How to Walk the Streets of Vietnam

I survived my first backpacking trip. A big thank you to the numerous tips and tricks we picked up from fellow bloggers who have traveled the same path before we did. And yet, no matter how prepared we were, a few surprises dropped in on us while we tried to navigate our way around the busy streets of Vietnam.

No, I will not teach you the proper way of walking around Vietnam (But sashaying like a ramp model is definitely not recommended!) or reading the traffic signs. (I’m bad at this.) I was a first time backpacker and I wanted to stay true to being one. Although we went with group tours for Mekong Delta and Cu Chi Tunnels, I wanted a more intimate experience with the city by walking on its streets, feeling the concrete pavements under my feet, watching the hundreds of motorcycles roar by, attempting short conversations with locals to ask for directions, and pretty much taking everything in as far as my senses could take me. So, we abandoned the idea of getting on a tour bus to the city and decided to explore it on our own.

After making several wrong turns, getting rejected by drivers who couldn’t understand us, and acting out too many sign languages, here are three tips in making the most out of your city tour:

Map of Hanoi. Gave my Saigon map to another tourist.

Get a map. Most hostels and guesthouses offer this to their guests, but there are those that don’t. We only got a map of where our hostel was located so we were pretty much blind as to where were the places we wanted to visit. In case they don’t have a map, head first to the Central Post Office to get one. Not a bad idea too. The Post Office is beautiful and will transport you to a different world altogether. Once you have the map, look at where the attractions are located and plan your itinerary.

Vietnam attractions in English & Vietnamese languages.

Know the Vietnamese terms for the places you wanted to visit. For example, Reunification Palace is known as Dinh Thống Nhất. You can look up these terms online. Very few Vietnamese people speak English. And apparently, not all people understand the English equivalent no matter how famous the attraction is. I kept on repeating “Reunification Palace” and they kept answering me in Vietnamese. That was one of the most awkward situations I got into. Also, ever heard of the phrase same same but different? This is a famous expression in Vietnam, reflecting one of the complexities of their language. Their vowels have different symbols at the top. Put the wrong symbol, it’s a word with a different meaning. So, be careful that you get the correct symbol of the Vietnamese terms. Otherwise, it will only lead to more confusion and more awkward moments.

Riding the motorcycle in Vietnam is a thrill!

Haggle with the motorcycle drivers. Riding the motorcycle in Vietnam should be on your to-do lists. For the places that are impossible to reach on foot, we rode the motorcycle instead of a taxi. Taxis were reserved for the really far areas. When you approach a motorcycle driver, ask first how much. Some will overcharge. So, haggle. Don’t get into that motorcycle until the driver explicitly agrees. If not, walk away. You’ll know they’re desperate for customers when they ride up to you and agree to the price you asked. Ask your hotel or hostel staff for the reasonable prices from one location to another. We usually spent VND 20,000 per person per ride. As much as possible, give the exact amount. Other tourists have shared horror stories of their drivers speeding away without giving the change.

These tips are all based on our experience during our recent backpacking trip. Above all, your mindset should be to embrace the great moments and even the misadventures. Yeah, you get really pissed off by bad luck or things that don’t go your way, but trust me, you’ll laugh about it later and you’ll come out of it a better traveler.

Enjoy Vietnam! :)

Day 13: Exploring the Cu Chi Tunnels

Our last full day in Saigon and of our whole backpacking trip. We booked for a half-day tour to the Cu Chi Tunnels. Same tour routine – bus picks us up at the hotel, takes us to the tourist spot, and takes us back to Saigon. Cu Chi district is more than an hour ride from Saigon.

The Cu Chi Tunnels are an important part of Vietnam’s history, especially during the war with the Americans. The tunnels served as their hiding place as well as their communication and supply routes. 

