Tag: Sa Pa

My Top Highlight in each Country

This is a long time coming, and I’ve been meaning to publicly summarize my thoughts and consolidate my experiences on my journey. Since returning, so many people have reached out to me, expressed their curiosity, and asked me for advice. I’ve become a de facto Asia travel planner and role model for other women who want to travel solo as well (which makes me feel great, actually).

The number one question I’m asked is, “What was your favorite place you went to?” My answer is none of them— they were all my favorites. It’s an extremely hard question to answer, because each country was special to me in many different ways. There are highlights across the entire journey, of course.

Here are my top memories from each country (paired with my favorite photos as well) and why it is so meaningful to me. If there is something you absolutely must do or see in each of these countries, then this is my recommendation for what it must be.

India

I feel like I can’t answer this question very well because I’ve been to India so many times. My favorite memory is simply going to Chennai and spending time with my grandparents.

Nepal

Without a doubt, it’s the Everest Base Camp trek. I’ve written extensively about the trek (FAQ, Pre-trek, Days 1-7, Days 8-14) because it was so incredible and I recommend everyone do it. The entire experience is truly life changing and there is nothing more spectacular than seeing Mt. Everest in person and the entire Himalayan mountain range. The people you meet, the pain you fight through, the perseverance you gain, and the strength you find within yourself are all the more reason to do this. You discover a lot about yourself on this trek. Top moment of my life, if not just this trip.

Myanmar

Beautiful, serene, stunning Bagan. This place will take your breath away. Three days biking around Bagan is enough to enjoy the splendor of all the old temples and feel like you’ve truly stepped back in time. Catching the sunrise while watching hot air balloons rise above the plains in this still very untouched place is a magical experience. If I could go back and had more money to spend, I would absolutely pay for the $350 (per person!) hot air balloon ride.

Thailand

Even though I’ve been here before, it’s still Chiang Mai. There is something very spiritual about Chiang Mai. I always meet excellent people here and feel truly at home. I would move here in an instant. What made Chiang Mai so special this time around was the friend I met who made me realize how much I had changed, the monk who gave me perspective, and a single hike to a forest temple that made me realize how happy I am. These were pivotal moments for me in my journey.

Laos

This is a tough one, but I’m going with the Plain of Jars. This is an undoubtedly non-touristy area. I’ve written about the tragedy that occurred here, which I had no knowledge of prior to coming to Laos. Despite the amount of blood shed at the hands of the U.S. and continuing struggle the people of Laos face, they still go on. I’m glad to have finally learned about the Secret War.

Cambodia

Really I can’t decide for Cambodia. Angkor Wat and the Killing Fields were both humbling to see and learn about. Angkor Wat in Siem Reap was obviously majestic. The Killing Fields and the Prison in Phnom Penh were educational and critical to understanding Cambodia and its people.

The island of Koh Rong Samloem also stole my heart. I decided to skip Koh Rong, the party island, headed straight to its smaller sister island. I had no lodging or anything booked, but luckily a guy approached me as I got off the ferry and asked if I wanted to camp at the end of the island near their resort. Highly improvised but ended up being the best choice. The best things in life are unexpected. What followed was four days of hanging out, relaxing, meeting incredible people from all over the world, fresh fish BBQs, swimming in the clearest water, a stunning trek through the forest, and walking along the whitest sand. One night we decided to get into the water and everything began to sparkle around us. We sat there like kids playing around watching the bioluminescent plankton light up. Truly magical.

Vietnam

Many people skipped out on Sa Pa, the mountainous region in the northern most part of Vietnam where you can find the most stunning rice fields and the kindest people. Let me tell you— everyone who skipped out on Sa Pa made a huge mistake! The month I spent there traveling south to north was the best decision I made, despite the cold and bad weather I faced up north. I absolutely loved living in the villages of Sa Pa, eating with the local people, and hiking around the mountains. I even extended my stay because I loved it so much.

