Last Few Days in Ho Chin Minh before Flying Home

It was the last few days before my flight back to Kuala Lumpur. I journeyed from Can Tho all the way to Ho Chin Minh city in a day going through boring traffic via the main highway CT01. To be fair it was good road with decent sights along the way but my heart was in mourning mood for this leg of the trip was about to end.

Riding From Can Tho to Ho Chin Minh City 

Many Large River Bridge Crossings 

I returned Zuki to the Styles Motor Rental shop and it was a quick process as they check the bike and returned me my deposit of USD 500. This time around it was me sniffing and eyeballing the USD bills making sure it was crisp and clean before pocketing them.

My friend TK flew in from Singapore that night and it was basically a story exchange catch up for all the months I was gone. I sharing my adventure and him updating me on how everyone was doing back in SG. I was still detach somewhat. Lots of drinks and party everynight but I knew it was temporary.

Bui Vien Street in Ho Chin Minh 

Bui Vien Street in Ho Chin Minh

Japanese Street in Ho Chin Minh 

Daytime was practically shopping for me in HCM hunting for more bike gears getting ready for the big trip in May 2024. I flew out of HCM alone and arrived in KL alone. 

It was a first time that I started a journey locking up the house and getting myself to the airport and returning in the same manner. No family or friends to say goodbye and no-one to pick me up at the airport.

I may just have a glimpse of my future in the 60’s

Thinking of the next adventure while waiting for flight home ... 

Traveled on: Jan 2024

To Can Tho & The Famous Floating Market of the Mekong Delta

From Ben Tre it was a Ride to Can Tho the largest city in the Mekong Delta but I did not want to go the short route, so I made a big loop down south all the way to Soc Trang. This means going over some large bridges and a few more ferry crossings

Riding the Countryside of Mekong Delta to Soc Trang

More Ferry Crossing through the Delta 

At Soc Trang the main attraction was the unfinished Buddhist Temple called Chua Som Rong. The massively big sleeping buddha was a sight to see even incomplete. It was such a detour away from Can Tho with nothing much in between. 

60km away from Can Tho which is a large distance in terms of Vietnam infrastructure but yet this massive sleeping Buddha was already attracting many tourist to do day trips from Can Tho.

Chua Som Rong Temple in Soc Trang

Massive Sleeping Buddha at Chua Som Rong Temple - Soc Trang

I checked into the Hostel in Can Tho and the group of students there just hanging out was eager to practice their English with me. Their main selling item was the tour to the famous Cai Rang floating market. 

I saw the price and made a quick calculation decided to join in and support the students instead of trying to save a few dollars while wasting time bargain hunting.

Monument at Downtown Can Tho 

Night Fishing at Can Tho 

The next super early morning we walked to the riverside in Can Tho and made the journey upstream in the little boat with five people. The floating market was a live market. Not made for tourist and it was in a way a dying trade. 

While in the past, the floating market was the hub for transportation around the delta revolved along the water path, these days there was a road on both side of the river so the floating market seamed a bit redundant in transporting goods.

Boat Tour to Floating Market in Can Tho

Cai Rang Floating Market 

Cai Rang Floating Market 

The guide explained that these people enjoy a certain tax relief and also not requiring to pay rent for space on the river. However due to the high cost of repair for the boats when it breaks, the number of vendors are slowly diminishing as the boats lifespan runs out.

From the floating market it was up a little canal streak to a local rice noodle factory. Nothing fancy and interesting to see the first time, it was how the locals make their rice noodles from grounded paste to dried and preserved for sales in other parts. 

Vietnamese Rice Noodle 

Rice Noodle Making Process 

Mekong Delta Rice Noodle Factory 

The noodles while we could see the whole making process, the end product looked eerily so much like plastic noodles. A few more temples visit during the day in Can Tho and the tour was complete. 

I further explored a little with Zuki to see Den Tho Vua Hung which was shown on one of the Amazing Race Series then finished up Can Tho with Binh Thuy ancient house which was like a normal person home open to be a tourist attraction.

Chua Ong Temple - Can Tho

Den Tho Vua Hung

Traveled on: Jan 2024

Exploring Mekong Delta Via Ferry Crossing from Vung Tao to Can Gio to Can Giuoc to Ben Tre

The journey today was filled with insufficient information. I had checked the day before while exploring Vung Tao that there was a ferry crossing from Vung Tao to Can Gio but all the research online and even asking some locals could not get me a confirmation of a ferry crossing from Can Gio to Can Giuoc.

The only info I got was from google map, ever zooming in closer and closer to the river side looking for that one little marker with a dotted line going from Can Gio to Can Giuoc, not knowing if the ferry service still exist or if it was even a vehicle ferry.

