Crossing the Hai Van Pass in Vietnam with an Easy Rider

The Hai Van Pass in Vietnam separates North and South Vietnam. And that’s where I had to go. When I asked at the hotel about the best way to get from Hue to Hoi An, the helpful receptionist advised me to take a motorcycle with a driver. Okay, then just with the motorcycle. If I hadn’t met two English girls in Hanoi on a boat tour through Halong Bay, who had done the same trip in the opposite direction and were totally enthusiastic about it, I probably would have decided against it.

By motorcycle over the Hai Van Pass in Vietnam: An adventure.

On a motorcycle? With 18 kilos of luggage (yes, I travel like a total girl)? The way they drive here? Never. But I couldn’t get the enthusiasm of the two girls out of my head – and I calmed myself down with the thought that they had survived the trip unharmed after all.

Hai Van Pass in Vietnam: Endless serpentines

The temptation was there. The route from Hue to Hoi An is very picturesque because it leads right over the Cloud Pass, a mountain range that cuts a swathe through the country and separates the north from the south of Vietnam both geographically and meteorologically. Alternatively, you can travel the route by train, bus or private car. I already knew the trainI already knew the train, but the car was too expensive on its own and the bus takes you through the tunnel under the mountains without any panoramic views.

Rent a motorcycle with driver in Vietnam: Safety & Organization

My concerns about safety proved unfounded. My driver Duc conscientiously lashed my luggage to the luggage rack, wrapped in sturdy plastic to protect it from dust, and drove over the Hai Van Pass with European prudence.

Well, the helmet I brought with me only had a chin strap, and no one knows protective clothing in Vietnam either. As a motorcyclist, you’re on the road differently at home. No matter, at 36 degrees you are anyway glad about every piece less on the body. As Duc told me afterwards, we Germans are probably the most shy about a ride with him or with the motorcycle in general: safety and such. Therefore, I would like to put here especially to your heart: If you are ever in Vietnam before the choice… Just do it!

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Hai Van Pass Vietnam: Adventurous switchbacks and breathtaking views

I had only booked the ride. Thought. But I have to admit, I hadn’t asked Duc again beforehand where we were actually going along and how the day was shaping up – communication in English was even worse than with the receptionist, with whom I also only understood the most important key data, so I just let it go. I would already arrive in Hoi An.

From Hue to Hoi An: Impressive landscape on the Hai Van Pass

In fact, the one-way trip to Hoi An via Hai Van Pass turned out to be a total surprise package. Duc stopped with me at the most beautiful places on the way, took photos and joked around, and I tried to piece together info about the country and its people from his scraps of English.

Conclusion of the day: Just let things happen to you is so good! If I had chosen the supposedly “safe” option of a bus ride – I would have missed so many beautiful things. The day was uniquely beautiful and worth every penny!

Information about the motorcycle tour over the Hai Van Pass

Route Hue to Hoi An over the Hai Van Pass (Cloud Pass)
incl. Driver and motorcycle
Duration: approx. 6-7 hours
(with numerous stops e.g. in the mountains, Da Nang, Marble Mountains)
Departure preferably by 9.30h at the latest
Driver takes you from hotel to hotel
Optional: Visit to the imperial tombs in Hue (for a small surcharge)

You can book a comparable tour with an Easy Rider here*

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