Ho Chi Minh Trail - Da Lat to Hoi An, Vietnam

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I left Saigon and headed North to the mountain village of Da Lat in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. I came in search of a few things; respite from the heat and a motorcycle to ride through the interior of the country on the legendary Ho Chi Minh Trail. So I hopped a bus for eight hours and $180,000VND. Once at the station same story - push aside the taxi mafia and walk off into the darkness hoping for the best. And as usual someone came by and provided assistance in the way of a free ride to a nice guesthouse in the city centre. The man's name was Chilli. I asked him why he was called that and he said he liked his food extra spicy. I said we'd get along just fine.

Turns out Chilli had a motorcycle I could rent and ride to Hoi An some 700 miles away. But before I could discuss the journey and wrap my mind around how to get there, I wanted to spend a couple of days in Da Lat. The first thing I noticed about this pleasant mountain town is that it was colder than I ever would have expected. When I say cold, I mean maybe 65 degrees F. But when you've been in 100+ degrees F for the past 5 months or so, 65 is cold. Man how things have changed for me. I had to wear pants and I cannot remember the last time that has happened. That being said, the cool mountain air was certainly a welcome change from the sweltering temperatures of the lowlands in SE Asia. Whilst in town I decided to rent a moto and ride up to Lang Biang - the highest peak at 2,167 Meters in the mountain ranges above Da Lat City. I made the 8KM return hike to the top of the peak and took in the surrounding views of the valley below. The mountains here are covered in evergreen pines which I did not expect to see in Vietnam. Closing my eyes and breathing in the crisp mountain air, I could have been back in my beloved Colorado.

Really a nice hike and a very enjoyable afternoon. The rest of my time in Da lat was spent hanging around the lake and just taking it easy watching life go by. A nice city and even nicer to be off of the beaten tourist track of coastal Vietnam and one of the incentives for coming this way.

My next order of business was striking a deal with Chilli to get to Hoi An. I had a couple of options; 1.) I could rent a motorcycle from him and go alone for the four day journey. I was hesitant to do this on my own in case I encountered any problems on the road with the bike and I really wanted a guide to get detailed information on the history of the area. 2.) Ride my own bike and follow Chilli with his bike for $70 a day. This is what I wanted to do, but Chilli was hesitant as he would have to send a bike back to Da Lat via bus which is costly. I was hesitant due to the $70 a day price tag. 3.) We ride together on one bike with Chilli driving in the chaos of the cites and me driving in the calm of the countryside for $50 a day. Agreed. We set off the next morning on what would turn out to be an epic ride.

Riding out of the mountains that surround Da Lat City the hills are covered in coffee plantations. It was explained to me that back in the 60's and 70's the entire area was covered in native jungle and their were only tiny farming communities amidst the lush countryside. Now partly due to the American bombing and defoliation in the war and mostly due to the North Vietnamese propensity for slash and burn agriculture their is little to no jungle left in this area. An entire ecosystem has been wiped out in forty years.

Regardless of my thoughts on the state of the environment and the way people mismanage and destroy nature, riding on a motorcycle in the mountains of Vietnam was a dream come true. Vietnam is nice because it has things like infrastructure. A big bonus in SE Asia. The roads are in good condition and you don't have to think to much as you cruise along making your way down the smooth asphalt. We made a few stops including a silk work farm and weaving factory - not so interesting to me, a coffee plantation - I don't drink coffee and I already learned the process in Colombia, and a rice wine distillery - super interesting! This little shop had a home made still and massive vats of rice wine fermenting away. True Vietnamese bootleg liquor and at 70% it will knock you to the ground.

As we continued to cruise around the curvy mountain road we weaved our way to the tiny hamlet of Lak Lake. Here we would stay for the night. We had now made it deep into the countryside close to the Eastern border of Cambodia in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. This area of the world is home to the minority hilltribe people of the country and I felt like I was back in Indonesia with the way the faces and dress of the local people had changed from what I had become accustomed to since my arrival in Vietnam. A thrilling day to say the least and a fitting end as the sun sunk into the rice fields amongst the farmers of this little village.

This motorcycle journey was an incredible adventure and something I will never forget. Retracing the footsteps of history by cruising down the Ho Chi Minh Trail was exhilarating. Chilli really knows his stuff and his insight and knowledge into the war was fascinating to listen to. He being of South Vietnam (or The Republic as he called it) all of his stories had a South Vietnamese spin and he was very harsh with his words on the people of The North. This country is still very much divided and Chilli's views are not the only example I have witnessed for me to come to this belief.

The journey through the countryside and villages would often alternate from dry and arid farmlands to lush green mountains cascading to the valleys below. It kept things interesting and it was hard to keep my eyes on the road whilst driving. In SE Asia when you drive, you can never go on auto-pilot, so I had to be careful and do my best to remain focused. During the journey we visited National Parks with massive waterfalls, we ate local foods at little shacks on the side of the road. We met random people who offered us random things - from coffee to pythons. All things that you would expect (or not expect) when riding a motorcycle through a country. Having a local guide just enhanced these experiences and reinforced my decision to take someone along with me even if it cost a little extra.

The final day we rode down the jungle covered mountains and towards the coast to the ancient city of Hoi An. My anticipation swelled about the destination and making it to the coast of Central Vietnam four days after I left the Central Highlands.

We rode into Hoi An and I said my goodbyes to the incomparable Chilli. An excellent riding partner and he really provided me with some memories on this ultimate adventure on a motorcycle. Hoi An is the fabled and beautiful city on the coast of Central Vietnam just South of Da Nang. Built in the 15th century by Japanese and Chinese trading merchants, the city has retained its historical buildings and was declared a UNESCO Heritage Site. The city is absolutely stunning to walk through and it is like going back into time. Yes their are thousands of tourists here, but we are here for a reason - the beauty and atmosphere. Although many of the original buildings remain, the business of Hoi An is no longer a sea trading port. Now every building is a tailor shop or art studio. Here for as little as $100 you can have a custom fitted suit tailor made in a day or two. Shirts, hand made shoes, dresses, trousers are all available to you. The last thing I wanted to buy was another suit and I've been wearing the same clothes for ten years. Shopping is not my forte. If it is yours, you would be in paradise here in Hoi An. I was content to stroll the streets and people watch during my time here. Being on the coast I rented a bicycle one day and rode to the beach for a fresh grilled fish lunch on the sand. A lovely spot and a lovely city, but this journey will always be about the ride that got me here. Now I head North, on the train and as the days go by and turn into weeks my journey home continues.

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Photos

lake
Da Lat Lake is seen here with Lang Biang mountain in the background.

lunch
This was definately a great spot for a lunch after a 5km bicycle ride to the beach.

night
Nightime Hoi An, the lanterns floating down the river, pure magic.

Lang Biang Hike
Lost?

Lang Biang Hike
Top of the World!