We stayed at a place called Jasmine hostel on our first night in Ha Giang. All of the staff were super friendly and helpful. The only small snag was when we arrived we were told that they had overbooked. My stomach immediately dropped as after enduring a rather torturous bus journey for 7hours, I was really looking forward to lying down properly for a stretch and rest. My disappointment and annoyance however was short lived as we were provided private rooms at a nearby sister accommodation just 200m or so down the road. After leaving our bags off we returned to the hostel for a “family dinner”. The food was very tasty and it gave us a chance to talk to other travellers who had just finished the loop. Initially we had planned to rent our motorbikes from another company but after talking to people who had completed the circuit we decided to rent everything from Jasmine instead. We met a lovely Dutch guy called Walter who would ride with us over the following 3-4days. Talking to people who had completed the loop, who like myself had little to no previous biking experience prior to embarking on the route, put my mind at ease as they reassured me that the bikes were very straight forward to use.
We rose early the next morning after an unsettled sleep on a rock hard bed. An informative talk was provided at the hostel regarding the riding routes. We opted for the 4day route, as being relatively inexperienced on bikes we thought this best as it meant we could take our time. This had also been recommended by those we had spoken to the night before. Once waivers were signed and gear was provided, we had test runs on the bikes. The motorbikes were semi-automatics making them slightly different to what we had all ridden previously. A few loops up and down the road and I felt more comfortable and relaxed than I thought I would. The gears made it easier to control speed and remain steady whilst turning, unlike an automatic which could feel a bit wobbly when driving slowly. I still couldn’t stomach breakfast due to excited nerves. Helmets, protective gear on and with our bags for the next 4days packed and strapped firmly to the back of the bikes, we set off from the hostel in a big convey of about 40bikes. The hostel owners guided us out of town, past the police station, who we were told they had a “deal” with so we wouldn’t get pulled over. After 40minutes of riding we left the town far behind us. When we entered the national park our hostel guides left us, leaving us to navigate ourselves with the maps they had provided. At our first stop after riding around 30km through the Bac Sum Pass, I mortifyingly fell off my bike in front of everyone. I say mortifyingly because I was actually in a stationary position when I fell off. I had pulled up onto a small ramp and had a momentary blank that I would of course roll backwards if I didn’t have my brakes on. I wasn’t strong enough to counteract the weight of the bike rolling backwards, resulting in the bike falling on top of me pinning me to the ground. Left only with a red face and minor grazes, I’m very happy to say that was my first and last crash of the trip.
Mark, Luke and I separated from the big convoy which made the drive much easier as it cleared the road and gave us the chance to ride without having to brake every 2seconds. Our second stop was at a mountaintop bar where we got a cold drink and enjoyed the view over the valley below. From here you could see a landmark called Fery Bosom, which basically is two hills that resemble a certain part of female anatomy. This viewpoint also overlooked a small town called Quan Ba. We decided to pass through the town without stopping as we were keen to reach our first night’s accommodation before darkness. It was a glorious sunny day, making the views even more spectacular as we drove along the snake-like roads. On our first day we had to drive 110km. I thought I would find this distance huge considering I had only learnt to ride this particular motorbike only that morning. Arriving in Yen Minh at 4pm, we checked in to Bang Bong Hotel which had been recommended by Jasmine hostel. We were actually one of the earliest arrivals, as over the next hour or two hoards of bikers continued to arrive but some were turned away due to full room capacities. We slept in a shared dorm style room at the back of the property; basically nine mattresses on the floor. I can’t tell you how nice it was to lie down! After concentrating and pumping full of adrenaline all day, my body was exhausted. Again we enjoyed another family dinner style meal with absolutely delicious food. Our host insisted after we had eaten that we try the traditional regional drink “happy water”. With everyone’s shot glasses filled, he taught us the Vietnamese chant performed before taking your shot. The chant sounds a bit like “Mo – Hi – Bi – Jo” repeated three times as loud as you can. This roughly translates into “one, two, three drink” but then the last chant changes slightly to mean “one, two, three, cheers”. We met some really lovely people at this hostel, including two backpackers from England who had started the loop a few days previous but had to delay by a day due to the girl having a serious crash. She had to be rushed to hospital after several bikes rode over the top of her when the bike had skid in wet weather, causing her to have a seizure and lose consciousness. Recovered with only cuts and bruises to show from the ordeal and thankfully clear brain scans, she was back on the bike 48hrs later! A good sleep was needed to do it all again the next day therefore we headed to bed early.
