car 1, seats 35 & 36 on the train from Da Nang to Hue

11 o’clock, our shuttle to the train station in Da Nang arrives and takes us to Ga Da Nang – “ga” probably comes from the French word “gare” for train station.

We need about half an hour to get there and now have an hour of spare time until the train arrives. We use the time to look for a bank because our 500,000 Dong bill (about USD 22) is not accepted any more, it has a hole, without any luck.

On the train we realize we’re the only ones with a table and thus more leg room. As we didn’t book any luxurious compartment we’re basically the only foreigners and we see the Vietnamese making the best out of the available space, slouching in the seats or lying down. Besides a really scary-looking woman who darts malignant glances at us (at least in my imagination) I like the atmosphere on the train, because it is the kind of authentic experience I longed for. I hope she’s asleep soon.

As soon as we get out of the crowded Da Nang, a breath-taking coastline opens up before us. I can’t possibly capture everything.

If you’re thinking about going by train, this part of the train line that winds from Southern Ho-Chi-Minh City to Northern Hanoi is the most stunning. It only takes about three hours.

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