The visit to the tunnels was both amazing and terrifying. I was amazed by how clever the Vietnamese were in trying to avoid the American troops. They were smaller in size compared to the latter so they used it to their advantage to build small holes and tunnels. It was also terrifying to see the booby traps they set for the American troops. One wrong move and your flesh is torn to pieces. Then again, war is serious business.

One of their hiding places cleverly disguised under a pile of brown leaves.

One brave tourist trying to squeeze himself in the hole.

As for me, I'll play it safe with the bigger tunnels.

This is one of the Vietnamese's booby traps for the Americans.

Anyone who falls into this trap will be pierced to death by those sharp wooden sticks.

Inside one of the tunnels. This was scary!

Guests have the chance to go through the shorter tunnels and I found myself crawling around the tunnels. There was a part where it was nothing but absolute darkness. Good thing my travel buddy brought her flashlight or I would have screamed in shame.

Our last stop for the entire 13-day trip was short and sweet. We were back in Saigon by mid-afternoon. Stopped by Trung Nguyen café for a late lunch and a cup of their lip-smacking coffee. Even my taste buds craved for that familiar delicious taste. Later that evening, we boarded the plane back to the country, bringing with us new memories and new experiences.

Day 12: Getting Into A Little Trouble at Ben Thanh Market

This is going to be a very short post. Well, because not much happened except for that one incident we can’t shake off our minds.

I didn’t take any pictures because I wanted to focus on shopping and if needed, haggling. I already knew what to expect in Ben Thanh since we’ve explored this a few days ago. I bought a few items and simply looked around, trying to find interesting items. My travel buddy was asking one vendor how much the item was. The girl answered. Price was too much. So my buddy put down the item, then the girl angrily asked in her curt English, “How much?” My buddy declined as she has decided not to purchase it anymore. The girl repeatedly asked my buddy and her voice was getting a little louder each time. And when we started walking away, she started shouting and saying something like, “You not very nice customers!” Well, EXCUSE ME, you are not a very nice vendor either! Aren’t customers allowed to ask for the price? My friend didn’t even haggle, she only asked for the freaking price!

I was so pissed and frustrated we decided to leave. I fought the urge to snap back when images of being locked up abroad flashed on my mind. So we walked away from her as much as possible and checked out the other stalls. When we couldn’t find anything else to buy, we left.


Next: Day 13: Exploring the Cu Chi Tunnels

Day 6: Up Close with Vietnam’s Patriarch

So we know Ho Chi Minh was formerly Saigon but have you ever wondered where the name Ho Chi Minh came from? Or what it is? Rather, who?

I didn’t bother finding out as I’m no history junkie so after our first museum visit, I learned that Ho Chi Minh was a prominent revolutionary leader and former president of Vietnam. He was also the chairman of the central committee of the communist party of Vietnam. And somehow, the overall impression I gleaned was that he was a very well-respected, if not well-loved by the Vietnamese people. And who wouldn’t? In my brief trip to Vietnam, I’ve grown quite fond of him despite being a staunch supporter of communism.

Volcano and totems symbolizing the
great power of national liberation
movements

Ho Chi Minh Museum. Now, don’t confuse this with the Ho Chi Minh City Museum which is in Saigon. The museum has five floors of collections of memorabilia, photographs, documents, and artifacts all pertaining to the great Vietnamese leader. I especially loved the photograph timeline where we can see the different sides of Ho Chi Minh’s persona as a charismatic president, as a father to his people, and as a war leader. What I found really heartwarming was the fact that Vietnamese people with their kids also visit the museum, trying to get to know the man who shaped their nation’s history. Our next stop would have been the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, where his embalmed body lies. Unfortunately, it was closed that day.   

The one-pillar pagoda remains to be a place of offering

One-Pillar Pagoda. The name already says it all. It’s a pagoda balanced on top of one pillar. Nothing much to see here or do, except take pictures or make an offering.

