Tombs and clouds on Truong Son Road

A view of East Truong Son

We reached Pleiku City in the Central Highland when night started to fall. The mountainous city was magnificent with lights everywhere and high buildings. We found a hotel to sleep to be ready for Truong Son Road, the Ho Chi Minh Trail, next day.

Early in the morning, after visiting Bien Ho (Sea Lake), a tourist destination that is five kilometers from the center of the City, we left Pleiku in a light drizzle for neighboring Kontum Town.

Truong Son Road is sinuous track that gets thinner as it climbs. Along the road are many weirdly named passes such as Lo Xo, Prom, P’Rao.

Scattering along the road are many graveyards of soldiers and locals, making us feel very somber. One member of my group, whose father died there in the war time but his body was never recovered, burned incense at some tombs hoping that one was his father’s.

This bridge on Truong Son Road crosses a waterfall - Photos: Pham Manh Anh

The rain continued so the trail was blanked in water and fog. Winding roads looked like silk scarves across the hills and everything looked dreamy and vaporous.

Along the road there were no residential areas, just some small villages spread far apart. The villagers pan for gold, or cut wood. There was no sign of cars, buses or trucks.

We stopped by Lo Xo Pass where clouds clung to the mountain sides. We all took out cameras and took photos as if we were standing in front of a watercolor painting that we were afraid would vanish.

We went back to the car as the FM radio broadcast that the monsoon would come the next day. It was time to leave but we all agreed to return next year.

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Charming roads in winter

A winding section of the road from Nha Trang to Dalat - Photo: Mong Binh

The mild winter is pervading all roads and houses in the Central and Central Highlands regions with cold breezes and scenic landscapes of old, bare trees enveloped in the misty fog.

The romantic scenes welcome both locals and visitors along the roads in Lam Dong and other provinces in the regions. Anyone can feel and experience poetic sights when traveling on National Highway 28 and the road connecting Dalat and Nha Trang City in the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa.

The Dalat-Nha Trang road offers a breathtaking view of picturesque but safe-to-drive sections, where the road winds its way through pine-clad hills and mountains. Running waters of clean streams and clouds of mist suddenly come and disappear, giving travelers a feeling of being on the way to a fairy world.

National Highway 28 linking Di Linh District of Lam Dong Province and Phan Thiet City in Binh Thuan Province offers travelers different experiences when they pass roadside old and beautiful-shape trees and farms of coffee trees with pleasant-to-smell blossoms at the moment.

The two roads are situated in different locations and terrains, but present imposing and beautiful natural scenes, enriched by mist, and many trees with yellow and brown red leaves. Various wild flowers dot greenery and rock hills by the route.

National Highway 20 between Dalat City and Di Linh District also cuts through many areas which are beautified by wild sunflowers waving in tune with gentle winds and the evergreen tea trees stretching ranges of hills until the horizon.    

So, if you have much time driving and traveling around, the journey from Nha Trang up the mist-covered road to Dalat and down to national highways 20 and 28 is the right choice. Just ask locals to make sure that you travel on the right roads when you are in Nha Trang and Dalat cities.

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Charming roads in winter

A winding section of the road from Nha Trang to Dalat - Photo: Mong Binh

The mild winter is pervading all roads and houses in the Central and Central Highlands regions with cold breezes and scenic landscapes of old, bare trees enveloped in the misty fog.

The romantic scenes welcome both locals and visitors along the roads in Lam Dong and other provinces in the regions. Anyone can feel and experience poetic sights when traveling on National Highway 28 and the road connecting Dalat and Nha Trang City in the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa.

The Dalat-Nha Trang road offers a breathtaking view of picturesque but safe-to-drive sections, where the road winds its way through pine-clad hills and mountains. Running waters of clean streams and clouds of mist suddenly come and disappear, giving travelers a feeling of being on the way to a fairy world.

National Highway 28 linking Di Linh District of Lam Dong Province and Phan Thiet City in Binh Thuan Province offers travelers different experiences when they pass roadside old and beautiful-shape trees and farms of coffee trees with pleasant-to-smell blossoms at the moment.

The two roads are situated in different locations and terrains, but present imposing and beautiful natural scenes, enriched by mist, and many trees with yellow and brown red leaves. Various wild flowers dot greenery and rock hills by the route.

National Highway 20 between Dalat City and Di Linh District also cuts through many areas which are beautified by wild sunflowers waving in tune with gentle winds and the evergreen tea trees stretching ranges of hills until the horizon.    

So, if you have much time driving and traveling around, the journey from Nha Trang up the mist-covered road to Dalat and down to national highways 20 and 28 is the right choice. Just ask locals to make sure that you travel on the right roads when you are in Nha Trang and Dalat cities.

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• Charming roads in winter
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• Delayed floods disappoint farmers

A path to somewhere

It takes some getting to, but a bamboo-lined dirt road makes it worthwhile

A long bridge across the Ma River is just one of the picturesque features on the trip to the Suoi Muong bamboo path

If it’s all about the journey and not the destination, there is a “journey to a journey” involving quite a few ups and downs, not to mention twists and turns, that awaits the nature lover in Vietnam’s northern region.

The destination is a path, 40 kilometers long, that winds its way through a dense bamboo grove in Thanh Hoa Province.

In order to reach the Suoi Muong bamboo path, there’s a long way to go, past high mountains and deep valleys. A motorbike is an indispensable accessory.

Let’s get going from Hanoi and head to Hoa Binh, where Muong Lat Street along the Lao border leads to the mountainous western part of Thanh Hoa.

