Postcard: Nimh Binh and Tam Coc, Vietnam

The Karsts of Tam Coc | Art by Todd Berman

Hi Claude and Jacqueline -

Thank you for being such wonderful hosts during our stop in Paris. We owe you big time - this postcard is just a small expression of our thanks!

The sleeper bus pulls away, its driver honking repeatedly to warn the empty highway that it's about to barrel through, leaving Todd and I standing on the dark sidewalk at 4:45 am, a full hour earlier than we expected to arrive.

We hope we're in Nimh Binh, a small town worth visiting only for its proximity to the karst-studded Ngo Dong River of Tam Coc. Ignoring the two moto drivers offering us a ride to the hotel of their choice, we check our compass and map and optimistically walk in the direction that should lead to the town's center and some hostels.

(New on this postcard! RSS and email readers, visit www.ephemerratic.com for the rest of the postcard, travel tips, and photos)

A short nap later, we bike first on a murky-aired, earsplittingly loud highway and then on a shadeless tour-bus-ready avenue to Tam Coc. There, we board a small boat and are rowed silently along the water in the shadow of tall karst peaks where goats graze in defiance of gravity, past one-man boats hauling in strands of long wicker fish traps, and through low-ceilinged stalactite-covered caves to emerge into yet another dramatic karst-ringed bend of the river. We're constantly distracted from the scenery by our boatman, who uses his bare feet to push the oars.

We find new roads to pedal on during our bike ride back – bumpy dirt paths that wind by rice-paddy fields backed by a panorama of karsts tinged purple by sunset. We pass by a cemetery where a group of men dig a new hole in the ground. As the full dark of night settles in, we blindly make our way, asking barely seen villagers "Nimh Binh?," who point us on the right path back.

XOXO -
Lauren + Todd

Travel Tips – Nimh Binh and Tam Coc, Vietnam

Where we ate:

• Hang Coui - Near the boat landing at Tam Coc, this is one of the restaurants that will let you park your bike for free so long as you promise to grab a drink when you are done with the boat ride. Unfortunately, their food was near inedible for oversalting and overgreasing. Stick with a beer: NAH
• Xuan Hoa Hotel - The Lonely Planet raved about this place. It was bland, everyone was pouring on the chili sauce in desperation. It would have been a decent place to meet other travelers if we all weren't so miserable over the food: NAH
• Thao Son Quan, Le Hong Phong at Tran Hung Dao – Having reached a point of absolute culinary desperation, we wandered around the uninspiring town looking for a decent restaurant. No one was eating anywhere. We gave up and walked into this place at random and the food was awesome...for Nimh Binh: YEH

Where we stayed:

• Hoang Hai Hotel - This hotel seems to attract a lot of tour groups for overnight stays and power lunching businessmen throwing back more booze than food. Probably because the food in the hotel restaurant was mediocre. Hotel-wise it was nothing special: MEH

What we saw:

• Ngo Dong River boat ride, Tam Coc - Despite the touting at the turn around point where your boat is surrounded by other boats selling food and drink, and the push by your boat rower to buy lacy things only fit for your grandma's grandma, the scenery more than makes it worth the trip: YEH
• Bich Dong Pagoda a.k.a. Jade Grotto - A nice stop on your bike ride through the Tam Coc karst area. It's too small to go as part of a tour group, and so if you see one when you arrive, try to wait for them to leave: YEH

Photos from Nimh Binh and Tam Coc, Vietnam

If you can't see the photo slide show above, view the photo set on Flickr.

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claude & jacqueline May 18, 2009 | We got your postcard a few days ago, with black and red Chinese cancellations and postal overprints which a philatelist appreciates. The drawing and the text are beautiful. We thank you very much for your kind message. Lauren's pictures are fantastic and we want to be the first to subscribe to your forthcoming Art-book. Love and tching-tchong from Claude & Jacqueline Reply | Quote

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