First few kilometres are noodling around the tea plantation in the mist - atmospheric. Took a while to find a breakfast spot but there’s one on the main highway that serves noodles. WARNING 1: ignore the first 10km, you just want to get on and stay on what seems like the old highway DT101 towards Van Ho… No cars here, you ride quite high for a while. For me it was very misty and damp so have rain coat and gloves at the ready for the descent. Quite mucky but grippy even with some rain. WARNING 2: the very last 2km of this route are possible with hike a bike. The road is grippy but it’s 25% uphill. Food options at the intersection before you descent into Mai Chau. There’s also a waterfall to see in this area which I missed. Take the small roads through Mai Chau - I picked some rice fields to cycle between. It’s quite touristy in Mai Chau. The climb up to Pu Luong is long but not steep. When you descend into Pu Luong where all the hotels are, take the small road through the centre of the valley, rather than doing the last 7km on the main highway Ideally in daylight as you get to see lots of the area people hike. In Jan 2026 it was dusk at 18:00. The views tend to show only in the afternoon once the mist has cleared. Pu Luong Aroma hotel was lovely. Can wash your bike here