The first village on the road is named Thanh Son, where backpackers can tuck in for the night in local homes after a simple supper.

As we go further, more villages appear, as do the first bamboos.

Here, the road is named Suoi Muong after a local stream.

Along the red-soil road, which gets narrower toward the end, are tall, dense bamboo grasses that cast their green shadows on the Ma River flowing alongside.

Then the bamboos disappear, and the Mau Village market comes into view, several minutes from the pier across the Ma River.

Stationed at the pier is a woman in her sixties. Her teeth are dyed in black, a beauty aid for Vietnamese women in the old times and a tradition to protect their teeth.

“I row until four in the afternoon, then go home to rest,” said the ferrywoman who has been doing this job nearly 20 years and knows everyone in the area.

GETTING THERE

From Hanoi take the Ho Chi Minh Road to Thanh Hoa, around 155 kilometers away. Trains and buses are also available. A 40-km path that entertains with a never-ending play of light and shade and a concert of bird cries and rustling leaves is an unusual destination, but those who reach there aren’t complaining

There are close to 30 streams, big and small, in the area and they put in an appearance after every turn along Suoi Muong road that is 100 kilometers long. But not every stream has a boat to take you across. Sometimes, people have to wade into the water first and lead others waiting to take their bikes across.

And the adventure is only the beginning. Some parts of the road are piles of rock, some are slippery soil, some are in between the cliff where the bikes have half a meter width to drive on.

The bike driver needs to be firm and the pillion rider should be ready to jump off at all times to help push the motorbike.

It can be discouraging, but if you’re in a mood to take things on, the tough road is the perfect challenge.

The Ma River continues to flow alongside, playfully switching from the left to the right and vice versa. On some parts of the road, the river is so close you can lean over and wash your hands in the flowing waters.

It’s best to make this journey early May, when it’s not raining and the bamboos are in their post-spring prime.

November or December is also good as the monsoon has passed and the bamboos throw in a dash of yellow.

The journey is an absolute no-no during the first days of rainy season as the road gets very muddy, the rocks get very slippery and the streams get very fierce.

Every 10 or 15 kilometers on the road is a village where such necessities as instant noodles, eggs, soaps, cookies and sweets can be procured.

Most villages are home to ethnic minority groups who invariably bade visitors passing by their stilt houses to come in and rest, freshen up and even use their ovens to cook.

Not far from Chieng Nua, one of the villages, is a cemetery on a cliff that dates back to the 11th century. The place is also home to vestiges of the Dong Son Culture, a prehistoric Bronze Age in Vietnam, and temples worshiping heroes of the Lam Son revolution during the early 15th century against Chinese invaders.

The journey can take longer, but patience is rewarded when, almost unnoticed, the magnificent bamboo path is there in front, casting a mysterious aura and allure.

Long and slender, the leaves sparkle in the sun and make joyful rustling and creaking sounds as the breeze blows through them. The play of light and shade is soothing and exciting at the same time. Where does the path lead?

But that’s it. There is nowhere to go but where the path takes you. In fact, the path is “home”. You have arrived.

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A path to somewhere

It takes some getting to, but a bamboo-lined dirt road makes it worthwhile

A long bridge across the Ma River is just one of the picturesque features on the trip to the Suoi Muong bamboo path

If it’s all about the journey and not the destination, there is a “journey to a journey” involving quite a few ups and downs, not to mention twists and turns, that awaits the nature lover in Vietnam’s northern region.

The destination is a path, 40 kilometers long, that winds its way through a dense bamboo grove in Thanh Hoa Province.

In order to reach the Suoi Muong bamboo path, there’s a long way to go, past high mountains and deep valleys. A motorbike is an indispensable accessory.

Let’s get going from Hanoi and head to Hoa Binh, where Muong Lat Street along the Lao border leads to the mountainous western part of Thanh Hoa.

The first village on the road is named Thanh Son, where backpackers can tuck in for the night in local homes after a simple supper.

As we go further, more villages appear, as do the first bamboos.

Here, the road is named Suoi Muong after a local stream.

Along the red-soil road, which gets narrower toward the end, are tall, dense bamboo grasses that cast their green shadows on the Ma River flowing alongside.

Then the bamboos disappear, and the Mau Village market comes into view, several minutes from the pier across the Ma River.

Stationed at the pier is a woman in her sixties. Her teeth are dyed in black, a beauty aid for Vietnamese women in the old times and a tradition to protect their teeth.

“I row until four in the afternoon, then go home to rest,” said the ferrywoman who has been doing this job nearly 20 years and knows everyone in the area.

GETTING THERE

From Hanoi take the Ho Chi Minh Road to Thanh Hoa, around 155 kilometers away. Trains and buses are also available. A 40-km path that entertains with a never-ending play of light and shade and a concert of bird cries and rustling leaves is an unusual destination, but those who reach there aren’t complaining

There are close to 30 streams, big and small, in the area and they put in an appearance after every turn along Suoi Muong road that is 100 kilometers long. But not every stream has a boat to take you across. Sometimes, people have to wade into the water first and lead others waiting to take their bikes across.

And the adventure is only the beginning. Some parts of the road are piles of rock, some are slippery soil, some are in between the cliff where the bikes have half a meter width to drive on.

The bike driver needs to be firm and the pillion rider should be ready to jump off at all times to help push the motorbike.

It can be discouraging, but if you’re in a mood to take things on, the tough road is the perfect challenge.

