I had two options for my next stretch after Son La. The first was to go to Mu Cang Chai (an area famous for its rice terraces), and then onwards to Tram Tau (which was recommended for its hot springs), Ta Xua (known for its inversions, or “cloud hunting” as the Vietnamese call it), and eventually Bac Yen. This route was roughly 290 km with nearly 7,700 m of climbing and I figured it would take four or five tough days. Alternately, I could ride straight to Bac Yen—85 km and 1,650 m of climbing.

I had enough time for the long way, but I also wanted to do some off-bike sightseeing at the end of my trip. I didn’t want to return home completely exhausted and a few extra days of relaxation on Cat Ba Island before flying home seemed nice. So I chose the short route. While a part of me will always wonder what I missed, I’m also very happy with my decision as I really enjoyed Cat Ba. But more on that later.

It took me two attempts to leave Son La. On the first try, I was forced to turn back about 10 km into the day as my bike started to make awful sounds. I attempted a roadside repair without success and decided to turn back to Son La because I wasn’t likely to find a decent bike shop anywhere else. I lucked out big time. I found a mechanic who enthusiastically diagnosed the issue and had me back on the road with 30 minutes—and refused my attempts to pay him.

I decided to take a short cut back to the route rather than ride the highway. It involved a painfully steep up and down, but got me back on track quickly. I passed by a wedding for the second time, receiving some looks and cheers as I did. I then reached my previous turnaround point, which was a rough dirt road that brought me to a small village backed by colourful strips of farmland. It was very beautiful.

I continued on a mix of paved and dirt roads. I was chased by kids, who joyfully raced me on their bikes and posed for photos. A few days ago, I had no patience for this, but today it brought me big smiles and motivated me forward. I enjoyed their shouts of “Hello! How are you? Where are you from?”, which I’m sure are the only English phrases they know.

I eventually made it to Hat Lot, where I grabbed a bahn mi for lunch, which I ate at an abandoned gas station. This next stretch took me through an unpleasant industrial area and then more pleasant strawberry fields (not forever). I rejoined the main highway (QL37) and began a long climb to a highpoint above the Da River, which was followed by a twisting 800 m descent, where I jockeyed with cars for space as I coasted ever downwards.

After crossing the river, I had a stiff 500m climb to Bac Yen. I ascended into darkness, feeling the 20 km detour caused by my bike problems. Bac Yen is a small tourist town, the gateway to the more famous Ta Xua area. It was a Friday and my first choice of hotel was hosting a party of some sort and was completely booked up, so I went to the next best reviewed option, where I got a nice room with a rock-hard Vietnamese bed.

Clouds shrouded the mountains when I left Bac Yen the next morning, but eventually the intense sun broke them apart. I cruised back down to the Da River and pedaled alongside it, the heat and humidity beginning to wear at this low elevation. I took a rickety metal boat to cross the river, then began the climb to Moc Chau, an area of Vietnam known for its tea fields. The views were incredible, as terraced farms clung to the sprawling steep hillsides. I enjoyed a roadside coke before turning off onto a series of ever-steeper backroads that took me to the village of Ban Doi, where I had booked a room at a well-reviewed homestay. The steep tracks had me pushing my bike between rounded hills sculpted with rows of tea. Some teens enjoying their weekend raced their motorbike past me again and again, eventually stopping for a photo.

Retreat Home Ban Doi Moc Chau lived up to the reviews. The owner was a Vietnamese Christian originally from Hanoi who had left the city to open a homestay in the countryside with her husband. Located at the end of the road in a quiet village surrounded by tea fields, I almost immediately decided to take another day off. I had the time, and the perfect weather and gorgeous tea plantations captivated me. I decided to enjoy the extra break and appreciate the peaceful surroundings. My bed was comfortable, I had time, and my mindset was shifting from bikepacking mode to vacation mode at this point.

I enjoyed some reading on the deck that evening and the next morning I went for a long walk through the tea fields. I ambled along as various colourful butterflies dance around me. Vivid red flowers lined the paths and I turned to wander through the rows of tea plants and enjoy the view down to the valley I had climbed up from the day before. After grabbing some lunch in the village, I spent the rest of the day relaxing and getting a little work done, then enjoyed a delicious dinner with a French couple who had arrived by motorcycle.

The next morning, I took the main road to Moc Chau, with my ultimate destination the touristy region of Mai Chau. Annoyed by the traffic, I opted for a detour. Open Street Map showed a thick white line cutting off a section of the main road, so went that way. Thick white lines generally mean decent secondary roads, but this was a true bikepacking route. A steep, narrow concrete path soon gave way to steep and rough dirt paths. I pushed the steep uphills and gripped the breaks on the descents. I passed through three small valleys, getting lost in one, before I found myself in a small village, with one final punishing climb back to the main road.

