Two week motorbike trip South and North of Nha Trang: Part 1: From Nha Trang to Phan Rang via the coastal roads DT6571 and DT702

We had never visited the area around Nha Trang in South-Vietnam before, so decided to discover it during a two week motorbike trip. Since we could only take one bag on the back of the motorbike we decided to make a stop halfway trough the two week trip to change the clothes in our backpack that we strapped onto the luggage rack of the motorbike. 

It was quite a search to find a rental shop in Nha Trang that rented out a Honda 150 cc dirt road bike. Easy Rider Nha Trang had exactly one bike of this kind and it had been on the road for quite some years already, but was still in reasonably good condition. It lacked some power when driving uphill and one of the breaks needed to be replaced but the bike served us without any problems during our two week bike trip. Not many tourists seem to be taking a multi day motorbike trip out of Nha Trang. Most tourists rent smaller full automatic motorcycles for day trips out of Nha Trang. 

When planning the itinerary of our motorbike trip I not only researched the places we wanted to visit along the way, but also looked for beautiful motorbike routes that connected them.

I eventually chose two loops, one to the south of Nha Trang and a second one to the North of Nha Trang both ending in Da Lat from where we returned to Nha Trang. Some of the routes we took are on the list of most beautiful motorbikes routes of Vietnam. A great place to research motorbike routes and trips is the travel blog vietnamcoracle.com

So this is the itinerary of our two week motorbike trip:

Part 1: Nha Trang to Phan Rang with a one night stay at Myhoa Lagoon Kiting town

Part 2: Phan Rang to Mui Ne with a two night stay at Mui Ne Coco Cottage resort

Part 3: Mui Ne to Da Lat wit a three night stay at Boutique villa 22

Part 4: Da Lat to Nha Trang with a one night stay at Vinpearl beachfront hotel

Part 5: Nha Trang to Tuy Hoa with a two night stay at Sala Tuy Hoa Beach Hotel 

part 6: Tuy Hoa to Ninh Hoa wit a one night stay at Paradise Resort Doc Let 

Part 7: Ninh Hoa to Buon Ma Thuot with a two night stay at The Lake Farm Dak Lak

Part 8: Buon Ma Thuot to Da Lat with a two night stay at Ana Mandara Villas Dalat Resort

Part 9: Da Lat to Nha Trang with a last night at Vinpearl beachfront hotel

On day one we set out on the coastal road DT6571 in the direction of Cam Ranh. It would have been a beautiful beach side road if it wasn’t for the many large resorts, many still being built, that completely blocked the view of the ocean. Once past the airport we had to take Highway one for a while before taking a left onto the DT702, one of those roads listed as one the most beautiful coastal roads of Vietnam with the sea on the left and the Nui Chua national park on the right. 

Since we did not have to cover too much distance on our first day we decided to make a detour via the Cam Lap peninsula and make a stop at Sao Bien beach. We needed a drink and maybe something to eat for lunch. What used to be a public beach is now a tourist spot where you have to buy an entrance ticket (3.5 euro per person). We really needed a stop so we bought a ticket and descended towards the quiet but cute (instagrammable) beach where we had (an overpriced) lunch. As an alternative I planned a stop at Bình Tien beach but when we got there it also was privatized by the Solari by Anara hotel and adjacent golf course. We drove past Vinh Hy, a small inlet with a harbor for fishing boats. 

And the same went for Hang Rai  beach known for its boulders and ancient coral reefs, some of which are exposed and create layered formations. Again you had to buy an entrance ticket to visit the beach. After Sao Bien beach I had decided not to pay an entrance fee to a public beach anymore, so we drove on.The whole beach section along the DT702 road is being completely privatized and monetized. A sad evolution. This pristine route will soon be erased from the list with most beautiful motorcycle routes…

Around Thai Han you see vineyards on both sides of the road, not for wine but for grapes. Against a fee you can pick your own grapes to take home.

In the early afternoon we arrived at Myhoa Lagoon Kiting town where we would stay the night. A cute beach side resort with about 20 sober but really nice bungalows, a small pool and a bar/restaurant. It was low tide when arrived and the sea was about 200 m away from the resort. So no kiters, we would have to wait till the morning to see them on the waves. We chilled a bit and then took a walk on the beach. 

In the evening we had a really good dinner at the resort. It was very quiet here since it was low season, the kitesurfing high season is in winter. We were the only ones eating in, the operator offered us an extra glass of coconut water and some fresh jackfruit as desert. We got up at 5 AM hoping for a nice sunrise, but went back to bed after seeing the clouds and rain to get some more sleep before our second day on the motorbike.

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