Everyday I am overwhelmed of how much Social Media and todays technologies have influence over our lives. Bản Giốc Falls sits in northern Vietnam on the border of China. To put it more accurately the waterfalls and the river it supplies IS the border. It is nestled deep in rural Vietnam and a whole hour and a half drive away from its nearest town Cao Bang. I would not have known this place existed if not for the fateful tik tok and instagram reel I had come upon on a night of another doom scrolling through my phone.
Ana and I knew we just HAD to get here. We did not know yet how exactly, but we are the type to cross that bridge when we get there. The journey to getting here was not easy one. We started this adventure at the end of another; we had just finished a 3 day motorcycle tour around Ha Giang Loop. Calling it a motorcycle tour is putting it lightly; a more accurate description is our bodies faced 3 relentless days of intense sparring in the boxing ring and our opponents were terrible road conditions many of which were in the middle of construction, sketchy road alleyways only wide enough for our bike tires, vertical cliff drops, electrical blackouts, boiling heat, bumpy seats and all backdropped by jaw dropping views, great company, hunts for ice cream, shared meals among friends and memories we’d look back fondly even to this day.
So all this to say, we were tired, beaten, rugged, and most of all we were ready for a new adventure. To get to the Bản Giốc falls, we took our only transit option from Ha Giang; a bus the locals used. There are no booking app, no online reservation, no window seat preference on this bus. We were crammed in between sacks of rice, buckets of paint, crates of livestock and whatever luggage a rural Vietnamese village would ever need. We got onto this luxurious 5 star ride through our hostel and their kindness. We were also able to deceive and lure some of our friends to come join us in this impromptu adventure.
Upon arriving to the city of Cao Bằng we opted to rent motorcycles to drive the rest of the hour and a half distance. Beaming with optimism, we rode out of the town into the rural farms surrounded by limestone rocks. This part of the journey really reminded us of Ninh Binh, another favourite destination in Vietnam. However all throughout the adventure, we were faced with a limited day time, a motorcycle who’s engine backfires a gunshot sound every minute, closures of the waterfall with signs inhibiting entry, and a close call with a police traffic blockade.
Suffice to say we have had to deal with a lot just to get here and it was all worth it. Going around the closures from a secret path, we had found that the upper portions of the waterfalls were secluded and empty. Large pools of cool water, the soothing sound of the numerous falls and a clear beautiful sunny day allowed us to enjoy this amazing natural beauty all to ourselves.
A day Ill never forget.
Travellers Pursuits 