Greetings to everyone! This time, I will take you on a trip to South Vietnam.

It's been a while since I went there, but I've been marinating for a long time....

The story began when I resigned from my old job last year and had a week off before starting a new one. As I had been wanting to see the desert for a long time, and the movie "We Two Three People" made me realize that there is a small desert not far from our home, I set the goal of this trip as the White Sand Dune in Mui Ne, Vietnam.

Since it was the beginning of June with no holidays and no flight deals (I happened to quit my job suddenly and didn't plan to have time to travel anywhere), I thought it would be difficult to find travel companions, so I decided to go alone!! It was my first solo trip, but I hardly had any time to be alone throughout the trip. 555

My travel plan

My travel plan


Expenses

When I went, the exchange rate was 1 THB = approximately 660 VND. The calculation is simple: divide the price by 1,000 and then multiply by 1.5 or add half.

The cost of living here is quite a bit higher than in Thailand. If you eat at a restaurant, a meal will cost around 100 baht. And for things like bottled water, which are sold at roadside shops, the prices are often inflated, so you need to choose your shops carefully.


You can see that the ticket prices are very cruel.

South Vietnam Tips

- Vietnamese people can speak English a little bit. They stopped speaking French 2-3 generations ago. They meet a lot of French tourists here because they think people here can speak French.

- Bring US dollars with you. Some tour companies and hotels will accept dollars, which are more convenient to carry than dong. They are also easier to exchange back.

  • Most people here (HCMC) have dark skin, serious faces, and hard eyes. But they are good people at heart. I was once told by a Vietnamese person to keep my bag safe or I would be robbed. It was like they were worried, but they didn't show it.

- In HCMC, motorcycles are everywhere. The sound of horns will be heard every 5 minutes. You will be startled the first few days, but you will get used to it later. Honking here is like their normal communication, not a reprimand.

- Crossing the road is a challenge. If you wait for the cars to clear before crossing, this trip will take about 12 days. We have to be brave and walk straight across. The cars will give way. It must be admitted that the motorcycles here are driven very well. But! Do not cross the road and then back up. It will be very dangerous.

- If you're staying in a hostel, be prepared for it to be a bit run-down.

- Regarding scams, I've heard a lot of warnings about them, and they're definitely real. My friend had his smartphone stolen there, so you need to be careful.

  • Taxis are not necessary, unless you really need them. In HCMC, young people and middle-aged people can walk around and enjoy the city. The city is beautiful and there are big trees along the way that provide shade.

- In HCMC's public parks, you'll often see couples cuddling up. In the evenings, there are children, grandparents, and parents out enjoying recreational activities, making for a lively atmosphere.

- The bars here have people sitting on the floor with mats in front of the shop. And there are always people riding bicycles who ring their bells at us. //You know what I mean

- I'm not very familiar with the food, mostly pho, rice, grilled pork, and banh mi. For Vietnamese food like the kind you find in restaurants in our country, you have to go to the bigger restaurants.

- Pham Ngu Lao is the Khao San Road of HCMC. You can find everything from accommodation and tours to nightlife spots here.

- There are 7-11s everywhere, and the products are not much different from those in Thailand. If you have trouble finding food, there are instant noodles to keep you alive.

- The buses in the south are quite run-down. The bus to Da Lat was okay, but the bus to Mui Ne was really bad. I'll tell you more about it later.

- Da Lat is a charming and whimsical city with cool weather, morning mist, and beautiful flowers.

- Da Lat is cold. If you go during the cold season, bring a warm coat. It's essential. (Some years it snows.)

- Mui Ne is hot. If you go during the hot season, you don't need to bring a jacket. //Wrong (It's so hot that no one comes out of their houses in the afternoon.)

- This trip was a Temperature Shock. It was hot and humid in HCMC at night, then I woke up to fog in Da Lat in the morning, and in the afternoon I was sunburnt in Mui Ne.

- Get ready to eat seafood at Mui Ne at the fishing market, it's super cheap (my friend told me, I went alone so I ate at a restaurant, the price was still reasonable).

- Please bring your own seafood dipping sauce. They don't have any there, only lemons and a salty powder instead.

- Don't swim in the sea at Mui Ne, especially near the town. The sea here is both a source of livelihood and an emergency toilet for the locals.

- My Tho is the Bang Krachao of Vietnam, but without the bike lanes. 555

  • Anyone who has time, I recommend staying at a homestay in My Tho. They will have a tour for you to experience the slow life with the locals there.

- From HCMC, there are many Day Tour routes. I didn't plan anything and went to My Tho at random, which I was indifferent to. Those who are going to try to find a place that they like.

  • The HCMC - Da Lat - Mui Ne route will be a triangle. We can also switch to Mui Ne first if we are going north from Da Lat (such as Hoi An, Hue).

