Vietnamese Whirl Part 5 - Where the Buffalo Roam

We rapidly regretted our choice of transport as we tried unsuccessfully to get some sleep on our southbound overnight train.  Having been warned off the overnight bus by several fellow travellers (due to the bumpy roads, drivers falling asleep at the wheel and the small sleeping cabins) we had opted for the “safer” and “more comfortable” option.  Our “soft sleeper cabin” was anything but, and …not that I’ve ever tried it, but I imagine sleeping on top of a washing machine on full spin cycle would have been easier!

Bleary eyed, at sunrise we pulled up the blinds to see the mist slowly rising above the paddy fields and soon arrived at our destination.  Catching a taxi from the town of Dong Hoi, we travelled to the outskirts of the Phang Nha National Park, where, craving a bit of peace and quiet, we had opted for a farm stay.

Aussie Ben and his Vietnamese wife Bich (pronounced Bec, thankfully!), had created a wonderful boutique property in the countryside that Bich had been brought up in.  From humble beginnings, their dream had evolved into a unique place, with luxurious amenities but set amongst rice paddies and country lanes.  The moment we stepped into the lobby come dining room we felt welcomed and at home.  After a delicious breakfast, we were shown to our room, which came with a couple of comfortable (at last!) loungers set outside amongst the greenery, kicked off our shoes and caught up on some sleep!

Sitting by the pool, overlooking the rural scenery, we talked “cuisine” to Matteo, the lovely young Italian volunteer and fellow traveller.  He did make me yearn for a melanzane parmigiani, but the farmstay did offer a “Sunday Roast” complete with penne (WTF??) and very under par Yorkshire puds.

On the whole though, the food was very good (especially the desserts – home made carrot cake and a delicious passion fruit cheesecake).  Ian even taught the staff the skill of making a good “wood fire”, and we had a very cosy evening before retiring to watch the football. 

Sadly, Ian had caught a stomach bug (most likely from the dodgy bahn mi he bought on the train – which he said tasted of Nutella and tuna – yuk!), so was up most of the night.  Sympathising for all of  5 minutes, I borrowed a bike and set off down the country lanes to explore the nearby Bong Lai Valley.  First up was the “duck stop”, where I was welcomed by Tran and his granddaughter Anh at their family run farm.

After a brief introduction, I lost all sense of propriety as I was forced into a pair of jelly sandals and a conical hat for my first photo shoot! Then introduced to an uncle, who led me to an enclosure and suddenly out of nowhere, hundreds of white ducks started to appear.  He handed me a bowl of grain which I then had to throw in the air while being set upon by hungry ducks, who viscously pecked at my knees if I wasn’t feeding them fast enough!  Dozens of photo opportunities later, it all felt a bit “staged” but was quite hilarious in a way.  After this frenzied experience, I politely declined the offer of a ride on the back of a huge water buffalo, especially since he looked quite grumpy and seemed to be in the middle of his lunch. 

Next on the agenda was a Vietnamese pancake cookery lesson, which also seemed fraught with danger as I was invited to spread oil onto what looked like a waffle iron over an open fire.  Warning the group on young English backpackers who had joined me “not to try this at home kids!”, I managed to produce a half edible duck egg and rice flour concoction without setting myself or the farm on fire.

After lunch, I cycled onwards to my next port of call – “The Pub with Cold Beer”!  After a few hills with no gears on my bike, crossing over a rickety suspension bridge, I was certainly in need of some liquid fortification.  Another family run concern, the pub also offered patrons the opportunity to catch, kill and cook their own chicken, something which repulsed me as a vegetarian.  Luckily, I was the only customer and happily partook of the cold beer as I sipped it overlooking the river, before cycling slowly back.

Thankfully, Ian was feeling better the following morning, so we set off on the free shuttle to the boat station in town.  The Phong Nha National Park contained several caves, including Son Doong which was considered the largest cave in the world.  During the Vietnam war these caves and the rivers which ran through them, were utilised as logistical hubs where supplies, ammunition and even floating bridges were transported and stored, and troops could rest and recover, safe from American bombs. 

We had chosen the most easily accessible cave to visit (no steps!), and our boat chugged slowly down the river towards the Phong Nha cave’s entrance (which numerous B52s had tried unsuccessfully to bomb).  As we neared the cave our young female skippers switched off the engine and took to rowing us (why is it that most of the arduous jobs here are undertaken by females?!).

The narrow opening soon revealed a huge cavern containing massive formations of stalagmites and stalactites.  The scale of the place was incredible – it was like a massive cathedral – and you could understand why it proved so useful during the war.  Although the cave was almost 8km long, our boat turned around after the first kilometre and we visited some smaller caverns by foot.

It was raining heavily as we emerged so we decided to head back to the farmstay for some hot soup and to dry off.  The weather was to turn very wet for the next few days, but feeling grateful we had a comfortable place to chill out, we hunkered down.  We had planned to take an “Easy Rider” tour of the park to visit some of the other caves (where you ride pillion on a bike guided by a local) but sadly this was not to be.

We entertained ourselves by sitting by the fire, chatting to the staff and fellow guests, playing cards, learning a little about the history of the place… and eating and drinking! The long-term weather prospects for the whole area weren’t looking promising but we were hoping that as we headed southwards, at least the temperatures would rise.

Onwards, and downwards…

Next Stop: Hue we go!