Day 6: Reaching the Clouds

• From - To: Green Town Moc Chau – Lu Homestay Ta Xua

• Distance: 120 km, 3:49h

• Routes: QL43 – QL37 – DT112

• Accommodation: Lu Homestay Ta Xua, Double Room with Mountain View with a fan 14 Eur per night, no breakfast

Bach Long is the world's longest glass bridge, spanning an impressive 632 meters. Its nearly 2.5-meter-wide tempered glass floor tempts tourists to savor the deep valley's panorama, offering views not just around, but also straight down. It sounds truly spectacular!

After having breakfast with a group of local tourists, I learned they had visited the bridge the day before. They expressed disappointment due to the large crowds, noise from the bustling visitors, and loud music echoing along the entire bridge. Moreover, tickets cost 550K VND (21.63 EUR). They suggested it wasn't worth the time or money...

After securing my things to the Winner post-breakfast, I hesitated over whether I should miss the chance to walk the world's longest glass bridge. But as soon as I geared up, I realized I had an even more important task - improving the seat, as it was quite uncomfortable for my backside. Given my height of 195 cm, I don't sit on the Winner as the Japanese designers intended. The bike's seat is narrow, with a step in the middle: the front for the rider, the back for a passenger. I sit on the step or the back part. Otherwise, my legs would have to go up on the handlebars... My improvement plan had two goals: (1) raise the seat for a straighter posture and less knee bending, (2) widen and soften the seat, removing the middle step. I accomplished this for 60K VND (2.35 EUR) by buying a red cushion with a heart and 'Love'. I threaded a string under the seat and tied the cushion's side loop. My backside instantly expressed gratitude. The landscapes of Vietnam became even more vibrant, and riding the motorbike and living in the moment became even more enjoyable! I wondered why I hadn't thought of this seat modification on the first or at least the second day.

I decided to leave the glass bridge for another time. For today's destination, Ta Xua National Park, there were two routes: AH13 – QL37 and QL43 – QL37 with the same ascent via DT112. The first is longer but faster; the second is shorter but requires a ferry crossing.

Choosing the second route proved right. Just outside Moc Chau, I was delighted by hills blanketed with dense tea bushes, blooming mustard fields, and lush corn plantations. Riding slowly, chin guard up, I deeply inhaled the air and gazed around with a wide smile. The smooth road gracefully snaked, ascended, and descended through green hills, revealing breathtaking scenes. Nearing the river, QL43 narrowed, and the 15 km to the ferry felt like I was alone on the road.

While waiting for the ferry, there were small shops and cafes nearby, perfect for a cool drink or strong Vietnamese coffee with sweet condensed milk. I chose a coconut drink from the fridge, with coconut chunks – for 20K VND (0.80 EUR), it was both refreshing and filling. It was so delicious that I had another. Highly recommended!

The ferry crossing cost just 10K VND (0.40 EUR) and lasted about 10 minutes. The road on the other side thrilled me with its twists along the dammed river, then another 25 km of pleasant winding through nameless villages to Bac Yen. Google then told me to turn right. I did, but quickly realized it was wrong – the steep and narrow ascent was clearly not the intended route. I managed to turn around and found the main road to Ta Xua, which Google Maps had stubbornly ignored (I marked this on the map with a red icon on the Agribank ATM).

The 12 km ascent to nearly 1.9 km above sea level was on a narrow, winding road. Ta Xua is famous for its guesthouses with breathtaking valley and mountain views, the highest peak reaching 2865 meters. Waking up amidst the clouds is an extraordinary experience in Ta Xua National Park – life is at cloud level, the air is clean and fresh, and it's never hot. In the evenings, the village often disappears into a thick cloud, dampening everything left outside. This happened to my jacket and T-shirt, left out to dry in the evening.

I don't recommend Lu Homestay Ta Xua, booked through booking.com. The room was damp and smelled of mold. In the evening, a group of local tourists noisily celebrated a birthday, and early in the morning, they were loud moving between rooms. If I were the owner, I would have disciplined the noisy guests. Moreover, a week later, booking.com asked about my supposedly canceled reservation – the owner claimed I didn't show up. I had to waste time clarifying that I indeed stayed there and paid in cash. Avoid this place. There are other guesthouses nearby with equally stunning mountain views