the railway system in vietnam was first built in 1899
The first Boer War of 1880-1881 has also been named the Transvaal Rebellion, as the Boers of the Transvaal revolted against the British annexation of 1877. Most scholars prefer to call the war of
The hill is the perfect spot for a lighthouse and the first one was built here in 1880. The current one was built in 1955. Yamba Point is a popular spot for a picnic (grab some fish and chips) and it's a good place to spot whales from the shore when they swim past during the annual migration back to Antarctica. 2- Enjoy a Yamba beach
It was built and probably designed by Edward Woodfall, a noted local architect and builder. The school has two sections one built in 1899 and a second in 1917. The first section is a brick, one-story, two-room, hip-roofed building now serves as a rear wing to the 1917 addition.
The railway system in Viet Nam was first built in 1899, when Viet Nam was still a French colony. The total (1)____ of the railroad is over 3,000km, with the main route being the North-South (2)____, which is 1,726 km long. This track was considered the backbone of Indochina at the time.
In June, 1899, this capital of $10,000,000 was increased to one of $110,000,000, and into this new organisation was dumped the entire Standard aggregation. But these are the American industrial qualities. They are common enough in all sorts or business. They have made our railroads, built up our great department stores, opened our mines
Site De Rencontre Jeune Serieux Gratuit. Câu hỏi Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each numbered blank. The railway system in Viet Nam was first built in 1899, when Viet Nam was still a French colony. The total __ 28 __ of the railroad is over 3,000 km, with the main route being the North-South __ 29 __, which is 1,726 km long. This track was considered the backbone of Indochina at the time. Now, the rail system covers 35 out of t...Đọc tiếp Xem chi tiết Choose the word or phrase in the box which has the same meaning as the underlined word/phrase in each of the following sentences Coffee stone tortoises Da Nang Ha Noi Sai Gon educational institution Viet Nam 1, The Vietnamese are aspecially proud of their historic capital city. The old quarter of Ha Noi dates backs to the 11th century 2, Ha Nois peacefulVan Mieu, or Temple of Literature, is Viet Nams oldest educational institut...Đọc tiếp Choose the word or phrase in the box which has the same meaning as the underlined word/phrase in each of the following sentences Coffee stone tortoises Da Nang Ha Noi Sai Gon educational institution Viet Nam 1, The Vietnamese are aspecially proud of their historic capital city. The old quarter of Ha Noi dates backs to the 11th century 2, Ha Noi's peaceful'Van Mieu', or Temple of Literature, is Viet Nam's oldest educational institution. The Confucius inspired university was established for the education of mandarins 3, Around the central courtyard of Van Mieu stand 82 stone tortoises. These beautiful ancient scuptures were built to honour the men who received doctorates in triennial examinations 4, While most tourists neglect Viet Nam's fourth-largest city in favour of nearby Hue and Hoi An, it has considerable charm in its own right 5, Another tourists' favourite is Sai Gon which was renamed Ho Chi Minh City following its fall in 1975. However, the old name is still used by both Vietnamese and foreigners, especially when referring to the most central part of the city 6, The Vietnamese love a good cup of coffee. In the central market of Sai Gon, many small shops offer samples of the favourite beverage, individually brewed with a small metal French drip filter, and served with condensed milk Xem chi tiết Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct answer to each of the 22nd Southeast Asian Games were held in Viet Nam from the 5th to 13th December, 2003. Although it was the first time Viet Nam hosted such a big sports event, the Games were a great success. The Games really became a festival that impressed sports enthusiasts with its spirit solidarity, co-operation for peace and from 11 participating countries competed in...Đọc tiếp Xem chi tiết Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct answer to each of the 22nd Southeast Asian Games were held in Viet Nam from the 5th to 13th December, 2003. Although it was the first time Viet Nam hosted such a big sports event, the Games were a great success. The Games really became a festival that impressed sports enthusiasts with its spirit solidarity, co-operation for peace and from 11 participating countries competed in...Đọc tiếp Xem chi tiết 1/ Use the correct form of the words in brakets to complete the following passage. Le Van Thiem - the founder of contemporary mathematics in Viet Nam Le van Thiem was born in 1918 in Ha Tinh, Viet Nam , in an intellectual family. He was the young______ of 13 brothers and sisters. He was the first Vietnamese to earn a modern doctoral degree. In 1939, after passing the final examinations with excellent marks, Le van Thiem was offered a scholarship to study in Paris, France. His contribute___...