23 MARCH 2025
NUI DINH LAKE
Hares: Chippy, Secs (live trail)
Hash Flashers: Chippy, Chom Chom Ringmaster: Chom Chom/Bishop(VN) Report: Uncle
Weather: Humid, high cloud
Hash Cash: 1pm run fees Secs, Chom Chom @ Nắng Vũng Tàu, 5 Lê Ngọc Hân, Ward 1 (Giay Garden side). Total Hashers: 28 Trail: Dismounted next to open area opposite Nuoc Mia stalls and rest area at monastery turn-off between bridge and lake access near top of Nui Dinh mountain road. Chalk talk by Secs (EN) and Chippy (VN) then walked about 50 metres towards lake access road before turning right onto dirt track. Crossed dry stream-bed rocks after 100+ metres and continued following red marker tapes around to the left over several dry stream beds until we reached the lake after mainly flat trail but with some fairly gentle ups and downs in places. Over the cross-roads beyond the lake and more circular jungle trail, steep in parts, until back on sealed mountain road then downhill to start point for Down Down. Total distance ~6 km. Highlights: No water in mountain streams so spare shoes not needed! Glorious full moon sunset as we descended mountain. Special interest: Shared several parts of the trail with forest rangers and firefighters on motorbikes preparing for extended dry season. Down Down: Open camping area opposite Nuoc Mia stalls and rest area at sealed monastery turn-off between bridge and lake access near top of mountain road. Nuoc Mia stall owner and son gave us chairs and tables for our picnic and very kindly donated many ears of hot corn on the cob. Refreshments: Pate so, dip, pork crackling. Mung (donated by Ms Daem), water melon slices, pineapple chunks, corn on the cob. Bia Saigon, Revive, softies, mineral water. Circle: Trail rated 10, 10, 9/10. “Lovely”. “Nice”. Hares Secs and Chippy applauded. Hash Virgins Hong Tram (HCMC) and Hoang Huong (VT) introduced and ‘baptised’ by Bishop. Sinners Chom Chom, Minh and Uncle ‘outed’ for short-cutting. Thanks to Circle helper David. Circle announcements: 1. 6 April all dayer on Núi Chứa Chan (Gia Lào, Đồng Nai). Early start. Cable car up, many pagodas down. More details to follow. 2. SH3 will hold VN Nash Hash 2025 at Mui Ne in December. More details to follow when known; Hashmobile possibly arranged if sufficient interest. On on on: Mr C’s Speakeasy. Next week: Watch this space, Zalo, facebook page @VungTauHHH and direct emails for details of next week’s run. PLEASE REMEMBER: Hashmobile seats allocated in order of registration but CAN’T BE GUARANTEED, especially if less than 24 hours before run start. Also PLEASE CANCEL YOUR REGISTRATION if unable to attend, so mismanagement can adjust/re-allocate seating, food and/or drinks. “On On”
RUN 1157 GALLERY
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16 MARCH 2025
MINH DAM / LONG HAI MOUNTAINS
Hares: Chippy, Secs, Bull Ant
Hash Flashers: Chippy, Chom Chom Ringmaster: Chom Chom/Bishop(VN) Report: Uncle
Weather: 30°C, mainly sunny.
Hash Cash: 1pm run fees Bull Ant, Secs @ Nắng Vũng Tàu, 5 Lê Ngọc Hân, Ward 1 (Giay Garden side). Total Hashers: 29 Trail: Dismounted in Minh Dam Base parking area. Chalk talk by Secs. Followed red marker tapes up a mix of corrugated concrete track and rocky jungle trail to first of several temples, shrines, caves, communes and/or lookout points along the ‘steep up and down in parts’ Long Hai mountain range including, in no particular order: Hang Thay To (cave dedicated to local explorer Thay To), Chua ngoc tuyen (“Pearl temple”), Bong Lai, Lam Tung Son, Hang Son Than and more. Then several hundred rock steps with distinctive yellow handrail posts down Destiny Mountain’s Hong Dung peak to ground level. A wave and “Xin chào!” to smiling patrons at the local coffee shop then continued along mostly flat concrete steps into the Hai Binh hamlet with ~1-2 km of twists and turns to Ngoc Xuong eco-resort for Down Down. Total distance ~5.5 km. Highlights: Panoramic views and welcome breezes at each lookout point. Friendly monks and other mountain dwellers. Helpful signage at the many temples, shrines, caves and trail junctions around the mountainside. Local interest: Most houses in the hamlet seem to have several dogs to safeguard their property. Fortunately, gates are usually closed. The yard full of softly grunting pigs made a pleasant difference! Down Down: Khu du lịch sinh thái Ngọc Xương (“Ngoc Xuong eco-tourism area”) at group 6/70, Hai Binh hamlet, Long Hai: ~1-2 km through residential area below Định duyên sơn (“Destiny mountain”). Waited for Grab(!) to deliver those who had lost their way in the hamlet’s many narrow lanes then refreshments, group photo and Circle before pleasant Hashmobile ride in gathering darkness back to our Nang Vung Tau base. Refreshments: BBQ beef and pork noodles, veg, peanuts, dip. Water melon slices, pineapple chunks. Bia Saigon, Revive, softies, mineral water. Circle: Trail rated 10,10,11/10 “Very nice”, “Liked it”, “So good”. Hares Chippy, Secs, Bull Ant applauded. Hash Virgins Phang Hang, Huong, Mai, Chi introduced. Returnees Garibaldi (working Indonesia) and Thanh (lives HCMC) welcomed back. Visitor Alouetta (SH3) also welcomed. Thanks to Circle Helper David. On on on: Mr C’s Speakeasy Next week: Watch this space, Zalo, facebook page @VungTauHHH and direct emails for details of next week’s run. PLEASE REMEMBER: Seats allocated in order of registration but can’t be guaranteed less than 24 hours before run start. Also please cancel if unable to attend so mismanagement can adjust/re-allocate seating/food/drinks. “On On”
RUN 1156 GALLERY
9 MARCH 2025
LONG HAI MONKEY TEMPLE - MINH DAM BASE
Hares: Chippy, Bull Ant, Coyote Dan (live trail)
Hash Flashers: Chippy, Chom Chom Ringmaster: Chom Chom Report: Uncle
Weather: Overcast, humid. Light rain later.
