Leg 165, Đồng Hới, Vietnam via Cambodia to Côn Đảo, Con Son Island, Vietnam
DAY02_03.PLN (7.4 KB)
I had some re-organizing to do, my Imgur album blew up, spitting out images on the other end when trying to add more. I already have 5,500 screenshots, 15GB combined from this trip. I’m past halfway at least, I think. It’s a 12 hour time difference to where I’m flying currently, which is Vietnam. Beautiful, proud country.
02-02 Dong Hoi VVDH 6:05 PM Sunrise 6:25 PM
02-02 Phubai VVPB 6:40 PM Golden Bridge 15°59’41.3"N 107°59’48.6"E
02-02 Danang Intl VVDN 7:08 PM
02-02 Chu Lai VVCA 7:27 PM
02-02 Phucat VVPC 8:02 PM
02-02 Pleiku VVPK 8:28 PM
02-02 Ratanakiri VDRK 8:51 PM
02-02 Stung Treng VDST 9:13 PM
02-02 Kratie VDKT 9:41 PM
02-02 Mondulkiri VDMK 10:12 PM
02-02 Buon Me Thuot VVBM 10:38 PM
02-02 Nhatrang VVNT 11:07 PM
02-02 Cam Ranh VVCR 11:17 PM
02-02 Phan Rang VVPR 11:29 PM
02-02 Lienkhoung VVDL 11:49 PM
02-03 Long Thanh VVLO 12:28 AM
02-03 Bien Hoa Air Base VV02 12:38 AM
02-03 Tansonnhat VVTS Ho Chi Min City (Saigon) 12:55 AM
02-03 Vung Tau VVVT 1:18 AM
02-03 Conson VVCS 2:00 AM
Flight time 7:55 19 stops
Departure from Đồng Hới at dawn
Điền Hương headed South along the coast
Huế in central Vietnam, once the seat of Nguyen Dynasty emperors and the capital from 1802 to 1945
Above the imperial city inside the forbidden city, facing the Huong River (Perfume River)
Build in 1804 by Emperor Gia Long (Nguyễn Phúc Ánh) the first emperor of the Nguyễn dynasty
Phubai Airport (Cảng hàng không Quốc tế Phú Bài)
Vinh Hà
Hai Vong Dai Park
Flying over xã Tư, the river has no name on the maps
Ba Na Station West of Da Nang
On the top of that hill (left side) is the golden bridge supported by huge sculpted hands
Da Nang, known for its sandy beaches and history as a French colonial port
Also here, Asia park (on the right) with themed areas based on Asian countries
Chu Lai International Airport
Hương Chiêm along the Sông Trà Câu (river)
Nhà máy điện mặt trời Mỹ Hiệp, solar photovoltaic power plant in front of the dam
The dam and reservoir are not on the digital maps, the solar panels are not on the aerial images.
Cảng Hàng Không Phù Cát Airport
Nearby, Phu Loc Cham Temple and Banh It Cham Temple around the rice fields
Pleiku Tonung lake in the distance
Lake Yeak Laom next to Krong Ban Lung, Cambodia
There’s a small bug where the moon’s reflection is always a full moon, even if the real one is merely a sliver. I also doubt it would be this visible mid day.
Also nearby Kachanh Waterfall and another picture of Lake Yeak Laom
Back at the Mekong river, it grew quite a bit along the way
Kratie Airport near Krong Kracheh
Flying over a sea of trees headed back to Vietnam
Flying over Mondulkiri province in Cambodia
Krong Saen Monourom
Mondulkiri Airport, nearby Sea Forest, national park
Roum El Stone Field in Phnom Nam Lyr Wildlife Sanctuary near the border with Vietnam
Peculiar slab of stone in the middle of a sea of trees, Nam Lair National Stone Park
Coffee fields near Buôn Ma Thuột, famous as the regional “capital of coffee”
The World coffee museum, great architecture for photo shoots
Nhatrang, coastal resort city in southern Vietnam
Approaching Bãi Dài Nha Trang Beach
Cam Ranh International Airport
Cam Ranh in southern Khánh Hòa Province on the Biển Đông coast
Binh Son Beach in Phan Rang–Tháp Chàm
Kalan Po Klong Giarai, built in honor of the legendary king Po Klaung Garai (Dragon king of J’rai people), who ruled Panduranga from 1151 to 1205
And the view from Ninh Chu Beach
B’ja Da Noh
Long Thanh Airport
Bien Hoa Air Base
Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon
Along the Sông Sài Gòn (Saigon river), Bitexo Financial Tower, the tallest one
Tansonnhat Airport in Ho Ci Minh City
Lots to see here, the Independence Palace, historical building of the Vietnam War era, now a museum
People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City on the left
Bui Vien Walking Street aka Backpacker Street on the right, busy nightlife
The war remnants museum displaying lots of US military equipment
In the middle the famous picture “Napalm girl” showing the effects of napalm bombing in 1972.
Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon, 1880s Catholic cathedral built with French bricks
Saigon Central Post Office, Monumental central post office, completed in 1891
Plenty museums around as well, this one stood out to me, Museum of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine
Outside of Vietnam, Saigon is mostly known for the musical Miss Saigon
Vũng Tàu, once a French colonial town, now a popular seaside resort
Vũng Tàu Airport
https://i.imgur.com/Jenc8qB.png
Going South a bit over the South China Sea, Con Son Island
https://i.imgur.com/NftS7ao.png
Beautiful cliffs and amazing beaches
https://i.imgur.com/U5LcXq6.png
Con Dao Airport, beautiful place to land
https://i.imgur.com/FpVtt3j.png
And great place to call it a night
https://i.imgur.com/ARgTUL3.png
Tropical paradise
https://i.imgur.com/L1CiOiP.png
With a sinister history, Nhà tù Côn Đảo, Con Dao Prison museum
https://i.imgur.com/Lw3M13c.png
War museum & former prison built by French colonists used as a torture site during the Vietnam War
I assume the Vietnam war refers to the US-Vietnam war, aka Second Indochina War and in Vietnam known as the Resistance War Against America. Vietnam survived many wars. The Indochina Wars lasted from 1945 to 1991, between communist Indochinese forces against mainly French, South Vietnamese, American, Cambodian, Laotian and Chinese forces.
Tomorrow on to Cambodia and Bangkok