Đọc tiếp Xem chi tiết 1/ Use the correct form of the words in brakets to complete the following passage. Le Van Thiem - the founder of contemporary mathematics in Viet Nam Le van Thiem was born in 1918 in Ha Tinh, Viet Nam , in an intellectual family. He was the young______ of 13 brothers and sisters. He was the first Vietnamese to earn a modern doctoral degree. In 1939, after passing the final examinations with excellent marks, Le van Thiem was offered a scholarship to study in Paris, Franc...Đọc tiếp Xem chi tiết Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct answer to each of the 22nd Southeast Asian Games were held in Viet Nam from the 5th to 13th December, 2003. Although it was the first time Viet Nam hosted such a big sports event, the Games were a great success. The Games really became a festival that impressed sports enthusiasts with its spirit solidarity, co-operation for peace and from 11 participating countries competed in...Đọc tiếp Xem chi tiết 2. Read the passage and choose the correct answers A, B, C or D to fill in the name is Mike and I’m a Vietnamese-American. Last February, I travelled to Viet Nam 1 ______ my parents to celebrate Tet holiday. It was my first time being in Viet Nam and meeting my grandmother. She 2 ______me a lot about Vietnamese culture, about things I should and shouldn’t do on Tet holiday. I should wear new and beautiful clothes to bring luck; however, they shouldn’t be white or black. Children...Đọc tiếp Xem chi tiết Vyyyyy 5 tháng 1 2022 lúc 2337 V. Read the following passage and choose the best option A, B, C or D to complete the is the biggest festival in Viet Nam. It takes place in the first lunar month of the year; it’s a time for family reunion. To 36 _____________ Tet, Vietnamese people make many tasty 37______________ foods. The most important food includes Chung cakes, sausages, boiled chicken, spring rolls, and sticky rice. Chung cake is made of sticky rice, pork, green beans and other spices, wrapped in the gr...Đọc tiếp Xem chi tiết
Choose the word whose underlined part is pronounced differently from the others 1. A. experience B. expect C. extensive D excellent 2. A. ploughed B. worked C. watched D. practiced 3. A. floor B. score C. door D. flood Choose the word with the different stress pattern 4. A. earthquake B. energy C. although D. forward 5. A. dormitory B. intelligent C. suffer D. internet Choose the best answer A, B, C or D to complete the following sentences 6. I love it when we go to see plays, and try to ……… when we get back home. A. act them out B. act C. play D. role-play 7. “What’s the best way to get around Hoi An town?” – “…………” A. That’s useful B. It’s worth seeing C. I suggest walking D. Great, thanks 8 . Nam “Congratulations on your success!” Hoa “__________.” A. You’re welcome B. No, thanks C. That’s very kind of you D. Yes, of course friend stayed up late studying for an important exam. …………………………. A. Well done! C. I know how you feel B. Stay calm. Everything will be all right. D. A really great job. 10. She lives in one of the most ………… parts of the city there are lots of luxury shops there. A. fashionable B. historic C. comfortable D. ancient 11. China is …………… far the most populated country in the world. A. as B. by C. so D. too 12. She suggested ……….. money for the poor people in the region. A. to save B. saved C. saving D. save 13. That tall woman, ……….career is very successful, usually helps children in this orphanage. A. that B. what C. which D. whose 14. The teacher advised the children ………….. and see the dentist regularly. A. went B. going C. go D. to go 15. We were made ………………. all the cleaning in the house. A. do B. to do C. doing D. done 16. He …………….. the piano since he was a child. A. practises B. was practising C. practised D. has practised asked me if I …………..a laptop computer the following day. A. buy B. bought C. would buy D. will buy Choose the underlined word or phrase A, B, C or D that needs correcting. 18. We don’t mind to wait for you to finish your homework. A B C D 19. We should prepare food careful before turning on the stove. A B C D 20. Although he was tired, but he still went to work yesterday. A B C D 21. When she came to my house this morning, I still slept. A B C D 22. Lam said that he was leaving for the capital tomorrow. A B C D Choose the best option which has the same meaning with the given sentence 23. I don’t usually drink coffee in the morning. A. I used to drink coffee in the morning. B. I’m used to drinking coffee in the morning. C. I didn’t use to drink coffee in the morning. D. I’ m not used to drinking coffee in the morning. 24. Teacher / ask / me / if / speak / English / fluent /. A. The teacher asks me if I speak an English fluent. B. The teacher asked me if I spoke English fluently. C. The teacher asks me if I can speak English fluent. D. The teacher asked me if do I speak English fluently. 