Gains and Losses After 24 Days of Cycling Across Vietnam

November

Gains and Losses After 24 Days of Cycling Across Vietnam

The cycling trip from Hanoi to Ca Mau left Man with a scar on her forehead and a sun-kissed tan, but she was able to fully enjoy the beautiful landscapes and meet many new friends.

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The sacrifices on the 2,200 km journey

Nguyen Man’s (32 years old) journey began quite unexpectedly, sparked by an invitation from a group of friends before the Lunar New Year in 2022. Although she initially thought her friends were joking, she decided to go alone. “I’ve always loved exploring, and since I’m at the age of getting married, this Vietnam tour is a gift to myself. Everyone has their time as a young woman, and I didn’t want my 30s to pass without leaving any mark,” she said.

The first thing Man lost, even before starting the journey, was money. She spent around 9 million VND to buy a bicycle and accessories that could carry a lot of luggage, suitable for someone like her who likes to dress well. After about 5 practice sessions, despite her lack of experience, Man was determined to set off. She didn’t tell anyone about her journey, not even her parents, knowing they would try to stop her.

With around 15 kg of luggage, including enough clothes for each day, shoes, and bike repair tools, the 42 kg woman started the trip with a friend from Hanoi. In Vinh Phuc, she joined a group of 10 other members. Confident from years of regular gym workouts, she thought cycling would be easy, but she hadn’t anticipated the challenges she would face cycling long distances across various terrains. Her group consisted of professional cyclists, so on the first day, they aimed to cycle 100 km from Hanoi to Ninh Binh. “Everyone was cycling faster, so I had to push myself to keep up, and when others rested, I still had to keep going,” she recalled.

The next day, Man managed to cycle over 200 km, from Ninh Binh to Nghe An, visiting the Kim Lien historical site (Nam Dan district), then 80 km to Ke Go Lake in Ha Tinh. From there, she and her friend parted ways with the group to avoid affecting their speed. She shared that after 4-5 days, as she got used to the rhythm, her speed improved, and she learned to manage her energy better.

In 23 days, she cycled through Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, and reached Ca Mau and Ho Chi Minh City. She shared that her journey was about exploration, not rushing, so her route sometimes followed a zigzag pattern. Along the way, she visited many famous landmarks and historical sites, including the Imperial City of Hue, Lang Co Bay, Hoi An Ancient Town, a boat trip to Ly Son Island, Vung Ro Bay, Vinh Hy Bay, Cham Towers, and Da Lat.

As a long-distance cyclist, safety was always her top priority. Every morning, she would wake up early to check the brakes and clean the gears. When problems arose, she had to stop on the road to fix them, doing tasks she had never done before. “Many people say I’m lucky, just playing around, but in reality, I’ve sacrificed time and effort for this experience,” she said.

What she felt she sacrificed the most during the trip was her appearance. On the fourth day, due to her lack of cycling technique, she fell off her bike in Dong Ha, Quang Tri. Her glasses broke and a piece of glass cut into her forehead deeply, blood soaking through her t-shirt. She cried not because of the pain, but out of fear that her dream of completing the journey by age 30 would never happen, and she would have fewer opportunities in the future.

Her friend took her to the hospital to treat the wound, and once the dizziness subsided, the first thing she asked was whether her bike was damaged. Forgetting about returning to Hanoi, she and her friend continued their journey the next day. “The wound wasn’t fully healed, and it hurt a lot, but it seemed that my desire to reach my goal made me forget about it,” she said about the scar that has stayed with her.

Her love for beautiful landscapes made her forget the intense heat of Central Vietnam. One instance was when she cycled nearly 140 km from Nha Trang to Da Lat, with 60 km being a continuous mountain pass. Under the scorching sun on the pass, she moved at a pace of about 3 km/h, using all her strength, knowing that walking with heavy luggage would be even more exhausting. Cycling for 12 continuous hours, comforting herself that the destination was near, she still cried from exhaustion. Along the way, she carried 1.5 liters of water, refilling it whenever it was empty, but she couldn’t eat much. By the end of the journey, her skin was darkened, and she had lost a few kilograms.

What’s gained after the journey

After the journey, she reflected, “Sometimes I ask myself why I go through all this effort cycling, and the only answer is that I simply enjoy it.” She had traveled by motorbike and car in the past, but it wasn’t until she cycled that she experienced a more authentic and slower pace. Her favorite route was along the coastal roads of Da Nang, Nha Trang, and Quy Nhon, where she could feel the beauty with all her senses—the sound of the waves crashing beside her and the salty taste of the sea in the wind. One of her favorite destinations was Da Lat, with its cool climate, slower pace of life, and romantic scenery with pine forests and Tuyem Lam Lake shrouded in mist.

Thanks to the unexpected situations along the trip, she learned to live slower and became less easily upset. One tough section was cycling through Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa, and Vinh Hy Bay in Ninh Thuan. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, many shops were closed, and she cycled under the scorching midday sun. From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., she had no place to rest or eat lunch, but she still felt happy, admiring the untouched beauty of the sea.

Cycling also brought her many expressions of kindness and support from locals and new friends across the country, especially in Central Vietnam. Along many parts of the road, she was greeted and asked how she was by children and elderly people—something rarely experienced when traveling by car or motorbike. Fellow cyclists following her journey on social media invited her to their homes for meals and rest. However, she politely declined most invitations, only accepting those from people she had formed genuine connections with, like in Hoi An.

On the 23rd day, upon reaching Cape Ca Mau, she burst into tears of joy, overwhelmed by the fulfillment of her hard work. For her, this feeling surpassed even the excitement of passing the university entrance exam more than a decade ago. The next day, she cycled back to Ho Chi Minh City for a short visit and booked a flight to Hanoi.

“The trans-Vietnam journey gave me rare experiences in life. I learned to be resilient and calm in all situations. Most importantly, I learned to let go of worries and fears, to escape from work, and live fully with my dreams,” she shared. Soon, she plans to continue exploring destinations around Hanoi by bicycle.

Since completing the journey, she truly considers the bicycle her primary mode of transportation, whether for commuting or leisure. Now, she feels confident wearing dresses or stylish outfits while cycling, brushing off curious glances from others. “When you see the bicycle as a real means of transport, you can wear anything—not just sportswear,” she said with a smile.

She has also chosen a better bike, one that makes cycling less strenuous. On her solo cycling trip to the East and Northwest, many people offered her car rides when they saw her struggling with mountain passes. However, she politely declined, explaining that this wasn’t a trip for check-ins but a journey of personal fulfillment.