Adventure Travel Vietnam Blog
Travel blog includes travel writing, travel stories, travelogues written on many of our adventure trips in Vietnam. Come and join our team, you'll be inspired by a motorbike ride amid rugged mountain peaks, a trek through jaw-dropping golden rice terraces, or a lovely bicycle ride on a back-road in peaceful and idyllic countryside, or a multi-activity adventure … It's all real and awe-inspiring!
It is 1:30 P.M now and I have just crossed the bridge over the Da River (Black River) between Dien Bien Province and Lai Chau Province. It was a great time visiting the former battlefields in Dien Bien. I look forward to a great adventure in Lai Chau which is known for sublime mountains and idyllic hill tribe villages.
Leaving Hill A1, I proceed to Hills C1 (Eliane 1) and C2 (Eliane 4). The two hills are on the 2 sides of a road running from the east to the west. There are not many vestiges left of the horrendous battles in the past here. Trees and grass cover most of the hills making it not possible to stray from a paved path to the top of each hill.
All of a sudden the road leads me out of the forest into an open area without big trees around. From here I could have a great view of Dien Bien Phu City. I can't see rice fields in the Muong Thanh Valley though, as it is too hazy. In the front, the road meanders along the mountainside into the city. By my side, there are scenic rice terraces dropping down to ethnic villages.
It is late in the morning now and here I am nearly on the top of the Pha Din Pass between Son La and Dien Bien. It is quiet all around. I'm by myself taking the old route on the pass. The new road is in great condition, but it is lower on the mountainside, the old route is deserted but it goes higher. Taking the old route, I hope to have a nicer view of the surrounding nature.
It is spring time in northern Vietnam now. The official long Tet holiday has just concluded. In cities, people are flocking back for work. In the countryside, things are still slack: holidays here are normally longer! This is the time of flower blossoms and village festivals. The temperatures in Hanoi are around 20-25 Degrees Celsius. It is breezy, dry and sunshine every day.
Can Yen and Can Nong Communes of Thong Nong District are close to the Chinese border. The area possesses beautiful mountains and valleys. Trade at the border is not busy and the roads are just quiet. There are new governmental buildings, clinics and schools in every community. Life here is improving definitely.
On this motorbike adventure, I enter Cao Bang via Meo Vac, Ha Giang. For most of the morning, I followed the Nhiem River downhill through peaceful countryside and sublime mountains toward Cao Bang. At Niem Tong (Meo Vac, Ha Giang) and Ly Bon (Bao Lam, Cao Bang) the Nhiem River joins the Nho Que River to rinse the water into the Gam River.
The closer to Dong Van, the road goes down and I can feel the air is dry again. Still, it gets colder and colder in the afternoon. Then it comes to the intersection with Road 4C, the main route from Ha Giang City to Dong Van Rock Plateau. There is a road sign saying Sa Phin Valley is 12km to the left and Dong Van Town is 10km to the right. I take the right and travel on the familiar road to Dong Van Town.
As I leave the restaurant after lunch, the gentleman shows me how to get to Dong Van via a back-road. I thank him for the information and for the great meal, then dash off into the fog that is getting thicker. It is about mid day now but the fog makes the atmosphere just like late in the afternoon. It is very cold, but luckily the air is very dry.
Out of Mau Due, the road goes up and travels along mountainside to Dong Van. It is small but the condition is good. The ride is easy, except that it gets colder than in the morning. My guess earlier was right that the cold wind is coming...
When the sunlight starts getting weaker and the mist starts lifting up, the road starts going down. Further ahead, it is under construction again.
Day4: Ban Lan (Bac Me, Ha Giang) – Du Gia (Yen Minh, Ha Giang)
I wake up by cock crows in the early morning. The boys are preparing and about to leave for school. I get up and join Tuyen and his father for the morning tea.
Day3: Ba Be National Park – Tuyen Quang – Ha Giang
It is getting late in the afternoon and I have got the whole day riding my motorcycle from Ba Be National Park via Tuyen Quang, and now it is Bac Me District in Ha Giang Province. The road was worse than I had expected with certain section under construction, lots of potholes and some part wiped out by floods...
Day2: Ba Be National Park Adventure: Coc Toc, Bo Lu, Pac Ngoi Villages: Adventure Trip by Motorcycle
From Ra Ban, the road is flat. I travel past Bang Lung Town and turn into the same road I was yesterday coming to Ba Be. It's great that the weather is so beautiful and I can take photos of the landscape that I missed in the dark earlier.
Day2: Ba Be National Park Adventure Trip
I wake up by crows of the cocks in the early morning. It's still dark and cold outside and I have nothing to hurry for today. It's lovely lying in bed gazing mindlessly out of the window into the infinity of darkness. Things seem to be changing slowly as the mountains begin to reveal its green color gradually from the thick fog.
It is the middle of the winter in Hanoi now, but so strange that the beautiful weather makes it more like beautiful autumn days. Everyday the sun sprinkles down precious golden particles that make the temperatures so pleasant! The breezes make the air dry and fresh, nothing of the normal cold winter winds. The whole world is definitely having the best moments of the year...
