We're looking at taking highway 722 up to Dalat from Lak Lake.
Is there any place to stay in between? We're not fussy. Preferably 60km to 100km from Lak lake.
The distance is about 143KM and too much to do in a day especially with a climb.
We still have our tent but it's been way too wet.
How about the intersection of 722 an 27?
Thanks
Edited by: onrrbike
No Guest Houses but there is a restaurant (the only one) in Bang Lang with a room upstairs. Nice people - you will be the occasion for them to crack out the special rice wine.
Cheers,
Will
Hey Will
What was the run like from Bang Lang to Dalat. It looks like a long hill.
It also shows as Bang Lang a little south of the intersection.
Thanks for that.
Hey Onr
Oops. I responded to the subject line and not the text. I rode the other way - Dalat to Lak Lake - two downhills and one climb;. I couldn't have made it to Dalat from Bang Lang in one day and I don't remember if I saw any other accommodations. Sorry .
Will
Thanks for that.
I did see the route done the other way and it looked bad.
Its been really wet here and the "roads" would be too bad to even attempt. We managed highway 27b and 20 easy enough
Rain is not too bad along the south central coast now. Sunny or half sun most of the day with late afternoon showers. If the roads are so bad and it's so wet in the highlands, I suggest you come down to the coast.
Just came down the coast and up to Dalat. The road from Buon Ma Thuot may not be as drawn on the maps so gave it miss.
Highway 1 had plenty of opportunities to get off and wasn't NEAR as bad as people suggested.
Highway 20 from Dalat to HCMC or the other hand had to be rated s the worst in Vietnam.
Bad roads, too much traffic and a shoulder in the worst shape ever.
Hi guys,
we're pretty much in the same situation. We're traveling Vietnam by bycicle and are at Lak Lake now and want to start to make our way to Da Lat in the morning. The weather is great but we're not sure about going. We've come from Hue over the Ho Chi Minh Trail, so we had some tough mountain rides and managed quite well so we didn't really think it would be a problem.
Now we've heard various opinions however and some say that the road (27) is too bad to go, that there are rocks lying in our way and stuff like that. We're also worried about the climb. Anybody more details about how big the difference in altitude is? And also about where to stop in between?
All answers welcome!
Thanks a lot in advance,
Regina and Chris
onrrbike and Regina & Chris,
Any update on this? What was the road like from Lak Lake to Dalat and was there any accommodation?
Just thought I would update for anyone riding in the future. Info as of early March 2012.
The 722 road looks like a nice short cut, but it isn't a complete road. At least 20kms is no more than a path. It is passable by bike (or m'bike) but it is tough going (I didn't ride, but was told by cyclist and m'bike rider). There is no accom, but villagers may put you up in their houses. The cyclist - a Greek guy, said he was in a house and got told to move on by the police as the house wasn't authorized. He had to cycle 25kms in the dark with the very embarrassed locals riding with him on their motorbikes.
The 'main road', Highway 27 is a good one to ride and not much traffic. Some of it is very new and different to map due to dam construction between Lac Lake and Krong No. Some is under construction, I had to push for short distances due to fresh unrideable gravel awaiting road roller, but nothing miuch.
On H27, there is decent accom at Krong No (aka Phi Di Ya) 43 kms from Lac Lake ( I stayed here to shorten next day). Then it is 72kms to Dinh Van a largish town, plenty of accom. Two reasonable climbs. I also saw basic accom in small town of Dam Rong 40 kms on from Krong No. So plenty of options to break up the journey.
From Dinh Van, I took the 725 to Dalat to avoid H 20 - good road and fairly quiet.
Hope this helps anyone doing it in the future.