First published October 2024 | Words and photos by Vietnam Coracle
Tom Divers is the founder and creator of Vietnam Coracle. He’s lived, travelled and worked in Vietnam since 2005. Born in London, he travelled from an early age, visiting over 40 countries (he first visited Vietnam in 1999). Now, whenever he has the opportunity to make a trip, he rarely looks beyond Vietnam’s borders and his trusty motorbike, Stavros. Read more about Tom on the About Page, Vietnam Times and ASE Podcast.
Stretching over 2,000km along Vietnam’s curving coastline, the Beach Bum route covers the length of the nation on its eastern seaboard, connecting the south and the north via new coastal highways and rarely used back-roads. Two common misconceptions about riding Vietnam’s coast are: 1) that you must take Highway 1 (QL1A) most of the way; 2) that it’s a busy and not very scenic route compared to the highlands. Neither of these are true. The total length of the Beach Bum route is 2,015km, of which only 265km are on Highway 1 – that’s less than 15% of the entire route. Some of the coastal scenery is sensational and some of the riding is sublime. Riding Vietnam is not all about the mountains; the coast is well worth your time and attention too. If you love the sea, salty air, the endless horizon, sandy beaches, wide open spaces, fresh seafood, fishing villages, beach towns and swimming in the ocean, then this is the route for you.
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BEACH BUM COAST ROAD
Ride the Curving Coastline of Vietnam from South to North for 2,000km
The main focus of the Beach Bum route is travel between Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) and Hanoi by staying as close to the ocean as possible while also avoiding busy highways. This guide includes an annotated route map, quick at-a-glance details, an overview of important considerations, such as distance, duration, weather, accommodation, etc., and fully illustrated descriptions of each section of the route. This is a very long road trip so I’ve divided my guide into 3 Parts: Southern, Central and Northern. These are then subdivided into 8 Sections (see Contents below). Riders can choose to take the whole route or just parts of it, but if you only ride one stretch of the Beach Bum route, make sure it’s sections 2-5, which is where the very best coastal scenery and roads can be found. As with all motorbike guides on my website, I prioritize quiet, scenic roads over direct, congested ones. In this spirit, I suggest that riders navigate the busiest and least scenic leg of this route (between Hải Phòng and Hanoi) by putting their motorbike on the train, which easy, cheap and convenient.
CONTENTS:
Southern Part
Section 1: Saigon→Vũng Tàu→La Gi→Mũi Né | 250km
Section 2: Mũi Né→Phan Rang→Nha Trang | 280km
Central Part
Section 3: Nha Trang→Tuy Hòa→Quy Nhơn | 230km
Section 4: Quy Nhơn→Quảng Ngãi→Đà Nẵng | 260km
Section 5: Đà Nẵng→Huế→Đồng Hới | 300km
Section 6: Đồng Hới→Hà Tĩnh→Vinh | 215km
Northern Part
Section 7: Vinh→Thanh Hóa→Hải Phòng | 375km
Section 8: Hải Phòng→Cát Bà→Hanoi | 105km
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ROUTE MAP:
Beach Bum Coast Road | 2,015km
Blue Line: Beach Bum Route | Red Line: Train Route (Hanoi↔Hải Phòng)
*Road Safety & Disclaimer: Riding a motorbike in Vietnam – or anywhere in the world – has its dangers. I would hope & expect anyone who chooses to pursue a self-drive road trip based on the information on this website does so with care, respect & due diligence. I encourage careful riding & adherence to road rules, but I am not responsible for the legality or manner in which you ride, nor any negative consequences which may result from your decision to ride a motorbike in Vietnam: you do so at your own risk. Read more >
Overview & Details:
Below is a brief at-a-glance overview of the Beach Bum coastal route, followed by more specific details about important considerations, such as time, distance, duration, accommodation, traffic, food and drink, weather conditions and more:
QUICK DETAILS:
- Route: following the coast (avoiding Highway 1) between Saigon & Hanoi
- Distance: 2,015km (full route)
- Duration: 2 weeks (full route)
- Scenery: vast swathes of empty coastline, local fishing villages, lively beach cities, secluded bays, dramatic coastal passes
- Attractions: beaches, islands, swimming, seafood, historic sites, war remnants, good riding, pontoon bridges
- Road Conditions: new highways, good back-roads, some rough patches, light traffic, some busy sections
- Best Time: March-September
ABOUT THIS ROUTE:
Start & End: The start/end of the Beach Bum route is Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) in the south and Hanoi, the capital, in the north. Although I have written the following guide starting in Saigon and ending in Hanoi, you can ride the Beach Bum Coast Road south-to-north or north-to-south; it makes no difference. Riding the entire length of the Beach Bum Coast Road is a great road trip in itself, but it’s also possible to join the route at almost any point along its length. However, if you only ride one stretch of the Beach Bum Coast Road, make sure it’s sections 2-5, as this is where the best coastal roads and scenery can be found. *Note that for the northernmost leg of this road trip, between Hanoi and Hải Phòng, I encourage riders to put their motorbike on the train between these two cities as this means you will avoid having to ride the horrible, traffic-clogged roads in/out of the capital.
Distances & Duration: The total distance of the Beach Bum route from Saigon to Hanoi is 2,015km. If you want to ride the entire route, 2 weeks is about right. But it depends how you want to ride: long distances on consecutive days or shorter distances with stops for a couple of nights at interesting destinations. For reference, a long riding day on Vietnamese roads is 200km-400km; a reasonable day is 100km-200km.
Itineraries & Sections: In the contents above and the guide below, I have written and arranged the Beach Bum route going from south to north, starting in Saigon and ending in Hanoi, but riders can go in either direction – it makes no difference. I have divided the Beach Bum Coast Road into 8 Sections (see Contents), each of which could be treated as one day on the road, but it is certainly not necessary to do so. Because the Beach Bum route is dotted with cities, towns and villages with plenty of accommodation options, you can afford to be very flexible and loose with your itinerary, stopping pretty much wherever and whenever you like.
Using the Map: The blue line on my route map shows the entire 2,015km Beach Bum Coast Road from Saigon to Hanoi. I have annotated the map with dozens of beaches and sights, as well as bridges, ferries and places of interest. The red pins mark major cities and towns on the route. And the green motorbike icons mark sections of coast road that I have written specific guides to: click on any of the motorbike icons and then click the link in the dialogue box to go straight to the guide. To use the Beach Bum map and guide offline with navigation, you can purchase the Beach Bum Coast Road Offline Map & Guide at the top of this page.
Weather & Time of Year: The best overall time of year for riding the length of the Beach Bum Coast Road is between March and September. During these months, weather conditions are fairly similar all along the coast with lots of sun, heat and sporadic tropical downpours, and the sea if often calm and clear. By contrast, October to February can be surprisingly cool, wet, windy and grey with rough seas, especially north of Đà Nẵng. Take a look at my Weather Guide to better understand the seasons and climate throughout the nation.
Traffic & Road Conditions: The Beach Bum route stays off busy main roads as much as possible. However, because the coast, unlike the highlands, is densely populated, there are some sections that can be busy, especially where traffic is bottlenecked as the roads pass through major cities. However, for the most part, traffic on the Beach Bum route is light and road conditions are generally very good. Exceptions to this include a few sections where the coastal back-roads are in the process of being upgraded into coastal highways, so there is some construction. In addition, some of the coastal back-roads are small and narrow but still paved. Even if you encounter roadworks or rough conditions on the Beach Bum route, you are never too far from Highway 1 (QL1A) which runs parallel, so you can join that for a few kilometres to bypass any bad sections.
