Vietnam

I’m writing this blogpost from the airplane that will bring me to Bangkok. The capital of Thailand, the first place I ever saw in Asia (or outside Europe for that matter) and the start of my South-East Asian trip back in January. I’m writing this post on the third time I take this journey and I am writing this because I’m flying solo (again). The question I get asked the most about traveling by yourself is, “Doesn’t it get lonely?”. To answer this question I would have to say yes and no…

While going for Thai food yesterday, my friends and I were reminiscing on what we miss in Asia. The organized chaos, the diversity, the smiles and most importantly, the street food! I still remember my first visit to a street food market in Thailand like it was yesterday. It is overwhelming and hectic, but is there anything better than sitting down on one of those plastic stools and enjoying this amazing street food that is both delicious and super cheap? I knew immediately this was going to be my next blog post. Especially after seeing this photo this morning of my personal hero Anthony Bourdain and the American president in a little Hanoi street food diner. Hey, if it’s good enough for the president, it’s good enough for you. Not everyone is as excited about street food as I am, it can be quite scary when you arrive in Asia and it seems like everyone is making something on the corner of the street. Which food is safe and isn’t going to sentence you to the loo for most of the evening (food poisoning is violent!). Which food will taste the best? What if all the street stalls are making more of the same? What does it even say on the menu? How do I figure out how much it costs? The best pad thai I’ve had? On a corner in Koh tao. The best and most deliciously soft squid? On a beach in Cambodia. Tom yum goon I will always remember? Next to the road on the motorbike loop of Pakse, Laos. Eating so much we lost ability to walk? Definitely all around Malaysia! There is nothing that breaks my heart more than hearing somebody went to Singapore, where eating is the national hobby, and was afraid to eat in the hawker stalls. Therefore, I wanted to give you my 20 tips for eating street food in Asia without getting sick. I’ve tried and tested all of them and hope they will help you scope out your awesome next meal:

If there is ever a place to enjoy life in Vietnam, it most surely is in Hoi An. This cosy town in the middle of the country is full of exceptionally beautiful colonial buildings and has the best food, excellent shopping, a cosy atmosphere and one of the best spas of the entire country. Almost everybody that comes to this city stays longer than they intended to. I know I did. Since the city is most likely located halfway through your trip, whether you’re going south to north or the other way around, it’s the perfect place to relax, regroup and head back into the hustle and bustle of the rest of the country. Besides you’re going to need a couple of days anyway if you want to have some garments custom-made. Hoi An is after all thé place to do it. Sure, they will tell you that it can be ready within 24h, but when it comes down to it, you don’t want a badly finished piece of clothing nor do you want to be the person that is making the seamstresses work through the night. But most importantly, this is the city to eat, A LOT. The food here is by far the best I’ve eaten in Vietnam and you can even learn how to make it. Enjoy yourself with way too much shopping (I had to send a box home) or a trip to one of my favorite spas.