North Vietnam Motorbike Tour: 13 Days Off-road to Experiencing the Nature

Destinations : Hanoi – Mai Chau – Phu Yen – Son La – Than Uyen – Sapa – Bac Ha – Ha Giang – Dong Van – Meo Vac – Bao Lac – Ba Be – Na Khan – Hanoi

Highlights:

If you're planning for a trip to experience the nature, you are on the right page. Nearly two weeks, doing Off-road North Vietnam Motorbike Tour will literally give you a full of authentic experiences. You have chance to ride through the winding roads, the most greatest passes in which you are so much closed to the nature. Moreover, you will step to the most beautiful places with a full of hidden charm. You’ll meet a lot of friendly locals, try traditional delicacie and more. Don’t hesitate and move down to see more information. You will never regret as you choose this tour!

Detailed itinerary :

Day 1: Hanoi - Mai Chau (Hoa Binh) – Motorbiking Tours to local villages

Day 2: Mai Chau - Phu Yen (Son La)

Day 3: Phu Yen - Son La City

Day 4: Son La - Than Uyen ( Lai Chau )

Day 5: Than Uyen - Sapa (Lao Cai) – Sapa Motorbiking Tours to Villages

Day 6: Sapa Motorcycle Tours to Remote Villages – Homestay Tours with the Hilltribes

Day 7: Sapa - Bac Ha (Lao Cai) – Off-road Motorcycle Tours to Tribal Villages

Day 8: Bac Ha - Ha Giang City

Day 9: Ha Giang - Dong Van (Ha Giang)

Day 10: Dong Van - Bao Lac (Cao Bang)

Day 11: Bao Lac - Ba Be National Park ( Bac Kan )

Day 12: Boat ride on Ba Be lake and Ride to Na Khan (Bac Kan)

Day 13: Na Khan - Hanoi

Tour Details

DAY 1: HANOI - MAI CHAU (HOA BINH) – MOTORBIKING TOURS TO LOCAL VILLAGES

To Start your first day travelling by motorbike, our team will lead you to Mai Chau town in Hoa Binh province.

WHERE IS MAI CHAU?

Mai Chau is 160 km south west of Hanoi.  It rests in a peaceful valley, surrounded by mountains and rice fields.  Here, the pace is much slower to the big cities creating a great opportunity to relax and unwind. The drive from Hanoi to Mai Chau has some stunning stretches, cruising through villages and along mountain roads with scenic views over the surrounding paddy fields and limestone karst scenery. The final stretch, coming into Mai Chau, is particularly jaw-dropping as  we cross Thung Khe Pass and descend to the valley.

The Mai Chau valley is home to the White Thai Minority group residing mostly in stilt houses. We will reach the site around 5pm then you have your own time to walk around the villages before having dinner with the locals and admire the Traditional Xoe Dances of the Thai people.

Overnight in a home-stay.

Summary:

Distance: 160 km

Meals: Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Home-stay

DAY 2: MAI CHAU - PHU YEN (SON LA) – OFF-ROAD MOTORCYCLE TOURS TO TRIBAL VILLAGES

After breakfast, our team will head out  for Phu Yen in Son La province leaving this peaceful land behind. During the ride, the team will stop in Moc Chau for lunch where you’ll see a huge mountains of green tea tree.

Due to cool climate, the people here grow green tree to develop the local economic. Besides this product, Moc Chau is famous for its dairy products like fresh milk, condensed milk, yogurt and milky candy as well. Many households raise milk cow to enhance their income.

After lunch, we turn to the less travelled Road 43 leading to the Da River, crossing the reservoir of Da river at Van Yen ferry, then ride on a beautiful winding secondary road until arriving in Phu Yen where we stay in the local hotel.

Summary:

Distance: 140 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel

DAY 3: PHU YEN - SON LA CITY – OFF-ROAD MOTORBIKING TOURS TO HILLTRIBE’S VILLAGES

From Phu Yen to Son La, it takes you approximately 130km to the East of Son La city. You will find it much more interesting as seeing a lot of villages allocating along the hillsides and the ethnic people doing farming as well. What a picturesque landscape! When we reach Son La, stop there for lunch. In the afternoon, we pay a visit to Son La prison and  museum.

