Route Prevaracations: Sapa to Ha Giang

 

Terry kicked off the day in true champion style, indulging in what appeared to be the breakfast of champions: pancakes slathered in a dark syrup that suspiciously resembled his leaking engine oil. Fuelled up and ready for the road, our group debated between three route options for the day—long, medium, and short—each decided by a mix of weather, time, and our collective enthusiasm. After much prevarication, we settled on the shortest route, aiming for a leisurely ride along Sapa's winding roads followed a climb to Ha Giang. Little did we know what lay ahead.

Leaving Sapa: Coffee Shops and Scenic Views

With our motorbikes refuelled, we descended a serpentine path out of Sapa, flanked by coffee shops overlooking stunning terraced fields. The forecasted rain had yet to appear by the time we reached our first coffee stop, 60 km in. Emboldened, we changed our minds and decided to follow the medium route instead—a meaty 270 km journey.

The Rain, The Mud, and a New Plan

Barely 30 km later, the sky had other plans. Rain forced us under shelter where we changed our mind again!  Another route revision entrusted to TomTom, opting for the shortest route to Ha Giang. Direct, however, didn’t mean easy. Turning onto a narrow lane, we were immediately greeted by a slurry of mud, heavy machinery and multiple landslides.  The next 23 km were a rollercoaster of landslides, roadworks, and gravel ending up in a smart village, completely cut off apart from the road, the one we came in on!

A Battle Plan in the Sand

At one point, we hit a dead end—quite literally—in a school playground. In the absence of mobile data, a helpful local etched what can only be described as a tactical battle plan into the sand with a stick, most appreciated by Tim. With this as our guide, Terry retraced our steps, recalling a critical turn 6 km back where a landslide had washed the road away.

What followed was a trial by water: Terry bravely tackled what looked like a shallow puddle. In reality, it was half a metre deep, complete with a sizeable rock waiting to eject bike and rider alike. Terry emerged victorious, albeit damp, and we pressed on, following the hand-drawn "map" through 100 km of green-lane adventure, surrounded by breathtaking scenery, heavily scarred by the deserted tea plantations and dried up and over grown padi fields and of course the aforementioned plethora of landslides. The final village presented a navigation puzzle worthy of a cryptic crossword. TomTom, Google Maps, and OpenStreetMap each had conflicting suggestions—and all were wrong.  Eventually we found the unmarked track that open up to a 25km lane to the main Ha Giang road.

Hair-Raising Traffic

As we neared Ha Giang, main road and were promptly greeted by Vietnam’s infamous driving standards. A coach nearly sent a car and bike off the road, underscoring the need for constant vigilance.

A Well-Earned Beer in Ha Giang

After a white-knuckle 100 km dash, we finally arrived in Ha Giang, where a well-earned cold beer and Sprite awaited. Amusingly, despite all the reroutes and detours, we covered 270 km—the exact length of the medium route we’d initially planned—using almost none of the intended roads.

Reflections

This ride epitomized the unpredictability of motorbike adventures in Vietnam. From shifting weather to impassable roads and improvised maps, it was a day full of challenges, laughter, and unforgettable views. For all its twists and turns—both literal and figurative—it’s these kinds of experiences that make the journey worthwhile. Cheers to the road and beers ahead!