Today was a very hot day, exceeding 38c degrees, so it was only right to chill by the pool this morning and leave the longer tours of Ninh Binh for tomorrow.

The hotel has a great swimming pool and alongside that a carp pond, full of very well fed fish.

After a relaxing start, we decided to hire bikes from the hotel and went out to visit the Bich Dong Pagoda.

Our ride to this Pagoda took us through an area of beautiful paddy and Lotus fields, which in turn are surrounded by stunning mountains.

This charming cave temple complex is 2km west of Ninh Hai village.

Inside each cave temple were looming statues peering from the haze of burning incense.  

To access the pagoda grounds, you first cross a small green stone bridge over the adjacent lagoons strewn with Lotus. Passing through the “Triple Gate” entrance you are immediately transported into a world of ancient stone, wood and myth.

Legend has it that the pagoda was originally named Bạch Ngọc Thạch Sơn Đồng, which roughly translates as ‘white jade pagoda hidden in the forest’.

Hạ (lower), Trung (middle), and Thượng (upper) pagodas were constructed in the 15th century and were ‘lost’ for several centuries, before being rediscovered in the 19th century and are now maintained by the resident monks.

The Academy award winning film Indochine features many scenes shot at Bích Động Pagoda, enhancing its reputation in the same way the Hollywood Blockbuster “Kong Skull Island” made Tam Coc and Trang An internationally famous back in 2016.

After a refreshment break, we cycled on to Xuyen Thuy Cave, which sits underneath Buch Dong mountain. Sadly it’s often flooded and having cycled out to the entrance we decided not to chance it and instead cycled back to Tam Coc.

We decided to cycle on to Mua Caves, which was a 5km ride away, which due to the heat proved more challenging. We got to the entrance of the cave development, but given the rising temperatures and general fatigue, we decided to leave our visit until tomorrow when we are on an organised tour.

After an enjoyable cycle, we returned to our hotel for a swim and cool off, before heading out for our belated wedding anniversary meal. We have been married 26yrs as of 25th July. To celebrate we picked a great little Indian restaurant just around the corner from our hotel.

The food was excellent.

A classic order of chicken masala with naan bread and popadoms helped down with some Saigon beers.

It’s been a fun day and we are looking forward to a full days touring tomorrow starting at 8am.

Today was a day of travel.

We were up at 7.30am and just had time to enjoy our last luxury breakfast at the Melia, before picking up a cab and heading to nearby Dong Hoi domestic airport for our 10.30am flight to Hanoi.

It was a short hop to the capital, with a flight time of just 1hr and we enjoyed a relatively smooth and pleasant journey thanks to Vietnam Airways.

It was a good job we landed when we did, as within 15mins the heavens had opened and a biblical rain storm set it at the airport.

The journey from Hanoi to Ninh Binh is roughly 100km. So we had the option to travel by train or go by private car.

Our research told us that we could get a Grab (taxi) which could get us there in 1hr 45mins for the cost of a good meal.

With the rain showing no sign of abating, and the train station some way from the airport, we plumped for a cab and got settled in.

Due to the heavy rain and congested roads around Hanoi, the journey time from start to finish moved out and was soon closer to 2hrs 30mins, thankfully as we headed south away from Hanoi, and into the countryside, the sunshine returned.

The views for the last few miles passing Trang An made us realise what a beautiful part of Vietnam this is, and what a great idea it was to detour here for a few days.

By the time we arrived at Tam Coc, it was late afternoon and we both felt a little fatigued after the journey.

Within a hour however we were back out exploring the area in search of nourishment, and also to plan our tours of the area.

There is so much to see and do, such is the beauty of Ninh Binh.

After a productive few hours we managed to organise a jeep ride tour of Ninh Binh which sounds a real adventure and something different. Added to that we have booked a day tour which includes a paddle boat tour to Trang An, a walk up to Hang Mua hill, as well as visits to Hoa Lu (ancient capital), Bai Dinh temple and the Bich Dong Pagoda. So that’s rivers, caves, temples and old capital cities covered off!!