Day 1: Saigon Trail

The day started with a heavy storm at Don Mueang Airport. At around 5:00 AM, there were a lot of people, who seemed to be Chinese tourists, getting off the plane. It took almost an hour to get my luggage (I was teased by a Chinese family for cutting in line). My gate was very far away, so far that it was at the end of the walkway. When I arrived at the gate, it was not yet open and there were only a few people waiting. Most of them were Vietnamese. I met 3 girls from the north of Thailand who were also going to Vietnam. I made new friends right at the gate.


After a while, the rain stopped, the sun came up, and the gate opened. We left Thailand at 7 am on Air Asia. I noticed that the flight attendants were wearing jeans, not skirts like on domestic flights.




We landed at HCMC airport around 9 am. After a short wait at the airport, we exited and found a counter selling phone SIM cards near the exit. There were many different types of SIM cards available. The three girls from the north and I decided to meet up again to buy SIM cards, so we decided to travel together. I used Vinaphone (the cheapest one, haha). The SIM card cost 149,000 VND, but it was a micro SIM. I needed a nano SIM, so I had to pay an additional 25,000 VND to have it cut. It can be used for calls and 3G for 15 days.



After buying the SIM card, I walked out of the airport. There were a lot of people in front of the airport, like they were waiting for a celebrity. If you walk to the right, there will be a bus stop. We need to take bus 152 to get to Pham Ngu Lao. The fare is 5,000 VND.



The place was packed, all that was missing were the light sticks. //Wrong



The empty bus, I told the driver to let me know when we arrive.


This is my first time seeing the streets of Vietnam, and it truly lives up to its reputation. The horns are blaring, and motorbikes take up 80% of the road. The cars will pass through the Ben Thanh Market roundabout, which is easy to spot because of the statue of a man riding a horse in the center (Tran Nguyen Han Statue). If you see it, you'll know you're almost there.


They utilize the road space very well, there is almost no unused space.


Ben Thanh Market roundabout


We got off at Pham Ngu Lao. My plan is to find a tour for a Da Lat Day Tour and accommodation. The reason I chose to use a tour is because I plan to take a sleeper bus tonight and arrive around 5 am. I don't think there will be any accommodation open, and I need to find a Day Tour for the day as well. So, it's safer to book a tour from here. I contacted Vietsea [ http://www.vietseatourist.vn/ ] in person. I chose this one because I saw that many Thai people use their services. The price at the store is cheaper than on the website. You can bargain to a certain extent.


Map around Pham Ngu Lao.


I used Vietsea's services in Da Lat, which included a sleeper bus from HCMC, a day tour, one night's accommodation, and a bus to Mui Ne. The hotel cost was a bit of a pain, as I was traveling solo but had to pay for a double room. A hostel would have been much cheaper. The cost of intercity transportation wasn't much different from booking it myself (40 baht for a grab). The total cost was 49 USD. After the negotiation, Vietsea provided me with a city map, a bottle of water, and allowed me to leave my luggage with them. I was also able to use their bathroom to shower in the evening (using a hose, haha).


After settling the tour arrangements, I went to find some food around Pham Ngu Lao. I let the three girls take the lead on this one, as I'm not too picky about food. We walked into the alley next to Vietsea, which has tour companies, accommodation, and restaurants. We found a place called Sinh Cafe, which is like a regular made-to-order restaurant. The prices were a bit steep, with most dishes costing around 100,000 VND. I ordered grilled pork with rice for 65,000 VND.




There is a big tree at the mouth of the alley.


Quiet alley, not many cars


After a delicious meal, it's time to explore Ho Chi Minh City. Today, we'll be walking everywhere. Our first stop is the Notre Dame Cathedral. Then, we'll cross the street to the Vietnamese post office, which is right across from the cathedral. Next, we'll walk to the Independence Palace and then take a stroll through Ben Thanh Market.



Follow the route on Google Maps. The signs here are in Vietnamese. If you come without internet, you should remember the street names well, otherwise you might get lost.



Let's go! ~

We walked back to Ben Thanh Market again, but didn't go in. We headed straight to Notre Dame Cathedral, which is located near Pham Ngu Lao. The cityscape is generally low-rise buildings. If you look out into the distance, you can see high-rise buildings in the background. There is one building that looks like Stark Tower, which stands tall and majestic (Bitexco Financial Tower). What is clearly noticeable is the abundance of trees. There are tall trees lining the streets all the way.



Ben Thanh Market roundabout with Stark Tower in the background.



Very accurate.





There are tall trees lining every street.


Starbucks is also available, you know.



And there's street art too! After an hour of walking and getting lost, stopping here and there, we finally arrived at Notre Dame Cathedral. Or, as it's officially called, the Basilica of Our Lady of The Immaculate Conception. It's a cathedral built during the French colonial period, and its design is based on the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris in France (the circle window in the middle of the cathedral).