Beautiful contrast of the yellow Palace against
the lush greens

Ho Chi Minh Presidential Palace. One of my favorite stops for the day was the Presidential Palace. Not only did I find the yellow palace beautiful set against very lush greens, I also found the walk around the area very relaxing since there were plenty of trees and greens. Although we weren’t allowed entry into the Palace itself, the surrounding areas were equally wonderful. We saw some of Ho Chi Minh’s cars and his bamboo stilt house, which is said to be where he lived for quite a time before his death. The stilt house is very reflective of his simplicity and humility. (No wonder why I really like this man!) I also loved the huge fishpond with koi fishes fronting the stilt house. I could almost imagine Ho Chi Minh walking around the place, in his kamisa de chino-like clothes and slippers, feeding the koi fishes, or walking up to his mango orchard.

My ride! 

I would love to live in this bamboo stilt house! 

Unclo Ho fishpond

One of the interesting figures inside the Temple of Literature

Temple of Literature. I insisted we check out this place, half-imagining we could get to browse some of the old Vietnamese poems or short stories. I was expecting more on the literature side and less on the temple side but it turned out the other way. It used to be a school but now it’s a place for people to pray.

Vietnam National Museum of History. Can I just say that Vietnam is swarming with museums? I felt like we had too many museum visits and yet, we haven’t even visited most of them. The National Museum of History was an interesting place in that it keeps historical artifacts such as jars, tools, even the teeth, skull, and bones of early Vietnamese people. (Chocoholic's Note: Cameras are not allowed inside the museum.)

We wanted to check out the Museum of Revolution but we couldn’t find it and the non-English-speaking locals could not help either. We decided to call it a day. We had to catch a train ride later that night. (Yes, the 30-hour train ride again back to Saigon.) 

Next: Day 8: The Epic 40++ Traveling Hours For the Love of Cambodia

Day 4: Exploring the Old Quarter Streets and Watching the Water Puppet Show

Surviving a 30-hour train ride from Saigon, we finally arrived in Hanoi very early in the morning on our fourth day. We went straight to Hanoi Backpackers’ Hostel, where we made reservations. We were spent from the train travel so we decided to schedule one main highlight for the day – the Hanoi Water Puppet Show.

Our hostel was located in the Old Quarter and offered a free walking tour but after a few turns and stops, we decided to go on our own and explore the Old Quarter by ourselves.

Hanoi fruit vendor

An old city gate

The iconic Vietnamese hat

There’s a dedicated theater for the water puppet show near Hoan Kiem Lake called Thanglong Water Puppet Theater. Because there are no water puppet shows in the Philippines, curiosity got the better of me.

The water puppet show stage from our view 

The water puppet show was a spectacle to behold with its live accompaniment, colors, and lights. The performers really put their heart and soul into giving a good show to the audience, who were mostly tourists. The puppets were attached to long wooden sticks and were maneuvered by people hidden behind the wooden curtains. The puppets can only do so much though. Although I can’t say that it is the most amazing thing I’ve seen, I love how they tried to show their culture and beliefs through the music and the movements of the puppets. The performance still merits an applause for their creativity and showmanship.    

The water puppets 

The music these performers bring adds life to the puppet show

Next: Day5: Halong Bay in a Day

Day 3 & Day 7: Riding the Reunification Express Train to Hanoi and Back

When we booked our tickets for Vietnam, traveling north to Hanoi wasn’t part of the plan. Otherwise, we should have just booked a flight to Hanoi, traveled down to Saigon, and crossed the border to Cambodia (now that’s an idea!). But after tons of research, I really, truly, madly wanted to go to Halong Bay. So what the heck, we built our entire itinerary in consideration of the 30-hour travel time to Hanoi and another 30 hours going back to Saigon.

Truth be told, I actually looked forward to the train ride. It lends credibility and authenticity to being backpackers – traveling like the locals would, listening to their conversations, seeing them conduct their daily activities, and watching their movies even if I didn’t understand a single word. But if there’s the good, there’s also the bad.