The centre of Tam Coc has a pretty lake where you can hire a boat, so we will add this to the list of things to do over the next couple of days.

But first, we found ourselves a good restaurant to eat at called Minh Nhat, which looked popular and had a good selection of Vietnamese cuisine and importantly reasonably priced beers!!

Tam Coc is a thriving place with a great selection of places to eat, bars and travel agents. After more walking we found the bus operator stop which will take us up to the island of Cat Ba in 3 days time.

We had a chat with our friendly travel guide, and thankfully he got us a ferry ticket added to our bus trip, so we will get taken all the way to the door of our next hotel MGallery in Cat Hai. Feels good to get all this sorted.

Next time we looked up dusk had arrived and the night-sky was briefly lit through the clouds making for a vivid sight.

We continued our wandering along the main street and popped into a few local stalls, Michelle managed to pick out some souvenirs for our nieces and nephews back at home, before we returned to the comfort of Tam Coc Holiday Hotel.

The weather tomorrow promises to be a solid belt of sunshine, so we are planning a relaxing start in the morning, before a spot of cycling to explore the immediate mountain area. Our tour days then follow on Saturday & Sunday and promise to be full days of activities. Until then.

We spent today exploring the centre of Dong Hoi and the nearby beach.

Our hotel is ideally located at the riverside, with great views out over the city and beyond to the mountain range where Phong Nha national Park starts.

We had been recommended to take a look at Quang Truong Ho Chin Minh, a centre plaza where there is a statute commemorating Ho Chin Minh and the start of communist rule.

The city wouldn’t necessarily win any prizes for architectural content, with many of the buildings including the modern ‘palace’ having the look of a municipal leisure centre!

We soon came across the public plaza and the statute to Ho Chin Minh, surrounded by the ‘people’ of Vietnam and the nature that Dong Hai provides a gateway too.

It’s an impressive memorial and one that has all the hallmarks of early communism, with symbolism being at the forefront.

After seeing one side to this city, we went in search of the modern Sunflower beach and the plethora of resorts that sits along the sandy white beach north of the city.

In truth we didn’t walk too far up, finding the beach to be quiet with only a few people hanging around the many local restaurants and bars that abut the beach.

Whilst the beach seemed inviting, the sun kept coming and going behind the clouds, so we decided to take solace with a late lunch at our favourite food stop, Tree Hungers cafe.

This place has such a relaxed atmosphere and the staff were so welcoming and friendly. Added to this the drinks were reasonably priced and their smoothies with an ice cream scoop topping were especially tasty.

After our 5 mile walk around Dong Hai, we decided to take full advantage of the cafe and stayed for a good hour or so, taking in the info about the city that was adorned on the walls.

With the attraction of a pool back at the hotel, we were soon relaxing in the Melia on the sun loungers.

After a few hours in the pool and a little nap, dusk had descended. We decided to go in search of a restaurant to celebrate our last night in the city before flying up to Hanoi in the morning.

Again we passed the illuminated racetrack for kids, a real centrepiece on the waterfront, where it was so good to see young families enjoying time together.

Dong Hai whilst not a major tourist hub, has a welcoming feel and we found a lot of the people keen to say hi and practice their English whenever possible.

On our way back from dinner we stopped on the bridge to enjoy the skyline and the sight of our hotel, standing proud out in the distance.

It’s been an interesting stay in Dong Hai, as we’ve seen more of the local people and how they live their lives, who generally appear happy, relaxed and at one with their lot.

We soon returned to the glamorous Melia hotel, with a reception entrance door that the Ritz or Claridges would be happy to have as its centrepiece.

Tomorrow we move on to Hanoi, if only briefly, before taxiing south for 1hr to visit Ninh Binh, labelled the ‘Halong Bay on Land‘. We are looking forward to seeing this beautiful countryside and exploring more temples, caves and the odd boat ride…. Until then.

