Monday was my first Vietnamese Bus experience.
Things didn’t start well.
I left the hotel and arrived at the bus office 40mins before my departure time.
There were roadworks outside the bus office making it extremely difficult to manoeuvre my case, negotiate the potholes and get up the huge step into the office. There were lots of people and staff around but the only person to help was a tiny very old man who was begging in the street! 🥺
Once inside the office the guy behind the counter completely ignored me and continued to eat his food. Eventually someone else came behind the counter, looked at my ticket and explained using google translate that I was late!
Unfortunately nobody had told me that I needed to be at the office an hour before the stated departure time. 😳 She rebooked me onto a bus leaving at 1pm instead of 12pm. To be honest I couldn’t understand why this was necessary as it was still only 11.20.
All became clear when I got onto the little mini bus to go to the Big Bus. This journey took 45 mins! We arrived at a huge coach station on the other side of HCM where there were hundreds of coaches!!
I was taking a Bus with a company called FUTU, their office and waiting area was massive, with lots of signs, a digital notice board all In Vietnamese, the staff were a little more helpful and I eventually figured out what bus I was on and how the whole process worked.
I also discovered that the 6 hour bus journey I was expecting to take was actually going to be taking approx 8.5 hrs! 😬
The bus itself is called a Limousine Bus and has little reclining seating pods. 3 across with a gap between.
I had stowed my case in the hold but was trying to board and navigate the very narrow walkway holding my smallish backpack, my handbag, a small bag with snacks and a bloody Vietnamese Hat!! Less than ideal! There is nowhere to put anything in or by your seat, so all of the above were shoved by my feet or in my lap!
The seat itself is very comfortable, lies totally flat, they provide a blanket, water and there are charging points. If you were quite tall it might be tricky.
I had this idea that we would leave HCM and then be driving through the countryside. This is not the case we seemed to just drive through built up areas for hours and hours. After nearly 4 hours we stopped at a service area. We arrived at the same time as a huge storm with torrential rain. 🌧️ They have a pretty clever system, whereby you leave the bus, minus your shoes and as you get off there is a box full of plastic sliders for you to use. This prevents people’s shoes getting wet!
You have to take your shoes off before boarding as standard.
The last part of the journey which would have been through the mountains and I’m sure would have been very pretty, was done in the dark.
I eventually arrived in Dalat 10 hours after leaving HCM!!
The bus ticket also includes a mini bus to take you to your hotel, which was very welcome.
My hotel looked great, small but ok. The lovely guy on reception, Tre, was so nice. He showed me to my room, which whilst being very large and clean was in the basement with 1 tiny window and also right by the reception area which is open to the main road. It didn’t feel very safe, Tre assured me that the reception was closed with a roller door at night.
By this time, 11pm. I just wanted to get some sleep. I was also pretty hungry but Tre told me everywhere shuts at 10pm!! Except the Bakery next door, which was still open.
My supper consisted of water and a small tiramisu!!
The bed was comfy and I slept pretty well until around 5ish when the noise from the road (it’s a main route into Dalat) and the garage next door woke me up! 😩
The lovely Tre agreed to move me to another room at the back of the hotel, which is great.
My first morning in Dalat started very early and I was out and about by 8am. I found the various things I needed, an ATM and a Pharmacist for some painkillers (for my neck which is a little sore) I then had a lovely walk around the city and more specifically the beautiful lake in the centre. lake Xuan Huong.
Dalat is also well known for its flowers and there are so many around. It really is a very beautiful place. The climate here is also amazing, much cooler and fresher than anywhere else I’ve been so far. Very few places here have air conditioning as they simply don’t need it.
