Female tourist had an accident on Ha Giang route, local people invited her to stay at their house for the night

(Dan Tri) - An American female tourist had an accident while driving on the Ha Giang route (now part of Tuyen Quang). Not only was she helped by the locals, she was also invited to stay overnight and have dinner with the family.

Accident in the middle of a slippery mountain pass

Ms. Elise Zhang (American) said that she came to Vietnam with a friend from New Zealand. At the time of the incident, both of them were about to complete the “ Ha Giang loop” route in rainy conditions, slippery, steep and rocky mountain passes.

“Ha Giang loop” is a famous motorbike adventure route, designed in a loop with the starting and ending points coinciding.

This journey conquers visitors with majestic scenery, steep slopes, dangerous turns and adventurous exploration experiences, making this place a "holy land" for backpacking enthusiasts.

Falling off her motorbike in the middle of the night, the American female tourist was invited home by the locals for dinner ( Video : Character provided).

“It was raining heavily that day, we drove a long way. The road was slippery, steep, and rocky. I slipped and fell and was quite scared,” Elise said. The fall caused the bike to fall to the side of the road, and Elise suffered a slight bruise on her leg. Fortunately, the accident was not serious.

Within seconds of the incident, people living nearby came running out. “About three people came to help immediately. They pulled up their cars and asked me if I was okay, if I needed to call an ambulance or the police, but I didn’t think it was necessary.

I felt grateful and reassured. We did not ask for their contact information, but we will never forget that moment,” she said.

Both sides communicated mostly through body language because of the language barrier. “They knew a little English, and I tried to express myself. But the important thing was that everyone was very friendly,” she said.

Ms. Elise suffered minor injuries after the accident and was invited by locals to their home for dinner and to stay overnight (Photo: Screenshot).

After checking the car, Elise and her friend stopped at a nearby store to buy water to prepare for camping. However, her car had another problem. This time, a woman living in the house next door noticed.

“She saw us struggling and offered to sleep on her covered deck. I felt so relieved because I didn’t have to worry about finding a place to camp in the dark,” Elise said.

The female tourist said she completely trusted the woman’s kindness, partly because the area was quite remote, and partly because she was traveling with a friend. She added: “We set up a tent to sleep on the porch, there were many dogs around so it felt safer. The family even invited us to dinner.”

People supported dinner for Ms. Elise (Photo: Screenshot).

Family meal

She said they had initially planned to cook their own eggs using a portable gas stove, but were invited to join the family for dinner. “We were very grateful for the hospitality. The simple dinner of white rice, pork, spinach and spicy sauce was one we will never forget.”

Despite minor bruising, Elise did not need any bandages or medication. She slept well on the porch of a local resident’s house and left early the next morning. “We greeted them and thanked them for sheltering us from the rain. The woman had a cafe nearby, so we stopped by for tea and coffee to show our support,” she said.

The American girl had a 45-day trip to Vietnam (Photo: Character provided).

Before the accident, Elise had spent nearly 45 days wandering around Vietnam through localities such as Hanoi, Ha Giang, Sa Pa, Phong Nha, Da Nang, Hoi An, Nha Trang and Ho Chi Minh City.

During her trip to Sa Pa, she stayed with a local family. They taught her how to grow rice, grow vegetables, and even weave. She tried everything from famous dishes to more obscure specialties like rat meat, but Elise said she still especially loved pho and bun bo.

“I met so many hospitable, understanding and kind people in Vietnam. This experience only made me love this country more,” she said.

A short video clip capturing the moments after the accident, posted by Elise Zhang, warmed many people's hearts when witnessing the kindness of the highland people.

“Helping people in distress is actually very common in Vietnam,” one account wrote. “You must have had more memories after this accident,” another shared.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/du-lich/nu-du-khach-gap-nan-tren-cung-ha-giang-nguoi-dan-moi-ve-nha-ta-tuc-qua-dem-20251119161149241.htm