Hanoi (VNA) – Long and sinuous, Vietnam curves around the eastern shores of mainland Southeast Asia, becoming a perfect country for road-tripping, according to renowned US travel magazine Lonely Planet.
The magazine noted that its twin megacities – Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City – are divided by 1,137km of mountains, jungles, paddy fields, beaches and historic sites. The trip between Vietnam's northern and southern cities is just one of many epic road trips that call out to adventurers on four (or, more commonly, two) wheels.
With more than 61 million motorbikes on Vietnam's roads, intrepid bikers will find themselves in good company as they explore the country’s wonderfully diverse landscapes, with ample repair shops, gas stations and food stops along the way.
Lonely Planet has selected seven of the country's best road trips.
Ha Giang Loop
Starting and ending in Ha Giang, the 305km journey is considered the best for mountain scenery and wild swimming.
The soaring peaks and plunging valleys of Vietnam’s northernmost region are best enjoyed at a leisurely pace. Mountainous Ha Giang, now part of Tuyen Quang province, is best enjoyed with plenty of stop-offs for revitalising dips in waterfalls, roadside snacks, and driving breaks to snap photos of the rice and corn terraces tumbling down the valley’s steep hillsides. The Ma Pi Leng Pass is indisputably the most scenic section of the drive, with jagged mountains surrounding the emerald Nho Que River.
Cao Bang to Ban Gioc Waterfall
The 80km journey from Cao Bang to Ban Gioc Waterfall, which straddles the Vietnam–China border, is named the best road trip for countryside views.
It takes adventurers through some of northern Vietnam’s most pristine pastoral terrain. Lush farmlands, stilt villages and crystal-clear lakes are all on the itinerary. However, for driving enthusiasts, nature's creations might be outdone by an artificial wonder: the 3.5km-long Ma Phuc Pass, with its seven writhing bends offering gorgeous views of the terraced fields below.
Da Lat to Nha Trang
Covering approximately 134km, this route offers the best trip for relics from Vietnam's French era.
From the cool conditions in the highlands around Da Lat to the sunny beaches of Nha Trang, this short and simple road trip is all about changing scenery and microclimates. Begin in the hills around Dalat, founded as a hill station where French colonists came to escape the oppressive heat of Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City). This is a unique corner of Vietnam, where French-era buildings dot the hillsides, the scent of pine resin hangs in the air, and local farms cultivate strawberries, coffee and flowers instead of rice.
Hai Van Pass
The 20km route, described as the best for dramatic views and hairpin turns, links Da Nang with Lang Co Beach.
Before Hai Van Tunnel was completed in 2005, just the thought of enduring the hairpin turns and blind corners of Hai Van Pass was enough to send shivers down the spines of bus passengers travelling between Da Nang and Hue. Now with significantly less car traffic, this short but stunning ride is a manageable, memorable trip even for the novice driver.
Ho Chi Minh City to My Tho
The 70km journey from Ho Chi Minh City to My Tho is the best for sampling the landscapes of the lush Mekong Delta.
The rice paper-flat Mekong Delta doesn’t get much road trip love because its every-shade-of-green rice fields can turn from mesmerising to slightly monotonous as the miles mount up. However, once you get outside of sprawling, smoggy Ho Chi Minh City, you’ll see the urban shrubbery give way to majestic palms, lush banana trees and glimmering waterways amongst the emerald rice paddies.
Con Dao
As the best trip for visiting deserted island beaches, the 25km route runs from Dam Trau Beach to Ben Dam Port.
Isolated from the mainland for years, the Con Dao islands are one of Vietnam’s natural wonders. Con Son, the largest and only inhabited island of the archipelago, has just one main road stretching across its length, but it's a beauty. A motorcycle trip is not only the best way to see the rural splendor of the island but also to hop from one gorgeous deserted beach to the next. Con Dao's scenic sands are also one of the most important nesting sites for green turtles in the region.
Ho Chi Minh Road
Stretching approximately 1,880km from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi, the historic Ho Chi Minh Road is called the best for quintessential Vietnam experiences.
There are several different routes between Vietnam’s two biggest cities, depending on whether you like beaches, mountains or smooth highways, but for the best balance between driving time (about 2 weeks is ideal) and impressive scenery, hit the Ho Chi Minh Highway, part of which was once used to transport soldiers and supplies during the American War./.
