North-east Vietnam is a rugged mountainous area inhabited by ethnic tribes. It shares a border with China. It is home to some breath-taking scenery. It is a sparse and harsh region with an unpredictable weather patron. Heavy rain and freezing temperatures to hot sun. It is still off the beaten track for mainstream tourism. The Lonely planet guidebook Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam just had a small paragraph on this area and no further info. The bike hire companies are a good source of info and the better ones supply digital maps.
My Honda XR150 hired for the Happiness Road
There is a really special and unique road called the Happiness Road. This road was built from 1959 to 1965 by more than 1300 indigenous people from 6 mountainous provinces and 2 Delta provinces with more than 1,000 other ethnic people joining in. There were no modern tools and the people dug and chiselled the road out of the rocky cliff side by hand. Hanging perilously on ropes. The weather conditions were atrocious, sub-zero temperatures to boiling hot. Drought to heavy rain. A constant lack of nourishing food. 14 young volunteers lost their lives building this road. But they were driven on by a deep desire to unite the most northern mountain providences with the rest of Vietnam. They worked with a will. They were working towards a better life for themselves and their children. That is why it is called the Happiness Road. It has a length of 185 km connecting Ha Giang with the isolated districts of Quan Ba, Yen Minh Dong Van, and Meo Vac. It crosses some really high passes and has some epic scenery. The local people are really friendly. There is no tourist infrastructure as such. Many families open their homes in “Homestays” and welcome foreign visitors with open arms. They cook dinner and breakfast for you and give you a glimpse into their life and also the village life. You need transport to do this route, ideally two-wheel transport. The roads can be very narrow, with countless switchbacks and bends. The bike rental companies rent bikes out to whoever is willing to brave it. They rent automatic scooters out for the most part. Then there are local tour companies that will take you on the back of a scooter, ridden by a professional local. They plan the route and the stop overs. Ideally you, definitely, need 5 to 7 days to do this, preferably more. You also need a lot of luck with the weather. The weather in the mountains is really unpredictable. This route is called the Ha Giang Loop. I took 10 days to do, starting in Hanoi and ending back in Hanoi via Ban Gioch Waterfall, Meo Vac and Ha Giang. I did the loop anticlockwise.
My initial plan for the Happiness Road
Countless switchbacks and bends of the Happiness Road
Once I got clear of Hanoi the scenery was just getting better and better. My first stop was Ba Be Lake. I was riding around looking for a homestay when the side stand of the bike broke. This was a problem; I couldn’t actually stop and park. I managed to find a welder who immediately started to sort the problem out. He has done a fantastic job. Then I got a homestay and by now I was tired and hungry. There were two other people staying there. A Canadian girl called Karli, who was travelling the route on the back of a scooter ridden by Tham, her Vietnamese guide. They were really brilliant. Had a super evening. Took a boat cruise around the lake.
Once I got clear of Hanoi the scenery was just getting better
Street scene
Broken side stand
Ba Be Lake
Đền An Mạ, Ba Be Lake
An Mạ Temple, Ba Be Lake
Next stop was a town called Cao Bang. The journey there was really bad. Rain and freezing cold. Found a roadside restaurant that was open, just over halfway. I was frozen solid. Ordered a tea, this was a local place, and no one spoke English and there was no menu. A woman came up to me and asked me in English what I wanted. I explained to her that I didn’t eat meat. She ordered a local noodle soup with egg for me. Then when she left, she told me that she had paid for it and wished me a happy new year. She and her family were travelling to spend TET with their family. Found a homestay in the town and got warmed up. It was now gonna be Lunar New Year that night. I found a veggie restaurant and had a super meal and headed out into town to celebrate the New Year.
Cao Bang
Had a super meal at a veggie restaurant I found in Cao Bang
It was good. The locals were in party mood. The family were still up when I got back to the homestay, and we sat at the table eating sweets. They were all drinking Happy Water. This is a locally distilled alcohol drink and is drunk widely in the area. But it was really kinda special, for me, as a perfect stranger, to be part of this special celebration. The next morning the weather was bad, so I stayed another day. I was originally gonna do the Ban Gioc waterfall from here but decided to wait until the next day and hopefully a break in the weather.
Getting ready for lunar new year Cao Bang
Cao Bang Lunar New Year Celebration
Lunar New Year Celebration Cao Bang
Lunar New Year Celebration Cao Bang
The next day dawned dry but freezing cold. Headed off to the waterfall. Once again got a really nice homestay with a local family in an old stone farmhouse.
Arriving to my homestay at Ban Gioc Waterfall
My homestay at Ban Gioc Waterfall
Then it was off to visit the falls. Ban Gioc Waterfall is the 4th largest waterfall along an international border. The first 3 being, Iguazu Falls, Victoria Falls and Niagara Falls. Ban Gioc Waterfall is partly in China and the Chinese call it Détiān Falls. It is really something to see. This falls is split into 3 by rocks and trees. It has a height of 30 meters. There are tourist’s boats that you can take to get up close to the falls. These boats are also on the Chinese side as well. They have the Chinese flag, and the Vietnam boats are flying the Vietnam flag. But they all sail around the falls and mingle together around the base of the falls. That evening, at the homestay, after dinner a lot of the villagers called around and sat at the table. They were giving TET (Lunar New Year) lucky money to the children. The notes are in nicely decorated red envelopes. This is a tradition. Everyone was eating fruit and sweets and drinking tea or their happy water.
