Tour of Vietnam 2023 | Day 18 | Hoi Ann – Tuy Hoa | 372 kms

I struggled to sleep last night because people checked into the room early in the morning. As a light sleeper, I barely got enough rest after falling asleep around 2 a.m. and waking up at 8 a.m. After bathing, I started packing up my things, which were scattered everywhere after two nights of staying. I needed to organize my newly purchased items as it had been raining since I woke up. I ignored the rain and focused on getting my stuff ready.

I wait for the rain to pass while enjoying my coffee and chatting with Thóa, the receptionist. We discuss various topics, including life, work-life balance, and the differences between our countries.

Around 10 am, the rain stops, and I prepare to head to the old town for the 10:15 am classical theatre performance, the fifth point of interest from yesterday’s ticket. Upon arriving, I struggle to find the theatre. Asking for directions takes time, and vehicles are banned from the street where the theatre is located, forcing me to park my bike and walk. Though I have a map indicating the theatre’s location, it requires many inquiries before I finally find it. By 10:30 am, anxious that I might miss the show, I hurry upstairs, sweating from my motorcycle jacket in the humid weather. Fortunately, I catch the last two performances, which I thoroughly enjoy. Just ten minutes after I arrive, the show ends, and the audience exits. I rush to my bike, start the engine, and by around 11 am, I continue my journey south.

The weather is currently good, with no rain but persistent cloud cover. Road conditions are favorable, with most roads being dual carriageways. Later, heavy rain begins, prompting me to put on my rain gear, which I had ready. I nearly get wet while sheltered under a tin roof, but the downpour soon lightens and eventually stops. After a few kilometers, I remove my rain gear, as the humidity makes it uncomfortable. I unzip my jacket to let the air cool me down. Soon after, rain threatens again, but instead of putting my gear back on, I take shelter under a tree and wait for it to pass.

The weather remains steady, with no signs of clearing. The farmlands are dry in some areas and waterlogged in others. I skipped breakfast and followed the same strategy for lunch, snacking during my pitstop. After 2 pm, the sun breaks through the clouds, casting bright light over the landscape. Lush green paddy fields come into view, glistening in the sunlight. This is my first time seeing such vast areas of paddy fields since my time in Vietnam.

The highway runs parallel to the coast, but the sea is visible only at certain spots. I planned to reach Tuy Hoa today, and the remaining distance seems manageable without riding in the dark. Passing through Quy Nhon is enjoyable, as the road winds among lush Eucalyptus trees, offering beautiful views of the coastal towns to the left. I arrive in Tuy Hoa just at dusk, having covered 372 km since morning. I find a hostel through Booking.com for 100,000 VND, booking a dorm to myself while others occupy private rooms. The cheerful owner helps me settle in, sharing all the necessary details about the hostel. After transferring my luggage to the room, I take a hot shower and prepare to head out.

I think of completing my pending diary at a coffee cafe somewhere nearby but I stumble upon David from France just outside the hostel. We get talking and he informs me that he rented a scooter from my hostel. We decide to explore the streets around and walking not far from the hostel bump into a local residents sitting around a table and having a wonderful time singing Karaoke. We first are not sure about joining them even though they keep waving at us, we move a little ahead and mutually decide to turn back and join the celebrations. We are grateful to them for including us in their merry making. They offer us beer and cake and we participate in Karaoke singing, this being one of my wish-list here since Karaoke is considered as a big form of socializing here.

Karaoke clubs are almost everywhere you go, every few hundred meters. We thank them and head to a nearby dinner spot from the hostel. I’m very hungry since I’ve mainly only had water since morning. I order fried rice, chicken, and chicken stock soup.

The food is delicious and costs 50,000 VND. It’s 10 PM, and I’m tired from not sleeping well last night and riding in the rain. I say goodnight to my new friend and head straight to the dorm for a good rest. I’m now much closer to my final destination, Ho Chi Minh.