Route on the Vietnam Coast

We started the trip in Ho Chi Minh shortly after we got the idea to bike across Southeast Asia. The bike trip was a complete change of plans from the backpacking, motorbiking, and lazy island hopping originally planned. We were willing to do this 180 because we became... restless. Not sure how else to describe it other than we needed to move and explore much more than was happening, but needed to do it on a budget/avoid paying for expensive wilderness tours. Since we've both bike toured and love to cycle, we made the easy decision to bike through Southeast Asia for the next three months. The turnaround from being a backpacker to becoming a touring cyclists was surprisingly smooth. Our clothes and personal items are minimal, and we just strapped them all to the bike. Getting the bikes themselves was $600-$800 a person, a very reasonable amount, and we can easily sell the bikes to other people in similar situation at the end of the trip.

James got his bike from a former fixed-gear rider turned new dad who built a touring bike but didn't have the time. I didn't have as much luck finding something already built. I went to about half a dozen shops asking about touring bike with little luck. Until I went to BATshop and DOP workshop. I got most of my accessories at Batshop and the DOP did a fantastic two day complete build including new wheels! We're both very excited about our bikes, have had minor adjustments to the derailleur cables, but that's it. We haven't even had a flat yet...

Alley in Hanoi

This adventure that has been thrilling and exhausting as we attempt to humbly navigate and acclimate. Everyday posed new challenges, which is a strong part of the appeal. We're grateful for the grace given to us as people who don't know the language and are constantly relying on others for our needs to be met. Thank you so much Vietnam.

Below is our daily route with mileage, gain, descent, time, a blurb about the ride, and some cute photos. This is roughly our Vietnam route in full with minor deviations that add a couple hundred-ish miles. The below map isn't meant for accuracy, but rather to give an idea of our Vietnam route in a bird's eye view. Although each section is precisely what we finished, and more details can be seen at komoot.com

Our first ride was sixty five miles which... was pretty rough towards the end. But the morning was great! We were able to cruise out of Ho Chi Minh within five miles and over a very big highway bridge. We took a ferry that acted like a one dollar bonus boat ride. Rode Single track in the jungled that turned into a sand pit. Then followed village roads until we got within twenty miles of Long Hai where we rode busy urban streets into town. Sixty five miles is a breeze now. Woof. That was a doozy of a day.

Beautiful coastal riding through tourist towns on the beach and on a heavily trafficked highway. A little shorter of a day. We were still getting our touring legs and our treating the bike trip like equal parts vacation and a diligent workout.

We loved Phan Thiet, a mid sized fishing village, and spent a couple days strolling around the town before heading to our next destination. This town feels like it has a local culture outside of tourism, a hopeful indication that we're a tiny bit apart of Vietnamese culture rather than just witnessing it.

The coastal roads got busier with more busses and more tourists. We passed many very large abandoned resorts with sun faded banners on metal fence promising an incredible vacation. It was surreal. There is a lot of unfinished construction and very large lowly occupied resorts. Mui Ne is a big destination for western tourists, and we didn't spend much time in the town itself. It seemed like an idea of the coast of Vietnam rather than Vietnam itself.

The riding became more rugged, an unexpected relief that belies a grittier experience. We're hugging the coast on packed dirt roads and getting blown north by a fierce tailwind.

Wound through villages and back onto the coast. Eating lots of noodle soup in the afternoon with bits of beef, fish, and crab. There are many variations of this dish. Every bowl tastes a little bit different, but has the distinct taste of the dish it is named for.

Did a little bit of climbing on a scenic ride to Nha Trang which is a very large tourist town with a big international draw. It is known for its long clean beach and clear water surrounding the local islands. We stayed for three nights, jumping in the ocean and meandering the well lit streets with constant offerings. Nha Trang is also known for snorkeling, which is on our Southeast Asia bucket list, but we had a hard time committing to it. It was just so touristy.... in hindsight, it would've been a blast.

Long day, biggest climbing day so far, and intense cross wind. We got to our hotel exhausted, but happy to ride another day.

Riding is somewhat similar- coastal roads, villages- with the exception of wooden plank bridge that tested the nerves. There were parts of planks missing, the bridge barely fit two scooters side by side, and we were being constantly pushed by a stiff cross wind. Below are thoughts about the Quy Nhon and the history

I'm writing this in a hotel on the Vietnam's southern coast. The town's coast is a wall of resorts. After that wall is broken, the city is criss-crossed and circled with streets buzzing with daily life- food vendors, pedestrians, cars, but mostly scooters zipping around at about 20 mph in all directions and in the absence of traffic lights (with the exception of a couple four/five way intersections). 