This temple is open to the public from Monday to Saturday. There are two entry times: 8:00 AM - 10:30 AM and 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM.

I arrived at 2 pm, but I didn't know that they were closed from noon to afternoon. So I thought they were closed for the day (there was a sign, but it was all in Vietnamese). I missed it completely TT-TT


The sun is scorching hot right now, so I decided to take refuge in the Central Post Office across the street. This building was also constructed during the French colonial period in Vietnam, as evidenced by its distinctive architectural style that blends Gothic and Renaissance elements.


Anyone who wants to send a letter back to Thailand can do so from here. There are many foreigners writing postcards.


The next place we will visit is the Independent Palace, which is located behind the Notre Dame Cathedral.



The back of the temple is just as beautiful as the front.



Walking through the lush garden



Stop greeting the 3 puppies (they seem hot).

And then we arrived at the Independent Palace. This was the former command center of South Vietnam during the Vietnam War, and it was the site of the end of the Vietnam War in the Fall of Saigon, when Viet Cong tanks crashed through the palace gates and captured South Vietnam.


Tickets are sold on the side of the palace for 30,000 VND per person. In the front garden, there are tanks on display. Inside, there are meeting rooms, a history of the place, a command room, bunkers, and wartime weapons. On the roof, there is a helicopter parked.


While I was in the palace, it started to rain heavily. I was stuck there for quite a while. When the rain finally stopped, it was already past 5 pm. All the museums were closed, so we decided to head to Ben Thanh Market to have some time to walk around and find dinner.


On the way, I passed by a cinema, so I stopped by to see how different it was from ours. It reminded me of the heyday of Major Hollywood Pak Kret. 555

And then we arrived back at Ben Thanh Market at almost six in the evening. It was still drizzling a little. We ate dinner at a restaurant first. The restaurant we went to today was Pho24, located on the side of the market. There are many restaurants in that area. We were charged 55,000 VND for pho and 15,000 VND for Saigon Bia.


We strolled through the market, which had a similar vibe to Chatuchak Weekend Market, with souvenirs, clothes, and bags on sale. After a short walk, we returned to the Pham Ngu Lao area. The back street is now a night market with numerous bars. The bars here set up long tarpaulins on the sidewalk for customers to sit on.


Across the street from Vietsea, there seemed to be some kind of park, and it was full of local people. So we followed them to see what was going on. It turned out to be an amphitheater, and today was like Children's Day, with kids performing and lots of snacks for sale. We were lucky to have the chance to soak up this little bit of culture. What we noticed was that after the show, the Vietnamese families all stood around waiting for the bus. Only a few of them got on motorbikes to go home. We didn't see anyone using a car.


After watching the show, we returned to Vietsea to shower and prepare for the next bus to Da Lat. I bought a large bottle of water to drink on the bus from the grocery store next to Vietsea for 10,000 VND, the same price as a small bottle of water sold in stores near tourist attractions. They really jack up the prices when they can. The stores around Pham Ngu Lao have a lot of imported beer for sale, including Blood-wiser, Corona, and Saporo, which are very cheap. They cost around 30-40 baht per can.

10:30 PM We waited for the sleeper bus in front of the Phung Trang bus company. Vietsea will distribute receipts for the bus, hotel, and tour. We used this receipt to use the service. The sleeper bus arrived a little late, around 10:50 PM. The sleeper bus has 3 rows of 2 floors, with beds that are just the right size. There are slots to put your feet in. The staff will distribute plastic bags to put your shoes in. People of standard size will be able to sleep comfortably. If you are taller than 175 cm, you will not be able to fully extend your legs. The back row is a 2-story long bed where you have to crawl in to sleep together. It is not recommended to sleep in the back row. The bus does not have a toilet, so you must go to the toilet before boarding because there is no place to stop along the way as it is a mountain.


Day 2: Da Lat, City of Mists and Flowers

A little after five in the morning, after a night of tossing and turning on the swaying tour bus that honked every 10 minutes, we finally arrived at Da Lat Bus Station. When I got off the bus, I was shocked. The air was so cold that my breath was visible. And because I believed that Vietnam was at a similar latitude to Thailand, I thought the weather would be hot like Thailand. So I packed only T-shirts. At this point, I really wanted to wrap myself in a towel.


This is a map of Da Lat city where I am staying. Da Lat is not very big. The route from the market to my accommodation is only 1 km.

From the bus station, we need to take a minibus to the city center. There will be a car waiting and ask us which hotel we will be staying at. I already have a receipt from vietsea and they have a car to pick me up clearly. For those who do not have accommodation, I would like them to be dropped off at the market first. Then they can walk around and find it. But as I mentioned earlier, the hostels will not open until 7 am.

