Last night we were woken at midnight by some really really bad karaoke - even through my earplugs.
Apparently karaoke is very common in Vietnam but there is clean and dirty karaoke. The latter is basically a cover for heroin and prostitution and is also quite common. I think last nights was the former!
The day started with more rain but the morning was spent NOT on the bike but on a boat trip into the Phong Nha cave. We took a 30 min boat trip- part powered and part paddles (not by us!) and then a short walk through the cave and a boat trip back.
As we motored up the river, we passed fishermen and women on paddle boats manually dredging up weeds from the riverbed into their boats, for fish-food, and many other tourist boats waiting to be commisioned for a trip to the cave.
But Wow!
What an impressive sight the cave was.
Phong Nha Cave is a cave in Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Quảng Bình Province, Vietnam. It is 7,729 metres long and contains 14 grottoes, as well as a 13,969 metre underground river. We ventured in approx 800m today, and the pictures & video don't do it justice. Incredibly peaceful, prehistoric and stunning.
We were paddled gently deep into the cave, which was well lit (except for when there was a power cut and it was totally pitch dark!)
Phong Nha has been voted as one of the most wonderful caves in the world for a number of reasons: for its longest underground river, for its most beautiful underground lake. for its highest and widest entrance, for its most beautiful and widest dry cave, for its most beautiful sandbank and reef, as well as for its most spectacular stalactites, stalagmites and longest water grottos. It was breathtaking.
The whole trip took just a couple of hours and we got out of the boat to walk amongst the stalactites and -mites in a labyrinth of boardwalks and steps, and to get a closer look.
A really worthwhile trip to explore something new and whilst we were on the boat I reflected on how lucky we are to be able to experience these things, that many people would not be able to.
Back on land it was time for a coffee before a delicious noodle lunch in a local cafe, boasting the best spit roast pork and noodles in the world.
Then it was on the bikes for a short 50k ride to the coast. Nice and easy although my old lady joints were starting to feel the cumulative effects of 6 days of cycling, and was glad to stop at the next hotel.
We arrived by 3pm , and plenty of time to find a massage and a beer. The latter much better than the former......Imagine a massage where you are generally kneaded, rubbed, slapped and thumped, whilst the therapists phone was constantly vibrating with messages and calls!!!
Nothing more to say, except that my tight neck and shoulders were still tight afterwards, but luckily it cost about a fiver so all things considered, it was just a mild 60 minute irritant!!
In desperate need for beer we headed out with some of the other chaps to a beach front cafe, which looked like we might have been gatecrashing a family Vietnamese dinner, it was so informal and simple. However they sold beer and had free tables, and we sat next to a group of Vietnamese who took a liking to us and practiced their English with joy and abandon.
They helped us buy some spring rolls, shared their oysters and prevented us from being ripped off by the local man selling snacks. With much enthusiasm one of them (very drunk) told us all about the local seafood, the Full Moon festival, the beer, his time in Germany and Norway and the fact that he hadn't spoken English for 4 years.
The Full Moon Festival in Vietnam dates back as far as 15-20,000 years ago in Southeast Asia, and is traditionally held on the 15th day of the 8th Lunar Month. Looking at the moon on this day, you will see that its orbit is at the lowest angle to the horizon, making the moon appear brighter and larger than at any other time of the year.
Thus,
accordingly, there came a festival with a series of entertainment
activities in honor of the beautiful full moon.
The festival involves the customs of moon contemplating, procession of star & moon shaped lanterns, lion dance, as well as holding parties with moon cakes and fruits. We unfortunately did not see any of this as we all disappeared off to bed (knackered), but apparently was taking place all weekend.
So, new friends made, and several beers later we headed back to the hotel for an arranged (and lacklustre) dinner. Probably the worst we have had tbh so much so, that one of our group went off in search of pizza!!
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