25 Because the street was crowded with people, I couldn’t drive fast. A. If the street were crowded with people, I couldn’t drive fast. B. If the street weren’t crowded with people, I could drive fast. C. If the street had been crowded with people , I couldn’t have driven fast. D. If the street hadn’t been crowded with people , I could have driven fast. 26 The book is so expensive that she can’t buy it. A. The book is too expensive for her to buy. B. The book isn’t cheap enough for her to buy it. C. It is such expensive book that she can’t buy it. D. All are correct. 27 Driving on the left is very dangerous in our country. A. It very dangerous to drive on the left in our country. B. It is very dangerous to drive on the left in our country. C. It is very dangerous driving on the left in our country. D. It is very dangerous to driving on the left in our country. 28. The last time when I saw her was three years ago. A. I have often seen her for the last three years. B. About three years ago, I used to meet her. C. I have not seen her for three years. D. I saw her three years ago and will never meet her again. 29 book/ Jane/ give/ me/ birthday/ lose The book that Jane gave me on my birthday has been lost. The book which Jane gives me at birthday was lost The book at which Jane gave to me in my birthday has lost. The book for that Jane gives me to my birthday is lost. 30 mother/ suggest/ not keep/ solid waste/ food waste Mother suggested that don’t keep solid waste with food waste. Our mother suggested not to keep solid waste to food waste. My mother suggests not keeping solid waste with food waste. Her mother suggests not keep solid waste in food waste. Read text carefully, and then choose the correct answer Changes in caregiving roles With the burden of financial support reduced, and with a changing concept of a father’s role, modern day fathers tend to be more involved in children’s caregiving. They are now spending more time and energy on their children. Psychological research across families from all ethnic backgrounds suggests that the influence of a father’s love and attention is as great as that of a mother’s. Fatherly love helps children develop a sense of their place in the world, which helps their social and emotional development. Moreover, children who receive more love from their fathers are less likely to have behavioural problems. This trend is still increasing and its effects will become clearer and clearer in the future, especially in traditionally male-dominated societies. of these is NOT the traditional role of a father? supporter of moral values educator welfare programmes ___________. families financially mothers with domestic abuse fathers about their responsibilities caregivers influence of a mother’s love is ___________ that of the father’s. important than important than greater than important as who get more fatherly love will ___________ behavioural problems. have any more fewer a lot of changing roles of the father will be seen more clearly in ___________. groups countries independent societies male-dominated societies word various’ in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to ___________. few word paternal’ in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to ___________. word who’ in paragraph 4 refers to ___________. Choose the best word/phrase that is CLOSEST in meaning to the underlined part in each of the following questions. - the headmaster were here, he would sign your papers immediately. A. currently B. right away C. formerly D. right ahead will be fine tomorrow. But if it should rain tomorrow, the match will be postponed. A. turned off B. put off C. sold off D. taken off Choose the best word/phrase that is OPPOSITE in meaning to the underlined part in each of the following questions. 41."Be quick! We must speed up if we don’t want to miss the flight. " A. turn down B. look up C. slow down D. put forward is a very generous old woman. She has given most of her wealth to a charity organization. A. mean B. amicable C. kind D. hospitable Read the passage below and decide which option A, B, C or D best fits each space The railway system in Viet Nam was first built in 1899, when Viet Nam was still a French colony. The total 43_____ of the railroad is over 3,000 km, with the main route being the North-South 44______, which is 1,726 km long. This track was considered the backbone of Indochina at the time. Now, the rail system 45______ 35 out of the 63 cities and provinces of Viet Nam. However, the system was 46______ damaged by bombings during the war. In 1975, after the reunification of the north and the south, the Vietnamese government decided to 47______ the system. In the space of a year, hundreds of bridges, tunnels, and stations were restored, along with 660 km of tracks. The new and improved system was 48______ the Thong Nhat Express. Thanks to the rail system, travelling from north to south has become much more 49______ for tens of thousands of people. In the past, in order to be able to buy train tickets people had to wait in long lines. Now, 50______ can buy tickets online, or at the central station, without having to wait that long. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49 . 50.