The car picked me up and took me to the hotel. The name of the hotel is La Pensee Hotel. It is not far from the market. When I arrived, no one was awake. I had to ring the bell for a long time before a staff member came down to open the door for me. When I gave him the receipt, it seemed that Vietsea had specified the wrong check-in date. This caused the hotel to have to call Vietsea. It was a bit of a hassle. (I will say that the staff member did not speak English. We tried to talk for a long time until he had to open the Translate website on his computer so that we could understand each other.)

I can't get into my room yet, so I left my bag at the desk and went to wash my face and brush my teeth. The car that will take me on the Day Tour will pick me up at 9:30 am. So now I have some time to go for a walk and find breakfast at the Da Lat market.


The morning atmosphere of the lake

The streets leading up to the main morning market are mainly lined with stalls selling fresh vegetables, with some food carts offering dishes like grilled pork and baguettes. Inside the market (behind the statue), you'll find various fresh produce, including meat, while the surrounding area is filled with flower vendors. The market is quite crowded, with motorbikes still weaving through the throngs of people. Interestingly, I noticed that all the vendors here wear conical hats, unlike in HCMC, where hats are less common and mostly seen inside shops.



For breakfast this morning, I had a baguette for 15,000 VND and then returned to the hotel to wait for the car. The car arrived on time. It was a van with almost all Thai people on board, including me, the northern girls who came along (they were originally going on a tour outside the city, but the driver suggested they change to this tour because it rained last night and the road might be inaccessible), and another group of Thai girls. This made the van quite lively and party-like.

The first place the guide took us to was the Summer Palace. I felt indifferent about it. Whoosh, it passed by quickly.


You can also ride a horse.

The second place is Dalat Cathedral, a Christian church. Locals call it the "Cock Church" because there is a rooster on top of the bell tower. You can't enter, just walk around outside. I'll keep it short here too, whoosh!

After visiting the Chicken Church, we will take a cable car ride. The car will take us to the cable car station, and then wait for us at the end of the ride. The cost is 50,000 VND per round trip. The cable car will take us through the three-leaf pine forest, a distance of about 2.5 km. The view of the pine forest is very beautiful.


The car will park downstairs. We have to walk up a short flight of stairs to the station.


View from the station. Looking back, you will see Da Lat city.


Turning to the other side, you will find a dense forest.


Queue to wait for the cable car. Up to 4 people per car.


Whoosh!


The view is very beautiful.


The next car is a family.


As we descended the mountain, we could see the temple in the distance.


As we approached, the cable car almost grazed the rooftops of the houses below. The final destination of the cable car is Truc Lam Meditation Monastery, a place for practicing meditation. If you go down, there is a large lake, but I didn't have time to go down.



The next stop is Datanla waterfalls. The waterfall is famous for its roller coaster that goes down to the lower level, which we can ride. However, we need to queue to buy tickets first. Actually, the level where the roller coaster takes us is only the first few levels. From the roller coaster, we can take a cable car down. There are also some levels that we need to Canyoning up.


There is a plant shop before going down.


Whoosh!


The waterfall is amazing. There are so many people!


If you want to continue, go this way. But when I went there, I didn't have enough time to get off at the next station, which is the Da Lat train station. There is a steam locomotive parked there for taking pictures. There's not much to see there. It was raining at that time, so we didn't stay there long.


It was exactly noon when the tour guide took us to a restaurant in the city, not far from the hotel where I was staying. The tour price did not include food, so we ordered and paid for it ourselves. We could have walked out and eaten at another restaurant, but it was raining heavily at the time, so we didn't go anywhere else. The food was a bit pricey, with fried rice costing 60,000 VND.

After we finished eating, we continued to the Valley of Love. It's a flower garden with sweet props for couples to take sweet photos together. I came alone, so I just stood there watching with wide eyes. But the atmosphere was good, similar to Doi Ang Khang, but with fewer flowers. By then, the rain had stopped, so I was able to walk around a bit.


Next to the Valley of Love is the XQ Historical Village, an art and cultural center that showcases the art and culture of Da Lat. Similar to a small art school, students here must wear Ao Dai. The most prominent art form here is embroidery, which is used to create pictures. There are portraits, landscapes, and even abstract art. Some portraits are embroidered on both the front and back, making them incredibly beautiful and expensive.


The outside area is like a small garden, a place for artists who come to practice here to relax. There are various philosophies embedded in each part of the garden. There is also a tea shop and a restaurant. It is a very peaceful and relaxing garden. If I came here on my own, I would want to walk around until it got dark.


