Irish cyclist completes 12,000-km journey to Vietnam in year-long ride for cancer support

 Gavin Quinn burst into tears as he crossed the border into Vietnam on his bicycle, finishing a nearly 12,000-kilometer journey through 20 countries.

"Vietnam feels like a dream to me," he says, standing on the shores of Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh. The UNESCO World Heritage is both his inspiration and final destination for the 374-day cycling odyssey.

Gavin Quinn in Ha Long Bay, Quang Ninh, July 2025. Photo by courtesy of Gavin

Born in Dublin, Ireland, Quinn, 28, works in the media industry. He has always dreamed of traveling the world and combining his three greatest passions: adventure, exploration and cycling.

In 2022 he completed a 5,000-kilometer ride across Europe by bikepacking, a self-sufficient method of travel where all essential gear is carried on the bike. "Cycling is the most seamless and slow-paced way to see the world," he says.

He was inspired to make the life-changing decision of cycling from Europe to Asia after stumbling on a photo of Ha Long Bay. He had never been to Vietnam though it had been his dream for some time.

Researching and reading foreign visitors’ comments, he was impressed by the country’s rich history and the hospitality of its people.

To him, Vietnam was a natural and fitting destination for a journey that spanned from the Atlantic to the Pacific oceans. "I thought the sea, the islands and the peaceful sandy beaches would make the perfect ending for the trip," he says.

He spent six months training and preparing documents, including passport photos for visa applications along the route, and set off on July 1, 2024.

His original plan was to cycle across Europe through Spain, France, Monaco, Italy, Slovenia, Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria and Greece. From there he planned to continue to Turkey and then spend a winter in the Georgian capital Tbilisi.

Once the snow had melted, Gavin would resume his journey in mid-March 2025, across the deserts of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, before traversing the mountains of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. For the final leg, he would fly to Bangkok (Thailand), and cycle to Laos before arriving in Vietnam.

But the route changed along the way as he often asked locals to suggest better paths. He was led to Hungary and Serbia, countries not in his original itinerary.

He cycled for an average of five hours every day. In harsh environments such as deserts, he would ride in the early mornings and after sunset, camping at night. Throughout the journey, he slept in a tent with an inflatable mattress, on floors, sofas, living room spaces, caravans, and in hostels.

In France, he briefly reunited with a friend to cycle across the Pyrenees. He also often met short-term companions on the road. Notably, he rode 600 kilometers with an American woman from Bulgaria to Turkey, and crossed 1,000 kilometers of desert in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan with a British man he had met in Tbilisi.

The 40 days he spent in Tajikistan proved to be the most physically and mentally demanding. He suffered a serious knee injury and nearly gave up in the capital, Dushanbe.

In the days that followed his bike repeatedly broke down. Then he caught the flu. Just as he entered the Pamir Mountains, he suffered from heatstroke, dehydration and food poisoning. Frequent landslides made travel even more difficult.

While recovering, he encountered another setback in Kyrgyzstan: A tire burst after running over a piece of glass, causing a fall that left him with a deep gash in the leg. The injury required surgery, and he was immobilized for an entire week.

"The exhaustion made me want to quit," he recalls. What kept him going was his fundraising mission for Purple House Cancer Support, an Irish organization that provides counseling, therapy, patient transport for chemotherapy, support groups, and rehabilitation services.

He pushed himself to complete the journey to Southeast Asia. The extreme heat, high humidity, constant need to watch his water intake, and digestive issues nearly drained him.

On July 8 Quinn’s bike crossed the border into Vietnam. He had only a few days to rest in Hanoi before packing up his bicycle for the flight home. But before that he quickly fell in love with pho, and banh mi became his go-to breakfast before hitting the road.

Friends and family welcome Quinn on his return to Dublin with banners and warm embraces.

Veronica O Leary, CEO of Purple House, expressed deep gratitude for his year-long, cross-continental ride to raise funds for patient support services.

Quinn says: "Life is short but it can be great. Live for your dreams and the people you love."

Source: https://suncruise99.com/irish-cyclist-completes-12000-km-journey-to-vietnam-in-year-long-ride-for-cancer-support/