You see the most incredible things when you travel. Destinations that make you wonder why there are only Seven Wonders of the World (I mean who decides that list anyway...?). Then there are places you go where the people are just as incredible. They make you want to stay for longer and leave you with more than just an Instagram hot shot of the place. If you’re lucky enough you’ll travel somewhere where there are both – the people and the places. One of those destinations is Vietnam. Here are some of the amazing places I went and the even more amazing people I crossed paths with.
Bui from the Mekong Delta River
The famous trans-boundary Mekong River runs through the captivating Vietnamese tropical forest and travelling through it makes for an adventurous day. You can do everything from taste test exotic Vietnamese fruits to hang a real life python around your neck – no joke. Although what’s on the river shores is pretty exciting, the river itself is also a stunner!
Bui was our canoe captain through the tropical Mekong Delta River. She had the upper body strength of Serena Williams and the cheekiness of a little kid! While pushing us along the river, she taught us a few naughty words in Vietnamese that you can’t quite find at the back of a Lonely Planet guide.
Hiep from the Cai Rang Floating Market
When taking a Mekong River tour from Hanoi you have to get there by boat. On the way to and from the boat harbour you should steer past the busy lanes of the Cai Rang Floating Market just sit back and enjoy the serenity. If you time it perfectly, on your way back from a day trip, you’ll just hit sunset and get to witness nothing but pure beauty.
Our amazing driver to and from the Mekong was named Hiep. He could steer a boat with nothing but his right foot, but he didn’t think that was as impressive as our Aussie origin. He asked us all about Sydney and its wonders and talked about how one day he wanted to move there and marry a ‘pretty Aussie girl’ just like us. Another cheeky one – must be something in the Mekong water!
Nam from the Minh Phuong Lacquer Gallery
The Vietnamese are beyond talented. From craft to culture and tradition, they collate all that they know and love and produce art in everything that they do. So when I found out that a gallery in Ho Chi Minh puts together mosaics purely out of eggshells, I wasn’t surprised at how amazing they looked.
Nam was extremely talented. She’s one of the artists at the Minh Phuong Lacquer Gallery in Ho Chi Minh. She’s also one of only three people in her village to speak English and taught herself accounting so she could get a promotion at the gallery – it worked. Oh… and to add to the achievement, she’s only 17 years old. #BOSSLADY
Mr and Mrs Nguyen from Pho Co
I’m not going to lie, bike riding through Vietnam is at first a nightmare. It takes you a while to figure out that pushing and shoving your way through traffic is the only way to get moving, but once you do it’s all aboard from there! Hoi An has a number of bike tours and nearly all of them take you through the rice fields of Pho Co. It’s amazing that within five minutes of riding you're transported from a scene of chaos to serenity. Although your bum might get a bit sore, once you get to Pho Co you’ll never want to stop pedaling.
You must have already come across these two lovebirds on your Instagram and if you haven’t then you should have a serious think about what accounts you’re following. While on a daylong scenic bike ride through the Hoi An Ancient Town Pho Co, you can’t miss the Nguyen farm. Mr and Mrs Nguyen have been married for 70 years and, while in their 90s they still work together on their organic vegetable farm every day #RELATIONSHIPGOALS. Seriously their infections smile would even slap one right across Kanye’s face!
In a world where we question humanity a little too regularly, it’s nice to be reminded of the good in people. Travelling through Vietnam you get to see this good in and among the remarkable places that you visit. You’ll encounter some of the happiest people in the world - humble yet hardworking, living the good old simple life in a far from simple country. So go on, truly #YOLO it and book those flights and visit one of the friendliest countries in the world.
Nikolina Koevska is a Radio/TV Personality. She's not only hosted a number of radio shows including the iHeartRadio Countdown and Get Fresh with Niki and Jules but she also slipped into the TV world as a Weather Presenter for Sky news. These days she finds herself walking the halls of Nova 96.9FM in Sydney, Producing Fitzy and Wippa while freelance writing. In the small amount of spare time she has she loves nothing more than devouring a good cheese board, having a few cranberry vodkas with friends and binge watching Jane the Virgin. Follow her adventures on Instagram @nikolinak or via her website.
The views, opinions and positions expressed by the author and those providing comments are theirs alone, and are meant as travel inspiration only. They do not reflect the opinions of Cover-More Insurance. You should always read the Policy Documents available from your travel insurance provider to understand the limits, exclusions and conditions of your policy and to ensure any activities you undertake are covered by your policy.