Arriving in Da Nang in early April, Sofia and Pablo found that they were the only foreigners, the locals constantly waved and said hello.
Da Nang just opened to tourism at the end of March, so there are not many tourists yet. The welcome of the people excited the couple from Mexico, Sofia (29 years old) and Pablo (30 years old) excited. “We have never experienced the feeling that we are the only foreign tourists in the city. People and tourists in Da Nang are surprised to see us, waving and saying “Hello, Hello” . This warm welcome makes me feel like an alien”, they laughed and said.
The couple arrived in Da Nang on March 31, after three transit flights. They spent nearly 10 days in Vietnam for their honeymoon and are in Ha Long, Quang Ninh. They shared that they booked a trip to Vietnam 2 years ago, but had to cancel because of Covid-19. Although many countries in the region have opened their doors first, they still decided to wait because they know that Vietnam is a popular place for newlyweds to spend their honeymoon or important occasions in life.
“When we said we were going to Vietnam, our friends all expressed excitement. They wanted to hear about the trip when we returned. Because Mexicans know Vietnam is a country with beautiful scenery, mountains and sea. and a different lifestyle than ours,” Sofia shared.
In the past few days, what impressed them most in Vietnam was the hospitality, from the welcome of Da Nang people to the service of Hoi An resort. “We see that Vietnamese people always respect and try to understand international guests. This is different and respectable,” they said.
Before traveling, they used to watch many movies about Vietnam in the past with fields, no cars, and people carrying things with donkeys. Therefore, Da Nang surprises them with modern streets, especially no waste. The couple then visited Ba Na Hills.
Another point that the couple loves when in Vietnam is that it’s cheap. The days in Hoi An, Quang Nam was rainy. Although sad because they can’t experience much, they have romantic walks in the old town, and visit tailor-made clothes shops with “extremely cheap” prices. Cao Lau, pho… also cost about 10% of a dish in their country.
The couple is also excited about the culture, and the difference in lifestyle. When they arrive in Hanoi, they ride a cyclo, weaving their way through the crowded traffic, surrounded by countless “beep beep” horns. They shared that in Mexico when the driver used the horn, it was very stressful, there could be conflicts, but in Vietnam, it is a habit.
The scene in Vietnam is also very different, not far from modern cities like Da Nang and Hoi An is a peaceful countryside with fields and vegetable villages. Coming to Hanoi, the beauty blends between modern and ancient clearly. On the same street, there are also high-rise buildings and ancient temples that make them constantly surprised.
They also experienced flower making and learned about Vietnamese worshiping customs when coming to Hanoi. “It’s special when many generations of Vietnamese grandparents and parents live together, take care of their children and grandchildren, and vice versa, children and grandchildren respect and remember them when they die by burning incense every day and celebrating their death anniversary. I only have one public holiday to remember the dead,” Sofia and Pablo said.
However, they also encountered problems before the flight from Da Nang to Hanoi. On the loudspeaker, it was announced that they would change the door to the plane from 4 to 6, but because they did not pay attention, they missed the information. While sitting, seeing a lot of people moving, the couple actively asked everyone what was going on but no one answered, everyone, waved because they didn’t know English. They were worried then, afraid of missing their flight until airport staff helped.
Or another time in a Hanoi restaurant, the menu was not in English, so they had to use Google’s translation tool, and body language to order food or drinks.
“Being able to speak English is something we hope Vietnamese people in general and tourists, in particular, can improve on because not all international tourists can use the local language. The rest of the trip. Ours is great,” Pablo shared.
After the trip to Ha Long Bay, the couple will fly to Ho Chi Minh City and return home. For them, the current entry regulations for international visitors to Vietnam are convenient, just need to apply for an e-visa, have a passport, and test negative for nCoV by PCR. The travel company they book the service has prepared medical insurance and travel with Covid-19 coverage, so you can rest assured.