Vietnam- Hue to Hanoi via Halong Bay

MAP of my journey - HERE

LIST OF CONTENTS;

01/04/15 – Hue to Dong Ha – 90km (approx) – Easy

02/04/15 – Dong Ha to Dong Hoi – 97km – Medium
04/04/15 – Dong Hoi to Phong Nha – 45km – Easy
05/04/15 – Phong Nha/ Son Trach to Ky Anh – 90km (approx) – Easy
06/04/15 – Ky Anh to Vinh – 103km – Easy
08/04/15 – Vinh to Tinh Gia – 97km – Easy
09/04/15 – Tinh Gia to Ninh Binh – 103km – Easy
12/04/15 – Ninh Binh to Hai Phong – 116km – Medium
13/04/15 – Hai Phong to Cat Ba (by ferry)
15/04/15 – Around Cat Ba – 45km (approx) – Medium
16/04/15 – Cat Ba - Cannon Fort (by foot)
17/04/15 – Cat Ba to Halong City – 43km – Easy
19/04/15 – Halong City to Hai Phong – 53km – Easy
21/04/15 – Hai Phong to Hanoi – 105km – Easy
Homeward bound (in part by train)
Conclusions & overall costs

01/04/15 – Hue to Dong Ha – 90km (approx) – Easy

MAP of today's route

 

I’d intended spending a few more days in Hue but awoke today keen to get off again. A quick omelet & baguette ($1.20) at Café on Thu Wheels saw me set off around 10.30am.

I exited Hue via Dao Duy Anh & then picked up TL4 road which was a pleasant ride through Hue’s suburbs. I continued on TL 4 until Thanh Phuoc where a left turn found me crossing Cau Tan Giang bridge before continuing along QL49B. After 10km or so I found a turn onto a coastal road but the hoped for sea views didn’t materialize as a large sand bank blocked the view. I continued on the coastal road until eventually meeting up with highway one for the final 10km into Dong Ha.

It’s been a really enjoyable days cycling & in many ways it felt like I was back in the Mekong Delta with good, flat roads & extremely sparse traffic, indeed most of the time I had the roads completely to myself.

Heavy traffic at times

The scenery has varied a lot throughout the day, from Hue’s built up suburbs out into farmland & rice fields, moving onto sand dunes littered with graves & ornate tombs, shaded lanes, pretty villages, vegetable plantations & open countryside. The overall feeling was of peace & tranquility traveling over good roads devoid of any cars or buses.

All day I’ve been passing ornate tombs whether set in the sand dunes or rice fields & really elaborate buildings which I can’t quite work out. I had a passing thought that they might be temples but passing one every 100 meters realized they were just too numerous, then it crossed my mind that they might be elaborately decorated houses & latterly I’m inclined to think they are family mausoleums.

I’m aware I’m not describing my day very well not least because I’m pretty damn knackered just now & really need a good night’s sleep. Suffice to say it was a really enjoyable days cycling with an extremely pleasant view of rural Vietnamese life. There weren’t many services on offer today & I was glad of some spare rations in my daypack.

Arriving in Dong Ha I headed straight for Violet Hotel, 77 Ba Trieu Street as recommended by Lonely Planet & Trip Advisor & for $10.50 got a reasonable A/C room with fridge & hot shower although it is a 20 minute walk to the town centre.

Dong Ha’s another of those frustrating Vietnamese towns where it’s so damn difficult to find a shop with cold beers. Thankfully it did have a Co-op Mart where I could get a bag of warm beers to stick in the fridge.

02/04/15 – Dong Ha to Dong Hoi – 97km – Medium

Today’s route would normally be an “easy” grade with decent, flat roads the whole day but it’s one of those days when I had no energy whatsoever & all day turning the pedals has been a chore. A blisteringly hot day sapping every ounce of energy from me didn’t help at all.

Add in being back on highway one with occasional roadwork’s & regular convoys of horn blasting traffic & it just didn’t add up to an enjoyable days cycling. The scenery appeared on the whole bland & unexciting although perhaps that just reflected my depressed mood & on occasion vast paddy fields stretching to distant mountains was a pleasant enough backdrop.

Topping off a dreadful day, on the outskirts of Dong Hoi I picked up my 1^st puncture of this trip. I pushed the bike to Anh Linh Hotel where they initially quoted me $15 for a river view room with fridge but soon came down to $10 which I didn’t realize at the time but came to learn is fantastic value for Dong Hoi.

