1,100 Km scooter road trip from Ho Chi Minh (HCM) to Hanoi (almost). In 2011 the car enthusiast show Top Gear did a road trip on scooters from Ho CHi Minh to Ha Long Bay.
I was captivated by this episode and put it on my must do travel list. In April of 2024 the trip had finally begun. We spent the first few days exploring HCM to see all the main sights and markets.
Notes – This guide is going to focus mainly on the motorbike journey and the cities we stopped along the way.
Be prepared for distances to take longer than expected and road works as the country is developing very quickly.
The best way to describe the traffic flow in Vietnam is to compare it to a school of fish. There are large groups of motorbikes everywhere but, not going very fast. The groups meander around other traffic slowly and never really come to a stop. A bit of advice is to consider that motorbike are really only responsible for what In front and to the side of them, NOT BEHIND.
Bike Rental
We rented our motorbikes from Tigit Motorbikes rentals. They were great to deal with and their website had awesome insights, videos, and mapping to assist with the journey. They also have several locations across Vietnam to get service or return bikes. We got our bikes the night before we set off to get used to them and be able to set off the first thing in the morning. The bikes were 125cc semi automatic 4 speed Honda blades.
Riding Tips : You cannot take scooters on roadways labeled CT. These are highway toll roads for cars.
Local toll roads however are free for scooters. There is a scooter lane usually to the right of the toll booth that is free, just follow the flow of scooter traffic.
Riding Tips: The sun is quite intense on the road.
Pack plenty of water and completely cover yourself with light colored clothing. Just having our hands exposed for two days we sustained sunburn on the tops of our exposed hands so we bought some cycling cloves.
Neck gaiters will protect you from the road dust and city pollution. The radiant heat from the road plus the UV rays can take its toll without you noticing. The wind will dry your sweat while riding so it feels like you are not getting dehydrated.
Day 1 – HCM to Cat Tien National Park 150 Km
We set off with the morning rush hour. The first couple hours were chaotic. As to be expected trying to leave such a large city. As we reached the outskirts of HCM we stopped for breakfast roadside banh mi. The ride basically follows connecting villages with not much countryside scenery till you near the national park.
The ride took longer than expected for our first day and we did not have enough time to explore the national park by the time we arrived. We had dinner at the riverside restaurant next to the park entrance and enjoyed the sounds of the jungle across the river.
Day 2 – Cat Tien to Da lat 175 Km.
The ride today took us from the national park and to the mountains surrounding Da Lat. A straight foward route with a good half point in Bao Loc to eat and refuel. The last bit into Da Lat was about the steepest section of roads we encountered. The bikes had no problem with climb. The higher elevation came some cooler temperatures which was welcomed.
Day 3 – Da Lat rest day 0 Km
The first day of rest was our chance to explore the mountain city and go to the Datanla mountain adventure park. The city is a lovely contrast to the chaos we left behind in HCM. The lake in the city center is a place to relax and people watch. The night market in the main square is a bustling area with plenty of food stalls.
Datanla Mountain Adventure Park
Just outside of town, Datanla has an alpine coaster, zip lines, and waterfalls. It’s well worth the admission and we spent half a day there. Stop at the Crazy House in Da Lat.
The Crazy House and property was designed by one of Antoni Gaudi’s proteges . Basically walk around and get lost in the house and gardens with bridges and secret passages that connects various area. The Crazy House has a few bedrooms to spend the night if you want but, book early.
After a few days riding, we noticed the seats on our scooters were not supportive enough. The padding is not meant for a 200 lb person to sit on for 4-6 hours a day. We bought a travel neck pillow to supplement our seats and it was a game changer for us at the price of $3 each. Highly recommend
Day 4 – Da Lat to Nha Trang 134 Km
Today we head to the coastal town of Nha Trang. This popular coastal city with its long curved beach that stretches the length of the city. Today gave us a taste of riding through the farming areas and plains that connect the coast to the mountains.
The plains are hot with little shade. We encountered large trucks and buses so keep your eyes open. Riding the plains during the afternoon can be quite taxing from the heat of the road and sun.
Once you get to the coast, the sea breeze is pleasant but just along the sea front. A few blocks into the city and it’s quite warm again with no breeze. We splurged on a 5 star hotel with a rooftop pool for about $40 a night.