After leaving the place, the tour guide took us to a souvenir shop and for a tea tasting. I'm not really into tea, so I couldn't tell you if it was good or not (if it was beer, I would be much more enthusiastic). The tour guide then dropped us off at our accommodation around mid-afternoon. I rested for a while and then realized that my toothpaste had gone missing. I had to go out and buy some at a nearby convenience store (I had to search Google for a picture of a convenience store to show the desk at the hotel, and then they understood and gave me directions). When I got to the convenience store, I saw that they also sold yogurt. I had heard on this forum that the yogurt here was very delicious, so I bought some to try. Was it really delicious? I couldn't really tell the difference. But what I do know for sure is that I spent 18,000 VND on yogurt and 25,000 VND on a large tube of toothpaste, which I still haven't finished even now (more than a year later).



After a long break, my three northern girls and I went out to walk around Da Lat Market. We were looking for dinner, and the market was very lively this evening, with people walking everywhere. Restaurants were all set up around the roundabout and walkways. Most of them were pho and grilled food, and the snacks were mostly bread and soy milk. Today, I had a strange snack, a bowl of pho (20,000 VND) and bread with soy milk.


After finishing our meal, we searched for affordable accommodation for the three girls for the next day, as I would only be staying in Da Lat for one night and would be heading to Mui Ne the following morning. The three girls from the north would be staying for another day, so they wanted to find a cheaper place to stay. As you can see on the Da Lat map I posted, there is an area marked "Hostel Area." This area has many row houses that have been converted into hostels, and you can negotiate prices there. The cheapest room we found was around 10 USD for 3 people. However, I wouldn't recommend looking for accommodation late at night, as it can be quite deserted.


On the way back to the accommodation, we stopped by the lake we passed in the morning to relax for a while. The atmosphere was amazing, with cool air and a light mist flowing down to cover the entire city. It's a pity that the photos don't capture the feeling as well as the real thing. I think everyone should experience this city for themselves at least once.


Day 3 : Mui Ne, the city of deserts and coasts

This morning I'm back to soloing again after the three northern girls came to visit me since they landed in HCMC. Today's plan is to take a bus to Mui Ne in the morning and explore Mui Ne for half the afternoon. I went out for breakfast before getting on the bus, walking around the street in front of my accommodation where there were a few stalls set up. Today, I had breakfast, a national dish of Laos and Vietnam again. It cost 30,000 VND. I tried ordering a coffee to taste, 13,000 VND (the seller gave me a 3,000 VND discount, so sweet >.<). The coffee here is super bitter, but it smells good.


When the time came, the bus arrived to pick us up. It was a mini-bus without air conditioning, and no fans either. Let's just say we got a full experience of the outside air. The bus had three seats per row, and when it was full, chairs would fold down in the aisle to accommodate four people, bringing the total to around 25 passengers. If you sat in the middle seat, it was cramped and uncomfortable. Our luggage was crammed around us, and if you sat by the window, be prepared to get a tan on your arm.


The road from Da Lat to Mui Ne is a winding mountain road. The terrain is quite rough, and we will be swaying back and forth all the way. The scenery along the way is beautiful mountain views, but it is difficult to take pictures because the space is very narrow. In the end, most of the passengers in the car will end up sleeping because of the fatigue from the hot wind.


Around noon, we arrived at Mui Ne. The bus will stop opposite the Sinh Travel company. You can rent a motorbike or ask them to find you accommodation from there. If you already have accommodation, there will be taxis waiting to take you there.

And now we are almost at the end of our trip.

Mui Ne has only three main attractions: Fairy Stream, Red Sand Dune, and White Sand Dune. It only takes half a day to visit all of them. As you can see from the map, the place where I got off the bus and my accommodation (recommended by a friend) are quite far apart. And I didn't want to rent a motorbike from here because it would be inconvenient to drive back when returning it. So I used a taxi service. There were no problems, except that I felt the meter was running very fast and the driver took 5,000 VND, saying it was a tip. In total, I spent 78,000 VND for a journey of more than 3 km.

I didn't book my accommodation in advance, but I walked in. The name is Minh Anh Garden Hotel. In front of the hotel is a grocery store. I met the owner, Uncle Liam, and another lady (I can't remember her name TT). They were very lovely and took good care of me, asking me how I was doing all the time. The room rate is 10 USD per person. I got a room for 3 people, but I slept alone. It has air conditioning, a refrigerator, and a TV. There was a welcome fruit, a dragon fruit.

Point the target >> http://booking.com/5ce5f125c6758b06


I forgot to take a picture of the accommodation, so I'll take a picture of the puppy in front of the room instead.

After packing up, it was time to hit the desert. I rented a motorcycle from the convenience store in front of my accommodation, which belonged to Uncle Liam. The rental fee was 5 USD per day, and I rented it for 2 days. It came with some fuel in the tank, and when I returned it, I tried to keep it close to the original level. I used about half a tank of fuel in two days. I filled the tank twice, at 70,000 VND per fill-up.

First, I drove to fill up the gas tank. I marked it on the map above. I'm not sure if it's still there. 55 And then I drove straight to White Sand Dune. Because it's the farthest away. Just the way there, it took half a tank of gas. The view along the way is soooo beautiful.


