Owee’s trip part 2

U Minh Thuong National Park

The last post is a trip that can be done on it’s own without this second part added. The following is the second part of what I would consider a trip almost all of the beaten track.

Day5

Board our bus and journey to Dalat, visiting some local hill tribes and beautiful waterfalls enroute. In the afternoon we will visit the flower gardens and some of the Dalat city attractions. Overnight in Dalat.

Day6

In the morning we will enjoy some of the spectacular trails and waterfalls before starting off for Boun Ma Thuot. We will enjoy a beautiful and breathtaking scenic drive through the mountains before reaching Dray Sap & Gia Long Falls. Overnight in Buon Ma Thuot.

Day 7

The caffeine capital of Vietnam, the biggest buzz you’ll get in Buon Ma Thuot (also known as Ban Me Thuot) is from the beans. There’s not a lot to do here, but it makes for a good base to explore Yok Don National Park and several stunning waterfalls in the vicinity. In the afternoon we will head back towards the ocean to overnight in a town named Tuy Hoa. A dinner in an ocean side restaurant and feast on Crabs, shellfish, and shrimp will be welcome. We will not include Plieku on this trip because of the local authorities have yet to welcome tourists, and to this day, foreigners are not allowed in many areas.

The road to Dalat

Day8

Pronounced Twee Hwa, the capital of Phu Yen province is a friendly little place with a nice wide beach with coarse golden sand – a great overnight stop to break up a longer journey. In the morning we will visit the largest Cham temple in Vietnam before slowly moving up the coast with a stop at some beautiful and almost untouched beach areas a person has ever seen. In the afternoon we will reach a city named Quy Nhon where we will check into a very nice seaside hotel for some relaxation.

Day9

Surrounded by great beaches, ancient Cham temples and other interesting sights, it’s in explicable that Quy Nhon (Qui Nhon, pronounced Wee Ngon) is not firmly on the tourist trail. Yet this is what adds to its appeal. With few foreigners in sight, the peripheral market in hassling tourists is yet to establish itself. You’ll find precious few touts, hawkers, beggars, pimps or dealers and it’s quite possible to walk down the street without anyone yelling after you ‘Hello! Yo!You!’ The capital of Binh Dinh province and one of Vietnam’s more active second-string sea-ports, this is a great spot to sample some fresh local seafood.

Cham in Tuy Hoa

Day10

Now we are in for a long drive to a town called Ton Kum quite possibly the friendliest city in Vietnam, when people stop you on the street in Kon Tum to ask where you’re from, it’s because they’re actually interested. In the Bahnar villages, discreetly hidden behind trim rows of Vietnamese houses on the town’s outskirts, the kids love to pose for giggly photos and the adults may even invite you into their homes for a chat. So far Kon Tum remains largely unspoiled and the authorities remain blessedly invisible. Overnight.

Day11

In the afternoon we will depart for Nha Trang and the tour would end there. It will be a chance to rest and to join in some night life and attractions with those other tourists we have not seen for almost 2 weeks. It is also a good hub for busses, trains, and flights to your next destination.

This itinerary is only thoughts of where to go and approximate time it might take. I am

Quy Nhon

 sure that it would need some tweaking to get the drive times all worked out. It has been my experience that travel in Vietnam almost always takes longer than planned.

So there you have it. Owee’s non touristy trip. You may see some foreigners in Dalat, but for the most part, you will be the center of attention.

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6 thoughts on “Owee’s trip part 2

  1. I would like to do this itinerary, but on a “smaller scale”, 5 nights…returning back to Saigon on the 6th day…is this possible to do? Without compromising on your originally intinerary suggestion…?

  2. Maybe I will join you. I would prefer a Jollibee.
    Pleiku itself is OK, but it is the surrounding hills and the local G men that I have had warnings about.

  3. Did you hit the KFC in Buon Ma Thuot? That was so wild to see that there!! Just had to have dinner in it.

    I didn’t have any trouble up in Pleiku, went up last year, spent a week doing a big triangle from here. Up Hwy 25 thru Phu Tuc (where there was a short stop for repairs) to A Yunpa and on, really liked Kon Tum then back Hwy 25 An Khe to QN and home.

    In riding around Pleiku I did see a few signs, in English, pointing out areas where the US Army had camps. I did notice that there was a lot of staring at me and the bike…guess they aren’t use to seeing one of ‘us’ outside of a tour bus?? Also caused some excitement when they saw the plate — Holy Tuy Hoa!! You rode it from there !!

    Going to take the ‘Brat’ up there next year for a long week, she’s looking forward to it.

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