Tourist info is all available on Google.A personal thing with our own likes/dislikes so a report just on bike/gear,roads,route and the ride itself.
Home base Vung Tau
The Bike: A new Honda Future 125 underbone.
The Gear: Rear rack and throwover pannier frames fitted in Vung Tau.Motodry throwover panniers from home were ideal.Too small local roll bag on the rack and a small shoulder bag down in the U.A small made up tool kit, puncture kit and pump.Local mesh seat cove was 40,000vnd well spent.
The Pilot/co-pilot:97kg of old and deaf Aussie & (No way)kg of not that old Vietnamese/Aussie = well overloaded Future.
THE RIDE----:happy5:
VUNG TAU-BA RIA: Expressway conditions with appropriate policing
BA RIA-NGAI GAIO-LONG KAHN:Good quiet road,compared to the alternative Vung Tau-Saigon Road its a dream.
LONG KAHN-DAU GIAY:This section of Hwy 1 is good but the traffic can be overwhelming.
DAU GIAY-BAO LOC: Here the fun really starts. The road was stuffed,broken,busted,pot holes,dirt & dust.Overloaded with trucks and buses of all types and sizes.As the road climbed the surface and traffic improved, the closer to Bao Loc the better it got.A good ride and nice tea country when you get up into the hills.Overnight in Bao Loc ,a favourite town of mine tho not sure why as its nothing exiting,I just like the place.
BAO LOC-DALAT:A great ride up the very scenic mountain road with views,pagodas,waterfall,cool (can be cold)and nice.The road is in fair condition but watch for crazy bus/truck drivers.Lots of busted trucks with bits being removed on the steep bits.The warning green tree branch used by most but not all.
DALAT: Nice place if you don't hit the Dalat Flower Festival 29/12-5/1.Nothing wrong with flowers or bonsai trees its just the million extra people, closed roads,lack of accommodation, LOUD outdoor music concert thingies and the rip off prices that go with it all we didn't like.Two nights in hotels,rides around the back roads checking out the mountain views and small villages and we were ready to head to the coast.Nice area up there in the hills & cool to cold.
DALAT-NHA TRANG: Down the mountain, WoooooooHoooo, and a great ride. Brilliant views, rough hard but beautiful country with few people or services.
Absolutely freezing in the fog on one section.
Lots of the road was in terrible condition, downright dangerous with bike eating pot holes,broken surfaces over large areas with road base rocks being spread far and wide by all the bus truck traffic.All good fun on the bike as a single track is always available.My idea of a fun ride .
Lots of road works going on so all this could change,eventually.
Good coffee stop on the bottom of the mountain then the pleasant ride through rice fields and farms.A great days ride with lots of view and coffee stops it was still early into Nah Trang where we were pounced on by a old mate spotting for the "Nice Hotel"All good as that's where we were heading,and he's a good bloke paid spotting fee by the Nice.
NHA TRANG:Was once one of my pick spots,but now not so much.Still a beautiful area with lots of things to do and see but now also heaps of tourists,expats running restaurants(some with very ordinary to crook food) and shops at rip off prices(cafe sua da for 80,000vnd ? yeah right,how about 12,000) Hard to find good local food and coffee at normal local prices unless you move out of the tourist areas.
Far too many signs in only Russian,no English or Viet,plus unfriendly, surly looking tourists, some with a bad attitude. Over the bridge on the other side of town will be our place to stay next visit.We did some tourist things,had a look around to see how much the place had changed(heaps)then prepared for the off.We were disappointed with the new Nha Trang,but I suppose it all depends what your looking for.
To be continued---The sun is shining and my RD350LC rebuild calls :wave:
Home base Vung Tau
The Bike: A new Honda Future 125 underbone.
The Gear: Rear rack and throwover pannier frames fitted in Vung Tau.Motodry throwover panniers from home were ideal.Too small local roll bag on the rack and a small shoulder bag down in the U.A small made up tool kit, puncture kit and pump.Local mesh seat cove was 40,000vnd well spent.
The Pilot/co-pilot:97kg of old and deaf Aussie & (No way)kg of not that old Vietnamese/Aussie = well overloaded Future.
THE RIDE----:happy5:
VUNG TAU-BA RIA: Expressway conditions with appropriate policing
BA RIA-NGAI GAIO-LONG KAHN:Good quiet road,compared to the alternative Vung Tau-Saigon Road its a dream.
LONG KAHN-DAU GIAY:This section of Hwy 1 is good but the traffic can be overwhelming.
DAU GIAY-BAO LOC: Here the fun really starts. The road was stuffed,broken,busted,pot holes,dirt & dust.Overloaded with trucks and buses of all types and sizes.As the road climbed the surface and traffic improved, the closer to Bao Loc the better it got.A good ride and nice tea country when you get up into the hills.Overnight in Bao Loc ,a favourite town of mine tho not sure why as its nothing exiting,I just like the place.
BAO LOC-DALAT:A great ride up the very scenic mountain road with views,pagodas,waterfall,cool (can be cold)and nice.The road is in fair condition but watch for crazy bus/truck drivers.Lots of busted trucks with bits being removed on the steep bits.The warning green tree branch used by most but not all.
DALAT: Nice place if you don't hit the Dalat Flower Festival 29/12-5/1.Nothing wrong with flowers or bonsai trees its just the million extra people, closed roads,lack of accommodation, LOUD outdoor music concert thingies and the rip off prices that go with it all we didn't like.Two nights in hotels,rides around the back roads checking out the mountain views and small villages and we were ready to head to the coast.Nice area up there in the hills & cool to cold.
DALAT-NHA TRANG: Down the mountain, WoooooooHoooo, and a great ride. Brilliant views, rough hard but beautiful country with few people or services.
Absolutely freezing in the fog on one section.
Lots of the road was in terrible condition, downright dangerous with bike eating pot holes,broken surfaces over large areas with road base rocks being spread far and wide by all the bus truck traffic.All good fun on the bike as a single track is always available.My idea of a fun ride .
Lots of road works going on so all this could change,eventually.
Good coffee stop on the bottom of the mountain then the pleasant ride through rice fields and farms.A great days ride with lots of view and coffee stops it was still early into Nah Trang where we were pounced on by a old mate spotting for the "Nice Hotel"All good as that's where we were heading,and he's a good bloke paid spotting fee by the Nice.
NHA TRANG:Was once one of my pick spots,but now not so much.Still a beautiful area with lots of things to do and see but now also heaps of tourists,expats running restaurants(some with very ordinary to crook food) and shops at rip off prices(cafe sua da for 80,000vnd ? yeah right,how about 12,000) Hard to find good local food and coffee at normal local prices unless you move out of the tourist areas.
Far too many signs in only Russian,no English or Viet,plus unfriendly, surly looking tourists, some with a bad attitude. Over the bridge on the other side of town will be our place to stay next visit.We did some tourist things,had a look around to see how much the place had changed(heaps)then prepared for the off.We were disappointed with the new Nha Trang,but I suppose it all depends what your looking for.
To be continued---The sun is shining and my RD350LC rebuild calls :wave: