After an unsuccessful attempt to reach Phoenix Mountain, I was determined to “avenge” myself. I scoured Hanoi for a 4×4 pickup truck to rent for mountain climbing and finally found a Ford Ranger Wildtrak 3.2 4×4 at Time City. A pickup truck has always been on my list of vehicles to experience, especially a powerful 4×4 capable of conquering difficult terrain. Phoenix Mountain, this time I won’t give up!
The memory of the “Phoenix Mountain Failure – Turning Back at Yen Trung Lake” still haunts me, but this time I was better prepared.
On Friday evening, I started my journey to pick up the car at Royal City, which was quite convenient because it’s near my guest house. However, life isn’t always perfect. The rental guys had just returned from off-roading, and the Ranger looked like it had been “wallowing in mud” instead of being shiny. So, the first thing to do the next morning was to wash the car so I could take some “living-the-dream” photos. It wouldn’t look good in pictures if it was dirty!
Ford Ranger Wildtrak 3.2 picked up at Royal City
Ford Ranger Wildtrak 3.2 ODO meter before conquering Phoenix Mountain
Washing the Ford Ranger Wildtrak pickup truck to prepare for a photo-worthy trip
Checking the truck bed of the Ford Ranger Wildtrak pickup before loading camping gear
After sprucing up the “hero truck,” I started loading the camping gear into the truck bed. It was the same old “song and dance”: I packed as if I were going for a week instead of just a short trip!
Struggling to load camping gear into the bed of the Ford Ranger Wildtrak pickup truck
Every time we prepare to go out, my son throws a tantrum. So, it wasn’t until almost 11 AM that we finally set off. We arrived in Uong Bi around 1 PM, and after lunch, we began our journey to conquer Phoenix Mountain.
Ford Ranger Wildtrak 3.2 on the Hanoi – Hai Phong expressway heading towards Uong Bi
Map of the route to Phoenix Mountain peak
The Road to Phoenix Mountain: Not as Difficult as Imagined
After refueling, we continued our journey to conquer Phoenix Mountain. It’s still the familiar road along the river, with the two giant chimney columns standing out. At the first intersection, turn left onto the new road for easier access to the summit. Turn right? Forget it! Even a 4×4 pickup truck would struggle to climb that!
Remember to turn left! Don’t believe anyone trying to “entice” you to turn right! Since the new road on the left was built, the old road on the right has been deserted. That day, I even saw someone standing at the intersection “directing” cars to take the right road, probably a “tout” for the old road.
Coordinates of the first intersection: https://goo.gl/maps/ARMtVQ6Vr87kifDN8 (21.042838, 106.818106)
Intersection to turn left to Phoenix Mountain on the map
Turn left for a short distance, and you’ll reach the foot of the mountain. This is the parking lot if you’re not confident in climbing the mountain with your own car. There’s also a pickup truck service that takes passengers to the top. The entrance fee and service have increased to 100k VND/car compared to the previous 50k VND. After paying, ask about the condition of the road to avoid encountering each other on the way, and then start your journey.
Coordinates of the foot of the mountain: https://goo.gl/maps/ysxPCyxsJ5nZYRFy7 (21.045209, 106.820914)
Gopro mounted on the Ford Ranger Wildtrak pickup truck recording the offroad journey
I’ve added a GoPro “toy” to record the entire mountain climbing journey. The video will be updated soon on the Gia Đình Camping Youtube channel for everyone to check out.
[Update video of the road to Phoenix Mountain] (Video link will be added later)
The road from the foot of the mountain to the Phoenix Mountain campsite turned out to be not as difficult as rumored.
The first slope on the road to Phoenix Mountain
A curve on the offroad road to Phoenix Mountain
Magnificent mountain scenery seen from the road to Phoenix Mountain
Dirt and rock terrain on the road to Phoenix Mountain
Overcoming rough roads in the Ford Ranger Wildtrak
Successive slopes on the road to Phoenix Mountain
The road to Phoenix Mountain is getting better and better
Ford Ranger Wildtrak 3.2 easily overcomes the terrain
Challenging but exciting offroad journey
The pristine beauty of Phoenix Mountain
Ford Ranger Wildtrak 3.2 demonstrates powerful offroad capabilities
Continuing to conquer more difficult roads
The second intersection on the road to Phoenix Mountain, choose the left direction
Beautiful natural scenery on the road to Phoenix Mountain
Climbing hills on the offroad road with a Ford Ranger Wildtrak pickup truck
The scenery of Phoenix Mountain from above
Ford Ranger Wildtrak 3.2 confidently conquers every road
The road to Phoenix Mountain is getting easier and easier
This section of the road has been leveled quite well, making it easy for pickup trucks to travel. Lower-slung vehicles may need a little momentum to overcome some of the slopes. While we were cruising along, we saw a Suzuki XL7 also making it to the top. I thought to myself that if I had tried a little harder in the Xpander last time, I could have probably “eaten” this section!
After another 2km, you’ll reach the second intersection, with the same familiar choices: turn left or right.
Continuing to conquer more difficult roads
The left side has a sign pointing the way to the top of Phoenix Mountain, which is the service campsite, and the road is steeper than the right side. The right side has no sign, and continuing straight leads to the hillside on the other side. At a glance, the road on the right looks gentler, and the scenery is quite beautiful. From this side, it’s easier to reach the highest flagpole than from the other side.