Day 5 – Nha Trang beach day 0 Km
Beach and pool day with some bike service. Tigit motorbikes requested we change the oil on the bikes about every 600 Km. So we dropped our bikes at a corner bike repair shop and had coffee next door. Our bikes were basically brand new when we rented them so no other maintenance was needed, just checks of the brakes, chain and tires.
Day 6 – Nha Trang to Quy Nhon 210 Km
Today is our longest ride so far and the day of rest before was needed. The route takes the coast road the entire route. There were not too many highlights along the road except for lunch in Tuy Hoa where a translation error led me to eat frog instead of chicken.
After lunch we came across a bamboo bridge that locals use that I and sounded like fun. The rickety bridge was wobbly and cost $1 to ride across and back if you are brave enough. The pictures you get are worth it. The break while waiting for the one lane bridge to open was a nice rest for our backs.
Arriving in Quy Nhon was a surprise. I figured it would be a sleepy coast town with the basic amenities. The several high rise towers and beaches made an immediate impression that this is the next hot spot for the beach life in Vietnam.
The city was great and still had a small town vibe to it. We stopped at the Long Khanh Pagoda which was beautiful. The beach was quiet with locals enjoying themselves once the sun lowered behind the high rises. The city was thriving with locals and not many tourists. The street market and restaurants spill onto the streets with piles of noodles and skewers of meat paired with some cold Tiger Beer.
Sitting street side in a tiny plastic chair with a cold tiger beer is the vibe of Vietnam.
Due to my height I got invited to play some sand volleyball with a group of locals and had an absolute blast. If I had to pick a beach town live in, it would be Quy Nhon,.
Day 7 – Quy Nhon to Mang Den with Stop at Banh It Cham Temple 197 Km
We collected our fresh laundry and hit the road early to stop at the Banh It Cham Temple just outside of Quy Nhon in the town of An Nhon. This Temple complex dates back centuries. A great stop directly on our route back to the mountains and village of Mang Den.
The way back to the mountains was a great ride and we started to see rice patty fields on the hillside and a look into quiet farm life. This route takes you up through the jungles up to a mountain ridge that the road follows.
At one point, you will go from a two lane jungle road that transitions to an abandoned runway that stretches about 2 Km. The runaway has to be from the war and spans about 50 meters across. So naturally we had a drag race since we were the only ones there.
Road services are limited during this leg. An extra bottle of fuel may be good insurance to have with you. We stretched our fuel to the limit today and had to stop at the only fuel stop we found about 45 minutes outside of Mang Den.
The mountain town of Mang Den is a nice change from the busy beach towns and back to some shade and cooler temperatures. The village and housing neighborhoods of Mang Den are fun to explore among the tall pines that give shade protection.
Day 8 – Mang Den to Hoi An 236 Km
Today is the longest riding day and it was an incredible challenge for our stamina. Our goal today was to reach Hoi An in time to get some tailored clothes made to save a day instead of going the next morning to get measured.
We woke up early to go cloud chasing with the sunrise. Cloud chasing is the thing to do during mornings in Mang Den. The views from the edge of town let you see several mountain ridges into the distance, where morning clouds form in the valleys and evaporate with the rising sun. It’s a quiet and peaceful start to the morning.
Riding Note: This section of the route was the most unknown we took due to the lack of information online about it. The Tigit Motorbikes website and videos were about the only ones who had mapped this route. The route was absolutely incredible! This route starts from Mang den, head East to Đ. Trường Sơn Đôn road and go North to Nước Lay where the road changes names to 623. Stay on 623 till you intersect with DT616/QL40B and go East. This will take you to the coast. Once to get closer to the coast there are a variety of routes to take into Hoi An.
We had so many picturesque stops to make which slowed down our pace. The small villages drying rice and chilies on the road was awesome to see. The valleys and hillside rices patties along curving riverside roads was Vietnam in its purest form. We got gas whenever we saw it because we didn’t know where the next gas station would be. A few hours along the mountain ridge roads and valleys eventually led us to that lake reservoir for Hoi An. The down hill portion after the lake was taking its toll on us and had to stop for about 45 minutes to rest and hydrate. We got into Hoi An but were in no condition to get fitted for clothes and decided to rest and stroll the city on foot. We cleaned up and strolled the streets and riverfront where every night paper boats float down the river with candles lit on them. Small boats row people up and down the main portion of the river and mingle with the paper boats till they burn and sink.
