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of Hanoi’s Old Quarter would take months— Instead, the final stop would be a few
it’s a sensory overload packed with restau- days in Tam Cốc, a pastoral dreamscape of
rants, coffee cafés, clubs, bars, massage rice paddies and the same dramatic lime-
spas, and souvenir shops. Everything is tech- stone karsts found in Halong, but without the
nically walkable—if you don’t mind motor- party boats and Instagram mobs. My ac-
bikes zipping past within inches. For those commodations were tucked right in the mid-
craving less adrenaline, overpriced rick- dle of the vibrant green fields—a shade of
shaws are an option… assuming you're up for green that instantly brought Ireland to mind.
the obligatory haggle. The first sunset from my balcony was
A bit of relief came on the pedestrian- breathtaking—Mother Nature in full perfor-
friendly streets around Hoan Kiem Lake—un- mance mode, and I had a front-row seat. Out
til I nearly got taken out by toddlers on of the heat and humidity, the following days
rented electric toy bikes, followed by pre- moved slowly. Evenings were marked by
teens drifting around in battery-powered five-minute bike rides into the quaint village
mini-cars. Vietnamese drivers in training. for my final meals in Vietnam.
Buddha help us all. I skipped the touristy riverboat rides Tam
Sensing a little burnout, I decided to skip Cốc is known for. No regrets. It was a soft
the overpriced cruise through the popular— landing. A soul reset.
and increasingly overrun—Halong Bay.
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