Phoenix Mountain Peak: A Camping Paradise Not Just for Pickup Trucks
When I got there, I saw all kinds of vehicles “gathering,” from pickup trucks, SUVs, CUVs to sedans, MPVs, and even service taxis. Phoenix Mountain is now “accessible” to all types of vehicles!
Various types of vehicles that can conquer Phoenix Mountain
In addition to the “pickup truck convention,” I also saw Mercedes C300, Mitsubishi Attrage, VinFast Lux A, Hyundai Santa Fe, Mazda CX-5, Peugeot, Kia Sportage, Chevrolet Trailblazer, Mitsubishi Xpander, Suzuki XL7… Yellow taxis were also “cruising” customers to the top.
Families with 2WD cars can confidently go if they’re not too worried about their cars. Otherwise, park your car at the foot of the mountain and hire a pickup truck service to take you to the campsite, which is both safe and convenient.
Beautiful view from Phoenix Mountain looking down
Panoramic view of the Phoenix area from the campsite
After reaching the top, I parked the car and climbed to the top of the flagpole to “check-in and live the dream.” Tourists were taking photos, and flycams were flying around busily. The view around is beautiful and covers the entire area. Currently, there’s a cleaning and trash collection fee of 10k VND/person.
The road to the top of Phoenix Mountain flagpole is quite easy to walk
Strolling on the highest peak of Phoenix Mountain
The whole family on Phoenix Mountain
The "international intersection" on Phoenix Mountain
Behind the wooden fence is the road that leads straight up to the glamping service campsite.
The service campsite occupies the most beautiful and flat location on Phoenix Mountain
We didn’t go to the service campsite but looked for our own campsite. After wandering around, I found a pretty good spot. It doesn’t look special from above, but the road down is quite difficult. If it weren’t for a 4×4, it would be impossible.
As I was going down, I saw a Nissan X-trail abandoned because the road ahead was a high and bumpy slope. I switched to 4H mode and drove straight through. The car tilted a bit, and it was a bit scary because it was my first time doing this. After passing that section, we arrived at the campsite. There were already two other groups camping next to us, and it turned out we met some acquaintances.
Searching for the ideal campsite on Phoenix Mountain
It was getting dark, so the whole group quickly set up the tent, stretched out the tarp, and prepared to cook hot pot.
Ideal campsite with panoramic views
Panoramic view from the campsite on Phoenix Mountain
Hot and delicious beef hot pot dinner on Phoenix Mountain
On the mountain, 6 PM felt like 11 PM. The kids nearby were playing and making a lot of noise, which was quite fun. Even though it was dark, there were still many cars going up and down. Some people even waited until it was dark to “crawl” to the top to avoid the crowds.
It got windier and colder as the night went on. I had to close the tent to keep out the wind to be able to sleep. If you’re camping here overnight, I recommend bringing warm blankets and mattresses.
Camping overnight on Phoenix Mountain
Chilling and watching the night scene of Phoenix Mountain
In the morning, we started the day with instant noodles and tea/coffee. Then, I took the kids for a walk around. My son immediately met a little friend nearby who had a cruzee bike, so they hit it off. The two “generals” raced downhill and charged down slopes, forgetting all about their parents!
Two boys racing cruzee bikes on Phoenix Mountain
The "little racers" showing off their skills
Off-road racing on Phoenix Mountain
The majestic natural scenery of Phoenix Mountain
Off-road cruzee bike for kids
While the kids were playing, my wife and I took some family photos to “live the dream.”
Family camping photo on Phoenix Mountain
The son is excited about the Ford Ranger Wildtrak pickup truck
The boy posing next to the Ford Ranger Wildtrak pickup truck
The boy explores the pickup truck
Mother and son next to the Ford Ranger Wildtrak
Mother and son taking pictures to commemorate the trip
Family enjoying the fresh air on Phoenix Mountain
By noon, the wind picked up, blowing away the tarp. So, we had to put two cars together in an L-shape to block the wind, so we could have a BBQ.
Combining cars to block the wind for a BBQ lunch on Phoenix Mountain
Weekend BBQ lunch on Phoenix Mountain
After eating, resting, and relaxing, the whole group prepared to leave. Returning to the slope we came in on, it looked a little scary from above. The trick is to switch to manual mode, put it in 1st gear, and slowly crawl down to let the car hold itself back. Our friend in the Subaru Forester turned on X-mode and zoomed off.
Ford Ranger Wildtrak 3.2 powerfully conquers Phoenix Mountain slope
Drive mode selector on the Ford Ranger Wildtrak 3.2
Ford Ranger Wildtrak 3.2 tackles off-road terrain
After leaving Uong Bi, we hit the Hanoi – Hai Phong expressway and quickly drove back to Hanoi. Note that if you’re returning in the late afternoon, you should take the Nhat Tan bridge to avoid traffic. If you take the Kien Tri bridge, you’ll be “stuck until night” due to the long traffic jams.
Trip summary: 372km, countless beautiful photos. Looking forward to more off-road trips soon. Everyone should take advantage of going to Phoenix Mountain early, lest it become a tourist service area and lose its inherent wildness.
After the trip, I was interviewed and featured on Tinxe.vn, which was quite fun.
Ford Ranger Wildtrak 3.2 ODO meter at the end of the Phoenix Mountain journey
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