The Ma River continues to flow alongside, playfully switching from the left to the right and vice versa. On some parts of the road, the river is so close you can lean over and wash your hands in the flowing waters.

It’s best to make this journey early May, when it’s not raining and the bamboos are in their post-spring prime.

November or December is also good as the monsoon has passed and the bamboos throw in a dash of yellow.

The journey is an absolute no-no during the first days of rainy season as the road gets very muddy, the rocks get very slippery and the streams get very fierce.

Every 10 or 15 kilometers on the road is a village where such necessities as instant noodles, eggs, soaps, cookies and sweets can be procured.

Most villages are home to ethnic minority groups who invariably bade visitors passing by their stilt houses to come in and rest, freshen up and even use their ovens to cook.

Not far from Chieng Nua, one of the villages, is a cemetery on a cliff that dates back to the 11th century. The place is also home to vestiges of the Dong Son Culture, a prehistoric Bronze Age in Vietnam, and temples worshiping heroes of the Lam Son revolution during the early 15th century against Chinese invaders.

The journey can take longer, but patience is rewarded when, almost unnoticed, the magnificent bamboo path is there in front, casting a mysterious aura and allure.

Long and slender, the leaves sparkle in the sun and make joyful rustling and creaking sounds as the breeze blows through them. The play of light and shade is soothing and exciting at the same time. Where does the path lead?

But that’s it. There is nowhere to go but where the path takes you. In fact, the path is “home”. You have arrived.

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A path to somewhere

It takes some getting to, but a bamboo-lined dirt road makes it worthwhile

A long bridge across the Ma River is just one of the picturesque features on the trip to the Suoi Muong bamboo path

If it’s all about the journey and not the destination, there is a “journey to a journey” involving quite a few ups and downs, not to mention twists and turns, that awaits the nature lover in Vietnam’s northern region.

The destination is a path, 40 kilometers long, that winds its way through a dense bamboo grove in Thanh Hoa Province.

In order to reach the Suoi Muong bamboo path, there’s a long way to go, past high mountains and deep valleys. A motorbike is an indispensable accessory.

Let’s get going from Hanoi and head to Hoa Binh, where Muong Lat Street along the Lao border leads to the mountainous western part of Thanh Hoa.

The first village on the road is named Thanh Son, where backpackers can tuck in for the night in local homes after a simple supper.

As we go further, more villages appear, as do the first bamboos.

Here, the road is named Suoi Muong after a local stream.

Along the red-soil road, which gets narrower toward the end, are tall, dense bamboo grasses that cast their green shadows on the Ma River flowing alongside.

Then the bamboos disappear, and the Mau Village market comes into view, several minutes from the pier across the Ma River.

Stationed at the pier is a woman in her sixties. Her teeth are dyed in black, a beauty aid for Vietnamese women in the old times and a tradition to protect their teeth.

“I row until four in the afternoon, then go home to rest,” said the ferrywoman who has been doing this job nearly 20 years and knows everyone in the area.

GETTING THERE

From Hanoi take the Ho Chi Minh Road to Thanh Hoa, around 155 kilometers away. Trains and buses are also available. A 40-km path that entertains with a never-ending play of light and shade and a concert of bird cries and rustling leaves is an unusual destination, but those who reach there aren’t complaining

There are close to 30 streams, big and small, in the area and they put in an appearance after every turn along Suoi Muong road that is 100 kilometers long. But not every stream has a boat to take you across. Sometimes, people have to wade into the water first and lead others waiting to take their bikes across.

And the adventure is only the beginning. Some parts of the road are piles of rock, some are slippery soil, some are in between the cliff where the bikes have half a meter width to drive on.

The bike driver needs to be firm and the pillion rider should be ready to jump off at all times to help push the motorbike.

It can be discouraging, but if you’re in a mood to take things on, the tough road is the perfect challenge.

The Ma River continues to flow alongside, playfully switching from the left to the right and vice versa. On some parts of the road, the river is so close you can lean over and wash your hands in the flowing waters.

It’s best to make this journey early May, when it’s not raining and the bamboos are in their post-spring prime.

November or December is also good as the monsoon has passed and the bamboos throw in a dash of yellow.

The journey is an absolute no-no during the first days of rainy season as the road gets very muddy, the rocks get very slippery and the streams get very fierce.

Every 10 or 15 kilometers on the road is a village where such necessities as instant noodles, eggs, soaps, cookies and sweets can be procured.

Most villages are home to ethnic minority groups who invariably bade visitors passing by their stilt houses to come in and rest, freshen up and even use their ovens to cook.

Not far from Chieng Nua, one of the villages, is a cemetery on a cliff that dates back to the 11th century. The place is also home to vestiges of the Dong Son Culture, a prehistoric Bronze Age in Vietnam, and temples worshiping heroes of the Lam Son revolution during the early 15th century against Chinese invaders.

The journey can take longer, but patience is rewarded when, almost unnoticed, the magnificent bamboo path is there in front, casting a mysterious aura and allure.

Long and slender, the leaves sparkle in the sun and make joyful rustling and creaking sounds as the breeze blows through them. The play of light and shade is soothing and exciting at the same time. Where does the path lead?

But that’s it. There is nowhere to go but where the path takes you. In fact, the path is “home”. You have arrived.

