By Arnaud Denis – An Adventure Approved Trip
IT WAS THE LATTER PART OF SEPTEMBER: with everybody I returning from their holidays, the time had come to start thinking about my own travel plans. It had been a long, working summer in Brussels and I was desperately in need of a break from the job. While the timing of my holiday leave was marked down, the destination was as yet unknown.
Improvisation had been my motto for the last few years and with only a few days left before the departure date I wasn’t quite sure where I would end up. Baking like a pancake on the beach wasn’t my style; it wasn’t going to be my choice. I was ready to embark on a time machine, on a vessel that would take me on an adventurous journey of discovery.
Scott, my mountain bike, was an obvious choice. What else other than my bicycle could offer me what I was looking for?
It had already taken me up the most challenging Alpine and Pyrenean mountain passes; it had carried me across Cambodia, Ladakh, Cuba and France without a single puncture. This time-machine runs on a two-piston engine, it requires low-maintenance and doesn’t mind a rough ride. It is environmentally friendly, and, best of all, it offers a great view! With the carrier selected, I was left with the choice of destination. Vietnam had long been on my mind, since watching the moody and atmospheric movie The Scent of Green Papaya. Friends had recently settled in Hanoi, making it a convenient starting point for my biking journey. It was decided: ‘Biking in Vietnam’ was to be the title of my new traveling chapter.
Grabbing a last minute ticket on a flight transiting through Istanbul and Bangkok brought me from Brussels to Hanoi. Scott and I made it in one piece, so far so good. I could hardly wait to hit the road and get lost in the Vietnamese country-side.
A 24 hour stop-over in Hanoi was plenty to get organized and plan the itinerary I was to follow during the next ten days. I was looking for mountains to climb, according to my roadmap these were to be found in the Northwestern part of Vietnam. I was soon to discover that what appeared to be a gentle range of hills on a map was, in fact, an collection of quite intimidating mountains, offering some extremely challenging riding. Still, for it – and I do not regret it a bit. Arriving in Lao Cai by train, started with the 40 km climb to the former hill station of Sapa early warm up. The winding, scenic road reminded me of an XLl version of the Alpes d’Huez climb, the legendary mountain stage of the Tour de France. I wasn’t really going after the ‘king of the hill’ red-dotted jersey as I still had a long way to go. Past Sapa, I endured another 15km stretch to Tram Ton pass, Vietnam’s highest mountain pass at 1900 m. Finally, this steep ascent started to head downhill. The light morning showers had gone and by the start of the afternoon the mist had disappeared for good. The day was clear and the panoramic views were astonishing! Lime-stone karst formations stretched as far as the eye could see, their dark green jungle foliage juxtaposed with the emerald green of the rice in the valleys and the clear, clean blue of the sky above. What goes up doesn’t necessarily go all the way down, it seems. Descents were too short and the ascents seemed endless. This was serious biking! Like a repeating hypnotic mantra, I rode an average 90 km a day and enjoyed every single one of item. The drawing of the road was physically demanding but I highly rewarding; body and soul were fully synchronized. What had started as an endurance event rapidly turned into a meditative and contemplative experience. This was as good as it is. 
More than the astonishing beauty of the country, it is the genuine kindness and generosity of its people that form my most cherished memories of the journey. In this particular region of Vietnam, every valley is home to a different ethnic community. Arriving at dusk in mountain villages, I was always warmly welcomed, often with an invitation to share a glass of tea or a howl of soup. I never felt short of help or attention. Each day, fervent screaming and smiling would accompany me along the road. Children were intrigued by my looks and curiosity often overtook their initial suspicions. Seldom had they seen a tall Belgian biker riding through their village and rarely had I been so fortunate to share these simple moments with such an enthusiastic and colorful bunch. I often rode my bike until well latter darkness and finding a place to sleep was never a problem. My itinerary brought me to Binh Lu and the remote village of Sin Ho, I crossed Chan Nua and Muong Lay, and reached Dien Bien Phu after countless tours and detours in the mountains. It had been a great ride off the beaten track! This is what I had been looking for, one moment in time. This expedition will remain vividly in my memory for years to come. No doubt I will be back some day, asking for more of the same.
Source: EAST & WEST (www.east-westmag.com)
How to:
If you want to undertake your own adventure in Vietnam, there are several options open to you. Like Arnaud, you can go it alone, or if you prefer there are a number of “real”, “challenging” motorcycling, biking or trekking for you.
- Motorcycling Vietnam’s north
- Vietnam – west to east biking adventure
- Sapa hiking & leaving crowded town
