Our Vietnam train leaves Hue’s suburbs behind, passing fish farms and rice fields on it’s way to the sea, firstly skirting the shoreline on the level before climbing the hills above the rocky coast, punctuated with deserted, pristine sandy beaches. Apart from the railway there is no sign of human habitation, just natural palm forests clinging to the hillsides above an untouched coastline. We descend back to sea level at Da Nang. After leaving the train we take a short coach trip to Hoi An, the Marble Mountains and the Huyen Khong grotto.