 VND via credit card.

The gondola cars were quite big, offering sweeping views as we rose into the hills. One ride was a coaster where you could pull or push a lever to control your speed—it was fun! The local people loved it too, and the line was long. But I noticed people were cutting in line quite casually, and even when we tried to reclaim our spot, no one seemed to mind. It was odd: “Then don’t cut in line in the first place,” I thought, but they just did.

Another strange thing was how physically close people stood to each other in line. It was hot, so I was wearing a T-shirt; the guy behind me was in a tank top. His sweaty arm pressed right against mine—zero personal space. I’m someone who values personal space, so that made me really uncomfortable. At one point, an older man was leaning in so close that I could have touched his cheek while he did a loud video call. Stressful!

Temple Zone & Ferris Wheel

The Buddha-tower (pagoda) zone was a bit far, but it had a temple and a calm, solemn vibe I liked.

Then we rode the Ferris wheel. Since the park sits high on a hill, the wheel felt pretty tall. The weather wasn’t great, so the views weren’t “breathtaking,” but it was still a lot of fun.

Evening by the Sea: Dinner & Drinks

Afterward, we took the cable car back to the entrance, grabbed another Grab, and headed to a seaside restaurant (see on map). My friend ordered a beer—it came in a room-temperature bottle, the Southeast Asian way. Instead of chilling it, they provided ice, but he was worried about his stomach, so he skipped the ice and drank it warm.

We also ordered grilled white-fleshed fish and a sour octopus soup. The menu was only in Vietnamese, and we used Google Translate to order—translation was messy and slow, and at one point a female staff member clicked her tongue at us quite loudly.

We also had garlic-steamed clams, which came with wasabi—but this wasn’t like Japanese wasabi. It was much spicier, practically an assault on the senses.

The total for dinner came to 700,000 VND.

A Cozy Seaside Cafe to Close the Day

On the way back, we stopped at a stylish seaside café (see on map) for tea. I had dragon-fruit tea and a matcha cake—it was delightfully good. The building itself was cute, too.

Our bill came to 246,000 VND, and we paid by credit card.

<p>The post Halong Travel Diary 2024-02:Morning Market, Street Food & Sun World Cable Cars first appeared on ふたり暮らし。.</p>

Leaving Narita

A close friend had just left his job and said, “This is the perfect chance to take a long break. Let’s travel abroad!” So we decided to go to Vietnam together.

I booked our round-trip tickets between Narita Airport and Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport on the official VietJet Air website (37,932 JPY). Our plan for this ten-day trip was to visit three cities: Halong, Nha Trang, and Hanoi.

We met that morning at Narita Airport Terminal 2. Since we had checked in online, we joined the “checked-in passengers” line and dropped off our luggage. The staff also weighed our carry-ons and warned us, “If your cabin baggage exceeds seven kilos after shopping in duty-free, we’ll charge you an extra fee.” I remember thinking, “They’re running their business very thoroughly.”

After security and immigration, I used Priority Pass at the food court area to eat a beef rump steak.

Then we visited the I.A.S.S Superior Lounge – KoCoo – with Priority Pass. But it was quite small, with only a few seats, a single restroom, and simple snacks with a coffee machine. It felt underwhelming (as of June 2024). Still, as an anime fan, I enjoyed seeing original drawings from Studio Ghibli and One Piece on display.

Leaving the lounge, we walked to our gate, and no one weighed our carry-ons again. Boarding was easy.

Flying to Hanoi

Because VietJet Air is a low-cost carrier, nothing is free on board — food, drinks, even blankets require payment. The seats also felt a bit cramped.

The man sitting next to me played games on his iPad. Every time he tapped the screen, his elbow hit me. When his game went well, he clapped, celebrated, and even shouted “Yes!” with a triumphant fist pump. A classic case of “an adult on the outside, a child on the inside.”

We landed at Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport at 13:16 local time. Immigration was smooth thanks to the many counters, and no customs form was required.

Hungry, I bought a chicken banh mi and a Sprite at a café near the exit (110,000 VND).

The chartered taxi I had booked in Japan was waiting for us, and it took about two hours to reach Halong.

Checking into the Hotel

We arrived at the hotel I had booked through Booking.com. At the front desk, they told me to call the number listed on the website. It seemed the room was owned by someone who rented it out in an Airbnb-like manner.

Since I don’t speak Vietnamese, I nervously called using simple English — and, unsurprisingly, understood almost nothing. My English skills were painfully inadequate. But the person on the phone ended the call with a cheerful “WhatsApp!” so I figured he meant to switch to the app. I messaged that we were waiting in the lobby, and a man who said he was sent by the owner came to guide us to our room. I was relieved. Chat apps are much easier because I can use translation.

The room looked clean and comfortable. I had booked a two-bedroom setup, but what we got was one double bed and a folded mattress on the floor. Calling this “two beds” seemed a bit of a stretch. From the window, we could see the Ferris wheel.

Dinner and an Evening Walk

We dropped off our luggage and went out for dinner. Halong felt very relaxed. There were piles of French bread everywhere.

We walked into a pho restaurant we found online (see on map). My friend ordered beef noodles, and I ordered chicken noodles (80,000 VND total). Both were delicious. The herbs were slightly bitter in a good way, and adding chili sauce made it even better.

After dinner, we strolled through the night market area. On the way to the market (see on map), we spotted an H&M sign. Since Vietnam has many garment factories, we joked that some factory-made items might be slipping into local shops. We even saw a store with a UNIQLO sticker.

Vietnam has surprisingly few places that accept credit cards, so I used an ATM to withdraw cash.

We arrived at the market just before 7 p.m., but it was closed — despite Google Maps saying it was open until 9. Later, I realized that Google Maps isn’t always accurate in Vietnam. Opening hours and locations were often slightly off.

On the way back, we stopped at a small shop near the pho restaurant and bought two 1.5-liter bottles of water and two 500-ml bottles (30,000 VND). There were potato-like vegetables on the floor, and dirt didn’t seem to bother anyone. I liked that relaxed attitude.

We then visited a seaside café (see on map) for coconut coffee and Vietnamese coffee (90,000 VND). It was still so hot that even after dark, sweat kept running down my back. The cold drinks were perfect.

Before returning to the hotel, we found a convenience store (see on map) where we bought a towel, yogurt, and mango. The mango was ripe and delicious.

<p>The post Halong Travel Diary 2024-01:Steak with Priority Pass at Narita, Flying VietJet Air to Halong, and Enjoying Pho in Town first appeared on ふたり暮らし。.</p>