British tourist stranded in forest after Google Maps detour and flat tire, Vietnamese police come to rescue
A British tourist who followed Google Maps onto a treacherous forest road in central Vietnam was rescued by two police officers after his motorcycle suffered a flat tire in the mountains, an experience he described as one of the best he has ever had in his travels across 34 countries.
Barry takes a selfie with the two Vietnamese police officers who came to his rescue after he got stranded. Photo: Supplied
On the afternoon of October 3, the tourist, who goes by Barry, was riding a heavy Kawasaki W650 motorcycle from Quy Nhon, a coastal tourism hub of Gia Lai Province, to Da Nang City.
Following Google Maps directions, he traveled through An Lao Commune in Gia Lai Province before turning onto a dirt road through the mountains in Dang Thuy Tram Commune, Quang Ngai Province.
Thinking the road was simply an alternative route back to a main road, Barry continued his journey, he recalled to Tuoi Tre a day later.
However, the road became increasingly difficult, with steep sections, loose rocks, deep water-filled ruts and mud.
While navigating a rough, rocky slope, he lost control and a sharp rock punctured the rear tire of his motorcycle.
Stranded in the mountains and unsure how to get out, Barry tried pushing his motorcycle and looking for a way out.
At around 2:30 pm, he reached the Con Doc Hamlet in Dang Thuy Tram Commune.
Seeing the exhausted foreigner struggling with his motorcycle, local residents alerted the commune police.
Upon receiving the report, Lieutenant Colonel Phan Tien Dung, chief of Dang Thuy Tram Commune Police, and Captain Pham Trung Tien immediately drove a specialized vehicle to assist him.
The two officers loaded the motorcycle onto their vehicle and took Barry to the commune center before continuing to Duc Pho Ward to look for a replacement inner tube and tire.
However, they could not find a suitable replacement.
Unwilling to leave the foreign visitor stranded, the two officers visited several motorcycle repair shops.
After asking around, they eventually found a mechanic named Thuan who agreed to patch the tire so the motorcycle could temporarily travel safely.
The repair was completed at around 8:00 pm.
When Barry offered to pay, the two police officers refused. The mechanic also declined payment after hearing what had happened.
"Not only did the two officers help repair my motorcycle, they also guided me back to the main road and only left after making sure I could continue my journey safely," Barry said.
Barry takes a selfie with the two Vietnamese police officers who came to his rescue after he got stranded. Photo: Supplied
"Deeply moved"
Barry said he has traveled to 34 countries. During his 63 years, he has worked with and encountered many police officers.
However, the assistance he received from the two Vietnamese officers moved him deeply.
He said that when his motorcycle got a flat tire in the mountains, he genuinely did not know what to do.
Fortunately, local residents did not leave him on his own and instead tried to help before calling the police.
"Before long, two of the friendliest and most helpful officers I have ever met appeared with smiles and a willingness to help," Barry recalled.
What impressed him most was the officers' persistence. When they could not find a suitable inner tube, they continued looking for a temporary repair solution that would allow him to continue his journey.
"Lieutenant Colonel Dung carefully explained that this was only an emergency repair and that I needed to ride very slowly and carefully to the next major town to have it properly replaced,” Barry said.
“I was deeply moved that a senior officer would go to such lengths simply to help a foreign tourist in trouble," he said.
For Barry, what made the experience memorable was not only that his motorcycle was repaired but also the way strangers went out of their way to help him.
"I have traveled to 34 countries, and my experience with these two Vietnamese police officers ranks among the best experiences I have ever had," he said.
He said the friendliness and hospitality he had experienced from Vietnamese doctors, nurses, business owners and local residents were now also reflected in the police force.
“My most sincere thanks to the Vietnamese people for making me feel so welcome in their country, and especially to Lieutenant Colonel Phan Tien Dung and Captain Pham Trung Tien of the Dang Thuy Tram Commune Police Station,” Barry expressed.
“Their kindness, professionalism and determination to help a stranger in trouble are a credit to the Vietnamese police service.
“I will never forget what they did for me.”
Barry takes a photo with the two Vietnamese police officers who came to his rescue after he got stranded. Photo: Supplied
Dangerous road has seen other tourists get lost
According to Lieutenant Colonel Phan Tien Dung, the dirt road connecting An Lao Commune with Dang Thuy Tram Commune is mainly used by local residents for travel and forestry work.