Another early morning start, with a 6.30am wake up call and a day trip to Phong Nha National Park to explore the famous Paradise & Phong Nha caves.

Leaving the serene surroundings of the beautiful Melia hotel was a wrench, but thankfully we were picked up in an air conditioned minibus and were soon chatting to the other members of our group, from the US, Italy and Vietnam.

It looks like we picked a good day to go caving, as it was a cooler and slightly wet start to the morning, with our rain coats packed and ready for their first outing in a good while.

After an hour or so drive, we arrived at the entry to the national park and grabbed a buggy for a 2k ride up the mountain, before a final hike up 500 steps to the entry point to Paradise Cave.

This cave is 31 km long, longer than the Phong Nha Cave  which had been considered the longest cave in the national park. The height can reach to 72 m and 150 m wide

Thiên Đường Cave, its formal name, is located 350 metres above sea level, near the west branch of the Ho Chi Minh Highway. The cave was only discovered relatively recently by a local man in 2005.

The cave was explored by British Cave Research Association in 2005, who mapped out the whole 31 km, we however got to walk only the first 3 km, before circling back.

The size and majesty of the cave is hard to describe, such is the scale. We witnessed so many stalactites and stalagmites that had been formed over millions of years just blows your mind.

As today was midweek and slightly wet, the numbers inside the cave were modest and only a few hundred, meaning we had plenty of opportunity to stop and gaze up at the incredible shapes that have been formed by water penetration over time .

We spent almost 2hrs underground stopping every few metres to take in another sight of rock formations that looked like they’d been created on a film set, rather than by nature such were their unusual form and appearance.

We both agreed that the Paradise Cave is the most spectacular underground spectacle either of us have ever witnessed.

The shapes coming down from the roof of the cave, are a product of the perpetual flooding that occurs every Sept/October when the cave system becomes inaccessible, such is the raised water levels.

There were a number of stalactites and stalagmites that were meeting up in the middle and exceeded 30-40 metres in height, which had taken over 2-3 million years to be formed. Some of the shapes formed have been christened with amusing names/tags. There is one that looks like Garfield and another Queen Victoria!

We need to apologise for going a little crazy with the endless photos inside the cave, but it was hard to decide what to photo and what to just put to memory and carry on walking.

The colours formed are as a result of the moss that has grown in the caves since they were discovered and illuminated, prior to that they were all shiny and lacking any plant growth due to the constant darkness.

Walking around the cave was such a pleasure and has certainly got us excited to see more of the cave systems that exist elsewhere amongst the Vietnamese mountain range.

At times it felt that some alternative universe or you were on the moon, such was the unusual landscape and rock formations.

The next few photos are a selection of some of the specific features that were mapped out along the cave walk and caught our eye. Our guide was around to explain some of the formations, but sadly not all, such were the number.

After a very enjoyable couple of hours we came back up to the surface and headed for a well earned lunch at the nearby Phong Nha caves, our next destination for the afternoon.

Our second trip was a little less strenuous, with a boat trip along the river to the entrance to the Phong Nha cave.

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The Phong Nha cave is accessed from the river and is over 7.8km long and contains 14 grottoes, as well as a 14km underground river. While local cave experts shave surveyed 44.5km of passages, as tourists we were only able to explore the first 1.5km.

Travelling into the cave by boat was somewhat surreal and made us feel like proper explorers, ignoring of course the other boats that were travelling along the river course like us…!!!

The dragon boats were able to navigate their way into the narrow caves steered believe it or not by young teenagers who were helping out during their school holidays.

Like in the paradise cave, the rock formations were other worldly with the scale of the openings being 50 metres in height in certain sections.

We came across a group of kayakers who had been able to stop at an internal beach and enter into a cave passage that seemed to go into the far distance with no ending.