On the way to Ban Gioc Waterfall
Ban Gioc waterfall, half in Vietnam and half in China
Ban Gioc waterfall, half in Vietnam and half in China. The Chinese side
Ban Gioc waterfall, half in Vietnam and half in China
Ban Gioc waterfall, half in Vietnam and half in China
Ban Gioc waterfall, half in Vietnam and half in China, I just loved this photo
Ban Gioc waterfall, the Pagoda
Ban Gioc waterfall, shrine of the Pagoda
Ban Gioc waterfall, the Pagoda
My Homestay, a super evening with the family
Then on to Bao Lac. This was a spectacular run. The road climbing and winding its way up and over the mountains. This road crosses the Deo Me Pia Pass. This is a really spectacular pass with loads of switchbacks. Ended up doing a bit of off-road as there was major work on the road. Stayed in another homestay in town. Met up with a South African guy. He lives now in Vietnam and was gonna bicycle the road, a pass that I had just done. We exchanged info. He had done the loop many times and was able to give me a lot of info. The restaurants were still closed but the homestay cooked an excellent dinner for us.
On the way to Bao Lac…spectacular pass with loads of switchbacks
Next stop was a small market town called Meo Vac. This was a brilliant little town. It’s famous for its local market held once a week. I wanted to do the Ma Pi Leng Pass but because of TET, the road was full of little scooters. I decided to hike the Sky Walk instead. This offered up some amazing views. I also visited the memorial to the workers who built the Happiness Road.
Meo Vac
Ma Pi Leng pass, North East Vietnam, Happiness road
North East Vietnam The Happiness Road
Ma Pi Leng pass, North East Vietnam, Happiness road
Village scene Happiness Road, North East Vietnam
Rocky farmland, but every bit of ground is used and cultivated
Happiness Road North East Vietnam
Then it was time to head towards Ha Giang on the Happiness Road. I made a slight detour to Cot Co Lung Cu to view the famous flag post. This is the most northern point in Vietnam and once again on the Chinese border. This road is truly amazing, small and it just twists and turns. There was no way that I was gonna make Ha Giang. Stopped off in a small place called Yen Minh. Met a group of bikers who were doing the same as me, looking for a place to sleep and eat. And by coincidence we all ended up in the same place, Tom Homestay. This was a fantastic choice. Tom lit a big fire in the garden, and we all sat around it sharing stories. By now the group had become Australian, New Zeeland, German, English, Hungarian, Italian, and of course me. Tom’s wife made a huge big dinner for us and I mean huge. Then out came the happy water and the party began. It was really a fantastic night. A table full of total strangers from all over the world, all riding motorcycles, or scooters and all just relaxing and having a good time. There are no words to describe that evening.
Breakfast time on the way to Yen Minh
North East Vietnam, Happiness Road on the way to Cot Co Lung Cu
North East Vietnam, Happiness Road on the way to Cot Co Lung Cu
North East Vietnam, Happiness Road, Chinese Border
North East Vietnam, Happiness Road , most northern point of Vietnam
Cot Co Lung Cu
Most northern point of Vietnam shrouded in mist
Most northern point of Vietnam
This was one fantastic night at a homestay, truly wonderful people from all over. English, New Zeeland, Australia, Germany, Hungary, Italian and Irish. And of course our North Vietnamese host.
I stayed a lot in homestays, these were farmhouses where the family still work the land but rent out a room or two to travellers. By staying with the family, you get to see the local life and the way that they live. The farmers from this region are called the rock farmers. This is because the fields are really rocky and strewn with stones. The stones are used to build their houses and to make walls. The little patches of ground in between the rocks are planted with crops. It is amazing to see. Because of the Happiness Road the area has become more affluent. Being able to easily trade with the rest of Vietnam. Also, tourism helps the local communities a lot. Tourism is not on a mass level, just a few brave souls venture up this way. The Lonely Planet Guide to Vietnam just has one paragraph on this region, mostly warning about the roads and the unpredictable weather.
Homestay
Rocky farmland, but every bit of ground is used and cultivated
I had to head back to Hanoi, but it was too far for one day, so I made a stop in Ha Giang. This is a local nondescript town in a way. It is the begin and end point for the Ha Giang Loop.
North East Vietnam, Happiness Road on the way to Ha Giang
Arrived to Ha Giang
Market Ha Giang
Then it was on to Hanoi. This took me the best part of a day. I made a mistake on the way and ended up on the expressway… or motorway. I didn’t realize that motorbikes were not allowed. I had seen a big sign with loads of things that were forbidden and it just didn’t click. I started to notice that the road was quiet, no thousands of scooters and the few cars that passed me were looking funny at me and some of them blew their horns. Then I realized and got off at the next exit. Programmed Google maps to avoid motorways. It was a nice run into Hanoi. A lot of it along the river. Passing peaceful rural scenes of people working the land by hand and buffalo. Then back into the hustle and bustle of Ha Noi and to arrange another bike.
On the way to Hanoi, ricefield
On the way to Hanoi
On the way to Hanoi
If you would like to see the sights, then click on the like named photo album or on the link below. First make a nice wee cup of tea, grab a packet of biscuits, and click and enjoy.
Facebook Album North East Vietnam 5 February to 16 February 2024
Thank you for reading the posts, liking, and commenting. Thank you for sharing my crazy journey through Vietnam. I appreciate it.
My real Time location is Que Nhon in Central Vietnam.
Tạm biệt tạm thời nhé, Vietnamese for Bye Bye for now. 