There are different sections of the train: the hard berth, the soft berth, and the sleeper portion, from the cheapest to the most expensive respectively. We chose the soft berth for our trip to Hanoi and spent roughly $60 each. Apparently, train isn’t cheap in Vietnam.

The soft berth section

Shortly after we boarded the train, I knew it wasn’t going to be an easy ride. Adults were talking to one another with thin, high-pitched voices. Kids were screaming and running around. When people slept, they put their feet up on the seats even up to your head. I must have given a fellow passenger THE LOOK until he backed off. The bathrooms were ill-kept. Each hour, a food cart would roll along the aisle and the seller would bark loudly for the entire world to hear. It also didn’t help that they have very little regard for health and sanitation. My neck, back, and spine ached from all that sitting and dodging all those unidentified flying liquids and solids. The train takes multiple stops in between and the passengers would leave all their trash behind – to the horror of the next passengers (but they didn’t seem to mind). I felt like time stood still. The soft berth was rarely empty all throughout the trip and my travel buddy and I – were the constants. That whole experience was death by train. And a painfully slow-moving one at that.

The sleeper section

Coming back from Hanoi, we knew better. Even if it was more costly (around $90 each), we chose the sleeper section. It is more private and comfortable and can accommodate 6 people with 3 beds on each side per room. They didn’t change the bed sheets though, so if new passengers boarded in one of the stopovers, they’d have to use the sheets of the passengers before them. There are multiple compartments in the sleeper section but the bathrooms were well-maintained. If you don’t like to hear the screaming vendor with the rolling cart, you can just close the door and lock it. It wasn’t exactly the cleanest but it was so much better than the soft berth. And this time, I got to appreciate the simple pleasures of a slow ride.

So what do you do on a 30-hour train ride?

To fight the boredom of a long train ride, I bought a book – Into the Wild by Jon Karakauer. I finished reading the book, updated my travel journal, listened to music, slept, ate (we brought our own food), and just marveled at the sights we passed by. There was one portion of the train ride where it seemed like we were teetering on the edge of a mountain and on the other side, we can see the vast blue ocean. Breathtaking. We also saw plenty of lush green rice fields, which is not surprising since Vietnam is one of the largest exporters of rice.    

Will I ride the train in Vietnam again? For long distances, no. But a couple of hours can be tolerable, I guess. There were a couple of stops that were worth hopping off on, such as Da Nang or Nha Trang. I would definitely want to come back and explore what those places can offer. 

Next: Day 4: Exploring the Old Quarter Streets and Watching the Water Puppet Show

Day 2: Cruising Along Mekong Delta

Breakfast in Vietnam is typically
a baguette with toppings of your choice

We were off to an early start on our second day. We signed up for the group tour for Mekong Delta through our hostel and the bus was going to pick us up at the hostel at 7:45AM.

There are pros and cons to joining guided group tours. One disadvantage is being forced to stop at places that do not merit your interest or attention. On the other hand, a guided tour allows you to relax in the company of fellow tourists. Further, your itinerary and transportation are taken care of. As it turned out, joining a guided group tour was a wise decision. The jump-off point for Mekong Delta River was in My Tho, which is more than an hour’s ride from Saigon. Then you have to rent a boat to cruise through the river. Did I mention language is a bit of a barrier? If you’re a first-time tourist in Saigon, better take the guided group tour and see if you want to wander off on your own the next time.

Boats of trade in Mekong Delta.

The Mekong Delta River flows through China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia.  The river water is brown, probably from siltation, and plays an important role in the trade and commerce of the countries and the livelihood of its inhabitants.

There were a couple of stops during the tour: a bee farm where I tasted the most delicious honey tea, a coconut candy factory, and a fruit-tasting place where we were also serenaded by traditional Vietnamese music. We also stopped for lunch (included in the tour package).

The chocoholic on a paddle cruise!

