Today we rode from Xin Man to Ha Giang. The first 100 km from Xinman to Tan Quảng on TL177/178 (heading NE from Xinman) was slow going. It took 3 hrs and 45 minutes. The first third of the ride to Hoàng Su Phi follows along the Chay River. This offers a close encounter with the rice paddies that to date had been admired from afar, across valleys and high up on mountainsides. Rice paddies step out of the river on both sides. It feels like you can reach out across the narrow river and dip your hand into the dark pools of mud as you glide along the lowest terraces. A welcome change in scenery from the mountain passes.
Riding along the Chay River we passed countless roadside waterfalls, cascading down steep slopes and draining under the road before finding their ultimate home in the muddy river. The waterfalls almost become annoying if you want to take a picture at each one – a plan we quickly abandoned as the going was slow as it was.
The road is paved but some areas are in poor condition with deep potholes and extremely muddy and slick areas from recent landslides. This combined with the unrelenting twists and turns made progress slow.
After Hoàng Su Phi the road twisted and climbed into the clouds once again. A missed turn meant being forever lost to the clouds and the unseen valley below. The road itself wasn’t foggy. The cloud seemed to start where the road ended. It was weird driving straight towards a cloud, making a sudden turn at the last moment before riding across the sky.
Unfortunately the cloud once again obscured our views. The riding was cool and wet until dropping into Tan Quảng, where the air becomes warm and humid. Lunch was Pho at a popular roadside eatery with good beef Pho. The last 45 km to Ha Giang is boring freeway, but a nice, fast shot. It took only an hour of dodging trucks and scooters.
After driving through Ha Giang, a large and unwelcoming city with uninspiring hotels, we decided to stay at the highly rated Homestay Bui Ty. Outside of town by 6 km in a quiet, rural neighbourhood this Homestay was a welcome change from scooter horns and truck rumblings. We got the entire 8 room dorm to ourselves and a wonderful dinner. At $8 per person for the room and another $6 each for a filling and delicious authentic meal, this was a score.
Live Life Epic 