Four Vietnamese men have sparked outrage on Vietnamese social media after riding their motorcycles naked for environmental protection along Ma Pi Leng, a famous mountain pass in northern Vietnam.

Live-streamed footage of the four naked motorcyclists was uploaded by Facebook user T.C.H. on Tuesday afternoon and quickly went viral, shocking many and garnering massive amounts of backlash.

The seven-minute video clip showed the men traveling along a section of Ma Pi Leng Mountain Pass in Meo Vac District, Ha Giang Province before making a stop at Ma Pi Leng Panorama, a seven-story hotel, restaurant, and café situated on the highest point of the pass.

H. claimed in the video that the group was riding naked as a means of spreading awareness of environmental protection, adding that they planned to spend a night at Ma Pi Leng Panorama and make a review of the venue later.

Many who viewed the clip did not hesitate to vent their anger, commenting that the stunt was obscene and ludicrous.

Local authorities are unable to impose any penalty upon the men as there is currently no code of conduct for visitors to Ha Giang Province, said Nguyen Cao Cuong, chairman of the Meo Vac District administration, in an interview with Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.

“Where did these crazy men come from? Is this some kind of PR stunt?” Cuong exclaimed.  

Cuong did, however, state his wishes that local and social media will join hands in condemning such actions.

As of Wednesday, the video clip had been removed and H.’s Facebook account had been deactivated. 

That same day, Phap Luat Thanh Pho Ho Chi Minh newspaper published an interview with H., in which he admitted that the naked ride was obscene and asked the public to accept his apologies.

H. is also expected to make a public apology through his Facebook account at some point over the next few days.

Ma Pi Leng is widely regarded by local travelers as one of the 'Great Four' mountain passes in northwestern Vietnam for its hair-raising turns and magnificent views.

The Ma Pi Leng pass stretches 20 kilometers through the provincial capital city of Ha Giang, Dong Van District and Meo Vac District.  

Construction of Ma Pi Leng Panorama began in late 2018 and was finished in early 2019.

Recently, the venue has come under scrutiny when information surfaced that it was built without a construction permit.

Chairman Cuong said his administration has plans to help legitimize Ma Pi Leng Panorama by requesting a change of land-use purposes for the piece of land on which the building sits.

Meanwhile, social media users across Vietnam have voiced their opposition to the construction, considering it an ‘eyesore’ on the majestic landscape.

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