The highlight of the tour – well, at least for me – was riding a small paddle boat and cruising through the narrow river channels. It was an exciting experience! When I stepped into the paddle boat, I was so sure the boat would topple and we’d all fall into the water. I held on to my dear Hunter. (I baptized my camera Hunter. Yes, I name my stuff.) But the paddlers have mastered the art of balance and even if there were occasional boat-to-boat bumps, the paddlers deftly used the paddle and we coasted on the calm, brown waters gracefully. I was a happy kid on a sunny afternoon. 

Next: Day3 & Day 7: Riding the Reunification Express Train to Hanoi and Back

Day 1: Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) City Tour

After finding our hostel, checking in, and being ushered to our 6-bed dorm-type room, I finally hit the sack at about 4 AM. I was tired as hell but relieved that several months of dreaming, waiting, and planning did not go to waste. I woke up a few hours later at mid-morning on a Sunday.

The first order of business for the day was to eat. I was starving! There are a couple of places to eat along our street but The Coffee Lounge caught my attention (It must be the purple umbrellas.) I had bacon, eggs, bread, and iced coffee. It was a bit pricey for my standards but when you’re hungry, you cannot be so picky. I didn’t want to try Vietnamese food just yet. *wink*

Second order of business for the day: exchange our USD to Vietnamese dong (VND). This was a bit of a challenge at the start. Although Vietnam is known to be one of the low-cost tourist destinations in Asia, a lot of Vietnamese people know very little to no English. There are no English translations for shops or services so we had to rely on context clues and guts to ask shop owners. We probably walked an entire street just looking around before reaching an intersection and deciding we didn’t want to walk around aimlessly anymore. We decided to ask. We later found out that a lot of shops in Vietnam can exchange your dollars to VND. You just have to ask. And yes, if you need to, a little sign language or charades can help you put your question across. Also, a lot of shops accept USD so we saved our VND for expenses like fare and food.

Ga Saigon ticketing counters

We needed to purchase train tickets for our trip to Hanoi the next day so we took a cab to Ga Saigon (the train station). We had the same dilemma – no English translations. So we simply mimicked what the residents did despite the fact that we did not understand a single word on the slip of paper we had on our hands. Thankfully, it was the right thing to do. Now, time for some sightseeing!

Trung Nguyen's coffee-flavored ice cream

It started to drizzle after walking from the train station so we ducked into the nearest Trung Nguyen café to let the rain pass. Trung Nguyen is one of Vietnam’s homegrown coffee brands and there are cafes in almost every corner.

From Trung Nguyen, we decided to stop and look around Ben Thanh Market. They sell about almost everything in Ben Thanh from coffee beans, bags, and souvenir items. We bought a few items and when we remembered that we still have several days of traveling (and spending) to do, we swore to go back before flying back so we know how much money we can still burn.

An old Canon camera in the museum

Ho Chi Minh City Museum. This wasn’t part of our original itinerary but after a lot of wrong turns and stops, we somehow ended up here so we explored it anyway. For a small fee of 15,000 VND (around Php 30), you can see interesting pieces of artifacts from their history.

From the balcony of the Palace

Reunification Palace. The quest to find the Reunification Palace inspired a lot of travel tips for navigating the streets of Saigon. More on that in another post. Entrance fee was 30,000 VND.  From outside, it looks like Malacañang. I loved the water fountain in the middle of a very green circular field. Other than that, I found it too plain. What we found there are different meeting rooms with well-preserved furniture. Quite frankly, I enjoyed my museum visits more than this but then again, history was made here so it still feels great to visit a place that was instrumental to the country you’re visiting.

Amen!  A sight for the tired eyes.

Notre Dame Cathedral. A fellow Filipina we met at the Reunification Palace suggested we should check this out because of its architectural beauty and it was indeed a sight to see.

The clock on the building does the trick.

