AMAZING EXPERIENCES

Motorcycles through Central Vietnam

We had been given several recommendations to take an Easy Riders tour of the Central Highlands. The Easy Riders are a group of Vietnamese motorcycle riders that give you an insider's view of the country. They provide a unique alternative to riding the bus and excel in bringing tourists closer to the locals.

Sarah and I signed up for a two-day trip with Easy Riders Hai and Hung. The first day we rode from Dalat to Lak Lake in the Central Highlands. It was so much fun being on the motorcycles! It was great being in the open air and feeling so connected to the countryside. Along the way, we stopped to see villagers at work - growing coffee, making rice wine, carving bamboo from stalks, managing flower gardens, making silk and much more. We also saw people living their daily lives - playing games, making meals, going to school and hanging out with friends. We saw gorgeous landscapes, gushing waterfalls, delicate flowers, temples, buddhas and village after village.

When we stopped for a coffee in the afternoon, a storm came rushing in. Instead of hunkering down to wait for it to pass, our guides trussed us up in rain gear, hustled us onto the bikes and rode like mad into the storm. It was incredibly windy but only slightly wet. It was exhilarating to ride into the storm like that. It went against everything I've been taught and it really felt like we were living on the edge. I couldn't wipe the grin off my face as we raced down the road. It was such fun!

After a night of beers and karaoke with the guys, we got up early the next day to head to Nha Trang. We were quite sore after sitting on a bike the previous day, but it was still fun. We stopped off at a few more places along the way, but mostly stuck to the road so we could arrive in Nha Trang before dark. While we were glad to get off the bikes and stretch our legs, I missed that feeling of freedom of being on the open road, making our own way across the country.

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