Crossing Vietnam in 2025

For my Making a Christmas Memory Solo Bicycle Tour this 2025, I bicycled 1/2 way across Vietnam in 12 days. The trip was approx. 950 kms (590 miles).

I began the trip on December 15th, 2025 by flying into Da Nang, Vietnam and started my biking on the 17th. I averaged 80 kms a day, staying in Hotels each night.

After Day 3, I started changing and adjusting my target cities based on distance, map changes etc.

Vietnam is known for it's very cheap hotels. I paid about $5.50 for my worst hotel and as much as $27 for my final, finish line hotel. I stayed in 13 different locations with the average of all housing being less than $10 per night.

I had zero bicycle issues. I had no flat tires or mechanical problems of any type, except for some "expired bicycle chain oil" I purchased and used that seemed more like "glue thickness, and sticky," but actually lasted for four entire days without care!

The oil was a nightmare getting off and cleaned up after my trip, but in reality, it really "stayed on the chain" like glue. It was a blessing and a curse, actually.

Because of freedom of speech restrictions in Vietnam, I was limited to my generic "Merry Christmas" sticker souvenir for giveaways to people I met along my trip.

My most interesting day, was meeting a truck driver, on his day off, commuting by motorcycle to the city his car was parked waiting for repairs. he wanted to "push me" from behind with his motorcycle to give me a "boost."| My "boost" actually lasted for over 20 kms! His motorcycle died for some ignition/spark plug related issue and we had to separate ways on the highway. I continued on and he backtracked a little to look for a motor repair.

My high lights were the cheap and variety of food, cheap hotels, great highway surface conditions, and some of the coastline views.

I had some mountains to cross, but I avoided the interior (at least on this trip) because of the extra time it would take in days to cross the climbs. Example: a full mountain day will drop my progress from 80 kms to as low as 30-34kms if it is all climbing. Maybe next time...

Liberty met me on Day 12 in Hoi Chi Minh City (my Finish Line) for four days of touristic-type activity around the city. We spent approx. $100 for four nights in nice Hotel. See, this is what I mean. Imagine anywhere in the world you can have a 3-4 Star Hotel for $100 for four nights? Amazing.

There is hardly no signs of Christmas in Vietnam except the Catholic churches have LOTS of decorations and special signage and displays and some of the "international hotels or resorts" might have, "Merry Christmas" in the front of their building, but that is it.

Vietnam is not a Christian nation, but has 86% non-religious; 4.8% to 15% Buddhism; 7% Catholics; and 1% Protestant +/- --- these numbers vary, but you get the idea.

According to ChatGPT, Vietnam is socialist and one-party communist, with pragmatic, non aligned foreign policy. Their ruling party is Communist Party of the Vietnam. They have elections, but no opposition parties are allowed.

Their ideology is rooted in Marxism-Leninism influenced by Ho Chi Minh Thought.

I was impressed by the market-orientated economy, with private business allowed, and foreign investment encouraged. There was no lacking of private businesses indeed with unlimited restaurants and so many industrial, manufacturing, shipping, and trucking industries.

The granite and marble industry struck me the most. There was abundant granite harvesting and the use of granite for just about every building application. Simple sidewalks were made from (for most of us) expensive granite, marble.

ChatGPT acknowledges that Vietnam has a very large granite reserve, which makes up a major part of the country's industrial stone reserves. Fascinating.

I still have 1/2 of Vietnam I did not experience (Hanoi to Da Nang), or any of the interior. I have not decided yet if I want to pursue at a different time.

I am still interested in bicycling South Korea which only takes six riding days, but it is best to go there when it is summer and warm and not during the Christmas holiday when it is cold.

Watch Vietnam info video here: