Phong Nha to Ke Sanh & Surendered detour to Hue

So with just enaugh funds to get by another day I started the journey in the morning to Khe Sanh. Barely out of Phong Nha and the micro drizzle could be felt. Thinking that it was just the early morning effect where moisture was very high in the mountain jungles I carried on through the windy scenic route to Khe Sanh.

Phong Nha to Ke Sanh - Ho Chin Minh Trail

Raw Tropical Forest along Phong Nha to Ke Sanh - Ho Chin Minh Trail

50km into the road and the it became a proper drizzle, then sunshine for a few momments then back to cloudy. Visibility in the mountain was so bad that I could barely see 20m ahead. Online guide did warn that this beautiful strecth of Ho Chin Minh road is to be only done when weather is good. I was about 25 % into the journey and decided to give it up due to the bad weather which did not seam to be letting up anytime soon.

Bad Weather along Phong Nha to Ke Sanh Ho Chin Minh Trail

Bad Weather plus a little detour 

So the next available junction out, I took a detour giving up on Khe Sanh. Hit stright for the coastal road and stopped for dinner where a simple meal became a chore to finish half a chicken. I had no idea it would be half a chicken meal. Recalculating destination, I decided to head for Hue directly. Danang would be too far to arrive within the day so Hue as it was destined to be.

When you accidentally order half a chicken .... 

Coastal Road to Hue 

Coastal Road to Hue

The ride along the coastal road was boring. Stright good roads which one could speed up but then the view was lousy as all the fields were barren. Last 80km to Hue it started raining lightly. It was not the kind of rain like in Malaysia where you have no choice but to find shelter instead it was those very light rain that you barely feel it slowly seeping through the jackets and jeans.

By the time I reached Hue, all 5 layers of my clothes were wet. I also had almost no money on me. The next day was the destination ride to Danang to meet up a friend that was flying into Danang for a New Year Eve holiday and he became my money mule to bring me some hard SGD cash. Vietnam is a cash country, with ATM withdrawal really sucking up huge fees.

I became a cheapskate for the last few days just to save that few dollars .... thinking back, I sometimes cant understand why I do these things.

Traveled on: Dec 2023

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