Solidly built in 1908 by the French colonial, Son La prison was separately on the peak of Khau Ca hill, far from the resident zone. Standing at the top of this hill you  can get a panoramic view of the whole Son La city.

This is the reason  why this place was chose to build the jail. The walls were made of stone and bricks, roofs were covered by corrugated iron sheet, beds for prisoners were made of stone with cement surface and an exterior attached by the foot shackles systems.

Right next to the prison, Son La museum mainly displays prehistoric relics, historic artifacts, etc. These galleries reflect local ethnic minorities culture and national identity in general. These vestige were built to educate the national patriotism for younger generations.

Summary:

Distance: 160 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel

DAY 4: SON LA MOTORCYCLE TOUR TO THAN UYEN ( LAI CHAU )

 

After breakfast, we say goodbye to Phu Yen then ride our dirt bike to the northwest and coming to Than Uyen belong to Lai Chau province. a clean and least industrialized, you will feel pure, peaceful and happy as visiting this place.

To come there all the motorcyclists have to cross Pha Din pass which is considered as one of the four great peaks of the Northwest region along with 3 passes of legendary O Quy Ho, Khau Pha and Ma Pi Leng. “Pha Din literally means heaven and earth also a reference to the height of this pass. The highest point of the pass is 1648m above sea level. The terrain of the mountain is very dangerous, uneven, one side is steep and one is deep.

The contiguous place between the land and sky, according to the language of the Thai people. It's also the beginning of the journey of dragging high-level artillery with the strength of the Vietnamese soldiers in the campaign that led to the victory of Dien Bien Phu history. 7-5-1954. Pha Din Pass has a total length of 32km. It's located on Highway 6, which is divided between Son La and Dien Bien provinces. Challenging is because, Pha Din pass is also a pass with a great slope from 12% to 19%.

The mountain pass is meandering in figure 8. There are many sleeves with high slope and curve radius of less than 15m”. Afterwards, we stop in Tuan Giao for lunch then riding up to Than Uyen. We stay overnight in town.

Summary:

Distance: 180 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel

DAY 5: THAN UYEN - SAPA (LAO CAI) – SAPA MOTORBIKING TOURS TO VILLAGES

If Than Uyen town is a pristine and unspoilt place, our next destination Sapa is much more popular to travelers even for adventure lovers. Sapa is home to Fancipan mountain which is a highest peak in Indochina welcoming  and challenging any motor biker.

The upcoming part of the tour will be the highlight because you are going to ascend Tram Ton pass. At 1900m, it is the highest mountain pass in Vietnam, acts as a dividing line between two climatic zones. The lookout points here have fantastic views in clear weather.

On the Sapa side it’s often cold and foggy, but drop a few hundred meters onto the Lai Chau side and it can be sunny and warm. Surprisingly, Sapa is the coldest place in Vietnam, but Lai Chau can be one of the warmest.

Crossing into Lao Cai Province at over 2,000m the views looks out over the main range for miles and miles, before we descend to the mountainous Sa Pa valley. Sa Pa is located in Lao Cai Province, north-west Vietnam, and 350 km north-west of Hanoi. Sapa is famous both for its fine, rugged scenery and for its rich cultural diversity. French used to consider Sapa as Summer Capital of Northern Vietnam in the early decades of the 20th century.

Summary:

Distance: 110 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel

DAY 6: SAPA MOTORCYCLE TOURS TO REMOTE VILLAGES – HOMESTAY TOURS WITH THE HILLTRIBES

Sapa often gets cloudy and foggy in the morning; thus, getting up early to enjoy breakfast and admiring the splendid landscapes out there makes you feel like being on heaven. Afterwards, we walk around Sapa town to get a feel for the culture of this H’Mong-dominated region and visit Sapa market where you can find handmade trinkets, clothing, accessories and a variety of food.

An intricately embroidered bandana or bag donning the patterns and vibrant colors of the H’Mong, Yao, and Zay people would make perfect gifts for loved ones back home. Then our group will do short ride of around 12 km to the west of the town to reach Thac Bac or Silver waterfall. This site was named Thac Bac because it looks like a white dragon looking down from the sky viewed from far distance.

