Cycling From Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City: 700km in 10 Days

‘And now, five kilometres of downhill!’

Finally.

It’d been a slow crawl of a cycle up the 10% incline on the Hai Van Pass… for me anyway. Our group had made it to the top, to be greeted my cloud coverage, much to the chagrin of the couple attempting wedding photos up there. The view didn’t matter. We’d got there, without having to call on the support vehicle.

We’d hit kilometre number 60 of the day and the idea of just sitting there while another 5 flew by was just what I needed to hear.

Cycling Vietnam with Intrepid Travel had been entirely my idea, and so I only had myself to blame as I pushed, tough rotation after heavy revolution, on those pedals all the way from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City over two weeks. Thoughts of relaxing at bars, on beaches, trains and planes would come and go in my mind as I drifted between pure happiness and satisfaction, and desperation.

But of course, it was that feeling at the top, the feeling of achievement shared with my group of 11 that made this trip leagues better than any sun lounger holiday.

The Hai Van Pass

The Hai Van Pass Day had been the big one in my mind. We were set to do 90km on the itinerary, with 15 of them uphill. Thankfully for me – 10 minutes and a lot of heavy breathing in – the level crossing gate had come down and us three stragglers at the back had to wait for the train to pass. It was a welcome chance to breathe and stretch for me. Breathe and stretch.

I struggled uphill. Drawing on all my training – which had consisted of 5 lots of 20 miles over Christmas week, on my dad’s bike. I’m not a cyclist, but what I lack in skill and knowledge I make up for in stamina. Despite the train, I didn’t actually end up too far behind the others. Even though, of course, I had to stop to take in the views, not those wheezing vacuum breaths.

And so, after the jubilation at the top, the descent to our ride to Hoi An began. And what was to be my absolute favourite part of my two-week cycle Vietnam trip.

****

I’d been to Vietnam before, three years ago and following much of this route. But I wanted to see it a different way. Back then it’d been my first trip to Asia, I was bright eyed, clueless and everything seemed to happen so fast – on the buses, planes and trains – that I wanted to slow down and take in Vietnam from the subtle speed of a bike.

****

Starting the Vietnam cycle