Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Tom Round the World 2006
Vietnam - Ho Chi Minh, Mekong Delta and Cu Chi Tunnels (18/2 - 21/2)
After a 6 hour bus journey from Da Lat, we arrived in Ho Chi Minh City, a crazy place, motorbikes everywhere and unbelieveably hot. On our first day we just sweated in the heat. The next day we did a bit of sightseeing, visiting the Reunification Palace and the War Remnents Museum then just relaxed in a few bars. On the final day in the city we went on a trip to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels, where the vietnamese gurilla fighters (Viet Kong) hid during the war in a huge complex of tunnels. This was a fascinating place, the most interesting part for me was the booby traps they used. It was not hard to see why the Americans, pulled out when faced with such a vicious and hidden enemy.
We left Ho Chi Minh after 3 days on a boat trip into the Mekong delta. The first day of the trip we boarded a boat out to some islands in the delta, visting a coconut candy making factory and taking in some traditional vietnamese music, not very memorable. In the afternoon we jumped on what was advertised as a "super air-con bus", for the 6 hour journey to the Cambodian border. The only air-con we could find was to open the window. This, I think was the most enjoyable journey in vietnam because it was full of locals, very bumpy and more memorable than any other bus trip. We spent the night in Chau Doc near the border. Next day was a 7am start to board the boat into Cambodia. To break the journey up we visited a fish farm and silk weaving village and the boat even broke down. The journey up the Mekong River, was most memorable for the floating houses on the river and the stilt houses along the river banks. Our guide rekoned you can pick up a shiny new floating shack here for about 800 pounds if you know anyone who needs a house. After a 4 hour journey we arrived at the Cambodian border at about 12. Little kids freely walk across the border trying to sell you drinks. Over the border we hoped on a different boat for 3 hours to our connection with a mini bus to take us to Phnom Penh. Spent the journey relaxing on the side of the boat, waving at the children playing in the water. When we set off on the minibus it became obvious that we were no longer in vietnam, the road was literally a dirt track and the vehicle suspensions in Cambodia might as well not exist. Rich and the a big Israeli guy next to me were constantly getting thrown against the roof, I was ok. Next the minibus carrying the other half of our group broke down and they had to push it down the road to get it going again. We arrived in Phnom Penh about 6:30pm.
- comments