Diary from the Desert: 33,000 Kilometres in a 911 Dakar
At Porsche Centre South Lakes, we love hearing about incredible road trips, and they don’t come much bigger than this. Nguyen Hoang Anh, a logistics business owner from Vietnam, took his 911 Dakar on the journey of a lifetime – covering 33,000 kilometres across Asia in just 75 days. His adventure took him from Vietnam to the Gobi Desert and back, passing through China and Mongolia, tackling some of the most extreme terrains on Earth.
A Journey Like No Other
The first time you start up a Porsche 911 Dakar, you know you’re about to experience something special. For Nguyen, that moment came in September 2023 as he rolled out of his garage in Ho Chi Minh City, behind the wheel of the first 911 Dakar ever sold in Vietnam. “I’d been dreaming of taking an off-road sports car to the Gobi Desert for years,” he says. “And now, with winter approaching, I had to act fast.”
Through Laos and Into China
Travelling with two friends in a pickup and an SUV, Nguyen set off through Vietnam and into Laos, navigating winding coastal roads before reaching the China border. This was where the real adventure began. The moment the convoy crossed into China, Nguyen got his first proper feel of the 911 Dakar’s potential. “This car just eats up the kilometres,” he says. “Every stretch of road, every incline, every sharp bend – the Dakar took it all in stride.” A highlight of the journey was the Chaka Salt Lake in Qinghai, China. Set 3,100 metres above sea level, this surreal landscape reflected the bright blue sky, making it feel like driving on a mirror.
Taking on the Gobi Desert
Heading further north into Xinjiang, the first patches of sand and rolling dunes signalled their arrival at the edge of the Gobi Desert. “This is what I’d been waiting for,” Nguyen recalls. “Finally, I could push the 911 Dakar in the conditions it was built for.” The car handled everything with ease. It climbed dunes, powered through rough terrain, and glided over the sand. “It’s not just fast – it’s got grip, balance, and sheer determination,” Nguyen says. As a nod to local tradition, he even tied fireworks to the back of the car and drove through the steppe – a practice in China to ward off bad luck. The results? “Spectacular!” he laughs. “A Porsche with fireworks – I never thought I’d see that.”
Battling Harsh Terrain in Mongolia
By October, the convoy had reached Mongolia, where the landscape became even more challenging. Sharp rocks shredded two tyres, but they had spares. “The terrain was tougher than I expected,” Nguyen admits. But the 911 Dakar pushed through, taking him to remote Kazakh eagle hunters in the mountains, where he watched the legendary birds in action. Crossing rivers, mountain passes, and endless plains, the Porsche proved itself over and over again. Even when they got lost en route to the Tsenkher Hot Springs, the 911 Dakar took on riverbeds and dense forests like a true off-roader.
A Hero’s Return to Vietnam
By December, after crossing back into China, Nguyen noticed something strange. “Everywhere we went, people were filming us,” he says. As it turned out, his journey had gone viral on Chinese social media. The hashtags #Vietnam911 and #VietnameseUncle had racked up millions of views, and by the time he reached Ho Chi Minh City, fans were lining up to drive alongside him. “It was overwhelming,” he says. “This journey wasn’t just for me – it inspired so many people along the way.”
The Adventure Continues
One year later, Nguyen received an invitation he never expected – a visit to Porsche’s headquarters in Stuttgart. The 911 Dakar’s lead developer, Achim Lamparter, had heard about his trip and wanted to meet him.
Standing outside the Porsche Museum, Nguyen reflected on his journey. “I always said I’d take my 911 Dakar around the world one day,” he says with a smile. “And now, I know I will.”