The first country with a full month visit.
There are a few reasons why we did not add Vietnam to our ATW trip, but the main and most important is the time it would take to make it possible for our RHD vehicle to actually enter into Vietnam, possible but tricky and time consuming, and also costly, we were quoted approx 1000GBP to make this possible and required additional visits to Vietnam to arrange the paperwork.
The Context is Placed
This decision therefore outlined the very context of our visit. We wanted to travel under our own control and hiring transport became the way forward and we decided on x2 Yamaha 155 cc automatic scooters. This gave us freedom for a real adventure. As an experience bike rider, I had no issue, Julia was a little concerned as although she had been a pillion rider in the past, this was her first time solo…..read on to see how this went!!!
The Original Plan….Changed!!
Our first thought was to hire bikes in Hanoi and ride around Vietnam until we eventually get to Ho Chi Minh…simple… or so we thought. This always remained our first intention, until we arrived at the bike hire location. The company was happy to allow this option but did not recommend it as our timeframe of 3 weeks on bikes was a little tough to fulfil the original agenda and route. We listened and changed the route accordingly, with the new focus being to ride around North Vietnam and return the bikes back to Hanoi at the end, then catch the overnight train to Ho Chi Minh. This meant more focused time on bikes in the north and we still get a few days in Ho Chi Minh at the end….This change proved to be the best of decisions, if we could we would spend more time in the north, but we still had a flight to catch in Ho Chi Minh.
“Around each corner, the WOW factor got better and better.”
— Laurie (an Irish traveller we met on the way).
The road to Sapa.
Although we spent 3 days in Hanoi, we will give you an overview near the end where we compare Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh. The first leg towards Sapa was a 3 to 4 hr ride from Hanoi to Mai Chau. The initial roads out of Hanoi were… let’s say busy, and for a new solo rider like Julia, she handled it brilliantly, despite her nerves. As we got over half way, the scenery began to change and we started to see glimpses of the Vietnam we wanted to see.
The bikes handled well and the weather was great so this made this first leg of the journey a really great experience for Julia.
We stayed in Mai Chau for just 1 night in a nice homestay where we had the traditional Vietnam Pho breakfast for the first time.
We knew that today we would be on the road for almost 8 hours, it was going to be a long ride to Mu Can Chai. However, the scenery around us was just stunning.
We stayed in a homestay on the side of one of the mountains and ate some traditional noodles, soup, meat and vegetables. There were a handful of other travellers who were also looking for the same experience… touching base with the local people. As for the view, pretty much speaks for itself.
With Sapa the next port of call, we eagerly anticipated something special…it didn’t disappoint. We stayed for 2 days, took a hike into the mountains with Mae our guide from the Red Dzao tribe and appreciated the privilege of where we were.
Mae was able to share some of the knowledge she has gained that was passed down from generation to generation. Including the plant she is holding here “La Ngon”. You will need to be careful as only 3 leaves of this plant can kill a grown man in 1 hour.
We moved on quickly and preferred listening to how they use “Indigo’ leaves to dye clothes, bags and fabrics to make for themselves and tourists like us. We did buy a small cushion cover for “Otw”. Maybe you can spot it in other videos?
The Infamous Ha Giang Loop!
After Sapa we had a 4 day tour of the Ha Giang loop. This is on many peoples bucket lists and it is definitely no surprise to be on ours. Perhaps the difficulty here is that we were now nearing…’..next level views and scenery’. We met many travellers in these 4 days and everyone was saying the same…”Wow, just wow!”. It is perhaps no surprise for me to add a disclaimer, the pictures do not give this area enough justice….unforgettable!
Halong Bay and Ninh Binh!
As we left Ha Giang, we knew it would take a couple of days to reach Cat Ba Island in Halong bay, but the experience from the loop was still with us all the way. However we were now in the last week of using the bikes and looking forward to the new opportunities we were expecting. After a 30 min ferry crossing and a further 30 min ride to our homestay, a few days rest from riding was filled with a tour of the bay and a visit around Cat Ba Island. If you are planning to be around this area, this is a little of what you could get….
The road to Ninh Binh was pretty easy and the last place of our self planned bike tour before we returned them to Hanoi. Like everything we experienced so far, Ninh Binh turned out to be a wonderful place to relax and take in the amazing views and experiences this country continued to offer. We visited the UNESCO site for a 3 hour small boat ride with a guide to visit temples and caves in this stunning area. Followed this by a walk up to see the famous ‘Lying Dragon’, quite a hike, but worth every scary step.
With the bike tour coming to end, we again felt privileged to have had the opportunity to see and experience the spectacular views found in so many places around Vietnam. everywhere we went, the local villagers and guides were friendly and helpful.
If you would like to see the videos of our experiences and see what we thought of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh then head over to our YouTube channel, link below. There you will get an opportunity to check through some stunning panoramas and drone footage that pushes the boundaries further.