Gas Stations: There are gas stations at regular intervals throughout the entire length of the Beach Bum route, so you shouldn’t have any trouble filling up. Nevertheless, it’s best not to let your fuel gauge get too low before looking for a gas station.
Accommodation: Every city and town marked on my map with a red pin has multiple places to stay in all price ranges. And, even beyond the major settlements, there are many other coastal enclaves with good accommodation. The variety and number of overnight options on the Beach Bum route is probably greater than any other road trip on my website. Even if you find yourself on a lonely, isolated stretch of the Beach Bum Coast Road at nightfall, there’s likely to be at least one or two local guest houses (nhà nghỉ) nearby. Because there are so many accommodation options on this route, I have not marked any specific places to stay on my map. But you can browse dozens of independent reviews in my Beach Resorts Archive and use the Agoda search box to find accommodation in specific locations. Unless you are travelling during a public holiday or want to stay at a particular property, there’s no need to book accommodation in advance.
Food & Drink: You’re never far from something to eat or drink on the Beach Bum Coast Road: wherever you are, there will be shops, cafes, soup stalls, street food vendors, eateries or restaurants. Of course, seafood is the highlight – there are excellent quán hải sản (seafood eateries) along the entire length of the Beach Bum route, serving fresh, delicious seafood in an informal dining environment. In the major beach cities there are also plenty of international dining options, from pizza to sushi. Along Vietnam’s lively coastline you won’t go hungry or thirsty.
Trash: Vietnam, like many countries, currently has a problem with litter in the countryside. Sadly, the coast is where this issue is most obvious: even deserted beaches suffer from litter. Most of the trash you see on the beaches and in the ocean is casual, household litter (such as candy wrappers, pot noodles, drinks cans) and fishing-related debris (such as lines, nets, polystyrene boxes) rather than industrial waste. Bear in mind that, beyond the resort towns, most of the beaches in Vietnam are still ‘working beaches’ where fishing communities eek out a living from the sea. Litter in the countryside is a much more complex issue than most travellers have time to appreciate, so try to be patient with the level of trash you encounter and set a good example by disposing of your own litter responsibly and reducing the amount of single-use plastic you consume on your trip.
Section 1:
Saigon→Vũng Tàu→La Gi→Mũi Né | 250km
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Head due south out of Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) toward the Bình Khánh vehicle ferry, which runs all day (and most of the night) every 10 minutes. The ferry deposits you and your motorbike in Cần Giờ District. Follow the excellent road due south through acres of mangrove forest and across multiple muddy rivers before bearing east to the Cần Giờ port for another (bigger) vehicle ferry across the estuary to Vũng Tàu. This ferry runs every hour, on the hour between 6am-8pm: see my Cần Giờ→Vũng Tàu Ferry Guide for details. The 30-minute voyage – often quite choppy – lands you on Vũng Tàu’s rugged peninsula, where a scenic roads loops around the city’s two hills (Núi Lớn and Núi Nhỏ) along the coastline. Vũng Tàu is a tidy, organized and well-positioned beach town with a wide range of accommodation and some good dining and drinking options – not a bad place for a night.
Follow the route due east of Vũng Tàu towards the fishing town of Long Hải, where’s there’s a stretch of public beach and a handful of good seafront hotels. Just after Long Hải the road skirts the ocean and continues to the rustic seafront village of Phước Hải, a small fishing community with an oceanfront road where boats and coracles offload fresh seafood which is then sold at informal eateries along the embankment, making a great lunch stop. The coast road then ploughs eastward to the up-and-coming beach of Hồ Tràm which now has a string of enormous resorts and hotels, but the best is still the original, highly atmospheric Hồ Tràm Beach Boutique. Hồ Tràm and the surrounding coastline have long, wide beaches that are good to look at and walk along, but the water quality isn’t very good for swimming. Seafood is excellent at the Hồ Tràm intersection, particularly at Mỹ Lệ Restaurant.
Further along the Beach Bum route is the trendy beach town of La Gi, where places such as Coco Beachcamp have put this sprawling fishing village on the map in recent years. There’s lots of beach to explore, but there are better sands and sea on other sections of the route. La Gi is a good overnight halt with some hotels and plenty of street food in the town. East of La Gi the road is newly paved all the way to Kê Gà Lighthouse, constructed at the end of the 19th century during French colonial times. The next 25km due north to Phan Thiết is quite scenic, but the area is subject to major resort developments, and traffic has increased as a result. There’s lots of accommodation along this stretch.
As the road drops into Phan Thiết, views open up across the sea, the plains and the mountains. Phan Thiết is a busy fishing port with hundreds of wooden boats crowded into its harbour. The seafront has some hotels and there’s lots of good street food and seafood. Just east of Phan Thiết is Mũi Né bay, a long arc of sand and palms lined with a smorgasbord of accommodation options. The beach is good and the surf is often suitable for watersports. Most travellers choose to overnight here.
Section 2:
Mũi Né→Phan Rang→Nha Trang | 280km
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Probably the best stretch of coast road in the entire nation, the ride north from Mũi Né to Nha Trang is a combination of several stunning coastal highways passing spectacular coastal scenery. From the resort-studded beach of Mũi Né, the route hugs an empty shoreline before making a sharp turn due east and then immediately north past the famous White Sand Dunes on a wide new road that ploughs straight across a desert-like landscape right by the ocean. Known as the Sand Dune Highway, the riding is excellent and there are sea views to match.
After dropping down to the scruffy fishing village of Phan Rí Cửa and out the other side on a small and seldom-used coast road along an attractive sandy coastline to Liên Hương town, it’s then necessary to join Highway 1 (QL1A) for a short 30-minute burst along a barren shoreline dotted with enormous thermal power plants. Just after Cà Ná Beach, turn off the highway due east onto the start of the Dragons’ Graveyard Coast Road, which winds around a boulder-strewn promontory, high above the ocean, with death-defying drops and astonishing views down to hidden coves and crescent-shaped sandy beaches. Take your time, enjoy the riding, be careful of strong winds, and find your way down to a beach or two for a swim in the steel blue sea. Passing through acres of solar farms and wind turbines, the road reaches Ninh Chữ, a pleasant beach with plenty of hotels near the city of Phan Rang. This is a good place to overnight or at the nearby fledgling surfing community of Mỹ Hòa.
Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, the next stretch of road wraps around a rugged, lush promontory, passing the impossibly scenically located fishing harbour of Vĩnh Hy, nestled in a perfectly sheltered semi-circular bay, up and over a high pass opening up jaw-dropping coastal vistas due north towards Nha Trang, and then curling around several gorgeous sand beaches lapped by sky-blue seas. This is the Núi Chúa Coast Road, opened a decade ago and starting to attractive more and more travellers. Vĩnh Hy is a good overnight stop, or take a short detour to Cam Lập/Bình Lập peninsula and stay there a night.
Heading due north towards Cam Ranh, it’s once again necessary to join Highway 1 for a brisk ride up to a bridge across the estuary towards the International Airport, along Bãi Dài Beach with its parade of huge integrated resorts, and then riding the beautiful airport road north to Nha Trang. Vietnam’s long-standing favourite beach town, Nha Trang is awash with good value accommodation, seafood restaurants and places to drink, not to mention it’s excellent public beach.
