Hanoi – HCMC / Mountains Motorbike Route 

This motorbike route between Hanoi & HCMC favours the mountains and the central highlands over the coastal sections in the south of Vietnam. Heading through Kon Tum, Pleiku, Buon Ma Thuot & Dak Lak instead of the beaches offers a more unique experience as the ethnic minorities in these regions present a different culture to the other areas of Vietnam. 

At just over 2000km this route can be completed in 2 weeks with at least 11 days of riding but it is recommended to take 3 weeks to allow for days exploring certain cities, regions and national parks for more than 1 day. 

Day by Day Route

This route can be reserved to start or finish in Hanoi or HCMC. 

A * represents a recommended extra night. 

Day 1 – Hanoi to Ninh Binh *

(optional 2 days to Cat Ba before **)

Day 2 – Ninh Binh to Thanh Chuong Tea Fields

(optional 1 or 2 days to Mai Chau / Pu Luong before heading south **)

Day 3 – Thanh Chuong Tea Field to Phong Nha *

Day 4 – Phong Nha to Khe Sanh

Day 5 – Khe Sanh to Hue

Day 6 – Hue to Hoi An *

Day 7 – Hoi An to Kon Tum

(optional 1 day in Pleiku *)

Day 8 – Kon Tum to Buon Ma Thuot

Day 9 – Buon Ma Thuot to Dalat *

Day 10 – Dalat to Nam Cat Tien

Day 11 – Nam Cat Tien to HCMC

11 riding days

9 optional extra nights

Highlights

There are many highlights on this route but we tried to narrow this down to the key areas, particularly to the sections that offer something different to the rest. 

Ninh Binh

Offering boat tours, temples and great rice field views this is a must see on a trip to Vietnam. This is especially true if you are not visiting Ha Long Bay as it is the closest alternative in terms of views. Easy to reach from Hanoi via quiet roads and just 3 hours away making it a pleasant ride out of Hanoi. Highly recommended for 2 days so you can enjoy all that it has to offer. 

Phong Nha

The caves at Phong Nha are world renowned, especially with Son Doong cave being the largest in the world. Although not many people will be exploring this one, the others in the area are still very much worth a visit and bring something very different to your trip that you can not experience anywhere else in Vietnam. This is why 2 days here is required for the whole day cave tour. 

HCM Road

The ride between Phong Nha and Khe Sanh along the HCM Road is the best section of riding on this route and for many people is the best motorbike ride in all of Vietnam. Quiet, remote roads with good condition tarmac weaving through the jungle and mountains make this such an excellent ride. While it is quicker to miss Khe Sanh and head straight from Hue to Phong Nha this means missing this ride. 

Dalat

There is so much to see and do in Dalat that 2 nights here can easily be too short but should be considered a minimum. With multiple large waterfalls, some of which offer canyoning, (abseiling down waterfalls), go karting, alpine coasters, maze bar, crazy house, and just the mountain views and cooler temperatures, you can’t have enough time to relax and enjoy Dalat. 

Central Highlands

The central highlands covers a few different locations and days of this route with Kon Tum, Pleiku and Buon Ma Thuot all being part of this area. This is known for having multiple different ethnic groups which have different traditions and culture such as the Rong Nha in Kon Tum. This area is also well known as the coffee growing region of Vietnam with Buon Ma Thuot having a large coffee museum as well as plantations you can visit. Buon Ma Thuot also has an elephant sanctuary a short ride from the city offering a chance to view elephants roaming freely in the national park. 

Hue & Hoi An

The central cities of Hue and Hoi An are both very well known and popular for tourists and should be visited by everyone coming to Vietnam. With the historical relevance of Hue, to the charm and beauty of Hoi An, it is a great place to enjoy. Hoi An is a common place to choose for an extra night as there is so much to do here and very much required if you want to visit a tailor or Cham island. 

Along with the draw of these 2 places the Hai Van Pass connecting them offers some excellent riding when travelling between them. 

Summary 

For those looking for a more unique glimpse of the mountainous areas of Vietnam and not needing to visit the beaches then this route is perfect, opting to pass through more ethnic minority areas over the busier and more well known beach towns and cities. 

It is easy to combine this route with routes from the north of Vietnam if you have more time. You can find these routes here. 

North Vietnam Routes