What is the most beautiful train journey in Vietnam?

Which railway route is most beautiful?

Ugh, Shimla-Kalka. The Himalayan Queen, right? So many tunnels! Seriously, 102? Makes me claustrophobic just thinking about it. But the views… wow. Those terraced fields though, stunning. Pine forests everywhere. Total postcard material.

Wait, was it 864 bridges? Insane. Makes you wonder about the engineering, you know? How did they even do that back then? The whole thing is a UNESCO World Heritage site, I heard.

Pine trees, villages… it’s all so green. Reminds me of that trip I took with my family in 2022. We didn’t take the train though, drove instead. Big mistake. The road was a nightmare. The views were okay, but, like, totally different.

This train journey… it’s gotta be the most beautiful railway route in India, hands down. Absolutely breathtaking. Nothing else comes close. I’m booking tickets next month. Hopefully, I’ll get a window seat!

Maybe I should also check out Darjeeling Himalayan Railway too? Heard that’s pretty spectacular also. But Shimla-Kalka, first! Next year, Darjeeling. I want to compare. This has to be my next adventure.

• Stunning Views: Terraced fields, pine forests, quaint villages.
• Crazy Engineering: 102 tunnels and 864 bridges!
• UNESCO World Heritage Site: Major bragging rights.
• My next trip: Definitely booking tickets for the Himalayan Queen.
• Other options: Darjeeling Himalayan Railway – maybe later!

What is the most beautiful road in Vietnam?

Hai Van Pass. Majestic. Lang Co Bay. Stunning. Vietnam’s best road. Ocean. Mountains. A drive. A view. Life, fleeting. The road winds. So does fate.

• Hai Van Pass: Historic mountain pass. Connects Hue and Da Nang. Offers panoramic views.
• Lang Co Bay: Tranquil. Turquoise waters. Fishing boats dot the surface. A place to breathe.
• Hue: Former imperial capital. Rich history. Worth a visit.
• Da Nang: Coastal city. Developing rapidly. Beaches. Modernity clashes with tradition.

Ocean road, mountain road. Which is better? Irrelevant. Both beautiful. The journey matters. Not the destination. Destination? Dust.

Consider renting a motorbike. Experience the wind. The raw, untamed beauty. My Kawasaki Ninja 400. Green. Fast. Freedom. The road calls.

What is the most scenic place in Vietnam?

Ha Long Bay. Yeah, it always comes back to that, doesn’t it?

Those limestone karsts… jutting out. Like ancient teeth. I visited them back in 2019. It was… different then.

• Ha Long Bay: It’s just… iconic, I guess. Like a postcard you can actually sail through. It is a place of ethereal beauty.

Then there’s Sapa. I almost forgot about Sapa.

• Sapa’s rice terraces: They just carve into the mountainsides. Reminds me of… what? Endless green stairs going up to nowhere. It is a testament to human endeavor. It does make you wonder where the end leads.

Phong Nha-Ke Bang? The caves there swallow you whole.

• Phong Nha-Ke Bang: The darkness is profound. It’s more than just seeing; it’s feeling. The stillness is… almost unsettling. I could never handle being somewhere underground for too long. This place resonates with history.

It always comes down to the water or the mountains, doesn’t it? I tend to prefer the silence of the water.

What is the longest train route in Vietnam?

Ugh, Vietnam’s train system. I took that North-South line in 2023, a nightmare honestly. 1726 kilometers, they say. Felt longer. Much longer. Started in Hanoi, the humidity was insane. Seriously, I was drenched before I even got to the station.

The train itself? Old. I mean really old. Cramped. The air conditioning, when it worked, was arctic. Then it would just cut out completely. Sweaty, freezing, sweaty, freezing. The whole trip. I swear I aged ten years.

The scenery? Beautiful in parts. Rice paddies, mountains, oh my god the mountains. But hours and hours of just staring at endless rice paddies. Mind-numbingly boring stretches. Sleep became my only refuge.

Food? Don’t get me started. Instant noodles for days. I developed a phobia of instant noodles. Seriously. My stomach still churns thinking about it. The tiny little plastic forks, ugh! So uncomfortable.

Highlights: Stunning mountain views, that’s it.

Lowlights: Everything else. The discomfort, the endless boredom, those infernal noodles!

Important Note: That train route is the longest in Vietnam. I don’t care what anyone says otherwise. Fact. It’s also a single track, meter gauge line – a real piece of work.

What is the oldest train station in Vietnam?

Dalat Station. Think French colonial chic meets Vietnamese highlands. A Moncet & Revéron joint. Like a railway fashion statement, darling. Built 1932-1938. Imagine the flapper dresses on the platform. The station itself? A bit of an art deco darling. Not your average train depot. A true architectural gem. Still operational, mind you. Though mostly for tourists now, chugging a few scenic kilometers. Think Instagram gold. I rode it once. Felt like a movie star. Or maybe just someone slightly overdressed for a train to nowhere.

• Dalat Station: Oldest operational station in Vietnam.
• Architects: Moncet and Revéron (French, obviously).
• Construction: 1932-1938. Took their time, didn’t they?
• Style: Art Deco. Think geometric shapes, bold lines. Very Gatsby.
• Current use: Primarily tourist line. Short, scenic route.

My great-aunt, bless her heart, swore she saw a ghost there once. Said it was wearing a conductor’s hat. Probably just the altitude. Dalat is a bit high up, you know.