Related Articles

• A path to somewhere
• Blue seas and unspoiled beaches
• IFC: Vietnam needs to increase PPP to support economy

A path to somewhere

It takes some getting to, but a bamboo-lined dirt road makes it worthwhile

A long bridge across the Ma River is just one of the picturesque features on the trip to the Suoi Muong bamboo path

If it’s all about the journey and not the destination, there is a “journey to a journey” involving quite a few ups and downs, not to mention twists and turns, that awaits the nature lover in Vietnam’s northern region.

The destination is a path, 40 kilometers long, that winds its way through a dense bamboo grove in Thanh Hoa Province.

In order to reach the Suoi Muong bamboo path, there’s a long way to go, past high mountains and deep valleys. A motorbike is an indispensable accessory.

Let’s get going from Hanoi and head to Hoa Binh, where Muong Lat Street along the Lao border leads to the mountainous western part of Thanh Hoa.

The first village on the road is named Thanh Son, where backpackers can tuck in for the night in local homes after a simple supper.

As we go further, more villages appear, as do the first bamboos.

Here, the road is named Suoi Muong after a local stream.

Along the red-soil road, which gets narrower toward the end, are tall, dense bamboo grasses that cast their green shadows on the Ma River flowing alongside.

Then the bamboos disappear, and the Mau Village market comes into view, several minutes from the pier across the Ma River.

Stationed at the pier is a woman in her sixties. Her teeth are dyed in black, a beauty aid for Vietnamese women in the old times and a tradition to protect their teeth.

“I row until four in the afternoon, then go home to rest,” said the ferrywoman who has been doing this job nearly 20 years and knows everyone in the area.

GETTING THERE

From Hanoi take the Ho Chi Minh Road to Thanh Hoa, around 155 kilometers away. Trains and buses are also available. A 40-km path that entertains with a never-ending play of light and shade and a concert of bird cries and rustling leaves is an unusual destination, but those who reach there aren’t complaining

There are close to 30 streams, big and small, in the area and they put in an appearance after every turn along Suoi Muong road that is 100 kilometers long. But not every stream has a boat to take you across. Sometimes, people have to wade into the water first and lead others waiting to take their bikes across.

And the adventure is only the beginning. Some parts of the road are piles of rock, some are slippery soil, some are in between the cliff where the bikes have half a meter width to drive on.

The bike driver needs to be firm and the pillion rider should be ready to jump off at all times to help push the motorbike.

It can be discouraging, but if you’re in a mood to take things on, the tough road is the perfect challenge.

The Ma River continues to flow alongside, playfully switching from the left to the right and vice versa. On some parts of the road, the river is so close you can lean over and wash your hands in the flowing waters.

It’s best to make this journey early May, when it’s not raining and the bamboos are in their post-spring prime.

November or December is also good as the monsoon has passed and the bamboos throw in a dash of yellow.

The journey is an absolute no-no during the first days of rainy season as the road gets very muddy, the rocks get very slippery and the streams get very fierce.

Every 10 or 15 kilometers on the road is a village where such necessities as instant noodles, eggs, soaps, cookies and sweets can be procured.

Most villages are home to ethnic minority groups who invariably bade visitors passing by their stilt houses to come in and rest, freshen up and even use their ovens to cook.

Not far from Chieng Nua, one of the villages, is a cemetery on a cliff that dates back to the 11th century. The place is also home to vestiges of the Dong Son Culture, a prehistoric Bronze Age in Vietnam, and temples worshiping heroes of the Lam Son revolution during the early 15th century against Chinese invaders.

The journey can take longer, but patience is rewarded when, almost unnoticed, the magnificent bamboo path is there in front, casting a mysterious aura and allure.

Long and slender, the leaves sparkle in the sun and make joyful rustling and creaking sounds as the breeze blows through them. The play of light and shade is soothing and exciting at the same time. Where does the path lead?

But that’s it. There is nowhere to go but where the path takes you. In fact, the path is “home”. You have arrived.

Related Articles

• A path to somewhere
• Blue seas and unspoiled beaches
• IFC: Vietnam needs to increase PPP to support economy

A path to somewhere

It takes some getting to, but a bamboo-lined dirt road makes it worthwhile

A long bridge across the Ma River is just one of the picturesque features on the trip to the Suoi Muong bamboo path

If it’s all about the journey and not the destination, there is a “journey to a journey” involving quite a few ups and downs, not to mention twists and turns, that awaits the nature lover in Vietnam’s northern region.

The destination is a path, 40 kilometers long, that winds its way through a dense bamboo grove in Thanh Hoa Province.

In order to reach the Suoi Muong bamboo path, there’s a long way to go, past high mountains and deep valleys. A motorbike is an indispensable accessory.

Let’s get going from Hanoi and head to Hoa Binh, where Muong Lat Street along the Lao border leads to the mountainous western part of Thanh Hoa.

The first village on the road is named Thanh Son, where backpackers can tuck in for the night in local homes after a simple supper.

As we go further, more villages appear, as do the first bamboos.

Here, the road is named Suoi Muong after a local stream.

Along the red-soil road, which gets narrower toward the end, are tall, dense bamboo grasses that cast their green shadows on the Ma River flowing alongside.

Then the bamboos disappear, and the Mau Village market comes into view, several minutes from the pier across the Ma River.

Stationed at the pier is a woman in her sixties. Her teeth are dyed in black, a beauty aid for Vietnamese women in the old times and a tradition to protect their teeth.

“I row until four in the afternoon, then go home to rest,” said the ferrywoman who has been doing this job nearly 20 years and knows everyone in the area.