The North-South Railway is the longest railway line in Vietnam. It runs from north to south, connecting Hanoi, the capital of the country, with Ho Chi Minh City Saigon, Vietnam’s largest city. TIt is a meter gauge line with an average speed of 50 km per hour. The journey from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City Saigon takes more than 30 hours. The North-South Railway is the most important line in Vietnam, in terms of both passenger and freight transport. It carries more than 80% of the total passenger volume in the country. History of the North-South Railway The North-South Railway was built by the French during the colonial period. The first section was built in 1899 and the whole railway was completed in 1936, construction lasting 37 years in total. In nine years after 1945，there was no maintenance or upgrading of the line due to wars, and it was divided into two parts. During the Vietnam War 1955-1975, some parts of the railway were damaged. Not until after the war were they restored. The whole line was reopened at the end of 1976. Current Situation The North-South Railway uses meter gauge. The speed of trains running on meter gauge is slower than that on standard tracks. The average speed on the North-South Railway is 50 km/h 31 miles per hour. Due to lack of capital investment, Vietnam’s railways are lagging behind in terms of facilities, transportation capacity, and speed. They have not been able to keep up with the speed of other development in the country. Compared to domestic flights, trains in Vietnam are not particularly attractive, in terms of speed or price. But taking a train is a good way of experiencing local lifestyle and mingling with local people. And because the North-South Railway was built along the coast, several sections of the line offer beautiful scenery. The Future of the North-South Railway Vietnam plans to improve the North-South Railway, by building a high-speed railway line between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. It will be a new electrified railway with a total length of 1570 kilometers, and 1435 mm track gauge. The maximum speed is expected to reach 300 km/h 186 miles per hour. The Hanoi–Ho Chi Minh City High-Speed Railway is expected to begin operations in 2020. After the line opens, the train travel time from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City will be reduced from 34 hours to 6 hours. You Might Like How to Buy Vietnamese Train Tickets There are four ways of buying Vietnamese train tickets. Read More Trains Between China and Russia There are two trains running between China and Russia including Trans-Mongolian Railway. Read More How to Buy Trans-Siberian Train Tickets International train tickets for the Trans-Siberian can be bought in China, Mongolia and Russia. Read More
We’re no longer a country of war — we’ve moved on,” says my guide, Mr Tien, and I believe him. Hanoi is a city on the move; all around us, hundreds of commuters are hunched over their scooter handlebars, raring to go. Following the throng into the heart of the capital, we pass elderly couples waltzing in the park, a lady and her poodle with matching multicoloured hairdos, and high-school girls sporting slogan T-shirts and flashes of red lipstick. The bus halts and I step into a fog of frying chillies and fuel. Passengers tug suitcases behind them like unruly dogs, as they approach Hanoi railway station, Vietnam’s oldest, dating back to 1902. This canary-yellow pile of bricks and mortar has witnessed several conflicts, but a B-52 carpet-bombing during the Vietnam War hit it hardest, obliterating the central hall. It was rebuilt in 1976 — the same year the formerly communist north and democratic south were reunified following the North’s victory and 20 years of civil war. A historic moment consolidated by parallel metal lines. Some structures come to define a nation. For Vietnam, that is the North-South railway, also known as the Reunification Express a 1,072-mile steel spinal cord that curves the length of the country from Hanoi in the far north to the southern metropolis of Ho Chi Minh City still called Saigon by locals. Its formation and history mirror the fluctuating fortunes of the country, and to ride these rails is to traverse not only timelines of major events but also religious and cultural divides between the Catholic north, with its French history, and the Buddhist south, which bears American influences. The first tracks were laid in 1899 under