3 days, 4 nights and 2 years in Ninh Binh
Sunday the 31st of December was a well deserved day of rest for us. From leaving Vientiane we had travelled hard and non-stop and accumulated many bus miles along the way. Janine was in her element as there was decent food, free internet in the hotel for her to do a good deal of her sister's wedding planning and, can it be emphasised enough, the bath. Vietnam was cold so packing out, catching up on washing, watching cable TV, reading and bathing in our cosy suite was just too sublime. We were well asleep by the time the clock struck 12 and woke up the next morning to a brand a new year.
We had organized transport with our hotel to the Cuc Phuong National Park - about 1.5 hours away on the back of motorbikes. Our bike drivers (also staff at our hotel) were great and enthusiastic to take us around and show us (repeatedly) the "beautiful" pineapple plantations which we were obliged to take photos of.
Just outside the entrance to the park is a primate rescue and breeding center where a few species of bizarre and beautiful monkeys, unique to the area, are protected against the threats to their survival in the hope to reintroduce them into the wild. While the apes were great to see one can't wonder there on your own or get really close to the cages. Before long the quick show-around was over and our drivers whisked us off again through the cold Vietnam air deep into the park.
Just outside the entrance to the park is a primate rescue and breeding center where a few species of bizarre and beautiful monkeys, unique to the area, are protected against the threats to their survival in the hope to reintroduce them into the wild. While the apes were great to see one can't wonder there on your own or get really close to the cages. Before long the quick show-around was over and our drivers whisked us off again through the cold Vietnam air deep into the park.
There is a circle route hacked out of the jungle which we proceeded to follow. The jungle is beautiful and dense. Along the way one passes a 1000 year old tree. After quite a few kms of climbing and descending we were out again. It had started to drizzle slightly. On the way out of the park we stopped at a cave (Con Moong Cave), some ancient cave-man home. We climbed and explored all over completely on our own and climbed out through an opening high up in the cave which took us well away from the path. After a descent amount of scrambling over rocks we were back with our bikes.
The drive home along a different route was breathtaking - through villages and rice paddies, next to lakes with karsts jutting out - all shrouded in a fine mist. We arrived home at the end of our day wet, cold and tired. The bath and our great room was once again so welcoming.
Our last day in Ninh Binh was warmer and without rain. Good timing as we hired bicycles for a day out in the countryside. Janine bought a local Tee-Pee looking hat along the way to keep out the sun. Our first stop was the famous Tam Coc - a large area of watery rice paddies which the locals consider to be the "Halong Bay in the rice paddies". The name Tam Coc means "3 caves". We hired a boat with two lady paddlers and headed off for a beautiful paddle which takes you through these 3 caves, the first being 127m long.
Our last day in Ninh Binh was warmer and without rain. Good timing as we hired bicycles for a day out in the countryside. Janine bought a local Tee-Pee looking hat along the way to keep out the sun. Our first stop was the famous Tam Coc - a large area of watery rice paddies which the locals consider to be the "Halong Bay in the rice paddies". The name Tam Coc means "3 caves". We hired a boat with two lady paddlers and headed off for a beautiful paddle which takes you through these 3 caves, the first being 127m long.
The tourist industry tactics here involve vendors who paddle up next to you and try to sell you refreshments. When that succeeds or fails they try to coax you into buying something for your boats-women. The scam is that the boats-women later resell your generous gift to the original vendor for half the price. Johan was quite chuffed to foil this little scheme - he offered our ladies non-returnable single bananas and little apples, which didn't seem to excite them too much - but we were all, nevertheless, in good cheer.
Once through the 3 caves one returns by the same way in which you came. At an opportune moment the boat lady pulls out an enormous pile of embroidery for our convenient purchase. Johan also knew this would happen, but that did not stop us from purchasing one of her wares. Did we mention that they paddle mostly with their feet?!
After that we lunched for rip-off prices and then head off on our bikes, first past some famous pagoda (a specific style of building here with religious function) and then off in the direction of quiet countryside. We cycled as far as the picturesque Hoa Lu, an ancient (older than 1000 years) capital of this area from some bygone era. Johan reckons that we covered at least 40km on our rickety bikes that day. The last stretch was highway and then back in our room with a bath. We were thoroughly sore from sitting on hard seats for way too long!
Culture shocks: This is a motorbike dominated country (specifically these 125 cc moped-looking motorbikes you see everywhere in Asia) - all manner of object is transported on these little beasts from building materials and agricultural products to entire families, infants and all. We saw enormous containers filled jampacked with young pigs and some with chickens. One guy was transporting a huge tied plastic bag filled with about a tonne of water and live fish. We also saw two people on one of these bikes with still two live cows strapped on the back!
Once through the 3 caves one returns by the same way in which you came. At an opportune moment the boat lady pulls out an enormous pile of embroidery for our convenient purchase. Johan also knew this would happen, but that did not stop us from purchasing one of her wares. Did we mention that they paddle mostly with their feet?!
After that we lunched for rip-off prices and then head off on our bikes, first past some famous pagoda (a specific style of building here with religious function) and then off in the direction of quiet countryside. We cycled as far as the picturesque Hoa Lu, an ancient (older than 1000 years) capital of this area from some bygone era. Johan reckons that we covered at least 40km on our rickety bikes that day. The last stretch was highway and then back in our room with a bath. We were thoroughly sore from sitting on hard seats for way too long!
Culture shocks: This is a motorbike dominated country (specifically these 125 cc moped-looking motorbikes you see everywhere in Asia) - all manner of object is transported on these little beasts from building materials and agricultural products to entire families, infants and all. We saw enormous containers filled jampacked with young pigs and some with chickens. One guy was transporting a huge tied plastic bag filled with about a tonne of water and live fish. We also saw two people on one of these bikes with still two live cows strapped on the back!
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