After venturing to the furthest point, we circled back and departed from the boat to get a closer look at some of the larger cave formations and signs of occupation from the time of the Vietnam War, when the cave became a makeshift hospital for the Viet Cong.

We continued to wander the path of the caves for the next 45mins with open mouths as we saw more magnificent rock formations that defied gravity.

Eventually we found our way back to the entrance to the cave and watched the empty ‘gondolas’ below returning up river where we picked up our rides again.

Time to return to our dragon boat and the return journey up the river.

We were soon back to our minibus and the end of our tour and returned to Dong Hoi around 5.30pm after a full day of cave exploration. We really enjoyed the trip and would definitely recommend it.

After a quick stop back at the hotel, we headed out again for a coffee and cake, departing from the main doors of the Melia hotel, as a grand an entrance as you’ll ever see.

Next door to our hotel was a fantastic coffee shop, which we choose to ignore (!) and instead walked along the riverfront for 30mins before realising that there wasn’t anywhere as good, so we returned and treated ourselves to a coffee & cake. We did get a complimentary tea, which oddly tasted like an ashtray, not something we’d recommend…!

Walking around the nearby shopping mall we came across a store selling electric cars from the main Vietnamese car manufacturer where a new model will set you back $100k – some people are doing well here.

Tomorrow we have a day in the city, exploring the citadel and if the weather holds up a trip to the beach.

Back on the railroad today and a 3hr journey north to Dong Hoi, the gateway to Phong Nha National Park and the Phong Nha & Paradise caves.

After an enjoyable stay at La Vela Hue, we waved goodbye to the splendour of our hotel and got back to the more basic accommodation of the Vietnamese railway system.

Hue station was a basic affair, however the staff were friendly and helpful and we joined a young family in our sleeper cabin.

For reasons unknown, Michelle found herself in one carriage on the top bunk, whilst Andy was next door with a young family and there 4 girls, also perched on the top bunk. The journey went smoothly and within 3hrs we had safely arrived in the small city of Dong Hoi, our home for the next 3 nights.

We our staying at Melia Vinpearl, a fantastic hotel which is very glam with big white rooms and views out over the river and the beach beyond.

After an hour of unpacking, we headed out for a walk around the waterfront in search of a restaurant for dinner.

The city landscape is relatively modern, as much of the original city was destroyed due to heavy bombing in Feb 1965 during the Vietnam War.

We walked past a large traditional market on the docks selling fish and an amazing array of fruit and vegetables.

Behind our hotel we came across a Red Rose Remembrance garden, recognising Vietnam veterans.

This city is the narrowest land of Vietnam at around 40 km from the east to the west. With Phong Nha national park, our planned cave tour destination, sitting between Dong Hoi and the border with Laos.

The city has a blend of old and new tourist attractions, with the Quang Binh Quan being a focal point.

We took a wander along the riverfront and saw the bridge that leads to Nhật Lệ Beach, where we plan to relax on Wednesday, as we were told it boasts crystal-clear blue water, soft white sand, and a tranquil atmosphere!

As the sunset we came across a group of locals doing meditation in the park. All looked so calm and peaceful.

Further down the waterfront we came across the Tam Toa Church, a Catholic cathedral, which was severely damaged during the Vietnamese War and the bell tower is the only remaining part and has been retained as a monument.

The eclectic mix of activities continued, as we came across a sea of small electric push bikes for kids, which you could hire and drive around the promenade. Despite Andy’s protestations, we decided to give this a miss and continue with our search for a recommended place called the Tree Hugger Cafe.

The cafe proved to be an oasis of calm, and was frequented by other travellers who we recognised from our train journey up from Hue.

The food was delicious and presented in such a great way and proved to be super cheap, costing just £7 including 3 beers!

Our next goal was to find some dessert and we came across an ice cream shop selling soft scoops, again really cheap!

