The Ha Giang Loop was appropriately described to me as the last place I should visit in northern Vietnam because it would outshine everything that came after it. 
I joined an international motorcycle gang to share the experience of riding the curving roads that carved up and down the steep limestone slopes.
The place itself was nothing like the Pacific Coast Highway, but my experience of every two minutes thinking “now THIS is the best view” only to change my mind after driving around the next turn was identical.
In addition to the natural beauty, there was a built beauty along the loop. People plowing fields of corn buried in the rocky slopes. Constructing cities in seemingly inaccessible valleys. Damming rivers and collecting water in the dry highlands.
The first stretch of the loop from Ha Giang to Yen Minh was the least memorable only because the following days were so impressive.
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On the second day we stopped at what I presume was a war memorial, but the sickle-wielding children who greeted us were far more interesting. They ran up to our bikes asking for food by pointing at there mouths. I reached into my bike to share some sour cherries, but before I even had them in my hand a child snatched them and ran off.
Most of the kids I encountered on the loop greeted travelers with waves and smiles. These were the only children who aggressively circled my friend when he pulled out his wallet to give them the equivalent of a few cents.
Part of the second day itinerary was a trip to China. Clearly marked on the map as “illegal border crossing”, this tourist attraction came with a verbal warning to not wander too far or risk stepping on an undetonated bomb. 
Here’s the homestay where we slept and drank too much rice wine on our second night. Thankfully rice wine seems to have some magical property that saved us all from hangovers and allowed us to get an early start on day 3.
I have no clue if this photo is actually from the third day, but it’s the photo that best captures my experience from that day. Racing down winding mountain roads, trying to outrun a rainstorm that never actually came.
Along the way we saw more than the normal amount of live animals being ferried down into Du Gia. Chickens hanging from hooks. Dogs in bamboo cages. The pig above started squealing and flopping so hard that it almost knocked the driver off his bike. Needless to say everyone in the group selected the vegetarian option for dinner that night.
A symphony of horns woke me up at 5am on the following day. Apparently all the animals were being transported to Du Gia for the weekly Saturday market. This was my first opportunity to drive in properly chaotic Vietnamese traffic.
We escaped the busy town in favor of a secluded waterfall before starting our trip back to Ha Giang where we boarded a night bus to Tam Coc.
Dave Tortora 