Northern Vietnam
09-28-24, 02:57 PM
#1
Every lane is a bike lane
Thread Starter
Northern Vietnam
I'm about to get myself some flights to Hanoi for a couple of weeks of touring in Vietnam over the Christmas holidays. I had initially considered the Ho Chi Minh to Hanoi route, but I didn't feel like being "head down, ass up" for the whole two weeks. Besides, the cooler weather in Hanoi at that time of year actually sounds appealing as I'll be escaping a Queensland Summer for a while.
Instead, I'm going in and out of Hanoi, and thinking of making my way up to Ha Giang, then across to Ha Long Bay, and back to Hanoi from there. For those with experience in Vietnam, do you see any major flaws in what I'm thinking about? Any suggestions of places I could be visiting instead? Any alternative rioute ideas?
I would also be extremely grateful if anyone can recommend bike shops in Hanoi that would provide a decent bike box for the flight home (the finding of which often provides the most challenging part of any overseas bike tour).
Instead, I'm going in and out of Hanoi, and thinking of making my way up to Ha Giang, then across to Ha Long Bay, and back to Hanoi from there. For those with experience in Vietnam, do you see any major flaws in what I'm thinking about? Any suggestions of places I could be visiting instead? Any alternative rioute ideas?
I would also be extremely grateful if anyone can recommend bike shops in Hanoi that would provide a decent bike box for the flight home (the finding of which often provides the most challenging part of any overseas bike tour).
__________________
I am clinically insane. I am proud of it.
That is all.
I am clinically insane. I am proud of it.
That is all.
09-28-24, 04:47 PM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Elevation 666m Edmonton Canada
Posts: 2,575
Bikes: 2013 Custom SA5w / Rohloff Tourster
Liked 369 Times
in
275 Posts
Are you over/ under 50? Been there before? I know there are a lot of guys doing that 2 week north end loop and posted reports. Looks pretty lonesome up there in the mountains, not an easy ride either, IMO. No fun in rain for sure. They just had a big typhoon go thru there, much flooding. Lots of old trees got downed in old Hanoi.
I rode half way from Saigon to Hoi Anh, then all the way to Mong Cai and 900 miles towards Chengdu. Mostly the easy coastal route with traffic, I like cities too.
Malaria pills spoiled my start up the highway after 2 weeks in Saigon. I took 25 days to Hanoi, going thru beautiful Vung Tau.
Maybe you could start in Da Nang and ride half a day to Hoi Anh and back the first day. Hai Van pass is fun. Maybe do an inland loop from Thanh Hoa. There's a thousand routes you could do. Might be good if you do get lost. LOL
I would say do a part way loop towards Mong Cai after doing the Halong Bay day cruise. The freeways will take away a lot of the heavy traffic now. half of them were not built in 2015 when I was there.
I rode half way from Saigon to Hoi Anh, then all the way to Mong Cai and 900 miles towards Chengdu. Mostly the easy coastal route with traffic, I like cities too.
Malaria pills spoiled my start up the highway after 2 weeks in Saigon. I took 25 days to Hanoi, going thru beautiful Vung Tau.
Maybe you could start in Da Nang and ride half a day to Hoi Anh and back the first day. Hai Van pass is fun. Maybe do an inland loop from Thanh Hoa. There's a thousand routes you could do. Might be good if you do get lost. LOL
I would say do a part way loop towards Mong Cai after doing the Halong Bay day cruise. The freeways will take away a lot of the heavy traffic now. half of them were not built in 2015 when I was there.
