A Cave, A Waterfall and A Lake
The last leg took us through Cao Bang and Bắc Kạn Province. We were bathed in sunshine throughout, it was lovely.
Especially after the harsh, windswept conditions of Ha Giang.
Driving in the sunshine is so much more enjoyable. I wore only my t-shirt for the first time in a while.
The day was beautiful but that is nothing new in the north. I don’t think there are any roads in the north that don’t have at least some jaw-dropping views.
The road was literally blasted through the mountains at some points.
We completed this interesting vertical ascent.
And passed lots of rice in its various stages of harvest.
Another top day on the road.
The cave
I know I said we were done with caves but this one was special. Hang Pac Bo cave. The cave where Ho Chi Minh, the grandfather of Vietnam, hid from the French after crossing back into Vietnam from China.
It’s a common pilgrimage for the Vietnamese. Not so common for tourists, we were the only white people there. I doubt many make it this far.
But it was an interesting piece of history that is clearly of great importance to them.
The cave is near a beautiful, crystal clear blue lagoon/stream.
Old Ho Chi Minh certainly had a nice chill spot.
Cao Bang City
After our detour to the cave, we headed for the capital. A rather dreary city, in my opinion, with not a great deal going on. It was a weekend and we hardly saw anyone.
Although perhaps we just didn’t know where to look. No doubt they were all at the karaoke.
We did find a good, do it yourself, BBQ restaurant where we ate both nights and of course there was billiards hall kicking around.
We spent two nights here in order to give us time for a day trip up to the famous Ban Gioc waterfall.
Ban Gioc Waterfall
The fourth largest border waterfall in the world. Claim to fame.
It was impressive though.
Since it is a border waterfall we could see Chinese tourists on the other side of the river.
The drive was long but so beautiful. I should have really got more pictures but today I decided to simply take it in.
I did get this one though.
Ba Be Lake
After Cao Bang we headed for Ba Be lake. The largest natural lake in Vietnam.
The drive took us into the Bắc Kạn Province, the least populated province in Vietnam. It showed. I don’t think we even saw a karaoke club!
Ba Be Lake was a serene relaxing place. We spent another two nights here. The last of our journey around the north. Sad times.
Our stay here was made infinitely better by the amazing Ms. Jun. A lovely Vietnamese woman who spotted us waiting near the mechanic.
Doug had a flat tire and my headlight had stopped working. Thanks to Ms Jun we paid 100 000 between us. Crazy. Makes you realise how much you get overcharged for being foreign.
Then she showed us a cheap, 2 pound, homestay she knew nearby and told us to come down to her restaurant for dinner.
Delicious home cooked food. After that we ate every meal there. As we stayed in Bo Lo a new, up and coming village but still rather untouristy there wasnt that much else going on.
She also helped us organise a boat trip around the lake, as well as supplying us with a cooler full of beers.
While the stops on the boat were average at best, it was nice just to do nothing and drink beers all day.
It was a shame about the roof on the boat though, I was looking forward to soaking up some final rays.
Back To Hanoi
Last day on the bikes was not without incident.
First, we took a wrong turning, adding on about an hour to the journey time.
Then Doug had some mechanical issues that needed fixing.
We did at least stop for a final meal at one of the classic roadside cafes. The food was average but the family was welcoming and friendly.
After the food and the delays, we ended up arriving into Hanoi in the dark and in rush hour.
Our final test. One we passed with flying colours.