The nights sky on our walk back to our hotel was lit by the several bridges that connect the river to the main beach area and we were pleasantly surprised to see so many people out relaxing taking advantage of the cool breeze off the water.

Making the most of the cooling temperature, we came across some local teams playing Paddle tennis – who knew the game had travelled to SE Asia.

We eventually arrived back at our glitzy hotel and Michelle did her best to create an ‘A’ shape, in honour of our daughter Amelia!

Tomorrow we have an early start as we head to do a days tour in Phong Nha, a national park which is home to over 400 caves.

Today was a continuation of our exploration of Hue and the historical sights that sit around this beautiful city.

Our first stop this morning was Thien Mu Pagoda, which translates as the Temple of the Celestial Lady. This iconic seven-story Phước Duyên pagoda is regarded as the unofficial symbol of the ^city.

The brick pagoda stands 70ft and is octagonal in shape and has seven stories, each of which is dedicated to a different Buddha.

The pagoda overlooks the Perfume River, and has become synonymous with the landscape of Huế.

The temple contains a statue of a large marble turtle, a symbol of longevity. Besides the tower on either side are structures that record the architectural history of the tower.

The temple and its buildings were severely damaged in a cyclone in 1904 and the site is now less substantial and grand than it was in its halcyon days.

Across the site were a series of towers for storing sutras, bell towers, drum towers, meditation halls and halls to venerate the Medicine Buddha, as well as living quarters for the local sangha (monks, nuns and laymen).

We had briefly visited the pagonda on our last visit to Hue, but this time we were able to see a lot more and enjoy the many sculptures as well as the gardens.

The temple also houses the Austin motor vehicle in which Thich Quang Duc was driven to his self-immolation in Saigon in 1963 against the Diem regime. It was the first of a series of self-immolations by members of the Buddhist clergy, which brought the plight of Buddhists to the attention of the international community.

We came across an incredible fruit tree with the most beautiful flowers and large bulbous fruit.

In 1710, the then Emperor funded the casting of a giant bell, which weighs 3,285 kg, and is regarded as one of the most prized cultural relics of its time in Vietnam. The bell is said to be audible over 6 miles away and has been the subject of many poems and songs.

After our visit to the pagoda we then got a Grab to Thien Dinh Palace. Essentially it’s the tomb of Khai Dinh, the twelfth emperor of Vietnam who reigned for just 9 years from 1916 to 1925.

It is located on Châu Chữ mountain near the former capital city.

The emperor had close collaborations with the French colonial rulers, making him unpopular amongst the people of Vietnam.

Like a number of Vietnamese emperors, Khải Định desired the preparation of a tomb in anticipation of his death. The construction started almost immediately upon his succession and beyond his death. The scale and detail of the tomb/palace is immense and very symbolic, with soldiers and learned mandarin sculptures watching on.

The detail of the sculptures are so life-like and despite being over 100yrs old, well preserved.

The tomb is one of three major sites for former emperors on the outskirts of Hue, and having visited the other two on our last visit, it was good to view the last remaining one to compare it against.

This is the smallest in size, but it’s more elaborate in design, fusing Vietnamese and European styles including Gothic and Neoclassical elements.

The entrance of the tomb complex features a grand staircase, which ends at the first terrace with a triple-arched memorial gateway, including images of two five-clawed dragons contending over a flaming pearl.

The interior of the palace is an explosion of colour with lavish finishes. The ceiling is decorated with nine intricate dragons and its walls feature intricately designed glass and porcelain decorations.

In the centre of the palace is the altar room with three sets of doors leading to a crypt and worship room.

The rear room of the palace is home to a temple containing Khải Định’s grave, as well as an altar and another bronze statue of his likeness seated in traditional imperial clothing. It feels very overwhelming and indulgent.

Khải Đinh’s tomb features detailed officers, attendants, and animals, and is a more compact area than that of the other temples that we’ve visited.