Hash Cash: 1pm run fees Bull Ant, Secs @ Nắng Vũng Tàu, 5 Lê Ngọc Hân, Ward 1 (Giay Garden side). Total Hashers: 29 Trail: Checked Minh Dam Base Down Down area for new driver(!) then back about 2 km to dismount at Thien Vien Truc Lam Chan Nguyen pagoda, aka ‘Monkey Temple’ since hordes of local monkeys realized it’s a rich source of food from tourists. Chalk talk by Bull Ant (EN) and Chippy (VN) then around temple and steep climb up hundreds/thousands of rock steps, eventually passing small shacks then more hillside dwellings and shrines to large "double rocks" at summit. Through the narrow gap between double rocks and continued across the ridge, then steep rock and concrete downhill trek to Minh Dam Base parking area with many traps for the unwary, as at least one junior Hasher can painfully testify! Total distance ~2.5-3 km GPS but felt longer. Highlights: Temple and hillside dwellings at top of climb scattered with shrines, altars and superb religious artefacts and relics. Panoramic views. Down Down: Minh Dam Base parking area. Refreshments: BBQ pork banh mi, veg fillings, soy dip. Water melon slices, pineapple chunks. Bia Saigon, Revive, softies, mineral water. Circle: Trail rated 10,10,10/10 – all positive comments. SH3 Visitor Andrew (London), ref by Red Parrot(!). Returnees Thang, VT (since 2015); Chris, UK (working, Thailand); Nga, VN (working 7 years). On on on: Mr C’s Speakeasy, 3A Lê Ngọc Hân. Next week: Watch this space, Zalo, facebook page @VungTauHHH and direct emails for details of next week’s run. PLEASE REMEMBER: We can all help to keep run fees as low as possible by cancelling registration if suddenly unable to attend (mismanagement can then adjust transport and/or food and drinks if necessary). “On On”
RUN 1155 GALLERY
2 MARCH 2025
BIG MOUNTAIN - TWO PAGODA TRAIL
Hares: Chippy, Secs, Bull Ant
Hash Flashers: Chippy, Secs Ringmaster: N/A Report: Uncle
Weather: Blue skies, strong breeze.
Hash Cash: 1pm run fees Bull Ant, Secs @ Nắng Vũng Tàu, 5 Lê Ngọc Hân, Ward 1 (Giay Garden side). Total Hashers: 31 Trail: Delayed start due lack of eco-carts. Finally grouped outside Thích Ca Phật Đài pagoda at 608 Tran Phu. Chalk talk by Secs (edited): “Keep to the right through pagoda grounds and follow red tapes up the side of Big Mountain past many barking dogs to Hem 444 (aka Ho May Park boulevard). “Walk left along HMP blvd until red tapes signal right turn into jungle, then follow dry dirt rocky track with dense leaf litter and other detritus around hillside and over broken HMP wall. “Finally emerge onto Vi Ba at hairpin bend above army camp. Walk downhill past coffee shops, turn right through distinctive yellow entrance to Bodharama temple grounds and head downhill through residential area onto Tran Phu. “Continue around to the left, behind Hilton construction site and along Le Ngoc Han to Mr C’s for Down Down. Total distance ~4.5-5 km.” Highlights: Interesting artefacts in the Thích Ca Phật Đài pagoda grounds including a 17-metre ‘Blessing tower’, various animal statues, 6.2-metre ‘Meditating Buddha’ on a 4-metre pedestal, rotunda with buddhist mantras, and an impressive 12-metre ‘Reclining Buddha’. Several varieties of Mr C’s legendary wood-fired pizzas at the Down Down. Special interest: ‘Thích Ca Phật Đài’ pagoda means ‘Platform of Shakyamuni Buddha’ – a notable Theravada Buddhist temple established in the early 1960s. ‘Namo Buddhaya’ (Bodharama temple gateway inscription) means “Homage to the Buddha” in Pali, the sacred language of Theravada Buddhism. Ganh Rai Bay - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Down Down: Mr C’s Speakeasy, 3A Lê Ngọc Hân, Ward 1. Refreshments: A range of wood-fired pizzas. Water melon slices, pineapple chunks. Bia Saigon, Revive, softies, mineral water. Circle: N/A due chrono, audio and space constraints and respect for Mr C’s other customers. On on on: Mr C’s Speakeasy. Next week: Watch this space, Zalo, facebook page @VungTauHHH and direct emails for details of next week’s run. PLEASE REMEMBER: We can all help to keep run fees as low as possible by cancelling registration if suddenly unable to attend (mismanagement can then adjust transport and/or food and drinks if necessary). “On On”
RUN 1154 GALLERY
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