French colonial rule, with the unsuccessful aim of stealing the lucrative Indochina rice market away from shipping companies. It took another 30 years to piece together the separately constructed sections, during which time steady jobs with good salaries were flowing and the proverb on everyone’s lips was If you want a good life, marry a railway man’. In 1936, a locomotive travelled the entire length of the Transindochinois line — as it was then known — for the first time. The journey took 60 hours, but passengers had a cinema car and a hairdressing salon on board to help pass the time. Two decades later, the railway was to play a key role in the conflict that raged between north and south for almost 20 years. “The railway tracks became the rope in the tug of war for power during the Vietnam War,” says Tim Doling, a railway historian and author who lives near Saigon. In the centre of Hanoi sits another squat yellow building. As I walk towards Hoa Lo Prison, the humidity and high sun slow-cook me until I’m a gravy of sweat and sunscreen. Prisoners incarcerated here during the Vietnam War nicknamed it the Hanoi Hilton — an ironic reference to the appalling living conditions inside. At its peak, 3,600 captives were squeezed into a space made for 300. I wander the shadowy corridors, noticing the iron bars in the envelope-sized windows that had been strained apart by desperate fingers. And in the solitary confinement cells — where the floor was set at an angle so shackled prisoners couldn’t lie back without the blood rushing to their head — oedema and scabies were rampant. When the war ended, in April 1975, the north-south line was a fragmented mass of twisted steel. An estimated 1,334 bridges, 158 stations and 27 tunnels had to be repaired, and yet, just 20 months later, a train left Hanoi bound for Saigon, where it arrived to great fanfare — lauded as a symbol of Vietnamese unity. That night, I board the train, the bagpipe-style horn signalling our departure. I sit on the slim couchette as we crawl at snail’s pace through the city, catching glimpses of residents going about their evening routines a young man admiring his new cut in the hairdresser’s mirror; an old lady watching TV in bed; and a barrage of bikes — their headlights bright as moons — waiting to cross the tracks. I seek out Mr Tien and find him lying on a bottom bunk. He offers me a seat on the bed opposite and, with the train rocking rhythmically beneath us, tells me his story. “I was 17 when I joined the war. Eight of my friends and I cut our fingers and made a blood pact to sign up early. It made the local radio — our families were so proud.” He looks out the window and starts to smile at a memory. “You had to weigh 45 kilos to pass the medical, but I was only 43 kilos, so I put stones in my pockets. “We were part of the anti-aircraft unit, defending crossroads and T-junctions of the Ho Chi Minh Trail from American planes,” Mr Tien continues. “We had no huts, only hammocks, and the food was terrible. We could only hunt with traps because gunfire might reveal our location. We foraged for mushrooms, but it was dangerous — they’d often leave us vomiting. We’d have to eat fish floating dead in the river — we had no choice.” “What killed the fish?” I ask. “Agent Orange,” he replies. “I don’t know why they called it that — it was white a herbicide used to decimate the forests. Every time we saw helicopters, we ran away, against the wind, as fast as possible with handkerchiefs over our mouths. It would make us cough and scratch. A few days later, all the leaves would fall off and the fish in the stream died. It was really hard, really difficult.” Mr Tien pauses. “More died of malaria than bombs,” he adds. “We’d call from hammock to hammock in the morning, waiting with dread if there was no answer.” I ask if all his friends made it. “Three of us came back,” he replies, staring at the floor and stroking his nose as if comforting himself. “At night, I still dream of burying my friends in the forest. We hoped their families could find the place after the war, but the bombs obliterated everything.” We sit in silence for a long while. “How do you feel about Americans now?” I venture. “When American journalists came to conduct interviews at the end of the war, I saw we’d both been victims,” he says. “I realise now it was a stupid war — completely avoidable.” I return to my cabin and lie, eyes open, in the dark, comforted by the swaying. Polyester and pagodas I awake as we’re