For map of the route taken click Here & Here
Deviations from this route will be shown in individual sections
Deviations from this route will be shown in individual sections
LIST OF CONTENTS
15/11/14 to
16/11/14 – Sihanukville to Kampot – 103km – Easy
17/11/14 – Kampot
18/11/14 – Kampot
to Ha Tien - 48km – Easy
20/11/14 – Ha Tien
to Chau Doc – 105km – Easy
22/11/14 – Chau Doc
to Cao Lanh – 90km – Easy
23/11/14 – Cao Lanh
to Can Tho – 65km (approx) – Easy
25/11/14 – Can Tho
to Soc Trang – 70km – Easy
26/11/14 – Soc
Trang to Bac Lieu – 70km – Easy
27/11/14 – Bac Lieu
to Ca Mau – 66km – Easy
28/11/14 – Ca Mau
29/11/14 – Ca Mau
to Vi Thanh – 106km – Easy
30/11/14 – Vi Thanh
to Can Tho – 46km - Easy
02/12/14 – Can Tho
to Soc Trang – 61km – Easy
04/12/14 – Soc
Trang to Tra Vinh – 62km – Easy
05/12/14 – Tra Vinh
to My Tho – 62km – Easy
06/12/14 – My Tho
to Ho Chi Minh – 68km - Easy20/05/15 – Long Xuyen to Rach Gia – 60km – Easy
Conclusions & overall costs
15/11/14 – Sihanukville to Kampot –
103km – Easy
 |
| Passed a cyclist relaxing on Hun Sen Beach |
Arriving in Kampot the first
2 guesthouses I tried were full but one of the great things about Kampot is
it’s packed full of good value Guesthouses & I soon found a really nice fan
room with hot shower & panoramic views over Kampot & the surrounding
hills. For $8 Champeysor Guesthouse was good value, especially the rooftop
rooms & safe bike storage a big plus.
17/11/14 – Kampot
I’d scheduled an extra day
in Kampot primarily as I wanted to enjoy Magic Sponges “Monday Madness” &
also to stock up on supplies that can be hard to find in Vietnam
(sunscreen, coffeemate, instant coffee etc).
Kampot’s a friendly, laid
back place with a Bohemian feel to it & it’s small enough to get the feel
of very quickly. Finding a local restaurant offering incredibly good value food
made it even more enjoyable. An example would be stir fried shrimp, squid,
cauliflower & broccoli + rice for $1. Not particularly large portions but
still fantastic value. It’s located almost opposite Sen Monorom Guesthouse.
At night I headed to Magic
Sponge Guesthouse & restaurant where their “Monday Madness” offer means a
free draft beer for every $1 spent on food. The chicken Thali consisted of
chicken curry, spinach & paneer cheese curry, daal, rice & a chapatti –
large portions in each department. Including 6 free beers the bill came to $6,
absolutely fantastic value & a lovely change from my usual diet. Bumping
into an old friend & enjoying some great company with my meal made it a
great night.
18/11/14 – Kampot
to Ha Tien – 48km – Easy
Highway 33
was a good road surface, flat & bearing fairly light traffic. It would have
been a very enjoyable cycle except for a constant crosswind that has plagued me
all the way from Sihanoukville. In Southern Cambodia
November is the time when the wind whips up making cycling harder work than at
other times.
Around the
20km mark I passed the turnoff to Kep & saw absolutely no reason to detour
20km to eat overpriced seafood in an unappealing village (Kep’s one of the few
places in Cambodia
I really don’t like). Instead I enjoyed a quick meal in one of the roadside
restaurants.
Pushing on
& around the 22km mark I took a right turn onto road 1332 & it turned
out to be a great road to cycle. The pace of life suddenly slowed & a
feeling of complete tranquility enveloped me. Passing colourfully dressed
Khmers laboring in the fields, water buffalo wallowing in muddy pools,
listening to birdsong & insect choirs with next to no cars on the road but
lots of kids cycling by often with siblings balanced on the back racks, a few
motorcycles with large wicker baskets strung across the rear & piled high
with produce, their wives precariously perched atop the bundle. 
With a good
road surface & pancake flat it’s one of the most enjoyable stretches of
road I’ve ever cycled. It just felt natural to take it fantastically slowly
& the surroundings engendered a feeling of being at peace with life. Once
again I realized I was whistling away to myself as I cycled but was
disconcerted to realize it was Aqua’s “I’m a Barbie girl” that I’d been
unconsciously whistling. Hopefully it’s because I’ve been seeing too many
schoolgirls cycling with their Barbie satchels rather than me developing a
dreadful taste in music. 
Arriving at
the border I got the 1st puncture of this trip. I pushed the bike
through Cambodian & Vietnam immigration (hassle free, both sides friendly
& helpful) & my first task in Vietnam was to change the back
tube. Unfortunately 2 moto drivers insisted on “helping” me, their intentions
were good but assistants pulling on the chain, winding gears or stuffing a new
tube into a tyre before I’ve found the cause of the puncture can be bloody
annoying. I’d really rather do things myself. With rear wheel punctures my
hands always come away covered in oil which then transmits to everything else
(bag, shirt, handgrips etc) & I must look out for surgical gloves to
alleviate the nuisance.
