Vietnam is full of unforgettable experiences, but involves a lot of travel to get from one place to the next… so we found one way to make this a LOT more fun.
Instead of getting a bus from Hue to Hoi An, we hired a scooter and drove ourselves, stopping at various sights and viewpoints along the way, including the famous winding Hai Van Pass that was featured on Top Gear!
Of course, being on a 6-month trip around Asia, we had a lot of luggage which wouldn’t fit on a tiny scooter. Luckily, we found a company through Viator who would collect our luggage and drive it down to their Hoi An office after dropping off a scooter for us to use for the day!
Knowing that our bags would be waiting for us in Hoi An meant we could fully enjoy the ride without worrying about lugging around heavy backpacks.
It only costs 740,000 VND (around £23 or $30), which is a pretty good deal when compared to the price of 2x bus tickets – and you get the freedom to make a whole day of unique experiences!
They sent us Google Maps directions with a few of their recommended places to visit along the way – which we enhanced with a few other stops from our own research. We’ve shared this itinerary below, as well as our top tips based on our experience, so that you can enjoy this epic journey yourself.
If a moped rental isn’t your thing, you can find lots of other options taking you from Hue to Hoi An (and vice versa), like a jeep, motorbike or private driver tour through the Hai Van Pass.
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Hue To Hoi An Route
Our day started bright and early at 8am, which is the perfect time to hit the road as the trip will take around 8-9 hours (with stops).
Before you start, make sure that you stop at a petrol station to fill up the tank. It’s essential to start with a full tank and this will comfortably last for the entire trip. With everything set, you are good to set off on our adventure!
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An Bang Cemetery: The City of Ghosts
Ride time: about 1 hour
Our first stop was An Bang Cemetery, also known as the City of Ghosts. This place is pretty impressive. The roads are lined with massive, colourful tombs that look more like palaces than graves. You don’t need long at this stop, but it is pretty cool to wander around – and is a great opportunity to stretch your legs for the first time! It’s both eerie and beautiful, making it a cool spot to explore.
Thác Nhị Hồ Waterfalls
Ride time: 55 mins
After checking out An Bang Cemetery, it’s time to hop back on your scooter and head to the Thác Nhị Hồ waterfalls. It’s a slight detour from the direct route to Hoi An, but absolutely worth it for a refreshing dip in the water. It was the perfect spot to take a break, especially after some time on the road.
You’ll wind your way up a remote road before parking (for a small fee) and making your way to the water. Don’t forget your swimwear and towels – you won’t want to miss out on a dip!
Beachside Lunch in Lăng Cô
Ride time: 35 min
After your swim and being on the road since 8am, you’re probably feeling a bit peckish. The next stretch of the drive takes you to Lăng Cô where you’ll find plenty of beachside restaurants to choose from.
We stopped at Hải Sản Huy Hoàng, a cool restaurant that overhangs the beach. The view alone was worth the stop, but the food was also fantastic. When you walk in, you can check out the fresh seafood on display, all while enjoying the sound of waves crashing beneath you.
The Hai Van Pass
Ride time: 30 mins to the top
With lunch behind you, it’s time for the main event: driving the Hai Van Pass. Made popular on Top Gear, this stretch of road has unreal views, with the ocean on one side and mountains on the other. We couldn’t resist making a few stops along the way to take some pictures and soak it all in. At the top of the pass, near Hai Van Quan, we found a cluster of cafes and shops. We parked the scooter and picked a cafe with a great view to enjoy a coffee.
Arriving in Hoi An
Ride time: 1 hour 10 mins to Marble Mountains, additional 25 minutes to Hoi An
After cruising down the other side of the Hai Van Pass, the rest of the journey will feel like a gentle glide into Hoi An. We didn’t stop at the Marble Mountains since we planned to visit them later on a day trip from Hoi An, but if you have extra time, the temples and caves here are amazing, and the hike up to the top of the mountain gives you a brilliant view of the area. Instead, we headed straight for the rental company’s office in Hoi An to drop off the scooter and pick up our bags.
By the time we arrived, it was already around 4pm. It was a long day, but we never felt rushed – that’s the beauty of doing it on your own. You can spend as much or as little time at each stop as you like.
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Route Map
Here’s a detailed look at the route we took from Hue to Hoi An, along with all the stops we made along the way, including the Marble Mountains.
The journey is packed with stunning views and amazing cultural sites that’re a little off the beaten path. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to soak in the natural beauty of central Vietnam!
Top tips:
- Sunscreen: Don’t forget to wear sunscreen! We applied some before we left, but we forgot to top it up along the way and got quite sunburnt! It’s easy to forget when you’re cruising at 80 km/h and feeling the breeze, but the sun is still shining down.
- Swimmies: Make sure you take swimwear so you can refresh in the waterfall at Thác Nhị Hồ. They have toilets on-site where you can change back into your dry clothes.
- Snacks: Our trip included stops for lunch and an afternoon snack, but we never go anywhere without snacks – just in case!
- Cash: Always carry cash in Vietnam. Many places don’t accept cards, and in more remote areas like the waterfalls and the Hai Van Pass, you won’t find many ATMs.
- Helmets with visors: Legally, you must wear a helmet, but we would recommend requesting helmets with visors. They’ll help protect you from wind and dirt while you ride.
- Licence: Make sure you have the necessary licences needed to legally ride in Vietnam.
If you’re up for a bit of a different way to travel between two major destinations in your Vietnam travels, we can’t recommend the Hue to Hoi An scooter trip enough.
The fact that the cost of the scooter rental included transporting our luggage too was an amazing benefit. It’s also a fantastic way to see some of Vietnam’s most beautiful scenery at your own pace. You can book from the same team we did on Viator – they were brilliant.
Just make sure to start your day early to get the most out of it.
Explore and enjoy!
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