http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Central-Highlands/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Asia , Vietnam , Central Highlands en-us Sat, 12 Dec 09 06:26:46 +0000 Sat, 12 Dec 09 06:26:46 +0000 The Central Highlands region of Vietnam contains 5 provinces. The region's coffee plantations 290000 ha constitute 45 of the total coffee plantation area for the whole country. It is home to many ethnolinguistic minority groups Montagnards for example Bahnar Ede Jrai K'ho M'nong etc. It is also renowned for its cool climate beautiful mountain scenery lakes and waterfalls as well as http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Central-Highlands/Buon-Ma-Thuot/blog-458954.html So after arriving around 6am in Nha Trang last Weds we were pretty surprised to see the beach busy with locals running and doing their exercise classes the roads were full and street stalls all open Crazy...here we were thinking about going back to sleep for a few hours. The journey had been okay the beds were like the ones in the chinese busses so pretty small not much leg roomWe got dropp http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/South-Central-Coast/Nha-Trang/blog-458521.html Se rendre a Da Lat fut tres long et fastidieux. Un trajet en autobus de 7h30 sur des routes trops longtemps parsemees de crateres et un stop plus long que prevu a cause d'un leger probleme mecanique. Peu importe on s'est rendu. Etant donne qu'on est arrive a trois heures et que le soleil est couche a six on a du se depecher a trouver notre hotel et a decide de ce qu'on voulait faire du res http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Central-Highlands/Da-Lat/blog-449471.html The GovernorGeneral of Indochina in te late 19th Century ordered a hill station be founded in DaLat. The town is at an elevation of about 1500m which leaves it a bit cooler than the areas I have traveled throughout Vietnam so far. Nonetheless it is an amazing area with many natural beauties to be explored. During the war there was no bombing on this town so everything retained its prewar stru http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Central-Highlands/Da-Lat/blog-445098.html We made it out of Hoi An . Had an interesting few days there. We arrived to find the hurricane hit just off the coast of Hue where we moved from. It was still windy and raining on arrival here. The next day it was so bad we spent the whole morning in a cafe had both breakfast and lunch there There was a break in the weather in the afternoon and we managed to see the Japanese bridge and walk so http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Central-Highlands/Da-Lat/blog-441710.html If there were a contest for the most potholed roads in the world... Mui Ne to Dalat would certainly have an entry After a 4 hour ride some of which was very bumpy and threw me off my seat at one stage we arrived at the higher altitude and cooler climate of Da Lat.Regardless of the bumps the views were brilliant and I thoroughly enjoyed the journey. We spent the afternoon walking around the l http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Central-Highlands/Da-Lat/blog-439385.html We arrived in Nha Trang early in the morning and had a 2 hour wait for our connecting bus up to Da Lat. The journey took about 5 hours and the last 3 were very steep and windy and rather nerve wracking if you looked at how close we were to the steep cliffs on either side We arrived mid afternoon and decided not to stay at the hotel we had been dropped off at despite their best efforts. Jen a http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Central-Highlands/Da-Lat/blog-430072.html Actually I think you are a very good teacher. But one thing you lack is patience. Sometimes the way you speak my language is so rude but I don't react anymore. More than anything it makes me laugh.Don't stop suddenly and NO Please give me a break I am trying my best. But something you gave me this is this strange almost crazy fearlessness and determination. I don't fear ridding the bike an http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Central-Highlands/blog-426057.html Highlands and LowlandsIn an effort to escape the relentless heat I decided to head up into the mountains of Dalat for a few days. This small town surrounded by lakes and waterfalls is so beautiful that both sides declared it a neutral zone during the war. No bombs were dropped here or rounds fired. It managed to escape this violent period of history unmarred. I caught a late afternoon bus http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Central-Highlands/Da-Lat/blog-424982.html Tuesday April 7th 2009This morning I woke up feeling still natious but eager to see something from this area. The day before I had met a motorbike driver to had offered a day tour to a decent price so I called him and he was happy to take me on the what he called ldquoDalat countryside tourrdquo. We met at 9 am and Mr. Bin that was his name was so nice to help