GETTING THERE

From Hanoi take the Ho Chi Minh Road to Thanh Hoa, around 155 kilometers away. Trains and buses are also available. A 40-km path that entertains with a never-ending play of light and shade and a concert of bird cries and rustling leaves is an unusual destination, but those who reach there aren’t complaining

There are close to 30 streams, big and small, in the area and they put in an appearance after every turn along Suoi Muong road that is 100 kilometers long. But not every stream has a boat to take you across. Sometimes, people have to wade into the water first and lead others waiting to take their bikes across.

And the adventure is only the beginning. Some parts of the road are piles of rock, some are slippery soil, some are in between the cliff where the bikes have half a meter width to drive on.

The bike driver needs to be firm and the pillion rider should be ready to jump off at all times to help push the motorbike.

It can be discouraging, but if you’re in a mood to take things on, the tough road is the perfect challenge.

The Ma River continues to flow alongside, playfully switching from the left to the right and vice versa. On some parts of the road, the river is so close you can lean over and wash your hands in the flowing waters.

It’s best to make this journey early May, when it’s not raining and the bamboos are in their post-spring prime.

November or December is also good as the monsoon has passed and the bamboos throw in a dash of yellow.

The journey is an absolute no-no during the first days of rainy season as the road gets very muddy, the rocks get very slippery and the streams get very fierce.

Every 10 or 15 kilometers on the road is a village where such necessities as instant noodles, eggs, soaps, cookies and sweets can be procured.

Most villages are home to ethnic minority groups who invariably bade visitors passing by their stilt houses to come in and rest, freshen up and even use their ovens to cook.

Not far from Chieng Nua, one of the villages, is a cemetery on a cliff that dates back to the 11th century. The place is also home to vestiges of the Dong Son Culture, a prehistoric Bronze Age in Vietnam, and temples worshiping heroes of the Lam Son revolution during the early 15th century against Chinese invaders.

The journey can take longer, but patience is rewarded when, almost unnoticed, the magnificent bamboo path is there in front, casting a mysterious aura and allure.

Long and slender, the leaves sparkle in the sun and make joyful rustling and creaking sounds as the breeze blows through them. The play of light and shade is soothing and exciting at the same time. Where does the path lead?

But that’s it. There is nowhere to go but where the path takes you. In fact, the path is “home”. You have arrived.

Related Articles

• A path to somewhere
• Blue seas and unspoiled beaches
• IFC: Vietnam needs to increase PPP to support economy

A path to somewhere

It takes some getting to, but a bamboo-lined dirt road makes it worthwhile

A long bridge across the Ma River is just one of the picturesque features on the trip to the Suoi Muong bamboo path

If it’s all about the journey and not the destination, there is a “journey to a journey” involving quite a few ups and downs, not to mention twists and turns, that awaits the nature lover in Vietnam’s northern region.

The destination is a path, 40 kilometers long, that winds its way through a dense bamboo grove in Thanh Hoa Province.

In order to reach the Suoi Muong bamboo path, there’s a long way to go, past high mountains and deep valleys. A motorbike is an indispensable accessory.

Let’s get going from Hanoi and head to Hoa Binh, where Muong Lat Street along the Lao border leads to the mountainous western part of Thanh Hoa.

The first village on the road is named Thanh Son, where backpackers can tuck in for the night in local homes after a simple supper.

As we go further, more villages appear, as do the first bamboos.

Here, the road is named Suoi Muong after a local stream.

Along the red-soil road, which gets narrower toward the end, are tall, dense bamboo grasses that cast their green shadows on the Ma River flowing alongside.

Then the bamboos disappear, and the Mau Village market comes into view, several minutes from the pier across the Ma River.

Stationed at the pier is a woman in her sixties. Her teeth are dyed in black, a beauty aid for Vietnamese women in the old times and a tradition to protect their teeth.

“I row until four in the afternoon, then go home to rest,” said the ferrywoman who has been doing this job nearly 20 years and knows everyone in the area.

GETTING THERE

From Hanoi take the Ho Chi Minh Road to Thanh Hoa, around 155 kilometers away. Trains and buses are also available. A 40-km path that entertains with a never-ending play of light and shade and a concert of bird cries and rustling leaves is an unusual destination, but those who reach there aren’t complaining

There are close to 30 streams, big and small, in the area and they put in an appearance after every turn along Suoi Muong road that is 100 kilometers long. But not every stream has a boat to take you across. Sometimes, people have to wade into the water first and lead others waiting to take their bikes across.

And the adventure is only the beginning. Some parts of the road are piles of rock, some are slippery soil, some are in between the cliff where the bikes have half a meter width to drive on.

The bike driver needs to be firm and the pillion rider should be ready to jump off at all times to help push the motorbike.

It can be discouraging, but if you’re in a mood to take things on, the tough road is the perfect challenge.

The Ma River continues to flow alongside, playfully switching from the left to the right and vice versa. On some parts of the road, the river is so close you can lean over and wash your hands in the flowing waters.

It’s best to make this journey early May, when it’s not raining and the bamboos are in their post-spring prime.

November or December is also good as the monsoon has passed and the bamboos throw in a dash of yellow.

The journey is an absolute no-no during the first days of rainy season as the road gets very muddy, the rocks get very slippery and the streams get very fierce.

Every 10 or 15 kilometers on the road is a village where such necessities as instant noodles, eggs, soaps, cookies and sweets can be procured.

Most villages are home to ethnic minority groups who invariably bade visitors passing by their stilt houses to come in and rest, freshen up and even use their ovens to cook.

