Thanks to the nature of my job, I have the opportunity to drive on the majestic mountainous roads of the Northwest, “adventure” along the Central coastal roads with white sand and blue sea, or on the red dirt roads with the sun and wind of the Central Highlands…
However, I have forgotten about Cao Bang so many times, always wanting to “save” it for a long, “great” trip to this beautiful land like a landscape painting. Fortunately, in the past October, THACO AUTO organized a BMW X-Venture journey. This trip attracted more than 50 members, including BMW owners, BMW Car Club Vietnam members, and potential customers. This was an opportunity for participants to directly experience the excellence in operation, convenience, and safety of BMW X vehicles.
The journey to the border region
We left Hanoi on a cold autumn morning. At 5 a.m., 24 BMW X vehicles, including X3, X4, X5, X6, and X7, were ready at the BMW Long Bien showroom, waiting for the command of the team leader to start. We set off amidst the busy morning crowd in the urban area, leaving behind the cramped city life to begin the BMW X-Venture journey to Cao Bang, the border region.
There are many ways to travel from Hanoi to Cao Bang, but there are two shortest and most convenient routes: one is to take the Hanoi – Thai Nguyen expressway, passing through Bac Kan and then to Cao Bang, and the other is to take the Hanoi – Bac Giang – Lang Son expressway, then go through That Khe to Cao Bang. We chose the first route to fully experience the beautiful scenery along the way, even though it was a bit further.
Driving on the expressway at a speed of 100km/h, we could feel the engine better, needing to press the accelerator deeper to overtake, instead of smoothly like at lower speeds. The X3 reacted quickly and unexpectedly.
After the expressway, we passed through Bac Kan and conquered the Windy Pass with its majestic and poetic scenery. These were winding roads, with high mountains on both sides, surrounded by clouds. Trees at the end of autumn were shedding their leaves, making the members of the group exclaim, “It feels like we are driving a BMW on the roads in Europe!”
Conquering Ma Phuc Pass
After enjoying delicious food in the mountain town of Cao Bang, we together conquered Ma Phuc Pass and the Mắt Thần mountain.
I was fortunate enough to drive the BMW X7 – the “center of attention” of the group. After driving about 20km from Cao Bang, between Trà Lĩnh and Hòa An districts, we encountered Ma Phuc Pass. This is considered the most majestic and beautiful pass in Cao Bang province. Along the 3.5km length of the pass, there are several sharp bends.
On the road, there are many high mountains with winding curves and steep slopes. This is where the xDrive 4-wheel drive system on the BMW X7 demonstrates its effectiveness, with the ability to adjust the variable torque distribution on the wheels. On flat roads, there was almost no intervention on the rear wheels, but when going uphill, the power was transmitted to the rear wheels, making the car move easily and smoothly, with the engine RPM remaining optimal.
At the mountain peak, we stopped at a safe spot, looked into the distance, and admired the stunning scenery of Ma Phuc Pass. Conquering Ma Phuc Pass, admiring the panoramic beauty of nature, and buying local specialties were among the exciting experiences of the group.
Admiring Mắt Thần Mountain and “checking-in” at Ban Gioc
To fully experience the “BMW X” vehicles, I switched to driving the X5. The car had the opportunity to handle light off-road conditions on gravel roads, muddy grass, and wet soil along the mountains. The X5 had a ground clearance of 214mm and used air suspension with adaptive mode, which could activate a maximum 40mm increase in ground clearance compared to the standard setting. When moving at a slow speed, the car automatically activated the cameras around the vehicle, so even on narrow and rough roads, I could easily navigate the X5 to the destination.
After enjoying the beauty of Mắt Thần Mountain (in Trà Lĩnh district), we traveled through a winding mountain route along limestone cliffs to Trùng Khánh, where Ban Gioc Waterfall is located – a natural masterpiece of Cao Bang. Located near the Vietnam-China border, the Quay Son River gently meanders through lush rice fields before suddenly pouring down from a height of about 40 meters, forming multiple limestone steps that create a curtain of white foaming water, resembling soft silk ribbons when viewed from a distance.
Memorable emotions
Cao Bang is beautiful, yet many places still face difficulties. Therefore, from the beginning, we planned to give a little heartfelt gift to the local people, hoping to alleviate some of their hardships. Thus, the whole group moved to Tan Phong village – Phong Chau commune – Trùng Khánh district. This is the poorest village in the border district, with 21 out of 42 households classified as poor, and the village only got electricity last year.
We asked the locals what they needed the most. Because they live in high areas far from water sources, they needed water pumps for daily use. They also needed warm blankets due to the cold winter. The children needed books, pens, paper, and study lamps. The meeting was just an opportunity for us to give simple gifts like that.
We jokingly said that BMW X-Venture was more than just a journey. It was not simply a trip to experience the cars, but also a chance to bond among the members, a philanthropic journey, a journey for the community.
The next day, we returned to Hanoi, each person carrying their own emotional journey.
Anh Quân (forum.autodaily.vn)
