This post is originally written in English. The post can be automatically translated to other languages using the drop down menu on the top left of the browser. Enjoy reading!
During this trip, I had plenty of time chatting with our drivers partly because Josh and his family enjoyed chatting with each other in English in the back, leaving me and the drivers “bac tai” at the front chatting away in Vietnamese.
And this way was how I learnt so much more about Vietnam and the areas where I was visiting, from the point of view of the drivers.
In my trip to Halong, the driver whose wife is from Quang Ninh Province where Ha Long is located explained to me the difference between Bai Chay and Hon Gai. Bai Chay is the area focusing on tourism for tourists; buildings are newer and streets are cleaner. Thus, things are more expensive. Hon Gai is where the locals reside so things are cheaper and food is tastier.
He told me all the good spots to eat, pointed out the different landmarks, where one town ends and a new town begins. He also explained how Ha Long and Quang Ninh economy works, how new projects are initiated, and how the ocean is filled in for new developments.
He pointed out to me the rows and rows of trucks parked by the seaside on the way to Halong ready for an ocean filling project.
To fill in the ocean, soil and gravels must be packed quickly with an enormous amount so that waves cannot erode the newly settled layer of earth, an insight his father-in-law who used to be a miner told him.
On the trip from Ninh Binh back to Hanoi, I got to chat with the driver about the history of the three provinces Ninh Binh, Ha Nam, and Nam Dinh. All these three provinces are now combined into Ninh Binh after the July 1 2025 restructuring of Vietnamese provinces. Ninh Binh is the most economically advanced province with its tourism industry so it’s chosen as the lead for the region. We visited Tam Coc, one of the tourist attractions of Ninh Binh with systems of rivers, rocks, and caves that are regarded as Ha Long Bay on land.
Besides Tam Coc, there are Trang An similar to Tam Coc’s system and other historical monuments of the Ancient Hoa Lu town, the old Capital of Vietnam. I enjoyed my stay at Ninh Binh quite a bit and I agree that there is so much more potential with Ninh Binh’s tourism.
My driver pointed out for me the huge castle beside the highways which he said belonged to the president of the cement factory in Ninh Binh. The castle was gorgeous and stood stoically with two smaller castles on both sides. He observed that Northern Vietnamese showed off their wealth with how tall their house was even if they had no possession inside the house. I also have observed the same belief when I was growing up in the north of Vietnam.
On my final trip in Quang Binh where my family visited Phong Nha Cave, we were lucky to get to know Mr. Nam, a driver that met us at the train station. He offered a round trip between our hotel and Phong Nha Cave for 600,000 VND, such a great deal that other drivers asked us to confirm to make sure that was the right price.
Mr. Nam picked us up on a rainy day to Phong Nha Cave. He spoke in mid-Vietnam accent about how strange the weather in Quang Binh province this year–it has been raining a lot more than usual. This was strange for him even that he had lived his whole life here. He went on a brand new highway to Phong Nha Cave, which he said was much faster than the local highway.
The highway was quiet, only a few cars travelled on our way there and back. It weaved among the mountains in the area, going parallel with some local roads giving us a sense of the towns around here. Mr. Nam told me about the deforestation that left most of the mountains here bare and paralyzed the forestry industry. He pointed out the farm of rubber trees that took upwards of 10 to 20 years to harvest.
He told me that on the other of the mountain range to the west of Quang Binh was the West Truong Son highway which was being built. I looked west to those mountains in the far distance, learning that beyond those mountains is Laos–Vietnam’s neighbour to the west.
The most amusing story that Mr. Nam shared with me with a chuckle was when he took on a job to take a male client back home to his tribal village up one of those mountains. He said the road up there was windy, not paved, and narrow. It was dark when they reached their destination, up the top of a mountain. The road and the village were dark and not lit up. His client went home but his wife was not home. His wife and kids were sleeping over at the elder’s house in the village–a common tradition in this tribe. Mr. Nam was invited to spend the night there, and he left early the next morning. Mr. Nam said that would be the last time he took such a job. It was an amusing trip but it was a bit too risky for him.
Mr. Nam dropped us off at the Cave and waited around for 3 hours to pick us up after we finished our trip. We safely made it back to our hotel when we bid farewell. I am thankful for such great companion during our long drive. It made the drive a lot more fun and engaging.
Even on shorter trips, the drivers from Grab or Green SM apps have been wonderful. They recommended me places to visit, eat, instructions on how to get around town, and many useful tips. The sincerity and hospitality of them are gratefully accepted.
These are small stories and conversations that I enjoyed and treasured during our trips. It adds to the whole wonderful experience I had so far and gives me so much insight into Vietnam.
Sometimes, it only takes a bit for us strangers to connect and pour our hearts out which truly is the meaning of life – connecting and enriching each other.
Tips for Travelling Vietnam Without Going On Tours
- Knowing Vietnamese or travelling with someone that is fluent in Vietnamese will be helpful. The locals interact and share more when speaking to Vietnamese.
- Most Vietnamese were very nice and helpful. We did not have any bad interactions. I don’t think we were charged exorbitantly because we were foreigners. Most places charged reasonably.
- Most drivers charged reasonably, too. Taxis were more expensive than app drivers, such as Grab or Green SM. Green SM drivers are hired by the company and are paid a fixed monthly salary. That was why Green SM drivers would take on any trips while Grab drivers might decline a trip during rush hours or involving smaller village roads.
- You should book app drivers when going to and from airports, it is at least 30-50% cheaper than taxis.
Leave a Reply