Central Post Office. The only reason we even trooped to this place was because we badly needed a map and a few people we asked told us this is where we could get it. The post office was also conveniently located beside the Cathedral so all we needed was to walk and get in. It’s a busy, busy, busy building with lots of people coming in and out. For some weird reason -- although I highly suspect it was the big clock on the façade of the building and the beautiful Old French interiors – I imagined I was in Europe. This place is a haven for tourists, too. 

My travel buddy & blogger Maan inside the Post.

There are several ATM machines, money exchange booths, items to sell, and a mailing center. It wouldn’t be called a post office for nothing. We lounged around a bit because we were tired from all the walking, even exchanged some USD, and just watched people doing their own transactions.  

Diamond Plaza. By the time we left the post office, my stomach was grumbling. We saw that there was a mall within the vicinity so we went in and guess what we found – KFC! Ahh, the little joys. Although their gravy is nowhere as lip-smacking as the one we have here, I was just glad I had my first rice of the day.  

Saigon Opera House at night.

 Saigon Opera House and City Hall. Dusk was starting to settle when we left the mall. We just had to see Saigon Opera House and the Ho Chi Minh City Hall, which are both astounding at night with the  lights illuminating the French-ness (if there is such a word) of the buildings.

Our tummies and our hearts full, we decided to call it a day.

Ho Chi Minh City Hall. There's actually a wedding pre-nup shoot happening right there!

Next: Day 2: Cruising Along Mekong Delta

Vietnam: Into the Motorcycle Capital of the World

A couple of bloggers and travelers have named Vietnam as the motorcycle capital of the world. And I acquiesce. At least for the major cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh (Saigon), the moniker does give justice to the hundreds and hundreds of motorbikes that rumble into the streets each day, sending locals and tourists a run for their lives. You cannot go to Vietnam and sashay like a ramp model. Of course, that wasn’t the impression running through my head in the pre-Vietnam days. Vietnam for me, meant coffee, French colony, and the UNESCO World Heritage site, Halong Bay.

We touched down at Tan Son Nhat International Airport at an ungodly hour. Our flight was delayed for more than an hour, pushing our 12:20 AM arrival further into the wee hours of the morning. The airport was almost deserted, save for a few sleepy personnel. We took a cab ($20) and went straight to our hostel in Pham Ngu Lao Ward in District 1. Fortunately, the taxi driver knew where the hostel was exactly located. The city was asleep too except for a couple of bars that were still open. I thought Saigon was a nice, quiet little city – until we slept and woke up the next day.

Saigon literally roars to life everyday with the motorcycles. One of the local tour guides told us that with the exception of children and old people, everyone owns a motorcycle in Vietnam. They outnumber the taxis, private cars, and buses and goodness, they run alongside these bigger modes of transport as if they were the same size!    

In Vietnam, a motorcycle driver is the king of the road -- even at rest.

So it wasn’t the quiet city I initially expected it to be, but it is a nice city. Their coffee exceeded my expectations and is incredibly delish. Something about the way they prepare the coffee or their water or their milk makes it really special. I brought home coffee from Vietnam and tried to make a cup as tasty but it is not quite the same. This is something you really have to try for yourself.

Trung Nguyen is one of Vietnam's homegrown coffee. (the chocoholic's favorite)

The French colony influence did not disappoint either. Vietnam has beautiful architectural structures. What I also admire is that they seem to be hell-bent in documenting their history, as evidenced by the number of museums they have. Sometimes, their museums overlap each other in some aspects. Nevertheless, it’s a conscious effort towards preserving their history and culture.

