It’s been about a week since I’ve posted anything. I arrived in Hoi An safely after taking the 12 hour night bus from Nha Trang. It was a long ride and the use of the horn was obnoxious at times, but in the end, it was fine.
The Japanese Covered Bridge in Hoi An
View of the Hai Van Pass
The beach below the Hai Van Pass
I really enjoyed Hoi An. I had planned to stay three nights and decided to extend my stay by an extra night. The town is lovely and I was able to enjoy riding a bike through town and heading out to the beach almost every day. The water was as warm as a bath, so it wasn’t as refreshing as I would have liked but provided some great views nonetheless. I had some clothes made at a local tailor, which was a fun experience. It was interesting o get to be the person that picks out the textiles rather than be concerned about the costing and what margin implication that particular lining would have versus another. I was also lucky enough to have been in Hoi An during one of the monthly lantern festivals. September’s festival is much larger as it celebrates the changing of the seasons. In the evening, paper later said illuminated by candlelight are put into the river and all of the old town is cast in a gorgeous light.
After spending several days on the beach, I got on the back of a friend’s motorbike that we rented and rode north. We were joined by a couple from England and it was fun to zip through the highway with another bike behind. The Hai Van Pass has been said to be one of the best coastal drives in the world. It is often advertised as the Top Gear Experience. As someone that has feared motorbikes in the past, I’m so glad I have overcome this fear. The ride north was beautiful. Winding up into the mountain you are surrounded by vibrant greenery. You then look to your right and see an untouched beach down below. It was just spectacular.
We lunch at a restaurant on the beach and then made our way to a fresh water swimming hole. It reminded me of my summers spent in Yosemite. We were swimming in cool water surrounded by large rocks and had fish nibbling at our feet. The last two hours of the ride was spent on a lesser known road that would have less traffic. That road was everything I thought Vietnam would be. We road down with rice paddies on both sides of us, had to weave around the cows walking through town, and waved to the children walking or riding bikes home from school. Eventually the charm wore off and the bumpy road took its toll. By the time we got off the bike at our hotel in Hue, I was more than ready to have that hike picked up.
Strange Trails 