Section 3:
Nha Trang→Tuy Hòa→Quy Nhơn | 230km
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The stretch of the Beach Bum route from Nha Trang to Quy Nhơn is yet another mesmerizing coastal ride on excellent new coast roads and small paved backroads passing dozens of glorious beaches and oceanside passes. Take Nha Trang’s seafront road and round the cape at the northern end of the bay before joining Highway 1 (QL1A) for about an hour through Ninh Hòa and onwards to Đại Lãnh Beach. This is a relatively dull stretch of road, but there is a potential detour branching east from Ninh Hòa and along the Hòn Heo Peninsula where there are some excellent beaches, including Dốc Lết. Otherwise, it’s a straight shot on the highway for about an hour to Đại Lãnh, a fishing village nestled at the foot of a mountain on a broad sweep of sandy beach hemmed in at both ends at by jungle-clad bluffs. It’s a great spot for some food, drink and a swim, or even a night by the sea (see my Đại Lãnh Beach Guide). There’s also the option to head due south from Đại Lãnh and explore Hòn Gốm Sandbar which stretches far out to sea and has many empty beaches (see my Hòn Gốm Sandbar Guide).
Although two tunnels now lead under the mountains surrounding Đại Lãnh Beach, two-wheeled vehicles are not allowed to use them. But this is a good thing, because it means you can ride the Cả Pass instead, a cliff-hugging road around a steep and rocky spur bearing down on the glowing lagoon of Vũng Rô Bay (see my guides to the Cả Pass and Vũng Rô Bay). When you reach the top of the Cả Pass, turn off due east on a road that drops down to the bay which is dotted with hundreds of floating fish farms and restaurants. Follow the road all the way around to the east until you see the striking French colonial-era lighthouse at Mũi Điện and the eye-popping beach of Bãi Môn below it (see my Bãi Môn Beach Guide). Stop for a swim or admire the views from the road as it rolls down the other side of the promontory and glides along the shoreline and across the wide estuary to the seaside city of Tuy Hòa. There are lots of good hotels near the long municipal beach in Tuy Hòa and the seafood is excellent, making this a good overnight stop.
From Tuy Hòa, the Beach Bum route heads north via a series of backroads along a complex coastline of rocky coves, hidden beaches and volcanic rock formations. There are several pretty beaches and interesting fishing hamlets around here, but the most famous is Gành Đá Đĩa, where a cliff of cube-shaped black rocks meet the blue ocean, much like the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland. From here, there’s an interesting shortcut back to join Highway 1 by taking narrow backroads to get to Cầu Gỗ Ông Cọp (Tiger Bridge). This is a long, rickety wooden bridge constructed over an estuary for pedestrians and two-wheelers only. There’s a small fee to go across, but it’s worth it.
Back on Highway 1 and heading north towards Sông Cầu fishing town, the traffic can be fairly heavy, but don’t worry because the coastal scenery gets better and better as you get closer to Quy Nhơn. This is an intricate stretch of coast, with numerous bays, promontories, inlets and peninsulas, many of which can be explored via small roads leading east of the Beach Bum route. But even if you stick to the main road, you get glimpses of some stunning beaches and islets lying just offshore. Bãi Xếp is a sandy cove and travellers’ enclave with several places to stay. Alternatively, continue for another 30 minutes to Quy Nhơn, one of Vietnam’s most up-and-coming beach cities, with a booming hotel scene, lots of fresh seafood restaurants and good street food, and a terrific public beach.
Section 4:
Quy Nhơn→Quảng Ngãi→Đà Nẵng | 260km
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Leaving Quy Nhơn via the impressive Thị Nại Bridge – one of the longest in Vietnam – the Beach Bum route continues due north along the sand-swept Nhơn Lý Promontory. Covered in solar farms and towering wind turbines, Nhơn Lý boasts some great beaches, including the famous Kỳ Co. At the northern end of the promontory, Trung Lương is a small fishing community dwarfed by the colossal statue of a seated Buddha. The beach here is excellent and there are several places to stay, including Crown Retreat. Continuing north, the coast road passes behind two spectacularly situated bays and then ploughs on hugging the shore along miles of empty coastline for over an hour of excellent riding and scenery. Indeed, this rarely visited area became briefly famous a couple of years ago when a pod of whales was spotted and filmed just offshore.
A pass leads inland and back to the coast at Tam Quan, from where backroads wiggle north before joining Highway 1 (QL1A) to Sa Huỳnh. There’s a good public beach and a cluster of homestays on a remote bay which is a fledgling community tourism area, called Gò Cỏ. Sa Huỳnh is well-known in Vietnam, partly for its beaches but mainly because it is the site of some of the earliest known artifacts belonging to a bronze age culture. Continuing along the coast from here requires some navigation and map-checking in order to weave a path along back-lanes running parallel to the highway and the shoreline. Some sections of road are in the process of being upgraded, but other sections are already finished, so expect some changes to the exact route on my map. This coastline is rarely visited, but there are many opportunities to follow narrow lanes due east to the beaches.
At the time of writing, new bridges were under construction across both the Vệ and Phước Giang rivers, but until it’s complete there’s no choice but to detour back to Highway 1, cross a bridge, then immediately head back to the coast. An excellent new bridge crosses the Trà Khúc River under the gaze of the truly gigantic statue of the Goddess of Mercy at Minh Đức Pagoda. The road then passes the small beach enclave of Mỹ Khê, where there’s some accommodation, before continuing northwards via a combination of small back-roads and newly paved highways past Sa Kỳ Port (for boats to Lý Sơn Island) and the enormous industrial zone at Dung Quất oil refinery. From here, the road follows a long, exposed beach parallel to Chu Lai Airport up to the fishing port of Ky Hà where a vehicle ferry makes the crossing to the island of Tam Hải. A strange place with some beaches and accommodation, the road leads straight across Tam Hải Island where another (smaller) ferry takes you back to the mainland.
After a few minutes of bad road it’s a straight shot on fantastic coast roads all the way north to Hôi An and Đà Nẵng. There are numerous places to stop for a swim, some food or to overnight on this stretch of coast road: a good option is Tam Thanh, a low-key beach with some cute little places to stay and seafood restaurants. The closer to Hội An and Đà Nẵng you get, the bigger the hotels and the more touristy it becomes. Obviously, there are hundreds of accommodation options in and around Hội An and Đà Nẵng, both of which make satisfying stops for a night or two. In particular, Hội An’s An Bàng Beach has many trendy hotels and beach bars, and Mỹ Khê serves as Đà Nẵng’s sweeping municipal beach with dozens of high-rise hotels and resorts.
Section 5:
Đà Nẵng→Huế→Đồng Hới | 300km
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The coastal route between Đà Nẵng and Huế is one of the most famous roads in Vietnam. This is largely thanks to the Hải Vân Pass, which has been on motorbikers’ bucket-lists ever since the popular episode of BBC’s Top Gear (2008), during which the presenters described it as “one of the best coast roads in the world”. Few could argue against the majesty of this illustrious pass which snakes around a gigantic mountainous spur with magnificent views across the bays, beaches and islands of central Vietnam (see my complete Hải Vân Pass Guide for details). Take your time on the pass and enjoy the thrill, before descending towards Lăng Cô Beach and taking the scenic lakeside road around the western shores of Lập An Lagoon, across the highway, zigzagging through Cảnh Dương Beach and back to Highway 1 (QL1A) and through the Phước Tượng tunnel. Immediately after exiting the tunnel, turn off due north on road QL49B following the banks of Tam Giang-Cầu Hai Lagoon and continuing on it all the way past the tomb-studded landscape to Thuận An Beach, where you can choose to drop down to the ancient imperial capital of Huế for a night with plenty of good accommodation and excellent local cuisine.
