South Vietnam
The Language
Disclaimer: These are spelt phonetically the way it makes sense to me!
Sin chow – Hello
Tam Biet – Goodbye
Kah mon – Thank you
Doy hihi – I’m 22
Doy la Hannah – My name is Hannah
Dee dee – Go away (literally translates to “go go”)
1 – Mo
2 – Hi
3 – Ba
4 – Bon
5 – Nam
6 – Sow
7 – Bay
8 – Tam
9 – Chin
10 – Mu-ee
To get 20, 30 etc you say the number followed by 10. For example, 20 would be Hi Mu-ee. 21 would be Hi Mo, 22 would be Hi Hi, and so on.
Com – Rice
Thit – Pork
Tom – Prawns
Ga – Chicken
Bo – Beef
Me - Noodles
Bao ni-ou – How Much
Café den da – Black Iced coffee
Café sua da – Milk Iced coffee
Ting Tieng – The Bill
Chuk Mun Na Moi – Happy New Year
The Route
Da Lat
This town is one of the only tourist towns that is inland, and the drive there was pretty cool, though mountains and down curvy roads. Waterfalls are the main draw here, and you can abseil down them which looks like a lot of fun! I didn’t indulge in this $40 experience, and just looked from afar. Although at Dambri Waterfalls, you can get a toboggan roller-coaster down to see the falls which was great fun.
Don’t miss: PrimaVera Italian restaurant for fab pizza and even better pasta (they even have wine!!)
Elephant Falls
Mui Ne
On the way to Mui Ne, we stopped at a couple of other waterfalls which was a great way to split up the ride and avoid sore bums! Elephant Falls was amazing, but be prepared, you will get wet! Mui Ne is essentially one strip of hotels and restaurants along the coast, and the town itself isn’t that special. I stayed in a backpacker resort called Long Son which was amazing, the beach was right on your doorstep (literally if you ask for a tent in ‘beach camp’). The tents were great so I could have my own small space for once, even if it did get too hot to be in after 7am. You can get food there, or cheaper local food just down the road, or adventure further into town on the cheap local bus. Be warned, Long Son is place you’ll plan to stay for 2 days and never leave! Make sure you hit the sand suns for sunset, and get yourself out of the tent for sunrise on the beach.
Check out: Pongour Waterfall, and take a picnic to eat on the dark rocks facing it.
Top Tip: If you’re riding a bike without an international driver’s licence, arrive in the town after sunset to avoid hefty police fines!
Sunrise on the beach at Long Son
Ho Chi Minh
My first experience of driving my motorbike in a huge city was crazy. Bikes and trucks filled the road leading into the city, and the winding roads within. The city isn’t comparable to Hanoi because it is so different. It doesn’t seem to have a bustling old quarter filled with backpackers and locals selling their wares, it seems more intertwined with new buildings everywhere, and less empty space than in Hanoi. But I loved it. The main backpacker street could be given a miss, but make sure if you head that way you stop at the street stall outside the Hong Kong Kaiteki Hotel for the cheapest cocktails, and tequila shots in town (30,000 dong each (£1.10)) The War remnants museum is a must see, although didn’t seem to tell much of the story about the war; it’s best to read up on it a little before you go.
Stay at: Skygon Hostel, and feel like a local as the hostel is spread across apartments in a block of flats. There are also some great local food places nearby.
District 7
Looking out over District 1
We then drove down through the Mekong delta, catching ferries where bridges weren’t available.