nearing Hue to see pops of pink lotus flowers floating in ponds, and farmers manoeuvring water buffalo through rice paddies. Winding through town, the coffee-coloured Perfume River is so-called because scented flowers from the forest fall into it as it runs westwards to Laos. Off the train and on the river, I find boats with snarling dragon heads, stacked with tourist souvenirs fridge magnets, kimonos, chopsticks. But away from the shimmer of polyester and plastic are glimpses of a more traditional way of life a boatman dredging the alluvial build-up has hung his laundry out to dry on deck, and I can see his wife washing up in the cabin. On the roof of our own boat I find a small altar of yellow flowers with incense smoke curling into the sticky air. On the northern bank is Thien Mu Pagoda, a seven-tier, 17th-century Buddhist tower flanked by frangipani trees and purple-flowering jacaranda. The scene is serene, but in 1963 it was the site of Buddhist hunger strikes and other protests at alleged discrimination by the government of Catholic President Ngo Dinh Diem. Parked at the back is the Austin Westminster sedan that drove Buddhist monk Thich Quang Duc to the scene of his self-immolation in Saigon on 11 June 1963. It’s a moving sight, even if the flashy aqua-blue paint seems at odds with the man of quiet resolve it carried. “The lunch cart trundles through, laden with skewers of meat and deep-fried songbirds, their heads and wings still intact ”We return to the train station bound for the beach city of Nha Trang, 400 miles to the south. The 10-hour stretch is considered the most scenic section of the rail route, tunnelling through the Annamite Range, hugging the sandy half-moon bays of the Pacific Ocean coastline. I cautiously poke my head out of a half-open window between two carriages, and see thickets of white trumpet flowers trailing down to the sapphire shallows, where the wooden rings of prawn farms stand sentinel. Before long, the lunch cart trundles through, laden with skewers of meat and deep-fried songbirds, their heads and scrawny wings still intact. A fellow traveller dips into his wallet and hands over a few dong. “Dip them in the salt,” the seller advises, handing over one of the crispy birds. Locals lean into the aisles to see what the verdict is as the traveller bites into the head and winces when the eyeballs pop. As the hours pass, the carriage quietens down and we’re rocked briskly back and forth. Occasionally, a cockroach scuttles across the windowsill and a rumbling snore escapes the lips of the man behind me. At each stop, ladies board the train hawking clear plastic bags of boiled eggs, rice cakes and jackfruit; leaping off when the departure alarm sounds. En route to the canteen, I meet Thièu Pham Manh captain of carriage number five lazing on his side in the porters’ cabin, sipping green tea. He waves me into the little nook and we sit cross-legged on the low bed. As he pours me a thimble-size cup, I notice the calluses on Manh’s feet and his tobacco-stained teeth. He’s travelled the north-south route — four days on, four days off — for 24 years, he tells me, pointing to his homemade sign stuck on the corridor wall. Here to help’, it reads, with his mobile number penned below. Manh and then I show each other the family photos on our phones, but hit a language barrier, so he dials his 18-year-old daughter, Ky Dieu, to translate over the phone, and our three-way chat continues until Nha Trang’s towering high-rises loom into view across the water. On arrival, I shun the crowds heading to the city’s world-class beach and make a beeline instead for the local market. Beneath the high roof, the air hums with high-pitched bartering and the heady pong of fish. Smashed palm leaves litter the wet floor where eels, octopuses and frogs writhe in buckets and bags. Women sitting on their haunches use cleavers to hack the legs off blue crabs with a clean thwack-thwack. I can’t stay long, though; the final leg to Saigon awaits. On board the train, everyone settles quickly and sits chuckling at the Tom and Jerry cartoons being screened in the aisle. A father and son sitting opposite me tuck into their packed lunch of rice and boiled eggs. Rain lashes the windows and sodden passengers clamber aboard at each stop looking relieved. The father and son fall asleep, mouths agape. I make my way to second class, passing men squatting between carriages smoking, and snoozing kids coiled up on raffia mats. Here, the seats are