Cycling from France to discover the beauty of Vietnam.

Starting from their hometown of Normandy, France in 2021, the couple Max and Mary embarked on a round-the-world cycling trip, with New Zealand as their destination. Along the way, they spent much longer than planned at a fascinating destination: Vietnam.

Báo Thanh niên•30/08/2025

Just go!

Max and Mary shared their story of exploring the world by bicycle: "We're not professional cyclists. We chose bicycles for our round-the-world journey simply because they were convenient, slow, allowed us to carry everything we needed, and stop whenever we wanted. More interestingly, it was easy to meet people. But for the first two months, each day was torture because our whole bodies ached constantly. The worst part was getting on the bike every morning; our limbs felt like they were about to fall off."

Taking commemorative photos in the grounds of Van Duc Pagoda, Binh Dai, Ben Tre.

The Mui Ke Ga Lighthouse in Phan Thiet, captured through Max's lens.

The South Central Coastal Route is a wonder on Max and Mary's travel map.

Sharing our passion with the students of Alexandre Yersin International School.

When asked about the itinerary, Max said: "Actually, from the beginning we didn't have a clear itinerary, we just thought we'd go wherever our inspiration took us. But more and more people asked about our destination, so we decided it would be New Zealand. We also didn't set a specific timeframe, just an estimate of no more than 8 years. And we spent two years working hard to prepare the funds for this trip, estimating an average of 30 euros per day for food and accommodation. We used to think we would never travel by plane or other polluting means of transport because we wanted to contribute to environmental protection, but through our journeys, we changed our minds. We needed flexibility, so when necessary, for example, to return to France for important family occasions, we still chose to travel by plane."

They gasped in amazement.

Max and Mary said that during their journey through countries and territories over the past five years, they stayed in Turkey for six months, and they plan to stay in Vietnam longer because: "The first time we entered Vietnam from the Xa Xia - Ha Tien border crossing, we were amazed. Cambodia was in its dry season, and upon entering Vietnam, we were greeted by vast rice paddies, a cool atmosphere, and friendly people. We traveled through the Mekong Delta provinces, along the coastal road to Central Vietnam, and after our 45-day visa expired, we went to Laos and then returned for another 20 days. And now this is our third trip back to Vietnam, with the goal of exploring the East-West Northwest arc."

Max and Mary explore the flavors of Vietnamese tea in Hanoi.

Max and Mary on the beautiful coastal road near Vinh Hy Bay.

Enjoy the pristine landscape of Trang An.

Capturing images at the "Valley of Love" in the western region of Tri Ton, An Giang.

Max and Mary arrived in Hanoi to prepare for their journey exploring the Northeast and Northwest regions of Vietnam.

Max and Mary clearly felt the experiences from the tranquil Mekong Delta, through the sunny and windy Central region, and the majestic Northwest… Mary admitted: "Vietnam is the first country that has continuously amazed us, from the scenery, the people, and especially the food. We often say to each other, this is truly a paradise for cyclists. Imagine yourself cycling through a riverside village in the Mekong Delta, with coconut trees lining both sides of the road, a narrow road less than 1 meter wide, paved with smooth concrete, quiet and deserted, as if that road was created just for us. Truly impressive."

Max and Mary have now covered more than half of their estimated 14,000 km journey to New Zealand. To earn extra income for their journey ahead, Mary – also a tattoo artist – always carries her tattooing equipment to perform when needed. Besides that, Max and Mary have an even more interesting mission: to inspire students. In each country and region they visit, Max and Mary meet young people and share their experiences, from Europe to the Middle East, including Oman, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai…

In Hanoi, the two had exchange sessions with students from the Foreign Trade University, Alexandre Yersin International School, and others to talk about geography, their journey cycling around the world, the challenges they faced, minimalist living skills, connecting with nature, and sharing recipes they learned during their trip. The young people responded enthusiastically. Mary recounted: "The questions were very lovely. We usually started with the same topic, but depending on their age, they had many different questions, leading to different outcomes of the exchange. For example, in Abu Dhabi, Oman, and the Middle East, they asked a lot about transportation, how to bathe in the desert environment, etc. University students were interested in a wider range of topics. Therefore, from the initial topic we wanted to share, students from different cultural backgrounds would have different exchanges, which also gave us a lot of inspiration to continue our journey and share our stories with them."

Vietnam is not just a destination.

Traveling across Vietnam, Max and Mary were captivated by the stories and natural beauty of the country. Max recounted: "When we arrive in a new place, what we most desire is to chat with and meet the locals, and these chance encounters often bring many surprises. Last time in Hanoi, we enjoyed Vietnamese tea, heard stories about ancient Vietnamese tea trees, and were truly surprised because we are from Normandy, and we love to explore authentic flavors, from the garden to the table. The ancient tea tree tea surprised us with its aroma, taste, and the story of the tea-growing region in the high mountains. It was from that encounter that we decided to spend almost another month exploring the Northeast and Northwest regions to learn more about this specialty."

Max and Mary proudly showcased their collection of photos from their journey exploring Vietnam. Each picture clearly tells a story and holds memories of their trip, but also contributes to a larger picture of a truly beautiful, magical, and warm Vietnam, captured through simple, intimate camera angles.

Max and Mary's journey was simply about enriching their souls and experiences. For Vietnam, their travels opened up one of the most beautiful chapters of their journey, because it made them slow down, spend more time listening, experiencing, and being moved. As Max said: "Your country is not just a destination to come and go, but a place to love and remember."