It is really beautiful and magnificent. We’ll have lunch here. After that  back to Sapa town, afternoon time will be spent for exploring the ethnic tribal villages. We descend to Muong Hoa valley, visit Cat Cat, Ta Phin in which you’ll see a colorful picture made of traditional costumes.

We will try Sapa’s specialty hot pot for dinner.

Stay overnight in home-stay.

Summary:

Distance: 40 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel or Home-stay

DAY 7: SAPA MOTORCYCLE TOURS TO BAC HA ( LAO CAI )

Leaving Sapa town we are going to visit Bac Ha town which is over 100km away from Sapa. Ride your bike to the East, there will be a stopover in on the shore of Nam Thi river to have a cup of coffee, seeing around before turning to the QL. 4D ( 4D highway ), go along the QL. 70 then road 153 leads you to Bac Ha.

Clearly not resemble to Sapa as a touristy attraction, Bac Ha is described as a sleepy  land in which you’ll see “the main street is completely bereft of hawkers, and chicken and pigs snuffle for scraps in the back lanes”.

And interestingly, this place just wakes up for the riots of color and commerce that is its Sunday market, opened on every Sunday. Different from Love Market in Sapa, Bac Ha market is a cultural exchange occasion.

If you come to this market you will see people from other provinces, visitors gathering here trading various goods. From clothes to foods, from farming equipment to animals like horse, dog, buffalo, etc. The lively and exciting atmosphere reflect a happy and optimistic lifestyle out there. Coming and discover at your leisure. ­­

Summary:

Distance: 120 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Home-stay

DAY 8: BAC HA MOTORCYCLE TOURS TO HA GIANG CITY

Riding away from Bac Ha market, today we are going to reach the far northern city of Viet Nam which is Ha Giang.

Such an ideal place to experience the road trip on two wheels, soak up the majesty of the landscape and the atmosphere of the remote towns and minority villages, Ha Giang is waiting for you. During the ride you will see the local homestays in lines, high mountains surrounding, riding along the river. Our tour group will have lunch in Xin Man town then drive to Hoang Su Phi terraced rice fields for photo.

Passing Hoang Su Phi, we will be amazed by the pristine beauty of wild mountains and rich culture of the ethnic groups composing the Nung, the Flower H’mong, the Tay and the Ha Nhi People…

After lunch, join the main scenic road heading up to Ha Giang City, where we stop for the night and apply for a permit.

Summary:

Distance: 200 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel

DAY 9: HA GIANG MOTORCYCLE TOURS TO DONG VAN (HA GIANG) – OFF-ROAD MOTORBIKE TOURS TO TRIBAL VILLAGES

On the 9^th day doing off-road tour with Vietnam Dirt Bike Tour, we take you to another ideal place for any adventure  lover – Dong Van town, Ha Giang province. Ride your dirt bike to the northeast of Ha Giang, terrain is more different. Crossing winding passes, the rocky mountains are appearing.

Remember to take photos over Quan Ba twin mountain before passing Quan Ba heaven gate to hit Dong Van karst plateau Geopark – the first global Geopark in Vietnam. “ the scientists have preliminarily made statistics of 45 geomorphic heritages, 33 tectonic heritages and numerous fossils in the sediment stone stratums on Dong Van karst plateau Geopark”. Besides, this tourist site is also a place  the cultural of community 17 ethnic groups reside.

“Dong Van Karst Plateau is unique combination between Geoheritages and cultural heritages”. Continuing the tour, we will stop in Vuong Palace.

“Built in 1914, the palace survived 2 major wars: the French War and the American War. As a result, Vuong Palace is also treated as a symbol of the past glory of the H’mong people. In fact, the palace was also called Vua Meo in honor of the king of the H’mong ethnic people. Covered an area of 1,120 square meters in Sa Phin Commune, Dong Van District, the mansion was designed with Chinese architecture and interior and surrounded by 700 century-old trees to keep it hidden and protected from enemies”.after this visit, we reach Dong Van town and stay overnight here.

Summary:

Distance: 160 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel

DAY 10: DONG VAN - BAO LAC (CAO BANG) – OFF-ROAD MOTORBIKE TOURS TO TRIBAL VILLAGES

Savor your breakfast, left Dong Van behind, the tour continues to Meo Vac.  Meo Vac is a small but charming district capital  which has geology dominated by steep karst mountains.

