| Quick facts | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 110km |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Terrain | Rolling up to the Hai Van pass |
| Blog | 26th Jan - My love/hate relationship with the Vietnamese |
| Gallery | Cuc Phuong NP to Hoi An |
The journey
It was raining so we bought ponchos in Hue (Ð10,000 each) which were surprisingly effective. It rains very often at this time of year, but it's not cold. The ride was flat followed by two small hills, the Hai Van pass, then flat. Traffic was busy in patches then quiet again. There were always other cyclists on the road. Most traffic goes through the Hai Van tunnel which is not open to cyclists, so there's hardly anything on the Hai Van pass road. It's 10km up to the 500m peak and not too steep. There are a cluster of cafés at the top whose owners rushed over when we arrived and demanded to sell us coffee. On the way down, the clouds cleared immediately and it became noticeably warmer. It was 10km to the bottom and 15-20km to the riverfront at Danang (just keep going east). Traffic got increasingly busy as we got into the city. There are many hotels in Danang but it's not too touristy.The rooms
Tan Minh hoteltanminhhotel@dng.vnn.vn
142 Bach Dang St, Danang
Tel: (0511) 827456
$10 for double room, bathroom with hot water, TV with Discovery channel
No window but fairly comfortable. $15 for a river view.