Ride The Hai Van Pass By Motorbike

The adventure

From Da Nang the road starts to climb, hairpin after hairpin up the side of the mountains, with the South China Sea stretching out bright and blue below. Fishing boats sit in the bays, the beach curves away behind you, and the air gets cooler with each bend.

At the top, around 500 metres up, the pass is often wrapped in mist, which is how it got its name, the Pass of the Ocean Clouds. There's a crumbling fort here, once the boundary between ancient kingdoms, with stalls selling coffee to riders. Then you drop down the other side towards the lagoon at Lăng Cô. On the back of a bike, with the wind in your face, it's the best way to travel between Hoi An and Hue.

Why it’s epic

Hairpin bends above the South China Sea.
The old fort at the summit, near 500 metres.
The lagoon and beach at Lăng Cô.

What it is

A 21-kilometre mountain road over the Hai Van Pass, the Pass of the Ocean Clouds, between Da Nang and Hue. Since the tunnel opened, the old road is left mostly to motorbikes and tourists.

How to do it

Hire a motorbike in Hoi An or Da Nang, or go as a passenger with an Easy Rider guide, and ride north to Hue.

Top tip

Unless you're an experienced rider with the right licence, go on the back with a local driver.

Need to know

Riding legally needs the right motorbike licence and an international permit.
Your insurance may not cover riding without a full motorbike licence.
Easy Rider tours carry your bags to your next stop.

Plan this trip

Rough cost: Under £750 per person, including flights from the UK
Time needed: A day
Best time to go: February to August
Fly into: DAD airport

Bike hire or a rider-guide is inexpensive.

Make it happen

Why it’s on my list

Not done yet. If you’ve done it and have tips, tell me about it.