The design and detail on the walls, ceiling and floors is an assault on the eyes and makes you understand why the costs of the temple overran three fold, and led to increased taxes throughout the country!

After walking around the exterior of the site and taking one last look at the views out across the hills, we headed back into the centre of Hue for a late lunch.

We found ourselves walking down a street past a bar we had visited when last in Hue where we had celebrated a birthday of Carolina, who was on our Vietnam tour group back in May.

Lunch was back at Nook, where we had visited the night before and did the most amazing avocado and egg on toast. After a relaxing meal we decided to take a walk around the city before heading back to the hotel by foot.

Our journey took us past the local Hue football ground, which looked like it was in need of some TLC, before stopping off at the shopping centre for supplies.

Our walk took us past an interesting leather shop where we witnessed a full crocodile skin hanging up on the door.

After a 3 mile ‘hike’ along the river front, we returned to our hotel where we chose to have a relaxing evening.

We spent the time catching up with our daughter via WhatsApp and made plans for the next stage of our trip up the coast to Dong Hoi and the exploration of the caves at Phong Nha.

Back in tourist mode this morning with our first stop the Imperial Citadel of Hue. This will in fact be our second visit to this ancient site, having previously visited back in May, when we were on our SE Asia tour.

Again it was a hot humid day and there was little shade to be had as we worked our way across the huge site, going from building to building.

The front of the citadel is surrounded by a moat which overtime has been taken over by lotus flowers creating a sea of green.

The grounds of the Imperial City are protected by fortified ramparts and ringed by the moat. The water is routed from the Huong River thus creating the enclosed citadel.

The history bit now.

The citadel contains palaces that housed the imperial family, as well as shrines, gardens, and villas for mandarins.

It was constructed in the early 1800’s under Emperor Gia Long as a new capital, although it mostly served as a ceremonial function during the French colonial period. After the end of the monarchy in 1945, it suffered heavy damage and neglect during the Indochina wars up to the 1980s. The Imperial City was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993.

Severe bombardment caused significant damage to the citadel during the Vietnam War.

A number of its structures were demolished. Many of the notable buildings in the Hue Imperial City have since been repaired and survived due to conservation and restoration initiatives.

We had more time today to take in the many different parts to the citadel, which is blessed with vibrant red coloured hall building where many of the locals come to have their photos taken in traditional dress.

The citadel offers up great vistas as a result of its low level and wide open courtyards.

We came across a series of locals who were having photos taken with the citadel and royal palace acting as a backdrop.

The site was unusually quiet, with less tourists than our last visit, however this may be because of the humidity and the fact it was the weekend. Either way it meant we had plenty of opportunity to take photos and walk around the newly constructed, replica Royal Palace.

The citadel is a trapezoid-shaped structure and there are doors to enter and exit the citadel on either side.

The Imperial Citadel region includes the Forbidden City. The Forbidden City is significant in size being over 1,000ft from front to back.

Alongside the many palaces systems were water gardens, one with a giant architectural lotus flower floating in the centre.

Inside one of the smaller buildings we came across an area where you could make your own Vietnamese bamboo hats. All were painted in the most beautiful colours with intricate individual designs.

Walking around the grounds we came across Japanese inspired water and rock gardens with bonsai trees and carp fish swimming in the streams. All have been beautifully maintained and make for a very relaxing experience.

We also came across handmade kites, again intricately decorated and all by hand in the most vivid of colours.

After spending a few hours in the Citadel we left in search of refreshments. We walked across one of the many bridges over The Perfume River, so named due to the local fauna nearby and where you can take cruises in Dragon inspired boats.

Having done our fair share of boat rides, we decided instead to take a walk along the riverfront and we eventually found Hue’s Bar Street where we stopped for a late lunch. Close by were banners of Vietnamese red flags, nestled above one of the many local government buildings that sit in prominent positions on the water front.

