Hitchhiking in Vietnam: Ha Giang Loop – Ma Pi Leng Viewpoint
16th of October, 2024.
I pack all my stuff and I am ready to go when the receptionist asks me if I want some breakfast. Yay! I get a wonderful bread and fried eggs, with some tomatoes and cucumbers as well. She even offers me some coffee, but to not take advantage of their kindness, I kindly refuse. When I’m just about to leave, the owner arrives, which is great so I can thank him again.
The craziest think happens next. Well, actually this is the second time a tour company takes me while I’m hitchhiking, the first one being in India, when I was stuck somewhere in Ladakh. But this time it was different.
The company is called Mutal, and they offer the loop tour in 4×4 pick-ups, which is fancy. There were at least ten pick-ups of them, and I honestly showed my sign to them very naively, because I never thought some of them would really stop. But they do! There are three guys in the car, but I talk mostly with Minh Khang, a very sweet and enthusiastic young man, who gets surprised about my travels. He works with Mutal company, and I think that what they are doing is some kind of advertisement trip right now, because they are all taking photos, making videos, and there’s even some professional filmmaker company helping them, and making small interviews, it’s so crazy!
We arrive to Ma Pi Leng viewpoint so fast! I didn’t even notice time passing.
Ma Pi Leng is one of the most beautiful views I have ever seen, or better saying, being to it. It is absolutely gorgeous! And the sky is even cloudy! I can’t imagine what a perfection piece of nature it must look like when it’s a sunny blue sky. I can’t believe my eyes and I can’t stop looking at it. I stay here for about one hour, just admiring. Nobody else does that, of course, as all the loop tours only spend a few minutes in each stop. And I even see some tour passing by straight, not even stopping here. What? Insane! Coincidentally, a French couple who I met back at the twin mountains yesterday, come here today too. I am actually really happy to meet them again because I felt as I was a bit rude yesterday, so today I could treat them really well and, hopefully, make it up for the bad impression.
A bit before the people from Mutal company carry on their journey, the lovely Minh Khang gives me some traditional cake which they sell here at the viewpoints, it’s a bean cake, made by the fire, and it’s absolutely delicious!
While I am wandering around, admiring this gorgeous view, many people pass by. At some point though, there’s nobody at all (watch video). And I also notice some houses down there, in a very privileged area, basically living with some of the best view in the world in their backyard!
Then a very strange fact happen. In fact, I even got worried, thinking that some catastrophic natural even would happen because… I meet three Brazilians at once! Yep! It almost never happened! Wait, it never happened before during my travels! Well, apart from the big groups in Italy and Israel, so it never happened before! Laugh. They are Natalia, Keren and Mal, and they are adorable! We Brazilians are really amazing! Laugh. We chat for about 4 minutes and it’s super cool, even though is super short because they must carry on. And me too!
The weather doesn’t look great but I wasn’t expecting the rain to start so soon! As by the viewpoint it’s not a really good place for hitchhiking, I decide to keep walking. Also because of the views, he-he. And it feels great walking around these majestic mountains. Mostly with my backpack and everything I own in this world.
I stop after some minutes because, luckily, I find an abandoned place with some cover for me and the backpacks, so I just come out when I see a car coming. Great!
The guy who stops can’t really express himself in a way that I can understand. And even when he tries to use his translator, it doesn’t work. But that’s OK, everything happens for a reason. Right?
He works in a Vietel company, and he is going to the next town, Meo Vac, to collect a huge and heavy generator and bring somewhere. Now, I explain to him that I want to go to Ha Giang, and obviously I want to go there now, so why would he think that, taking me to the border with China (that’s where he is going to deliver the generator) would help me in anyhow? I actually think he just want to have me travelling with him for a while. Anyway, the worst part is that he only tells me the China thing when we are already outside Meo Vac again, while the place where he loaded the generator to the pick-up is right next to the exit to Ha Giang. Argh!
It’s not the longest walk, but I think I’m tired because the air is heavier at this altitude. And it starts raining, of course.
A lovely couple offers to take me until the next town, Yen Minh. Van, the wife, is going there to check on her knee because she had a motorbike accident and now it’s painful. They are nice and kind people, and when we stop by the hospital they try to give me money to catch a bus to Ha Giang. I explain to them why I can’t accept, so they buy me some Banh Chung, many of them actually, and I accept, of course.
While I am walking and showing my Ha Giang sign, a young man in his motorbike offers to take me across town. Yay! When he drops me off there, he also offers to pay for my bus. How cute! Again, I kindly refuse.
I few instants after I put my backpack down, Lan stops for me, and he is going to Ha Giang. But that’s another story…
10 Years Around the World 