After Tet was over and Vietnam was “open for business” again, it was time to pack the bag and move on towards Dong Hoi! My trusted bike was parked for the year in Ninh Binh and Viet was so kind as to move it from time to time.
Put the big orange bag on my Yamaha Exciter 135 and rode to the next gas station. Fill her up and down South, it was towards the blue sky and more sunshine.
There is not really a nice road, and I only wanted to get to Dong Hoi fast. Last time I drove the 410 km in one day, but that is kind of a lot in Vietnam. Especially on the A1 with all the trucks and fast buses.
This time I only went halfway down to Vinh and stayed there for one night.
My bike now has 26932 km on the clockThe Yamaha Exciter 135
The bag looks big but inside is my brown bag. The same small bag I use all the time. The orange bag served me quite well last year. Keeps the rain and dust away from the actual bag and you see the big orange square much better. A kind of safety feature if you will.
This year I got it all. A new helmet, a mask to keep pollution at bay, rain trousers and waterproof boot covers
A night in Vinh
Since I took the scenic route another time (on the way up North) and wanted to go down South fast it was the QL 1A again. It is terrible to drive and I only recommend it if you really have to go fast. Other than that – stick to the smaller roads and enjoy the ride!
From my friends place in Ninh Binh to the hotel in Vinh it was 213 km. Took me 4 hours and 52 minutes with food and gasoline stops
My room at the Thanh Dat 2 Hotel
Took a room at the Thanh Dat 2 Hotel for 7 US$. You get a nice, clean room, 2 chairs and a table, air conditioning and a TV, as well as a private bathroom with a hot shower and toilet. The hotel has its own parking and a coffee shop as well. Great for a night or a few nights. If you are lazy, they also have an elevator!
The Bathroom
At the Beach in Dong Hoi
The next morning, I continued down south. If you go easy, it is almost a day with breaks and lunch. It took me a bit over 4 hours for the 208 km from the hotel to the next hotel. Arrived in the late afternoon at Ocean View Homestay. My favorite place is along the coast of Vietnam. It is so quiet over there that I can sleep without earplugs. They have a small garden to hang out and you only cross the road and walk in less than 5 minutes from your room to the beach.
The dormitory at Ocean View Homestay! A big, nice room – the bed is 5US$ a nightI took the one on the lower leftThe gardenThe restaurant at Ocean View Homestay
Most of the day I spend at the terrace and work on the computer. The staff was so kind and made some nice food every day.
Happy Hour at Beachside Backpackers
Not too far down the beach is the Beachside Backpackers. They had Happy Hour from 17:00 – 19:00, and this is where I went every day. The dog was happy to tag along, but usually, 30 minutes or so after we arrived, it was too boring for him to wait for me, and he went home again.
My partner in crime – we went to the happy hour every dayAt the beachside backpackers – Jo and her boyfriendFried Tofu with Lemongrass, Rice and a Pumpkin dipping
Quite Days – Happy Evenings in Dong Hoi
My two other playmates at Ocean ViewWaiting for the eveningCats – everywhere CatsNot a happy dog – but loads of other happy animals moved next to himMore dogs to play with on the wayHe looks happyEvery day, you meet new people at the Beachside Backpacker BarThe staff at Ocean View cocked nice Vietnamese food for me every dayOn the way to the bar – Happy Hour is aproachingThe evening flight to SaigonHe loved that plastic flowerVery relaxing – you only hear waves and can sip on a beer. What else do we need?Onion rings with BeerMore food at Ocean ViewUntil the cows come homeThe morning flightHe gets lots of visitors, mostly crabs and other dogsCalm watersHappy hunterThere is not to much going on at the beachToday some fries with my beerLunch at Ocean View
Time to move on – further down South to meet other friends. Thank you, Trang, for making this another special time at your place at the beach!!
My mother got me an Eurorail ticket when I was 15, and together with two friends, we adventured into France. This was the beginning of a new addiction. I do like to take pictures, so one thing leads to another. On this site, I want to share some of my pictures and some of my trips with you! Now I am on the road for more than 8 months every year. Visiting old friends and making new friends while exploring this big blue ball.
