A traveller's reflection: 2015 Vietnam Ride: 03 Bac Ha

My Travel Journal

"There isn't much I haven't shared with you along the road and through it all there'd always be tomorrow's episode" - Elton John

I started traveling around the world since early 80s when I had the opportunity to combine business trips with vacations. Then later when my rezeki is in abundance, there were numerous other trips along the way for vacations, most of the time with hubby and the kids when the timing is right. I have also started to compile the journal and photo-pages covering almost more than 45 years of world wide travel. Some destinations I visited just once, others many times. Many of those places are the obvious famous places people would like to visit but some, the casual traveler doesn't even think to try. I have placed links to my travel at the side bar of my personal page, My Life Reflections, and will be updating them from time to time.

My wish is to continue my travel and complete circumnavigate the globe, insyaAllah…

Friday, 27 November 2015

2015 Vietnam Ride: 03 Bac Ha - Sa Pa

“Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before...” – Dalai Lama

(Bac Ha town and mountainous surrounding)

Day 03: Bac Ha - Sa Pa
Date: Sunday, 22 November 2015
Distance: 120 km

We got up early and had our own breakfast at the lobby.

This morning we visited the famous Bac Ha Sunday Market. It is the largest and most colourful market in the area and attracts throngs of villagers from the surrounding hill tribes. Here they trade and barter food, animals, clothes and household goods. We had the opportunity to meet with native H'mong Chinese people dressed in colourful tribal attires.

(Getting ready to go to the market place)

(Eating vibrant coloured sticky rice with pounded peanuts and salt)

(Colourful hand-crafted souvenirs)

(The handicrafts of H'mong people)

(A lady selling varieties of local fruits)

(The gang taking a rest in the bazaar)

(Buffaloes trading done on top of the hill)

(A meeting place for H'mong girls)

(Pretty H'mong girls in traditional dresses)

After we visited the market and bought some local souvenirs, we walked quite a distance away from town centre to visit Palais de Hoang A Tuong, the King of H'mong Palace.

(Motorbikes as the main mode of transport)

(The colourful buildings in Bac Ha town)

(Visiting the King's Palace)

(Passing through an old temple)

We checked out of the hotel around noon then rode out of town. We stopped for a light lunch at a roadside restaurant and rode to Lao Chai, the Vietnam/China border town. When we reached the border town our bike experienced a puncture and needed to be fixed. Meanwhile we had a strong cup of Vietnamese coffee and snacks and took some pictures of China from across the border.

(Ready to ride out of Bac Ha)

(Our luggage secured in plastic bags)

(Riding in close convoy through mountainous terrain)

(Lao Chai, the Vietnam/China border town)

(Having Vietnamese coffee at the border)

(Climbing higher into Sa Pa)

(Steep and narrow road uphill)

We reached Sa Pa early and had a short rest after we checked-in Sa Pa Paradise Hotel. Around 19:00hrs we went around town but could not find any Muslim restaurant. Finally we had seafood dishes of sweet sour fish and calamari with omelette and mixed vegetables for dinner.

(A cozy clean hotel in Sa Pa)

(Enjoying the cool mountainous climate)

(Visiting souvenir shops lining the streets)

(A beautiful full moon in the sky)

After a good hour of strolling and souvenir shopping, some of us had foot massage Vietnamese style for an hour.

Tonight the weather was cool and chilly in Sa Pa.