The roads here are generally good, with asphalt leading to most tourist destinations. The exception is White Sand Dune, where you'll need to drive on a gravel road for the last 3 km or so. The entrance is on a sand dune, but it's not difficult to drive.

The most boring part of the beach road is the long, hot, and dusty dirt road along the desert. Then you will reach a turn onto a dirt road, where you will see the White Sand Dune in the distance across the lake.



As I was about to turn into the desert following the sign, a Vietnamese man on a motorbike came out and asked if I was a local or a tourist. If I was a tourist, he told me to go to the next entrance, which I did. There was a small checkpoint there where they charged me 10,000 VND to enter. I'm not sure if I was scammed or not, as I don't think you should have to pay to enter the desert. The Red Sand Dunes don't have an entrance fee. But since I had already been driven there, I just paid it. (A Westerner followed me and made a big fuss about having to pay.)

Driving through the sand dunes can be a bit slippery, but you'll find the restaurant and parking area. Here, you can rent a Jeep or ATV to drive around the desert. There's also an ostrich farm nearby, which is quite unique. If you don't want to rent a vehicle, you can walk straight into the desert. However, if you want to drive around, you'll need to follow the paved paths provided. Alternatively, you can hire a driver. I decided to walk in to fully experience the desert atmosphere.


This is the first time I've ever experienced the desert atmosphere. The sun is hot, the wind is strong, and the sand is blowing all over my legs and shoes. When I look back, the footprints I left behind have disappeared in no time. If you look at the sand on the ground, you can see that it is constantly changing shape. The sand dunes are the same, they flow like they have a life of their own.


I chose to walk up the largest sand ridge to see the view of the desert. On the side, there will be a lake that we saw when we drove in.


After a satisfying walk through the desert, we sat down to knock the sand out of our shoes and rode our motorbikes back to Fairy Steam. Today's plan was to visit just two places in a relaxed and easygoing manner.

Fairy Steam is a spring that flows out of the desert. To visit this place, you have to walk through the water and look at the patterns of the rock and soil layers until you find the source of this stream. The starting point of the walk is at the bottom of the stream. When I arrived, I was confused and wondered if I should go down here. Luckily, someone nearby shouted for me to go down (I only heard the voice but couldn't find the person, so I had to shout "Thank you" and go back :/)


The scenery along the way will change constantly, like walking on a nature trail.


In some sections, we can climb up to see the view from above. You can tell by the footprints. If there are footprints in the sand, it means you can climb up (but also check if the footprints reach the top, otherwise it means the previous person didn't make it 55).


The destination is not difficult to find. Just follow the stream straight ahead until you reach a fork. If you continue straight, the water will become deep. If you turn left, you will find a spring bubbling up from the ground.


You can see that this stream starts from a small point of water seepage. I've never seen anything like this before.

It's getting late now. I'm back at my accommodation to take a shower and rest for a while after being out in the sun all day. It's clear that the part of my arm that was exposed outside my clothes (when I lifted the camera to take a picture) is already sunburned.

For dinner, Uncle Liam recommended a restaurant that I'm still not sure if I went to the right one. You can see it on the map above. It's not hard to notice because it's a big restaurant. They have fresh seafood lined up in front of the restaurant for us to choose from and they will cook it for us, either grilled, stir-fried, or eaten raw. The prices are not much different from Thailand. The oysters are huge! Most people who come to Mui Ne recommend eating lobster, but the restaurant I went to didn't have any that day.


I took this picture in a hurry because I was so hungry at that moment. It's a pity that they don't have seafood dipping sauce here, but they do have lemons and salty powder to eat with it. Sitting and listening to the sound of the waves, eating oysters, and sipping Saigon beer, it's really relaxing and comfortable. (This meal cost 425,000 VND, half a kilo of tiger prawns, 1 kilo of mussels, 2 kilos of oysters, and beer.) After eating, I went back to sleep at the accommodation. I slept like a log that night.

Day 4 : Mui Ne Part II

On the second morning in Mui Ne, I woke up late and missed the sunrise at the Red Sand Dunes. When I arrived, it was already bright, and there were people playing on the sand dunes, sliding down the slopes.

The Red Sand Dunes, or Red Sand dune, are not as large as the White Sand Dunes. They are much closer to the city and are therefore much more crowded. From the top of the dunes, you can see the entire city of Mui Ne. It would be amazing to come here at sunrise.


From Red Sand Dune, I continued to Fisherman Village. I'm not sure if I went at the right time or not, as there were only a few boats docked. I understand that they had already gone out to sea. There was only one shop selling things, with crabs, shrimp, and shellfish for sale. The prices were cheaper than in restaurants, with crabs costing only 100,000 VND per kilogram.


