Our trip begins with a two day motorcycle tour around Dalat: the green, hilly central highlands of Vietnam which are full of lakes, waterfalls and forests. Since motorcycles are the main form of transport around Nam, we felt there was no better way to feel like a local than to cruise around on our very own bikes.

Pongour Waterfall - Dalat - Vietnam - Wanderlusters (750x500)

However, within moments in the city we quickly came to appreciate the chaos of traffic, and were reminded a number of times about the high number of accidents that occur on Vietnamese roads daily. Therefore, we decided to hire a driver to take us around, which allowed us to relax on the back, snap photos of the scenery, and wave to the locals.

Motorcycle Group - Dalat Vietnam Riders - Wanderlusters (750x500)Vietnam Riders Tour Group - Dalat - Wanderlusters

Though we considered wearing long clothes to avoid getting skinned in an accident, the 30+ degree heat made that impossible. In fact, the only thing that made it bearable was the breeze we got while cruising around. So we boarded our bikes in our shorts, with our bulky rectangular pieces of luggage precariously strapped onto the back of the bikes, and we were ready to go!

DCIM100GOPROGOPR0759.

 

Traffic Mayhem

Step 1: Adjust to the traffic. Traffic lights are a rare sight and lanes are merely a suggestion. Motorbikes fill the streets, honking constantly, and zooming around one another in any direction they so choose. Adding to the choas are large trucks which thrust their way down the center of the roads, blaring their loud horns, while everyone peels to the sides to avoid their wrath. The locals have affectionately termed these “kamikazes” as a descriptive reflection of their driving style.

Traffic in Vietnam - Dalat Easy Riders Tour - Wanderlusters (750)Vietnam Easy Riders Tour Driving in Traffic - Wanderlusters (750)

However, I must say that as we watched our drivers maneuver around the mayhem, we realized there is a little more method to this madness than we initially realized. That, or just desensitization… but either way, we were soon comfortably riding along while squeezed between big trucks, swerving around wild animals, or zooming past a lady with seven children dangling off her bike.

Goats on Road - Easy Rider Tour Vietam - Wanderlusters (750)Vietnamese Kids - Dalat Easy Riders Tour - Wanderlusters (750)Easy Rider Tour - Cows on Road - Wanderlusters (750)Driving in Dalat - Vietnam - Wanderlusters (750x500)

 

Chasing Waterfalls

This hilly, rugged part of Vietnam has several beautiful waterfalls we wanted to see. One is the Pongour Waterfall, a grand waterfall with seven terraces:

Pongour Waterfall 1 - Dalat Vietnam - Wanderlusters

The second is Dambri, the tallest waterfall in Vietnam, which wasn’t quite as dramatic as it usually is given that we visited it outside of rainy season:

Dalat Happyland Waterfall - Vietnam Easy Rider Tours - Wanderlusters (750x500)Dalat Waterfall - Happyland Vietnam - Wanderlusters (750x500)

The highlight of this one was not only that someone built a huge elevator to ride from the top to the bottom, but that built around this waterfall was a mini amusement park: “Happy Land”. Happy Land was mostly abandoned, making it the perfect scene for a scary movie, but the one functioning activity was an alpine rollercoaster which let us toboggan down to the waterfall in a little plastic chair on winding metal tracks.

Alpine Rollercoaster - Happy Land Dalat - Vietnam - Wanderlusters

 

Coffee Beans

No matter where we cruised on our trip, the landscapes were full of coffee plantations and fields of green tea leaves. Vietnam is the world’s second highest producer of coffee, and the central highlands are where 80% of Vietnamese coffee beans come from.

Vietnamese Coffee Fields - Dalat Easy Riders Tour - Wanderlusters (750x500)Coffee Plant - Dalat Easy Riders Tour - Vietnam - Wanderlusters

As a result of this, coffee is a major staple in Vietnamese culture and people seem to linger in cafes for a large majority of the day. Coffee is served in many different ways, including with egg or with yogurt!

Coffee Beans in Vietnam - Dalat - Wanderlusters (750x500)

 

Sleeping on a Coffee Farm

Our 130-km ride ended at a little home stay on a coffee bean plantation. The family was just as welcoming as their little pups, who kept us company as we wandered around the property:

Vietnamese Dog - Dalat Easy Riders Tour - Wanderlusters (750x500)

We slept in little villas, our window open to a waterfall, in comfy beds under mosquito nets. We swam in the pool to wash the dust off and then sat by a fire for the night while we were serenaded with French songs sang by one of the drivers with his guitar.

Juliets Villas - Vietnam Easy Riders TourJuliets Villas Room with a Waterfall - Vietnam Easy Riders Tour - WanderlustersJuliets Villas - Vietnam Easy Riders Tour - Wanderlusters (750)Juliets Villa Pool - Vietnam Easy Rider Tour - Wanderlusters (750)

After a good nights sleep, we continue our road trip tomorrow until we hit the coast of Nha Trang!