The journey here along the spectacular Mai Pi Leng Pass, which winds for 22km from Dong Van, is the main attraction. The pass is known as “the king of mountain passes at the elevation of about 1,200 meters in Dong Van Plateau, situated on the street named Happiness, connecting Dong Van, Ha Giang and the town of Meo Vac, this is one of the most challenging passes in northern Viet Nam.

The pass is a winding road, one side is Mount Ma Pi Leng, on the other side is the road to Sam Pun, where lie the border post and gateway to China. Ma Pi Leng has 9 sharp turns, stuck between sky-reaching escarpments and dropping abyss. It is definitely a wonder of infrastructure construction of our people on this land of Ha Giang. Conquering this pass and get the most scenic view beyond the calming Nho Que river far below.

Our group keep riding down to reach Bao Lac town in Cao Bang province.

Summary:

Distance: 80 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel

DAY 11: BAO LAC MOTORCYCLE TOURS TO BA BE NATIONAL PARK ( BAC KAN )

We head down about 140km to reach another beautiful place which is Ba Be National  Park situated in Bac Kan province with a diversity of flora and fauna, interesting geology and landscapes to discover.  The area was established as a national preserved forest and tourist centre in 1978, before being established as Vietnam's eighth national park in 1992. It was recently recognised by UNESCO as the third Ramsar site in Vietnam - an important wetland of the world.

Ba Be lake is in Ba Be national park, located 145m above sea level, the lake has an average depth of 20-25m and its deepest part is 35m. The lake bed is made up of limestone with millions of crags and crevasses that are ideal for a large variety of marine life - there are over a hundred of species of freshwater fish in the lakes.

Ba Be is home to over 3,000 people from the ethnic minorities of Tay, Nung, Dao and Mong, who live in 13 villages within the park. The Tay people have inhabited Ba Be area for centuries and make up 58 per cent of the population within the park’s boundaries. The group go into Bac Ngoi village, which is located inside Ba Be National Park. Our home-stay in Tay’s family is right by the side of Ba Be lake with wonderful and peaceful view.

Summary:

Distance: 140 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Home-stay

DAY 12: BOAT RIDE ON BA BE LAKE AND MOTORCYCLE TOURS TO NA KHAN ( BAC KAN)

Have your breakfast, you can take it easy in this morning. Afterwards, we will do a boat tour around Ba Be lake and visit Dau Dang waterfall. Admiring the wild and magnificent nature is a wonderful experience for any traveler. We’ll  have lunch nearby this site.

In the afternoon, the tour get back to homestay, we  drive our dirt bike to Na Khan village. the tour will be highlighted by dinner partly with the local ethnic minority offering you a chance to wear Nung’s costumes then taste homemade liquor. Overnight in home-stay.

Summary:

Distance: 80 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Home-stay

DAY 13 : NA KHAN MOTORCYCLE TOURS TO HANOI

We have been to the most worth visiting places up north Vietnam on our 13 day off-road riding journey. Today is the last but not least day for you to admire the fascinating landscapes, peaceful ambience. Being on your motorbike, keep your face as closed as to the wind, breathing deeply before leaving all of natural wonders behind and reaching Hanoi. We would be back before rush hour and finish the tour.

Summary:

Distance: 160 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

TOUR PRICE ( HONDA XR 150L )

• Tour for group of private solo rider: 200 USD/Day
• Tour for group of 2 riders: 150 USD/Day/Person
• Tour for group of 3 riders: 145 USD/Day/Person

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TOUR PRICE ( HONDA CRF250L )

• 170 USD/ DAY / RIDER

Tour price includes:

• Experienced English speaking tour guides
• Quality Honda XR150L or Honda CRF250L or other bikes we have with all fuel
• Quality Helmets/Gloves/Knee and elbow pads/Rain jackets/pants
• All meals on tour (All breakfasts, lunches and dinners with local Vietnamese food)
• Accommodation on tour (twin share room in standard hotel or stay at homestay as mentioned in itinerary)
• Boat rides on lakes or rivers as mentioned in itinerary
• All entrance fee / Permits
• Hotel pick up/drop off before and after the tour
• Video of the trip made by updated GoPro ( Send Later )

Tour price excludes:

• Medical insurance
• Bike damages
• Personal expense
• Drinks/Tips
• Air tickets and  visa to Vietnam

WHAT TO BRING?

