Nha Trang to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) by overnight train

Vinpearl Amusement Park, Hon Tre Island

SUNDAY 31 JULY 2011

After breakfast, I took a taxi to the other end of town to go on the cable car to Hon Tre Island, one of the islands of Nha Trang. The cable car is over 3 kilometres in length and is the world’s longest cross-sea cable car. It cost about £10 but that included entrance to the island and the Vinpearl Land Amusement Park, including the waterpark. 

It’s a bit like a glorified Butlins, but has an excellent Oceanarium and a beautiful beach with soft, white sand with free loungers. I shared the return cable car with two men from Korea and their sons who live in Nha Trang and they offered me a taxi ride to the middle of town. My hotel was about 3 kilometres away, so I walked for a while, and then got a motorcycle ride back to my hotel.

I caught the 7.15 p.m. train to Ho Chi Minh City and found my carriage, which I was going to share with five Vietnamese men. The two young lads got out after a couple of hours, so I was left sharing with three Vietnamese men. The bed wasn’t much harder than the train from Hanoi to Hue, but the train was a lot smoother and I slept quite well.