Not far from Chieng Nua, one of the villages, is a cemetery on a cliff that dates back to the 11th century. The place is also home to vestiges of the Dong Son Culture, a prehistoric Bronze Age in Vietnam, and temples worshiping heroes of the Lam Son revolution during the early 15th century against Chinese invaders.

The journey can take longer, but patience is rewarded when, almost unnoticed, the magnificent bamboo path is there in front, casting a mysterious aura and allure.

Long and slender, the leaves sparkle in the sun and make joyful rustling and creaking sounds as the breeze blows through them. The play of light and shade is soothing and exciting at the same time. Where does the path lead?

But that’s it. There is nowhere to go but where the path takes you. In fact, the path is “home”. You have arrived.

Related Articles

• A path to somewhere
• Blue seas and unspoiled beaches
• IFC: Vietnam needs to increase PPP to support economy

A path to somewhere

It takes some getting to, but a bamboo-lined dirt road makes it worthwhile

A long bridge across the Ma River is just one of the picturesque features on the trip to the Suoi Muong bamboo path

If it’s all about the journey and not the destination, there is a “journey to a journey” involving quite a few ups and downs, not to mention twists and turns, that awaits the nature lover in Vietnam’s northern region.

The destination is a path, 40 kilometers long, that winds its way through a dense bamboo grove in Thanh Hoa Province.

In order to reach the Suoi Muong bamboo path, there’s a long way to go, past high mountains and deep valleys. A motorbike is an indispensable accessory.

Let’s get going from Hanoi and head to Hoa Binh, where Muong Lat Street along the Lao border leads to the mountainous western part of Thanh Hoa.

The first village on the road is named Thanh Son, where backpackers can tuck in for the night in local homes after a simple supper.

As we go further, more villages appear, as do the first bamboos.

Here, the road is named Suoi Muong after a local stream.

Along the red-soil road, which gets narrower toward the end, are tall, dense bamboo grasses that cast their green shadows on the Ma River flowing alongside.

Then the bamboos disappear, and the Mau Village market comes into view, several minutes from the pier across the Ma River.

Stationed at the pier is a woman in her sixties. Her teeth are dyed in black, a beauty aid for Vietnamese women in the old times and a tradition to protect their teeth.

“I row until four in the afternoon, then go home to rest,” said the ferrywoman who has been doing this job nearly 20 years and knows everyone in the area.

GETTING THERE

From Hanoi take the Ho Chi Minh Road to Thanh Hoa, around 155 kilometers away. Trains and buses are also available. A 40-km path that entertains with a never-ending play of light and shade and a concert of bird cries and rustling leaves is an unusual destination, but those who reach there aren’t complaining

There are close to 30 streams, big and small, in the area and they put in an appearance after every turn along Suoi Muong road that is 100 kilometers long. But not every stream has a boat to take you across. Sometimes, people have to wade into the water first and lead others waiting to take their bikes across.

And the adventure is only the beginning. Some parts of the road are piles of rock, some are slippery soil, some are in between the cliff where the bikes have half a meter width to drive on.

The bike driver needs to be firm and the pillion rider should be ready to jump off at all times to help push the motorbike.

It can be discouraging, but if you’re in a mood to take things on, the tough road is the perfect challenge.

The Ma River continues to flow alongside, playfully switching from the left to the right and vice versa. On some parts of the road, the river is so close you can lean over and wash your hands in the flowing waters.

It’s best to make this journey early May, when it’s not raining and the bamboos are in their post-spring prime.

November or December is also good as the monsoon has passed and the bamboos throw in a dash of yellow.

The journey is an absolute no-no during the first days of rainy season as the road gets very muddy, the rocks get very slippery and the streams get very fierce.

Every 10 or 15 kilometers on the road is a village where such necessities as instant noodles, eggs, soaps, cookies and sweets can be procured.

Most villages are home to ethnic minority groups who invariably bade visitors passing by their stilt houses to come in and rest, freshen up and even use their ovens to cook.

Not far from Chieng Nua, one of the villages, is a cemetery on a cliff that dates back to the 11th century. The place is also home to vestiges of the Dong Son Culture, a prehistoric Bronze Age in Vietnam, and temples worshiping heroes of the Lam Son revolution during the early 15th century against Chinese invaders.

The journey can take longer, but patience is rewarded when, almost unnoticed, the magnificent bamboo path is there in front, casting a mysterious aura and allure.

Long and slender, the leaves sparkle in the sun and make joyful rustling and creaking sounds as the breeze blows through them. The play of light and shade is soothing and exciting at the same time. Where does the path lead?

But that’s it. There is nowhere to go but where the path takes you. In fact, the path is “home”. You have arrived.

Related Articles

• A path to somewhere
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A path to somewhere

It takes some getting to, but a bamboo-lined dirt road makes it worthwhile

A long bridge across the Ma River is just one of the picturesque features on the trip to the Suoi Muong bamboo path

If it’s all about the journey and not the destination, there is a “journey to a journey” involving quite a few ups and downs, not to mention twists and turns, that awaits the nature lover in Vietnam’s northern region.

The destination is a path, 40 kilometers long, that winds its way through a dense bamboo grove in Thanh Hoa Province.

In order to reach the Suoi Muong bamboo path, there’s a long way to go, past high mountains and deep valleys. A motorbike is an indispensable accessory.

Let’s get going from Hanoi and head to Hoa Binh, where Muong Lat Street along the Lao border leads to the mountainous western part of Thanh Hoa.

The first village on the road is named Thanh Son, where backpackers can tuck in for the night in local homes after a simple supper.

