Extreme North-Vietnam Loop

The extreme North-Vietnam is a well kept secret, in part because not many tourists explore this region, filled with caverns and amazing panoramas.

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Updated:

November 4, 2017

Flying Sardines

Much less frequented by mass tourism, the extreme northern Vietnam hides the most extraordinary landscapes of all of Vietnam. Steep limestone mountains carved into terraces for rice culture, deep green valleys where flowing rivers and streams runs, improbable roads hanging to the side of cliffs, friendly villages and smiling people who greet you on your way. All this contributes to create an amazing and unforgettable experience in the extreme north Vietnam.

Ha Giang, the starting point of the loop of the Extreme North of Vietnam is a city without great features, apart from the fact that most independent travelers gather here in order to prepare and begin their journeys on the loop. Some homestay and specialized company offer rental of semi-automatic motorbikes, guide service and advice to visitors. We opted for Kiki’s House, whose prices ($ 7 per day) are softer than others, while providing a very good service. In some nice cafes and restaurants, people gather and exchange tips and stories about the loop. We liked Bong Hostel Cafe and Tours for its atmosphere and smoothies absolutely divine. They also offer motorcycle rentals. Another revelation, Blue Sky Restaurant, which offers cuisine from central Vietnam. So good, we went 3 times! For our 2 nights in Ha Giang, we decided to go a little “funky” and rented a cell at the very odd Ong Vang Hotel. Made of several cells reminiscent of a beehive, this small hotel is located along the river.

While it is true that the loop is accessible to all, one must take this venture seriously, get proper information, bring adequate clothing and be prepared for some rain.

À few route options are possible, leaving the choice to the traveler to go on 2, 3, 5 days or more. Depending on the chosen route, the total distance may vary between 300 and 400km +/-. The key message here is. GIVE YOURSELF ENOUGH TIME. To do the loop in a few days in order to complete it as quickly as possible is, in our opinion, completely ridiculous, for the following reasons:

1: The landscape is amazing. Take the time to stop, look, breathe, listen to the silence and the wind.

2: Some passages are dangerous. The road is often wet, especially at altitude passes that often are “in the clouds”. Combined with endless curves and the passage of trucks, buses and other bikes, you need to proceed with caution and control. Your motor-bike horn will become your best friend!

3: Allowing yourself some time to take a secondary road “just to see” can sometimes reveal wonderful surprises.

But to each his way to do it … it’s not for us to judge.

So, having rented our bikes and prepare our small backpacks for 5 days of our loop, we took the road from Ha Giang towards Tam Son to meet Charlotte and Simon, our 2 stooges French travelers encountered on the bus to Sa Pa, who had already hit the road the day before. Just 10 minutes outside of Ha Giang, a 45-foot truck is blocking the road on both sides. The driver, in a burst of what I consider madness, attempted to make a U-turn backwards in the deep mud of the field bordering the road. The truck is deeply buried in mud and it’s stuck. We must bypass said truck by passing into said mud! Long live Vietnam! The QL4C road is still quite large, but winds constantly in a gentle climb. Traffic is relatively dense, as this is an important artery for freight and for local buses. The landscapes are beginning to emerge as soon as we take a little altitude and a slight coolness in the air is felt.

Arrived in Tam Son, we meet Charlotte and Simon for coffee. Soon after, the four of us leave in the direction of Yen Minh. On our way, we stop at the Lung Khuy Cave, which is about 300m long and has several rooms. To get to the entrance of the cave, we hiked a small path that climbs along a mountain for about 30 minutes. Il’s hot! Very hot !! At the entrance of the cave, a woman takes care of collecting the rights of way of 50,000 dong, when she is not asleep in his hammock.

Inside, the stalactites and stalagmites are numerous and lighting brings a splash of color to this dark magical setting. The constant humidity and lack of air circulation make the place even hotter. The cave is well equipped with stairs and ramps. Maybe a little too equipped for my taste, but safety first.

Once in Yen Minh, we found a typical small town in northern Vietnam, with its main street covered with small shops, restaurants and hotels. We will spend the night here. In the morning breakfast before hitting the road towards Dong Van. The road is much narrower, landscapes are truly spectacular. The progress is slow, because at every turn and bend, we need to stop for a photo and to take-in the magnificence of the landscape. Invariably, the road progresses in switchback to climb a pass and comes down again to the next village. Caution and use of the horn when cornering is imperative in order to advise vehicles arriving in the opposite direction, that sou only see at the last second. It’s stressful at first but you get used to … a little!

5 km before arriving in Dong Van, we stopped in a small village away from the road in the Xa Phin valley, where a former Royal Palace of Vuong Chinh Duc, traditional house on 2 levels built by the French for the H’mong King. This short visit allowed us to stretch our legs (and buts) before heading towards our night refuge. Charlotte, our new French friend, found this incredible homestay in a small village called Má Le. The landscape continues to blow our minds and the rain sets-in for the last 30 minutes of our road. The passages in higher altitudes are frankly colder and we are delighted to have bought typical Viet waterproof “ponchos” to keep us dry.