I’ll be honest I was still feeling very tired after the bus ride and not much sleep, and as always when arriving somewhere new it can be discombobulating. I wasn’t feeling particularly positive, I wasn’t sure about my onwards travel plans, unsure about traveling to far north I was also not feeling particularly enthusiastic about another long bus ride. One of the problems with the buses is that they don’t stop very often, this is tricky in terms of having to pee! Which means I end up not drinking very much then getting dehydrated. On my previous bus journeys, I’ve known that we will stop every 2 hours, this isn’t the case in Vietnam. We stopped twice on a 10hr journey!
I haven’t really found my way around the food here yet either. I’m not a big fan of seafood or pork which are staple ingredients in lots of dishes.
I had a chat to my Rebecca which was very negative on my part and a bit of a moan fest 😬 She offered lots of helpful suggestions, which I wasn’t really in the mood to hear at that point, but thought about them later and she was right. Thank you my gorgeous girl. ❤️
I googled nice places to eat, got a Grab to a lovely small place in town, had a yummy meal then booked a nice tour for the next day and got an early night!
After a very good nights sleep things feel brighter.
I’m picked up for my tour at 8.15 and there are just 3 of us.
Veronica a beautiful young woman from the Czech Republic, who is currently living in Sayulita in Mexico. Stanly a really nice man from Malta. Our guide is Chien who is very chatty and informative.
The first stop is a coffee farm. There are lots of Coffee farms around the hills in Dalat. This farm specialises in Weasel Coffee. This is made from coffee beans that have been ingested then pooped out by the weasels. Apparently some enzyme in their stomachs does something to the beans!
The farm is up in the hills and the views are stunning. It’s absolutely beautiful. We have the chance to get a coffee, Veronica is the only one who tries it. She has become addicted to Vietnamese coffee, which is helpful for me as she explains the different options to me.
After the Coffee Farm we visit a cricket farm. This wasn’t quite as beautiful 😳 Crickets are eaten as a snack, they’re are a good source of protein and apparently taste quite nutty. We have the option to try, Veronica and I pass, Stanley says they’re quite nice. We all try the rice wine!
Next we visit a silk factory. This is really interesting and also a little disconcerting.
1 cocoon makes so much thread 300 – 600 meters!
The poor worms are still inside when the process starts, they are then removed at the end and they can be eaten.
A fascinating visit learning about the whole process.
After this we made our way to the first waterfall, Elephant Waterfall, this is opposite a huge statue of Maitreya Buddha at Linh A Pagoda.
The waterfall is in full flow, the water is brown due to the volcanic mud.
To reach the viewing area it’s down quite a few stone steps!
From the waterfall we go back across to view the Pagoda. The whole site is great. There are some very tranquil gardens and the views are lush.
After this we stop for lunch. Veronica and I opted to share a vegetarian lunch.
The lunch is huge! So glad we are sharing. It’s also my first proper Vietnamese food! OMG, so good! Some delicious vegetable soup, clay pot tofu, I can’t stand tofu, it’s a textural thing, but the sauce is yummy! Stir fry veggies, spring rolls, and Chips!
The food is so tasty, it’s great to share with others and try new things.
Veronica is a chef and proper foodie! She says getting vegetarian food here is not difficult at all, which is good to know.
The lunch cost £2! 😍
The next stop is Pongour Waterfall. This is a big waterfall, which Chien says has much clearer water.
This is also reached by descending stone steps, in this case lots and lots of stone steps!! I’m so relived to have had a beautiful sunny day, I wouldn’t have been able to do these steps in the rain, they would be so slippery!
The waterfall is gorgeous, definitely worth the strain on my knees!! 😁
Stanley is such a Gentleman, he offers to help me and also carry mine and Veronica’s bags. So kind.
Luckily for us there is a buggy ride back to the top! Hallelujah 🙌
Our final stop is a little Bee Farm, another interesting stop.
All in all it has been a fabulous day out. We were so blessed with the weather and to have such a small group, but with lovely people!
Veronica and I swap numbers as she may be heading to Nha Trang. And we can meet up.
I book another tour for the next day with Chien, as it’s a great way to see lots of the area.