As we go further, more villages appear, as do the first bamboos.

Here, the road is named Suoi Muong after a local stream.

Along the red-soil road, which gets narrower toward the end, are tall, dense bamboo grasses that cast their green shadows on the Ma River flowing alongside.

Then the bamboos disappear, and the Mau Village market comes into view, several minutes from the pier across the Ma River.

Stationed at the pier is a woman in her sixties. Her teeth are dyed in black, a beauty aid for Vietnamese women in the old times and a tradition to protect their teeth.

“I row until four in the afternoon, then go home to rest,” said the ferrywoman who has been doing this job nearly 20 years and knows everyone in the area.

GETTING THERE

From Hanoi take the Ho Chi Minh Road to Thanh Hoa, around 155 kilometers away. Trains and buses are also available. A 40-km path that entertains with a never-ending play of light and shade and a concert of bird cries and rustling leaves is an unusual destination, but those who reach there aren’t complaining

There are close to 30 streams, big and small, in the area and they put in an appearance after every turn along Suoi Muong road that is 100 kilometers long. But not every stream has a boat to take you across. Sometimes, people have to wade into the water first and lead others waiting to take their bikes across.

And the adventure is only the beginning. Some parts of the road are piles of rock, some are slippery soil, some are in between the cliff where the bikes have half a meter width to drive on.

The bike driver needs to be firm and the pillion rider should be ready to jump off at all times to help push the motorbike.

It can be discouraging, but if you’re in a mood to take things on, the tough road is the perfect challenge.

The Ma River continues to flow alongside, playfully switching from the left to the right and vice versa. On some parts of the road, the river is so close you can lean over and wash your hands in the flowing waters.

It’s best to make this journey early May, when it’s not raining and the bamboos are in their post-spring prime.

November or December is also good as the monsoon has passed and the bamboos throw in a dash of yellow.

The journey is an absolute no-no during the first days of rainy season as the road gets very muddy, the rocks get very slippery and the streams get very fierce.

Every 10 or 15 kilometers on the road is a village where such necessities as instant noodles, eggs, soaps, cookies and sweets can be procured.

Most villages are home to ethnic minority groups who invariably bade visitors passing by their stilt houses to come in and rest, freshen up and even use their ovens to cook.

Not far from Chieng Nua, one of the villages, is a cemetery on a cliff that dates back to the 11th century. The place is also home to vestiges of the Dong Son Culture, a prehistoric Bronze Age in Vietnam, and temples worshiping heroes of the Lam Son revolution during the early 15th century against Chinese invaders.

The journey can take longer, but patience is rewarded when, almost unnoticed, the magnificent bamboo path is there in front, casting a mysterious aura and allure.

Long and slender, the leaves sparkle in the sun and make joyful rustling and creaking sounds as the breeze blows through them. The play of light and shade is soothing and exciting at the same time. Where does the path lead?

But that’s it. There is nowhere to go but where the path takes you. In fact, the path is “home”. You have arrived.

Related Articles

• A path to somewhere
• Blue seas and unspoiled beaches
• IFC: Vietnam needs to increase PPP to support economy

A path to somewhere

It takes some getting to, but a bamboo-lined dirt road makes it worthwhile

A long bridge across the Ma River is just one of the picturesque features on the trip to the Suoi Muong bamboo path

If it’s all about the journey and not the destination, there is a “journey to a journey” involving quite a few ups and downs, not to mention twists and turns, that awaits the nature lover in Vietnam’s northern region.

The destination is a path, 40 kilometers long, that winds its way through a dense bamboo grove in Thanh Hoa Province.

In order to reach the Suoi Muong bamboo path, there’s a long way to go, past high mountains and deep valleys. A motorbike is an indispensable accessory.

Let’s get going from Hanoi and head to Hoa Binh, where Muong Lat Street along the Lao border leads to the mountainous western part of Thanh Hoa.

The first village on the road is named Thanh Son, where backpackers can tuck in for the night in local homes after a simple supper.

As we go further, more villages appear, as do the first bamboos.

Here, the road is named Suoi Muong after a local stream.

Along the red-soil road, which gets narrower toward the end, are tall, dense bamboo grasses that cast their green shadows on the Ma River flowing alongside.

Then the bamboos disappear, and the Mau Village market comes into view, several minutes from the pier across the Ma River.

Stationed at the pier is a woman in her sixties. Her teeth are dyed in black, a beauty aid for Vietnamese women in the old times and a tradition to protect their teeth.

“I row until four in the afternoon, then go home to rest,” said the ferrywoman who has been doing this job nearly 20 years and knows everyone in the area.

GETTING THERE

From Hanoi take the Ho Chi Minh Road to Thanh Hoa, around 155 kilometers away. Trains and buses are also available. A 40-km path that entertains with a never-ending play of light and shade and a concert of bird cries and rustling leaves is an unusual destination, but those who reach there aren’t complaining

There are close to 30 streams, big and small, in the area and they put in an appearance after every turn along Suoi Muong road that is 100 kilometers long. But not every stream has a boat to take you across. Sometimes, people have to wade into the water first and lead others waiting to take their bikes across.

And the adventure is only the beginning. Some parts of the road are piles of rock, some are slippery soil, some are in between the cliff where the bikes have half a meter width to drive on.

The bike driver needs to be firm and the pillion rider should be ready to jump off at all times to help push the motorbike.

It can be discouraging, but if you’re in a mood to take things on, the tough road is the perfect challenge.