The Má Le homestay is absolutely charming. (A MUST!) Located about 13km from the city of Dong Van, this traditional Giay people home was built over 200 years ago. It is adjacent to a farmhouse which is raising cattle, chickens and others. We are immediately brought back in time. The decor of the house is rustic and in keeping with tradition. We have time to relax a bit, get installed into our rooms and have a few beers before the local community dinner is served. Around 10 travelers gather around the table. There is Carlo, an Italian on holiday in Vietnam, tat we will follow over several days in different cities, Jeronimo, from Lithuania, 3 Israelis and their guide, Qua, our host for the evening, and the four of us. The discussion is easy and all the guests share their travel experiences. The table is filled with rice dishes, noodles, tofu, meat and vegetables and Qua, our host, serves us profusely the local corn alcohol in small shooter glasses, and according to the Viet tradition we sing the anthem which replaces our traditional “cheers”. Over and over the glasses are filled and we sing and talk ever so loudly. We end the evening a little tipsy but very happy to find our beds with sheets and legendarily soft duvet, and fall asleep to the sound of nature.

In the early morning mist envelops the surrounding mountains… and our brains, somewhat dazed by the eve’s corn alcohol. The big and delicious beef & noodle soup bowl and the coffee were quick to get us back into shape, ready for the next section toward Meo Vac. But before heading south-east, we turn to the north towards the North Pole and the famous Vietnamese flag post, in the town of Lung Cu. The sun shows the tip of it’s nose, revealing the green, ocher and yellow rice terraces below and the many shades of gray of mountains on the horizon. The summit of Mount Lung Cu reaches over 1400m altitude and the tower that supports the huge Vietnamese flag perched atop it to about 30m high. A staircase leads to the top of Lung Cu, with superb views of the surrounding scenery. Another staircase inside the tower-shaped mast allows to reach the top. From there, the China border is only 3km north. We then take the road to the south through Dong Van, heading for Meo Vac. We continue to be constantly amazed by the fantastic views. In each village, we encounter childrens who waves at us or make “High Five” in passing. In every ethnic village, people wear colorful traditional clothes, sometimes matching scarves, hats or berets. The road is often between cliff and precipice, adding drama to this wild beauty. We finally join Meo Vac we eat and spend the night.

The next morning is very gray and light rain is falling. The mountains are barely visible, swallowed up in the clouds. After breakfast, during a break in the rain, we take the road towards Du Gia. From the start, the slope begins and we climb to the pass and on the crest of the mountain. Visibility is zero and the rain falls on us. Our Ponchos perform their duties very well and gloves are greatly appreciated. Once on the other side of the pass, the rain stops and the landscapes open-up to our eyes, different but just as magical. It’s almost difficult for the eyes to absorb all these wonders. Entering Du Gia, a small and rather gloomy village, we are struck by the view of garbage on the main street. Plastic bags and empty water bottles cover the ground on each side. Sad! After visiting a few homestays in the area, we opt for a dormitory at Du Gia QT Homestay. The welcoming is warm, the place is clean and located near a river with clear water. Well deserved à good rest. We eat supper in town before going to bed, tired of this hard day in the cold and rain.

Breakfast is taken at the Backpackers Hostel in the village’s center. It’s very good and cheap. Perfect! We learn that the way we had planned to take for our return to Ha Giang is in very poor condition and should be avoided at all costs. Shit! Time to change our itinerary and take a different route that will bring us back to Tam Son and then to Ha Giang by QL4C road. The road to Tam Son offers very different landscapes, mixed agricultural plains and steep limestone mountains. Several passages are difficult, because the road was “washed” by the flooded river that crosses the road several times. We must act cautiously because the stones are sharp and the road covered in slippery mud. Suddenly, at the end of a curve … Hell!!! I have a flat tire! The front tire of my bike is completely deflated. We continue for about 500 meters to reach a group of houses and ask for help to a nice Vietnamese men. After several attempts to re-inflate the tire, he concludes that a repair is necessary. (all in Vietnamese, so in free translation …) He points in the direction from which we came and raises two fingers. We conclude that we will find a garage 2 km in that direction. Karine takes the wheel of my bike to avoid excess weight on the flat tire and I follow her on her scooter. After a long 5 km, we arrive in a small town where a small garage-like house boards the road. A young boy rushes toward us and immediately goes to work, removing the front wheel of the bike before starting to remove the tire. His work is accurate and fast. So fast that both Karine and I agreed that the time it took to remove the wheel, change the tube, reinstall the tire on the bike was around 5 minutes. Guinness world record! The young man asked 80,000 dong ! ($ 4 CAD). Montreal mechanics should come here for à course !!! And presto, we jump on our bikes to catch-up with Charlotte and Simon who continued to Tam Son. The road goes down and we reach the Sông Lô River where we must engage on the two rather dubious bridges to cross. On the second, Karine attempted to film her journey with her iPhone, but realizes on the other side that the video did not work. Too bad we are not going back! Our friends are waiting for us in the village, surprised to see us so soon. We press-on to Ha Giang to get there in the late afternoon, sad to be confronted with the busy city, but happy to find clean clothes and warm temperature.

The loop lasted 5 days, 4 nights. These memories will remain etched in our memories forever. We met some super nice people that we count amongst our friends now.

We HIGHLY recommend this adventure of a lifetime.

If you would like more details on the Extreme North Vietnam Loom, please contact us at info@flyingsardines.com

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