Visiting Paradise Cave in Phong Nha

The ride from Tanh Churong tea fields to Phong Nha was uneventful and I reach Phong Nha late afternoon which was a luxury as most days I would arrive late in the evening not having much chance to explore the town. 

Countryside Feel from Tanh Churong to Phong Nha 

Countryside Ride from Tanh Churong to Phong Nha

Phong Nha Ke Bang

Checked in, got a shower and head back out to explore. Phong Nha was really small, one road kinda small and I could tell that this place would change and grow so fast that the next time I visit here would be a whole new township.

Phong Nha was famous for caves, a UNESCO heritage that started drawing tourist to come visit. The most famous caves was hard to get to and needed a guide with a costly price of USD 3000. 

It is said that the whole of manhatan city could fit into the caves including all its sky scrapers but at that price only the true enthuist would pay to huddle through the jungle for the experience.

Phong Nha 

Phong Nha

Still many tourist flock to Phong Nha with half the idea of a famous UNESCO heritage caves. Luckily there were also other caves around the region for exploring so most tourist would have the impression of having visited the famous Phong Nha Caves. 

Of all the caves, Paraside Cave was recently opened via road so I could just rock up on the bike and take a short solo hike to visit the caves without any guide. Entrance fee was VND250,000

Ride to Paradise Cave 

Entry to Paradise Cave though a staircase decent

Paradise Cave 

Paradise Cave 

Paradise Cave was massive and a good hour just walking around inside the cave. Unlike most caves that I have been to, this cave was supprisingly clean. No bat, no dark crawing insect dwelers and fully lighted up to show the majestic of the staletite and stalemite formations. 

Its one of the more impressive cave I had been too in south East Asia and I can imagine now why Phong Nha caves got a UNESCO heritage mark. If the leftover caves nearby like Paradise cave was already this impresive, the big one must be amazing.

I was running low on money at this point in Phong Nha and Paradise Cave was all I could afford at this time. Riding around Phong Nha town was pure serene beautiful landscape barely touched by mass tourism like other cities in Vietnam.

Riding around Phong Nha 

Riding Around Phong Nha

Traveled On : Dec 2023

Tea Island at Thanh Chuoung

The next way I headed to Thanh Chuoung, which was not even a town but just some outskirt by the road side of HCM road. Along the way I stopped by at HCM KM 0 monument somehwere in Than ky but then the KM 0 mark is always a dispute for HCM road.

Paddy Fields along the way from Pulong to Tanh Churong

Ho Chin Minh Road KM - 0 at Tanh Ky

Thanh Chuoung was a homestay just off the road by the lake, which without the recommendation of the motorbike rental company, I would not have known about this place. 

It was Vietnam Tea Fields and they grow them around this region. One could see them while riding along the road but Thanh Chuoung makes it even more special by planting them on islands within the lake.

Tanh Churong Tea Fields 

Boat Ride to Tea Island 

Tanh Churong Tea Island 

At the homestay was only me and another Australian Guy Adam which also rented a bike from styles motorbike but was doing it on opposite directions. Together we shared the boat cost and paid VND150,000 to see the tea fields.

Chit chat during dinner and breakfast and it was time to go. Said goodbyes without exchanging social media which seams to be normal these days for me. Sure have change from those days where one would collect friends on the road. 

These days we just get to know people shallowly knowing that after the passing by aquintances, we most probabaly will never interact with each other again

Traveled on : Dec 2023

Secluded in Pulong

Pulong was a lovely short ride with only 60km from Mai Chau hence I had no stress riding for the day. Initial ride up the mountain was nice curvy roads but latter like all roads in Vietnam it changed to construction roads.

The previous day in Mai Chau I was obsessed with the private bungolow that was going for VND 200,000 which was the same price as a hostel in Pulong. I should had been wary but the idea of having a private bungolow after staying in a dorm for nearly a week got to my head and I went ahead and book it.

Riding to Pulong

Pulong

I reach Pulong early and stop at a very nice scenic coffee shop. Apparently the hostel was just a walking distance away which share the scenic spot. There I met two British guys which was doing the Hanoi Pulong Loop on bycycles. They were semi locals having married vietnamese wives and this was a regular getaway for them.

Coffee break done we bid farewell and I went to have a look at the famous Pulong water wheels. Very rudimentary but it works and definately picture worthy. Pulong is like a quiet place, not much to do but relax and just enjoy the slow pace in the mountain clouds.

Pulong Water Wheels 

Pulong Water Wheels 

Pulong Water Wheels 

Hunting for the private bungolow led me to Hieu village and then I got lost. Backtracking a few times, I had to go up this windy one way steep road that seam to go on for a distance and tada I found the homestay tuck away at the very edge end of the road.

