Riding The Ho Chi Minh Highway West

All you lot necessitate to know virtually riding your motorbike on the Ho Chi Minh Highway West.

Between the years of 1959 in addition to 1975, a serial of trails injure their agency through the jungles of Vietnam in addition to Laos.

These trails were used every bit strategic carry routes to render access betwixt the North in addition to the South of Vietnam during both the First Indochina War in addition to the Vietnam/American War.

Hailed every bit 1 of the greatest armed services applied scientific discipline achievements of the 20th century, the roads were known every bit the Ho Chi Minh Trails, afterward North Vietnam’s president.

The Quang Tri in addition to Quang Binh provinces of Vietnam are the narrowest sections of the country. It is hither where the Ho Chi Minh Trails were the most remote, the jungle the most dense, in addition to also the most heavily b0med.

Three of import routes diverged merely exterior of the town of Phong Nha – Ho Chi Minh Highway East, Ho Chi Minh Highway West in addition to Victory Road 20.

Now that the days of heavy b0ming are gone (but non forgotten), these are becoming pop paths to follow for travellers in addition to backpackers who desire to ride motorbikes from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi, or vice versa.

Ho Chi Minh Highway West runs for 240km from Khe Sanh to Phong Nha, through 1 of the most dramatic in addition to captivating regions of the country.

The route bends in addition to twists past times steep karst mountains rising impossibly skywards. Raging torrents of H2O menses parallel to the well-maintained pavement.

Every banked corner presents a dissimilar perspective on what beauty genuinely is. As you lot come inwards the UNESCO listed Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park you lot volition experience similar you’ve ridden into a prehistoric era.

We’ve ridden 15’000km on our bikes inwards Southeast Asia, in addition to the Ho Chi Minh Highway West ranks alongside the best scenery nosotros receive got ever encountered.

The Ho Chi Minh Highway West should non go missed past times whatever intrepid traveller looking for opportunity in addition to gorgeous scenery.

For many who ride motorbikes inwards Vietnam, this is fifty-fifty to a greater extent than beautiful than the famed Hai Van Pass. It remains to go 1 of our favourite highlights from riding motorbikes inwards Southeast Asia.

Don’t immature lady our guide for Travel To Vietnam.

Tips For Riding The Ho Chi Minh Highway West

Riding the Western Ho Chi Minh Highway is non something that should go taken lightly. There is exclusively 1 modest hamlet located along the entire route, important you lot volition go a long agency from assist if something goes wrong.

Indeed for the bulk of the ride you lot volition go riding primarily with yourself in addition to those inwards your group. Due to the fourth dimension taken to ride the Ho Chi Minh Highway West, exclusively modest amounts of traffic occupy the roads.

This is non the most straight agency betwixt Khe Sanh in addition to Phong Nha, in addition to every bit such locals exclusively piece of occupation the route if absolutely necessary.

Here are a few tips to larn out on inwards hear when you lot are riding your motorbike on the Ho Chi Minh Highway West:

Take Extra Fuel With You

Unless you lot are riding a motorbike that is larger than a Honda Win or a scooter, one tank volition non concluding the entire 240 kilometres. Because of this, taking extra fuel is a necessity.

The 1 hamlet you lot overstep through betwixt Khe Sanh in addition to Phong Nha MAY receive got manus pumps for fuel, but this is non a guarantee.

We recommend taking 3 litres of extra fuel per motorbike.

Leave Early In The Morning

Note: There is no accommodation options betwixt Khe Sanh in addition to Phong Nha.

The Ho Chi Minh Highway West is a technical route with many hills in addition to corners. 240km powerfulness non seem similar a long way, but if you lot receive got ever ridden a motorbike or scooter inwards Asia you lot know that distances almost ever receive got longer than expected.

Weather tin speedily plough into heavy downpours, forcing you lot to relaxation off the throttle. You volition also likely go stopping for enough of photograph opportunities along the way, slowing downwardly your pace.

Because of all these things, we advise leaving every bit early on inwards the morning time every bit possible. Preferably merely afterward sunrise.

There are no streetlights along the way, in addition to these aren’t the form of roads you lot are going to desire to go riding at night.

Leaving early on also gives you lot some fourth dimension to play with should you lot receive got motorbike issues – which brings us onto our adjacent tip.

Make Sure Your Bike Is Well Maintained

Before you lot leave of absence Khe Sanh or Phong Nha, give your wheel a proper depository fiscal establishment agree up. Change the stone oil (should go done virtually every 500km if you lot receive got an older motorbike) in addition to depository fiscal establishment agree your brakes, bearings, spark plug in addition to tyre pressure/condition.

Have your chain tensioned in addition to greased. Make certain your wheel is running inwards skilful condition. Carry a modest tool kit with you. H5N1 laid upward of pliers, screwdrivers in addition to socket wrenches volition allow you lot to temporarily cook most things.

These tips should go applied at all times when riding a motorbike, non merely on the Ho Chi Minh Highway West. But due to the isolated jungle you lot volition go riding through, you lot desire to receive got extra precautions.

Bring Food And Water

There is nowhere to halt off in addition to purchase nutrient or H2O betwixt Phong Nha in addition to Khe Sanh, in addition to the ride could receive got upwards of 10 hours, depending on the speed you lot go, atmospheric condition in addition to potential breakdowns.

Make certain you lot pick upward extra H2O in addition to nutrient to receive got with you lot along the way. H5N1 banh mi (Vietnamese sandwich) is inexpensive in addition to piece of cake to carry.

Ride Carefully

This is merely mutual sense, but you lot volition go surprised at how many hundreds of backpackers you lot volition see inwards Southeast Asia covered inwards route rash or broken limbs due to scooter accidents.

And if you lot verbalize to them, 99% of the fourth dimension it was passenger mistake that caused the crash: Not slowing downwardly when it starts raining; Not paying attending in addition to sliding out on gravel going some corners; Riding besides fast in addition to a cow/buffalo/dog/cat/chicken/goat/pig/other scooter pulls out inwards front end of them; Grabbing the front end brakes going downhill/around a corner, etc. Don’t go 1 of these people.

If you lot receive got an accident betwixt Khe Sanh in addition to Phong Nha, you lot are a LONG agency from a decent hospital. Keep that inwards hear when you lot start to opened upward up the confine going some blind corners.

Carry a start assist kit with you. And DON’T article of apparel flip flops, shorts in addition to a singlet, no thing how hot it is or how cool you lot scream upward you lot look. You’ll regret it if the front end wheel locks upward in addition to you lot larn thrown at 60km/h.

Wear long pants, a long shirt in addition to enclosed shoes.

Ride With Someone

Unless you lot are a really experienced rider, in addition to your wheel is inwards perfect condition, nosotros recommend riding with some other person.

This volition scope you lot peace of hear inwards illustration something goes wrong, in addition to it is ever amend to portion the experience with some other person.

It should go piece of cake to see upward with a crew to join, particularly during peak season. Try putting a poster upward on the honour board of a hostel inwards either Phong Nha or Hue.

All you lot necessitate to know virtually riding your motorbike on the Riding The Ho Chi Minh Highway West — Tanks exterior the Khe Sanh Museum

Have you lot ridden the Ho Chi Minh Highway West inwards Vietnam? What did you lot think, in addition to what tips would you lot scope to other travellers?