Our next stop was Dong Ba Market, one of the largest in the region where you can buy anything and everything. On the outside we found fruit and vegetable stalls, being sold almost off the street itself and were taken aback by the variety of bananas…as well as the colourful array of fruit and veg on offer. So great to see and it explains why the majority of Vietnamese people are so slim and healthy.

After taking in the sights and smells of the market, we returned back to our hotel for a well earned rest and also an opportunity to check out the pools on the hotels roof.

As it’s Saturday we decided to hit central Hue and check out the restaurant and cafes. We’d been recommended a place called Nook, which was located off a side street and as we walked down a dark alley we were having second thoughts. However it proved to be an excellent spot, frequented by many Europeans and did great veggie dishes.

We had an enjoyable evening and reminisced about the places we’ve visited to date as well as thinking ahead about our plans for when we return to the UK. We do miss the familiarity of home and our friends and family.

Post dinner we went to check out places for a final drink and found a cool spot called Cafe New Space which was busy with the young of Hue drinking iced coffees and watching the world go by. We decided to join them and ordered a very delicious Pineapple smoothie.

As with many of the cafes we were provided with chairs that in the UK would be considered to be for children under 5 (!), but here everyone sits at a low level. Fine so long as you don’t have long legs like Andy, who looked like a giant when he sat down!

We had a great hour in the cafe, watching people come and go and it was an insight into how the local people live their lives. Seeing generations of families all together is something you rarely see at home, but here it’s common to have your kids and grandparents altogether.

After our fun night out, we returned to our hotel pleased that we have been able to mix it with the young locals and stay out until beyond 10pm!

Tomorrow we are off on another tour around the city visiting Thien Mu Pagonda, Khai Dinh Tomb and Tu Duc Tomb, as well as a trip along the river.

After a fabulous 2 week extended stay in the beautiful Little Oasis Hotel, it was time to say goodbye to the wonderful staff. Salome and her team made our stay so very special, making it hard to leave a place where we’ve stayed longest, since leaving Manly back in January.

The hotel provided a free drop off at Da Nang train station, meaning a return to the city and the Dragon bridge we walked across a few weeks ago.

Being back in travel mode was an odd sensation and one that will take a little bit of getting used to again. Using public transport, like the Vietnamese train up to Hue involves waiting around, being patient and accepting of delays, even changes of plan.

Thankfully our train to Hue was only 30mins behind schedule. Ater boarding our first class sleeper for the journey, we were soon joined in our cabin by two young South Koreans. They had reserved the two top bunks and very quickly they were snoozing, whilst we stared out of the window watching Da Nang fade into the distance.

Being back on a sleeper train brought memories of our overnighter from Bangkok to Chiangmai back in early May.

The route from Da Nang to Hue takes around 3 hrs passing through the famous Hai Van Pass, a mountain climb which the train in part cut through via the Hai Van Tunnel. Outside of the tunnel the views were spectacular as we passed along coastal beaches with the sea sitting below us.

The train line zig zagged its way up the hillside, and at times we could see the front of the train as it curved its way along the tracks.

We had been recommended to take the train by Salome at The Little Oasis Hotel who explained that it had been voted one of the most impressive train journeys in SE Asia as a result of the coastal views.

As we reached the summit of the climb and started to descend we passed Lang Co Bay, a beautiful setting with white sandy beaches wrapped around the heads making it one of the most admired beaches in Vietnam.

At points along the route, the road and train lines take turns overlapping each other, with the road being bridged over the tracks in certain sections.

The journey enabled us to admire the natural scenery from the mountains to the fields of Hue countryside.

Once we were over the pass we returned to the flat Hue countryside and then on to Cau Hai Lagoon where oyster fishing is prevalent.

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Andy managed to get a short video of the route so you can appreciate how tight the tracks are to the land and sea below.

We were soon on the approach into Hue, and we took up our positions on the train as a large number of passengers were departing like us.

