Vietnam coastline and islands are dotted with sacred whale temples (lÔng Nam Hải) . These are shrines dedicated to the “Whale Lord”. Fisherman of past prayed to the Whale Lord and viewed him as their protector that could rescure boats during storms or trouble at sea. When a great whale is washed ashore the locals fisherman would have a funeral and bury the whale. After…
My trusty steed. It’s a Honda XR-150. The perfect little dual-sport for me in Vietnam. I have not named her — maybe I should. I put 40k km on the bike traveling Vietnam north to south and many miles by train from Saigon to Hanoi.
ICM images are a lot of fun and can create some wonderful semi-abstract images. The idea is that you move your camera as you are capturing the image. You don’t need a super-slow shutter speed as you can move the camera quickly. I tend to look emphasize the shape of the image I am capturing. So a beach scene with large horixontal elements I pan…
The Honda XR-150 is my ride of choice for trips in Vietnam. It’s an old school, low tech design with no modern technology. You don’t want to get into deep mud or super-steep trails with it. You can’t get up to highway speeds with it. So why is it great for Vietnam journeys?In Vietnam motorcycles are not allowed on freeways. Almost all roads have a…
Vietnam is a long country covering over 1600 km from south to north. There are complex weather patterns. When it is nice in the south it may be typhoon season or cold in the central and Northern provinces. Here is a general idea of the seasonal weather patterns: January – March Season: Dry season in the south, monsoons in the northern and central area, cold Hanoi…
Vietnam, like China, uses a Lunar Calendar for traditional festivals and other cultural events. Lunar dates are based on a start of the first moon of a year so unlike our standard Gregorian calendar New Years Day changes every year. It can be confusing to try to find the Gregorian date when a lunar date is provided for an event. Below is a conversion table…
When traveling between the Ha Giang Loop and Cao Bang most people spend a night in Bao Lac. Between Bao Lac and Cao Bang, the most direct route is the scenic QL34. The better option is the spectacular Me Pia Pass along the border with China. This route also brings you close to Pac Bo cave where Ho Chi Minh lived after his return from…
Just a few hours from Cao Bang along a magical road is Ban Gioc. The waterfalls are the border with 1/2 in China and 1/2 in Vietnam. Ban Gioc is the forth largest waterfall in the world along a national border. Located in the Trung Khan district of Cao Bang it a fascinating area with lovely valleys and kart mountains looking like huge drops of…
Between Meo Vac and Bao Lac there is a river crossing through a gorgeous valley on a bamboo ferry. By taking the northern route from Cao Bang to Ha Giang you will pass by this area. The steep approach and exit require dry weather or strong off-road skills.
I was fortunate to be able to explore the Meo Vac skywalk at dawn just after Covid reopening — an ethereal experience. The skywalk is a narrow trail that is mostly paved and serves as a way for people to move among the villages and homesteads in this mountainous area. They generally no longer allow tourists to ride on the Skywalk and it has been…