Da Nang / Nha Trang / Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam (Days 65-68)

Miles sailed 18,115

Vietnam was awesome. Each stop was different. All three cities are growing; motorcycles are abundant. Da Nang was great for sightseeing, Nha Trang was all about the beach and HCM (Saigon) is a big, bustling, energetic city filled with cafes and shopping.

Da Nang was another tourist cab day. Kevin was my guide and we did a lot! First up was a visit to a silk factory, that was surprisingly interesting. I had no idea how it was made (you'll soon learn too). Next we toured the historic city of Hoi An, which included a stop for pho, fresh spring rolls and cold local beer (drool, drool). The beaches of Da Nang (China Beach/My Khe) were next and were just beautiful. Finally, we drove over the dragon bridge into Da Nang for a quick tour of the city. It was a jam packed day.

Nha Trang is mostly about its beach; it's huge and gorgeous. However, my tour was all about the pedi cab ride. It was a crazy, super fun ride through the city streets. I posted a must see video to my Facebook page.

A winding, four hour ride up the Saigon river brought us into Ho Chi Minh City; wide open seas to fishing villages and then into the most populous city in Vietnam. It was an awesome morning. HCM is a mix of old and new, with a combination of well-preserved colonial structures, war relics and skyscrapers. Oh and many, many, many motorcycles. Below you'll see pictures from the ride up the river and from atop the Le Meridian hotel (where a few of us stayed the night), but not many from the street. That was because all my energy went into crossing the streets. My years of driving in Boston helped, as I found the methods similar. Just go, don't look at anyone or anything, just go.

Entering Da Nang: