Hey there! It has been a while since I haven't posted a blog. Recently I've been busy with other things mostly work and other self-development things. But now I finally found free time that I don't have anything to do. So I thought of writing my blog series about my previous adventure in Ha Giang, Vietnam.
This blog series will be all about my 4-day motorcycle riding around the mountains of Ha Giang, North Vietnam. I'll share with you how amazing it was, the nature and cultural beauty of Vietnam, as well as the hurdles I and my friends went all through this adventure.
The picture above is not the beginning but how this adventure ended at the same place we started the adventure.
Ha Giang Loop
Ha Giang Loop is a motorcycle adventure around the mountains of Ha Giang. It takes 4 to 5 days to finish the loop covering a distance from 300km to 500km.
This loop is famous among adventurers seeking a daily adrenaline rush while driving along the mountains of northern Vietnam.
I made our itinerary for 4 days jumping into 4 townships including Ha Giang.
- Day 1 - Ha Giang to Yen Minh
- Day 2 - Yen Minh to Meo Vac
- Day 3 - Meo Vac to Du Gia
- Day 4 - Du Gia to Ha Giang
Preparation
We have started our 4-day adventure in Ha Giang Loop Hostel at Ha Giang itself. This hotel provided us with everything we need to get started for the adventure most importantly the motorcycles and gears that we needed. Even accepted us to check-in in the middle of the night (3AM)
Getting to Ha Giang from Hanoi took us 8 hours of sleeping bus travel from Hanoi. It was a relief that this hotel exists to provide adventurers a place to stay and essential things to get started with the adventure.
8 AM after we had our breakfast and our best shower for the next 4 days; We started preparing the documents, motorcycles, and baggage.
If you are doing this adventure, please be reminded that police officers in Ha Giang are very strict in terms of driver's licenses. For you to legally drive a motorcycle here, you must carry a license compatible with IDP 1968.
Adventure Begins: Ha Giang to Yen Minh
It is a 90 Km drive from Ha Giang to Yen Minh. Everybody is full of excitement to see the amazing scenery and drive through the winding roads.
We've had our first meal in this 4-Day adventure at a local Pho restaurant. I think that was the best Pho that I've ever had in this adventure. It was so random to see a restaurant along the way and here we found a gem that filled our tummy.
At this point, we have already passed by the major police checkpoint and got our licenses checked. Coming from Taiwan, we were very confident that our international licenses are applicable in Vietnam. And it went well as we expected.
A few stops ahead after we had our lunch, we enjoyed the panoramic view from the Hevean's Gate Coffee Shop and had a cup of the strongest coffee that I have ever tasted. It is nothing special but the common black coffee that you could buy anywhere in Vietnam. It kicks differently than other coffee.
We were halfway through when we had another stop for a rest on this farm. On such a good day, these locals are having a gathering in the middle of the farm. We don't understand whatever they are doing but their vibes are very calm and relaxing. We enjoyed staying here inhaling fresh air and having fun with these kids.
Little did we know, this was gonna be the starting point of our struggle.
Struggles
After that flat road along the farms, we had to go through a major winding, steep, and narrow road to cross a mountain. Our excitement slowly went down to fear when the heavy construction trucks and buses started to tag along our way.
Imagine driving on a narrow mountainside road while being bullied by huge vehicles. These drivers are very hostile to motorcyclists and cyclists. Their honks are crazy loud and traumatizing. It was as if a huge whale was coming after you while you had to focus on driving without falling off the cliff just 1 meter beside you.
Another struggle is that one of our motorcycles seemed to consume gasoline pretty much faster than the others and it had to be refilled soon as we still had 30 km ahead of us to Yen Minh.
Despite the hurdles, looking back on the road we went through was fulfilling and mesmerizing. It was a mixed feeling of fear for what was waiting for us in the next few days and the excitement of seeing more and better of this beautiful scenery.
Feast
At the end of the day, we arrived at Yen Minh safe and sound. I had a minor crash when my motorcycle suddenly shut down while climbing a steep road. I and my friends enjoyed the night with a heavy meal matched with Hanoi Beer. We talked about the things that happened on that day, laughed, plan for the next 3 days.
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Omg,I can't imagine how you guys struggled just to reach the end of the road. 🥺