june-2012

fly/drive
102
of the war: the underground
cave and tunnel systems at
Phong Nha and Vinh Moc, the
former De-Militarized Zone.
We take Highway 9 to the town
immortalised in song, Khe Sanh,
the scene of a seven-month slog
that saw over 8,000 killed.
We continue south, and after
eight days and well over 1,100km,
the mountains of the Annamite
Range and the Hai Van Pass lie in
front of us. Sensing our anticipation,
Ngoc pulls us over at the base of the
hill and buys us all a quick round
of super-strong Vietnamese coffee,
before slapping us each on the back
and shouting “Enjoy!”.
And enjoy it we most certainly
do. The Hai Van Pass has gone
from being one of the most feared
bottlenecks in the country to a rare
treat for those seeking the scenic
route. The thousands of cars and
trucks that make the journey
between the cities of Hue and Da
The Hai Van Pass is a rare treat for
those seeking the scenic route
Nang each day are now passing
under the mountains, leaving the
Pass and its astonishing cliff-top
views exclusively for two-wheeled
travellers. It’s spectacular riding,
and as the city of Da Nang begins
to come into view, I find myself
wishing that the Ho Chi Minh
Trail would never end.
Four days later, having made
it to the World Heritage-listed
town of Hoi An and then through
the rainy Central Highlands, we
finish the 12-day journey with
a final ride into the port of Nha
Trang. With a tinge of sadness I
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Our
group triumphant in Nha Trang;
the battleground in Khe Sanh;
view from the Cun Pass; Khe Sanh
Victory Monument; heading to
Phong Na
hop off my (now beloved) Honda
for the last time at Nha Trang
train station and give the front
wheel a pat of appreciation, before
it’s packed onto the train for the
journey back to Hanoi.
As if to rub salt into the wounds
of our post-ride gloom, we’re left to
hail a taxi to the Nha Trang Yacht
Club for a celebratory beer. But
despite the taxi’s air conditioning
providing relief from the heat, we
feel nothing but lifelessness all
around us. Suddenly the prospect
of one more faceful of black soot
doesn’t seem so bad.
Jetstar has great low fares to Ho Chi
Minh City and Hanoi. Visit Jetstar.com
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