The Ma River continues to flow alongside, playfully switching from the left to the right and vice versa. On some parts of the road, the river is so close you can lean over and wash your hands in the flowing waters.

It’s best to make this journey early May, when it’s not raining and the bamboos are in their post-spring prime.

November or December is also good as the monsoon has passed and the bamboos throw in a dash of yellow.

The journey is an absolute no-no during the first days of rainy season as the road gets very muddy, the rocks get very slippery and the streams get very fierce.

Every 10 or 15 kilometers on the road is a village where such necessities as instant noodles, eggs, soaps, cookies and sweets can be procured.

Most villages are home to ethnic minority groups who invariably bade visitors passing by their stilt houses to come in and rest, freshen up and even use their ovens to cook.

Not far from Chieng Nua, one of the villages, is a cemetery on a cliff that dates back to the 11th century. The place is also home to vestiges of the Dong Son Culture, a prehistoric Bronze Age in Vietnam, and temples worshiping heroes of the Lam Son revolution during the early 15th century against Chinese invaders.

The journey can take longer, but patience is rewarded when, almost unnoticed, the magnificent bamboo path is there in front, casting a mysterious aura and allure.

Long and slender, the leaves sparkle in the sun and make joyful rustling and creaking sounds as the breeze blows through them. The play of light and shade is soothing and exciting at the same time. Where does the path lead?

But that’s it. There is nowhere to go but where the path takes you. In fact, the path is “home”. You have arrived.

Related Articles

• A path to somewhere
• Blue seas and unspoiled beaches
• IFC: Vietnam needs to increase PPP to support economy

A path to somewhere

It takes some getting to, but a bamboo-lined dirt road makes it worthwhile

A long bridge across the Ma River is just one of the picturesque features on the trip to the Suoi Muong bamboo path

If it’s all about the journey and not the destination, there is a “journey to a journey” involving quite a few ups and downs, not to mention twists and turns, that awaits the nature lover in Vietnam’s northern region.

The destination is a path, 40 kilometers long, that winds its way through a dense bamboo grove in Thanh Hoa Province.

In order to reach the Suoi Muong bamboo path, there’s a long way to go, past high mountains and deep valleys. A motorbike is an indispensable accessory.

Let’s get going from Hanoi and head to Hoa Binh, where Muong Lat Street along the Lao border leads to the mountainous western part of Thanh Hoa.

The first village on the road is named Thanh Son, where backpackers can tuck in for the night in local homes after a simple supper.

As we go further, more villages appear, as do the first bamboos.

Here, the road is named Suoi Muong after a local stream.

Along the red-soil road, which gets narrower toward the end, are tall, dense bamboo grasses that cast their green shadows on the Ma River flowing alongside.

Then the bamboos disappear, and the Mau Village market comes into view, several minutes from the pier across the Ma River.

Stationed at the pier is a woman in her sixties. Her teeth are dyed in black, a beauty aid for Vietnamese women in the old times and a tradition to protect their teeth.

“I row until four in the afternoon, then go home to rest,” said the ferrywoman who has been doing this job nearly 20 years and knows everyone in the area.

GETTING THERE

From Hanoi take the Ho Chi Minh Road to Thanh Hoa, around 155 kilometers away. Trains and buses are also available. A 40-km path that entertains with a never-ending play of light and shade and a concert of bird cries and rustling leaves is an unusual destination, but those who reach there aren’t complaining

There are close to 30 streams, big and small, in the area and they put in an appearance after every turn along Suoi Muong road that is 100 kilometers long. But not every stream has a boat to take you across. Sometimes, people have to wade into the water first and lead others waiting to take their bikes across.

And the adventure is only the beginning. Some parts of the road are piles of rock, some are slippery soil, some are in between the cliff where the bikes have half a meter width to drive on.

The bike driver needs to be firm and the pillion rider should be ready to jump off at all times to help push the motorbike.

It can be discouraging, but if you’re in a mood to take things on, the tough road is the perfect challenge.

The Ma River continues to flow alongside, playfully switching from the left to the right and vice versa. On some parts of the road, the river is so close you can lean over and wash your hands in the flowing waters.

It’s best to make this journey early May, when it’s not raining and the bamboos are in their post-spring prime.

November or December is also good as the monsoon has passed and the bamboos throw in a dash of yellow.

The journey is an absolute no-no during the first days of rainy season as the road gets very muddy, the rocks get very slippery and the streams get very fierce.

Every 10 or 15 kilometers on the road is a village where such necessities as instant noodles, eggs, soaps, cookies and sweets can be procured.

Most villages are home to ethnic minority groups who invariably bade visitors passing by their stilt houses to come in and rest, freshen up and even use their ovens to cook.

Not far from Chieng Nua, one of the villages, is a cemetery on a cliff that dates back to the 11th century. The place is also home to vestiges of the Dong Son Culture, a prehistoric Bronze Age in Vietnam, and temples worshiping heroes of the Lam Son revolution during the early 15th century against Chinese invaders.

The journey can take longer, but patience is rewarded when, almost unnoticed, the magnificent bamboo path is there in front, casting a mysterious aura and allure.

Long and slender, the leaves sparkle in the sun and make joyful rustling and creaking sounds as the breeze blows through them. The play of light and shade is soothing and exciting at the same time. Where does the path lead?

But that’s it. There is nowhere to go but where the path takes you. In fact, the path is “home”. You have arrived.

Related Articles

• A path to somewhere
• Blue seas and unspoiled beaches
• IFC: Vietnam needs to increase PPP to support economy