Vietnam Train Tours
Vietnam Train Tours
Overview:
From the verdant fields of the Mekong Delta to the soaring mountains of Sapa, close to the Chinese border, Vietnam is a country that has been blessed by Mother Nature. Traveling by train serves as a cheap and atmospheric way to tour this palette of sensory delights, watching a world of limestone peaks and the sandy coastline of the South China Sea unfurl before your eyes. During slower sections, excited passengers clamber onto carriage roofs, while just beyond your window water buffalo wallow and women in giant conical hats tend to their rice fields.
Routes
Vietnam is a long, thin country that forms the letter "S" and the railway follows its contour as it snakes northwards from Ho Chi Minh -- still referred to by locals as Saigon -- past the white sand beach resorts of Nha Trang, to the historic northern city of Hanoi, center of commerce for 1,000 years. Hanoi's ambiance combines Vietnam's French colonial past with the buzz of a modern Asian city as millions of mopeds swarm its tangle of streets. It also serves as the embarkation point for two further train lines: one running northwest to the mountains of Sapa, the other traveling northeast to Dong Dang on the Chinese border.
Reunification Express
The main line between Saigon and Hanoi is sometimes referred to as the "Reunification Express," although no single train officially carries this name. Several trains depart daily for the 1,070-mile journey between the two cities, a trip that takes between 30 and 33 hours. Air-conditioned four- and six-berth sleeper coaches and carriages with reclining seats can be reserved in advance at stations or from agencies such as Vietnam Impressive and Saigon Hotel. Trains designated "SE" have large picture windows for unobstructed views. If you wish to stop off en route, to stay in Nha Trang or the colonial city of Hue, you must buy separate tickets for each section of the journey.
Northern Lines
The northwestern line from Hanoi to Lao Cai takes you through beautiful valleys and to the edge of the imposing mountains of Sapa, an old colonial hill station populated by the H'mong and Dzao peoples, the latter distinguished by their vibrant red headdresses. Lao Cai is an unexceptional town, but the bus connection to Sapa makes the slow, 10-hour, 180-mile train ride from Hanoi worth it, and the mix of medieval villages, bustling daily markets and mist-shrouded mountains have made it the most popular tourist destination in northwest Vietnam. The northeastern line, through the mountains of Lang Son province to the fortified town of Dang Dong, connects to Beijing, but has fewer places to linger. Those curious about traditional ways of life and keen to get off well-traveled roads, however, find a variety of ethnic mountain peoples populating the landscape.
Package Tours
Joining an escorted train trip organized by a tour operator takes the hassle out of arranging your own tickets and accommodation. Tours often include hosted dinners and guided visits to sites such as the Confucian temple and Vietnam's first university at Hanoi's Temple of Literature. Side excursions by boat to Nha Trang Island and a trip down the Mekong River are also included in Vietnam Open Tour's 13-night train tour, where overnight hotel accommodations can be tailor-made to suit your budget. Tour prices to leap by 20 percent Easy Ways to Plan Travel and Emergencies Unlimited options for enjoyment with Cyprus villas Conversion of Shipping Bill: Nothing is simpler in this country Where To Book a Venue in London for a Summer Time Celebration Brixham, the British holiday resort with a difference The English Riviera the latest craze for holidaymakers Torquay - Unique name, unique destination Petra trip from El Gouna by flight and ferry via Taba, El Gouna tours to Petra Great hotels near Piccadilly Hotels London A Few Tourist Favorites To Enjoy Medical Tourism a way for Average First-World Residents to obtain First-Class Medical Treatment Interact with Australia's native wildlife on Kangaroo Island