SINGAPORE: Daredevil adventurers are getting on motorcycles to conquer a winding mountain road in northern Vietnam that has become the latest thrill-seeking experience on the backpacker holiday circuit.
With its narrow roads, hairpin turns and erratic weather, the Ha Giang Loop gained notoriety earlier in April after a British teenager from London died in a motorcycle accident on the trail.
Orla Wates, 19, was on a tour of South-East Asia before starting school at Durham University when she was thrown off a motorbike, on which she was riding pillion, and into the path of an oncoming lorry. She later died in hospital due to her injuries.
Wates’ death has raised fresh concerns over the safety of motorcycle tours of Ha Giang – nearly a six-hour drive from the Vietnamese capital Hanoi.
Adventure buffs usually go to Ha Giang for riding trips that range between three and five days, sometimes alone or with a tour operator.
Singaporeans who have “done the loop” said traversing between 350km and 400km of winding, undulating roads is thrilling, but not without risks.
Marketing manager Keith Tan Wei, 32, who went on a four-day motorcycle tour of the Ha Giang Loop in early April, said basic safety measures were in place, but standards vary across operators.
“It’s not what you’d consider a highly controlled or strictly regulated environment. A lot depends on rider experience and communication,” he added.
On his tour, motorcycles and helmets were provided.
Tan added that tour operators offer travellers a few ways of exploring the Ha Giang Loop.
Options include riding individually as part of a group, riding pillion with a local driver, or booking a private jeep or van for the journey, depending on one’s budget and the amount of risk one is willing to take.
Tours can have as many as 100 people, who are divided into smaller groups for the trail.
Tan, who rode pillion on a motorcycle tour – a first for him – said there were moments during the journey when he felt uneasy.
He said: “The roads are narrow with sharp turns and, in some areas, guardrails are either damaged or missing entirely – locals say it’s due to landslides – so there’s very little margin for error.”
The guides, however, were attentive, he added. The Vietnamese drivers, too, often slowed down when tourists raised concerns about going fast.
Full-face helmets, protective gloves, knee and elbow pads, a durable riding jacket and pants, and high-visibility vests are among the recommended safety gear for the tour.
A Straits Times reporter, who joined a tour in March, said the tour operator she signed up with held a safety briefing and provided protective gear. Everyone was required to wear a helmet at all times. However, participants were allowed to ride without elbow and knee pads if they wanted to.
Several operators offer the option of spending the night in one of the many remote villages that dot the route, like Du Gia, Dong Van and Lung Cu. Homestay hosts are known to offer visitors a traditional homemade alcoholic drink called “happy water”.
Undergraduate Jaedyn Choo, 21, who did the loop for the second time in March, said it appeared to be the norm to sip on “happy water” after dinner every night, with karaoke thrown in to give the stay a “party vibe”.
She said: “Some tour agencies are calmer and, even if everyone drinks, you are unlikely to be pressured to join in.”
Sometimes, the motorbike riders from the tour agencies join in the fun.
During her first ride on the loop three years ago, Choo said she was worried the drivers would be hungover after all the “happy water” they put away at night.
But in the morning, she found the drivers bright-eyed and bushy-tailed when they embarked on a six- or seven-hour drive.
What draws hordes of tourists to the Ha Giang Loop is its kaleidoscope of breathtaking views, which range from soaring cliffs and otherworldly rock formations to misty mountain rice terraces and lush valleys.
For instance, the Dong Van Karst Plateau Unesco Global Geopark featured in some tour itineraries boasts towering peaks and one of South-East Asia’s deepest canyons, home to 550-million-year-old rocks and fossils from ancient seas.
But you should never compromise on safety, said Singaporeans who have done the loop before.
Legal counsel Ching Pu Hwai, 34, who rode a motorbike on the route in 2020, said it is important to always stay alert.
“There are many hairpin bends and tight turns, so you have to be aware of oncoming traffic and take it slow if you cannot see past the bend,” he said. Having the confidence to ride in Vietnam will help, he added.
“Try to go in the dry season, and don’t party too hard on tour, because a riding trip is a physically demanding activity.”
It might also be worth finding insurers who will provide coverage for high-risk, adventurous trips, he added.
Woo Bo Yung, a senior financial consultant, said insurers will need to determine if a person filing a claim for an accident that occurred during a high-risk activity complied with all necessary safety requirements.
If the driver sent by the tour company is not qualified, or is found to have been under the influence of alcohol when the accident occurred, the company can reject the payout, Woo added.
Research associate Khalishah Yusri, 31, said she stuck to main roads while on the loop, and her travelling group avoided hostels with a party culture.
“There is growing hype about doing the loop, but do your research, be safe and understand that there are risks involved,” she added. - The Straits Times/ANN