On the beach, there are round boats similar to gourds. The villagers will throw nets to catch small aquatic animals near the coast. This is a unique feature of this city. The animals caught are mainly Chinese mitten crabs and various small fish.



And then we will return to HCMC again. For the return trip, I asked Uncle Liam to help me book a car for 6 USD from Ha Phuong company. The car picked us up right in front of the hotel. Before the car arrived, the three northern girls arrived at Mui Ne just in time, so we had the chance to pass each other for a moment.

Before getting on the bus, Uncle Liam ran to get me a bottle of water. The uncle and aunt here are very lovely. Highly recommend it. The return bus is similar to the one that is a sleeper bus (even though it is during the day). Better than the leg with Wifi available on the bus. You can watch Youtube on the way. The tour bus will pick up people at various accommodations. Then it will stop at a restaurant for the bus that came from the previous stop to eat. Get on the bus at noon, but it's almost 2 pm before it actually leaves Mui Ne. Plus, the bus runs slowly, picking up people along the way and stopping to buy souvenirs all the time. According to the schedule, the bus leaves at 13.00 and arrives at 18.00, but it actually arrives at 20.30.

And then I came back to HCMC again, getting off at the same place I got on to go to Da Lat. The next thing was to find a place to stay. There are quite a lot of places to stay in this area, and at first I thought I would just walk around and find one, but since it was so late when I arrived, I went to a place that my friend recommended. It's called Backpacking Club Hostel and it costs 5 USD per night for a dorm bed, including breakfast. It's right across from the bus stop, just walk into the alley. It might be a bit dark, but there's a neon sign that points the way. You can rent a motorbike and find a day tour from here. There's a common area to sit and relax, with books, a guitar, and a fridge selling drinks.


The bedroom is quite shabby. There are two bunk beds and two mattresses on the floor. The highlight is that there is a built-in bathroom inside the bedroom. You can shower with a partition, and the top is open. Anyone who wants to poop or pee will receive the same benefits.


After packing my belongings, I went downstairs to discuss the Day Tour for my last day in HCMC. The program seemed similar to other tours, including sightseeing in the city (which I had already visited), the Mekong Delta - a trip to see the river delta, a tour to see the mangrove forest, and a visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels. I was hesitant between the Mekong Delta and the mangrove forest, but in the end, I chose the delta because it was recommended more than the others in Lonely Planet. The tour cost me 8 USD.

I came back to prepare for bed and met two foreign roommates. One was from France and didn't talk much, he seemed sleepy. The other was from Australia, his name is John. He has been living in the AEC area for a long time and is studying Dharma. We talked about meditation practice for a while, I understood some things but not others. I didn't know the vocabulary, haha. After a while, we went to sleep separately.

Day 5: My Tho and the Mekong Delta Islands

The last day of my trip in Vietnam. The day started with the air conditioner breaking down at around 3 am. It was so hot, and I could hear John breathing heavily. I was afraid he might suffocate, so I got up and tried to turn it on. I finally managed to fix it and went back to sleep. I woke up around 6 am and went downstairs for breakfast, which the hostel provided. It was an omelet and some bread.

When it was time, the tour guide picked me up at the hotel. I joined other tourists, including foreigners and Vietnamese people, to wait for the bus to My Tho City. The bus was late as usual, and it wasn't until 8:30 that the wheels started to turn (they had me sitting and waiting since 7:30). The tour guide's name was something like Ri Re or Lo Le, it was hard to hear. He spoke several languages, was friendly, funny, and had a great service mind. He interacted with the tourists throughout the trip.

The first place the tour guide took us to was the Disabled Handicrafts Center. They mainly make engraved tiles, which I can't really describe, and there's a shop in the back. The center isn't big, you can walk around it in 10 minutes.


The next stop is My Tho, a city on the Mekong River, similar to Samut Prakan in Thailand. The tour will take us on a Chao Phraya Express Boat (which looks exactly the same) to see the various islands in the delta of this river.


The first island we visited was a bee farm. There was a honey tea tasting and honey for sale. While tasting the tea, I got to chat with some of the other people on the trip. I always find that when I talk to people I meet along the way, I hear some strange and interesting stories.

First friend - A woman from the same accommodation as me. She seems a bit self-centered. She just quit her job to travel around this area for over a month (she's only 23!). Her previous job was in China, but her family lives in England. She was actually born in Canada and is half Filipino and half Latin American. Her life seems a bit confusing.

Friend #2 - A young French college student. He wanted to be a pharmacist but didn't pass the entrance exam, so he studied biochemistry instead. He started this trip from the north, riding a motorbike down from Hanoi, stopping to sightsee along the way until he reached HCMC.

Friend #3 - Another French college girl (not acquainted with the previous one). Initially, she came with her boyfriend on a motorcycle trip, but he had to fly back due to an urgent matter, leaving her to continue the trip alone.

