Traveling Vietnam off the beaten track

Hey everyone!

For those who do not know me, I like to share a bit of my travels with you guys. Mostly for informative and fun purposes. This time I would like to tell you something about a trip me and my girlfriend made to Vietnam last year.

We traveled from the southern part all the way up north to the border of China. During our trip we traveled with some easy riders for a week.

A lot of people explore Vietnam by bike. Either they buy one, ride it and in the end sell it to another traveler. Alternative is an easy rider. Although I am licensed to drive a motor, we choose easy riders anyway because you will get to know the country so much better that way. After the war when tourism was introduced to the country, some Vietnamese people became guides. Some of them came up with the idea to let you travel with them on the back of their motorbike, whilst they show you around in the country.

No worries if you have a backpack

We had the opportunity to meet probably two of the coolest easy riders in the country. Two old man in their late 70’s who served in the war with the Americans. Their stories really gave so much background information and perspective about the history of this country.

We started in Da Lat. A small city that is an old France hilltop station. Da Lat is kind of the hometown for easy riders, you will find them on every corner with their little books full of recommendations from previous tourist. When we arrive at the restaurant our easy riders have their office (a friend tipped us about this company), we discussed our route. To see if we could get along (not unimportant if you’re going to be on 1 bike together for a week). we first drove around town for a few hours. We visited a lake, a waterfall and some old French villa’s. It was perfect.

The town of Da Lat

Lak lake near Buon Ma Thuot

The next day they picked us up at our hostel and after some financial formalities, we were on our way! Our destination: Hoi An. A picturesque beach town in the middle of Vietnam. Because our trip would lead us over an old highway (also known as the Ho Chi Minh Trail), more than 800 kilometers away. The HCM trail was a logical system that ran from North Vietnam to South Vietnam. Back in the days it was used to provide support in the form of manpower and materiel. Now it nice alternative for the crazy highway near the coast.

Our route crossed several towns including Buon Ma Thuot, Pleiku and Kon Tum. Along the way we stopped several times for all sorts of things. Waterfalls, coffee plantations, lakes, temples, factories etc. Also you will visit a lot of local people and minority groups who like to show you what they are making, baking or growing

Growing peppers and goats on a bike...

The bikes, reliable and solid.

I think the best part of the trip was just listening to the stories of the guides. The have a lot of experience and knowledge of the country. It is nice to spend the whole day with them and close the day with a proper meal together (they know the best places to eat with very cheap beer ;D).