One private bungolow in the middle of nowhere. Not any walking distance to town or food or coffee but luckily as any Homestay in Vietnam, they offer to cook meals for a small fee. That night I was accompanied with the buffollow at the next door home which was house below the stilts. 

Homestay Dinner for 1 person

Hieu Village 

The buffolow kept grunting throughout the night like he was having the colds and had to sneeze it out. So weird this private bungolow experience was coming to be.

Traveled on : Dec 2023

Mai Chau & Friends

Ha Giang to Mai Chau was a crazy 350 km run that was definately not advisable to be done in one day. I almost did not stop for any pictures and just took some random picture while stopping at traffic light. The decision to cramp too much places into a short itenary is coming back to bite me in the ass. (literary sour ass from prolonged riding)

I departed Ha Giang in the morning at 9am and every hour making a good 50km, so by lunch time I had covered 150km which made me complacent. I lingered around too long during lunch and after that took a few more stops along the way for smoke breaks and water breaks. By 4pm I had barely reach Hao Binh which by now was still another 100km to Mai Chau.

Random Shot at Traffic Light Stop 

I knew by then that I had f*cked up the timing but there was no going back. Sunset was too tempting not to stop for a photo but no lingering appreciation time was allotted. Last 50km was driven in the dark with me finding a nice car to tail gate behind as the car become my shield from any oncomming vechiles.

Corn Fields at Sunset - Hoa Binh

Sunset at Hao Binh

Temperature also dropped fairly quickly once the sun was gone and soon I was super freezing even with five layers of clothing and all the heat warmers on. It was not even that cold up in the mountains in Ha Gaing but somehow going down south to Mai Chau it got colder.

I reach the homestay just past 7pm, and the homestay guy gave me hot tea immediatly seeing how cold I was. It was a busy homestay as I counted the people having dinner. A smile and hello around, I chucked my bag at my bed and ordered dinner. Dinner done, water replenish, I went to bed immediately. The nice warm double blenket made me sleep before it was even 10pm.

Next morning in Mai Chau became interesting very quickly. Chores first as always and the main task was laundy. For a free day without riding was never really a free day but a chores day. Still it was nice to not have to wake up and ride on stright away. Laundry was a short ride to drop off clothes and then I was back in the hostel for breakfast.

Maedow Mai Chau - Breakfast with a View

Mai Chau

Meadow Mai Chau hostel was a busy hostel with lots of people around. I notice it when I got in yesterday night with many people having dinner but was too tired to mingle. This morning they were all in their own breakfast club so I drifted to the sunporch and made a long postponed call home.

Somewhere in the middle of the call, Tiara from Netherland came and sat next to me on the long bench and with her came Ms. India from Portugal/America. I don’t get approach a lot by people when in hostel really. 

Some catalist is usually required and I usually help with conversation but this was one of the rare occasion where people actually approach me seeking to get to know me, rarer when I think about it since both of them were girls and one of the was young. The elderly one I get a lot so thats evens out the rare to normal.

Mai Chau Top View Cafe

Mai Chau 

Mai Chau I realized was a really nice slow pace town that I should have spend days doing nothing, I was really running too fast from place to place in Vietnam. I could really go so much slower and soak in the travel but alas I had a timeline to reach Danang by New Year Eve. I really should have skip Ha Giang Loop but done is done.

Riding around cozy Mai Chau looking at the main streets, Lac Village and the farming fields and finally back up the mountain pass to find coffee with a view. That View of Mai Chau makes the stop all so worth it and even if I did not really get to know Mai Chau, at least a great memory of Mai Chau will stay with that view and two new friends with a bunch of conversation.

Traveled on: Dec 2023

Moe Vac to Ha Giang via DT176

Moe Vac to Hagiang was back on the tourist route where many group tours were riding bikes with easy rider options hence every now and then there would be group riders zomming by or comming from the other direction.

DT 176 - Construction Roads Cutting Though Mountain sides

Amazing Views along DT176

DT176 Road Conditins. No rails no barrier just scenic beautiful views. 

I decided to skip Ma Pi Lang Pass and Dong Van although it was the more famous part of the Ha Gaing Loop or rather the must do part of the loop. Two days of long riding made me want to go for a short easy ride and looking at the middle loop part seam more enticing.

The view got better compared from Babe Lake to Moe Vac and the roads were mostly under reconstruction so I would imagine that this part of Ha Gaing Loop will be very popular in the future.

Stoping at H'mong Coffee along DT 176

Coffee with a View - DT 176

Coffee shops lined the viewpoint and for being on a touristy route I enjoyed the ammenities of coffee stopping for a view. Weather was also holding up good for me so far with no rain and by noon time, riding was warmer than morning and nights.

