Hong Cuong, 24 years old, is currently a software engineer. He once made a trip across Vietnam at the age of 21 on a bicycle. With his passion for traveling, the plan to explore all the mountainous provinces in the Northern region is no exception. In mid-July, Hong Cuong and his girlfriend Cuc went on a trip to Cao Bang for 3 days.
Hong Cuong "checks in" at Mat Than mountain, Cao Bang
3-day trip itinerary in Cao Bang
Cao Bang is a mountainous province located in the Northeast, bordering China. The terrain here is rugged but the nature is still very wild with many overlapping mountain ranges, cave systems and lakes... thanks to which the beauty of Cao Bang is enhanced many times. Besides, this place is also a convergence of rich cultural identities of the Tay, Nung, Kinh ethnic groups...
Cao Bang is considered the green pearl of the Northeast mountains and forests.
Hong Cuong's trip to the mountainous region of Cao Bang took place over 3 days with famous places such as: Cao Bang city, Pac Bo cave, Lenin stream, Karl Marx mountain, Km 0 of Ho Chi Minh road, Mat Than mountain, Ban Gioc waterfall, Khuoi Ky stone village, Ban Viet lake, Trung Khanh market.
On the first day after arriving in Cao Bang city, Hong Cuong and Cuc decided to rent a motorbike and travel to Pac Bo relic site (Le Nin stream, Karl Marx cave...) to explore and rest here.
On the second day, travel from Pac Bo to visit Mat Than mountain, Thang Hen lake and stop at Ban Gioc waterfall, then rest overnight.
On the third day, travel from Ban Gioc to Trung Khanh market to learn more about the culture and cuisine of the market. Then travel to Cao Bang city before taking the bus back to Hanoi.
The couple Hong Cuong and Cuc by Lenin stream. This is known as the green heart of Pac Bo mountain forest.
Besides the famous tourist attractions mentioned above, what Hong Cuong likes most about Cao Bang is the pristine beauty of nature, without much human impact.
Hong Cuong excitedly recounted: “Almost both sides of the road are rows of cool green trees, slopes, clear lakes and streams, and a densely packed mountain range that is very pleasing to the eye. Many times, the beauty along the way has made freedom-loving people like us stop to admire it.”
Ban Gioc Waterfall has a beautiful emerald green color, the water is clear and soft like a smooth silk flowing over the rocky cliffs, creating a heart-wrenching beauty.
For Hong Cuong, this trip was either a memorable or a forgettable experience. On the first day of arriving in Cao Bang, he fell off his motorbike while driving, had to return to the hospital to get a cast and then hand over the “steering wheel” to his girlfriend for the remaining 300 km journey.
This was the first time Hong Cuong had to sit behind the wheel of a motorbike for the entire journey, especially when there was a girl driving in front of him. This made him both excited and worried after being injured before.
“However, fortunately, my girlfriend was resilient and helped us turn that unfortunate accident into a wonderful spice for this trip,” he said emotionally.
According to Hong Cuong, the must-try experiences when coming to Cao Bang are: bathing in the stream, eating local specialties and exploring the culture here instead of just visiting famous tourist attractions.
Special dishes of Cao Bang indigenous people
People often say that Cao Bang is likened to the “green pearl” of the Northeastern mountains and forests. But when Hong Cuong actually set foot here to fully admire the beauty, he was truly impressed with Cao Bang. Rich natural scenery, friendly people, and pleasant atmosphere are plus points for nature lovers and explorers like this young couple.
Experience and notes for those who come to Cao Bang for the first time
The roads in Cao Bang are quite steep, so tourists traveling by motorbike should be really careful.
“I fell off my bike while going downhill in the rain. The slippery road combined with the slope caused my wheel to skid when I braked. As a result, I had to wear a cast for over a month,” said Hong Cuong.
It is best to move slowly, only use manual transmission vehicles and be more careful when traveling on wet roads, because Cao Bang is surrounded by mountains, so gravel is abundant and difficult to control. In addition, tourist destinations in Cao Bang are quite far apart, so you should have a specific schedule before coming here to make the trip complete and most memorable.
Journeys of Youth
With a passion for traveling, Hong Cuong and Cuc are young people who have set foot in many destinations in Vietnam, especially the cross-country bicycle trip at the age of 21 that brought these two young people together.
Hong Cuong met many people who said: "I want to have trips like us, but because of work, family and not being as healthy as when I was young, I can freely explore those types of trips."
Sharing the same passion for traveling, Cuong and Cuc fell in love on a cross-country bicycle trip when they were 21 years old.
He shared that they may be financially well-off, but they no longer have the enthusiasm and daring of youth and regret not having had the experiences that only in their twenties can do. Therefore, if we can balance passion and other factors, let's pursue our passion for traveling when we have the chance.
“I believe that the experiences we accumulate when we are young will be valuable assets for our future journeys. And who knows, the friends we make on those trips will be special people who will follow us throughout our entire journey. But after all, the most important thing is to be safe on the long journey,” Hong Cuong confided.
