Hai Yen and his wife each have a large displacement motorcycle, traveling from Hanoi to Ca Mau more than 3,800 km after getting married.
Chu Hai Yen (29 years old, Hanoi) is a travel blogger. She is well known for her solo journey across Vietnam by motorbike in 2018. This trip became an important milestone in Yen’s youth. She always cherished making another trip through Vietnam, to regain her sense of freedom, but with her own companion, and a bigger motorcycle.
Yen took 4 years to realize her dream. In early 2022, she got married. Her partner is also passionate about backpacking and loves large displacement cars. Or to put it in Yen’s way, the two share “a blood mixed with gasoline”.
After organizing the wedding, the couple planned to celebrate a special honeymoon with a 15-day journey across Vietnam. “We have cherished this plan since we first fell in love. There is nothing better than two people going together, exploring new lands and returning together”, Hai Yen shared.
Departing from Hanoi with simple belongings: a few sets of clothes, car repair tools, personal items, credit cards… the couple set off with two steeds Ducati Scrambler and Triumph Bonneville T120. Both cars have an engine block that is more about endurance and stability in operation, suitable for long distances. Yen runs a Ducati Scrambler, 800 cc, which is quite ideal for female bikers.
In 15 days, the female travel blogger husband and wife traveled a total distance of 3,800 km, moving continuously, with a peak day of 600 km. The journey starts from Hanoi to the southernmost point of Ca Mau cape. They went through more than 50 provinces and cities nationwide, stopping at some famous tourist destinations such as: Phong Nha – Ke Bang (Quang Binh), Hoi An (Quang Nam), Kon Tum, Buon Ma Thuot (Dak Lak), Da Lat (Lam Dong), Binh Hung (Khanh Hoa), Mui Ne (Binh Thuan), Ho Chi Minh City…
On the first day, the 580 km long distance is convenient because the first leg still has a lot of energy. The couple drove one after another, going in the direction of the Ho Chi Minh trail. This is a fairly familiar road to Yen, so it runs fast, maintaining a high speed for several hours. However, Yen said, whether the road is familiar or strange when driving, you still have to keep your mind sober, and not make mistakes because of the speed and traffic of many crowded and difficult sections to control.
It was dark, and the couple arrived in Phong Nha, just in time for dinner. “In 2018 it was the same road, but I traveled for two days to get there. I was worried about going forward. Now that I have a companion, I feel much more secure. I also have more experience in riding a clutch, just need to stretch the throttle. and enjoy the offer,” Yen said.
The second day is predicted to be more severe, the legendary road of backpackers: East – West Truong Son, 585 km. Unlike all the bends of Hai Yen mountain pass that have run from the Northwest to the Northeast, the pass road in the East-West Truong Son is mainly a small concrete road with short, sharp turns, up and down, stretching continuously to more than 500 km, from Phong Nha – A Luoi (Hue) – A Tep (Quang Nam), to Thanh My … The landmarks, heroic historical evidences of the war appear in turn under the burning sun. Central meat.
They run through beautiful pristine primeval forests, or rush away in the dark for hundreds of kilometers without a light bulb, the shadow of East and West Truong Son. There were times when Yen felt confused as if she wanted to give up everything.
“At those times, my husband was always by my side, encouraging, even coaxing like a baby. I finally calmed down and overcame everything to reach Hoi An in the middle of the night, tattered, hungry and trembling. Can’t be more tragic”, Yen recalls the most difficult route of the journey.
Each path helps the Hai Yen couple better understand the country, understand each other and understand themselves. The feeling of driving around, rushing forward on those roads, risky but also very safe when always following closely behind is a seasoned partner.
Hai Yen shares so many beautiful stops that no matter how many times I pass by, I can’t help but feel discouraged, including Vinh Hy (Ninh Thuan). The road leading to Vinh Hy stretches for nearly 40 km, full of sunshine and wind, alternating between rocky mountains and slopes and passes to reach the highest place, looking at the bay from above.
Because they spend most of their time traveling on the road, averaging 400 km of driving per day, in this journey, Hai Yen and her husband prioritize high-class hotels that serve ready-to-eat food. When stopping, there is plenty of time to rest and regenerate energy.
The Central Highlands leg is sunny in the morning and rainy in the afternoon, cloudy on the attractive passes through the pine forest. The inter-provincial arterial roads are like dedicated to bikers. “How much sun, wind, and rainstorms along the road washed all of our skin. The outside looked very miserable, but inside the spirit was still strong and secure because every difficulty accompanies each other. So we I just kept moving forward,” Hai Yen said.
On March 27, the female travel blogger couple stopped at the southernmost point of Ca Mau cape. Here, Hai Yen’s dream with her partner to go to the end of the map of country has come true. In 15 days of traveling, together we went through beautiful roads, difficult paths, days of blue sky, white clouds and even days of rushing rain.
“When I stood holding my husband’s hand to take pictures at the Ca Mau landmark, I suddenly felt emotional. I think I’m a lucky person because my youth can live with passion, and even luckier when I find a life partner. I have the same passion as me. This time through Vietnam, at each check-in point, I was no longer alone in the vast nature,” Hai Yen recalled.
The trip of Hai Yen and his wife came at the right time when the price of gasoline increased. The cost of gasoline alone is more than 14 million dongs and oil 4 million dongs. According to Yen, continuous car maintenance and care is very important for long trips across Vietnam.
The couple’s honeymoon ended in Ho Chi Minh City, they flew back to Hanoi and sent two cars back by train.
Photo: Internet