 04/04/15 – Dong Hoi to Phong Nha – 45km – Easy
MAP of today's route

Something I’ve ate or drunk hasn’t agreed with me & this morning found me running to the toilet every 10 minutes or so. I thought of having another day in Dong Hoi but decided I could manage a 45km ride to Phong Nha.

I had to endure around 12km on highway one before turning off in Hoan Lao & immediately the pace of life changed with quiet country roads & sparse traffic. Initially I enjoyed a good road surface ambling through pleasant, green countryside but soon veered off onto dusty, bumpy country tracks which passed through sprawling green rice fields & corn plantations as I got ever closer to the dramatic scenery of Phong Nha.

As I was entering Phong Nha & it’s dramatic, karst topography was becoming more & more evident, I felt a shadow pass over me. Stopping & looking up there was a huge eagle gliding not more that 40 meters above me. A magic moment & a wonderful introduction to the rugged beauty of Phong Nha, indeed with its picturesque limestone karst scenery it very much reminds me of Vang Vieng in Laos.

I searched around for a hotel but couldn’t find any rooms with a fridge until I stumbled on Huong Giang Hotel, $12 with A/C, fridge, hot shower but no cable TV & somewhat lacking any furniture including a table & chair.

Unsurprisingly Phong Nha’s a bit of a tourist trap & everywhere beer, food, water etc is more expensive than I’m used to but with some hard bargaining I managed to get by.

05/04/15 – Phong Nha/ Son Trach to Ky Anh – 90km (approx) – Easy
MAP of today's route

I awoke today in much better spirits than I’ve been of late & felt keen to get on the road again. Phong Nha had only been a brief stopover but if I’d had more energy then a visit to Paradise cave is apparently well worth it & developing a growing international reputation. I’ve no doubt the village of Son Trach will morph into another Vang Vieng type sprawl in the not too distant future.

Drinking coffee & generally lazing about as I always do of a morning meant I didn’t set off until just before 10am. It was a lovely overcast morning with mist still shrouding the jagged peaks when I finally did get underway. Expecting a difficult day with scorching mid afternoon heat & a 250 meter pass at the end of the day I shunned the dirt tracks & country lanes & instead stuck to the main roads.

Initially I cycled along Ho Chi Minh (Doug), a pleasant road passing through vivid green paddy fields with rolling hills in the background. Around My Trach a left turn saw me meet up with TL28.

TL28 was a lovely ride on a great road surface with next to no traffic through a thick forest of mature trees. Extremely enjoyable, tranquil cycling. The latter part of this road skirted a range of hills with one minor 50 meter climb to negotiate.

A great morning’s ride in a peaceful, tranquil envelope ended as I arrived at highway one with its dust clouds, roadworks & horn blaring traffic. Thankfully it was a short period of roadworks before the road opened out onto a finished section of 4 lane highway with a decent shoulder that was a joy to cycle. Highway one is going to be an awesome road to cycle once all the roadworks are complete.

I hadn’t passed any restaurants all day & stopped at pretty much the first one I saw. I thought I’d ordered chicken & rice (com Ga) but instead was served a huge fish steak with tomato, chili & vegetable dressing & a huge bowl of fish soup. It was absolutely delicious & the first meal I’ve really enjoyed in Vietnam for a long time. For $3 it was way too much food for one person despite my ravenous hunger.

Pushing on, I was really looking forward to the Deo Ngang Pass, a 250 meter pass which according to Wikipedia;-

“From the summit the views encompass the sandy beaches below, the forested slopes and the cultivated fields further afield. At its peak is Hoanh Son Quan (Transverse Mountain Gate)…….”

But as I approached it was shrouded in mist & would have been a waste of energy with no views to reward me. I decided to cut through the tunnel instead & save my legs for more scenic climbs.

It meant I arrived in Ky Anh earlier & fresher than I’d expected which was just as well as it took me a long time to settle on a room. I checked every hotel in the damn place & all $12 got was really shitty rooms with a bed & noting else – no fridge, no TV, no furnishings. Literally the last place I tried & the crappiest looking from the outside Trung Nho Hotel had nice A/C rooms for $14 with cable TV, fridge & hot shower. 

06/04/15 – Ky Anh to Vinh – 103km – Easy

A comfortable night in Trung Nho Hotel & on opening the curtains in the morning I was delighted to find another overcast day awaited.