Ruins of the Champa are spread across the interior of Quy Nhon, which was the capital city of Vijaya for 500 years until the Vietnamese invaded from the north and took it in 1471. There is something stalwart about this town. I suspect the history and rich culture allow it from being consumed by beach town/resorts. It's described as "up and coming" which usually means less tourism than other more well known vacation spots on the coast and more well known among Vietnamese vacationers rather than internationally. 

The Champa kindom ruled for over a thousand years in the surrounding lush valleys. It feels mysterious here. Again, stalwart, dated, and modern at the same time with something else. Perhaps it's the dignity that comes with age. Or perhaps it's just another example of me not knowing what's going on. It's an incredible experience that is better to remain ineffable. 

Walked at least hundred stairs to the big buddha. What can I say, we can't resist a good workout. Stayed in a really fancy, very vacant resort for the night, and explored the local beach in the dark while competing karaoke blasted from restaurants.

Another coastal day, a fair bit of climbing. The roads are similar and different, winding on the coast and through small villages.

More villages, bridges, and cute coffee shops with tiny plastic chairs operated by very friendly locals. The proprietor brought out her ten year old to practice english with us, which happens often enough

Had a hard time tracking with the watch on this day. Ended up having to restart my watch a couple times, which cut the route into three parts. We did them all on one day. Hoi An is a very well known tourist town next to another well known town, Da Nang. It might have had one of the densest tourist areas we experienced in Old Town. It seemed like every corner had someone selling you a boat ride, excursion, or menu.

Da Nang is a very large town, and we spent a couple nights. We’re in this fishing port come resort Mecca. It’s a similar story. Old fishing town, often ancient, dating back a century to when the Champa reigned in south/central coastal Vietnam. This is the information I get from hotel brochures advertising places of historical significance nearby. Wikipedia corroborates this. It is impressive that these cities still have other industries than tourism, drawing people from all over the world. I find myself rooting for the fishermen and the the families selling street food. Is it hypocritical that I want them to survive but am participating in the kind of hotel tourism that favors a different culture? 

Went over an incredible pass and celebrated with a coffee and an ice cream. Made it to Hue, another very large town with incredible history. Spent a couple nights in Hue before biking on. The coastal route has become speckled with large, impressive, brightly colored cemeteries. Dong Ha is a mid sized city about five miles from the coast that has lost its luster. We’re in a large four star hotel what a grand window that over looks the town which is already getting visibly blown by 5:30 AM. I’m drinking tea from a porcelain pot that came with the room. I’ve been drinking herbal tea to clear out my sinuses.

At this point, we had biked for two weeks in the Vietnamese country side. It’s rice fields with winding single car roads that fit about four scooters going in any direction. People are curious to see us biking. People are excited to see us biking. People are surprised to see us biking. People are ambivalent to see is biking. It’s hard to imagine what we are to them. The other day James and I heard a man from a jovial group yell “money!” And still I don’t know  what that means. Our bikes have the glean of newness and dirt of fresh adventure. We’ve replaced few things on these brand new bikes. Part of me wants to jumps in puddles or scuff them like new white shoes. The new bikes are an emblem- we have enough money and gumption to do this. Whatever this is. 

Beautiful ride with diverse roadways. Some were on the highway next to rice fields, some weaved through neighborhoods, and we even went over a couple bridges. Rolling across the bridge into Dong Hoi felt like a blessing. The sun felt like it was flaying my exposed back, but the calm port town felt soothing. It’s a tourist town, but somewhat elevated. There’s a sense of calm that isn’t there is the bigger towns- Hoi An, Da Nang, Dong Ha.

Easier day down more highway, then smaller rural roads by a river to our lodging for the night- a bungalow by a pool. We’re staying in a historical caving town for a couple days to explore Vietnam a little deeper…

Phong Nha is thirty miles from Dong Hoi. It’s a small town located on a river boasting a vast cave network with the largest cave in the world- Son Doong Cave- discovered in 1990 with cave heights extending to 200 meters. Measurement is metric here, and it’s odd that the US isn’t. Meters are easier to translate than kilometers which requires hasty math that’s usually in the ballpark. For example, we usually bike around 100 km a day (people occasionally ask how far we bike a day), and that’s about 62 miles. So in my mind the conversation is the total amount of Km divided by 3/5 is the amount of miles. 