wooden and a bucket is propped beneath the air conditioning to catch the drips. A girl smiles shyly and motions for me to sit next to her. Her name is Thao Nguyên and she’s returning to university. “I go home every weekend to help my father at our durian farm,” she says. “My friends take the bus, but the train is cheaper. Plus, it’s much better than five years ago when there was no air-con or TV and the windows were jammed open so you’d be covered in dirt,” she adds, turning to take in the scenery. Flooded rice paddies shine like shattered mirrors and skinny cows graze the fields. I ask about the differences between the north and south. “People from the south always tease that people from Hanoi are so stingy they’d even steal the railway lines to sell,” she says, holding her hands over her mouth to hide her giggle. On the streets of Saigon, shopkeepers huddle under awnings, ladling steaming pho into bowls and handing over cups of rocket-fuel coffee. We don’t linger, though; instead driving an hour north to the Cù Chi Tunnels, a 150-mile network created by the Viet Cong as a hiding place during the war. The soldiers were often forced to spend weeks here during attacks, shuffling through spaces 60cm high and 50cm wide, infested with poisonous spiders, snakes, millipedes and — worst of all — malarial mosquitos. The Viet Cong’s combat methods ranged from the ingenious — wearing car-tyre shoes with the tread reversed so the enemy were led to believe they were travelling in the opposite direction, using water buffalo to pull the railway tracks off course, and training wasps to attack Americans — to the brutal — creating fiendishly ingenious, bamboo-spiked pits with names like the Clipping Armpit Trap’ and the Folding Chair’. Lined up behind glass in the gift shop is a display of grenades and AK47s. “During the war, I used this one,” says Mr Tien, matter-of-factly, pointing to a handheld grenade launcher. We head out the back of the shop and enter a newly planted forest of acacia and eucalyptus, where the screech of cicadas is matched only by the unnerving crack of gunfire from tourists who’ve paid 500,000 dong £20 to practice firing an AK47 in the nearby range. Here at Ben Dinh, sections of the tunnel have been reconstructed, and our khaki-dressed guide, Thuân, leads us below ground. They’re almost double the height and width of the original structures, but my knees are tucked into my chest. After 10 minutes, my calves are burning; my lungs tight from the thin air. “My parents fought in these tunnels,” says Thuân. “They don’t talk about it much.” They, like the rest of Vietnam, are putting the past behind them. Change is also afoot for the railway route. By 2021, the wooden benches will have been replaced by upholstered seats, and there are plans to bring in high-speed trains. “Cockroaches will probably still be a feature, though,” jokes railway historian Tim. But speeding up isn’t always the answer. Time is said to heal all wounds, and the Reunification Express provides just that hour upon hour, when life is put on hold and the landscape spools by. Creating time for a dad to talk to his son, for a student to daydream without interruption, for a writer to drink tea with a carriage manager with no talk of the war. Essentials Getting there Vietnam Airlines offers nonstop flights from Heathrow to Hanoi four times a week, and indirect options daily. Numerous other airlines offer one-stop services from the UK. Average flight time 11h20m. Vietnam is synonymous with the cyclo bicycle rickshaw. Fares are cheap, with bartering expected. Alternatively, taxis are equally plentiful, if slightly more expensive, and a better option on very hot days. The two most trusted operators are Mai Linh and Vinasun. In the largest cities, Uber is also available. Buses, plane and train travel can be planned online via Baolau. When to go Vietnam’s climate varies significantly. The north is dry and cool around 20C from November-April, but summer sees humid highs over 30C with heavy rainfall. Central Vietnam is dry and warm low 30Cs from January-August, with rainfall increasing in the winter months. Seasons in the south are clearer-cut the wet season is from May-November, and the dry season from November-May. Temperatures across the region average between 25C and 35C throughout the year. How to do it GRJ Independent offers an eight-day trip to Vietnam, including return flights with Vietnam Airlines, four-star hotel accommodation in Hanoi, Hue, Nha Trang and Saigon, rail travel, excursions and selected meals, from £2,195 per person. Published in the March 2019 issue of National Geographic Traveller UK Follow us on social media Twitter Facebook Instagram
