Solo Ride – Vietnam

Day 11

I woke up in Hoi An to the sound of torrential rain and dripping water. Checked the forecast – and it was the same story for the next few days in both Hoi An and Da Nang. No choice really: time to head north.

Looked at my options for getting to Hanoi and was surprised to find that flights from Da Nang were actually cheaper than the train – just £30. The problem was getting to Da Nang. The rain was far too heavy to ride the bike there, so I asked the hotel reception for ideas – and within half an hour, they’d arranged a small truck to take me and the bike.

An hour later, the bike was dropped off safely at the Tigit office in Da Nang, and the same driver then took me to the airport. I got there five hours before the flight, but there was nothing else to do in the rain.

At the airport, I met a British couple who’d booked a package holiday to Hoi An and were so fed up with the weather they’d abandoned their hotel to head to Hanoi too.

The flight was smooth – just over an hour. I landed in Hanoi around 9 p.m. Getting off the plane was a relief – finally, no rain and clear skies. I stayed near the city centre and settled in for the night.

Day 12 – Remembering Joshua

Today is what should have been Joshua’s 17th birthday.

My first job of the morning was to sort a motorbike for the next leg of my revised journey. I took a Grab motorbike (the Vietnamese version of Uber, where a 10 km ride costs around $4!) to the Tigit Motorcycles office in Hanoi. I re-hired an identical bike to before – a little 110cc Honda for the next five days. The staff were brilliant: efficient with the paperwork and happy to help me plan a circular route through northern Vietnam – one with mountains, valleys, and quiet villages – away from the usual tourist trail.

The Plan

Tuesday – Hanoi to Mai Châu (~150 km):

A 6 a.m. start, heading southwest from Hanoi to a peaceful valley of rice fields and stilt houses.

Wednesday – Mai Châu to Tà Xùa (~220 km):

The road climbs into the highlands – steep and twisting. Tà Xùa is famous for its “sea of clouds,” and the views should be spectacular.

Thursday – Tà Xùa to Mù Cang Chải (~180 km):

Further north into the mountains – a long, scenic ride through some of Vietnam’s most dramatic landscapes.

Friday – Mù Cang Chải to Vũ Linh (~160 km):

Down towards Thác Bà Lake, where I’ll plan to stay the night by the water.

Saturday – Vũ Linh to Hanoi (~180 km):

The final stretch back to Hanoi before my flight home on Sunday.

If all goes to plan, I’ll cover around 900 kilometres in five days – roughly the same distance as if I’d ridden from Hoi An to Hanoi, but a very different journey: much more remote.

After sorting the bike, I went to the pagoda at West Lake, lit some incense sticks, and said a few quiet prayers for Joshua. It was peaceful – the smoke curling into the air, the lake still, and the hum of traffic and motorbikes in the distance. A good place to pause for a quiet cry and a few deep breaths.

Tonight I’ll be meeting with Joshua’s Vietnamese family for a meal – a chance to remember him together.

Tomorrow I’ll be up early at 6 am for the long ride to Mai Châu. I’m really looking forward to being back on the road – and out of the rain.