Ride day 13: Liem Hoa to Phong Nha
30 May 2016
A bit of a lie in as we know it’s a very short hop in to Phong Nha for the day (c. 50km). Also, feeling slightly tender after a few too many Kuda beers the night before!
As we load up and head on out of the Nha Nghi and up to the road, it’s obvious a delivery truck had recently arrived in town, as we follow out of town at the back of a small motorcade of locals with various supplies on their bikes. After a few kilometres of twists and turns, we manage to pass all the locals and get out on the open road. This section of the Duong Ho Chi Minh (Ho Chi Minh Highway) is absolutely spectacular, with limestone peaks in every direction, forests and some small farms. The road itself is without potholes, twin lane road, but with a strange camber and series of joins from where the road has been made which makes it a fairly bumpy ride. We spot a couple of backpackers on older model Win110’s heading North. Obligatory beep of the horn and quick wave as they pass. The first westerners we have seen in 4 or 5 days.
We continue our swift beautiful ride south taking in the views from the HCM until it takes a turn to the right and we switch on to a newly (badly) resurfaced local road for the last 10km in to Phong Nha. There is a bit of a rattling sound coming from Traceys bike as she pulls along side. Sounded like chain slap. In an attempt to identify the noise, I continue to ride alongside checking the chain and bike stand for movement. The only movement I see however is Tracey riding her bike directly through three very large compressions in the road, and managing to fully jump the bike out of the last bump! It may have only been a couple of inches of air under the bike, but it was certainly all in the air at the same time. That was the moment we decided that any rattle inspection can take place once we arrive in Phong Nha.
There is a small village just before arriving in Phong Nha where we see a few more back packers heading north, and a “restaurant”. This is another first sight for a number of days, having eaten mainly at com/ pho houses or Nha Hang’s on the road.
Pulling in to Phong Nha over the river, we are presented with beautiful views and a small town nestled in between. A relatively large number of backpackers and other tourists walking up and down the street, along with a bunch of restaurants, hotels and coaches. Quite clearly Phong Nha is seeing the $ in the local caves and their visitors.
Having built up a hunger with the morning ride, we choose one of the small restaurants in the high street and have a tasty lunch of fried rice, and make use of their internet to check out places to stay. The best rated and best priced option appeared to be just a few doors up and very well priced at $13 a night, so we made a quick booking then rode along to the hotel. A quick check in, and slightly longer conversation with the extra friendly owner, and we grab a shower before taking the rest of the day to check up and down the street that is Phong Nha town, and look at options of caves and tours to do whilst in town.
For dinner we opt to go to the popular and well rated bamboo restaurant a few doors up from our hotel (as is everywhere in phong Nha – being just a few hundred metres long). A repeat of fried rice (not as good as lunch) and a couple of beers, before retiring to hotel to get in to the air con and out of the intense heat and humidity that had been building all day.
Full days route here:
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