A new bridge was under construction across the river estuary from Thuận An at the time of writing: it should be open by 2025. For now, it’s necessary to cross the river via QL49B and continue on the other side along a long and empty coastline stretching for almost 100km on good coastal backroads all the way to Vịnh Mốc, site of the war-time tunnel network that served as subterranean shelters. Some of the beaches on this section are very good and there’s hardly any tourism at all. In good conditions, there are excellent swimming opportunities.
From Vịnh Mốc to Đồng Hới it’s necessary to do a bit of weaving to and from the coast in order to stay off Highway 1 as much as possible (see Tomb Rider Coast Road for details). It can be a bit tricky to navigate at times and some sections are in the process of being upgraded and repaved so expect some changes to the exact route on my map. However, it’s worth the effort because there are yet more stretches of empty beach to explore before rolling into the pleasant beach town of Đồng Hới where there are lots of places to stay.
Section 6:
Đồng Hới→Hà Tĩnh→Vinh | 215km
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Riding north from Đồng Hới, the road follows a pleasant coastline peppered with fishing villages and backed by large dunes. The surface can be a bit rough in places but nothing too bad until you reach a fun pontoon bridge across a river mouth. Beyond this they were widening the coast road at the time of writing, so it was necessary to drop down to Highway 1 (QL1A) in order to continue northwards past the wide sands of Đá Nhảy Beach and on towards the Hoành Sơn spur, a rugged promontory which is traversed by the Ngang Pass (now made obsolete by a tunnel). On the southern slopes of Hoành Sơn is the mausoleum of Võ Nguyên Gíap, one of Vietnam’s most celebrated military minds (see my guide to General Gíap’s Tomb).
As the road exits the tunnel and leads beyond the Hoành Sơn spur, an attractive shoreline comes into view. However, the coast here, around the town of Kỳ Anh, has been given over to a huge industrial complex, including steel and lithium works and an international deep-water port. The scale is impressive but trucks litter the road and the air is very polluted. However, Kỳ Anh is the point at which the Beach Bum route leaves Highway 1 once again and links with a series of excellent coastal back-roads forming an unbroken route all the way to Vinh. Some sections of this coast road are brand new, wide, empty and smooth, passing right by the ocean; other sections are narrow, old and equally empty, passing by rarely visited beaches and fishing villages. This section of the Beach Bum route traverses the two north-central provinces of Hà Tĩnh and Nghệ An, both among the poorest and least visited parts of the nation. But the people are hospitable and the scenery is good as you glide through a part of the countryside that hardly any other travellers bother to explore. If you can’t make it all the way to Vinh and Cửa Lò Beach before nightfall, Hà Tĩnh city is a short ride west from the coast and has some decent hotels for a night.
The coastal stretch between Hà Tĩnh and Vinh is an excellent new road gliding through a lush agricultural landscape with some good sections of beachfront to explore. A new bridge leads across the gaping estuary of the Lam River (also called the Cả River) from where you can find loads of accommodation along the sands of Cửa Lò Beach – not a great beach, but a popular retreat for many north-central Vietnamese families. Alternatively, head a little due southwest to the city of Vinh, where there are many hotels and plenty of dining options too.
Section 7:
Vinh→Thanh Hóa→Hải Phòng | 375km
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The Beach Bum route from Vinh to Hải Phòng is a long and complicated stretch combining good new roads, bumpy old ones and busy highways. At times, quiet coastal back-roads lead through pretty scenery, but there’s also some dull, industrial and unattractive stretches. Parts of the coast road between Vinh and Thanh Hóa were being upgraded at the time of writing: several new bridges were in the process of being constructed, so it is highly likely that the exact route will change (for the better) from the one on my map. But, for now, there are several sections which require a bit of careful navigation and weaving around construction sites on small back-roads.
From Vinh, take the Cửa Lò beach road north before navigating an interesting promontory on a series of coast roads of varying quality. A new bridge is under construction here which will make the route more direct in the near future. After passing some pleasant coves, a long and lovely coastal back-road follows the curve of a wide bay leading in front of Diễn Châu town all the way north to Sơn Hải promontory, where two new bridges are under construction that will allow traffic to pass around the bluff, but for now it’s necessary to bear west behind the promontory on back-roads. On the other side, join the coast again along another sweeping bay before winding your way around a bluff on a good quality but truck-clogged road passing the gigantic Nghi Sơn industrial zone. Once again, a new bridge is being constructed across the estuary here, but even when it’s complete, traffic will still need to go pass the industrial zone.
From Nghi Sơn, construction of a new coastal road is only just beginning, so it’s necessary to take some small back-roads and then join Highway 1 (QL1A) for a short while due north until it’s possible to turn off due east back to the coast on an excellent new coast road leading all the way to Sầm Sơn Beach, where there are lots of hotels. The lack of any bridge across the Mã River estuary means that the route then turns west into Thanh Hóa city, which also has many hotels, across the Mã River and then due north again on road QL10 towards the Red River Delta.
From here on, traffic gets heavier and the scenery less interesting. The route passes Phát Diệm, site of a famous cathedral, which features in Graham Greene’s The Quiet American. Ninh Bình, a popular tourist hotspot, is a potential detour if you’re looking for accommodation and a traveller enclave. Otherwise, plough on through the Red River Delta’s intensively farmed flood plains, where there’s not much to distract you apart from tobacco drying in piles by the roadside and the haunting sight of Nhà Thờ Đổ Nam Định church in ruins right on the beach. Bathing and beach-combing isn’t very good here, because the sand is brown silt from the river and the sea is the colour of chocolate. So, continue north via a series of good roads, bridges and ferries all the way to the outskirts of Hải Phòng, a port city and Vietnam’s fourth largest metropolis. Head into central Hải Phòng for plenty of accommodation and lots of good food, or continue on to Cát Bà Island in Section 8.
Section 8:
Hải Phòng→Cát Bà→Hanoi | 105km
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The final section of the Beach Bum is a loop from Hải Phòng to Cát Bà Island to Hạ Long and back to Hải Phòng in order to put your motorbike on the train to Hanoi. You don’t have to do this loop – you could just go straight to Hanoi – but it’s a lot of fun, including scenic vehicle ferries, good coast roads on the island, and classic limestone karst scenery around Hạ Long Bay. It’s a nice way to end the Beach Bum route, especially taking the train into Hanoi as this means you will avoid the horrible highways, traffic and pollution on the roads into the capital.
Ride east of Hải Phòng on an excellent new road across the water to Cát Hải Island where there’s a vehicle ferry across to Cát Bà Island. Take the coast road along the island’s west coast which winds above the sea and below limestone karsts. You could choose to explore more of Cá Bà Island by staying overnight at one of many accommodation options (see my Cát Bà Island Guide). Alternatively, ride straight across the island by turning inland on a lush road to the port of Gia Luận at the northern tip of the island. From here, a highly scenic vehicle ferry crosses the sea to Tuần Châu Island, near Hạ Long City. This has to be one of the most spectacular public ferries in Vietnam: the voyage passes through a labyrinth of jungle-clad karst pillars rising out of the calm waters, and the 30-minute journey only costs a couple of dollars (see my Guide to the Tuần Châu→Cát Bà Ferry).
