Thailand/Vietnam 2025

March 2025

A 20-day adventure by Dean Read more

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Singapore
Vietnam
Thailand
Australia

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10.5kkilometers traveled

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Newest first

Footprints
Photos

Traveler Thailand/Vietnam 2025
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- Day 14
- Sunday, March 16, 2025 at 5:09 PM
- ⛅ 26 °C
- Altitude: 8 m
- Vietnam Hòn Roi 13.681055, 109.23319113°40’52” N 109°13’59” E
2 1 1 3
Cham temple
March 16 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C
I'm having trouble writing this as Sue broke my fingers after I posted the photo of her in the bathtub.
Today we took a bus ride out to a Cham temple. The Cham rocked up in the 1st century probably from India, Sri Lanka or Indonesia. They were darker skinned and occupied the middle part (Champi) of what is now Vietnam. They were Hindus and these temples were built in 12-13 century to their 3 gods.
The Dai Viet, in the north, turned their weapons on the Cham once they had done with the Chinese and decimated the Cham over 400 years. There is still an enclave of Cham somewhere in Vietnam today.
We then took in a king fu display, a museum and other attractions (we were stars for the many school children on excursions).
Stopped off for a spot of lunch in town. We enjoyed the local speciality -- banh xeo, which is a cross between a pancake and a spring roll.
Now just coping with a daiquiri and nibbles poolside.Read more
Traveler Incredible building
3/16/25Reply
Traveler Is that Sue seeking revenge?
3/16/25Reply
Temple and Sue: both natural beauties! [PeterVR]
3/16/25Reply
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Traveler Thailand/Vietnam 2025
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- Day 16–19
- March 18, 2025 at 5:32 PM - March 21, 2025
- 3 nights
- ☁️ 24 °C
- Altitude: 418 m
- Vietnam Đắk Pak 12.428548, 108.19998512°25’43” N 108°11’60” E
1 1 3
We're not in cuppucino country any more
Mar 18–21 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C
Do know when you buy a mixed dozen wine and a couple are good, but one is pretty rough? I think we are now at the budget-saving accommodation.
It was a long day travel in the bus yesterday south-west and into the highlands. We are staying at a tented camp on a lake. The tents are large and have facilities but are what some of our group describe as 'rustic'.
Anyway, next day was pretty good. We were transported by tractor/trailer through rice fields to the local village (bumpy but unique). Mountains in the background completed the image.
A local gave us a demonstration in pot making and then we went to a cacao plantation. We had a spot of lunch there as the wind spoilt plans for a picnic.
The advertised afternoon foot massage turned out to be contactless. It was a foot soak.
In the evening, we had a performance of song and dance from the local Hmong people, an ethnic group that came ages ago from China. Very engaging.Read more
TravelerNo coffee .. not toffy! 😑
3/18/25Reply
Traveler Thats cacao? Amazing
3/19/25Reply
Traveler What are they drinking?
3/19/25Reply
TravelerExactly Ilona home brew?
3/19/25Reply
TravelerYes a home brew hootch that tasted pretty alcoholic
3/20/25Reply
Traveler At least you have flower contact
3/19/25Reply
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Traveler Thailand/Vietnam 2025
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- Day 18
- Thursday, March 20, 2025 at 4:30 PM
- ☁️ 21 °C
- Altitude: 1,464 m
- Vietnam Cam Ly Airport 11.946477, 108.42354811°56’47” N 108°25’25” E
Coffee country
March 20 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C
We travelled southward and further upward to Da Lat yesterday. It wasn't the best road -- windy and potholed. But it was pretty country with coffee and durian plantations everywhere. A major challenge was to find (a) toilets 🚻 and (b) toilets with a bowl -- suitable for the older Australian traveller.
Dalat has some nice French colonial architecture, including at the place where we are staying. It has a series of villas spread around some leafy grounds. People used to come to Dalat to escape the heat of Saigon. The tourist development button has been pushed.
This morning we went to a coffee plantation, took a ride in a train on the remaining 8km of track and had a bowl of pho for lunch.
There are plenty of coffee houses around. But they mainly seem to serve diluted tar, rather than your latte or skinny cap.Read more
TravelerI certainly hope you found the right loo
3/20/25Reply
TravelerYes, hope you found a tourist development button that did the job 😀
3/21/25Reply
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Traveler Thailand/Vietnam 2025
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- Day 19–21
- March 21, 2025 at 3:08 PM - March 23, 2025
- 2 nights
- ☁️ 34 °C
- Altitude: 15 m
- Vietnam Tan Son Nhat International Airport 10.816697, 106.66280610°49’0” N 106°39’46” E
On the way home
Mar 21–23 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 34 °C
We left this morning for Dalat airport for the 1 hr flight to Ho Chi Min City. A couple of hours layover before the flight to Melbourne.
A good proportion of that time was spent in queues for customs and security. You'd think for such a big airport they would work out a better system.
Here we encountered the press of humanity that we had been mostly spared during the trip. We were 'away from it all' really.
Good group. Good tour overall.Read more
TravelerSafe trip home! True, it seemed a very peaceful trip without loads of crowds. Hope you made some friends.
3/21/25Reply
TravelerSafe trip home Dad and Sue! X
3/21/25Reply
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Traveler Thailand/Vietnam 2025
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- Day 20
- Saturday, March 22, 2025 at 9:14 AM
- 🌧 26 °C
- Altitude: 23 m
- Singapore Singapore Changi Airport 1.354963, 103.9851761°21’18” N 103°59’7” E
2
Aussie coffee
March 22 in Singapore ⋅ 🌧 26 °C
Melbourne airport
TravelerAnd I bet it tasted so good
3/21/25Reply
Traveler Did you make these Dean?
3/22/25Reply
TravelerNo. It was at the Qantas club. Not like at home, but at least we could ask for a skinny flat white and a skinny cap.
3/22/25Reply
Happy returns [Jeffrey]
3/23/25Reply
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Thailand/Vietnam 2025

List of countries

Cham temple

We're not in cuppucino country any more

Coffee country

On the way home

Aussie coffee