With only
6km to go I was soon in Ha Tien & looking around for a hotel. My first
night in a new country & I decided to splash out $12 on a room in the Du
Hung Hotel. A/C, hot shower, fridge, river view, an elevator & my bikes
securely stored in reception. (NB – There’s lots of perfectly decent $10 rooms
in town).
By night I
headed to the small nightmarket (now located opposite the fish market) &
enjoyed crispy fried noodles with seafood ($1.75) before heading to Oasis bar
& restaurant for a few beers. Astonishingly cheap a foreign bar selling
beers for 50cents & even his food is good value including a full Western
breakfast for $4.00. Chatted to Andy about his life in Vietnam &
up to date road conditions before picking up some carry out food & beers
for the room.
20/11/14 – Ha Tien
to Chau Doc – 105km – Easy
Straight
off I was held up by a funeral procession & wasted ½ hour before I was
crossing the bridge & enjoying views of Ha Tien’s scenic waterfront. Four
kilometers down road 80 I took a left turn onto road 955A. It’s not signposted
but was the 1st major left turn. Once again strong crosswinds
plagued me all day.
Road 955A
was a good road surface, flat with extremely light traffic. Initially the
scenery was disappointing with spindly trees along the roadside, a dirty brown
canal on the left & barren rice field’s stretching into the distance but
later the roadside trees became more mature & vibrant, hills became visible
in the background & river traffic enlivened the scene. Still, I did miss
the colour & diversity of Cambodian roadside activity.
An early
pit stop saw me enjoy a baguette with 2 fried eggs & vegetables (50 cents)
& later a plate of stewed pork, egg & rice for $1. I’m finding it
frustrating to be back in a country where I can’t speak a word of the language
& I know there’s better food on offer but I don’t know what to order.
Around the
55km mark I took a detour to Ba Chuc to view the Bone Pagoda. In April 1978
Khmer Rouge soldiers slaughtered 3,157 innocent Vietnamese civilians, part of
the reason why Vietnam
invaded Cambodia
in the same year. According to Lonely Planet of the photographs on view; - “Be
warned, once seen they’re difficult to erase from the memory banks” I spent ½
hour looking around but couldn’t find the damn place. Still it was a scenic,
interesting detour.
Pushing on
I passed Tinh Bien which is a fair sized town with at least 2 hotels & lots
of amenities if the legs happen to be wearying. From Tinh Bien to Chau Doc the
road deteriorated somewhat & became fairly rough in some patches
Arriving in
Chau Doc, I checked a couple of hotels before settling on Mekong Lotus Hotel.
$8 for a big fan room, cable TV, hot shower, safe bike storage & patio
doors opening onto a side street balcony. Great value & the staff
downstairs are delightfully friendly & helpful.
A quick shower
grabbed a couple of beers & went straight to the kebab shop near the market
for 2 x 50cent kebabs. Later I found a great little restaurant in the night
market, very welcoming, an English language menu, great food for $1.50 to $2
& 50 cent beers to wash it down. If, like me you find yourself wandering
around Chau Doc night market wondering what the hells on offer, you could do
worse than stop at (Quan Com) Ut Cat restaurant. 
I ended up
staying an extra day in Chau Doc & found it to be an amazingly friendly
little town. Like Koh Kong in Cambodia
it’s easy to get the wrong 1st impression when confronted with cyclo
drivers hustling for business. But once they understand that No! I’m not
interested in ganja, tours, massage, sex with a local etc then they relax &
are really happy to chat about life. They were all really nice guys once that
initial barrier had been crossed.
Photos of Mekong Lotus Hotel & (Quan com) Ut Cat restaurant - Here
22/11/14 – Chau Doc
to Cao Lanh – 90km – Easy
A really
varied day today whether in terms of scenery, road conditions, traffic volume
that to be honest the impressions were coming so thick & fast, I’m not sure
I’ve got then in the right order. Anyhow as best as I remember it;-
Straight
off a ferry ride across the river from Chau Doc. My intent was to turn right
& follow road 953 which would involve 2 further ferry crossings before
linking up with road 30. At the last minute I decided to detour via Tan Chau which
as a pretty pointless detour as Tan Chau turned out to be a fairly nondescript,
uninteresting town. Coming into town I passed a row of restaurants & had a
wonderful breakfast of prawns, vegetable, rice + pork & veg soup ($2). The
run up on road 953 was pleasant enough with lots of colourful roadside activity
& rustic stilted houses clinging to the canal banks. Traffic was heavier
than I’m used to but never oppressively so.
From Tan
Chau I caught another ferry (10 cents) across the water to meet up with road
841 for a somewhat unappealing cycle to the junction with road 30.
Turning
onto road 30 initially traffic was fairly heavy but the volume soon thinned out
& it proved to be a nice cycle ride. Vibrant paddy fields, colourful local
houses, bridges over picturesque canal scenes & local cyclists everywhere.
Arriving in Cao Lanh I followed the Lonely Planet recommendation to Xuan Mai
Hotel, $10 for a big A/C room, cable TV, hot shower, fridge, good wi-fi &
very quiet. 
