Concerns raised about motorbike tourist trail after death of British teenager in Vietnam

Local people say road conditions are rugged and weather unpredictable, while some say it has become too congested The recent death of a British gap-year student on the Ha Giang loop, a popular motorcycle tour through the mountains in north Vietnam, has heightened concerns about a trail reputed to be one of the most dangerous in the country. Orla Wates, 19, from Surrey, was riding as a pillion passenger when she fell off and was hit by an oncoming truck, according to local media. She was taken to hospital in Hanoi, where she died from her injuries last week. Wates was travelling in Vietnam before starting a degree course at Durham University this autumn, and had probably seen some of the many social media posts about “doing the loop”. Winding along narrow mountain roads near the border with China, through jungle and rice terraces, the Ha Giang loop has become a must-do adventure for young, thrill-seeking backpackers in south-east Asia. Online reviews describe it using terms such as the “best four days of my life”. Nevertheless, doing the loop, especially by motorbike, is not without risk. People who live and work in Ha Giang cite the rugged road conditions, unpredictable weather, ro