Vistas. This is Vietnam’s big sky country; a place of rippling mountains, cascading rice terraces, and the snowed-out karst topography for which the northern region is famed. A 6-hour bus ride from the city brought me to the town of Sapa, Lao Cai, that’s situated near the border of China.

After settling into a homestay in the village of Ta Van and a hearty breakfast the next morning, I went for a little trek through the rice fields with some newfound friends. A polite "so, where are you from?" breaks the ice quite easily wherever you are in the world.

I spent the next 48 hours in the city’s old quarter, nestled among ancient pagodas and well-preserved French-inspired colonial buildings, followed by a retreat amidst limestone outcrops amid serene rice paddies. Trang An is best appreciated on a languorous rowboat ride with the soundtrack of the river lapping against the oars.

With that, I took the last moments of my trip to a quiet homestay, comforting the soul with hearty bowls of pho and Vietnamese coffee.