A mud bath in Cat Tien

It's not uncommon to find yourself entrenched in a mud bath around neighbouring areas of Cat Tien national park.

Anyone who's just bought a dirt bike in Saigon is probably itching to find a decent bit of dirt to thrash around in. I have to say that I'm somewhat torn between the desire to splash about in mud and wanting to preserve the natural environment. Really we should put a stop to all this joy riding nonsense and help nature take back all that we have destroyed.

Nevertheless this myriad of muddy pathways lies between the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City and the thick of the Cat Tien national park. It's pretty easy to get lost here and once on the muddy path there are not so many who pass by to ask for help.

When I came to this first junction I was already caked in mud and stuck in a trench looking at my map,

when a guy came along on a little 90cc scooter bobbing along the thin dry ridge between trenches and stopped.

"Cat Tien ?",

he asked pointing the way north.

"Vang"

I nodded and pointed in the direction we would both be travelling.

He popped of without a speck of mud on him, whilst I paddled about like a penguin trying to propel myself forward into another muddy ditch.

The guy must have passed several villages before I even passed a handful of muddy turns, at which point I had to take a break from the sweat pouring from my helmet and steaming up my goggles.

Thankfully it wasn't all like that, but I would soon be witness to more destruction as I passed logging activities.

Apparently there are elephants to look out for, but it's unlikely I would see them since there is an electric fence keeping them in.

After several hours of tiny pathways I finally came out to the asphalt once more and headed for my refuge at my very own stilt house for the night,

hammock and garage ensuite.