Les Go to Ha Giang

Ha Giang is the holy grail for all bad ass motorcyclist in Vietnam. I suppose. But I feel if you can stomach driving rush hour in Hanoi then you’re a certified bad ass bitch, if I do say so myself. Ha Giang is nestled among breathtaking mountains and rice paddies. As you’re winding through the mountains and holding your breath around each curve you definitely have lots of time to think. So, Les Go to Ha Giang.

The Logistics

I am a punctual person. I am always early to meetings and am very organised. Funnily, my dogs apparently are too because they wake up every single morning at 6am with no fail. Getting to Ha Giang takes about 6 hours so I booked the early bus and was suppose to meet my friend at 6am sharp. Well, I pleasantly woke to my dogs (like clockwork) at 6:01 am. We were off to a good start, my friends.

So basically Ha Giang is the upper northern region of Vietnam and from it’s top point, touches China. Needless to say, though it’s far it’s a pretty simple way to get there. I booked a local bus to transport the 6 hour trip. Let me tell you, the local bus station in Hanoi, Vietnam is a fuckin trip. Firstly, it’s not a place with someone with anxiety because right as you step your backpackin-foreigner face through the gate there are about 11 men all yelling at you about buses. We mistakenly told them where we were headed and they swept us into the wrong bus (but going to the same destination) and we unfortunately had to pay twice.

All in all, if you can deal with strangers grabbing your arms and yelling in your face, having to take off your shoes to get in the bus and wear fungus-filled flip flops when going to public bathrooms, then by all means book the public bus. Otherwise, a private hire is prob the best way to get around Northern Vietnam.

Motorcycle Diaries

When I think over the trip it actually blows my mind more that my nephew is not even 19 yet and has driven through the upper mountains along the Vietnam and China border. People where I’m from jus don’t get up one day and do that shit, especially not at 18.

The actual ride throughout the mountains is stunning. You’d round a corner and emerge onto a breath taking mountain valley with the clouds settling along the middle and just think, “shit, I hope my bike makes the extremely sharp turn.” I’ve barely master Hanoi driving so there was no way I was riding, I stayed my ass on the back of the bike!

Not only are the winding roads awe striking but the local people that live in these small communities are astounding. Women and children appear to run the show in Northern Vietnam. These women, and unfortunately children, were doing back-breaking work. I mean carrying huge bundles of sticks, plants, bricks, honestly anything. Sadly it seems like there is no real childhood in the mountains of Vietnam.

Do it for the culture

There are various ethnic groups in the Ha Giang region. As you’re traversing through the mountains, it was very common to see women and children dressed in beautiful, colorful textiles working or zooming past on their bikes.

If I had to say, watching my nephew’s reaction in his first homestay was priceless. The carefully selected homestays were the perfect experience for someone to really get the all encompassing feeling of village. And there was plenty of food.

The most heart warming experience was sitting with the matriarch of the Dao ethnic homestay as she steadily poured rounds of shots of corn wine to the guest. No offence, but corn wine tastes like straight moonshine mixed with lighter fuel. Every time my poor fresh green nephew took a tiny sip his whole body would contort. His response, “Do it for the culture!”

If you’ve ever been to SE Asia you know markets are a thing. They can be overwhelming with all of the smells, people, and noises. Now, through immense amounts of livestock on top of that and you have the Ha Giang market. There was so much stimuli that my eyes couldn’t keep up. One could literally get all of their shopping in one spot: 1 pig, a puppy (unfortunately), a Chinese smuggled cell phone, and spices to keep the evil spirits away. What more could you ask for?

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Making the trip to the Ha Giang loop takes plannin and determination if you’re gonna do it on motorbike. Luckily we booked with Ha Giang Local Tours which could not have been better. We wouldn’t have experienced half of the stuff we saw without them.

If I could just encapsulate the feeling of the perspective you get of your place in the world as you glide through those mountains then maybe that would be my nirvana. But until then, I’ll keep grindin n traveling.

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