I went outside my comfort zone on this one a little bit. Normally, I wouldn't volunteer to be behind a stranger on a motorcycle for days on end. Normally, I would book a tour like this through a reputable agency who would assign me a guide. I also would not normally spend more than my daily budget and have made very few exceptions so far on this trip. This was one of those well worth it exceptions.
As I mentioned in my previous post about Nha Trang, I had recently been considering a motorcycle tour as I wanted to see the central highlands while in Vietnam. My father was stationed there as an American communications specialist in the army during the war and I wanted to see where he was and learn more about the history. Within hours of giving this adventure any serious thought I was walking towards the beach and heard, "hello! Handsome man!" He had my attention.
Mr. Bang approached me with well-played small talk and we got to chatting. He told me he was a tour guide via motorcycle and asked if I was interested in seeing more of Vietnam. He wasn't pushy and we ended up sitting on the sidewalk and talking for an hour about the American War, his experiences, and potential itineraries. I ended up taking a risk and changing my plans around so I could go with Mr. Bang from Nha Trang through the central highlands to Hoi An. I had an open bus ticket to Hoi An I ended up ditching. Within two days we set out for a 4 day 3 night trip. The risk totally paid off.
Mr. Bang is an energetic, eager to laugh and learn, and knowledgeable Easyrider. These are guys that offer tours of rural Vietnam, which are growing increasingly popular with backpackers and tourists. Mr. Bang is very flexible and he basically created an itinerary for me to try and track down some of the places my father may have been or may remember. He would make sure to point out battlefields, victory monuments, and memorials as well as any structures or locations at were crucial during the war. He also knew I was interested in photographing the rural Vietnamese and he would slow down next to people he thought I would want a picture of. He even got them to wave and laugh to make for better pictures. He would ask if I got the shot I wanted and If I missed it, he would happily turn around and try again. He is a fantastic biker, safe and focused and I was really never worried. I taught him all the English phrases and expressions I could and he soaked it all up.
I taught him what frugal meant and said I wanted to eat where he eats: good and cheap. He took me to some incredible local spots. Some of the pho we had was the best I've had in Vietnam and everything was 15,000-25,000 VND. I was spending $3 a day with him and eating well.
Each day we covered between 170 and 220 kilometers. It was a lot of riding through beautiful landscapes, small towns with kids waving and yelling "hello" (or just staring and pointing). We rode along rivers, through winding mountain roads and misting jungle. I was afraid the people wouldn't welcome me but my fears couldn't have been more misguided. I was greeted with smiles everywhere.
The first day we rode to Buen Mi Thuot. This region is known for its coffee and chocolate (and coffee that's infused and roasted with chocolate). We stopped by fields of coffee beans and cacao.
That night we arrived at a nice guesthouse and went out for street pho (beef noodle soup). The next morning we went out for breakfast and coffee. The coffee is incredibly strong, like espresso, drip coffee usually served win sweetened condensed milk. Coffee here cost 8,000 VND. It was so good I bought a half kilo to bring home. This was a commitment as I still had 6 weeks left of traveling left and have to lug it around. I think it's worth it.
That day was the longest ride of 220 kilometers. We rode through Pleiku which was where my father was stationed. We tried finding landmarks that may still be standing from that time so I could take pictures. While taking pictures of what they call Dragon Hill where a lot of fighting went down, a guy came up to us on motorbike and told us to be quick about it because the police were near. There is still paranoia and fear with the police and government (for those who supported the South) about certain places and topics relating to a divided country. We then went to Sea Lake and kept moving toward Kon Tum where we spent the night. We ended up eating at a delicious dry noodle place with another Easyrider and his client, Thomas from Germany. We would end up playing leap frog with them the rest of the way. Each time we saw them the guide would yell at me, "good morning America!"
The following day, day 3, we climbed up into the mountains where the air was cool and fresh. I was cold but it felt nice after 2 months of heat. We stopped at a famous old US airstrip at the base of the even more famous Charlie Hill. This hill was a hotspot for fighting and many died in both sides here. Mr. Bang told me there is a famous song about a South Vietnamese officer who died here. The airstrip was apparently used for U.S. Bombers. Its now used to dry tapioca in the hot sun.
That night we stayed at a beautiful hotel in a tiny town of which I can't recall the name. It was up in the hills, cool and quiet. We went out for a noodle dish that Mr. Bang loves and he said was a specialty. Afterwards, I was still a little hungry after the long day of riding so Mr. Bang was helping me search for something else. He asked some girls where to go. They walked with us to show us a place. They spoke a little English and said they were in the 8th grade. I said "oh my god, me too!" They thought that was hilarious. My beard is getting intense. They ended up bringing us to a BBQ rice paper omelette place and it was delicious.
The next day we headed out in the misting rain for our last and shortest trip to Hoi An on the coast. We descended the mountains, rode through the wet jungle and stopped off for coffee a few times along the way. At our last stop, we stumbled into a family's house with 5 kids. There was a 4 year old boy I was playing peekaboo with and 9 year old twin girls who I helped with their English homework. There was also an aunt who was obsessed with taking pictures with me. Next door was also a pineapple farm and truck loads of pineapples. Overall, it was a pleasant pit stop to end on. We said goodbye and finished out our journey.
Mr. Bang dropped me off at my hostel in Hoi An and we said our goodbyes. It was a bit sad to see him go since we got along so well and he showed me such a unique and genuine Vietnam experience. If you are ever approached by Mr. Bang on the street, be flattered, say yes and hop on.
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