Vietnam Tour

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PDay 1: HCMC - Pick up - Check in Hotel (Breakfast)

Day 2: HCMC - Mekong delta - (Breakfast & Lunch)

Day 3: HCMC - Cu Chi tunnel tour (Breakfast & Lunch)

Day 4: HCMC – Night train to Danang (Breakfast) 

Day 5: Da Nang pick up - Check in hotel in Hoi An town (No meals)

Day 6: Hoi An - My Son holly land (Breakfast & Light Lunch)

Day 7: Danang fly to Hanoi - Airport pick up - check in hotel in Hanoi (No meal)

Day 8: Hanoi - Halong Bay – V’Spirit Cruises (Breakfast, lunch & dinner)

Day 9: Halong Bay - Hanoi - Check in hotel in Hanoi (Breakfast & lunch)

Day 10: Hanoi – Transfer to airport – End the trip (Breakfast)

Monday 13 April

Arrived on time in empty Jetstar flight & visa took about half hour to process. 

Met by local rep from Signature Saigon Hotel.

I was expecting a lot of scooters in Ho Chi Minh City but not this many. 10m people & 7m scooters. Last year 30 people a day killed on Vietnam roads. 

Some intersections have traffic lights & are organized chaos & the rest are just total chaos. Most riders wear masks over faces for pollution like in Beijing. Hard to cross roads with all the scooters. Just walk & they somehow manage to just miss you. 

Warm weather but had downpour of rain (soon over).

Tuesday 

Great day visiting Mekong Delta. Fitted a lot in - ceramics workshop, temples, coconut toffee making, bee-keeping & honey making by an old farmer who played in a band with other awesome old farmers while we had honey tea (note to Greg & Mandy - we got the CD for the opening dance at the wedding!!!), paddling through the channels of the delta. Good dinner at a restaurant but much to be avoided on the menu! 

Elephant fish & Saigon beer.

Paddling Mekong Delta style.

Wednesday 

Visiting Cu Chi Tunnels. 

Going down 

Underground 

Resurfacing 

A unique way to spend our wedding anniversary visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels, the epicenter of the closing stages of the Vietnam War. It was confronting to see first hand the conditions that both sides fought in, but absolutely fascinating!

Thursday

Walking around Ho Chi Minh City & battling the traffic. 90 minute massage 300k Dong. 

Caught overnight train to Da Nang which left spot on time & arrived on schedule. Great to see the Vietnam countryside & so glad we opted for the train rather than flying.

Friday 

Arrived on schedule into Da Nang with its 1m population. Hotel rep took us past China Beach below & then to his family tailors.

After family tailor we were dropped at Sun River Hotel. 

Saturday 

Visited My Son Holy Land, with temples dating back to he 7th century amongst bomb craters from the war. It's like a Sleeping Beauty story as the temples were hidden in the overgrown jungle for 300 years before a French explorer discovered them. 

Went on a bus there, & came back by boat. Found sports bar in Hoi An to watch Super 15 rugby. 

Sunday

45 minute drive from Hoi An to Da Nang. Flew from Da Nang to Hanoi. Da Nang Airport very modern, clean & impressive. 

Hanoi much the same as Ho Chi Minh but roads better & not as busy. 

Went to beer corner & night markets. 

Behind Jane is the pavement for walking but filled with vendors' stuff & scooters. 

Monday 

Caught coach to Halong Bay which was about 200 km away but takes over 4 hours because of the terrible road & traffic. 

The caves were amazing & listed as one of the 7 natural wonders of the world. 

Then went to a beach for a swim. 

Asked one of the other guests to take a photo of us & the sunset but got an eclipse instead!

Sunset was amazing but not sure this picture from the mobile camera does it justice. 

Next morning we went kayaking or "carjacking" as our guide pronounced it, followed by a visit to a floating pearl farm.

Tomorrow our tour of Vietnam ends as we fly from Hanoi to Bangkok. I must say Halong Tours have been excellent & far exceeded our expectations.

Learnt 3 words in Vietnam

Hello is 

Beer is biera 

Thank you is c'mon