All day was on highway one with a nice 4 lane highway, good shoulder & no roadworks all day. The good road surface, flat terrain & cooler, overcast conditions meant I made good time throughout.

The scenery might have been impressive in better conditions as rice fields stretched to distant hills but with the hills smothered in a blanket of haze it was fairly uninspiring today. It didn’t matter as I was just enjoying being out there clicking in the km’s.

As the road skirted Hong Linh the scenery did improve & for the final 15 to 20km the road passed through a range of hills with vibrant green fields everywhere – very enjoyable cycling.

Not long after Ha Tinh I was surprised when I passed an area of brothels, each one having one or two parasol wielding ladies by the roadside trying to lure customers in. One gang of girls spotted me coming & ran out, linked arms & blocked my path. They didn’t speak any English but made it perfectly clear what was on offer. I’m surprised it was so openly displayed on highway one.

Ever since Hue services have been a problem for me & there are no longer any Quan Com or point & order restaurants. It means looking out for transport cafes that have a few customers, wandering around looking at what they are eating, point to one & make them understand I want the same as him. Thankfully most customers are incredibly understanding of the strange foreigner wandering around staring at what they are eating; indeed on many occasions they will offer me a taste of their dish first.

Arriving In Vinh, I checked a couple of hotels before settling on APEC Hotel, Ngo 1, Duong Ho Tung Mau;  $12 with A/C, fridge, elevator, huge TV & safe bike storage. It seemed like good value & I wasn’t in the mood to spend too long searching around for anything better.

By night I enjoyed a lovely fish stew with fresh baguette & then the best spring rolls I’ve ever tasted at a night market not far from the hotel before grabbing a bag of beers for the room.

08/04/15 – Vinh to Tinh Gia – 97km – Easy

Lonely Planet might call it “grim Vinh” & undoubtedly it is a pretty ugly city but I found Vinh to be an amazingly friendly & enjoyable place to stopover.

Setting off,  it was another pleasantly overcast day but straight off I was assaulted by a vicious headwind that was to plague me all day. I’d planned to make 140km to Thanh Hoa but realized early on it was too ambitious cycling into this wind. Add in a constant drizzle & all day it’s been a chore to keep the pedals turning.

I’ve no idea about the scenery on this stretch as everything was blanketed in a curtain of mist.

Despite enjoying a flat, good 4 lane highway traffic did get oppressive especially when trucks parked on the shoulder & I had to move into fast moving traffic to get around them. It’s the most conscious of my own vulnerability I’ve ever been on highway one & the closer I get to Hanoi the heavier & more oppressive traffic seems to get.

Arriving in Tinh Gia around around 5pm I checked most of the hotels in town but again there wasn’t much on offer other than $14 & up rooms. Hoang Thanh Hotel with A/C, fridge etc is the best of a bad lot. It meant putting up with pretty abysmal karaoke until 10pm.

09/04/15 – Tinh Gia to Ninh Binh – 103km – Easy

Awoke to another misty, drizzly day, it meant cool conditions for cycling but it also meant any scenery would again be masked by a blanket of mist. Flat roads with a good shoulder meant I made good time but it was a featureless, boring ride & I just concentrated on keeping ticking the km off.

About 20km outside Tinh Gia I gave up on finding an alternative to noodle soup & stopped for a steaming bowl of noodles with minced beef, pork chop, pork balls, liver, quails eggs & a side serving of vegetables for $1.50. Constant noodle soup may get monotonous but it has to be said they do offer incredible value.

Pushing on through more mist obscured terrain I passed through Thanh Hoa which proved to be an ugly, unsightly town. Shortly after Bim Son it was evident that I was missing dramatic scenery & that jagged limestone karst formations were being obscured by the adverse weather conditions.

A few km outside Ninh Binh a Vietnamese cyclist caught up with me & we enjoyed a cycle into town together. It meant he had to slow down a lot to go at my pace & I recon the Vietnamese on their racing bikes do 30km plus an hour, they always absolutely fly past me. Once again I was impressed how light they travel – all the way from Saigon with just a change of clothes.

I headed straight to Thanh Thuy Hotel where for $12 (after some pretty hard bargaining) I got a big room, fridge, hot shower & was delighted to find they could do my laundry.

At night I tried a local restaurant doing Western food but their attempt at chicken & mushroom pasta was a distinct disappointment.  

