Hai Phong and Yen Tu Mountain

There aren’t many public holidays in Vietnam and even fewer long weekends in a year. Justin had a last minute work trip to Hai Phong, a port city in the North, that just happened to land next to a long weekend. We need very little encouraging to make use of long weekends. No bunny, will travel. Plans were made and we were off. 

Hai Phong is Vietnam’s third largest city at a bit over 2 million people. To put that in perspective, Ho Chi Minh City where we live is the largest and most populous city at ~10 million according to Wikipedia (I think it’s closer to or even over 13 million but it’s hard to know the real number because a distinction is made between people whose families are historically from HCMC and are considered residents and Vietnamese from other provinces that are considered temporary residents even though they’ve lived here their whole lives but are technically considered to be from other provinces, it’s a complicated system.) and the capital Hanoi is the second largest city at ~8.5 million. So the third largest city at ~2 million is significantly smaller. And indeed the whole feeling of Hai Phong is very different, it’s so chilled and relaxed. There’s almost no traffic, at 16:30 on a weekday we made it from the airport to the hotel in 15 minutes, and what traffic there is feels very orderly, there’s almost no hooting and wild driving. Was a lovely refreshing change from this hectic and intense city. It was also lovely and cool at this time of year, a very comfortable ~23C. Hai Phong is known for it’s strategic port on the Red River Delta and as a gateway to Cat Ba Island, on the edge of Halong Bay. 

Together with one of Justin’s colleagues Ilse, we flew to Hai Phong on the Thursday afternoon. Ilse’s husband Maarten arrived back from Japan the same day and changed his flights to HCMC to join us up north. There was a fun impromptu dinner with the client from APMT in the evening. We stayed at the lovely Avani Harbour View Hotel in Hai Phong. 

Ilse and Justin had meetings all day on Friday, so Maarten and Bron booked a boat trip of Lan Ha Bay and also touched on the famous Halong Bay too. Justin and I visited Halong Bay in September 2017, it was really nice to have an opportunity to come back to this area. 

The trip started with catching the bus from near the hotel at 06:30 which we were 5 minutes late for and the bus had already left, the one and only thing in Vietnam I’ve ever known to happen on time lol. The lady very kindly and somewhat irritatedly lol helped us to catch up with the bus by motorbike. It turned out to be more of a commuter bus for workers to Cat Ba rather than a tourist bus. Most other people on the same boat for the day had came from Hanoi or were already in Cat Ba. Two further buses, a ferry, and two hours later, we checked into the boat at around 08:30. The rest of the day was spent chilling on the boat enjoying the limestone karsts that the area is famous for. It was so lovely to be out of the city and on the water. I was super excited when we saw some birds lol, we really are starved for nature here in the city. There was also a kayaking activity, a generous and varied lunch on the boat, and time to swim in the bay and go to some of the beaches. At the end we also passed by the floating village and aquaculture farming area close to the boat launching area. Then another long 2 hours back to Hai Phong by bus, ferry, bus, and car. A really lovely and worthwhile day. 

The beautiful Lan Ha and Halong Bay 

Where we stopped for afternoon swim time

The floating village and aquaculture farms

Where we were according to Google Maps

Blue dot marks the spot 

On the Saturday morning, Justin and his colleagues had the official opening ceremony of the new container terminal, a project they had been working on for 3 or 4 years. Bron went for a long walk down to the end of the canal and back. Along the way I saw a statue of someone I had never seen in VN before. Some research showed this was a statue of Le Chan, a women general who supported the Hai Ba Trung to fight against invading troops in ~40 AD. Apparently she founded the village that grew into Hai Phong City and is highly revered here. Every city in Vietnam has a Hai Ba Trung street and I always thought it was a man’s name, but it literally translates as Two Ladies Named Trung and refers to the two Trung sisters Trac and Nhi who were military leaders of the Louyue tribes and ruled for three years. They are regarded as national heroines. You learn something new everyday. 

The statue of Le Chan in Hai Phong City 

Spotted on my morning walk

Justin, Ilse, and colleagues with the client and local partner at the terminal opening 

After the opening ceremony, Maarten and Ilse cycled up to our actual destination of the weekend while Justin and Bron took a car and all the gear an hour away to Yen Tu Mountain. 

Yen Tu or Tuong Dau Mountain is located on the border of the three provinces of Quang Ninh, Bac Giang, and Hai Duong, and is a peak of the Dong Trieu Mountains in the Northeast of Vietnam. This mountain is well known for its Buddhist monastery and several pagodas all the way up. There is a cable car most of the way but we were planning to hike it. We stayed at the Legacy Yen Tu, a hotel by M Gallery. A really beautiful, well thought out and well laid out hotel, it was a real treat staying here for the weekend. Just below the hotel is Yen Tu Village, a touristy area supporting the cable car and tourist activities of the mountain. 