Tuần Châu is a tourist complex connected to the mainland via a long causeway. Just to the east is Hạ Long City with its impressive infrastructure, including a giant suspension bridge and decent beaches with plenty of sea view hotels if you want to stay overnight. Otherwise, head west and meander across the plains via roads and ferries all the way back to Hải Phòng (remember that motorbikes are not allowed to take the more direct CT06 road). Although the ride to Hải Phòng is quite busy and not particularly interesting, it matters not because when you arrive at the city’s French colonial-era station and load your motorbike onto one of the four daily services to Hanoi, it’s a smooth and easy journey all the way into the heart of the capital, thus ending the Beach Bum route. (See my Hanoi→Hải Phòng Train Guide for details.)
*Disclosure: I never receive payment for anything I write: my content is always free and independent. I’ve written this guide because I want to: I like this route and I want my readers to know about it. For more details, see my Disclosure & Disclaimer statements and my About Page
This months bike trip is an ASTOUNDING and desirable piece of work, Tom.
Ben
Thanks, Ben – great to hear you enjoyed it.
Tom
Great article. could use this for reference in a future trip. been to Ha Noi, Ninh Binh, + some other Northern Vietnam cities in a 7 day tour, Hue, Da Nang, + Hoi An as part of a 3 day tour (including meeting relatives in Hue + tombs of my 4th great grandpa), never done a cross country trip across Vietnam, though.
Hi Andy,
Yes, there are lots of alternative routes for traversing the length of the nation. For others, you can take a look at my South-to-North archive.
Best,
Tom
Hi Tom,
I did a bicycle version of the Beach bum this summer. I noticed that between Sam Son and Hoang Mai you followed the QL1 for quite a stretch. I have a possible recommendation for an alternative, I chose to just risk it as that stretch of QL1 appeared quite busy and not very scenic. The route i roughly followed (N to S):
– From Quang Loi i crossed the QL1
– Follow some back roads to Ngoc Lam village
– From there via Yen Minh Village to Duong 8
– follow Duong 8 a little bit direction of the coast and then went via Ngoc Linh Village to DT512
– follow DT512 away from coast until you meet a very smooth, new road
– this new road you can follow all the way to Hai Binh (where there are no real good options, either passing some industrial areas or follow QL1, i chose the industrial area since the roads seemed good and traffic was not too busy)
I found the above a very relaxing and scenic stretch. First part you’re passing several very quaint villages, occasional river vista’s, unfortunately also some roads in not so good condition. Duong 8 and DT512 are practically abandoned and in good condition. Finally, the new road was somewhat a nice discovery. it’s big and with very smooth new tarmac but not too busy. You pass some forrested areas and a bridge crossing a beautiful lake on the way. Behind the lake there is also a big pagoda that can be visited (chua am cac). It’s a few kilometers extra and i’m guessing quite a lot slower but when not in a hurry i think a nice option.
If anyone is interested i have some gpx files i can share.
Another detour i did because of accommodation options is in Cua Viet (initial plan was to spend the night there but there was some kind of celebration going on and all accommodation was full) going to Dong Ha City. From Dong Ha i took some back roads to Quang Tri which were very scenic. There were a lot of open views, many bridges and good quality small roads. Quang Tri itself is a very pleasant town as well. when entering the city there is a nice view from the bridge. In the center there are a lot of tree-lined boulevards and there’s a citadel that’s well worth visiting.
PS: I followed your route for the most part between Dong Hoi and HCMC and had a great time. It was really helpful in avoiding the worst traffic. Unfortunately the northern part was only shared online after i had just finished it 🙂
Kind regards
Maikel
Hi Maikel,
Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed the Beach Bum route.
Yes, I have recently completed updated, re-written and newly mapped the entire Beach Bum route.
Regarding your suggestion: actually between Sam Son and Hoang Mai, the Beach Bum route only uses Highway 1 for a very short 15km stretch. Most of the way, the route uses back roads near the coast. However, Nghi Son promontory is not very nice because of the industrial zone.
The route that you suggest avoids Highway 1 too, but it goes inland instead: with the Beach Bum route, my main aim is the stay as close to the coast as possible, without using Highway 1 unless there’s no alternative.
I’m glad you enjoyed your detour to Quang Tri city – most travellers ignore that region.
Best,
Tom
could this be done in a car as well? my husband and i are considering a trip from saigon to hanoi but would be more comfortable in a vehicle. any insight or thoughts? recommendations?
Hi Kate,
Yes, you could do this route in a car. However, foreigners aren’t allowed to drive cars in Vietnam without a local license, so you would need to hire a car and driver.
Best,
Tom
Hi,
Planning a possible coastal trip this summer (with bicycle not motorbike). Is there a reason why between Chau me and Quang Ngai the QL1A is followed a while? I was considering to take the bridge near the mouth of the Tra Khuc river (going N to S) and from there on stay in between QL1A and the coast. Seems like the road is not as direct and might have to go a bit ‘zig-zagging’ between villages and bridges because of the rivers but might be more pleasant than the QL1A? Or is there some reason to avoid this area? Is Quang Ngai in itself a worthy detour? If so, it’s still a relatively short ride up and back down the river to stay the night for example…
Thanks in advance!
Maikel
Hi Maikel,
Yes, I think that’s a good idea and try to avoid the QL1A for that stretch. The reason the route in my map goes on QL1A for that short section is because, at the time of writing, the bridge across the Tra Khuc River wasn’t completed 🙂
There’s no need to take a detour off the coast to go to Quang Ngai if you don’t have to.
Best,
Tom
Thanks Tom,
I have another question. Near the finish (or start of the route depending which way you go) the route goes before Vung Tau inland via Ba Ria and Phu My to Ho Chi Minh City. I’ve not yet been to any of those places but was wondering how is the stretch going into Ho Chi Minh City? In my case i would most likely arriving there during the day when traffic is at it’s worst since i’d be going North to South. I have been in Can Gio though (i have been there for work and used it as a docking for a boat). From what i remember it’s not the most charming of places but it’s small and afterwards are quiet roads surrounded by fields and mangrove-like forest until crossing the river. On the downside it offers very little facilities on the way. I was wondering if you think it might be a more scenic and relaxed option to take the ferry from Vung Tau to Can Gio and cycle back to the city via there, and hopefully postpone as much as possible the busy traffic 🙂 Since my ultimate goal is going into Cambodia i even considered taking the ferry straight from Vung Tau to the Mekong Delta and surpass HCMC completely but i have so many memories of the place my heart won’t allow it :p
Hi Maikel,
Yes, if you’re on a bicycle, you don’t need to go inland at all: you have a number of options: put your bicycle on the boat from Vung Tau to Ho Chi Minh (see this guide); or put your bicycle on the boat to Can Gio (see this guide); then, from Can Gio you can either continue to Ho Chi Minh or take the Can Giuoc ferry across to the Mekong Delta (see this guide) and bypass Ho Chi Minh completely.
Best,
Tom
Hi Tom,
Thanks for the reply. On Google Maps there seems to be marked a direct line between Vung Tau and Long An as well, but maybe not accurate. It seems that the Vung Tau – Can Gio guide is not working. i also find it when searching on the website but it doesn’t open.
Hi Maikel,
Sorry about that – it should be fixed now. Please try again.
As for other ferry routes marked on Google Maps, they may be correct, but they may not be: you still can’t rely 100% on Google Maps in Vietnam.