12/04/15 – Ninh Binh to Hai Phong – 116km – Medium
MAP of today's route (excluding my pointless detour)

I’d had a good time in Ninh Binh despite it being a fairly ugly city. The locals were extremely friendly & cycling around the surrounding countryside with dramatic karst scenery was extremely pleasant. Unfortunately it remained overcast all the time & I never caught the countryside in its best light.

Setting off & the 1^st 20km or so on QL10 to Nam Dinh was distinctly unpleasant with a 2 lane road & extremely heavy, oppressive traffic. There was a shoulder but most of the traffic seemed to regard it as an overtaking lane & it was the most unpleasant road I’ve cycled recently.

It wasn’t until I’d passed through Nam Dinh that all of a sudden I found myself on quiet country roads & I could enjoy a few km’s of tranquil countryside. Before long the road deteriorated rapidly & I found myself cycling along a bumpy cart track which degenerated into barely a track. As the track followed a river through open countryside, in normal circumstances it would have been an idyllic ride but it was painfully slow going & I knew I still had a lot of ground to cover today.

Eventually I picked up TL216 & despite being subjected to heavier traffic it was good to be able to rattle in some km. 3pm & 60km to go I put my head down & tried to cover as much distance as I could. Unfortunately around Vinh Bao I took a wrong turn & ended up on TL391 instead of TL360. It meant another cycle over country paths & back lanes; usually an enjoyable experience but not when daylight is fading & the legs are wearying.

Butchers shop maybe??

I didn’t arrive at Phu Vinh Hotel (27 Hai Ba Trung) until 7pm & was really disappointed to find a fairly shitty $13 room. Fridge, cable TV, hot shower but everything is well worn & pretty grotty. Lacking any energy to look elsewhere I took it for a night.

At night I found the traffic extremely oppressive & found it difficult trying to cross roads. A noodle soup, bag of beers & some cakes from a local bakery saw me retire to the peace & quiet of my room.

13/04/15 – Hai Phong to Cat Ba (by ferry)

Hai Phong looked like a really interesting city & I’d have liked to spend a day or two more but the hotels just weren’t good value for money. It’s unfortunate as I did spot a Giant dealership & would have liked to get some repairs done & new tyres fitted.

My plan had been to island hop, cycling down to Ben Pha ferry terminal, a ferry to Doa Cat Hai, cross to Ben Pha Cai Vieng & then cycle across Cat Ba Island to Cat Ba town. Plans that came to naught as I awoke with a stinking hangover & decided to use the easy more expensive tourist route.

A short cycle to Ben Binh ferry terminal & I brushed off a tout trying to charge me $7 for me & $7 for my bike. Picked up a ticket for me & the bike for $7 realizing it’s the first significant transport expenditure I’ve had in over 1 year. The bike was loaded onto the roof of what turned out to be a fairly ramshackle ferry & the guys were gentle & careful with her – Thanks Guys!

Passengers weren’t allowed on the roof so I found a nice perch on the prow, sat on a bag of baling twine & settled in for my first significant public transport in over one year. It was actually a disappointing journey as we motored downriver passing unsightly docks, eventually entering open sea passing flat, barren islands. It wasn’t until the final 30 minutes that the views became worthwhile as the famous Halong Bay karst topography came into view. Passing beach fringed islands of ragged limestone formations, then entering Cat Ba bay filled with colourful fishing boats & evocative Chinese junks & all the time a backdrop of karst mountains & sea eagles soaring overhead; it was a spectacular end to what had been an ordinary journey.

I followed a tout to Cat Ba Dream Hotel & for $9 got a decent room with fridge & hot shower but I later found out the Wi-Fi didn’t work in my room & there was karaoke blasting out all night. No worries as I was to discover Cat Ba is a customer’s paradise with hotels falling over themselves to offer good deals & I’m looking forward to a few days of cheap living to get my budget back on track!

15/04/15 – Around Cat Ba – 45km (approx) – Medium

Cat Ba abounds with great value hotels & after my first night I moved to My Ngoc Hotel where $8 got me a room with fridge, hot shower & unobstructed sea & mountain views. Its cheap living with $8 sea view rooms & cheap beer everywhere, the restaurants are an uninspiring lot but cheap enough.

