Mui Nei-Phan Rang

Total Distance:174.91km
Total Time:9h43m13s
Average Speed:18.0km/h
Maximum Speed:46.0km/h
Total Distance So Far:2603.62km

Depending on how you look at it I either took a very smart or very stupid route to Dalat. From Mui Nei there are two possible ways to get there. The first is to go up a secondary highway 180km, which leads north from Mui Nei into the Central Highlands of Vietnam. The second is to take the coastal road 175 km to Phan Rang, then head up a secondary highway north for about 100km to Dalat. Obviously, I choose the latter. The reasoning behind it was quite simple. I figured the first route would be a much bussier one. Most people going from Mui Nei to Dalat,or Dalat to Mui Nei, take this highway. Also, I figured it would be less physically demanding, as it consisted of less time biking through the highlands. The downside of going to Dalat via Phan Rang is that it is a significantly longer route. So, depending on how you look at it I either took a very smart or very stupid route to Dalat.
As it turned out, I was right about the traffic. It was extremely quiet travelling down the highway. The scenory was spectacular. To my left I had an awsome view of the highlands. Huge mountains towering over me, reminding me a little of home. To my right was the crystal blue ocean, which seemed to stretch out to the ends of the earth. It really was a beautiful day. The terrain was mostly flat, and it went rather smoothly. Once in Phan Rang I had no problem finding a place to stay. It isn't exactly a tourist destination, although I did see one other white guy wondering down the street, but it is a big enough city to host a fair amount of hotels. There wasn't much to see or do in Phan Rang. I ventured down to the market, and spent the remainder of the night reading in my room.
The way I look at it, I took the smart way. It was a nice ride, I enjoyed myself and, most importantly, I now have less distance to cover in those dreaded highlands.