Hai Van Pass Route by Motorbike Rental

Hai Van Pass Route by Motorbike Rental
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Rent Motorbike Hai Van Pass

Tigit offers one-way rentals between Da Nang city and Hue City. You can book the motorbike directly on the homepage by choosing your locations. Hue is currently a hotel doing business with Tigit, not an official Tigit location, so service is limited. The location is Nano Eco Hostel in Hue. Whether you have a rental or not, it is a fantastic place to stay!
Da Nang is a fully-fledged Tigit motorbike rental location with many motorbikes and options to choose from!

Hai Van Pass on a bloomy day

All Hai Van Pass are of the views, so here is one of a motorbike

The Hai Van Pass

The Hai Van Pass is a famous piece of coastal road connecting the tourist town of Hoi An to the beautiful old city of Hue. The Hai Van pass shows off mountains on one side, with spectacular coast on the other, looking way out and deep into the sea.
The stretch of road was initially made famous by the Top Gear Vietnam special TV show, where the boys describe the scenario as a “metaphor of Vietnam”. With mountains, coast and a little boat buzzing through the sea all in one scene.

Benefits of the Hai Van Pass Route

  • A short duration of around 4/5 hours.
  • This route enables casual travelers on a more normal touristy holiday to have a glimmer into the world of motorbiking in Vietnam without over-committing.
  • Plenty of very cheap motorbike rentals that specialize in connecting Hue to Hoi An specifically for the Hai Van Pass.
  • Join hundreds of other backpackers (depending on time of year), many of whom have never driven a motorbike before.
  • Recognition and fame amongst your peers for driving the “Hai Van Pass’, which is the most famous road in Vietnam.
  • As of 2021 the Hai Van Pass can now be a loop using a new tunnel through the Mach Ma National Forest.

Downsides of the Hai Van Pass

  • It is a nice road, but overrated. There are plenty of roads in Vietnam that are far more beautiful. This acclaimed fame of beauty distracts travelers from doing the truly amazing roads.
  • The alternative road to the Hai Van Pass (described below), is far more beautiful than the Hai Van Pass.
  • Its easy accessibility between two major tourist towns creates large quantities of backpackers who can’t drive on a twisty mountain road. Each and every crash makes the news and damages the image of motorbiking Vietnam.
  • The very cheap scooters used to promote the Hai Van Pass to backpackers has run prices into the ground. This has a knock on impact on safety and quality.
  • To get to the Hai Van Pass requires driving on a busy highway with trucks. First time riders are often sent straight out onto a highway with a plastic $2 helmet and a $150 scooter.
    Driving from Danang city to Hai Van Pass

Da Nang loop using the Bach Ma National Forest

The new loop through Bach Ma

It is now possible to do a one-day loop from Da Nang back to Da Nang, which creates a extra one day motorbike activity.  This new addition shows off mountains on one side with a deep blue river on the other. At this time, it is still a remote section of road and there will not be mechanic shops or food stalls around.

One way Motorbike rental Hai Van Pass

The total journey between Hoi An and Hue is around 5 hours. From Tigit Da Nang to the peak of the Hai Van pass is around 1 hour of driving. It is then possible to do the entry-mid level offroad loop back to Da Nang. To make a full day of driving, head into Son Tra Peninsula.

Mild offroad for Hai Van pass makes a nice Hai Van pass loop

 

At the top of the Hai Van Pass

At the top of the Hai Van Pass is a small tourist site of abandoned buildings. This is a quick 5 minute stop to snap some pictures to prove you have been to the top of the Hai Van Pass. There doesn’t appear to be any care to explain what these items are here for or the history behind them. They are there for taking pictures and that is all that really matters.

Top of the Hai Van Pass

Renting Motorbikes for a glimpse of the Ho Chi Minh Road

Under-rated and a missed opportunity for most travelers is the easy access to one of the most beautiful mountain roads in the world. The loop of Da Nang inland along the QL14E or QL14B bring us over to the Laos border which is the beginning of the famous Ho Chi Minh road. This is the road that most travelers on a motorbike comes to witness. We very quickly leave the cities of the coast and go out into very remote Vietnamese countryside.

Places to stay in “A luoi” make this loop accessible for entry level riders or people wanting a quick taster on motorbikes. This drive connects an amazing loop of Da Nang, the start of the Ho Chi Minh road, Hue and the Hai Van Pass.

Technically this road is before the famous section of the Ho Chi Minh road. However, we get to witness amazing remote tunnels built through mountains. This piece of road is one of the best in the country but is overshadowed by the shorter, more accessible Hai Van pass. We highly recommend creating 3/4 day loops in this area!

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6 Replies to “Hai Van Pass Route by Motorbike Rental”

  1. Hi Jon,

    I was wondering why it is no longer possible to do the DT148 loop on a motorbike. It seems like a nice route on Google Maps.

    Would you care to shed some light? Thanks!

    Regards, Jort

  2. Hi our flights to Vietnam are booked for 2nd March 2021. Yippee!

    The plan is to spend a few days in Ho Chi Minh City and then fly up to Dalat where we would like to hire bikes from yourselves. We then will make our way to Nha Trang, and then on to Da Hang on overnight train. We intend on spending a couple of days in Hoi An and then ride to Hue where will catch the overnight train to Ninh Binh. Is it possible to send the bike back from Hue as we will arrive and depart Hue in the same day and as you cannot pre book bikes on to the train we may not get them on the same train as us to Ninh Binh. We will then hire bikes locally in Ninh Binh, then travel on the afternoon train to Hanoi where we will once again hire bikes from yourselves for the remainder of our trip in the North, hopefully retuning them to you on the day we fly home Sat 27th March. Thank you in advance

    Regards Jo

    1. It is possible to return in Hue. However it is not a standard location for us.
      If you contact by email we can explain further.

  3. Hi looking for a Honda winner for 2-3 days between 3/11/19 to the 5/11/19 from Da Nang to Hue. What would be the cost/ deposit for this journey?