Vietnam

WHY GO TO VIETNAM:

Vietnam has a war torn history and is stepped in culture which is fascinating. It’s rapidly developing due to a strong export trade in local products as well as an influx of more recent popularity in tourism, so its good idea to visit before most of its cultural traditions are lost to modern ones.

It has a stunning varied geographic terrain ranging from long stretches of beaches and beautiful mountains. In the North there are dramatic rice terraces cut into mountain valleys lush in seasonal changing color. National parks that are completely jurassic and undeveloped. Rolling sand dunes and spectacular bays made of peaked islands. The delta is a floating land unto it´s self divided by rivers fingers that reach out to the sea. There´s the biggest cave in the world and smaller yet mammoth sparkling crystal ones you are able to take boat into. Sun sets behind the mountains in the North are reason alone to visit.

You will still see in regions, mostly the North traditional Hmong tribes and traditional cultures, but its fast cultural growth has also brought with it a lot of welcomed modern fast-paced shopping areas filled with boutique cafes, bars and hip stores. 

A communist nation that has given way to a socialist market economy still houses many relics from the height of this era. Communist flags fly everyplace and massive statues sporadically appear in central areas and along the Ho Chi Minh Highway. There´s plenty of religious temples and museums that house it´s history along with the sad relics of its last war. 

The people are the most sweetest and beautiful you will ever meet, always smiling, hard working and happy.

However with its rapid growth there is an equal amount of targeted tourist theft and a horrid trade in underaged prostitution fueled by sad tourists. There is also a complete lack of regard to trash and its every where. 

 

The food is epic, fresh, abundant vegetables and fish dishes which is incredibly cheap. The smells and tastes waft everyplace and on every corner you will find a street vendor selling some wonderful delight.

For a bike rider, well there are empty roads that wind and curve around endless ups and downs though valleys of mountains.

I love to ride canyon roads, so for me it was simply amazing. I found one pass in the North, that sorry, I´m going to keep a secret as it was a riders wet dream; no cars, new road, wide lanes, floating bridges to fly over, spectacular landscape that made the Hải Vân Pass look like a disappointing toddlers fairground ride. However, note my dad was ecstatic I rode the Hải Vân Pass for obvious reasons. If you ride motocross then there is also an abundant amount of challenging off terrain but i´d recommend riding with a team or native to the area because if you get into difficulty there is nothing about in some areas.

The Vietnam Coracle has the most comprehensive motorbiking route guides and maps for every region. Its pretty much a riding though Vietnam bible.