I’ve been having a few problems with my bike of late & the chain (or gears) has begun to slip terribly. It desperately needs a new chain & rear cassette & both tyres should have been replaced 1,000 km before. It was frustrating cycling Cat Ba’s hilly terrain with slipping gears but the scenery more than compensated.

Today I set out for a nice, easy ride not quite realizing how hilly the terrain was or indeed how large the island is. It meant I had more of a workout than I planned.

Basically I followed the coast as much as I could, initially I enjoyed good reads which later on broke up & deteriorated into bumpy, gravelly tracks. There was some wonderful scenery on route with islands of rugged limestone formations, fishing boats chugging to & fro & countless eagles soaring overhead.

A few 50 meter inclines found me racing down my gears & laboring somewhat but there was always ample compensation from the views on offer. At the junction to road 356B I turned inland & enjoyed an idyllic cycle ride through fairly mountainous terrain with dramatic rock formations & forest clad limestone peaks all around. Eagles soaring, overhead, birdsong & insect choirs were my only companions on a surprisingly good road surface.

Turning onto Duong Xuyen Dao Cat Ba the incredibly beautiful mountain scenery continued & with almost no traffic the peace & tranquility continued. A few minor hills to tackle (around 50 meters) but nothing overly strenuous.

It was a great little loop, despite struggling a bit with my slipping gears & going from lovely coastal scenery & sea views to ragged peaks & forest clad mountains gave me a small snapshot of Vietnam all within one day. 

16/04/15 – Cat Ba - Cannon Fort (by foot)

I’m enjoying relaxing in Cat Ba & with an $8 room & cheap (if uninspiring) restaurants it means I’m getting my budget back on track. I decided to have an extra day here & visit Cannon Fort. Deciding a day off the bike would do me good I hiked up the 1.5km to the Fort which sits at an elevation of 177 meters.

It was a pleasant walk up & arriving at the fort I was rewarded with absolutely stunning views. North, South, East & West, the whole of Halong Bay was laid out in front of me; outlying islands, beaches, coves with fishing fleets moored therein, the jungle clad mountainous interior, Cat Ba town - all laid out in wonderful panoramic views. It really was an absolutely stunning vantage point.

I can understand its historically strategic significance as there is no way anyone could approach the mainland without being spotted. I spent a couple of very enjoyable hours there, taking in the sublime views, watching eagles circle overhead & listening to birdsong & insect choirs. It was as idyllic & tranquil a spot as I’ve been to in many a year.

A slow hike back down & I enjoyed the rest of the day sitting around Cat Ba waterfront savoring the views & soaking up the laid back atmosphere.

It’s been a great stopover & just the peaceful, pleasant place I’d needed to rest up & recharge my batteries, with a bonus being it’s an extremely economical town to stay in. That said, I’m aware that one more day will be one day too many & I’m keen to get off for pastures new tomorrow.

 17/04/15 – Cat Ba to Halong City – 43km – Easy
MAP of today's journey

What an absolutely mind-blowing day’s travel – some of the most wonderful scenery I’ve ever traveled through.

Anyone following this route will be cursing me for the 1^st 5km wondering why I gave it an easy grade as the road climbs up to around 100 meters. The good news is the hard part is over & despite cycling through mountainous terrain the road is surprisingly flat with only a couple of minor inclines just before the ferry port.

It was 22km of wonderful cycling over good roads which I had mostly to myself passing through absolutely sublime scenery; towering karst mountains, thick forest, jagged peaks, eagles soaring overhead & butterflies flirting everywhere. It was slow going as every few minutes I had to stop & take a photo of the ever more dramatic landscape & every bend brought more wonderful views.

Arriving at Ben Pha ferry port, I’d just missed the 11.30 ferry & had to wait for the 1pm boat. No problem as it was a stunning place to spend an hour or so. Cat Ba Island with its dramatic mountainous interior & out to sea rugged karst mountains rising out of the water; again sublime views & I spent an idyllic hour enjoying the scenery & watching eagles glide overhead.

I’d skipped breakfast in the expectation of some restaurants at the ferry port but there wasn’t much on offer other than instant noodle soup. It meant breaking open my last emergency tin of tuna before picking up a ticket ($3) for the ferry to Tuan Chau island & what a wonderful journey ensued.

A one hour ferry journey through yet more sublime scenery as the boat weaved its way through dramatic karst mountains & islands rising out of the sea. Turquoise water, deserted beaches & fishing junks all complemented the scene. It really was a fantastic journey not least having the ferry pretty much to myself.