Shortly
after midday today I’d been disappointed that I’d taken the early detour when I
could have enjoyed a scenic, tranquil ride through the countryside to Cao Lanh
but now I’m fairly glad I took today’s route – there was so much variety &
different impressions flying at me all day. Ferry crossings, busy towns, rural
settings, rice fields, urban sprawl, canal side dwellings, river traffic,
buses, cars, trucks, oxen carts, kids on pushbikes, (one) horse & cart,
short wheelbase tractors, canoes, boats, cruise liners etc, etc. It was hard to
take it all in.  |
| Never seen a gold insect before |
23/11/14 – Cao Lanh
to Can Tho – 65km (approx) – Easy
The day
began with a ferry crossing to pick up road 848. Going to the payment window
the girl gave me a big smile & waved me through – apparently cyclists
travel for free. Road 848 to Sa Dec was reasonably scenic with light to
moderate traffic & coming into Sa dec passing well tended nursery’s of
colourful flowers was an enjoyable few km’s. Sa dec itself surprised me &
is a bigger town than I’d expected with lots of canal side activity & old
colonial buildings in various stages of decay. 
I opted to
exit Sa Dec via road 853 & it was a very enjoyable cycle. Young fruit
tree’s lined the road, flooded rice fields stretched into the horizon &
picturesque local dwellings everywhere. There was a tranquilness to this road
that made an occasional passing car seem completely out of place & it was a
great 20 km stretch of road. 
At one
point as I was cycling along a family sitting outside their house came into
view. Only the youngest daughter (perhaps 5 or 6 years old) noticed me &
her eyes bulged & her mouth was literally wide open with amazement. As I
neared all she could do was point at me & prod her mother she was obviously
speechless at the passing spectacle. When I smiled at her & gave her an exaggerated
wave her look of absolute amazement intensified. Like the young guys cleaning
my bike in Battambang on a previous trip, I know the picture of her face, full
of amazement & wonder will keep popping into my head & remain a
highlight of this trip.
Arriving at
the 1st ferry terminal for Can Tho I handed over 20,000 Dong for a
2,000 Dong ticket, he said “thank you” & pocketed the money thinking I
didn’t know the difference. I threw a major tantrum, told him he was a cheating
**** & regained my 20,000 Dong. Cycling to the 2nd ferry
terminal I arrived with a flat back tyre. This time they gave me 15,000 Dong
change from my 20,000 note i.e. “only” charging me 2 1/2 times the proper fare.
With a flat back tyre I didn’t have much choice but to grin & bear it
although I did make them aware I knew I was being cheated.
It’s so
frustrating getting back from the countryside where everyone’s so honest &
having to deal with cheating, robbing scum who think every foreigner is rich
& deserves to be fleeced.
I couldn’t
be bothered with oil all over my hands & pushed the bike around town to Xuan Mai
Minihotel. I passed a few
motorcycle/ bicycle repair places that could have patched my tube but the ferry
operators had put me in such a foul mood I didn’t want to give the locals
another chance to rip me off.
Xuan Mai
Minihotel is usually OK, big airy rooms with
all the trimmings, safe bike storage & centrally located but this time my
fridge didn’t work & for $12 I expect perfection. Dumped a bag of laundry
with them & it will be great to have a bag of clean clothes again.
 |
| 30 cents each |
NOTE 1 –
Co-op Mart
If a town
has a Co-op Mart it’s always worth a visit not least they often have extremely
cheap fruit platters. In Can Tho I got a platter of pre packed strawberries,
ripe mango, lychees, custard apple & water melon for 30 cents.
25/11/14 – Can Tho
to Soc Trang – 70km – Easy
I kept
taking wrong turns trying to get out of Can Tho & was glad of Google Maps
to keep getting me back on the right route, finally making it over the bridge
& onto road 91c. It didn’t help that a local drove his motorcycle alongside
for much of the way trying out his piss poor English & disturbing my
concentration.  |
| The tree caught my eye, not the house |
Arriving in
Dai Ngai, I was absolutely starving & stopped at a small restaurant.
Ignoring the owner’s offer of a hot dog which I knew would be a disaster;
instead I pointed to a customer’s empty bowl & said “one of those”. I
expected some sort of noodle soup but it turned out to be what Cambodians call
“koh korr” i.e. a slowly simmered beef stew served with crispy baguette. It was
absolutely superb & by far the best meal of my trip so far. When I went to
pay, the owner had been sitting with his granddaughter working on writing
40,000 (fourtee thosand – fortee x ten thosand). Just under $2, amazing value
& such a friendly welcoming family. Second restaurant on the right as you
come into Dai Ngai, well worth a stop. (NB – The Vietnamese call this dish Bo
Kho). 
It’s so
good to be out of the tourist towns & back to wonderfully friendly, honest
people. 3 times today I stopped to check my location via my phone & on each
occasion within a few seconds someone stopped to check I was OK & help me
with directions. On one occasion I noticed an icebox outside a house &
stopped to buy some water, on checking the icebox it was full of vegetables
& the lady didn’t actually sell water – still she sent her daughter into
the house & came out with a bottle of water “free” “free” she delightfully
informed me. Nearing Soc Trang, I noticed a fallen tree trunk lying in the
shade & stopped for a seat, cigarette & water break. No sooner had I sat
down than a wizened old lady came across & insisted I come & sit in her
shaded veranda. Really overwhelmingly, faith restoringly, friendly, hospitable,
honest people. It makes me feel humble to be amongst them.
