Highland Flyer

Day 1: Ha Noi – Pu Luong

We take the longer, more scenic route to get out of Hanoi and get used to the bikes. Following the Red and then Black Rivers before heading into the hills. We enter the lush Pu Luong Valley and stay in the more remote area away from the crowds. 

Day 2: Pu Luong – Tan Ky  

This is one of our longest days but it is not a difficult one. We head out of the nature reserve and then dead South along the QL15. we can take a couple of detours on smaller roads, time permitting but this is very much a day of getting to our destination. We end up in the tiny town of Tan Ky which is the start of the Ho Chi Minh trail. Our hotel is the biggest in town, very easy to find, and we eat in local restaurants on the roadside. Note: The food is good and clean.  

Day 3: Tan Ky – Phong Nha

We are now on the HCM Highway proper and things start to get more spectacular. It is a very long run down to Phong Nha so we have to be up and at ‘em early. So, an early breakfast and it is on the road toute suite. We follow the highway along the border with Laos and then around lunchtime we head a little West, more into the hills. There are lots of switchbacks as the road winds its way through the hills and this makes for great driving. 

Day 4: Phong Nha (rest day)

After a few long days in the saddle, it is time for a welcome break. There are plenty of alternatives here in Phong Nha and you can choose from visiting the caves, zip-lining, taking a boat on the river, or just lounging around in the sun. Remember, to get some washing done. 

Day 5: Phong Nha – Khe Sanh

We continue along the HCM Highway through the hills and it is more of the same. However, it doesn’t seem to get tiresome. The road winds through virgin forest and gets quite remote at times. We have enough fuel and a good mechanic so we are not concerned by this at all. You will see small hamlets occasionally and a few friendly children. Other than this, we are quite alone. At last. Khe Sanh is littered with military history and with luck we will have a little time to visit one or two places. 

Day 6: Khe Sanh – Hue

It isn’t too difficult to get to Hue from Khe Sanh so we can have a lie-in or, better still, sneak in a quick visit to another military site of interest. We have a choice of routes to get to Hue: more HCM Highway or over to National Highway 1. Everyone chooses the road through the hills 🙂 so we have more of the winding, rising and falling alongside the beautiful scenery. Sounds good. Hue is very civilized and we stay in a lovely boutique hotel here. Easy days. 

Day 7: Hue – Hoi An

There are three possible options for the route today, but, again, we know that everyone will choose to take the Hai Van pass because of its history and its wonderful views over the East Sea. It is not far, so we have plenty of time to stop off for selfies and snacks and to generally enjoy the ride. To top that off, we then find ourselves in Hoi An, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Vietnam; for good reason.

Day 8: Hoi An (Rest day)

Being a very popular tourist spot, there is plenty to see and do in Hoi An. It is a place where you can chill on the beach, or better still, wander through the old town and eat either seafood or some of the unique street food served there. You can let us know your preference for a beach hotel or one in the old town. 

Day 9: Hoi An – Kon Tum 

It is back westwards and up into the hills today as we get back on to the Ho Chi Minh Highway. This route takes us to meeting point of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia and runs through some pretty remote areas. For the first half were are flanked on both sides by steep mountains and then we come out on to the Dak To valley and heading towards Kon Tum. It’s a long today but fast driving so it isn’t too challenging. 

Day 10: Kon Tum – Pleiku 

This is a short run and could either be skipped or an extra day spent in Pleiku. Having the odd easy day takes the pressure off. We can get up late and take a slow ride to destination. Also, we are sure to arrive early which means we can either take a look around or have an early beer. The area is open and flat and we pass through a lot of plantations of rubber, tea, coffee as well as through fields of wind turbines. It’s a real mix of a day. 

Day 11: Pleiku – Buon Ma Thuot

Today, it is along the valley and on to Buon Ma Thuot, our last stop before going into the hills again. We continue with the same as yesterday and it is fast easy driving. We need to be careful of the tyres here as the summer heat can play havoc with them. It is also vital to drink a lot of fluids to maintain concentration. 

Day 12: Buon Ma Thuot – Dalat 

It’s around 30km out of town before we start to head in to mountain country again and drive around Chu Yang Sin National Park. We take the back roads up to Da Lat where it is a lot cooler. A welcome break from the heat.  We stay in a small hotel here and can eat our evening meal in the night market. 

Day 13: Dalat (Rest day)

A much needed day off today and this is a great palce for it. With lots of domestic tourists Dalat has most everything you could want. You could hang out in fine colonial hotels, get a thrill from climbing waterfalls or even spend some time in the crazy house (no, it’s not a mental asylum). It is cooler and cleaner here so the brief stay is sure to revive you and prepare you for the final push to Saigon. 

Day 14: Dalat – Bao Loc

The run down the mountain is fun even though we take the busy road. We do not have too far to go today so we can take the easy routes through the lakes to get to Bao Loc which is still elevated enough to be cool in the evening. Being surrounded by mountains Bao Loc tends to bake in the sun a little and is still quite warm so, again, we need to take care. 

Day 15: Bao Loc – Saigon  

The final day and the run into Saigon is a fair distance through the hills and then across the delta. We take the Bao Loc pass through the mountains which is quite scenic and the out onto the plains. The amount of traffic picks up here and we need to concentrate a lot more.  All of this makes our farewell dinner and beers even more attractive.