Arriving in Tuan Chau I found my front wheel completely deflated so pushed the bike off the ferry, found some shade & set about changing tubes. Thankfully I’d time to kill & there was no need to rush.

A cycle over the island passing lots of up market hotels & resorts then onto a long but mercifully flat bridge to the mainland before following the coast into Halong City. My 1^st stop Viet Nhat Halong Hotel was full but a short hunt around & I settled on Van Nam Hotel, 31 Vuon Doa Street, Bai Chay with a $12 room, fridge, cable, hot shower & oblique sea view.

By night I enjoyed some seafood spring rolls & seafood noodle soup ($4 in total) before hitting a bakery for some chocolate cakes & picking up some beers for the room. It’s been a wonderful day’s travel & the scenery’s been the best I’ve experienced since cycling from Tuy Hoa to Quy Nhon.

19/04/15 – Halong City to Hai Phong – 53km – Easy
MAP of today's route

Halong City wasn’t the most enjoyable stopover & turned out to be a pretty boring little town with any views of the scenic bay hidden behind developer’s billboards.

I set out on Halong Quoc Viet road, a 15km stretch which skirted the bay on a good highway with moderately heavy (but not oppressive) traffic.

Crossing a bridge & taking a left onto Yen Lap road found me back on quiet country lanes. It’s always nice to get off the main highways & enjoy peaceful country roads with a tranquil pace of life & next to no traffic. The road surface soon deteriorated to compacted clay as it wound its way through flooded fields. It was painfully slow going, not least having to check my co-ordinates every 15 minutes or so.

After winding through tranquil countryside & small villages for a time I eventually picked up a main road allowing me to make good time again. Despite being on a main road it remained a peaceful ride.

A 35 cent ferry crossing at Pha Rung & I again found myself winding through quiet country lanes, indeed often no more than dirt tracks. It was lovely, peaceful countryside & with lanes often shaded by mature trees it was very pleasant, if slow, cycling. Eventually I arrived at another ferry terminal for a 30 cent ride over to Hai Phong’s outskirts.

Arriving in Hai Phong early I spent a long time cycling around & looking at rooms. Like Danang, it’s one of those cities that just doesn’t have good value budget rooms on offer. I came to realize the slightly grotty, well worn $13 room I’d had at Phu Vinh Hotel, 27-29 Hai Ba Trung Street was as good as a budget traveler will find in this city. It’s a pity as there’s a nice feel to Hai Phong & it’s a place I’d like to spend more time.

Once again cold beers proved elusive & at night I had to buy warm beer & try to fast chill them in my freezer compartment. 

21/04/15 – Hai Phong to Hanoi – 105km – Easy
MAP of today's journey

I’d enjoyed a good stopover in Hai Phong, a friendly city with some great value restaurants & it was so good to be enjoying tasty food again. Bo Bo on Hai Ba Trung was my favorite with good food at budget prices & an easy to use picture menu. Viet Nhat Hotel was OK once I accepted it’s as good as one gets for $13 in Hai Phong.

A short cycle through heavy city traffic & it wasn’t long before I tuned onto An Kim Road & into quiet countryside. Initially the road followed a canal, with a good road surface & light traffic it was a pleasant start to my day.

After 15km or so the road surface deteriorated & I spent a lot of time cycling over bumpy cart tracks & occasionally what was barely a track through rice fields. It was slow going but pleasant countryside with a peaceful, tranquil air to it; rice fields, fish farms, small villages, rivers & ferry crossings provided plenty of variety & it was a really enjoyable cycle ride.

My only concern was my slow pace with rough road surfaces & having to check my location every 10 minutes or so. When Google maps is sending you down small dirt lanes & over barely discernable tracks through rice fields it’s all too easy to veer off course.

Just before TT Thanh Ha I got back onto proper road surfaces with slightly heavier traffic & could start to eat up some km. Spotting my first Quan Com (or point & order) restaurant for some time in Hai Duong I wolfed down a fairly bland stir fried beef over rice ($1).

Realizing I still had around 50km to go I considered stopping in Hai Duong & in retrospect I should have as arriving in Hanoi at 7pm & then hunting around for an affordable room proved no fun whatsoever.