The first made-in-Vietnam luxury train carriage Compared to airplanes or buses, railway trains are not everyone’s favorite means of transport when travelling between cities in Vietnam. Some of the reasons might be that train rides take a longer time to reach their destination, and that most trains are not well-furnished enough for a comfortable long ride. To encourage more Vietnamese to travel by train and introduce a new train riding experience to them, Saigon Railway Transport Joint Stock Company and Minor Hotels jointly developed The Vietage, the first built-in-Vietnam luxury railway train. Vietnam’s railway system goes back to the French era Vietnam’s railway system was first built in 1881 during the French colonial rule, connecting Saigon and My Tho province. It was one of the first trains in the region and the most modern in Southeast Asia at that time. Today, the railway system is operated by the state-owned Vietnam Railways corporation. The main route stretches across 1,730KM 1,074 miles of the North-South railway line, running between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Typical intercity trains in Vietnam Image adapted from Đường Sắt Việt Nam – Hành trình vạn dặm 34-hour passenger rides between Hanoi and Saigon are popular among backpackers and budget travellers keen on seeing the scenery and landmarks along the way to the final destination. Hue, Hoi An, and Nha Trang are also favorite destinations among train travellers. For a long time, train seating options in Vietnam have included hard seats, soft seats, hard sleeper, and soft sleeper. Even though the trains have been given major upgrades over the centuries and the first-class cabins are equipped with air conditioning, Vietnam’s railway trains are mostly still considered outdated and not comfortable enough for long rides. The Vietage’s train cabin changes the game With only 12 seats for optimal privacy and serenity, The Vietage’s train cabin boasts a comprehensive range of facilities such as a restaurant, a bar, and a massage parlor – yes, imagine having all your tight neck and shoulder muscles kneaded while whizzing past the lush scenery. We can’t imagine passengers will be lacking anything when riding this train. Guests will be comfortably seated in open compartments, feeling private but still airy Image credit Đường Sắt Việt Nam – Hành trình vạn dặm The cabin is tastefully designed, with the light wood flooring blending effortlessly with the beige compartments and yellow chairs. The broad use of yellow in different shades give the train interiors an Indochinese, tropical aura. This is also the first boutique-concept train designed and built by a Vietnamese team. Expected to commence service on 1st July 2020, The Vietage will operate 6-hour round trips between Danang station near Hoi An Old Town and Dieu Tri station in Quy Nhon, Binh Dinh Province. The Vietage operates for eleven months a year, pausing during the Tet holiday period. Passengers will get to enjoy different sights and scenic views on the way as their train cruises along the South Central region. Image credit Đường Sắt Việt Nam – Hành trình vạn dặm To keep passengers excited during the long ride, the train staff will provide on-board entertainment with local cultural themes. A train cruising amid majestic surroundings Image credit The Vietage Book a seat on the luxury train If you’re interested in exploring the heritage charms of Vietnam’s south-central region on this chic and fancy train, you can book a slot in advance through the train operator’s email at vietage or call them at +84 0 235 391 4555. Price is USD185 subject to change per seat per way after taxes, which includes A welcome drink A 3-course lunch or dinner Snacks Free-flow soft drinks, beer, and wine A 30-minute head and shoulder massage Find out more about the schedules of The Vietage trains here. Also check out Vietnamese police to carry out roadside vehicle checks Vietnam reopens nightlife entertainment hubs More job opportunities for Vietnamese as COVID-19 lockdowns are relaxed Cover image adapted from Đường Sắt Việt Nam – Hành trình vạn dặm Enjoying The Smart Local Vietnam? Follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn for more stories like this.
the railway system in vietnam was first built in 1899