I had planned to take a backroad to Mai Chau, but my detour had cost me over an hour and as I looked at my route, I realized I’d be unlikely to make it in a reasonable time as there was still one big climb ahead of me. Instead, I spotted another secondary road on the map that descended in a series of squiggles almost all the way to Mai Chau. This was the DT101, the old highway through the area, which has since been relegated to forgotten status—perfect for cyclists.

The DT101 was a dream, as it swerved downhill on gentle grades, arcing around one hillside after another, bend after bend, an endless paradise of curves, with nary another vehicle around. I started high in the mountains and descended into a steamy jungle valley. I passed through a village where a group of men were butchering a pig on the road. I was chased by friendly school children and stopped at a waterfall for a swim, then made my way into Mai Chau and enjoyed the sunset over the glistening rice fields. I arrived at my hotel in the dark and after settling in, walked down the road to a neighouring restaurant, where I enjoyed an amazing meal. A tough start to the day ended as one my most memorable yet.

I woke up the next morning in a thick haze. It was cloudy and the farmers were burning their crops. My eyes burned as I ate breakfast, and I retreated to my room in the hopes the clouds would lift. After waiting around for a few hours, I went to the front desk and was able to get a mask. I was heading south and had a big climb ahead of me, so I was hopeful I could climb above the smoke. Regrettably, this would mean forgoing a loop through the Mai Chau area that I was looking forward to, but I couldn’t fathom riding through this thick smoke and it seemed like the best option.

Of course, 15 minutes after leaving my hotel, the clouds broke, the sun emerged, and the smoke lifted. I contemplated turning back, but the late start meant I wouldn’t be able to do the planned loop anyway. Instead, I took a shorter detour through the valley and enjoyed the pleasant rural surroundings. I watched a flock of ducks bathe in the river and farmers tend to their crops. Then I hit the road, got some lunch, and began the long climb toward Pu Luong Nature Reserve.

The climb up into Pu Luong was steady but unremarkable. It was upon reaching the top that the beauty of this area became apparent. The road clung to a hillside, with arcing rice terraces spilling to the valley below, and a series of mountain ranges fading into the distance. I found an affordable room at fancy homestay and enjoyed a pricey dinner while enjoying the sunset.

I slept restlessly that night and woke up earlier than I wanted. Rather than fight it, I decided to get out of bed and enjoy the sunrise. I watched as the sun slowly climbed above the surrounding mountains and bathed the valley in golden light, glimmering in the flooded rice terraces. Every moment brought new revelations in the landscape. It was one the most incredible sunrises I’ve seen.

The benefit of staying at a pricey hotel (pricey being $35) was a great buffet breakfast that I engorged myself on before setting off. This was the last day of my ride and I had 140 km to go to reach Ninh Binh, a popular tourist site firmly on the tourist trail. I hit the road and began the downhill out of the mountains of Pu Luong. At the bottom, I made a short detour to see some traditional water wheels—wooden mills that scoop water from the river and deliver it to the surrounding fields.

From there, the route was mostly flat. I followed small paths through fields of tall grass, which brought me to a wooden bridge over a river. My plan was to cross the bridge and continue south, but there, I ran into a bicycle tour group and the guide convinced me to take a slightly longer route that ducked around a small mountain chain into a hidden valley. The road proved well worth it and brought me through more peaceful, scenic countryside. I had expected things to be busier as I approached the flatlands around Hanoi, but the roads were still very quiet.

Following lunch, I was forced onto a short bit of highway, nut not for too long. I turned off onto another secondary road, and then onto even quieter backroads. Sprawling fields were punctuated by isolated hills as I left the mountains of North Vietnam. The riding was easy, except for one short section where the road ended and I had to follow a few kilometres of double-track to get to the other side. I continued on backroads as I got closer and closer to Ninh Binh. The final one parallelled the main highway and I enjoyed a gorgeous sunset over the plains.

Finally, I had to get back on the highway, a recently built six-lane monstrosity with nowhere near enough traffic to justify its width. At first it was very quiet, but the traffic picked up as I neared the city of Tam Diep. There, I then turned onto the busy QL1A highway for a nervous five kilometres in the motorcycle lane before I could finally turn off to Ninh Binh. I followed a quiet canal path the final few kilometres to my final destination, a lakeside hotel in the tourist town of Tam Coc.

My bike journey was over, but I still had another week left in Vietnam to be a tourist and relax. My plan was to spend two days in Tam Coc, two days in Cat Ba, and one final day in Hanoi, with a travel day mixed in. But that will wait until my next post, if it ever comes.