Phong Nha to Ke Sanh & Surendered detour to Hue

So with just enaugh funds to get by another day I started the journey in the morning to Khe Sanh. Barely out of Phong Nha and the micro drizzle could be felt. Thinking that it was just the early morning effect where moisture was very high in the mountain jungles I carried on through the windy scenic route to Khe Sanh.

Phong Nha to Ke Sanh - Ho Chin Minh Trail

Raw Tropical Forest along Phong Nha to Ke Sanh - Ho Chin Minh Trail

50km into the road and the it became a proper drizzle, then sunshine for a few momments then back to cloudy. Visibility in the mountain was so bad that I could barely see 20m ahead. Online guide did warn that this beautiful strecth of Ho Chin Minh road is to be only done when weather is good. I was about 25 % into the journey and decided to give it up due to the bad weather which did not seam to be letting up anytime soon.

Bad Weather along Phong Nha to Ke Sanh Ho Chin Minh Trail

Bad Weather plus a little detour 

So the next available junction out, I took a detour giving up on Khe Sanh. Hit stright for the coastal road and stopped for dinner where a simple meal became a chore to finish half a chicken. I had no idea it would be half a chicken meal. Recalculating destination, I decided to head for Hue directly. Danang would be too far to arrive within the day so Hue as it was destined to be.

When you accidentally order half a chicken .... 

Coastal Road to Hue 

Coastal Road to Hue

The ride along the coastal road was boring. Stright good roads which one could speed up but then the view was lousy as all the fields were barren. Last 80km to Hue it started raining lightly. It was not the kind of rain like in Malaysia where you have no choice but to find shelter instead it was those very light rain that you barely feel it slowly seeping through the jackets and jeans.

By the time I reached Hue, all 5 layers of my clothes were wet. I also had almost no money on me. The next day was the destination ride to Danang to meet up a friend that was flying into Danang for a New Year Eve holiday and he became my money mule to bring me some hard SGD cash. Vietnam is a cash country, with ATM withdrawal really sucking up huge fees.

I became a cheapskate for the last few days just to save that few dollars .... thinking back, I sometimes cant understand why I do these things.

Traveled on: Dec 2023