Our trip was sadly coming to an end. It was Wednesday and we were due to fly back on Friday night. We still had so much to see but we were running out of time now. We both wanted to see Halong bay more than any other place so that's where we were going to go. At the Homestay we got chatting to three German girls who incidentally had just come from Halong bay. They said that we'd be better off going to Cat Ba island and taking a boat trip from there to see Halong bay rather than staying at Halong bay itself as it was so busy there so that's what we did.

It was a long ride on the highway in the rain but we made it there after crossing the 5.5 km long bridge to Cat Hai and then taking a ferry across to Cat Ba. Ferry crossing was about half an hour and cost just £1.50 each with our bikes.

At Cat Ba we splashed out and got a sea view room in the Bay Veiw hotel. It cost just under £5 per night as it was low season. Apparently this will shoot up to £50 a night in the peak season. The room was basic but the view was anything but.

There was one road which sliced through the national park to the north end of the island. We didn't go into the national park itself but rode through it and reached the top end to even more stunning views. I know I keep going on about the views but that's what Vietnam has been for us - it's been all about the views, the beautiful roads, the friendliest people and delicious street food. Oh and did i mention it was cheap?

Back in town there was a whole market which sold North Face (made in Vietnam) products from bags and shoes to jackets and t-shirts. You name it. After dinner on our way back to the hotel we ran into Sam whom we had met back in Phong Nha. Funny how you keep running into the same people on a road trip.

203 kms covered / 6 hours riding