Central & South Vietnam 18 to 28 March 2024

On the way to Da Nang

Rode out of Hue in brilliant weather. Heading to Da Nang. This was a short run so took the backroads. There was a pass that I wanted to do, the Hai Van Pass. This is a pass that is really recommended by bikers and advertised widely. So, I was excited, in a way. Well, it was an anti-climax. I kinda anticipated this. I had been warned by some other bikers that it wasn’t that good. The problem is that after Northeast Vietnam and the Ho Chi Minh trail this was a walk in the park, literary. It is spectacular in a way, but the road surface is really good, and the corners are wide sweeping fast corners. Unfortunately, the viewpoint was closed as they were renovating it. This is the famous viewpoint where all the photos are made. From here you can see the road twisting and winding around the mountain. Still, it was a good ride.

On the way to Da Nang

Wide sweeping fast corners to Da Nang

I stopped off in Da Nang for the night. I wanted to look at the Dragon bridge, “Cau Rong” This is a modern bridge over the river Han. It is 666mtr long and 27,5mtr wide and has 6 lanes for traffic and two footpaths. It was opened to traffic on March 29, 2013. The bridge was designed and built in the shape of a dragon and every Saturday and Sunday night it breathes fire and water at 9 pm. Every night it is lit up and slowly changes colour. It’s a nice lightshow. I wasn’t there at the weekend so missed the fire and water, but the light show was good.

My first glimpse of Cau Rong or Dragon Bridge in Da Nang

Me at Dragon Bridge Da Nang

Lightshow of Dragon Bridge Da Nang

Da Nang

Vietnamese coffee, I love it

Da Nang at night

Fishing boats Da Nang

It was a really short hop from here to Hoi An. I made a little detour to run over Ban Co Peak. But unfortunately, there was a military operation happening and I was not allowed to circle the peninsula. I had to turn back; the road was closed.

On the way to Hoi An…Hard to see but there is a massive snake in there

Ban Co Peak, The Mysterious Chessboard Peak

Ban Co Peak

Ban Co Peak

Ho An Beach

Hoi An translates as peaceful place. It is an UNESCO World heritage site. It is also known as the city of lanterns, and this is for good reason. At night the city is lit up with thousands of lanterns. It is a fantastic sight to see. Lanterns of every shape and colour dotted all over the place. Boats decked out with lanterns lazily meandering down the river. People floating candles in cardboard holders down the river. It is a kaleidoscope of colour.

Hoi An

Hoi An translates as peaceful place. It is an UNESCO World heritage site.

Hoi An translates as peaceful place. It is an UNESCO World heritage site.

Hoi An is also known as the City of Lanterns

Hoi An is also known as the City of Lanterns

Add to that a colourful night market and the picture is complete. Every evening, I was down on the river. Old town is the historic centre and is a well-preserved example of a 16th century South Eastern Asia trading post. It’s streets and alleyways reflecting the foreign influences over the centuries.

The colourful night market of Hoi An

Hoi An the City of Lanterns at night

Hoi An the City of Lanterns at night

One of the highlights being the covered Japanese Bridge, dating from late 16th to early 17th century. Unfortunately, the bridge was closed for an extensive renovation when I was there.

Japanese bridge undergoing renovation

The historical centre is closed to traffic. Only pedestrians, bicycles and scooters are allowed. You can buy a book of tickets granting access to some of the historical buildings, temples, and a theatre performance. The money goes into the preservation of the buildings. I bought these and planned a little route for myself. Unfortunately, the Japanese Bridge and one of the temples was closed. Went to a performance in the theatre. Vietnamese traditional song, music, and dance. Gives a better insight into the culture. Also visited a traditional Vietnamese house. The old house of Duc An. This house was in the same family for 3 generations. The woodwork and the layout were amazing. A lot of living was done outdoors. Rooms were bright and airy. Life in Hoi An also revolved around the assembly halls. These were meeting and communal gathering places. Chinese pagodas and temples also abound and were visited. To get an idea check out the like named photo album, link below.

Quan Cong Temple Hoi An

Phuc Khien Assembly Hall Hoi An

Phuc Khien Assembly Hall Hoi An

The Ba Mu Temple Gate

Fujian Assembly Hall Hoi An

Hoi An Market

Ho An Market

Quang Trieu or Cantonese Assembly Hall Hoi An

Quang Trieu or Cantonese Assembly Hall Hoi An

The old house of Duc An Hoi An

The peaceful city of Hoi An

I also visited a temple complex, “My Son Sanctuary”, just outside of Hoi An. It is another UNESCO world heritage site. It dates from the 4th to the 13th century. It was the main worship centre for the Champa Kingdom, bearing strong ties to Hinduism. Temples were built to the deities Krishna, Vishnu and Shiva, who is the main deity. Ravages of time, war and the jungle have taken their toll on this complex. Also, a lot of the statues were robbed and are now in European museums and private collections. If the statue was too big and heavy to take intact, then its head was cut off. Efforts are being made to get these back. The complex is being renovated and the jungle around is being demined. Like many places in Vietnam there are a lot of mines left and also a lot of unexploded bombs.

Ancient Temple complex My Son Sanctuary Hoi An

Ancient Temple complex My Son Sanctuary Hoi An

Ancient Temple complex My Son Sanctuary Hoi An

Saying Goodbye to Hoi An

Then it was back to the mountains to a place called Kon Tum. This was a mountain road, small and in bad shape. This was just a one-night stop. It is a nice little local town. I stayed in a crazy little hotel owned by an artist called Osin. The whole place and garden was just an artwork, based on the Feng Shui principles.

Oil Change Kon Tum

Kon Tum, Communal Hall

Osin, owner of an eccentric little hotel Kon Tum

That’s me leaving the eccentric little hotel Kon Tum in the morning

Then back to the coast. Another bad mountain road, to a place called Quy Nhon.

Petrol station on the road to Quy Nhon

This place has a nice beach so stopped for a day. We were now gonna ride down the coast and take in some nice beaches. Yep, life is a beach and I can be a right son of a beach at times… like now.

Quy Nhon Beach

Quy Nhon

Ice coffee in the morning Quy Nhon

Next beach was Nha Trang, but first a quick pit stop in Mui Dien. This is the most eastern point of Vietnam. The place that catches the first rays of sunlight as it rises on Vietnam. This involved a brisk hike. Absolutely no fun dressed in my bike gear and 35c temperatures. Add a steep climb and a load of stone steps and you get the picture. But I just had to do it and I was making good time.

On the road to Nha Trang

On the road to Nha Trang

Mui Dien. This is the most eastern point of Vietnam

Mui Dien. This is the most eastern point of Vietnam

Hiking up to Mui Dien, the most eastern point of Vietnam

Mui Dien. This is the most eastern point of Vietnam…and me

The view from Mui Dien. The most eastern point of Vietnam

Mui Dien …. the most eastern point of Vietnam…. well deserved drink after a hot hike

Then on to Nha Trang. The road was fantastic offering some really nice viewpoints and a glimpse into the lives of the simple fishing villagers. They use a round basket type boat. It looks like a big basin. Nha Trang has a nice beach with golden sand.

On the road to Nha Trang

On the road to Nha Trang

On the road to Nha Trang

Fishing boats on the way to Nha Trang

Ho Pho Da…we arrived in Nha Trang

Nha Trang beach

Went to see the Ponagar Cham Towers or Po Nagar. This is a Cham Temple tower completed in 781 and dedicated the goddess of the country Lady Yan Po Nagar. She is widely believed to be the founder of the Cham people. Legend has it that she was conceived from the union of a dragon and a fairy. This temple is still in really good shape and used as a worship place to this day. But all its ancient statues have been looted.