The rest of Saturday was spent exploring the beautiful hotel grounds, walking through Yen Tu Village, having lunch at the hotel cafe, chilling a bit, and enjoying cocktail hour while the rain fell around us, and a later dinner at the hotel cafe. The whole weekend was a pleasant 22C, a very welcome and refreshing change from HCMC. The mountain was very moody with lots of mist all weekend. 

A free roaming water buffalo we affectionately named Mlem 🩷

Lunch at the hotel cafe 

The beautiful Legacy Yen Tu hotel by M Gallery 

Sunday was the day to conquer Yen Tu mountain. It is possible to take the cable car up but we wanted to use it as an opportunity for a training hike for our upcoming Nepal trip and to test our legs and see if we had done enough training. 

The hike itself is only 7 km return but it’s straight up uneven stairs with an elevation gain of 1000 m. The hotel suggested it would take 6 - 6.5 hrs return but we were aiming for 4 hours and happily made it in that time with a few short breaks along the way. We felt strong and were only a little sore after and the next day, but could still move well and did a short walk the next day also. We were pleased with how the hike went and feel ready for our Nepal adventure! 

The mountain itself was shrouded in mist the whole weekend and it was quite chilly and windy at the very top. We had a good chuckle at the locals climbing the mountain in plastic sandals and socks, but they made it. Vietnamese hike the same way they drive, joining traffic without first looking and frequent stops and starts. It was quite busy the whole way up and down. 

After a much needed hot shower, the rest of the day was spent in a very restful fashion. 

The happy hikers

Pagodas and stupas on Yen Tu Mountain 

More hiking fun

(photo credit: Maarten) 

Monday was the last day. J&B enjoyed a slower start and late breakfast while M&I went for an early cycle of the area. Chilling and reading at the beautiful pool followed until the car arrived to take us back to the airport in Hai Phong. A really lovely, restful and much needed break from the city. 

Thank you Maarten and Ilse for a lovely weekend away! It was very chilled and fun traveling with you. 

Next time: Adventures from Nepal! 

India: The Golden Triangle - Agra and Delhi

You knew, Emperor of India, Shah Jahan,

That life, youth, wealth, renown

All float away down the stream of time.

Your only dream

Was to preserve forever your heart's pain.

The harsh thunder of imperial power

Would fade into sleep

Like a sunset's crimson splendour,

But it was your hope

That at least a single, eternally-heaved sigh would stay

To grieve the sky.

Though emeralds, rubies, pearls are all

But as the glitter of a rainbow tricking out empty air

And must pass away,

Yet still one solitary tear

Would hang on the cheek of time

In the form

Of this white and gleaming Taj Mahal.

Translation of the poem ‘Shah Jahan’ by Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore 

The Taj Mahal has been on our wishlist for the longest time but it was an unexpected and pleasant surprise to have it realised this year. The Taj was built by Shah Jahan, the fifth Mughal emperor, as a loving memorial for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal (which means ‘Chosen One of the Palace’ or ‘Beloved Ornament of the Palace’) who died giving birth to their 14th child in 1631. Taj Mahal means ‘Crown of the Palace’ and is situated  on the banks of the Yamuna River in Agra, Uttar Pradesh. Work began on the white marble mausoleum in 1632 and was completed in 1648 with red sandstone used for the other buildings in the complex as was usual at the time. The perfectly symmetrical mausoleum is intricately carved and decorated and embellished with semi-precious stones. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage site and voted as one of the seven New Wonders of the World, the Taj did not disappoint. 

We were at the entrance to the Taj at 06:00 on the button waiting for the doors to open at 06:30, half an hour before sunrise. We were third in the foreigner queue. It was a chilly wait in the misty 10C morning. After airport-style security screening, we all raced to the Taj at the end of the complex for that coveted people-free photo. The mist of the morning brought a special ethereal atmosphere to the complex and also helped to hide people in photos lol. We were amazed at the size of the Taj, it is HUGE and so intricately carved and patterned all around the outside and on the inside. It is truly beautiful. You can see the love of Shah Jahan shine from it. Both Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal are buried in the mausoleum. Visitors are allowed to enter with hospital-like shoe coverings. It’s even more decorated and beautiful inside than out. The Taj is also perfectly symmetrical, you can’t tell from photos which side you are looking at. For a building that size, it’s pretty incredible. By the time we left almost three hours later, the complex was pretty crowded and we were glad we were there super early. 

The Taj Mahal at daybreak 

Boibs at the Taj Mahal at sunrise 

After a quick breakfast we headed to the Red Fort in Agra. More of a walled city than just a fort, the Mughal kings ruled here before Shah Jahan moved the capital to Delhi in 1638. It’s unclear when the fort was initially built, but Mughal emperor Humayan was crowned here in 1530. It was remodeled over the years and the present-day structure was built between 1565 and 1573 by Mughal emperor Akbar. The fort is completely made of red sandstone and is huge with many halls, audience rooms, mosques, and gardens. Definitely worth a visit. 

We saw these little squirrels everywhere! In Delhi and the Golden Triangle too. 

They are so sweet and very active. 

