We visit Da Nang a few times over the course of our final week in Vietnam. Firstly as an evening out and a day trip while we are staying in Hoi An, and we then stay two nights in Da Nang before our flight home. I like Da Nang. It is equal parts fishing village,…
Riding north east out of Hué we are headed for the narrow strip of land between a long lagoon and the sea. Fish farms line the north western banks. We watch children play in long boats from a road bridge. Agriculture and fishing are the main industries here. Wooden fishing boats are built by hand…
We only have time for one night in Hué as our time in Vietnam is coming to a close. The city is part of the popular tourist route that includes Hoi An, Sapa and Halong Bay so the menus are all in either English or Korean, and there’s certainly no lack of foreigners wandering the…
Neither words not photos can do justice to the bends, views and road quality of the ride from Prao to Hué. For the first hour we follow a river that cuts a swath through the mountains. Wide at first, it becomes gradually smaller as we ride ever higher. Enterinf the Vietnam-Laos border region the road…
Leaving Hoi an we wriggle our way west through dusty townships. Quiet mountain roads beckon but first we must battle roadworks and road users who scored highly on the “drive without looking” exam. It’s all worth it. QL14 is an amazing mountain road with almost no traffic. It winds effortlessly upwards into and through jungle-clad…
After being out in the mountains, Hoi An is a shock to the system. When we arrive the ancient town is wall to wall tourists. A tiny cup of iced coffee costs as much as at home and the dual pricing system is thriving. Avoid the crowds Avoid the crowds by exploring this famous yellow-walled…
It’s 4.30am when we arrive in Da Nang. We’re still asleep on the bus and no one wakes us (nor the other sleeping passengers). Bleery eyed we face the throng of taxi and moto drivers. Danang Bikes is right near the beach. As we step out of the taxi we are greeted by the most…
The bus company collects us from our hotel at 7pm with a modern mini bus to take us to the bus station where there are 10 buses with coloured lights at the ready. All are heading to Da Nang covering three different companies. Our bus company’s four buses are lined up. The number plate is…
Having taken the scenic route to Kon Tum we opt to ride the more direct AH17 back. It’s a fast ride and after just one hour we have covered the 50km route. The scenery is pretty and much of the road passes through wild highlands country without the need to navigate wild roads.
Kon K’tu is a hill tribe village on the banks of the Bla River. Access is along an unsealed road that winds between the mountainside and river. On the return leg it is bucketing down and the road turns into a series of washouts and deep puddles. Kon K’tu is surrounded by jungle. The village…
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