Malaysia

I wish I had spent more time in Malaysia because I did not get to fully experience it, but the Cameron Highlands was my favorite part of my 1.5 weeks there. I met my favorite people in Malaysia here and had such excellent conversations. The tea plantations are a dream to walk through. Not to mention, I had some of the best Indian food and strawberry scones I have ever had in my life here.

Philippines

Again, another place I needed more time in. The lack of transportation and 7,000 islands to explore did not help my very indecisive self. However, the entire island of Palawan is seriously stunning. The Big Lagoon is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to in the world. On top of that, when I finally allowed myself to have fun, Palawan was definitely the place to be— much better than Boracay which is just a ridiculous party destination. The little town of El Nido is a great place to meet people and find a group of friends. Everyone in the town knows each other. This is a place where you could get sucked in for sure…

Indonesia

This is the hardest one for me, but scuba diving in Flores on a live-aboard beats everything else I did in Indonesia (even all the incredible treks!). I spent 4 days living on a boat in the middle of the ocean with a few other people, waking up at 5:30am to get into the water by 6am for our first dive, followed by two more dives throughout the day. I have never seen more incredible, colorful, and diverse marine life and coral. It’s considered one of the best places to dive in the entire world, so I am ecstatic I had the chance to do this. Thankfully I got my advanced scuba diving certification before coming here (its required really), because the current is out of this world and occasionally frightening. Also, I will never forget that moment a manta ray just came out of the blue and swam right above my head. I stopped everything and just watched in awe. Majestic.

Singapore

Truth be told, I did not do much in Singapore. I did hardly anything touristy. Rather, I just ate a lot of food and walked around with my friend. But while I was here, I felt so independent, free, confident, and happy. I had learned everything I had wanted from this trip. I was exactly where I wanted to be.

September 25, 2016
Too Much Happy Water

Our second day in Sa Pa and our first morning, I wake up late and head down the rickety ladder to the table for breakfast. Michelle informs me that she’s just witnessed them killing a duck in the kitchen. I can see the blood on the floor. She decides that she no longer wants to kill a chicken or anything else, ever. Probably one of the cute ducks we had seen wandering around outside. I don’t want to think about which other cute animal we have eaten already, or which one we will be eating later. It’s around this point I convince myself to go back to not eating red meat anymore.

The table is set up with many more pots and chopsticks this time, each also paired with a small shot glass. I think nothing of it, assuming it’s for something else other than alcohol, because that would be ridiculous at this hour. We learn that Chou’s husband works in the Sa Pa police force, and he’s invited a few of his cop friends to join for breakfast. Today is apparently a holiday, or rather, they all just decided to skip work. The men are friendly and talkative, but don’t speak any English.

I see the cooked duck dish in the middle of the table, and deliberately do not take it. I can see the hairs and bits of feathers still on it. I stick to the pancake, eggs, honey, and curry instead. Realizing I haven’t tried the duck yet, Chou take a large chunk and puts it in my bowl. Thanks, I say meekly and force a smile. I look at it and attempt bite. Nope, there’s no way this is happening. Back it goes into the bowl, trying to hide it with some pancake.

At some point, Chou’s father in law grabs our shot glasses and scoops some rice whisky into them. “Happy water!” he says, smiling widely. “Happy water….?” Michelle and I say, looking at each other. “It’s like 9:30am.” I guess it’s going to be that kind of morning. Why not! We’re in Sa Pa! This is what they do!

We take our first round of shots. Not prepared at all, I chase with egg. That was tough. I think we’re done there, but I am very, VERY wrong. The men pour another round for everyone. Again! And again… and again. “Dude it’s only 10am and we’re 5 shots in.” They can’t pour anymore, no way.

Chou’s husband looks at me and hands over a bowl of red stuff to me. “What’s this?” I ask. Chou responds, “duck blood!” I think I slightly vomit in my mouth, but again, I can’t refuse, so I take a minuscule scoop of it. The mixture of duck blood and rice whisky in my mouth is not the most pleasant experience. I think my opinion of it is plain on my face and everyone around the table laughs. What’s next? More shots!