Documents:

• PASSPORT (valid for 6 months with at least 2 consecutive blank pages.
• DRIVER’S LICENSE
• INTERNATIONAL DRIVERS LICENSE.
• MEDICAL AND TRAVEL INSURANCE. Bring contact number and policy Make sure that helicopter medevac is included.
• CREDIT CARD: there are ATM’s in Hanoi. Payment with card only in Hanoi.
• CASH (US$) Bring cash US$ or take from a ATM. You can change for Vietnamese Dong.
• VISA: Please check Visa requirements for your country of origin, prior to travel as for most countries a visa is needed. A visa application form before departure is needed (some countries are exempted) when staying longer than 15 days.

Bring this together with 2 x photo 4×6 cm. with a white colour back-ground. Bring the visa letter as well.

Gear/clothes:

• Protective riding gear (suit, helmet, gloves, etc). The temperature can fluctuate between 26 Celsius (Hanoi) and 5 C° up in the mountains when it’s raining.
• Bring hard (enduro) boots with ankle protection. It will safe your leg/ankle!
• Sunglasses and sunscreen
• Light rain gear /rain jacket. Temperatures can drop when riding on high altitude or when raining.
• Casual wear for evening dinners and non-riding days.
• Warm fleece and hat for our cooler days/evenings
• Camelbags/Hydration back-pack. Highly recommended! Necessary very handy to prevent dehydration (also to prevent altitude sickness).
• These magnificent views you want to capture!
• Head-light. Some home-stays have no electricity during the night.
• Travel sheets/thin sleeping bag/travel pillow. Can be useful when staying in the home-stays.
• Power pack. As a back-up for charging you electronic equipment/phone.
• Your spirit for adventure!

View more: Vietnam Motorbike Tours Tripadvisor

Highlights:

If you're planning for a trip to experience the nature, you are on the right page. Nearly two weeks, doing Off-road North Vietnam Motorbike Tour will literally give you a full of authentic experiences. You have chance to ride through the winding roads, the most greatest passes in which you are so much closed to the nature. Moreover, you will step to the most beautiful places with a full of hidden charm. You’ll meet a lot of friendly locals, try traditional delicacie and more. Don’t hesitate and move down to see more information. You will never regret as you choose this tour!

---

Detailed itinerary :

Day 1: Hanoi - Mai Chau (Hoa Binh) – Motorbiking Tours to local villages

Day 2: Mai Chau - Phu Yen (Son La)

Day 3: Phu Yen - Son La City

Day 4: Son La - Than Uyen ( Lai Chau )

Day 5: Than Uyen - Sapa (Lao Cai) – Sapa Motorbiking Tours to Villages

Day 6: Sapa Motorcycle Tours to Remote Villages – Homestay Tours with the Hilltribes

Day 7: Sapa - Bac Ha (Lao Cai) – Off-road Motorcycle Tours to Tribal Villages

Day 8: Bac Ha - Ha Giang City

Day 9: Ha Giang - Dong Van (Ha Giang)

Day 10: Dong Van - Bao Lac (Cao Bang)

Day 11: Bao Lac - Ba Be National Park ( Bac Kan )

Day 12: Boat ride on Ba Be lake and Ride to Na Khan (Bac Kan)

Day 13: Na Khan - Hanoi

Tour price includes:

• Experienced English speaking tour guides
• Quality Honda XR150L or Honda CRF250L or other bikes we have with all fuel
• Quality Helmets/Gloves/Knee and elbow pads/Rain jackets/pants
• All meals on tour (All breakfasts, lunches and dinners with local Vietnamese food)
• Accommodation on tour (twin share room in standard hotel or stay at homestay as mentioned in itinerary)
• Boat rides on lakes or rivers as mentioned in itinerary
• All entrance fee / Permits
• Hotel pick up/drop off before and after the tour
• Video of the trip made by updated GoPro ( Send Later )

Tour price excludes:

• Medical insurance
• Bike damages
• Personal expense
• Drinks/Tips
• Air tickets and  visa to Vietnam