That’s why
I flare at the shysters & crooks working the tourist towns – they don’t
represent Vietnam
& do such a disservice to the 99% of honest, hard working, hospitable people in
this country that go out of their way to help foreigners & give them a good
impression of their country.
Taking a
right turn at Dai Ngai, I found myself on road 60 enjoying another great 20km
cycle. The fruit trees gave way to lush green paddy fields & picturesque,
if very humble dwellings, often only thatch walls & roofs with mud floors.
 |
| Dealing with a snake |
I really
like Soc Trang but it’s not the most exciting town by night. I headed for a
vendor I know does superb grilled pork over rice. Pork chop, spare ribs, rice
& soup for $2, then the Co-op Mart for some beers & fruit to enjoy in
my comfortable room.
26/11/14 – Soc
Trang to Bac Lieu – 70km – Easy
A great
nights rest in Khach San Hotel, one problem with a hotel this nice is
subsequent hotels become a disappointment.
Headed off
on the road to Vinh Chau & getting out of the city I picked up road 8 which
was fairly boring with bland scenery & heavy traffic. After 10km a right
turn & the scenery improved, the pace of life slowed right down & the
volume of traffic dropped off dramatically. The following 30km was OK but I
soon got bored of rice fields stretching to the horizon & was glad when
some fish farms appeared to break up the monotony.
By far the
best cycling today was exiting Vinh Chau & turning onto road 91c, a 30km
stretch of peaceful, tranquil cycling; pretty little houses with painted wooden
shuttering & weathered terracotta roof tiles, Khmer style wats, scenic
canal crossings & passing through interesting little villages. It had a
distinct Cambodian feel to it, not least the way the kids suddenly got louder
& bolder with their “hellos”
Stopping to
buy some water, I was surprised to hear them speaking Khmer & they in turn
were absolutely gob smacked when I started to speak Khmer myself. It was nice
to be passing temples where I could cycle in & have a rest stop in shaded,
calm surroundings. On one such occasion an elderly man approached me &
stuck up a conversation with good English, trying out my Khmer he proved to be
fluent (native tongue he explained) & somehow we got onto Thai which he
also spoke fluently. A really interesting guy with a fascinating life story.
Today I often forgot I was in Vietnam
it really had such a Khmer feel & vibe to the whole route. 
Bac Lieu
was another place that surprised me how large it was – I’d been expecting a
smallish town or village rather than a city. I headed straight to the bus
station in the hope of finding a cheap hotel & Ngoc Cuong will do but for
$10 it’s a characterless, shoebox of a room & I’m sure there are better
deals around. There are lots of options on Tran Phu Street opposite the bus station.
Seeing me tinkering with my bike the hotel owner professed to being a wizard
with bikes (I think, I didn’t actually understand a word he was saying) &
adjusted my spokes to remove an annoying buckle from my back wheel.
I’m getting
a bit frustrated with food in Vietnam,
I know there’s good food out there but just don’t know what to order. Earlier
today I resorted to more rice & pork, tonight fried noodle, bean sprouts
& a bowl of broth & meat was filling enough & good value for $1.70
but once again was instantly forgettable.
27/11/14 – Bac Lieu
to Ca Mau – 66km – Easy
Bac Lieu is
the first place in the Mekong Delta where I’ve not been tempted to spend an
extra night. It doesn’t help that the hotel was ordinary to say the least. The
locals were very friendly but still I was glad to get up & off.
I’d
considered doing the coastal route to Ca Mau but decided just to run straight
down highway 1A. Undoubtedly a bad decision as today’s route took in fairly
bland scenery only enlivened with some interesting roadside activity & a
few colourful Cao Dai temples. Traffic was moderately heavy but with a wide
shoulder safety was never an issue.
Arriving in
Ca Mau I checked a few hotels & got a fright at the prices quoted ($18 to
$30). I ended up at Trung Hieu Hotel (formerly Than Son Hotel) where for $10
I’ve got a slightly grotty A/C room with hot shower & street side balcony.
Everything’s well worn, the A/c isn’t very effective & located on a busy
road it’s extremely noisy but it seems to be as good as you get for $10 in Ca
Mau. 
I’d really
been looking forward to a good Vietnamese night market & according to
Lonely Planet “In the evenings the Eastern end of D Pham Ngoc Hien becomes a
big outdoor café” – not that I could find! I spent a long time looking but it
just wasn’t there. I finally settled for a noodle soup restaurant & another
filling, inexpensive but unmemorable meal. I was surprised to see an incredible
number of hamburger stalls in Ca Mau especially on D Phan Ngoc Hien just over
the bridge where there’s a row of ten identical stalls.
My plan was
to stay 2 or 3 nights in Ca Mau & at some point cycle to the Southern most
part of Vietnam but with the extremely poor value for accommodation I’m not so
sure anymore. I’ll see how I feel tomorrow.