6th shot…9th shot. Before each shot of happy of water, a different person says a toast. We drink, and say “Mot, hai, bi, yo!!!” their version of Cheers! The toaster shakes hands with everyone. It’s 10:30am or so and we’re also 11 shots in. I am sufficiently drunk. The men’s faces are glowing bright red. Everyone is laughing merrily and grandpa has just taken a rip out of a huge bong. “Happy water makes you happy!” they say. Yep, it really does.

11am. We don’t want to be rude so we don’t refuse when they pour us our shots and force more food into our bowls. It has to stop soon. It’s nearly our turn to make a toast though. 12, 13… Michelle makes her toast, thanking everyone for their hospitality and welcoming us into their homes. 14th shot, I go, and I’m not even sure what I said.

I think I look like I’m about to regurgitate the happy water, because we ask if we can stop, and she says it’s fine. We sit outside in the heat, totally dizzy and drunk, and making the stupidest comments. I’m taking selfies of us in our drunken stupor. Chou comes outside saying, “Okay! Let’s get ready to trek to my parent’s village.” Michelle and I look at each other in disbelief. I could have fallen asleep on the ground right then and there. I laugh, deciding this can only be fun! “Whatever, it will be fine!”

Trekking for 4 hours in very intense heat in the mountains after 14 shots of rice whisky is not something I would do usually, but it was surprisingly fine. I somehow also managed to get some great photos even in my state. I would have failed any drinking test, as I was definitely not walking in a straight line at all. But hey, I guess they call it happy water for a reason, it really does make you happy!

We finally get to Chou’s parent’s home, where her brother is already eating with a bunch of his friends. He looks extremely young, not more than 16, and he already has a wife and baby. They tell us to sit down and eat, and at this point we are completely exhausted, hungry, and dehydrated, so we collapse on to the bench. Chou’s brother’s young wife asks us, “happy water?” We laugh in disbelief, shaking our heads. No, no more happy water for a very, very long time.

April 9, 2016
Sa Pa: My Favorite Place in Vietnam

During the entire month I spent in Vietnam, this was my favorite place, by far. Sa Pa was beautiful, authentic, and inspirational. I felt so invigorated and alive while I was there. I joined my friend Michelle who I had been traveling with for a while on a bus to Sa Pa. As we got away from the misty and smog-ridden city of Hanoi and towards the sunny fresh aired Sa Pa, my move instantly lifted. The minute I laid my eyes on the rice terraces, I could not stop grinning. I felt warm and happy inside. Maybe it was the sunshine, lush green mountains, and happy villagers that reminded me of trekking in the Himalayas, where I really found my happy place. Somehow, I felt at home.

Most people arrange for a multi-day trek beforehand at their hostel (which is much more expensive), but Michelle and I decided to just arrive in Sa Pa and figure it out from there. Multiple people told us that you could just take the bus to Sa Pa, and upon arrival, tons of little village women would be waiting of you saying “homestay, homestay!” Turns out they were 100% correct. As our bus pulled up in Sa Pa town, I peered out the window to see the local village women dressed in traditional outfits waiting for us. I waved at one of the ladies who had the biggest smile on her face.

I got off the bus and Michelle was already speaking to the lady with the smile. She was glowing! Her laugh was precious. She introduced herself as Sah, of the H’mong people, shoving a map in my hands indicating to us where her village is and the treks we could do. Sah was accompanied by her friend, Chou (or Chelsea, she said her English name was), who had the cutest baby hanging on her back. Chou had a big smile with a gold tooth that made me love her even more. Her little baby, Lily, who is by far the sweetest child I have ever met in my life, is ultimately what convinced us to go with these women to their village.

We head first to the local market to get some food, and we see many other backpackers with their homestay hosts. We’re the only ones who are not in a big group, and immediately we are glad we made the choice not to book something beforehand. Our experience was going to be much more intimate and authentic. Sah and Chou are chatting and laughing with the other local women, and we could not be happier ourselves. I take in their outfits, which are all unique and so colorful. They wear big earrings and their hair is wrapped up with combs and pins in them. They seem so genuinely happy.

