I’ve come to really like my place, Pu Luong Sala Homestay. They set me up in what might be their best room, a corner unit perched at the top of the property. In the mornings, I can see deep into the mountains. Today, the view was slightly hazy from controlled burns, small fires farmers light to clear leftover crop residue and enrich the soil ahead of harvest season. The smoke lingers in the air, softening the landscape. Still, it was a beautiful sight to wake up to.

This morning, I visited a local market in Ninh Binh. I’ve always enjoyed morning markets, there’s something about watching locals shop for their daily groceries that feels more genuine than the curated tourist experiences. One vendor stood out to me in particular: she had two cages full of chickens, one on the ground and the other strapped to the back of her moped. When I passed by a second time, a customer had already bought nearly half of her stock, including her only rooster.

This morning at 5 a.m., I rolled into Ninh Binh, a small city in northern Vietnam. While the city itself is fairly unremarkable, the surrounding countryside is what makes Ninh Binh famous: massive limestone cliffs rise straight out of endless fields, creating one of the most iconic and photographed landscapes in Vietnam. Right now, I’m just a little ahead of the season. The paddies aren’t golden yet, but passing by them today, it wasn’t hard to imagine how breathtaking they’ll look when the rice is fully in bloom.

This morning we made the ascent deeper into Hang En. It’s about a 1-mile (1.6-kilometer) trek. It doesn’t sound long, but the trail includes several steep ascents. Add to that the fact that the ground was moist, making the rocks very slippery. In many areas, if you were to slip, you wouldn’t just fall, you’d slide a long way down before your limp body came to a rest. Fortunately, we were all fit enough to avoid that level of sudden death.

I made the long trek into Hang En today. To book this cave tour, the sales consultant asked me a whole series of questions about my activity level, and even requested “full body pictures” of myself. I couldn’t help but joke that it sounded more like a dating service than a trekking tour (and if so, my wife definitely wouldn’t be too happy). She reassured me it was strictly to assess my fitness. This trek isn’t for the faint of heart: it’s long, hot, and demanding.

Phong Nha is a small, laid-back town in north-central Vietnam, famous for its dramatic limestone mountains, winding rivers, and, most of all, its incredible cave systems. It’s the gateway to Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to some of the largest and most spectacular caves in the world.

Today I rode from Khe Sanh to Phong Nha. This stretch is often described as the most beautiful segment of the Ho Chi Minh Road. I can’t speak for the sections I haven’t ridden yet, but what I saw today was beautiful.

This morning I departed A Luoi. It’s a neat little town and definitely a place I’d like to revisit. There were several landmarks I would’ve loved to see, Hamburger Hill and Anor Waterfall in particular, but I just didn’t have the time. I’ll have to add them to the list for next time!

Greetings from the Ho Chi Minh Road! The original Ho Chi Minh Trail was a vast network of hidden supply routes used by the North Vietnamese during the war to transport troops, weapons, and supplies from North Vietnam into the South via Laos and Cambodia. It was rugged, secretive, and key to the Viet Cong’s resilience.

This morning I visited the Martyrs’ Cemetery in Hoi An. These cemeteries are common throughout Vietnam and serve as memorial grounds for those who died in wars. These memorials are found throughout Vietnam and honor soldiers and martyrs who died defending the country, particularly during the wars against France, the U.S., and China. They’re somber and sacred spaces.