When I get back to the hotel, feeling positive and refreshed I make a decision and book a flight from Nha Trang to Da Nang and also book accommodation in Hoi An, which is a 30min drive from Da Nang airport.
I’ve only booked 2 nights in Hoi An, I’ll extend when I get there and if I like the hotel. I feel better for having a plan I place. I also feel OK about not taking the bus or the train both of which would have their difficulties, especially when traveling solo.
I have another yummy dinner, Vietnamese curry, and am just on my way to bed when I get a call to say that my tour is cancelled as there are not enough people to run it!
It’s a shame, but nothing I can do.
Unfortunately the weather isn’t too great either, but I opt to have a wet and soggy wander around Dalat. The roads here are much less frenzied than in HCMC or Phnom Penh and I’ve got pretty good at crossing but today as I crossed a pretty slow traffic road a Grab Moped came flying round the corner and missed me by a hairs breath! 😬😳 Learning lesson, never cross near a corner!
My now very bent and battered umbrella did its job and kept me more or less dry throughout my walk!
I finish up in a coffee shop where I order my first Cà Phê Muôi or Salt Coffee. It’s made with coffee, condensed milk some sort of foam and salt! It’s delicious 😋 Thanks for the recommendation Veronica!
I think the more traditional ones I’ll try when I’m in Hoi An, or Hue as that’s where it originated from.
I’m going to go back to the same restaurant again this evening as I spotted a Vietnamese Set Menu with a vegetarian option. I’m really trying to expand my knowledge of Vietnamese food. The food is absolutely gorgeous! Some sort of soy, garlic roasted mushrooms, the best thing! Broth, salad, rice, scrambled eggs and steamed rice. Everything tasted amazing it was so good I didn’t really eat any of my rice! All for £4
Dalat is a really fabulous place to visit in Vietnam, it gets missed out on people’s itinerary’s but I would definitely recommend it, especially during the dry season as it will provide a welcome break from the heat!
I’m looking forward to my bus to Nha Trang, as it was dark when I arrived I’ll get to enjoy the scenery through the hills.
I had booked a smaller Minivan for this trip as it’s only 3.5 hours, although it is supposed to be a luxury one. It arrives half an hour before departure, standard (now I know about these things! 😃) I assume I’m the first to be picked up but as the bus works its way out of Dalat and up into the hills I realise I’m actually the only passenger! 😍 I’m really surprised they didn’t cancel the bus TBH.
The journey is nothing short of spectacular!
The weather is bloody fabulous as well! 🌞🌞
We leave Dalat through the hills which are literally covered in thousands of poly tunnels growing all manner of crops and flowers.
All of the farms here are family owned, nothing is controlled by big companies, which is great.
After just over an hour we stop for a wee break, then start to climb upwards and then we are no longer in hills but mountains ⛰️
The views are stunning.
The road is windy and very steep and my driver is fab, going slowly and carefully. There are waterfalls everywhere. We are travelling through Bidoup Nui Ba National Park and the Omega Pass the second longest in Vietnam. We are in the mountains for more than 2 hours. It was honestly awesome. I tried to take pics from the bus, but they don’t do it justice.
Once you descend from the mountains you are on a flat bit then there is Nha Trang and the Ocean!
It’s so weird to have come through all this nature and then suddenly be surrounded by high rise buildings!
The bus drops me at my hotel, very handy.
So now we’ll see what Nha Trang is all about!
Till next time!
Have a fabulous weekend everyone.
Sending you all lots of love. I miss you.
💚🩵⛰️🌊🩷❤️
Books Read.
The Twenty Three. Linwood Barclay. The last in the trilogy. OK, glad I’ve finished the set. But feel there may be more coming. Also I’m pretty sure some of the characters have featured in his other books?
When we were friends. Jane Green. It was a short story!! How irritating. Still it filled 30mins!
I also watched “The Perfect Couple” on Netflix. Entertaining.
Hereandthereclaire.com 