Friend number 4 - A European soldier (forgot which country) He traveled all over AEC and tattooed the names of the countries he visited on his legs. I guess his legs must be completely black by now. 55

We talked about everything, but the most painful thing was when they talked about Thailand and warned each other to be careful of Ladyboys in entertainment venues. They even asked me to confirm it, and I had to admit it with a laugh. 5555


The guide then led us to the back, where the path was a small dirt road next to a canal, passing by the houses of local villagers. It felt like walking in Bang Krachao, near Phra Pradaeng. The guide took us to listen to local folk music and eat local fruits. The thing is, we're from the same background as Vietnam, so it wasn't that exciting. But the foreigners who came with us were amazed by the dragon fruit.



Next, the guide led us down a small canal where rowboats were waiting. We were to leave the island by rowboat, and they gave us hats to wear. What surprised me was that the rowboats were very fast, much faster than I expected. The view along the canal was beautiful, but it was a bit similar to what we have at home, so it didn't feel that spectacular.


The rowboat took us out to the Mekong River. Our boat would be waiting there to take us to the second island, which is a coconut candy factory. This is very small, like taking us to buy souvenirs.



Next, the guide took us to lunch. It was two fried spring rolls, garlic grilled pork, and rice. The plate was very small. After this point, the tour will be divided into 2 groups: the Day Tour group will be taken to the pier and take a bus back to HCMC, while the 2 Day Tour group will be taken to stay at a local villager's house near there for a cultural experience. If you have time, it's very interesting to try it. The half-breed girl and the French girl also went with that tour.


I arrived back in HCMC by car at around 5 pm, just in time for dinner. I tried to find a restaurant that was recommended by Lonely Planet, but I couldn't find any. I failed miserably. So I just went into a random restaurant in the area. I ate a lot this meal because I wasn't full at lunch. I ordered pork chop (which is grilled pork), which came with noodles and rice, plus a plate of fried spring rolls. The total cost was 90,000 VND.


After finishing my meal, I returned to my accommodation. I met three northern girls who had just returned from Mui Ne. We decided to go shopping for souvenirs at Ben Thanh Market. Today, the market looked like a walking street with lots of things to sell. We could bargain for half the price. It was easy and fun to bargain, and if we walked away, they would offer us an even lower price.

After finishing my shopping, I returned to the hostel to rest. I bumped into John carrying his belongings downstairs. He said he was moving rooms because he had a terrible headache after sleeping there the previous night (he guessed it was because the air conditioning was off). Now, I'm the only one left in the room with my other roommate.

I sat downstairs for a while and then I met a tall, long-haired, wavy-haired foreigner with a slightly Latin face carrying a bag down to sit with me. So we talked for a while. He came from California, USA and traveled around. In this area, he went to China first, then came down to Malaysia, and then stopped to work and earn money in Australia for 1 year before coming to Vietnam. Tonight he will go to Da Lat and continue north to Hanoi - Laos - Thailand. When he runs out of money, he will stop looking for work and then continue. Life seems very interesting. It is the dream life of some people.

When it was time, he said goodbye and went to get in the car. As for me, I went up to sleep. That's the end of my last night in Vietnam.

Day 6: See You Again

Today I have to fly back early in the morning. I had breakfast at the Hostel Check Out and took bus 152K at the same stop to go to the airport. It took more than half an hour depending on the traffic. The price is 10,000 VND, the same as the way there.



The departure hall is on the 2nd floor. I'm flying back with Vietjet Air. The counter is working very slowly. I'm in the 3rd queue, but it's been almost half an hour since I checked in.


The Vietjet plane was quite old. The pattern on the plane was the faces of the air hostesses. Very confident! 55 The plane smelled a bit musty + The Vietnamese people near my seat brought rice to eat. The smell was pungent. But this time, the plane was very empty. There was only me sitting in my entire row.

There was a minor incident before the plane took off. While the plane was taxiing to the runway, an announcement was made that we would be returning to the gate due to a technical issue. An engineer had to come on board and do something to the plane, which took quite a while. We finally took off, but I was a little nervous. However, everything was fine and I arrived at Suvarnabhumi Airport safely.

My Vietnam trip has come to an end. Thank you very much for following along. I hope this information will make it easier for my friends who want to visit Vietnam. Vietnam is a country that hides its beauty no less than Thailand or Laos. If you have 5 days free, consider it. The further north you go, the more spectacular the nature will be.

And a big thank you to the three northern girls for making my solo trip not so lonely. We were together from the moment we landed, dragging our feet through HCMC, and helping each other find accommodation in the darkness of Da Lat. Sometimes we were together, sometimes we went our separate ways, but there was always something exciting happening. I hope we can go on another trip together soon! ^^

Before we part, let me show you a picture of the view from the plane on the way back. There are some strange things to see from a high angle of Vietnam.


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