Today is another travelling day. We are completely refreshed by our stay in Nimh Bin. The countryside, peace and tranquility has pushed the reset button and were ready to move on. This has been a whistle stop tour of central and northern Vietnam and has worked out well,this far, in terms of city, sightseeing and rural locations. We are moving off towards Hi long bay and the coast. I have arranged a coach and “speedboat” to carry us on this four hour journey. The coach picked us up on schedule from outside the long hotel old Nimh Bin and we set off without incident travelling towards the coast through a very flat and surprisingly industrial landscape. Although saying that Blackrod would appear industrial if compared to the splendour of Nimh Bin.
We arrived at the ferry port and were disembarked from the coach while we waited for the “speedboat”. We didn’t know what to expect. After ten minutes the “speedboat” arrived to carry us to the island. It was a knackered old rusty car ferry. We watched it chug towards us slower than the poor old Vietnamese guy that rowed us around the river system. With a clunk grind and wheeze it pulled onto the car dock. Vehicles unloaded and our coach waited it’s turn before being skilfully positioned on the small craft. A 20 minute crossing saw us disembarking on the island. Ten years ago Cat ba was a hidden Backpacker’s destination. Now it is a busy tourist destination although not yet a mainstream
Hotspot. It’s in between that undiscovered and package tourist category. Like most of Vietnam it is a place we wanted to see before the cheap flights, packages and lager louts move in and spoil it forever.
This place feels on the cusp of that time. This is the only hotel stay of the entire trip as Airbnb is not readily available. The choices are hotel or hostel and as game as the girls are I don’t think a shared room with 20 students and a single bathroom would flick their switch.
It’s been a busy day so a few drinks and something to eat will see us tucked up in bed. Tomorrow is an early start for a cruise around the island and Hi long bay.......
Bare,
Crispy and LynNZ signing off Cat ba island, Vietnam 🇻🇳
We arrived at the ferry port and were disembarked from the coach while we waited for the “speedboat”. We didn’t know what to expect. After ten minutes the “speedboat” arrived to carry us to the island. It was a knackered old rusty car ferry. We watched it chug towards us slower than the poor old Vietnamese guy that rowed us around the river system. With a clunk grind and wheeze it pulled onto the car dock. Vehicles unloaded and our coach waited it’s turn before being skilfully positioned on the small craft. A 20 minute crossing saw us disembarking on the island. Ten years ago Cat ba was a hidden Backpacker’s destination. Now it is a busy tourist destination although not yet a mainstream
Hotspot. It’s in between that undiscovered and package tourist category. Like most of Vietnam it is a place we wanted to see before the cheap flights, packages and lager louts move in and spoil it forever.
This place feels on the cusp of that time. This is the only hotel stay of the entire trip as Airbnb is not readily available. The choices are hotel or hostel and as game as the girls are I don’t think a shared room with 20 students and a single bathroom would flick their switch.
It’s been a busy day so a few drinks and something to eat will see us tucked up in bed. Tomorrow is an early start for a cruise around the island and Hi long bay.......
Bare,
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