Day 7 took us high into the mountains through pine forests and river valleys, with an unplanned stop in a Dao village that turned into one of the most genuine human moments of the entire trip. Vietnam is home to 54 ethnic groups, and everywhere we went we were welcomed with open arms — and apparently, karaoke. Always karaoke. We ended the day on a boat crossing the stunning Thac Ba Lake to our homestay. Day 8 was the best day of the whole trip. A spicy technical climb above Ho Thac Ba, a 100-year-old French colonial trail winding through a breathtaking river canyon, villages that felt frozen in the 1970s, and strangers handing us fresh fruit straight from the jungle. We finished the day riding through rice fields and cliffsides in the dark before rolling into a homestay feast with traditional dancers under the night sky. Day 9 wrapped things up with a boat ride through a cave, followed by riding straight into the beautiful madness of Hanoi at rush hour. Turns out the chaos looks scarier than it feels. We navigated it like a scooter gang, survived every intersection, and were rewarded with cold post-adventure beers at the finish line. Vietnam — you are stunning, wild, warm, and endlessly surprising. I'll be back. There's so much more left to explore.
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After a night of beers, happy water, and karaoke at our Baca homestay, it was time
to hit the road. And what a road it was. We wound our way high into the mountains
through forests of pine and fir, then dropped back down into lush river
valleys below. For lunch, we stopped in a Zao village, and that's where things got
really special. A woman there was absolutely thrilled to see us. She
disappeared, came back in her full traditional dress, and wanted photos on
the bike with the women. One of those unplanned, unscripted moments that
reminds you why you travel in the first place. Vietnam is home to 54 distinct
ethnic groups. Throughout this trip, we've been welcomed by Hmong and Thai
families, while the Kin people make up the majority of around 86% of the
population. The cultural richness here is hard to put into words. It's absolutely
stunning. Then it was back to the chaos. Hours of navigating pavement and wild
traffic through busy towns, dodging trucks, scooters, cars, and the occasional
chicken. Well, more than one chicken. You name it, we swerved around it. But at the
end of it all, a boat waiting to ferry us across the
stunning Tak Ba Lake to our next homestay. And of course, we couldn't let
the night go quietly. Another karaoke party on the water. Vietnam, you never
disappoint. Julie says to turn your hazards on. Yeah. Thank you. Yeah. Look at
the goat. He has a big balls. I think we've ridden like 150 miles. I'm ready
for a beer on this boat ride. My neck hurts. Yeah.
Looking back on day eight, I think it's definitely my favorite day of the whole
trip. We kicked things off with a spicy little technical loop climbing high
above Ho Tak Ba. With views so good, they almost distracted us from Julie's
unplanned off-trail adventure. Almost. Big shout out to Travis and the guys for
the heroic bike rescue. At the top of the mountain, we stumbled upon some locals
who handed us fresh fruit straight from the jungle and invited us into their
home. We had to keep moving, but honestly it was one of those little moments that
just sticks with you. Next up, something straight out of a history book. A 100
year old trail commissioned by the French during the colonial era. Built by
the locals, of course, but the French, well, they just had the idea. The trail
wound through a breathtaking river canyon and passed through villages that
felt frozen somewhere in the 1970s in the best possible way. And to cap it all
off, we finished in the dark. Riding through rice fields, local villages, and
cliff sides on what was almost certainly a stunning single track trail.
Not that I'd know, because my headlight was putting out roughly the power of a
birthday candle. We rolled into the homestay, sat down to an incredible meal,
and watched traditional dancers perform under the night sky. The
perfect ending to the perfect day.
Hey Tu, tell the guests not to come back! There's no parking space here!
Tell the guests not to come back!
After saying goodbye to my new puppy friend, we set off toward our first
destination of the day. The boat ride that would carry us across Ho Ba Bay to
up the river and through a cave. Honestly, that was the highlight of the day. Well,
that and not dying in Hanoi traffic, but more on that in a second. After the boat
ride, it was mind-numbing, butt-numbing, hand-numbing slog on pavement all the
way back to the city. But lucky for us, we rolled into Hanoi just in time for rush
hour. The streets of Hanoi looked chaotic, but honestly, it felt way more manageable
from the inside. Like I'd been initiated into some kind of scooter gang, weaving
through the streets like a local. Just don't try to make a left-hand turn.
Seriously, don't. We all made it back to the shop, safe and sound, where we were
greeted with well-earned post-adventure beers. Because nobody died and there was
beer at the end. All in all, an incredible trip, and I'm already looking forward to
coming back. Vietnam is a stunning country, rich in history, rich in culture,
and I feel like I've barely scratched the surface. There's so much more left to
explore.