Day 2 of the Ha Giang loop began with a bit of a grumpy and groggy Alice. The unfortunate gamble of sleeping in a shared dorm is the risk of snorers. I hate them with such a passion!! The weather was not as bright and beautiful as the day before, with grey skies and chilly looking low cloud over the mountains. Walter, the Dutch guy we had met the day before, decided to ride with us that day making our little convoy four strong. As we rode out of town, the road steadily began to wind up into the mountains where we drove along the Tham Ma Pass. With the increase in altitude, we drove through misty clouds which made the temperature drop dramatically. I wore a pair of leggings, a vest, a t-shirt, two fleeces and a raincoat that day and still felt cold at times. It remained grey the entire day, with showers of rain occasionally adding to our already damp clothes. The change in weather also added extra challenges such as skidding risks and poor visibility at times. Every ounce of concentration was required especially considering the story our new found friends had told us the previous night. Being inexperienced bikers, a huge respect for the roads and conditions is essential. Despite the gloomy weather, the scenery continued to deliver stunning views over staggering mountains and valleys below. The rain had filled many of the rice paddies transforming them into lush green patchwork patterns hugging the hillsides, contrasting hugely from previous rice fields we had seen which were dry and brown. Walter wanted to go to a small village called Lao Xa, that deviated slightly off our main route. The rest of our little convoy weren’t that keen due to the poor weather conditions making the ride already quite difficult, therefore we continued on without him until he rejoined us again a little while later. When reunited, we stopped for food and a hot drink at a mountain top restaurant. To my delight there was an adorable puppy which helped to brighten my mood. Part of our route for the day brought us very near the Chinese border. Some intrepid travellers risk taking a few steps over the border but we decided we would go to the Lung Cu flag tower which marks the most northerly point of Vietnam over looking horizons of China. Whilst Mark and Walter stayed at the bottom with the bikes, Luke and I embarked on climbing around 600steep steps to the top of the flagpole. The views from the top were shrouded in cloud but we could clearly make out the construction site which we would be riding back through! Descending back down to the bikes, we set off for our accommodation in Don Van where we would be staying for the night. I had booked ahead after seeing how busy the recommended hostel had been the night before. The hostel was called CND and a large crowd of us from the Jasmine hostel group ended up staying there. A heavenly hot shower helped thaw our frozen bodies after driving through miserable conditions all day. This accommodation turned out to be a lot of fun, as after another family dinner and few beers, a karaoke machine appeared providing great entertainment for the evening.
Day 3 and another early start to get going on the road. Unfortunately due to being cold and damp throughout the entire previous day, led me to wake up with a grotty cold. Not feeling very well made it difficult to get motivated for the day ahead. However the next part of our journey was said to be the most beautiful. We set off into the mountains again and went to walk along a path called the sky walk. This narrow path ran along a mountainous hillside overlooking valleys and rice fields. As we walked along we passed by some locals who were farming on the steep hillsides. Two small boys, who could not have been older than 6years old passed us walking a huge cow. As they passed, for reasons unbeknownst to me, the younger child who was perhaps 4years old, decided to smack my arse very hard as I walked past them. In complete shock and protecting my bottom, we decided to ditch the rest of skywalk and get back on the road. Our route led us through the Ma Pi Lens Pass. As I have said many times already, the scenery had been stunning but here it was a little more special. The beauty of the Ma Pi Leng Canyon is hard to describe. Impossibly steep hillsides descend dramatically into a luminous turquoise expanse of water. More patchwork rice paddies line the hillsides as well as terrifying jagged rocks and insane winding roads. Although we would’ve loved to have stayed longer, we had to press on as the weather was predicted to close in much like the previous day. We passed through the town of Meo Vac after getting a little lost and stopped at a restaurant for lunch. I was by this stage, running a high temperature and feeling pretty rotten. Once again a baby animal, except this time in the form of a kitten, helped to lift my mood whilst we ate noodles and rice. The drive became really difficult as it began to rain heavily, turning the nonexistent rural roads to mud and puddles. It began to brighten up as we neared our destination Du Gia, where we would be staying for the night. The last 10-15km of the drive was really enjoyable and brought sights of children herding goats along the road and friendly locals waving with babies balanced on their hips. When we arrived at Du Gia Backpacker hostel, I went for a nap before dinner hoping this would help me feel better. My temperature continued to make me feel really unwell and rather emotional as I wanted so badly to just enjoy this experience. After a cuddle and a cry, Luke made the sensible point that I needed to eat. Everyone from our group had convened for a final family dinner at a local restaurant ran by our hostel owners. It is hard to join in with the high spirits when you feel like death but I did manage to eat something. I did decline happy water when it was offered or Luke drank what was poured for me. I had paracetamol and an early night whilst everyone partied for final night all together.
Day 4 began I suspect with many hangovers. I on the other hand felt much better, having obviously benefitted from the early night. The activity advised for our final day on the road, was to visit a nearby waterfall. This involved driving along a narrow, rocky, sandy track. At the time I thought this was by far the most most challenging driving we had encountered throughout the four days, however I would discover later on that day that it got much much trickier. There was a small crowd from our hostel already swimming by the time we arrived at the waterfall. Luke and Walter ventured into the beautifully clear water whilst Mark and I just dipped our feet in. It was freezing cold! Some local kids appeared and provided some entertainment jumping off the rocks by the waterfall. After the quick dip we set off back the way we had came down the dirt track. Once rejoining the main road again we drove through many small villages. A few children from each village would run to the side of the road to ask for high fives as we’d go past, although two children at one point did run right in front of the bikes to which I blared my horn and motioned for them to get out of the way and not do that. I was worried they’d get hurt but I doubt they understood what I said. Despite this they did get off the road to let us pass by. The roads were amazing snaking through the mountains and along what seemed like endless stretches in the valleys. As I said the roads that day were super challenging, especially when they don’t actually exist. Luke and I arrived to a road which was only half built, meaning there was a huge kerb to try mount the bike onto to get on the “road” whilst the other half was gravel. With the kerb being about a foot in depth it was really difficult to do without some help. Thankfully Walter and Mark appeared to aid lifting the bikes or at least keeping them steady whilst we assembled make shift ramps. Once past this torturous stretch of road, we continued onward back towards Quan Ba. This portion of the journey was perhaps my favourite of all 4days. It was a glorious sunny afternoon as we rode along hairpin roads and through pine forests. After such a lovely drive, we then went back to non-existent roads of gravel and dust. Soon we returned to the roads that we had driven on our first day. Before sunset we returned to Jasmine hostel to get a well deserved hot shower and food.
Riding a motorbike for the first time, covering a total distance of about 450km, seeing spectacular views everyday and having fun with great people was unequivocally the best experience we had in Vietnam, if not one of the best experiences of my life. Although there were lots of highs and lows, and not just the landscape, we would do it all again without hesitation.
Gone Travelling 
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