Anyway, the Can Giouc ferry goes to Long An Province, too.
Best,
Tom
Hi Tom,
Another question: Do you have experience riding further north all the way to Hanoi? There’s one obvious route going via HCM-highway, but since i’m with the bicycle i was considering taking a slightly more direct route and one with slightly more accommodation options (as far as i can tell on google maps). i was thinking from:
– Dong Hoi direction of Phong Nha, cutting through to QL12A, follow to Dong Le, and then follow AH131 to Ky Anh
– Ky Anh take back roads passing several artificial lakes along a road DT21/DT70 which doesn’t seem entirely marked yet on maps. Ending up at around Duc Tho
– Duc Tho go mostly via QL15 to Tan Ky (or perhaps take some back roads as there seems to be many options) and via DT 15 to Thai Hoa
– Thai Hoa via Ben Sung to Trieu Son – Thieu Hoa to Vinh Loc.
– Vinh Loc via Cuc Phuong or Ninh Binh to Duc Khé where there are some nice pagoda’s and back to Hanoi
Have you experience on (some of) these stretches? Or am i wasting my time looking into these areas and should i just take my chance on the HCM-road because the scenery will be a lot better?
Thanks!
Maikel
Hi Maikel,
I would go to Phong Nha and join the Ho Chi Minh Road from there: it’s a good road and nice landscape. If you want to make it a bit shorter, you could take QL15 for the stretch between near Ha Tinh and Tan Ky. There are accommodation options on the Ho Chi Minh Road: sometimes hotels, sometimes local guest houses called nhà nghỉ.
Best,
Tom
Hey Tom,
Coracle is a great resource, thanks
We are taking the fast boat to Vung Tau from Saigon.
Looking to rent motorbikes for a trip up the coast to Hoi An. Do you have any recommendations on one way motorbike rental?
Aloha, Marcus
Hi Marcus,
You can probably find motorbikes to rent in Vung Tau in some of the expat bars, such as Belly’s and Ned Kelly’s. However, I doubt they do one-way rental. It’s probably a better idea to rent from one of the bigger companies that I mention on this page instead: you can either pick your bike up in Saigon and take the Can Gio ferry to Vung Tau, or maybe the rental company can arrange to transport the bike to Vung Tau for an extra fee.
Best,
Tom
Hey Tom,
Used the weekend past to get some riding in again. Saigon > Phan Thiet > Cam Ranh > Quy Nhon
Using your map and red lines where possible – Was a police trap setup at ‘Gelex Ninh Thuan’ (solar farm) before the sand dunes after Mui Dinh Ecopark.
Claimed I was speeding, which I was not. Asked for proof, they couldn’t provide it and asked for 300k bribe which I did not pay as I have full documents and was not speeding. They were pulling in every single bike while I was stopped there.
Hi Adam,
Thanks for the update. If you were riding there over the recent holiday (anytime between 29 April to 3 May) the police may have been out because of the increase in traffic and speeders during that time. I rode through there twice just a month ago and didn’t see any police.
Thanks again,
Tom
Hi Tom
great post 🙂
i am thinking of starting in danang late october and travelling to hmc do you think its achievable in 8 nights stopping at the following places
kontum 2 nights
pleiku 1 night
buon ma thout 1 night
nha trang 2 nights
dalat 2 nights
hmc.
thanks and keep up the great posts.
robbie.
Hi Robbie,
Sorry for the slow reply.
Yes, that itinerary is possible. Your first day from Danang to Kon Tum is a long ride (around 300km) so it will take you the best part of a day. Most of the other days are very doable.
I hope you enjoy the ride,
Tom
Hi Tom
thanks for the reply i didn’t realize it was so far to Kontum from Danang i will break it up and stay somewhere between the two, if you have done that route any suggestions will be much appreciated thanks for your help.
Robbie
Hi tom
this will be my first time in Vietnam i’m wondering what will be the most scenic and exciting ride, i can either go from Hanoi to Nha trang or Danang to hmc , what would you advise i have approximately 11 days to ride.
thanks again Robbie.
Hi Robbie,
I think Danang to HCMC is a good option. The only problem with that is you miss out the Western Ho Chi Minh Road (see section 5 of this guide) which is extraordinary.
If I were you I would start in Danang and ride up to Thanh My on QL14B, then join the Truong Son Dong Road all the way to M’drak, then go down to Nha Trang on QL26 and DT8, and then take the coast road all the way down to Phan Rang (make sure you take the coast road, not Highway 1), then take QL27 & 20 up to Dalat, then take one of the Dalat Back Roads down to Saigon.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom
That is brilliant thank you so much for your help, i will book my rooms and motorcycle hire through the links in your site so hopefully you will get some reward, thanks again stay safe
Robbie
Thanks, Robbie. I appreciate that.
Tom
Hi Robbie,
For more details about the route see sections 2 & 3 of my Ho Chi Minh Road Guide, which covers much of your ride between Danang and Buon Ma Thuot. You might also be interested in the Truong Son Dong Road which runs parallel to the Ho Chi Minh Road as an alternative route.
Tom
Hi tom,
Me and friends right now are in Ninh Binh and are wondering which is the best route south and where to go next such as Vinh. We travelled in the QL14 and was wondering if there are whiter roads from Ninh Binh south.
Regards
Ollie
Hi Ollie,
I would suggest cutting due west from Ninh Binh back into the mountains, then joining QL15 (the Ho Chi Minh Road) going south. This is a much nicer ride than staying on the coast in that region. For more details see sections 6, 7, 8 of this guide.
You could go to Vinh, but again I think it’s nicer to stay in the mountains in that region – there are local hotels and guest houses along the Ho Chi Minh Road, some of them are marked in my guide.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Tom,
This is gold mate……its clear you’ve put your heart n soul into this site…
Im off on a central highlands n Phong Nha motorbike trip next month…
Ive planned everything from the info you have provided…..just hope its not all rain,rain,rain!!
Thx for a superb guide Tom……happy Tet..
Hi Neil,
Thanks! I hope your road trip goes according to plan and that the weather isn’t a problem 🙂
Good luck,
Tom
Hi Tom,
Me and my boyfriend are in Da Nang and will fly to Nha Trang on 2nd Jan where we will have 5/6 days with a motorbike (automatic) to get to HCMC.
Do you happened have tips on motorbike rental near the airport? We’re flying on Cam Ranh airport and want to hand in the bike in HCMC.
We want to take only the necessary on the bike as we are sharing one together so we would like to send our bags ahead to HCMC. Any help on this would be appreciated as it seems very easy to arrange in some places but we’ve had no luck yet in Da Nang.
We plan on doing max 100 kilometers a day, on average how long does it take to ride that distance along the coast?
Your blog has been an amazing help btw your insights and passion really helped us plan our Vietnam adventure!
Thanks,
Lizzie
Hi Lizzie,
I don’t personally know of a bike rental place near the airport – and I think it’s unlikely there is one near there that meets your needs. You will probably have to find one in Nha Trang instead. Most of the things you mention should be possible, but only with one of the more reputable of the motorbike rental companies. Take a look at the companies I recommend on this page. But bear in mind that they usually need advanced notice before arranging the things that you want them to do.
100km a day should be fine – it should only take 2-3 hours to ride that distance, but that doesn’t include stops.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Thanks for your swift reply!
Hi Tom, my husband and I have 3 months in Vietnam beginning the end of November. We are bicyclists and wanting nightly accommodations (no camping). We are drawn mostly to the mountains and low traffic routes. What itinerary would you suggest? Which roads to avoid? Your blog is amazing, but how to choose???? Thank you for any help!!
