{"id":6426,"date":"2017-08-08T16:34:20","date_gmt":"2017-08-08T15:34:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hastenteufel.name\/blog\/?p=6426"},"modified":"2026-02-03T04:45:15","modified_gmt":"2026-02-03T03:45:15","slug":"from-khe-sanh-to-phong-nha-the-best-part-of-the-hcm-highway","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hastenteufel.name\/blog\/from-khe-sanh-to-phong-nha-the-best-part-of-the-hcm-highway\/","title":{"rendered":"From Khe Sanh to Phong Nha – The best Part of the HCM Highway"},"content":{"rendered":"

A beautiful blue morning sky over the city – the roads are dry, and it is a pleasant 22 degrees. What a nice day to ride to Phong Nha on the best part of the Ho Chi Minh Highway.<\/p>\n

\"Monument <\/picture>
\nMonument in Khe Sanh – the first time I see it with blue sky<\/p>\n

\"Lake <\/picture>
\nA big lake a few kilometers after Khe Sanh – would make for a nice mountain get away on the other side of the lake.
\n\"Nice <\/picture>
\nNice lake view but if you look down – trash – everywhere<\/p>\n

\"No <\/picture>
\nNo more forest left.<\/p>\n

\"Empty <\/picture>
\nEmpty roads – for most of the day.<\/p>\n

\"You <\/picture>
\nYou can see how the street cuts into the green mountains.<\/p>\n

\"Looking <\/picture>
\nLooking down at H\u01b0\u01a1ng H\u00f3a in the Qu\u1ea3ng Tr\u1ecb Province<\/p>\n

\"Farmland <\/picture>
\nFarmland takes over the mountains<\/p>\n

\"Left <\/picture>
\nLeft – right – left – HCM Meditation<\/p>\n

\"This <\/picture>
\nThis way to the border – Laos on the other side<\/p>\n

\"More <\/picture>
\nMore curves up to the next mountain range<\/p>\n

\"Small <\/picture>
\nSmall village next to the street<\/p>\n

\"Less <\/picture>
\nLess and less farming along the road and more natural forest<\/p>\n

\"Last <\/picture>
\nLast year there were only the power poles but no power line. Next, every small village along the road will have power. Next – they will have satellite dishes and TV sets. Next – they \u201cknow\u201d what to consume. Sad world!<\/p>\n

\"Magic <\/picture>
\nMagic mountain wonderland<\/p>\n

\"The <\/picture>
\nThe road cuts into the mountains<\/p>\n

\"When <\/picture>
\nWhen the street workers go they leave all the rubbish next to the road. Lots of plastic, cloths, and everything else.<\/p>\n

\"More <\/picture>
\nMore curves and more forest – with a banana plantation on the left<\/p>\n

\"Suddenly <\/picture>
\nSuddenly a lot of traffic on the road<\/p>\n

\"Which <\/picture>
\nWhich is a sure sign of a little village after a few more curves<\/p>\n

\"For <\/picture>
\nFor a while the road follows the river towards the next mountain range<\/p>\n

\"Not <\/picture>
\nNot too much original forest left here<\/p>\n

\"More <\/picture>
\nMore traffic<\/p>\n

\"Still <\/picture>
\nStill a few tall trees left<\/p>\n

\"They <\/picture>
\nThey repaired the shoulder of the road. And used a lot of small stones that are now everywhere. Not really save in the curves.<\/p>\n

\"Nothing <\/picture>
\nNothing – as far as one can see<\/p>\n

\"Straight <\/picture>
\nStraight – left – right – left – straight – right – and so on…<\/p>\n

\"And <\/picture>
\nAnd after every corner there are more great views<\/p>\n

\"Slowly <\/picture>
\nSlowly the sun sets<\/p>\n

\"Mountains <\/picture>
\nMountains and mountains<\/p>\n

\"Did <\/picture>
\nDid turn the bike for this picture – Phong Nha is towards the right!<\/p>\n

\"The <\/picture>
\nThe last picture for today – time to hit the road before the sun is gone<\/p>\n

Todays Drive<\/h2>\n

189 km in 8 hours and 44 minutes including lunch, photo stops as well as a Gas stop<\/p>\n