Vietnam, North to South (3 weeks)

Activities:

Overnight Train from Hanoi - I paid extra to ride in a train car operated by a tourist company, Laman Express. The product is a bit better than the normal Vietnam Railways cars; Vietnam Railways allows several private companies to attach cars to their trains. I showed up to the check-in area at a hotel near the train station about two hours before departure. I was offered a welcome drink, and decided to order salmon soup for dinner. Boarding was expeditious, we accessed the platform through the back of the hotel which bypassed the train station altogether. The four-person cabin was very nice; I got a lower berth like I requested. Free drinks and snacks were waiting for me.

For the first two hours of the trip I got the cabin to myself, then was joined by three other backpackers from England and Ireland at an intermediary stop. I was told of this at check-in. We were all going to Hue, so shared the berth for the remaining 11.5 hours; it wasn’t bad at all. I read my book, slept, walked through the train a little bit, and chatted with my cabin mates to kill the time. It was a wonderful experience, and beats taking the buses overnight. 

Abandoned Water Park - I hired a Grab Bike through the app to take me to the abandoned water park. Do this through the Grab app for sure, to avoid rip offs. The closest I’ve seen to this has to be an abandoned sniper tower in Mostar, Bosnia. Walking into the park was harder than I envisioned; I accidentally went off the path and got lost, having to trek through the woods to re-find my way. Hope there aren’t any landmines left over!

It turned out to be worth it though, the coolest part was a huge dragon sculpture. Other highlights included waterslides and an arena. Not a huge tipper, but I left the driver a little extra since he waited for me while I explored the park.

Imperial City - The former capital, full of beautiful pagoda-style buildings. I leisurely explored the square-shaped grounds.

Lodging:

Hue Happy Homestay - Guesthouse on side street run by a helpful family. Got a private room for cheap here.

Eateries:

Pho Mai Dao - Some of the best pho I had all trip. Local place...go!

There was also a good banh mi stand that I don’t recall the name of. If I remember, I will update the post.