| Quick facts | |
|---|---|
| Transport | Train |
| Cost | Ð220,000 per person, Ð55,000 per bike |
| Blog | 8th Feb - Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon |
| Gallery |
Ho Chi Minh City Dam Sen park |
The journey
The TN3 departs 9.21pm and arrives 7.25am. A soft sleeper cost Ð220,000 per person plus Ð55,000 per bike. The bikes were supposed to go on the SN1 (departs 6.00pm, arrives 4.25am) and we were to collect them from the luggage office in HCMC. We checked the bikes in between 2pm and 4pm on the day of travel but they were still in the luggage office when we arrived to get the TN3 and ended up being loaded on the same train as us. At the other end, we had to be very patient for 45 minutes in the luggage office while lots of people looked at our receipts and talked to each other, before our bikes were finally unloaded. We were charged Ð6000 for unspecified services but were keen to get our bikes back.There are excellent museums in HCMC plus good shopping and restaurants, so it's worth spending a few days here. We cycled to Dam Sen Park, which was 6.5km from the hotel. Entry was Ð20,000 plus extra for the main attractions. Bike parking was Ð1000. Dam Sen is quirky but an attractive setting to spend a few peaceful hours (as long as it's not a holiday). It was quite a straightforward route but very busy, especially at roundabouts on the way back at rush hour.
From HCMC we rode through the Mekong to the Cambodia border.
The room
Miss Loi's178/20 Ð Co Giang
Ho Chi Minh City
$9 for double room with fan, bathroom with hot water, TV with 3(!) movie channels and breakfast.
Clean and comfortable. Down very narrow alley which is a bit tricky to find, but very quiet, peaceful and secure.