My adventure has taken a detour to Sotheast Asia! For roughly two months I will be riding a motorbike through Vietnam, from Ho Chi Minh to Hanoi with some forays into the far north.
While I have ridden a motorbike before there has been a steep learning curve as I become accustomed to a new bike and navigate insane Vietnamese traffic. I survived week one - this is what went down!
Day 1: Ho Chi Minh - Thu Dau Mot
34 km / 15 mi
We bought our motorbikes in Ho Chi Minh at a company called Style. We bought these bikes brand new for $700, but they guarantee to buy them back when you arrive in Hanoi. (70% original value buy back after 1 month, 65% after 2 months, 60% after 3 months). This means that for $250 we can own our own motorbikes for two months and enjoy a ride with a very low chance of mechanical issues. Less things to stress about is better for biking beginners like us!
The Ho Chi Minh traffic was just as insane as everyone says it is, but with luck we left on a Sunday. Although the salesman called the city a “ghost town” on Sundays, it definitely did not feel that way, but I believe it helped us navigate out of the city more easily.
Roundabouts are my new worst nightmare, trucks stop for nobody, and my bike stalled on the road at least three times. BUT my travel companion Mak learned how to ride a motorcycle for the first time in Ho Chi Minh city, and if he can survive that, you definitely can.
Day 2: Thu Dau Mot - Cu Chi Tunnels - Dong Xoai
125 km / 78 miles
We decided to skip Mui Ne because they are notorious for police the strictly enforce laws around motorbike licensing. This is a money trap for tourists who can easily rent or buy bikes but are almost never licensed to actually drive them in Vietnam. Mak and I do not have licenses to drive motorbikes in America, internationally, or in Vietnam. This means that all of this trip is illegal and we will not be covered by travel insurance for any motorbike accidents.
We headed north out of Ho Chi Minh and stopped at the Ben Duoc Cu Chi Tunnels. They were extremely interesting, and the roads there were good. We arrived in Dong Xoai just after sunset and stopped at a hotel for the night. We don’t book anything in advance, instead we just show up and ask for a room. Usually hotel rooms are about $10 and have lots of free rooms.
Day 3: Dong Xoai - Bao Loc
169km / 105 mi
Today is the first day we got to see beautiful Vietnam scenery, but it was along rough gravel roads through the mountains with a lot of traffic. The roads were under construction and became terrible unexpectedly, and my back was sore from being jerked around on the uneven roads. However, after Ho Chi Minh, it felt so good to be out of the city and into nature.
Be sure to buy a full helmet that will protect your jaw in case of a fall, and one that has a visor you can easily open and close. The fresh air is nice, but you need to be able to quickly close it when a truck starts spitting smoke, rocks, or dust.
Day 4: Bao Loc - Da Lat
125 km / 78 mi
Today was our first day driving in the pouring rain. After resolving to buy long sleeved shirts to keep the sun off our burnt shoulders, we woke up to a torrential downpour. It was only three hours to Da Lat, so we packed our bags tightly under waterproof covers and zipped up our raincoats.
The raincoats were absolutely essential, and after about 30 minutes we realized that fleece and rain pants would be our next purchases. The rain stings when it hits unpadded skin, and I was surprised to feel my teeth chattering in southern Vietnam. We stopped to put on whatever warm clothes we did have, and accepted that our feet would be soaking in the puddles of our “waterproof” shoes for the rest of the day.
On the bright side, there were far fewer motorbikes on the road, and listening to music while driving through the rain was an extremely peaceful experience. Our bikes are equipped with phone holders to have a GPS running and a USB port to charge the phone.
Day 5: Da Lat
Rest day! We bought sun shirts rain pants, and a warmer shirt to wear under a raincoat for rainy days.
We also met up with our Irish friends that we met in Cambodia and explored the Maze Bar, which is a bar filled with staircases and tunnels throughout. So fun to explore!
Day 6: Da Lat - Elephant Waterfall-Na Trang
193 km / 120 mi
What an amazing day!
The Elephant waterfalls were awesome, and we had so much fun crawling around underneath them. Definitely worth the two hour detour!
The sun went down on our ride to Na Trang, and for a torrential downpour in the pitch black with fog so heavy you couldn’t see anything, we had a blast. Or best ride yet!
High in the mountains the fog left you blind, and all I could see were the yellow reflectors on the center line in guard rails. Occasionally, I could see a street sign warning of cars falling off a cliff, cars falling into a river, and landslides. Where was I?!? Then, to my right, I heard rushing water. I knew it was a huge waterfall right to the side of the road, but I couldn’t see it. So disorienting - what an experience.
The fog did eventually clear, and we loved having our new waterproof pants in the rain.
Arriving in Na Trang at about 7:30pm, the ride streets were well lit and empty going into the city. Way too much fun.
In the coming days we will spend the day doing this route again when we can enjoy the views!
Day 7: Na Trang
Beach day! The Na Trang beach is beautiful, and the view of the ocean includes mountains on the horizon.
We ate sushi and explored the nightlife, but unfortunately I sprained my ankle on the steps. We will be settling in Na Trang for a few days while my ankle heals and Mak earns his scuba certification.
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