me with my camera since it http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Central-Highlands/Da-Lat/blog-424628.html Monday April 6th 2009Yay it was my first day of traveling and in a new city how exciting I couldnrsquot wait to find some breakfast and start exploring Dalat. I wish that would have been the case...While having breakfast and walking around I was constantly asked ldquoHow are you Missrdquo ldquoWhat do you want to do today Missrdquo I had heard that there would be many motorbike d http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Central-Highlands/Da-Lat/blog-424625.html Sunday April 5th 2009I had to get up sooo early 515 am because I had to get on the bus to Dalat at 730 and I wanted to take the bus down town which doesnrsquot really follow a schedule so itrsquos always better to be there several minutes early. I had some leftover crepes with banana yummy I left the house and still couldnrsquot believe that I was actually starting my three week http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Central-Highlands/Da-Lat/blog-424622.html Having heard from various people that 'you must go to Dalat' I decided to venture to Central Vietnam and visit this quiet jewel of a city.I booked the night bus for the journey leaving at 1115pm. It can take anything from 5 to 7 hours to reach Dalat from Ho Chi Minh City depending on traffic so this seemed to be the best way to go actually flying was probably the best way to go it only takes 5 http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Central-Highlands/Da-Lat/blog-422571.html Day four was spent whizzing along the west Ho Chi Minh trail enjoying the views stopping off for coconuts and visiting waterfalls pagoda's war memorials brick factories and various other little stops along the way. At our overnight stop in Kon Tum we enjoyed an amazing vietnamese barbecue of wild boar venison and goat to name but a few I was assured none was dog or cat 17 beers and all f http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Central-Highlands/Kontum/blog-415807.html We arrived prompt The Vietnamese are very punctual not like Thai Laos and Cambodia and met our guide Titi and our driver Sam who would be with us on our 6 day trip. When we left there were a group going out on bikes and I was slightly gutted I hadn't managed to conquer my fears and get on a bike that would all be gone pretty quickly after i realised just how hot it would be on a bike in 3 http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Central-Highlands/Da-Lat/blog-415783.html It is referred to as ldquoLe Petit Parisrdquo although we thought it looked much more like Switzerland. Regardless Dalat is a little slice of Vietnamese Nirvana at 4425 feet above sea level in the Central Highlands region of the country. It is refreshingly cool and dry with average summer temperatures hovering around 7080 degrees Fahrenheit. When we arrived in Dalat we had an overwhelm http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Central-Highlands/Da-Lat/blog-412201.html Nha Trang gave us our first big beach experience since we've arrived in Vietnam and for many it appears to be paradise. We met numerous expats who are now calling this city on the water and sand..home. Lobster and seafood of all types are sold by pajamaed women slung with flexing bamboo rods over their shoulders and perfectly balanced baskets on each end. On one end 30 pounds of seafood the ot http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Central-Highlands/Da-Lat/blog-411136.html Hi So yesterday we did a hike up in the mountains and countryside. There was six of us doing the hike plus three guides The total distance we walked was 18 Km lots of ups and downs and two very scary bridges going across the river these bridges are used by the farmers often to take the bags of coffee beans across we had trouble crossing using both hands to hold on We walked through the coff http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Central-Highlands/Da-Lat/blog-410429.html Day 42 Monday June 15 2009 Rented the motorbike again and had breakfast at the Tuong Vy Cafe very good. Great food but no menus in english. We were lucky enough to find a waitress that knew some english and we were able to order. We went back to Vietnam Airlines to try for like the 3rd time to change our tickets to go to Cambodia to a different day. We bought a series of tickets to take us from http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Central-Highlands/Da-Lat/blog-410069.html Day 41 Sunday June 14 2009Had breakfast at the fake Peace Cafe64 Truong Cong Dinh. Very good food. Rented a nice motorbike from our hotel for 5 for the day and went around the town to do some sight seeing. Our 1st stop was the Lake of Sighs and park to ride horses around the lake not nearly as romantic as it sounds it ended up being a pony ride around the park. 2nd stop Datanla Falls t http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Central-Highlands/Da-Lat/blog-410067.html