We get heavy rain and a lightning storm last night – first rain we’ve had in almost a month – poor Dave struggled to get a good sleep

Nevertheless, we’re up around 7am to make sure we get a coffee in the hotel room before popping up for our free breakfast

Time to make hast – we pay our hotel bill and make a dash for the shop where we’re grabbing a bus from

The bus has certainly seen better days as it’s dripping on us with a large hole in the roof ????

After about a 30 minute drive, we reach the Bến Tàu Cao Tốc Tránh Sóng Hadeco (the speedboat terminal) on the West of the island; it’s pouring with rain and lightning striking every now and then so we hold off from boarding the metal tub on water for a moment

When it becomes more gentle, we board

The ride is short but allows us to see another Vinpearl World – similar to Sunset Town with the giant cable car from Cat Ba to the mainland

On land, we’re placed into a sleeper bus that will take us the remaining way to our destination

We can say it was definitely a very bumpy ride – we chose the back as it has five seats together so we were closer together

After three more hours of travel, we arrive in Ninh Binh!

We’re staying in the local area called Tam Coc and have a needed coffee and fresh juice while we wait to get taken to our stay for the next couple days

Tam Coc Bungalows sorts us as it states in the name: we have a little bungalow – more like a cardboard box but is nice enough – right on the jazzy pool

Starving, we have some food while doing a little work at the hotel which is right on the riverside

Some chicken noodles and a burger with chips

Next, we venture out in search of a laundry place – our place does it but it’s too expensive for us – it’s not far and they take it away with it being ready for us to pick up in 24 hours

Now it’s time to enjoy our pool ????????‍♀️

We paddle for a while and then get ready to head out in search of another meal

Feeling a little sorry for ourselves today, we go for a favourite cuisine that’ll hit the spot

Aroma Indian Restaurant serves the best looking items of a few Indian places in the area

We were sold on trying the chicken tikka jalfrazi, as well as the typical CTM for us, and the special chili and coriander naan; they even have some Da Lat wine we can try for cheaper than we’ve seen before

Note: make sure not to pay by card here, they take an 8% card charge!

Stuffed, we make our way back and chill with Expendables 3 on Netflix and then call it a day