Chou takes her motorbike home with her husband and our huge backpacks, and we head on a 4 hour trek to her village with Sah. She teaches us about the different villages, cultures, and local customs. This seems to always be the case, but as I’m walking I can’t help but feel like I’m in Lord of the Rings (really I just to be an elf in Lord of the Rings). The mountains are lush and green, huge rocks and trees dot the scene. Baby animals and their moms are running around us, chickens, pigs, goats, and cows. I have to stop every 5 minutes to take pictures of the stunning view. The rice terraces are not full of rice, but instead water. Not the picture I had in mind, but still stunning. The water reflects off the ground making the entire view sparkle. We pass no other foreigners, which is exactly what we wanted. We pass by the local children who look at us curiously, always jumping up to wave and say hello.

When we arrive at Chou’s home around 5pm, we are disappointed to find a few other foreigners. We thought we would be alone. That’s the hypocritical thing about being a tourist yourself— you don’t want any other tourists there. We sit around, waiting for Chou to come back. More tourists arrive, staying in the little wooden house next to ours. Our moods sour. This was not the experience I wanted. This was why I had avoided homestays my entire trip, because I did not want a fake commercialized village experience like I had before in Thailand in 2015.

Sah is nowhere to be found, and we can’t help but feel a bit abandoned. We go to the kitchen where we find the hosts cooking, asking if we can help. They say no, so we force ourselves to socialize with the 13 other tourists who are there, not happy about it at all. Our disappoint is written all over our faces. We wonder where Sah and Chou are, and if this entire experience is going to be interacting with the tourists and not them. “If I wanted to hang out with other foreigners, I could have just stayed in the hostel back in Hanoi,” Michelle says. I could not agree more. Don’t get me wrong, I love meeting and socializing with people, but I did not want to be a part of some fake commercialized village package. It seems weirdly imperialistic to me.

Just when I decide to only stay for 2 nights instead, Sah comes back, telling Michelle and I to join them for dinner. Wait, really!? We’re not staying or eating or doing anything with any of these other people? Nope. It’s just going to be the two of us living with Chou’s entire family and Sah. I feel victorious. The two of us head inside to see the table set up with little bowls and chopsticks, and pots of vegetables and meat. We sit on the bench with Chou, her husband, mother in law and father in law, Sah, and Chou’s three children. We’re ecstatic. The food is amazing. Everyone is so friendly. We learn so much about Chou’s family and the H’mong people. Their lifestyle, the language… it’s all so fascinating that these tribes manage to still stay true to traditions that are centuries old. Technology has been introduced in their lives, but for the most part, their daily tasks and practices have remained the same.

I stay in their little wooden house for a total of three days, switching to Sah’s house on the fourth day. Three generations live in a single household, babies, parents, and grandparents. I had no idea how we were going to fit in these tiny houses with so many people, but they made it work. They were so kind and wanted to make us as comfortable as possible. It surprised me to discover that Sah is only 35, and she’s already a grandmother. Her eldest daughter who is 17 already has a daughter. But in Sa Pa, this is normal. The H’mong people get married young and have children as soon as possible. By 16, a girl is married off and she leaves her village into her husband’s home. We learn that Chou is only 27, and she already has 3 kids! It’s no doubt that the women here are strong and resilient. They take care of the family, trek through the mountains, cook, raise their children, farm… they impressed me much more than the men.

We spent the next few days trekking around the mountains. The scenery was stunning and the villages were charming. The outfits different women wore changed depending on the tribe they came from. The H’mong, Xa, and Xe people all live in the Sa Pa region, but still had completely different customs, language, and clothing. It all seemed so simple and everyone seemed so happy. I compared the ridiculous amounts of clothing I had at home to the same outfit Sah and Chou wore everyday. Sah bought herself a shirt on one of the days and I realized this was a special moment for her. All they had in their homes were a few beds, tools for their crafts, a table and some benches, pots and pans for cooking. They lived only with the essentials, because they did not have any money for frivolous things. My apartment back home was full of stuff that I never even used. Things I don’t really need. I felt so humbled while living with them, learning that you don’t need very much to be happy.

April 7, 2016