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Returning to Canada has been glorious! I had an amazing time on the Magdalen Islands, it reminded me some of the best places are so close to home.

But time is quickly passing and I'm already getting ready to leave again.

It's going to be a crazy trip. I'm flying 30 hours to Kuala Lumpur to get Alan and then immediately together we're flying 34 hours back to the Americas.

AM I CRAZY?

Maybe.
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You're Missing Out on Vietnam's Best Noodles

Many people think Vietnamese food begins and ends with pho.

I get it. Pho is amazing. But focusing only on pho is like going to Italy and only eating spaghetti.

Vietnam has incredible noodle dishes that most travelers never try. And honestly, most of them are better than pho.

I love spending time in Vietnam eating my way through street stalls and family kitchens. What I discovered will change how you think about Vietnamese food.

The Noodle Scene Everyone's Missing

Here's what happened when I asked locals about their favorite noodles.

Not one person said pho.

They talked about dishes I'd never heard of. Noodles with names I couldn't pronounce. Soups that cost a few dollars and tasted better than anything I'd eaten in restaurants back home.

What You'll Find When You Look Beyond Pho

Each soup shares a different story about Vietnam's food culture. Bowls can be named the same, but are very different from north to south.

Some are as briny as the ocean, others fermented and funky.

And some are so spicy they'll bring tears to your eyes.

Some of these dishes you can only find in certain regions. Others are everywhere once you know what to look for.

Why This Matters for Your Next Trip

Learning about these noodles changed how I traveled in Vietnam.

Instead of hitting the same spots every other tourist saw on Netflix, I was following locals to tiny stalls tucked into alleyways.
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I was having conversations with vendors who lit up when I ordered something other than pho. And curious diners who stared to see my reaction, giving me hand signals on how to eat it properly.

These noodle dishes became my guide to understanding different regions of Vietnam. Each bowl told me something about the people who created it and their kindness as I had no idea what I was eating so I just said yes to everything.

Plus, most of these dishes cost less than two dollars. Your wallet will thank you.

The Noodle Knowledge You Need

This isn't to shame people who want to eat pho, and instead inspire you to try something completely new.

You can watch the full breakdown in my latest YouTube video. I show you exactly what each dish looks like and how locals eat them.

Or if you prefer reading, I wrote a detailed guide on the blog with photos of every single noodle dish, where to find them and why each one is special.

Both will help you eat like a local on your next Vietnam trip.

Trust me, once you try bun bo hue or cao lau, you'll understand why Vietnamese food is so much more than pho.

Keep life delicious,

Ayngelina

P.S. I'm working on a Vietnam food tour with a local guide I've known for years. If you're interested in joining me to eat these dishes where they originated, you can sign up here. No commitment, it's just a separate email that will only go out to people interested in Vietnam.