The road is rough, with many steep sections, and people unfamiliar with the terrain can easily get lost.
The mountain road Barry got lost into. Photo: Supplied
Notably, Barry was not the first foreign tourist to encounter trouble on this route.
Four other foreign tourists had previously been directed onto the same road by Google Maps while traveling from Quy Nhon to Da Nang.
During the rainy season, the road becomes even muddier, with a high risk of landslides and the route being cut off.
The area is also sparsely populated, making it particularly dangerous if travelers encounter problems.
Commune police have advised local residents to immediately alert authorities if they see foreign tourists entering the road so that timely assistance can be provided.
"This is simply what we should do, and we don't mind helping,” Lieutenant Colonel Dung said.
“We were genuinely happy to see him safe and eventually make it to Da Nang,” he added.
“But we hope foreign tourists will not get lost on this road because it is very dangerous.”
Barry’s punctured motorcycle tire being repaired. Photo: Supplied
Barry also recounted the incident in a letter to Tuoi Tre News, expressing his gratitude to the help he received:
I started the long ride back from Quy Nhon to Da Nang. Somewhere along the way, I must have missed a turn. Instead of turning me around, Google Maps decided to send me on an alternative route. Right up over the mountains!
The road got worse and worse. I kept thinking it would improve soon. Eventually, I was riding on dirt tracks with huge ruts filled with water and rocks, climbing and descending incredibly steep inclines. I kept telling myself it had to get better. After all, it was a road clearly shown on Google Maps!
Eventually, I lost control on a particularly steep, rocky uphill section. Somehow, I managed to get the bike upright again, but the rocks had punctured the rear tyre. Stranded in the mountains with a flat tyre, I was becoming genuinely worried about how I was going to get out.
Fortunately, I eventually reached an area with buildings and people. The local residents were wonderfully friendly and helpful. They tried to find someone who could repair my motorcycle, but this was a remote area, and nobody seemed available.
Rather than leaving me to deal with the problem alone, they came up with a brilliant idea: call the police.
Two of the friendliest and most helpful police officers I have ever met soon arrived, wearing big smiles and ready to help. They were Lieutenant Colonel Phan Tien Dung, Head of the Dang Thuy Tram Commune Police Station, and Captain Pham Trung Tien, an officer at the same station, part of the Quang Ngai Provincial Police.
With help from the locals, they loaded my heavy motorcycle into their truck, and we drove for more than 30 minutes to the nearest town.
There, we found an equally friendly motorcycle repair shop. The mechanics tried to find a replacement inner tube, but the size required for my motorcycle was not available.
Once again, my police friends stepped in. They were determined not to abandon me until they knew I was safe. Lieutenant Colonel Dung went above and beyond the call of duty. He borrowed a scooter himself and set off to find someone who could carry out a temporary repair. After what seemed a very long time, he returned with a big smile and an inner tube that had been heavily patched.
He carefully explained that this was only an emergency repair and that I needed to ride slowly and cautiously to the next larger town for a proper replacement. I was deeply touched that a senior police officer would personally go to such lengths to help a stranded foreign tourist.
Lieutenant Colonel Dung and Captain Tien insisted on escorting me towards the main road to the next town. They stayed with me until they were satisfied that I was safely on my way. I am certain they remained with me well beyond what should have been the end of their working day.
In my 63 years and across the 34 countries I have visited, I have dealt with plenty of police officers. Yet my experience with these two Vietnamese officers ranks among the very best.
It genuinely felt as though two close friends had come to my rescue.
The friendliness and helpfulness of Vietnamese people are legendary, but my experience here has shown me that this spirit extends throughout society. I have experienced it with doctors and nurses, business owners, local residents and now the police.
My most sincere thanks to the Vietnamese people for making me feel so welcome in their country, and especially to Lieutenant Colonel Phan Tien Dung and Captain Pham Trung Tien of the Dang Thuy Tram Commune Police Station. Their kindness, professionalism and determination to help a stranger in trouble are a credit to the Vietnamese police service. I will never forget what they did for me.
Barry
Tran Mai - Dong Nguyen / Tuoi Tre News