We biked about 48 km to get here. The bike ride was slightly more challenging because of the strong head and side wind we’ve been getting daily. It’s as if we crossed an imaginary line in Vietnam changing the direction of the wind out of our favor. I suspect it’s a change in ocean currents. Wikipedia confirms that weather patterns here are based on monsoons which bring southeastern wind in the summer in the south and winter in the north. I have no idea why the wind is what it is and feel confident there’s an explanation I don’t have the patience to find. 

The caves were filled with people whose excited voices bounced and amplified. It was wonderful to see and experience. The formations are so particular and unlike anything on land. Stalactite and stalemates are formed from slowly dripping mineral deposit. The age of Paradise cave is estimate to be 350-400 million years old. It is incredible to behold something so unusual and old. I thought of space. Then I thought of Jurassic park and annoyingly hum the theme song for longer than was funny. It was otherworldly. Also, it was about twenty degrees colder without AC which also felt otherworldly. 

The last cave we went to was called Dark Cave and were fitted with life vests and headlamps for a brief swim then a short trek into the amply named Dark Cave. It was an out and back tour whose crowning moment was a mud bath where we slathered wall mud on each other and molded the mud/clay into object to throw or admire.  The same man that playfully threw a mud ball at James, showed me a mud call and called it “poop” and then changed it to a “brownie”. It was joyous and silly and I’m unsure that strangers open themselves up in this way often. 

We got home exhausted, happy, and ready for the next day. 

It was a shorter day that started with a beautiful river side view and a couple bridges out of town. We felt refreshed from the time off the bike and bit of socializing we did with other people. The lovely morning’s ride turned into a hot highway push, but not before a quick coffee on the coast. A welcome break. We sat on the roof of a three story building getting blown around by the the late morning wind. Most beaches on the Vietnam coast are accessed by fishermen, and this was no exception. The bright blue painted boats bounced not far from shore in a picturesque collection. I have been wondering if there are regulations on the colors the boats are able to be painted. There are always a light blue with a bright blue order accented with red. Like an HOA code for boats. They almost always look freshly painted contrasting the old frame. 

Hot windy day. About 98 degrees Fahrenheit. Wind came in all directions. Very exposed route with brief shade. Added to my shifting tan/burn. James put a hooded sun shirt on and it was a great success in keeping him cool and protected from the UV. Pro move.

Vinh is Vietnamese in a way that charms. It is for the Vietnamese, and I wish most towns were like this. I do not feel sold on an idea of Vietnam or pandered to. I am simply in it. With that comes the knowledge that I am in a place that someone else thinks of as familiar, and that I should find out what that is. I am very curious about everything all the time. Why is this like this?!? For how long?! For whom? And then something/someone melts my heart and I forget to think. A coffee shop owner turned lights and a fan on in a room I poked around in. He guided me back to where I wanted to be with a smile. And I felt so grateful for this small or perhaps even expected act. It was like a little hand hugged my heart. In a good way. 

Lovely ride with a mix up roads- highway, villages, and dirt roads. Minimal wind. Lots of stoke from village kids yelling, “WHAT’S YOUR NAME?!”

Mostly highway riding. Nice tailwind. Went through a tunnel.

Rode out of a beautiful limestone valley in an ancient capital of Vietnam. Followed busy highway on a quite pleasant service road. It started raining as we entered the hustle and bustle of Hanoi which was by the far the most unpleasant riding of our trip. Looking forward to exploring the city and taking in the breadth of the trip while celebrating in Hanoi.

The route is full of people and history, making it important to mention that this year is the fiftieth anniversary of the Vietnam war or War of Resistance Against America (as Vietnam refers to it), and banners across the country proudly state the dates and proclaim resilience. I feel so much as a US citizen, and want to acknowledge and respect Vietnamese culture, history, and the people.

The current flag is a product of reunification after the war that divided the north and south. It is a five pointed star representing the different classes on a red background that represent courage, revolutionary spirit, or bloodshed depending on the source. This is an honest country with integrity and I can literally hand my wallet to people when paying. If I over pay, they let me know. Also, many Vietnamese people are whole heartedly excited by our presence. Practicing their English they say- where are you from? What is your name? Then smile/giggle away. Sometimes the conversation is longer and sweeter and warmer in a way that is distinctly Vietnamese and heart rendering. There is also a directness that is also calm and warm. I see it in the grocery store lines. People have walked directly in front of me at the cashier if I am not in the right place. Here, it is about efficiency. If you are not in the right place then you get passed. Your turn will come soon. We have gotten much better at understanding our place in line. We also often have no clue about what is going on and are in awe of our environment.