Photos of Trung Hieu Hotel - Here
28/11/14 – Ca Mau
I spent the
day aimlessly wandering around this pleasant & friendly city. There wasn’t
much in the way of “sights” but wandering along the canal side was pleasant
& felt a million miles away from the city spread out above.
A
distressing scene today; I was crossing a bridge & stopped to take a photo
when I heard a fairly loud bang. I turned & saw a middle aged lady in
peasant clothes lying on the ground, her crashed bicycle lying beside her. A
motorbike had forced her into a wooden cart parked by the roadside. The cart
owner & another bystander were already trying to help the poor lass who was
crying her eyes out & obviously in a lot of pain. It looked like a broken
ankle to me. I knew a foreigner standing around gawping wasn’t going to help so
I forced $10 worth of Dong into her hand & told the guys “doctor” “doctor”
which they seemed to understand. I just hope the poor lass is OK.
I don’t
actually know the number of the road I took but it’s the one that links Ca Mau
with Phuoc Long & then linking up with Phuong 1 (according to Google Maps).
It was a pleasant enough cycle viewing flooded paddy fields, palm trees &
with sparse traffic I often had the road to myself, however it wasn’t until I
exited Phuong 1 & onto road 61B that I really began to enjoy my cycling.
The road began to follow a canal with lots of interesting traffic chugging up &
down, flowering water lilies covered a river to my right & lots of
colourful street side activity. The traffic did get heavier on this stretch but
it didn’t matter, there was more than enough scenery to compensate. 
Passing
through Long My it was a pretty little town & I was tempted to seek out a
hotel & investigate further but decided to push on to Vi Thanh. My back
wheel had been deflating all day but at such a slow rate a scouch of air would
last me an hour or so. Thankfully it got me to Vi Thanh as I really couldn’t be
bothered with oily hands & changing another back tube on route. Hunted
around for a hotel finally settling for Thanh Phuc (497 Tran Hung Doa) &
for $8.50 I’m more than happy; A/C, hot shower, fridge, cable TV although no
outside window.
Dumped my
bags before grabbing a quick noodle soup & then off to the Co-op Mart for
some cheap water & beers. I’m getting really fed up with back wheel
punctures so decided to switch the front tyre onto the back & vice versa.
It took some time & a lot of annoying, unnecessary assistance from the
locals. Cleaned up, grabbed some pork baguettes (50 cents & wonderful)
before scribbling some notes & calling it a day.
30/11/14 – Vi Thanh
to Can Tho – 46km – Easy
I had a lot
of options regarding which roads to use today & decided to ignore the road
signs for Can Tho & instead follow the canal (road 932 according to Google
Maps) – it proved to be a good choice. A few Km’s of superhighway with no
traffic on it soon gave way to a single lane road running alongside a canal
with lots of traffic on it whether small canoes paddled by lone fishermen or
large barges carrying sand or bricks. I even spotted a barge transporting a JCB
digger. 
The road
passed through interesting villages with lots of colourful street side activity
including many rustic wedding receptions. Crossing lots of rickety old bridges
gave great vantage points to observe the canal life below & often colourful
flowers adorned the houses & roadside. I was kept company by motorbikes
& fellow cyclists but it was rare to find a car passing. A pretty wonderful
stretch of road & one of the best of this trip so far.
I didn’t
want pork & rice (or noodle soup) for breakfast again but after 20km gave
up on finding anything different & pulled in for more rice & pork.
Perfectly OK & for $1 great value but it does get monotonous after a time.
The road
surface was somewhat rough in patches & I did worry if my old tyres would hold
out, I really need to replace them ASAP.
The final
12km was on a boring 4 lane, featureless highway which I soon got bored of
& with lots of time on my hands I took some back roads into Can Tho,
getting lost often but seeing some interesting suburbs of the city.
Back to
Xuan Mai Hotel for a $12 A/C room & handing in some laundry means I’ll be
spending an extra day here.
I’d a
choice of routes today & was tempted to try the road via Ke Sach but decided
as I’d not actually seem a floating market yet I’d go via Cai Rang. The
floating market at Cai Rang was a disappointment, especially when viewed from a
far off bridge & I realized you really need to hire a boat to get the most
from such an experience.
From Cai
Rang I continued on & met up with highway one, a heavily trafficked,
unscenic road. Part of the reason I chose this route was to get some exposure
to heavy traffic including buses, trucks & blaring horns in preparation for
my run into Ho Chi Minh City.
The main highways in Vietnam
are obviously less enjoyable than quiet country roads but I rarely feel unsafe
on then, the traffic is used to local cyclists & generally give me lots of
room.
My intent
was to arrive in Soc Trang early, visit a few temples & buy a new tyre but
arriving in a heavy prolonged downpour meant I just basked in the luxury of my
$12 room at Khach San Thien Duong Hotel – Highly recommended (see 25/11/14).
I had a
great day yesterday aimlessly wandering around Soc Trang, visiting a few
temples & always knowing I’d a wonderful room to return to. At the “Bat
Pagoda” some kids were half heartedly hustling for money, only they were
speaking Khmer, when I answered them in Khmer they were absolutely gob smacked
& it led to me having an interesting chat with some elderly monks.