Day 9 – Hoi An rest day 0 Km
Getting tailor clothes are a must due in Hoi An and are well worth it. All linen was my choice for its breathable traits. The clothes are usually ready in 24 hours! We found a spa and did some massage and cupping therapy for our pains from riding so far. The Thanh Ha terracotta park is a nice stroll during the afternoon. The park has clay sculptures of significant buildings from across the globe and showing local artist creations. Sunset on the back side of town is the place to get to see some rice patties with stone dividers that separate the fields which are wide enough to walk.
Day 10 – Hoi An to Da Nang 30 Km
The shortest ride of the journey today. We were in no hurry since the distance was only 30 Km. We picked up our clothes and had a nice breakfast. Arriving in Da Nang along the coast road was a breeze. We spent the rest of the day strolling the beach and city. A side quest trip on to the top of Monkey Mountain just north of Da Nang gives great views of the city. The city really comes alive at night It is a blast to do some evening riding to the night markets. Be sure to scoot over the dragon bridge too.
Routing Note : Our original plan was to ride all the way to Hanoi and drop the bikes there. However, the distance and times to travel were taking longer than expected. Also the number of days riding was taking its toll on us. The distance to still get to Hanoi was still another 1000 Km away. Plans to ride to Phong Na and its caves, Kahn San coffee region had to be scrapped. We still had a goal though to ride a section of the Ho Chi Minh Road that connects HCM to Hanoi through the mountains as well as the Hi Van Pass. The plan now was to do a counter clockwise loop that included the HCM road and Hi Van pass as well as the ancient city Hue. We were disappointed to concede but this gives us another reason to go back to Vietnam.
Day 11 – Da Nang to Hue via the Hi Van Pass (Top Gear day) 104 Km
Today is the day. The Hi Van pass is regarded as one of the best roads in Vietnam. The road takes you up a pass that overlooks the sea and city. The twists and curves with the views were better than I ever thought. The pass takes about 2 hours to complete with plenty of stops for pictures and videos. Back at sea level, the coast road will take you into Hue, the former ancient capital of Vietnam. Hue was basically the focal point of the Vietnam Wars’ most intense fighting. The battle at the Citadel was incredibly intense with both sides sustaining heavy losses. The buildings and complex are untouched since and gives reminders of the war.
Day 12 – Hue to Prao via the HCM road ( QL 14) 160 Km
QL 14 is the current name of the route that connects the two largest cities. On the way out of Hue back to the Mountains, we heard about an abandoned amusement park that you can still visit. The park still has some visitors and the youth spray painting old buildings across the park. The highlight is the dragon building in the middle of the lake that’s partially drained. You can still go inside and explore, about 30 minutes is all we needed. Once we reached QL 14 we headed South and pretty much had the road to ourselves except for some wild cows and occasional motorbikes. The incredible views were continuous throughout the day.
Before we left Hue we booked a home stay in Prao through Facebook messenger. We were not too sure if we had the right place but when we arrived it worked out great. Home stays are common in the rural areas and along QL 14. Resident rent out rooms to travelers along the route. A home cooked dinner was only $5. There was another couple staying at the home that night as well. I only mention this because I found it insightful for other travelers. We all had dinner together. The girl had hired a local motorbike rider to drive her along the HCM road (QL 14) for 2 days to see the country side. They call this type of rental “easy rider”. The girl who hired the driver and bike wasn’t comfortable riding a motorbike or scooter herself and decided to hire a driver so she can basically enjoy the views. They start and ended the loop in Danang. We played cards and shared stories all night
Day 13 – Prao to Danang 114 Km.
Last day to ride and return our bike to the Danang Tigit location. The way back to Danang, we stopped at My Son, a archeological site that had been bombed during the war. The building appears to be like the Cham Temple. This was a larger complex with more buildings. The stark reminder of the war remains as there are signs remain on the patches for safety of landmines. We returned the bikes.
Pre and Post ride trip
We spent 3 days in HCM getting used to the time change and exploring the city. A few of the highlights we went to were
- The shopping markets you can find anything you desire, a home cooking class, and the watch kite flying across the river overlooking HCM
- Notre Dame Cathedral of HCM, book street nearby and the main Post Office
- Indepence Palace and The American War Museum
Hanoi Highlights
- Train Street
- Lan Ha Bay Overnight cruise
- Night Markets and shopping.