Another Hot Chocolate Stop with a View - DT 176

Route DT 176 

Ha Giang Tour Groups on Easy Rider 

By the time I reached Ha Giang in the evening it was a stopby to Styles Shop to get the chain tighten and oiled for 500km mark. I enquired for the hostel at Sytles and they gave a hesitant reply saying that its expensive to stay here for its VND100,000 and that the hostel were mostly for those people arriving early morning at 4am to crash for free for a few hours before taking the bikes out early morning to hit the loops.

Interesting viewpoint I soppose for their main business was tours and bike and not hostel. I immediatly book the cheapest hostel at Ha Gaing Safari Hostel and it was only VND 50,000 which includes breakfast. 

Beautiful Views along DT 176

Beautiful Views along DT 176

Very Close to Ha Giang DT 176

I have no idea how the hostel makes money off that even but riding around Ha Gaing that night to see a bit of the city seams to resonate that Ha Giang was not a place to camp and chill out for a few days but more of a pit stop to grab a bike or a tour and head out towards the more scenic places along the loop.

Traveled on : Dec 2023

Riding from Hanoi to Babe Lake to Moe Vac

The ride out of Hanoi was uneventful other than me keep stopping by the side of the road to check navigation making sure I was heading the right way. Chaotic motobike driving in Hanoi City was not really that dificult and did not feel chaotic at all.

I took the most direct route to Babe Lake and that still took about 6 hours of constant riding with minimal stops for rest. The ride was relaxing and also easy which was good to get myself more familiar and used to Zuki. By the time I was upon Ba Be Lake, the start offroad riding due to bad road construction was a peice of cake.

Near Babe Lake 

Babe Lake 

I stay at one of the local homestay (Huyenhao) booked online along the way on one of the rest stop when I was pretty sure I would make it on time. Homestay was really authentic and not those weird homestay which turns out to be a hotel wannabe establishment. 

Dinner was at at the homestay with them cooking up a dish on the spot. The agreed price was 120,000 dong for dinner and 50,000 dong for breakfast.

Lovely wooden room Homestay

The Homestay Authentic Kitchen 

The next day after breakfast I push on for Moe Vac. Babe Lake to Moe Vac ride was more interesting that expected. I decided to just follow google going for the shortest route instead of going through the big sideloop using the main road and in a way defected from following the recommended bike trail which every tour agency recommends.

I end up in a very small road in google maps that without zooming in one would not even see the road. The scenery was supprisingly great and unexpectedly raw that there is no convinient coffee stand at the best view point or even food for lunch or reststop.

Riding Round Babe Lake

Puong Cave 

H8 Countryside road 

This was really a countryside road which the locals used for their daily lives. The plantation fields were all bare since most of the rice fields had been harvest so it was not very pretty but as I go up higher and higher one could see how scenic this place was even on a off season.

The roads were horrible thou, no tarmac at all and mostly form of compacted gravel and stones. Riding was really slow going, but at the halfway mark the road merge back with QL 34 main road to Moe Vac.

Gravel Road Up & Downhill the countryside mountain 

I tot the hard part done and now that it was good road or rather better roads, I decided to book the hostel in Moe Vac. An hour later I came across a landslide. Main road was totally blocked off and there was a worker closing off the road for the excavator to poke the slope and somehow try to stabalize the landslide.

An unknown wait I guess but at the same time I saw some of the local bikes u-turn and head down a narrow path which seams to be a bypass only navigatable by bike. The path look more dificult than I was confortable but a few moments later a jeep turn up and four police / military guys came out.

Landslide QL 34

Motorbike Landslide By-Pass going through shallow streams 

Motorbike Landslide Bypass - Bamboo Bridge 

They asked me something in Vietnamese but I just raise my hands and shoulders giving the body languege that I have no idea. I had my helmet on and mask on so with only the eyes behind my glasses I probabaly look like a local.

I was not about to risk it and acting as natural as posibble, mounted Zuki and make a U-Turn getting far away from the Police Car. It was time to go through the by-pass. Go down the slope was not too bad but then there was a local toll. 

A young boy with a string trying to collect VND 10,000 per bike. My languege barrier did not help and they were smart enaugh to show me the money with a big grin. I gave up the extorted toll fee and moved on.

So the by-pass which I could not see before the Toll had a shallow river crossing and also a bamboo bridge crossing. Zuki just became a dirt bike and I was really sceptical on the bamboo bridge. 

As some scooters could ride through the bridge, I guess there was only one way to go as U-turn would be worst trying to go back up the narrow steep slope entrance. Mini adventure and I completed the by-pass of landslide and on my way again to Moe Vac with many mandatory stops to soak in the beautiful scenery.

I ended up in Moe Vac after sundown. Not my intention really but timing the ride seams to be harder in Vietnam without knowing the road conditions.

Traveled on: Dec 2023