When my friends and I sat down to plan our first self-booked trip abroad, we didn’t want just simple city-hopping or a shopping spree. We wanted mountains and beaches, cities and cafes—a trip that would take us across landscapes.
With each of us having slightly different ideas about the perfect holiday, we needed to pick a destination that could match all our traveling styles while staying within our agreed schedule and budget. Jose loves food, shopping, and city culture. Laras is drawn to culture, shopping, and adventure. And I’m all about food, adventure, and culture.
For three twenty-something Indonesian girls with budget constraints and varying levels of tolerance for adventure, Thailand immediately came to mind. It’s a safe country for travelers, budget-friendly, with plenty of opportunities for diverse experiences and a reputation for great food. But Thailand, while wonderful, felt like an old friend: familiar and well-trodden. All three of us had been there before: Jose and Laras for concerts, and me for transit during other trips.
That’s when Vietnam entered the conversation. Vietnam was trending all over social media—new, exciting, and, honestly, still less mainstream for Indonesian travelers. While both countries have a lot to offer, Thailand is often synonymous with shopping—at least among the people I know—the same way Vietnam stands out for its cafe culture and coffee. And between the three of us, coffee is definitely a common denominator.
Sun Plaza Sapa Station—A "New" and Exciting Photo Spot in Vietnam
Planning the Route: North and Central Regions
When deciding where to go in Vietnam, each of us had our own goals and priorities. Jose was determined to experience cold weather, feeling that places like Puncak or Bandung no longer had the crisp chill they once did. So, she set her sights on Sapa, specifically Fansipan, banking on its cool climate and, since we were planning a January trip, the slight chance of seeing snow. Laras wanted to visit Ha Long Bay, with its scenery of scattered karst islands in emerald waters—ironically, a more accessible and affordable alternative to Raja Ampat.
With those destinations in mind, we had a starting point: Hanoi. By then, we already had a mix of city culture, adventure, and some shopping covered in the northern region. Jose and Laras had already made their picks, and I felt that we needed to see the more ‘historical’ side of Vietnam.
Given that we only had eight days, we knew it was best to focus on two regions at most—either North-Central or North-South. We’d either fly back home from Da Nang (Central) or Ho Chi Minh (South). I voted for Central over South because Da Nang is close to Hoi An, the ancient town with unique architecture as a historical trading port with Chinese and Japanese influences. This type of history appealed to me more than the more recent war history in Ho Chi Minh. Plus, Hoi An is likely more walkable than Ho Chi Minh, making it a better fit for our trip. Laras also mentioned wanting to see Ba Na Hills in Da Nang, so the North-Central route checked out perfectly.
Vietnam’s long, narrow shape stretches over 1,600 km from north to south
The North-South option would have also meant flying between regions, while the North-Central route is easily connected by train and sleeper bus. However, we did end up flying from Hanoi to Da Nang since the tickets were affordable.
Start of Journey: Jakarta-Hanoi-Sapa
We flew directly from Jakarta to Hanoi with the budget airline VietJet. The flight took about four hours, and we arrived at Noi Bai International Airport in the late afternoon. However, the immigration process took quite a while (I was told this is common in Vietnam), and we didn’t get our baggage until around 9:00 PM. Fortunately, we had booked a sleeper bus to pick us up at the airport at 11:30 PM, so we weren’t worried and had plenty of time to eat and charge our phones. Interestingly, while we were eating and charging our phones, there was a dramatic football match between Vietnam and Thailand, making the atmosphere at the airport lively and hectic. Our sleeper bus operator, HK Busline, even sent us a message saying the bus might be slightly delayed due to traffic and shared a photo of our bus surrounded by football supporters on motorcycles, waving Vietnamese flags.
The sleeping compartment was clean and comfortable, with a TV remote and a massage feature
The Hanoi-Sapa sleeper bus journey was quite pleasant. The sleeping compartment was clean and comfortable, with a remote for the TV (though I didn’t try it) and a massage feature, which I happily used. However, the charging port only supported USB cables, not Type C. Thankfully, we had charged our phones at the airport, as the bus ride lasted almost six hours. We were dropped off in front of our hotel in Sapa just before 6:00 AM. Even though we were wearing thermal clothing and jackets, the morning in Sapa was chilly, and since we hadn’t thought to check for early check-in options (note to self: don’t forget this next time), we dreaded having to wait outside in the cold. Fortunately, the staff at Sapa Valley View Hotel were incredibly kind. Although they were clearly still asleep, they heard us arrive and, without hesitation, woke up, opened the door for us, turned on the heater, and even served us ginger tea and oranges while we waited in the lobby.
