I have just returned from the most amazing holiday to Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia. I have been away a fortnight but it feels like a longer when I look back on everything we have done. That is the beauty of the kind of holidays we organise – the variety and experiences mean that you really do feel you have seen the cities, towns, beaches and countryside.
We started our journey in Luang Prabang in Laos and stayed at La Residence Phou Vao – which is in an idyllic setting and is certainly a great hotel to stay at, being part of the Orient-Express top hotels. Luang Prabang was a great introduction into a completely different culture and way of life and I sensed a great spirituality and peace whilst there. James , one of my sons, and I did a cookery course one morning which was fascinating and started by going to the market to identify the ingredients we were going to cook later.
On from there then to the very lively and very busy Hanoi in Vietnam, with over 6 million people living in the city and 2 million motor bikes and mopeds. I honestly didn’t think we could make it across the road, but you just go for it and the mopeds all swerve around you. It is not unusual to see families of four on one bike, even live pigs, and you have to see it to believe it, in one case a water buffalo on the back. I knew they did Tai Chai by the lake at sunrise so I donned my gym attire and duly went off to join them as a new recruit- thinking I could be inconspicuous – not so. As apart from being white and much bigger than any of them my co-ordination showed that I was not even at the novice stage.
We went off into the countryside with our guide and hired bikes and felt we were seeing true rural life – only an hour from the city and the quietness was almost deafening. Off to the coast and an idyllic place – called Hoi An staying at a real ‘wow’ hotel called Nam Hai. It has three infinity pools on different levels and private villas. Caught by our cooking enthusiasm, Steve and my other son David decided to do a cookery course with us run by the Cargo Club restaurant. We were very privileged to be taught by Madame Vi – the owner of this restaurant and 4 others. I know many of you who read this blog regularly will know that I can be inspired a lot, but Madame Vi inspired all of us –a very energetic and attractive 38 year old who started her trade at 10 when Vietnam were on ration coupons for food and her parents thought the best way to get food would be to open a restaurant which they still have some 28 years later. Madam Vi worked with them. She is very well known in the area, highly respected and IOI would recommend to anyone going doing this course. We also found how different the food in Laos is compared to Vietnamese cuisine.
On we went with our journey to Ho Chi Minh City – this time a population of 8 million and some 3 million bikes. We found the people we met to be very warm and welcoming and there is a lot to do – made even better when given some special tips of where to go that is a little unusual or given recommendations for good restaurants which are not on the main tourist path.
The tunnels at Chu Chi are astounding showing how resourceful the Vietnamese are. They have had to widen a few of these tunnels for tourists that wish to go down into them.
Off next to the Mekong Delta and an overnight cruise going through the river which as many cargo boats going up and down – many highlights but biggest was the floating market we visited early in the morning and going to visit a place where they made noodles.
So our adventure in Vietnam has finished and we flew to Siem Reap in Cambodia. An example of tasteful development, in 1992 they had 2 hotels, today they have over 100 and this you would have to attribute to the magnificent temples of Angkor in 500 square miles. Angkor Wat is to many visitors, the piece de la resistance. I couldn’t get enough of the place- went there at 5 in the morning to see sunrise, – during the morning to tour around and back to see it at sunset. We only spent three nights, with two days, you could get templed out but if you are fascinated with the ancient Hindu and Buddhist temples I would recommend you spend longer – at least another day.
Siem Reap is a hive of activity at night and well worth going into for a meal or drink and observing night life.
They say that everyone has a story – I would venture to suggest some are more interesting than others- but during our journey we met people that had in common the huge conflict of wars and in Cambodia the genocide that had gone in the 1970’s. Everyone you meet has a family member that has been affected and what I loved so much was their terrific courage, their optimism, the peace they have, and the forgiveness – I learnt a lot from these people and will continue to learn from them as the taster of Indo China has ensured that I will return, so incredible was our journey.
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About Mandy Nickerson
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Mandy endeavours to share her travel experiences (where she will 'tell it like it is') and also detail the latest exciting projects that she is involved in.
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