Exploring Vietnam on two wheels

I’d rather have a passport full of stamps than a house full of stuff.

Xin chào!!!
Vietnam is a beautiful and diverse country; from bustling cities and charming villages to stunning natural landscapes, you’ll be amazed by everything this incredible country with its friendly and hospitable people, which was not so long ago destroyed by war, has to offer. To experience all of this, I decided to explore Vietnam on two wheels. So come on a cycling adventure across Vietnam with me – you won’t be disappointed!

On October 29th, 2022, I flew to Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam taking my cycle along. My plan was to ride down south all the way to Ho Chi Minh City (also known as Saigon) along the National Highway 1, covering a distance of approximately 1200 kilometers in under a month. This well-paved highway passes through several major cities and towns, including Ning Binh, Vinh, Hue, Da Nang, and Nha Trang.

I spent some time in Hanoi visiting the important heritage and tourist sites. I’ll be writing more about my experiences in Hanoi and other places I visited on this journey on my Let’s Travel blog.

 

November 9 – Hanoi

I assembled the cycle and decided to ride it around Hanoi to get used to navigating the traffic. Riding around wasn’t too difficult, as most people mention; you just have to go with the flow, and you’ll be fine.
Distance: 27.46km
Time: 3 hours 45 minutes
Hotel: San and San 1 in Hanoi
Route: https://www.strava.com/activities/8090991570

November 11 – Hanoi to Phủ Lý

On November 11th, I left Hanoi and headed for Ning Binh, which was about 110 kilometers away. The city was bustling with morning traffic at first, but as I left the city, the traffic thinned out and was mostly made up of large trucks and tourist buses heading south. The highway, which runs parallel to the railway line for most of the journey, is smooth and enjoyable to ride on. Along the way saw a number of factories that made marble statues just beside the highway.

Unfortunately, 35 kilometers before reaching Ning Binh, it began to rain, so I decided to check into a nearby hotel in Phủ Lý for the night.

Distance: 69.90km
Time: 4 hours 12 minutes
Hotel: Thủ Đô Vàng in Phủ Lý
Route: https://www.strava.com/activities/8100218840

November 12 – Phủ Lý to Ninh Binh

The road sign outside the hotel read “32 km to Ninh Binh.” Along the way, I took a few detours off the main highway to see some beautiful old Catholic churches, Buddhist temples, and a magnificent church under construction. I also came across a couple of exquisite palatial houses.
Distance: 49.5 km
Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
Hotel: Dai Ho in Ninh Binh
Route: https://www.strava.com/activities/8105127579

November 19 – Ninh Binh to Thanh Hoa

I initially planned to stay in Ninh Binh for just a day or two, but there was so much to see that I ended up staying for a week. While I was there, I cycled to all the tourist sites in the area (more on that in a separate post). It was nearing the end of the rainy season, and it rained nearly every day during my stay in Ninh Binh.

On the way to Thanh Hoa, I visited a beautiful church dedicated to Saint Phaolô Lê Bao Tinh, who was born in the Trinh-Ha village in the Thanh Hoa Province in 1793. The parish priest was very gracious and opened the church for me, showing me around.

I also saw a memorial to Vietnamese wartime youth fighters while I was nearing Thanh Hoa.

Distance: 43.67km
Time: 2 hours 50 minutes
Hotel: Kingsales in Thanh Hoa
Route: https://www.strava.com/activities/8137836953

November 20 – Thanh Hoa to Vinh

I stayed in Thanh Hoa for just one night because there wasn’t much to see there. The next morning, I set off on a 150-kilometer journey to Vinh, the longest ride I had taken so far. As I cycled, the highway followed the railroad line most of the way to Vinh. I also made a couple of detours to visit some churches and temples along the way.

Distance: 150.96km
Time: 8 hours 32 minutes
Hotel: Tecco Sky in Vinh
Route: https://www.strava.com/activities/8143576725

November 22 – Vinh to Ha Tinh

I stayed in Vinh for an extra day to recover from the previous day’s long ride. While there, I went to see the statue of Ho Chi Minh, which is the tallest in all of Vietnam, and the ruins of a citadel. It was overcast when I left the hotel the next morning, and about 10 kilometres into the ride, it began raining continuously. When I reached Ha Tinh, it was still raining, and as I was drenched, I decided to check into a hotel for the day.

Distance: 52.72km
Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
Hotel: Ngan Ha in Ha Tinh
Route: https://www.strava.com/activities/8151560283

November 23: Ha Tinh to Hue

Unfortunately, it rained heavily all day and into the next morning, and the weather forecast called for more showers in the next few days. As my one-month visa was also ending in a week, I decided to take an overnight, six-hour bus journey to Hue. The bus left Ha Tinh at 9pm and reached Hue at 3 in the morning.

 

November 27: Hue

My plan was to stay in Hue for a couple of days and then cycle to Danang via the Hai Van Pass. Sadly, the cycle front brake got damaged while I was transporting it by bus from Ha Tinh, so I decided to cycle to some of the nearby tourist sites in Hue instead.

Distance: 39.58km
Time: 5 hours 25 minutes
Hotel: Golden Star in Hue
Route: https://www.strava.com/activities/8175335486

November 28: Danang

I took the morning bus to Danang, which left Hue at 8am and took about 3 hours to reach. Thanks to a friend who arranged for an empty cycle box at the Giant cycle shop, I was able to get my cycle packed there and later took a Grab taxi to the airport. This temporarily ended my cycling adventure in Vietnam.

I plan to fly back to Danang in February 2023 and continue my cycling adventure from where I left off. This time, I also plan to cycle through Cambodia and Laos.

Suggestions:
1. The roads in Vietnam that I cycled on were smooth and free of potholes.
2. It is safe to ride on the highways in Vietnam; I have never encountered any instances of reckless driving.
3. You can easily find shops by the road side every few kilometers that sell bottled water, soft drinks, fruits, and coconuts.
4. There are excellent hotels in all the towns.
And the friendly and hospitable Vietnamese people will surely make your trip an unforgettable one.

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