It’s not the most dignified of exits, as the train had overshot the platform. We had to climb over rubble, and puddles from the rain the night, before to get to the station and were able to hail a Grab to our hotel on the outskirts of Hue.

We are staying in La Vela Hue, a recently opened high rise hotel with views out back to the city. It’s very spacious and well priced but lacks a little ‘soul’ and at dinner in the evening proved to be quite quiet. It turns out the hotel has been built in readiness for a large Japanese shopping centre opening close by, which is still a few months away from being completed. So as a result we had the hotel restaurant to ourselves!

By the time we unpacked in our hotel room, it was already nearly 7pm, so we opted for a hotel meal, with the intention to head out the other two nights we are in Hue. It’s a place with a reputation for good street food is we are keen to see what’s on offer.

Tonight we played safe, with a chicken & rice dish for Michelle and a curried chicken for Andy, with an obligatory portion of French Fries to share.

The food was pretty good and was just what we needed. Hopefully it will set us up for our planned tour of the Hue Citadel and Dong Ba market tomorrow.

We had planned to visit the Cham Islands today, however due to changing weather and an expected storm, the trip was cancelled.

This meant we got one final bonus day at the hotel before we make our way north to Hue tomorrow.

With the sun out in the morning it was an opportunity to catch up with the sun lounger and our latest novels.

In the early afternoon we rode into Hoi An for the last time and went via the travel agent to get the refund on the Cham Island tour cancellation. It’s a shame to miss this, as we were both looking forward to more snorkelling on the islands reefs and to do some sight seeing, however there will be other opportunities over the next 3 weeks, as we continue our tour around Northern Vietnam.

The early afternoon sunshine remained and we got the chance to cycle around the old town unhindered by crowds who must have stayed away due to the storm forecast.

Andy was keen to visit a couple of the older temple buildings and managed to video the streets as we cycled around.

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After getting back to the hotel, Andy went to get his run fix in the gym and is taking inspiration from the Little Oasis fitness signs….we shall see if it works!

As darkness fell the predicted storm did eventually arrive. The torrential rain meant that going out for dinner was a nonstarter.

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So to avoid the floods outside, we treated ourselves one more time at the hotel restaurant and sat under the porch watching the rain.

It’s been a low key day and with this evenings rain we decided to have one last tour around the hotel and view the local dress you can hire for a proper Vietnamese day or night out. We had planned to do it tonight, so this was the next best thing.

So that’s about it for today, tomorrow we say goodbye to Hoi An and return to Hue for a few days before moving on to Phong Nha for a return to nature and a visit to two of the largest caves in the world. Until then.

Our last ‘rest’ day in Hoi An, before tomorrow’s planned trip to Cham Island. The first part of the morning was spent in our favourite spot at the roof top pool, where we finished reading our latest books.

As the weather steadily improved, we opted for some time down at the beach.

The hotel has such a good set up and within 30mins we were on their courtesy bus heading to Bai Bien Ha My beach for the sunshine.

As luck would have it, we managed to snare two beds in a prime spot on the beach and so we settled in for some R&R!

Michelle has become a real devout reader, never missing the opportunity to read a chapter or two of her latest novel find, and so it was today.

Andy took himself off for a wander along the beach to check out what looked like a beached whale/upped turned boat, but proved to be some kind of sand breakwater wrapped in thick black plastic sheeting.

The walk back down the beach was more scenic, with a run of coconut trees, where the beach mets the land, and in the midst of this a huge array of umbrellas for the tourist throng. Today however most of the beach beds were empty due to the cloudy start.

With only a few hours of sun worshipping on offer, Andy stuck to the task and having finished his latest spy novel he took to listening to some tunes on Soundcloud.

We have made the most of our hotels chain of bars and restaurants, and the one down at the beach was ideal. Chilled music, good food and a relaxing vibe.

We returned to the hotel late afternoon and had planned to go to a restaurant locally, but Michelle felt a little off colour, so we opted for food at the hotel and a quiet night.