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HAN destination photo
PXU destination photo

HANPXU

Which side of the plane to sit from Noi Bai International Airport (Hanoi) to Pleiku Airport (Pleiku)?

Our Recommendation
8.5

Right Side of the Plane

The right side provides a front-row seat to the rugged Annamite Range and the dramatic elevation changes as the aircraft enters the Central Highlands plateau.

Right Side Highlights
8.5
⛰️

Annamite Range

Incredible views of the Truong Son mountains with their sharp ridges and deep, mist-filled valleys.

🌳

Primary Rainforest

Vast stretches of dense jungle along the Laos-Vietnam border, appearing as a deep green carpet.

💧

Yali Hydropower Reservoir

A massive, deep-blue body of water surrounded by rolling hills, visible during the descent into Pleiku.

☕

Gia Lai Plantations

The geometric red-soil patterns of coffee and rubber plantations characteristic of the Central Highlands.

🌋

Extinct Volcanoes

Spot the unique circular formations of ancient volcanic craters, such as Chu Dang Ya, near the destination.

The right side is superior for landscape photography. On afternoon flights, you can catch a stunning sunset over the mountains of Laos. Watch closely during the final 15 minutes of the flight as the plane descends over the Yali reservoir and the distinct red basaltic soil of Gia Lai.

Left Side Highlights
7.2
🏙️

Hanoi Urban Sprawl

Aerial view of the dense capital city and the iconic Long Bien Bridge shortly after takeoff.

⛰️

Ninh Binh Karsts

Dramatic limestone peaks of the 'Halong Bay on Land' visible about 15-20 minutes into the flight.

🌊

Gulf of Tonkin

The distant blue horizon of the South China Sea and the thin coastal plains of Thanh Hoa.

🛤️

North-South Railway

Trace the thin line of the historic railway cutting through the patchwork of rice paddies.

Choose this side for morning flights to avoid harsh direct sunlight. It is the best side for viewing the agricultural patterns of the Red River Delta and the early transition into central Vietnam's coastal geography.

Top Activities in Pleiku
Route Information

Distance: 836 km (519 miles)

Approximate Flight Time: 1 hr 24 min

Departure: HAN (21.221200942993164, 105.80699920654295)

Arrival: PXU (14.00450038909912, 108.01699829101562)

Route Type: Domestic

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