Pushing on & the road surface remained good with fairly light traffic & passed through pleasant countryside until around 15km outside Hanoi where I picked up a main highway for the run into the city. It was back to heavy trucks & horn blasting buses with motorbikes, cycles & sometimes cars coming straight at me on the wrong side of the road. Add on everyone just pulling out in front of me without looking & I really needed 100% concentration at all times. It wasn’t a great end to what had been a good days cycling.

After a long day cycling with a final harrowing few km through heavy, intense traffic I just want to find a nice room & relax but sod’s law that’s when things go wrong. Trying a few recommended hotels in the old quarter they were all full. I spent 2 hours cycling around looking for a budget room when all I really wanted was a shower & cold beer. Eventually I paid $14 for a clean room with fridge & A/C but it’s located next to the reception & I know it’s going to be bloody noisy. 

Homeward bound (in part by train)

This guy really was struggling

Disaster struck in Hanoi as my bank cancelled my ATM card & my back up travelers cheques proved to be obsolete, even HSBC & ANZ banks would not accept them. I suddenly found myself with $500 to get me back home to Cambodia. To compound my problems it was a major Vietnamese holiday & every single berth on the trains were full for the next 5 days.

Pigs for the market

It meant putting my head down & rattling in the 666km to Hue where I arrived completely exhausted one week later. The holiday period meant it had been almost impossible to find a room in some towns on route (Dong Hoi in particular, where all I could find was a hammock on the beach courtesy of Beachside Backpackers). An extremely heated phone call to my bank & a threat to refer them to the banking ombudsman finally got my ATM card reinstated.

Goats for the market

After a much needed rest up in Hue I used the trains to travel to Nha Trang & then onto Saigon. The trains with a luggage carriage leave & arrive at inconvenient times & so on both occasions I put my bike on a train the day before & then caught a more conveniently timed train the following day to be reunited with my bike. Or that was the plan but on both occasions I arrived after 5pm when the luggage collection office closes & had to return the following day to collect my bike.

From Hue to Nha Trang the soft seat option was full & so I chose a mid level sleeper berth for $25, transporting my bike cost $6. It was a comfortable, enjoyable journey & my bike was well looked after & returned in exactly the condition I’d left her. There is a 50 cent porter’s fee levied on collection. I didn’t note the prices from Nha Trang to Saigon but it was a very similar experience as the train to Nha Trang.

A weeks rest up in Nha Trang & a few days in Saigon found me refreshed & keen to cycle the Mekong Delta & then back home to Sihanukville in Cambodia. 

Heartbreaking - What the photo doesn't show is the pathetic yelps & whines.
Most likely some were family pets. Dog napping is a rife in Vietnam & Cambodia. 

CONCLUSIONS

Cat Ba island was a definite highlight for me with some wonderful scenery & great value hotels. Dong Hoi was a pretty little town & the countryside around Phong Nha & Ninh Binh was pretty spectacular. The cities of Vinh & Hai Phong may not be picturesque I enjoyed them for their wonderfully friendly, helpful locals. Some of the country roads were a joy to cycle but much of my memory of this route is slogging up highway one with fairly bland, featureless scenery.

If I revisit the area someday I’d be tempted to use the train between Dong Hoi & Ninh Binh & save many days slogging through fairly ordinary scenery. Hanoi should have been a highlight but I was too stressed out about my bank card to really enjoy or take note of its attractions.

I’ve had a great time in Vietnam but became aware towards the end of this trip that I also need a long break from the country & especially that I was getting really bored with Vietnamese food. North of Hue the cost of living did increase slightly, especially for accommodation but remained great value by any yardstick. The locals have been an absolute joy to travel amongst everywhere I’ve been in Vietnam; friendly, hospitable, helpful & other than a few exceptions very honest.

I’m sure after a few months away from Vietnam I’ll be keen to return & explore new areas as well as revisit some of my favorite haunts but for now I’m enjoying being in Cambodia having a break from Vietnam, a break from cycling & a soon a break from blogging.

OVERALL COSTS

I spent $2,174 in the 85 days I was in Vietnam or $25.58/ day.

Very approximately this would reflect a daily cost of;-

Accommodation - $10 to $11 ($12 to $14 North of Hue)

Food - $5 to $6

Beer - $6 (ie 12 cans)

Miscellaneous - $2 to $3 (cigarette, water, soft drinks etc)

Transport - $1 (train & ferry costs)

Bob Cunning,
Sihanukville, Cambodia.
10/06/15