I was
disappointed to be leaving Thien Duong Hotel but also keen to get moving again.
I headed out onto road 60 & the run up to Dai Ngai was pleasant enough with
good road conditions, pleasant scenery & the knowledge that a good meal
awaited in Dai Ngai. I’d made a point of not eating anything all morning so I
could do justice to Thien Nga’s “Bo Kho” (see 25/11/14). Once again it was
absolutely wonderful & without her husband around she was nervous as hell
serving me but I could see the delight on her face when I started wolfing it
down. I’d picked a perfect time to have lunch as the schools were coming out
& hoards of kids were cycling by, many of the girls elegantly dressed in Ao
Dai’s.
Arriving in
Tra Vinh I spent a long time looking for a room, nothing much seemed decent
value & Luu Luyen’s $5 fan room was too much of a step down from what I’d
got used to in Soc Trang. I ended up at Tra Vinh Palace 2 & a $12 A/C room with
fridge, hot shower & large balcony. It’s Ok & was very quiet.
A wander
around at night & I did find a great little budget restaurant. Pork patties
(hamburgers) in a lovely sauce with rice & soup was delicious – not the
biggest portion but who cares for $1. The foods beginning to improve as I get
into more affluent areas, I do hope it continues.
What a
fantastic day & the perfect end to my Mekong Delta travels. I’d had a very
enjoyable night in Tra Vinh & it’s another place I’d have liked to stay an
extra day. A slow start to the day meant I didn’t get on the road until shortly
after 10am.
I followed
road 60 for a few km before coming to the 1st ferry crossing which
was very enjoyable with lots of river traffic & the Mekong
wide & somewhat wild at this point. Disembarking, I continued to follow
road 60 as close as I could although I kept accidentally branching off onto
idyllic country roads. Great road conditions, great scenery & some of the
most enjoyable cycling of this whole trip. It had it all, scenic river
crossings, long stretches of idyllic country roads shaded by coconut palms
& often I had the road to myself.
At one
point I passed a wizened old lady sitting side saddle on the back rack of a
bicycle as her granddaughter cycled her somewhere. Not long after I saw 2 guys
shouldering a stout bamboo pole with a blanket attached thereby forming a
moveable hammock. Lying inside was an ancient old woman, I presumed they were
transporting her to a hospital but perhaps it was simply to give her some sun.
Lots of
tombs in the middle of rice field & presumably they bury their dead in the
fields they have worked all their lives. There wasn’t much services on the road
today, especially regarding food & I was glad I’d some cakes & fruit in
my daypack.
Arriving in
My Tho, I checked Lonely Planet & the cheapest room their researchers could
come up with was $20. I like Lonely Planet & think their Vietnam
guidebook is well written but it certainly doesn’t cater to budget travelers
anymore. The first hotel I checked had a perfectly adequate room for $7,
breakfast included.
My Tho
surprised me, a really friendly little city & I’ve had a good night &
some great food here. It’s nice to be back to a place where the stalls have
English language menus. I followed the LP recommendation to Hu Tien 44 &
had a wonderful hu tien My Tho ($1.20) & later visited a small night market
for fried noodle with seafood ($1.20).
02/12/14 – Can Tho
to Soc Trang – 61km – Easy
I’d a
choice of routes today & was tempted to try the road via Ke Sach but decided
as I’d not actually seem a floating market yet I’d go via Cai Rang. The
floating market at Cai Rang was a disappointment, especially when viewed from a
far off bridge & I realized you really need to hire a boat to get the most
from such an experience. From Cai
Rang I continued on & met up with highway one, a heavily trafficked,
unscenic road. Part of the reason I chose this route was to get some exposure
to heavy traffic including buses, trucks & blaring horns in preparation for
my run into Ho Chi Minh City.
The main highways in Vietnam
are obviously less enjoyable than quiet country roads but I rarely feel unsafe
on then, the traffic is used to local cyclists & generally give me lots of
room.
Just before
Phung Hiep traffic thinned out & the road became more scenic as it followed
a canal with lots of river traffic to enjoy. I’ve missed my fried egg baguettes
lately but today I spotted a vendor. A lovely 50 cent snack, 2 fried eggs,
always very fresh bread & enlivened with lots of vegetables & special
sauces.
 |
| Arriving in a downpour |
04/12/14 – Soc
Trang to Tra Vinh – 62km – Easy
I had a
great day yesterday aimlessly wandering around Soc Trang, visiting a few
temples & always knowing I’d a wonderful room to return to. At the “Bat
Pagoda” some kids were half heartedly hustling for money, only they were
speaking Khmer, when I answered them in Khmer they were absolutely gob smacked
& it led to me having an interesting chat with some elderly monks. I was
disappointed to be leaving Thien Duong Hotel but also keen to get moving again.
I headed out onto road 60 & the run up to Dai Ngai was pleasant enough with
good road conditions, pleasant scenery & the knowledge that a good meal
awaited in Dai Ngai. I’d made a point of not eating anything all morning so I
could do justice to Thien Nga’s “Bo Kho” (see 25/11/14). Once again it was
absolutely wonderful & without her husband around she was nervous as hell
serving me but I could see the delight on her face when I started wolfing it
down. I’d picked a perfect time to have lunch as the schools were coming out
& hoards of kids were cycling by, many of the girls elegantly dressed in Ao
Dai’s.
