Author: Silke

A good 15 hours driving time in the Reunification Express SE1, this time softseat in the wide-body car, brought us overnight at a speed of usually less than 50 km/h to DaNang.

Softseat is more suitable for shorter distances during the day. It was a bit uncomfortable, because our seats were slightly defective and for the first part of the night an older woman had opened her "camp" directly under our backs. You can probably also ride without a seat! There are 4 and 6 sleeping cars, but they were already fully booked. This time, the trip cost only 584,000 VND pP.. Included in the fare were served 2 times foil dinner (rice or pasta with meat in sauce) at the place. In addition, service employees with various offers such as.B corn cobs and drinks come through the wagons for an extra fee.We tried a rice fruit pastry. Tastes like moist gummy bears. The train had a restaurant with wooden benches and there were only staff sitting or lying in it. We haven't tried it. There is also a hot and cold water vending machine in each car. The last two hours of the route are mostly on the coast and offer a magnificent view.

DaNang Station is about 30 km from our destination HoiAn. We are using a large-capacity taxi for 80,000 Dong pP. driven directly to our hotel. After checking in at about 16:00 we took hotel bikes to the stand about 200 m away and went swimming in the warm waves of the South China Sea in 30 degrees heat. In the evening we didn't want to go out for more food, so we bought a bottle of wine for the room.

Silke

Today is another day of travel. We started with the Sleeping bus at 8:30 am in Sapa and thanks to long trousers, socks and jackets we did not arrive frozen this time! Funnily enough, there was an unplanned "boxing stop" just behind Lao Cai due to a tyre breakdown. But it only took about 15 minutes and we were able to continue.

In Hanoi we took a quick look at our hostel to see if a refund will be granted because of our Halong Cruise. Will not, we unfortunately have to pay tuition fees and do more research and compare on site for further bookings. OK, ticked off!

While I was reading at Highlands Coffee and chatting with the children, Reiner, despite the rain, went long on the reunification express line and waited for the train. The train travels through a residential street in the middle of the city! Great photos and videos. Since he had no cash with him, an Italian invited him for a beer.

Silke

Since rain was forecast for today, we used the day for travel planning. From noon the sky moved and towards the evening one did not see the hand in front of your eyes!

We were at "Good Morning View" over lunch and for dinner. As always, the food there tasted very tasty!

Silke

Today we did a trekking tour to Ta Phin. The weather was ideal at 22 degrees and pure sunshine. On the hiking trail we passed many rice terraces and bamboo forests. In total it had been 16.5 KM on foot and back about 10 km by bus and car. At a barrier along the way was a sightseeing fee of 40,000 Dong pP. Collects

There is a cave that has not yet been developed for tourism, the Taphin-Cave, in The Phin. You need flashlights and can climb a maximum of 300 m into the caves. We only made a few meters, it was partly very narrow and also very dark. There are also locals who would take a guided tour with a flashlight for a little money.

On the way back we were taken this time by a bus with a French tour group. They were very funny, but had to go not to Sapa but to Lao Cai. On the main road we took a taxi for the remaining 7 km. (Taxometer 80,000 Dong). In the "Morning View" there were Hmong vegetables for me today: – chayote (tastes like kohlrabi), – leaf broccoli (like spinach), – pak choi (coal) and various herbs with rice and for Reiner a traditional Vietnamese farmer's dinner – grilled pork on a skewer and bamboo rice with sesame salt and peanuts, in addition a few "Hanoi beers" and cinnamon.

Silke

Since we did not find a suitable hiking trail, we took the taxi from Sapa to Silver Waterfall. The tour cost 200,000 Dong. The Silver Waterfall (20,000 Dong pP. fee) is quite narrow and high. You can climb a flight of stairs up to a bridge on both sides and look up there. It took us a good half hour for the circuit. From Silver Waterfall to Love Waterfall it is about 2 km. You go uphill at the roadside next to the main road. Not so pleasant, we would have preferred to rent a scooter for today. (I didn't want to, because of the road conditions and because I don't like riding a motorcycle). At The Love Waterfall there are another 70,000 Dong pP. Admission to be paid. From the entrance to the waterfall, you walk a few hundred meters over well-developed hiking trails and stairs. We observed for a while a herd of water buffalo esmining well in the mud. The waterfall is very nicely located in the forest and there are several possibilities for bathing. Although the water was quite fresh and I didn't have a towel with me, I took the opportunity.

It was super cool. Reiner didn't want to. But one has to take the photos!

Back we were taken by a bus. For 30,000 Dong pP. he took us back to Sapa. We sat between potato sacks and boxes from which it chirped. The driver first plugged in a water pipe at a stop where a package was picked up. Pretty relaxed tour!

For dinner today there was delicious pumpkin soup and tofu curry served in the coconut.

Silke

Today we took a nice hike along the rice terraces. It went from Sapa about 13.5 km through Lao Chii to To Van. Good hiking trails off, parallel to the road.

Through rice fields, bamboo groves, banana trees, huge ferns and waterfalls. At times you are in the middle of the "jungle".In the villages there are many "homestay" possibilities.We have seen water buffaloes, pigs and chickens. How children bottle dried rice and how to work in the fields. Various artisans offer their wares. Restaurants, massage parlours and small shops are also plentiful.At a vantage point we stopped for a short time and drank something.Back to the hotel a taxi gave us up ( 50,000 Dong).

In the evening we discovered our new favorite restaurant "Good Morning View" not far from our hotel. The fried spring rolls, my eggplant tofu curry and Reiner's fried duck with honey and sesame were very good.

Silke

After a delicious breakfast we set off for Fansipan, the "roof of Indochina". A feeder railway took us about 5 km for 50,000 Dong from Sapa to the valley station. The ride with the three-rope cable car takes about 15 min and measures two world records with 6326 m distance and 1410 m difference in altitude. It opened in 2016. ( 700,000 Dong pP., Local 500,000 Dong pP. ) High hiking could be in two days with overnight stay and sometimes very steep, not harmless sections. The summit can be reached from the mountain station via a cable car to almost the top, or a small hike about 30 minutes via stairs. We took the stairs and passed temples and a large Buddha statue on the way. Around the highest point with 3143 m there are several height measuring points and a flagpole. Everything is well secured with wooden railings.On the summit it was very windy and cool! A few people were there, but it wasn't full. We were above the clouds and had a wonderful sunset thanks to the good visibility.

Once again we have been eating in a Vietnamese restaurant Hot Pot. After that we chatted with our loved ones at home. A beautiful day!

Silke

The night bus to Sapa departed Hanoi at 23:00, two hours later than planned. In the end, this was quite good, because we arrived in Sapa "first" at 5:45 a.m. and had to wait until 11 a.m. in our hotel for our room. We used the time and had breakfast. The bus itself was not so comfortable. Three double-decker seats next to each other and very narrow foot shells. One thin ceiling per seat. The air conditioning was directly above Reiner (cold!). The shoes had to be packed in a plastic bag at the entrance. There was no toilet on board, but breaks were made. Nevertheless, it is a good alternative to travel here by night bus, because the train station is an extra hour outside the city of Sapa.

Our room at the "Stunning View Hotel" is very spacious and has a small balcony with wonderful views.After a warm shower we are off to the rice fields. A very nice hiking trail about 5.5 km to the village catcat. Passing playing children, water buffaloes (they are cozy and do nothing!), Pigs and chickens passing through bamboo forests past a waterfall.

In the evening we were very tired, because the bus night was very short and the discussions yesterday with our concierge mega-strenuous.

 

Silke