Hi Terri & Bod,
Well, there are lots of routes to choose from in the mountains. If you’re planning on riding the length of the country then I suggest you take a look at this page.
You can use the Ho Chi Minh Road the whole way, which stays in the mountain – just make sure to stay at this hotel between Khe Sanh and Phong Nha.
Or, for the southern section of the Ho Chi Minh Road you could ride the Truong Son Dong Road instead, and then link it with the Back Roads to Dalat
Bear in mind that at that time of year, the weather anywhere north of Danang (or even Nha Trang) is likely to deteriorate.
In the north, there are loads of great mountain routes which you can browse here.
3 months gives you plenty of time, but if you stay in the mountains, some of the riding will be very tough and fairly slow.
In even fairly small towns, there’s usually at least one local guest house like these.
I hope this helps,
Tom
How long do you recommend for a motortrip from Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh, mainstops: Dalat, Nha Trang and Mui ne? We were thinking about 3 weeks?
Thanks
Hi Melissa,
Yes, 3 weeks is plenty of time.
Tom
Hi Tom
Driving down from Nha Trang to Mui Ne in a few weeks. Was wondering what your opinion was of the two short 25-30KM stints on QL1A? Between Cam Ranh and Binh Lap and just after Phan Rang.
Also do you think we would have any issues getting our bikes on the train from Phan Thiet to Saigon a few days before Tet? I assume the reverse might be a problem but wasn’t sure on motorbike traffic returning to Saigon. We’ve anticipated there might be an issue and can take an extra day if necessary to fully drive back along the coastal road but would prefer taking the train.
Thanks
Simon
Hi Simon,
Those two sections of Highway 1 are fine: Cam Ranh to the Binh Lap turn off is a good road surface and only takes about 30 minutes. The same goes for the section between Ca Na and Lien Huong (between Phan Rang and Ca Na is the Dragon’s Graveyard Road, which is sublime). If you’re worried about traffic, you can try to time it so that you hit the Highway 1 sections at lunchtime – when most of the trucks and buses stop for food.
Yes, good question: it’s definitely worth planning that extra day in just in case you can’t get your bikes on the Phan Thiet-Saigon train. Also, I always try to book my book on that train at the station in Phan Thiet the day before I travel, just to be safe.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Thanks Tom, hoping to do Binh Lap to Phan Thiet in one day ideally hit the station before the beach!
Hi Simon,
Yes, that’s possible, but it’s a full (and fantastic) day’s ride.
Tom
Hey Tom,
Great write up. I’ve just got a simple query.
Do you this route from HCMC -> Hoi An can be completed in 8 days?
Would it be possible to include a quick detour to Dalat from Phan Thiet and then continue on the route again.
Also, it’s two of us. Would you recommend a XR 150 or a Blade 110 for this route?
Thanks a ton again! 😀
Hi Jaipal,
You don’t need more than a Blade for this route, but the XR is a bigger, better bike, but it’s also more expensive.
You can ride the Coast Road from HCM to Hoi An in 8 days, but it’s a long way and you will need to ride every day. If you add Dalat to the itinerary then you are adding an extra day to the route.
What might be a good idea is to start the route from Phan Thiet (not HCM) – do this by taking yourself and your bikes on the train from HCM to Phan Thiet. Then you can either head straight up to Dalat on road QL28 or QL28B and down the next day on Road QL27 or QL27C and rejoin the Coast Road from either Phan Rang or Nha Trang respectively, or simply take the Coast Road straight from Phan Thiet.
To avoid the police on the coast road just out of Mui Ne make sure you read the first few paragraphs and look at the map in this guide.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hey Tom,
Thanks for the super fast response. Just a couple of follow up questions.
1. From Phan Thiet, I can head into Mui Ne and then continue the route to Dalat and then meet back at Nha Trang as you’d recommended. This should be 8 days in total, with about ~150 km (4 Hours) riding everyday?
2. Would it be possible to camp anywhere on the route that you’ve suggested?
3. Is there anything “special” I’ll be missing in the train journey from HCMC -> Phan Thiet.
Thanks for all the help and a Merry Christmas!
Yes, that’s possible.
The best parts of the Coast Road are between Mui Ne and Nha Trang, and Tuy Hoa to just north of Quy Nhon, so it doesn’t matter much if you take the train to Phan Thiet and miss the first section.
For camping take a look at this guide.
Tom
Hey Tom,
We had an INCREDIBLE ride today from Bao Loc to our airbnb which is in between Cam Rahn and Nha Trang (you have to stay here one time, it’s a treehouse for $35 a night and it is amazing!).
The QL20/QL27 and DT656 were great. The start of DT656 was under contstruction (it was basically a big quarry), so we went along a road adjacent to it. We covered 265ks today. Ryan absolutely loved the descent with switch backs on DT656 and QL20 (I think it was on those).
Question: Currently looking for accommodation between Quy Nhon and Hoi An. There doesn’t seem to be much at all except for a hotel called Sa Huynh Resort, which has some awful reviews.
Your guides have helped us so much!
Hi Anna,
Great to hear you enjoyed that ride – the ‘quarry section’ of DT656 is just the old road; the new one is the one adjacent to it that you took, but when I mapped that route the new road wasn’t showing on Google Maps so I couldn’t include it 🙂
I’ve heard of the Treehouse near Cam Ranh – my friend stayed there recently and told me about it. Sounds great, I can’t wait to visit.
Between Quy Nhon and Hoi An, you can stay at Trung Luong Camping (but that’s not far north of Quy Nhon), but after that there are some hotels at Tam Quan before the Coast Road joins Highway 1, and then Quang Ngai city, and My Khe beach (just east of Quang Ngai), and a few places in and around Tam Ky and Tam Thanh beach – as well as Sa Huynh, of course, which isn’t too bad for a night stop by the beach.
I hope you enjoy it – I’m jealous: at the beach now, but have to head back to Saigon soon.
Tom
Hi Anna
We are planning a trip to Vietnam next year. What is the name of your airbnb? (The treehouse)
Cheers
Katrina
Hi Katrina,
It’s Tony’s Tree House – Google it and it’ll come up.
Tom
Ps: I mean 18 days minus 3-4 days in Saigon equal 14 days on the road
Hi Tom,
You are ‘responsible’ for 5th trip to Vietnam this summer, first time at that time of year. Your blog pops into my mailbox regularly and the last post was one too many to resist! So, thank you again for sharing your passion.
Two questions for you: I’ll be in Saigon for 18 days starting early July, renting a scooter and heading north, possibly as a loop coast/inland. I have friends in Hoi An but concerned 14 days (minus the 3-4 days in Saigon) might be too short to push up there and not be constantly on the saddle. Ideally I’d like to ride every couple days and find cool discovery spots in between (food is a big focus).
– Which itinerary would you recommend to get a taste of coast and inland? (It’s my first time in that central part)
– is there any significant difference between weather between Saigon and Dalat, and further up between Nha Trang and Hoi An?
Thanks again!!
Noemi
Hi Noemi,
The weather at that time of year will be quite similar all along the coast: hot and humid with tropical downpours in the afternoons. In Dalat it will be much cooler, particularly in the evenings, but also quite wet.
14 days is OK, but it’s probably a good idea to put your bike on the train from Saigon to somewhere like Mui Ne or Nha Trang and start there instead (or you can get your rental company to ship in there in advance for you to pick it up). For more about sending your bike on the train from Saigon to Mui Ne this this.
