Hello from Hoi An! We arrived here late this afternoon following a 132km ride from Hué. The weather Gods were definitely with us today as the sun shone for the first 70km and then kindly went behind some clouds as we made our way up and over the Hai Van Pass. We were both looking forward to tackling the pass as it has been a few weeks now since we left behind the challenging hills of Laos and we wondered how our bodies would respond after having been on much flatter terrain here in Vietnam.
We travelled along the highway almost the entire way and found the roads to be in good condition and the traffic not too overwhelming. There were stretches of road between towns where it was quieter and with the ocean on our left hand side and the mountains on our right, it was quite picturesque at times.
(The mountains looming ahead in the distance)
(Our second breakfast stop off)
The pass itself is about a 9km climb with a gradient of 8% and the road was in very good condition. Thanks to a tunnel that passes through the mountain, the traffic was light apart from a few motorbikes and cars carrying tourists. The views were pretty spectacular and we ended up really enjoying the climb. Sailing down the other side was lovely and we rewarded ourselves with a big lunch before beginning the final leg to Hoi An.
(Starting the climb)
(Looking back to Lang Co and the road we had just travelled)
(Approaching the final leg of the climb)
(Looking back down over the pass)
(Da Nang Bay and the road we would travel to get to Hoi An)
We passed through Da Nang which has had a bit of a growth spurt in recent years, with a few high rise buildings transforming the city skyline. We arrived in Hoi An late afternoon and found a hotel not far from the Old Town. We will explore the Old Town tomorrow before setting off further south the following day.
(The dragon bridge in Da Nang)
(Afternoon snack of ché made with beans, coconut milk, crushed ice and toasted coconut flakes)
(Hoi An Old Town by night)
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