The Red Fort in Agra 

From the Red Fort, we stopped at the Baby Taj. This mausoleum was built by Nur Jahan for her father Mirza Ghiyas Beg, the grandfather of Mumtaz Mahal (the favourite wife of Shah Jahan who built the Taj Mahal for her). He was given the title of I’tamad-ud-Daulah which means pillar of the state. The official name is the tomb of I’tamad-ud-Daulah, but everyone calls it the Baby Taj since it is regarded as the draft of the Taj Mahal without a dome. Built between 1622 and 1628, the tomb reflects the transition from the primarily red sandstone Mughal structures to the second phase characterised by white marble. Described as a jewel box, the tomb has numerous outbuildings and beautiful gardens. A short visit here but worth a stop. 

Boibs at the Baby Taj 

The last stop of the day was the viewpoint of the Taj Mahal from Mehtab Bagh. Translated as the Moonlight Garden, Mehtab Bagh is a complex on the Yamuna River on the opposite side of the Taj offering uninterrupted views of the Taj Mahal. Popular at sunset but quiet at midday, we enjoyed a short stroll through the gardens to the viewpoint on the river and beautiful views of the Taj. 

People had told us there isn’t much to see in Agra besides the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort and they were right, we were done sightseeing by midday. The rest of the day was spent chilling, souvenir shopping, and coffee shop hopping. There are many day tours from Delhi to Agra. Initially this sounds like a long day, but since the construction of the new Delhi to Agra highway and only really two main sights to see in Agra (Taj and the fort), it’s entirely possible to do it as a day trip from Delhi. If you were pressed for time and couldn’t stay over, you don’t have to miss out on the Taj, a day trip is entirely possible. If you have the time, the Taj at sunrise is lovely as is the Red Fort in Fatehpur Sikri (one hour from Agra). But all the same, a day trip will suffice if you don’t have more time. 

And undercover beer lol.

There is no alcohol on any menus in any of the places we had been. But one waiter in Agra secretly asked Justin if he wanted a beer, then produced this serviette covered beer. We had a good chuckle. 

Have you really been to India if you don't bring home chai tea? 

Sunset view of the Taj Mahal from our hotel. 

Friday arrived and the last day with our driver Pintu. We drove from Agra to Delhi on the new highway with a chai tea stop along the way. Pintu dropped us at our accommodation in Delhi. We chose a much nicer area this time, a lovely old estate house near Lodhi Gardens. It was still early afternoon so we headed out to explore. First stop was Lodhi Gardens with its tiny cheeky squirrels and then Humayan’s Tomb, where Bron had been on the bus tour on the first day in Delhi, definitely worth a second visit. The rest of the afternoon was spent chilling at a new found favourite: Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters and then a very special home cooked vegetarian meal at the accommodation. 

Humayan's Tomb and surrounding grounds

Boibs at Humayan's Tomb

The Saturday was our last day in Delhi and India for this time. We started at the UNESCO World Heritage Site Red Fort in Old Delhi. Commissioned in 1639 by Emperor Shah Jahan when he decided to move the capital from Agra to Delhi, the fort is made of red sandstone and is large with several gates, meetings halls, bath houses and other buildings all enclosed by 2.4 km of defensive walls. A lot of people said to go to the Red Fort in Delhi before going to the one in Agra and Fatehpur Sikri as it would be disappointing otherwise. However, we didn’t think this was true. We enjoyed the Red Fort in Delhi and think it’s worthwhile going. It was the the most chilled attraction we had been to and were the least harassed here of anywhere. A refreshing change. 

Delhi Metro selfie 

Getting our tourist on! 

Red Fort in Delhi

Boibs at the Red Fort 

Time for tea

Chai is served in these very beeg cups😄

From the Red Fort, we walked down to the end of Chandni Chowk Road to find the Lassi shop, and then down the Rajpath Area to India Gate. Formerly known as the All India War Memorial, India Gate is a war memorial commemorating the Indian soldiers who died in World War I and the Third Anglo-Afghan War, and has the names of 13 300 servicemen inscribed on its walls. The memorial was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens in the style of ancient Roman triumphal arches and is often compared to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Since 1971, the arch has also served as India’s tomb of the unknown soldier with four eternal flames. 

India Gate Memorial 

From India gate we took a tuk tuk to Ugrasen ki Boali, the stepwell near Connaught Place. Bron had picked up a cold and wasn’t feeling well at this stage of the trip so the rest of the afternoon was spent finding lunch and chilling in a cafe at Connaught Place. All too soon it was time to head back to the accommodation to pick up our bags and head to the airport. Check in was smooth and easy but security at Delhi airport :o :o :o Quite the experience and took ages, at least an hour. Definitely don’t skimp on being at the airport three hours ahead in Delhi! A final treat at Haldiram’s and we were on our way back to HCMC. 

Ugrasen ki Boali Stepwell 

A great but intense first trip to India! Thank you Delhi and the Golden Triangle. Next on our India wish list is Goa, Kerala, Kashmir in the north, and Darjeeling in the west. So many travel dreams! 

Until next time!