This would give you time to head up the coastal road outlined on this page from Mui Ne to Quy Nhon, then you could head inland to meet the Ho Chi Minh Road from Plieku or Kon Tum all the way to Kham Duc or Thanh My and then head back down to the coast again for Hoi An. For more about this route see sections 2 & 3 of this guide.
I hope this helps,
Tom
i only recently learned to drive a motorbike (while traveling in Vietnam, which has quickly become my favorite country, & i can see why you moved here) – your blog is giving me all kinds of good ideas, just wanted to thank you for these posts – & the detailed maps accompanying them. so far my longest trip has only been from Hoi An to Hue (& back to Da Nang a few days later to return the bike – i did travel part of the way up further towards Dong Hoi but didn’t have enough time to do the whole Phong Nha spelunking thing & wanted to save that road for when i do…) & traveling over the Hai Van Pass was magical – can see why everyone waxes poetic over that road, & on my way back to Da Nang i even saw a couple having their wedding photographs taken along one of the “selfie strips” where everyone pulls over to take in the view! i’m hoping to try one of your Saigon-Hanoi routes next time i visit – if i can get a good helmet-cam so i’m not pulling over every 5 minutes to snap photos…
my favorite bikes rented thus far have been Nouvos – pleasantly surprised to see that’s what you drive – anyway enough fanboy babble from me – keep up the great posts, perhaps i shall see you & Stavros on the road someday!
Hi Chessie,
Thanks, it’s really great to hear that you’ve been enjoying my website and that you like Vietnam so much.
I hope that you get lots more chances to go on road trips all over the country and see even more of what Vietnam has to offer.
And, yes, perhaps Stavros and I will bump into you one day 🙂
Tom
Hi, I love the information you provide and thank you for doing such an excellent job. I am planning on riding from HCM to Hanoi with a friend. We will be renting the Honda Winner 150cc and leaving on Feb 27th with arrival in Hanoi no later than March 8th. We are considering taking a train to Mui Ne and bypassing the ride out of HCM. We have talked with a guide and he recommends we start out trip in Danang. We would like to ride the beach route but want to know if we are pushing it by trying to complete the ride in 10days?? Also what are your feeling about starting in Danang and missing everything south? Aside from us paying the rental fee of the bikes our guide will be charging us $130. US per day per person. Do this sound reasonable. Thank you for your guidance g
Hi Greg,
10 days is not really enough to ride from Mui Ne to Hanoi – it’s doable but you will probably need to cover more than 200km each day, which again is doable but not particularly relaxing and especially not if you’re not used to riding in Vietnam.
The north and the south are very different: in very general terms, the south is more about the beaches and the north is more about the mountains. However, at that time of year the weather will probably still be quite grey and cool north of Danang, whereas as south of Danang it’s good. So take that into consideration when making your decision.
Perhaps it’s best to start in Nha Trang and head to Danang – most motorbike rental companies should be able to arrange for you to pick up your motorbike in Nha Trang and return it to Hanoi.
$130 per day is OK. As a yardstick: when I travel with my family and we hire a driver it costs $100 per day, including the driver’s food and accommodation, and gas.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Tom, Thank you for your insight. I love reading your blog. It looks like the guide wants to start our trip in Danang and go north. I guess we will forgo the beaches for more mountain scenery. We will also have a more relaxing ride without pushing to many KM a day. If any more questions come up I will definitely contact you. All the best. Ride on !!! Greg
Hi Tom
First off, I should say that your blog is outstanding! I really appreciate for your detailed and informative share. Your blog has information that I couldn’t find any other websites. Thank you so much 🙂
I’m visiting Vietnam from 19th of January to 2nd of February, in and out from Da Nang. My initial plan for this trip is scooting around little bit of Vietnam, but no fixed plan regarding where to head. Thanks to you, I could get the dimmest idea of routes I want to take. (Da Nang to Saigon on the coast line, Saigon to Da Nang on the inland route which was suggested from your blog.) As I have 14 days in Vietnam, my plan is to spend 10 days on the road (round trip to Saigon from Da Nang) and spend 2-3 days in Saigon.
Your blog had all the necessary information I need for this motorbike trip (Even infos about swimming pool! I always check out pools whenever I visit new places. One of the reasons why I want to stay in Saigon for at least 2 days.), but I have a couple of questions if you don’t mind answering.
First one is about motorbike. The smallest motorbike I rode was a scooter and the biggest motorbike was Honda cb600F. I’m debating over which motorbike I should rent: Honda Blade 110cc or Honda XR 150cc. I feel like 110cc wouldn’t be powerful enough for me, but at the same time I’m not planning to enjoy the speed for this trip. It’s more about enjoying the scenery on the way. In that case, do you think 110cc is sufficient enough for me? (Not to forget, it’s cheaper.)
Also, it may sound a bit foolish, but I was wondering if it’s safe to go on a motorbike trip on my own. I’m pretty small Korean woman, which I believe puts me in to different position than of yours. I’m not worried about riding motorbike itself as I have done it in Korea, Philippines, Guam, and Amsterdam-Germany/Belgium. I presume going on a motorbike trip in Vietnam would be similar to the one I had in Philippines, but that time I was with friends and I could speak the language. I’m not concerned about big cities like Da Nang or Hanoi, but small towns or remote areas on the way. In your opinion, do you think I should be concerned about overall safety? (In regards of rape, burglary, etc)
Looking forward to your reply and thank you for taking your time!
Hi Beatrice,
Yes, certainly a Honda Blade is sufficient to cover any of the routes that are on my website. However, some people do prefer the XR because of the extra power etc. but it’s definitely not necessary, unless you’re planning to go off-road of course.
I don’t think you need to be worried about travelling as a solo Korean woman in Vietnam. Vietnam is still a lot safer and more hospitable country to travel in compared to many Western nations. Just take all the normal precautions you would when travelling anywhere else and you should be fine. One difference might be that, because you are Asian, you may get treated a little differently from ‘white travellers’. For example, you will probably be mistaken as Vietnamese occasionally, and people might just assume that you speak the language. This is more likely to happen in remote areas than in more cosmopolitan places where tourists often go.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom,
it is possible to avoid the 25 Km just in front of Tam Ky. There are ferrys that connect Tam Hai island with the mainland. We made this part on july, when we startet from Hoi An via Quang Ngai to ride the road east of the long mountains, wich was fantastic. You can just ride on the ferry and then over the island and go back on the mainland with another very small ferry. Thats very funny.
Thank you Tom for your great work!!
Me and my familie and friends made a lot of your suggested tours, north, south, central…. and we loved them all.
Thanks for your inspiration!
Best regards Sven
Hi Sven,
That’s great! Thanks. I did try to do that last summer, but I was told there weren’t any boats. I’ll definitely persevere next time.
Thanks for the tip, and it’s great to hear you enjoyed riding around the country last July.
Tom
Hi Ton, im going to do the road trip Ha Tien .
So many things to do . Thank you for your great job . For the last one you’ve posted right now i’m really exited to do it in the future
We have on your website so many informations and plans and so many ideas ….
Do you have a road tripto go to Ca Mau ??? Take a flight first and rent scooter . hanks a lot again
Hi Marie,
Glad you like the guides.
Yes, I’ve written a guide to riding to Ca Mau here, but it hasn’t been updated for a while.
I hope this helps,
Tom