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11km return easy bike ride between the patty fields and farms of peaceful Cam Kim island. Perfect evasion from the bustling city of Hoi An as it’s a pretty and quiet ride in the rural maze of narrow street. On the island, we visited a farm, a woodworking and carving shop, a rice paper family maker and a mat weaver. Some stops are more organized around selling the crafters productions, fair enough, whereas others are more focused on showing the trade itself, now tending to be forgotten by the younger generation. It’s a great «hands on» activity and a good occasion to meet people being absolute masters of their 10 fingers in impressive yet humble ways. Our Guru « Eric » provided the perfect amount of cultural insights in an informative and fun way. I had a great 3h45 tour which I highly recommend.
I did the incense tour on a lovely Sunday morning. The meeting location was easy to find. We took the bus to the incense village, which was an occasion to discover the rural environments, as well as an occasion of discussing a bit more and get to know each other. Our Guru went above and beyond for us to experience the process of making incense sticks despite the fact that people mostly go there for taking colourful pictures. It’s a far ways to go for taking pictures! It’s the perfect tour for those who don’t really enjoy to walk, nor fast nor far, and a great getaway from the bustling city.
I had a great time joining the walk last night with Phoenix . We were a group of random tourists and she made us feel comfortable altogether, taking the time to walk individually with each of us and have a bit of conversation about our realities and experiences in Hanoi. I travel alone and I appreciate those moments of connection. I did 3 food tours this week so now I can compare with the little bit of experience I have, and the choices Phoenix made for us were conservative and likeable for the majority of those who don’t have yet a palate for Vietnamese food. Great choices 👍
Today I was the only walker, along with my guru, Hanako. What a pleasant walk! The meeting point easy to find, right by the Hanoi Train Barrier. Hanako took me to the back-ways and alleyways of the city : from the smallest alley to bustling avenues to an amazing street market, from the characteristic tub houses of the neighborhood to lovely communal houses. I had time to feel the wind at the elevated train track, to hear the birds in quiet spaces. Hanako took me away from the traffic and gave me time to look around, as if I was myself discovering what he purposely wanted to show me. I saw a lot of cool parts of the city you need a guide to find, even when standing in front of it (like the gate with a smaller built-in door). I had all the time I needed to take tons of pictures. Hanako speaks an excellent English. His calm and quiet demeanour suited my personality. We had interesting discussions about history and life, and we had some good laughs. Hanako also recommended a few different places to visit, later, which I did: he had figured out my interests. Hanako showed me the hidden beauty of this part of Hanoi; I had a lovely time on his walk.
Sarah our Guru is engaging, fun and masters the art of communication amongst a group of strangers we felt like friends during the tour. She took us around, to these little streets too, and introduced us to a feast. Her choices for us were adapted to our allergies/dislikes, and levels of curiosity for novelty. I had such a great time that I’m booking again for tonight 😋👌🏼