I will talk about Halong Bay in a separate post, as I am about to break down our backpacking trip per day. Because I really wanted to visit Halong Bay, which is in Hanoi (north) and still cross over to Cambodia (we are quite the ambitious first-time backpackers), we had to plan our itinerary really well. Although we ticked off a few items during the actual trip, we pretty much followed the itinerary we set for ourselves. Here’s a quick overview of our itinerary:

Day 1: Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) City Tour

Day 2: Cruising Along Mekong Delta

Day 3 & Day 7: Riding the Reunification Express Train to Hanoi and Back
Day 4: Exploring the Old Quarter Streets and Watching the Water Puppet Show

Day 5: Halong Bay in a Day

Day 6: Up Close with Vietnam's Patriarch

Day 8:  The Epic 40++ Traveling Hours for the Love of Cambodia

Day 9: Apsara Dancing and Shopping at the Angkor Night Market

Day 10: Visiting Angkor and Presenting... The Happy Pizza

Day 11: Why You Should Start Your Angkor Experience at the National Museum

Day 12: Getting Into A Little Trouble at Ben Thanh Market

Day 13: Exploring the Cu Chi Tunnels

And so begins our journey.   

Next: Day 1: Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) City Tour

How We Almost Didn’t Make It To Vietnam

The chocoholic's backpack

No journey is ever complete without a few bumps along the way. The first bump of our first backpacking trip came right at the beginning when we missed our flight to Vietnam.

No, we weren’t late for our flight. In fact, we were already at the Mactan Cebu International Airport two hours before our 6:15 PM flight to Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), where we’re supposed to take a 10:50 PM connecting flight to Ho Chi Minh. Between the 7:30PM estimated arrival time in NAIA and let’s say, the estimated boarding time of 10:20 PM, we had more than two hours of layover. We even checked in online so we can avoid the long counter lines. Besides, we took the term backpacking literally to heart and we carried one backpack and a smaller handbag each so no check-in baggages and more mobility for us. We were more than confident we’d catch the flight. The one thing we forgot: to factor in the moody, often tempestuous weather that the rainy season brings. June is, after all, the start of that season.

Our flight to Manila was delayed for about an hour. By the time the plane took off, I was very anxious. We’re going to have to make a run for the international airport as soon as we touchdown. The flight was a little turbulent – something I’m quite used to. I was a little relieved when I started seeing the buildings as we were about to land although I noticed the plane was shaking from the turbulence a little more than the usual. Like what I normally do before landing, I closed my eyes and waited for the landing thud. Instead, the plane accelerated, turned its nose upwards, and flew steeply back into the air. I quickly turned to my travel buddy with horrified eyes. It didn’t help that the week before the flight, the airline hit headlines when one of their planes overshot a runway in Davao airport. I recalled one passenger’s testimony of his experience. How convenient. Times like that, you NEVER want to remember things that can only aggravate your already frazzled nerves. Not one passenger said a word but we were looking at each other with meaningful expressions. We really thought we were in trouble.

Then the PA system cackled to life, breaking the uncomfortable silence and the captain explained that he had to abort landing due to zero visibility. Phew. He said he’d try to land the plane again but while we’re still circling the skies, he received a different order: all flights are to be diverted to Clark. Uh-oh. I told my travel buddy Maan we could get off in Clark and spend our dollars in Subic if everything else fails. Of course, that was just a joke in an attempt to lighten the situation. But deep inside, I was fighting my dwindling hopes. We landed in Clark safely and smoothly. Thank God, we’re alive! But we were stuck there, in our seats, inside the plane for 3 hours. At around 1AM, the plane received clearance to go back to NAIA.

By the time we arrived in NAIA, our plane to Saigon already left. The Cebu Pacific crew offered to put us and several passengers in the next flight and even extended their hospitality by graciously booking us in a nice hotel with free breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the next day before being shuttled back to the airport to take our rescheduled flight.  The rescheduled flight would have sufficed but hey, the free accommodation, shuttle, and meals did not hurt one bit either. In fact, the gesture was truly appreciated.

After all the paperwork was completed, we were shuttled to St. Giles Hotel in Makati. After assuring our parents we were safe, we finally slept at 4AM. What.A.Night! Despite hitting an unexpected snag in our plans, I am still extremely grateful that I lived – to tell the story and to write it.  

Next: Vietnam: Into the Motorcycle Capital of theWorld