In South East Asia no space is left unfilled. The streets are lined with markets selling food by day and souveniers by night. The roads are a hive of activity of scooters weaving in and out of coaches and taxis. Fold-out seats in minivans and additional plastic stools in restaurants are commonplace. Hanoi fascinated me, it was an enchanting maze of multiple storey townhouses where fairylights and lanterns lead the way to hidden cafes. Every nook and cranny is utilised into a shop, a booking office, a street food stall.
Public transport is a less romantic scene. Night buses are a cheap and popular way to travel around Vietnam; two floors of fold out seats with a slot to cram your feet into and a blanket to comfort you through the night as the bus thunders down the roads. I've heard stories of locals cramming into the aisles and sleeping on the floor although I haven't experienced this yet. Even though the buses are cheap and easy, for real freedom and independence most backpackers choose to travel Vietnam by bike.
Bikes are everywhere. They are cheap to buy, easy to obtain and efficient to drive on the busy roads. When we arrived in Hanoi I didn't feel confident enough to tackle the chaotic traffic on a scooter alone. However, the lure of the popular Hai Van pass motivated me to build up the courage to learn so after a few shaky lessons and around Hue I rented my own scooter ready for the ride to Hoi An.
Vietnam is such a beautiful country and you miss all of the scenery on night buses, but by bike you are surrounded by it and can stop at any point to take it all in. I pulled over so many times to take photos and I would have stopped more but I forced myself to drive on and enjoy the moment.
If you really want to do Hai Van pass by scooter but don't feel confident enough to drive yourself then there are plenty of options available. Easy rider is the most popular, you can jump on the back of a scooter with a rider who works for the company and they strap your bags to the back. Family rider is also another option and you can make a full day out of it stopping at the various sights and tourist attractions along the way, like Elephant falls and Marble Mountain. As soon as you arrive in Hue you'll be pretty much inundated with offers, but like anywhere in the world where there's a high demand there are also elaborate scams so stay safe, do your research and don't feel pressurised to give anybody any money on the spot.
If you still want to ride Hai Van pass on your own scooter and you're not that experienced at riding, I would rent out a scooter the day/a few days before and go for some practise drives. I'm am a VERY nervous driver at home and I never would have thought I would be able to drive a scooter with ease. Hue was a good place to practise and we found some quiet roads for me to get the grips with the basics. The roads on Hai Van pass are smooth and there are no ridiculous hills, although there are a few sharp turns but nothing too difficult. Most companies send your bags down to the hostel/hotel you are staying in as well so you don't have to worry about the additional weight.
If you're still undecided then take this one last thing into consideration. The drive from Hue to Hoi An on total took around 4 hours but took us 6 as we stopped off a few times. I would say only roughly 40 minutes of this is the actual Hai Van pass. Once you get into De Nang (a coastal town before Hoi An) you're in the midst of some extremely busy Vietnamese traffic. It's not on the same level as Hanoi and the roads are fine, and I can get pretty nervous and found it manageable, so if you want to drive it yourself then I would say do it, be bold, be brave, be safe of course, wear a helmet and whatever you choose just enjoy the ride!
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