From Dai
Ngai I took 2 ferries (10 cents each) with a short, enjoyable cycle in between,
eventually picking up road 60 around Cau Quan. From there the road to Tra Vinh
was very enjoyable; decent road, light to moderate traffic & lots of greenery,
whether coconut or banana plantations or simply mature trees lining the
roadside. The road passed huge churches out of place with their rural
surrounding, Chinese style temples & numerous Khmer style Wats.
Arriving in
Tra Vinh I spent a long time looking for a room, nothing much seemed decent
value & Luu Luyen’s $5 fan room was too much of a step down from what I’d
got used to in Soc Trang. I ended up at Tra Vinh Palace 2 & a $12 A/C room with
fridge, hot shower & large balcony. It’s Ok & was very quiet. A wander
around at night & I did find a great little budget restaurant. Pork patties
(hamburgers) in a lovely sauce with rice & soup was delicious – not the
biggest portion but who cares for $1. The foods beginning to improve as I get
into more affluent areas, I do hope it continues.
05/12/14 – Tra Vinh
to My Tho – 62km – Easy
MAP of today's route
What a
fantastic day & the perfect end to my Mekong Delta travels. I’d had a very
enjoyable night in Tra Vinh & it’s another place I’d have liked to stay an
extra day. A slow start to the day meant I didn’t get on the road until shortly
after 10am. I followed
road 60 for a few km before coming to the 1st ferry crossing which
was very enjoyable with lots of river traffic & the Mekong
wide & somewhat wild at this point. Disembarking, I continued to follow
road 60 as close as I could although I kept accidentally branching off onto
idyllic country roads. Great road conditions, great scenery & some of the
most enjoyable cycling of this whole trip. It had it all, scenic river
crossings, long stretches of idyllic country roads shaded by coconut palms
& often I had the road to myself. At one
point I passed a wizened old lady sitting side saddle on the back rack of a
bicycle as her granddaughter cycled her somewhere. Not long after I saw 2 guys
shouldering a stout bamboo pole with a blanket attached thereby forming a
moveable hammock. Lying inside was an ancient old woman, I presumed they were
transporting her to a hospital but perhaps it was simply to give her some sun.
The second
ferry crossing was a disappointment as I got hemmed in & spent 10 minutes
looking at the sides of trucks & motorcycle exhausts.
 |
| Veered off the main road occasionally |
Cong Doan
Hotel, $7 fan room, cable TV – a bit scuffed & worn but still great value.
That said it was bloody noisy located next to a restaurant playing music only
Asians (or Westerners on drugs) can pretend to enjoy.
My Tho
surprised me, a really friendly little city & I’ve had a good night &
some great food here. It’s nice to be back to a place where the stalls have
English language menus. I followed the LP recommendation to Hu Tien 44 &
had a wonderful hu tien My Tho ($1.20) & later visited a small night market
for fried noodle with seafood ($1.20).
I really
wished I’d more time on my hands & would love to spend at least another day
in My Tho.
Photos of Cong Doan Hotel - Here
All hail
Google Maps!! I put in the settings “walking to Pham Ngu Laos, Ho Chi Minh
& it came up with the most fantastic route. It’s been an absolutely
wonderful days cycle; indeed I think it’s the best day I’ve ever spent in the
saddle.
Heavy
traffic on the way out of My Tho distracted me from the interesting canal side
scenery but I was soon onto Hiep Thanh Phu Ngai Tri road. For the next 50km I
was on perfect, idyllic country roads often shaded by coconut palms or the road
opening out into well tended fields of young fruit trees. There was often light
bulbs strung between the rows of fruit trees; I presume to stimulate growth
& would love to see it at night. White herons were often flying overhead
& butterflies flirting around me.
2 wonderful
ferry crossings on smaller, more rustic ferries than before. All in the perfect
cycle ride with everything I could ask for & more. Everything was so
peaceful & tranquil I kept checking my map to confirm I was indeed headed
to the big city.
I did have
one strange & disillusional experience today. At one point I’d just passed
a small town & noticed a foreign couple tinkering with the guy’s bike (high
end Trek bikes, good panniers, top end cycling clothes). I stopped & said
“hello” but they completely ignored me. I tried again;-
So much for
camaraderie on the road.
COSTS;-
Photos of Cong Doan Hotel - Here
06/12/14 – My Tho
to Ho Chi Minh – 68km – Easy
All hail
Google Maps!! I put in the settings “walking to Pham Ngu Laos, Ho Chi Minh
& it came up with the most fantastic route. It’s been an absolutely
wonderful days cycle; indeed I think it’s the best day I’ve ever spent in the
saddle.  |
| Note the lightbulbs |
Tombs were
evident in most of the fields, whether a simple headstone or often with a fancy
gazebo covering a whole family’s graves. There were beautiful farm houses
everywhere I looked often with gardens of colourful flowers. Lots of local
cyclists going to & fro, including many schoolgirls elegantly cycling along
in their Ao Dai’s. Lots of stout, hearty “hellos” as I cycled by on mostly good
single track roads although the surface did break up occasionally. Only 3 or 4
cars passed the whole route.
2 wonderful
ferry crossings on smaller, more rustic ferries than before. All in the perfect
cycle ride with everything I could ask for & more. Everything was so
peaceful & tranquil I kept checking my map to confirm I was indeed headed
to the big city.
There were
few services on offer, especially food & it wasn’t until Phuoc Ly that I
found a Quan Com restaurant. A wonderful chicken in a sweet chili sauce with
rice & soup came to less that $1.
It wasn’t
until I exited Day Thep road & onto highway 1 that I encountered any real
traffic & then I only had 10km to go. Despite heavy traffic I find Ho Chi
Minh an enjoyable city to cycle around & the local drivers are fairly
respectful to cyclists. It didn’t take long to arrive in the Pham Ngu Lao area
& I began looking for a budget room. My old standby was full but it didn’t
take long to find a fan room with fridge, hot shower & safe bike storage
for $10. Giang Hotel 40/26 Bui Vien, District 1 is good value if, like me, your
on a tight budget.
I did have
one strange & disillusional experience today. At one point I’d just passed
a small town & noticed a foreign couple tinkering with the guy’s bike (high
end Trek bikes, good panniers, top end cycling clothes). I stopped & said
“hello” but they completely ignored me. I tried again;-
“Having
problems, anything I can help you with?”
They looked
at me & then spoke German to each other – I presumed they didn’t speak
English but then a Vietnamese tour guide entered the scene (also on a bicycle)
& the German guy said in perfect English;-
“OK, Good
to go here”
So much for
camaraderie on the road.
By night a
few beers & some great food around Pham Ngu Lao area where I bumped into a
few guys I’ve not seen for many years & a couple of Cambodian ladies I know
from Sihanukville on holiday with their partners. It was a great night & I
really enjoyed having some English speaking company again.
Photos of Giang Hotel - Here
Arriving yesterday in Long
Xuyen I found Thai Duong Hotel, 12 Ly Thai To Street where for $12 I got a nice
A/C room with all the trimmings & nice river view. Excellent value by Long
Xuyen standards I think. Not the prettiest town in the Mekong Delta but
friendly, helpful locals made it an enjoyable experience. 
Today’s cycle was a
pleasant route although for the first 20km until TT Nui Sap I thought I’d made
a mistake with a busy, heavily trafficked highway but thereafter traffic
thinned out & I could enjoy a peaceful tranquil cycle following a canal on
a good, single lane road.
Photos of Giang Hotel - Here
20/05/15 – Long Xuyen
to Rach Gia – 60km – Easy
Arriving yesterday in Long
Xuyen I found Thai Duong Hotel, 12 Ly Thai To Street where for $12 I got a nice
A/C room with all the trimmings & nice river view. Excellent value by Long
Xuyen standards I think. Not the prettiest town in the Mekong Delta but
friendly, helpful locals made it an enjoyable experience. 
Today’s cycle was a
pleasant route although for the first 20km until TT Nui Sap I thought I’d made
a mistake with a busy, heavily trafficked highway but thereafter traffic
thinned out & I could enjoy a peaceful tranquil cycle following a canal on
a good, single lane road.
Arriving in Rach Gia I
stumbled upon Wild Rose Hotel, 19 Tran Quang Dieu & I’m delighted with my
$10 room with A/C, fridge, cable, hot shower & a great, central location.
CONCLUSIONS &
OVERALL COSTS
It’s been
enjoyable, effortless cycling with flat roads, mostly in very good condition
& extremely manageable distances between towns. The locals have been
extremely friendly & helpful everywhere. Accommodation costs more than budget
rooms in Cambodia
but includes more facilities (hot shower, fridge etc) & was generally very
good value for money.
There have
been extremely scenic & enjoyable routes but occasionally I did get bored
of flat roads, rice fields, canals, fruit plantations etc & yearned for the
coastal scenery of Central Vietnam or
mountainous scenery of route 14.
With a few
notable exceptions food was a disappointment. I like to learn about food &
the dishes available as I go along but in retrospect I should have done some
research on Southern Vietnamese food before arriving. That said it was always
enough to sustain me & I never went hungry – just too often it was
instantly forgettable.
COSTS;-
So far I’ve
spent $541, an average of $23.50/day. Very roughly I’d estimate;-
Average
cost for room - $10 to $11/ day
Food - $5
to $6/day
Beer (i.e.
12 cans) – $6/day
Misc, inc
water, cigarettes etc - $2 to $3/ day
Coming soon...ish;-
Ho Chi Minh to ............well the plan was Hailong City & I've got as far as Tuy Hoa but if the weather doesn't improve soon I'll be heading West instead of North.
A Happy New Year to everyone!!
Bob Cunning
Tuy Hoa 01/01/15
Coming soon...ish;-
Ho Chi Minh to ............well the plan was Hailong City & I've got as far as Tuy Hoa but if the weather doesn't improve soon I'll be heading West instead of North.
A Happy New Year to everyone!!
Bob CunningTuy Hoa 01/01/15