Ferry Ticket from Vung Tao to Can Gio 

Ferry Crossing from Vung Tao to Can Gio 

Arriving at Can Gio 

I did not want to go through Ho Chin Minh city to get over to the Mekong Delta hence the desperate hope to find an alternative route south of the Mekong Delta trying to cross the many river branch. Still it was not like a dead end type of journey with no back up so I boarded the ferry in the morning to Can Gio.

Can Gio peninsular was void of any large settlement that I could see. It was quiet and mostly filled with plantation of coconuts. I skirted to where the ferry point should be for Can Gio – Can Giuoc but it felt wrong. 

Can Gio to Can Giuoc Ferry Terminal 

Ferry Crossing from Can Gio to Can Giouc 

No people, no vehicle and no ferry. I asked a local just chilling outside his house and he redirected me to the correct ferry location. Apparently I missed a turn somewhere.

The ferry crossing from Can Gio to Can Giuoc was surprisingly simple. Just head to the edge of the road by the river and there were people all just waiting with their bikes and car for the ferry to dock. 

Ticket was surprisingly cheap costing barely a dollar and I was on the barge soon enough for the crossing. The journey took less than 20 minutes and I was on my way again.

Successfully by-passing HCM, I had more time to spare now. I decided to do a detour to look at the Royal Mausoleum in Co-Gang. The resting place of several members of the Nguyen Dynasty, the last ruling dynasty of Vietnam. I was interested merely from the name Nguyen.

Royal Mausoleum of Nguyen Dynasty in Co Gang

It was a common name all around Vietnam today and this was a mausoleum that could easily be mistaken as a temple to foreigners. A small simple place and inside the temple, the mortuary tablet stood on all three alters instead of the customary god figure. Everything was in Vietnamese but a good detour nonetheless.

I continued my journey going through My Tho city quickly and headed for little town Ben Tre. I felt that there was less chance to stay at small cities now that I was down south and decided to try Ben Tre when I found a cheap hotel online. 

On the way to My Tho City

Ben Tre Town Center 

Ben Tre was a weird place. Riding in, it was filled with large Karaoke building with big neon signboard and each one of them had a few girls line up outside by the receptionist booth.

I had seen many Karaoke signboard in Vietnam but never like this so massive on the spicy nightlife. Riding into the old town of Ben Tre and all the atmosphere changed surrounding the clock tower. 

It was a little maze of old building with each shop selling everyday items. The contrast was glaring just a few meters apart between new and old building doing such different stream of business.

As I rounded back out to the hotel in the evening, as the sunset and the rest of the neon lights flickered on, I now saw what was not so obvious during the day. 

Huts upon huts along the side of the road which I thought was a local coffee shop place was actually a prostitution den. These huts were lighted up at night with dim red light and a foldable signboard with sexy girl would be placed.

As I ride through the road, girls could be seen sitting just outside the hut waiting area where black netting would obscure most of the view except from the front. 

Ben Tre was not in the list of anything to do or see for travel guide. I had not expected this but now that I know what to look out for, I noticed throughout the Mekong delta these huts were more prominent than any other region of Vietnam.

Traveled on: Jan 2024

Skipping Quickly to Mui Ne and Vung Tao

So I skip hop pretty fast since Dalat. 200Km to Nha Trang and just a few hours in the city before hitting the sack and woke up bright and early and set off again for Mui Ne. Another 200km journey for the day and repeat for a short few round of rides around Mui Ne in the morning before hitting the road again for Vung Tao.

Coastal Ride from Nha Trang to Mui Ne

Coastal Ride from Nha Trang to Mui Ne

I can now for certain say that I prefer the mountains compared to the coastal towns. Vung Tao was a nice exception and I guess after doing the skip hopping for two nights in a row the thrid becomes a required two night stop to rest up.

The other reason for skip hopping quickly is also due to the location of stay. Being a cheapskate motorpacker, dispite my instincts, went and book the cheapest hostel in Nha Trang and Mui Ne. 

The draw back is that the beds are not comfartable and when a lodge is not that comfatable, I am quite reluctant to stay the second night if I have alternative.

Luckily in Vung Tao despite the cheapst hostel chosen, the place was not bad, quiet and clean with comfy large bed where I could have some privacy writing and catching up while doing some chores.

Vung Tao

Vung Tao Christ Statue on the Hill 

Vung Tao from all I know was suppose to be just a HCM weekend getaway where the locals come for seafood. What I did not expect was that the beaches were clean and prestine being in much nicer conditions compared to Mui Ne. The town was large enaugh but small enaugh to feel cosy. Sunset coast was also an absolute plus for me.

Traveled on: Jan 2024