Across the stretch of the 130 kilometre (80 mile) road from Hoi An to Hue, there is the Hai Van Pass, famous for motorbiking in Vietnam. The television show Top Gear featured it in 2008, but I’ve never seen the show… But the show bolstered Hai Van Pass’ popularity and now you can see motorbiking packages branded as the “Top Gear” Experience.
While it’s not exactly a hidden gem, there is a reason why the Hai Van Pass is such a famous spot. It is an easy ride through scenic mountains and valleys along the coast. The road is also paved relatively well, making it a very comfortable ride.
Back home, I ride motorcycles but never thought of riding a motorbike in Vietnam until a friend of mine I was travelling with suggested it. The four of us flew in Ho Chi Minh before flying into Nha Trang and then to Hoi An.
After Hoi An though, we had no definite plans to get to our next destination, Hue. And you know, a bit of planned spontaneity is the spark of all great memories (coining this phrase - it’s gold). So no planned way to get to Hue - there were options. Bus, renting a car, flying. I wanted the experience of doing something brave so I rented a motorcycle.
Most people rent scooters instead of motorcycles. And tours come in different forms depending on your comfort level. You can ride them yourself, ride alongside a travel guide, and also you can ride on the back of a scooter if you prefer.
Although I chose a motorcycle, a Suzuki GZ150, thinking that I can ride it in the same way back home, I would advise against it and rent a scooter instead. I thought I would look super cool, but you don’t need the power and nobody rides that type of motorbike. It also makes it harder to navigate when you are on a busy road with a lot of other bikes around.
Views along the Hai Van Pass
There are a few different tour operators out there, some homestays can even book these for you. I went with Motorvina because I wanted a motorcycle and not all operators will have it. With renting a scooter, you have more options.
The Hai Van Pass is an hour and a bit from Hoi An, a leisure day ride if you’re staying in Hoi An for a few days. En-route, you will also go through Da Nang where you can stop for the beaches or other attractions there. From Da Nang, it’s just another 30 minutes to the Hai Van Pass.
If you’re coming from one of the large cities like Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh and see the sheer amount of scooters on the road and feel nervous about riding, there is a reason why the Hai Van Pass is popular, especially when you leave from Hoi An or Da Nang. Most of the traffic now goes through the Hai Van Tunnel. Trucks and large vehicles travel through the tunnel to go from city to city, leaving the Hai Van Pass a carry-over from a simpler time and also making it an easy ride with minimal dangers.
The summit is a little busy - there are a few restaurants and shops around, as well as many tourists making their washroom stop. But there will be quieter spots through the pass and some cool little vista points that you can pull over.
Now, if you’re on a day trip, then you’ll make your way back to your respective cities. For me, I wanted that story - I wanted to say that I rode from city to city in Vietnam. I decided to push forward to Hue where I was to meet my travel companions. Before leaving Hoi An, I arranged for my rental company to take my luggage to my next stop. This is usually an extra cost (a few dollars), and that way, my luggage safely makes its way to Hue and I don’t have to lug… well luggage on my bike.
Ride with a guide if you’d be more comfortable with that.
If you’re on the way to Hue from Hoi An, at the bottom of the pass, you’ll also come across Lang Co Beach. It’s a resort-y type of spot that you can actually detour towards. But even if you keep going, you’ll get some great coastal views.
Views of Lang Co.
That’s what I did, I kept riding to Hue and I’m so glad I pushed forth, I came out of the Hai Van Pass, went through a tunnel, and this amazing rice paddy field came into view. It was a picture perfect moment, it was what I had always imagined Vietnam would be. And I say picture perfect but I did not get a picture, there was no safe way to pull over at the time, awkward.
It is a long ride from Hoi An to Hue, it’s about 130KM so about 3 hours of straight riding. If you account for stops during the Hai Van Pass, that’s another hour. And then also accounting for stops after Hai Van Pass (which I highly recommend - more on that later), this might add another 1 or 2 hours. For me, it took me about 7 hours to do the entire trip and I also left Hoi An later in the day, this meant I arrived at Hue in the dark, which is not ideal for a silly tourist on a large motorcycle.
Random fishing village after the Hai Van Pass
My tip for you is to get your day started early, get a scooter, a long sleeve shirt (it’s sunny out here) and maybe bring a face mask. The rental company will provide helmets and all that, but it is smoggy and dusty on the road.
Take it slow and see what catches your eye. I’ve made random stops when I saw an interesting road and it took me to these quiet village-like areas where it felt like authentically Vietnam. Take those quiet moments to enjoy it - those stops are what made the entire trip.
“My tip is to get your day started early, get a scooter, a long sleeve shirt and maybe bring a face mask. ”
And as I approached Hue, in the dark, there was something to expect. All along the way, there isn’t that much traffic so it’s a nice ride on paved roads and relatively empty roads. Once you hit Hue, the volume of scooters will be a bit overwhelming. Like I mentioned, I was on this large, unwieldy bike that felt out of place and made it hard to ride side by side other scooters. I felt anxious riding in the city. Your best bet is to model your riding with the locals and do as they do. Go with the flow of traffic and those roundabouts are a doozy but you can conquer them.
As I dropped off the bike at in Hue, there was a definite sense of accomplishment. I rode a motorcycle in Vietnam! From city to city! And this was an experience I could only have by being a little courageous. My lasting takeaway is to try it - even if you don’t want to go all the way from Hoi An to Hue (or the other way around), take a motorbike to Hai Van Pass. Stay safe but what’s travelling without a little bit of courage?
If you have questions, please feel free to email me!
quick tips
Pricing: A one day rental should not cost more than $30 USD per day. You should be able to get one around $15 USD per day.
Luggage: If you’re doing a ride from one city to another, most rental companies will provide a luggage delivery service for an extra fee. This way you don’t have to worry about your luggage on your bike if you decide to step away and take some pictures.
Navigation: If you have a SIM card, then you can navigate using your phone. Just get a phone holder to attach on your bike. You don’t want to stress about the traffic and navigating at the same time.