22 Best mountain passes to ride motorbike in Vietnam

Vietnam, a country with mainly mountainous terrain, accounting for more than ¾ of the territory, is home to majestic and dangerous mountain passes. Stretching from the North to the South, Vietnam’s passes leave a mark in the hearts of tourists because of their wild, attractive and challenging beauty. These passes not only play an important role in connecting regions but also become challenging journeys for those who love to explore and motorcycle lovers. Right now, let’s join BM Travel Blog to list the Best mountain passes to ride in Vietnam that any traveler would like to conquer once!

22 Best mountain passes to ride motorbike in Vietnam

1. Ma Pi Leng Pass (Ha Giang)

Ma Pi Leng Pass is one of the four great rugged passes in Vietnam, carrying a captivating attraction for souls who love to travel. Is one of the best routes for road-trip enthusiast and adventure lovers. The name Ma Pi Leng comes from the language of the Meo people, meaning “horse’s nose bridge,” and also implies that mares climbing to the top of the pass can become exhausted and die. Ma Pi Leng Pass stretches about 20km, connecting two highland towns of Dong Van and Meo Vac, in Ha Giang province. This road was built by thousands of young volunteers from 16 ethnic groups in 8 northern mountainous provinces. Without blocking danger, they created this majestic pass that left a mark on people’s hearts. From the top of Ma Pi Leng, you can see the green Nho Que River winding all year round. This wonderful natural scene will certainly captivate tourists who love majestic and idyllic natural beauty.

To explore Ma Pi leng Pass, you can join one of the best-selling tours of Bm Travel with 6 days start from Hanoi to explore Ha Giang Loop by Motorbike

2. Pha Din Pass (Son La – Dien Bien)

Pha Din Pass, a steep pass with spectacular turns, is an ideal destination when exploring the Northwest. This most famous pass in Vietnam not only attracts tourists with its wild natural beauty but also evokes heroic history. The pass is 32 kilometers long, located between Son La and Dien Bien provinces. The name Pha Din comes from the Thai ethnic language, meaning “heaven and earth”, expressing the interaction between nature and humans. This pass is one of the big passes that all motorcycle lovers want to conquer in Northern Loop Vietnam. With a dangerous terrain, one side is a steep cliff, the other is a deep abyss, the pass brings a sense of challenge and thrill. The highest point reaches 1,648m above sea level.

3. Xa Tong Pass (Dien Bien)

Xa Tong Pass is located in a dangerous position from Tuan Giao to Lai Chau. The pass is 25km long, with no landmarks or mirrors. The landscape is desolate, there are no houses around the pass. The pass is abandoned, no vehicles pass because it is too dangerous. Xa Tong Pass is not for the faint of heart because one side is a deep abyss and the other is a steep cliff. Therefore, this place is a target for dirtbike enthusiasts to often visit to conquer. Motorcyclists must strain their eyes and steady their hands to overcome long slopes without slipping into the abyss. Sunset on this most famous pass in Vietnam, although beautiful, also contains danger, because it gets dark very quickly and there is still a long way to go.

4. Pha Long Pass (Lao Cai)

Pha Long Pass, passing through the shadowy mountains, has no name on the official map. The name “Pha Long” probably originates from the fact that the peak of the pass runs through the market of the same name, located in the small commune of Pha Long, Muong Khuong – Lao Cai. To get to this most famous pass in Vietnam, you have to go through the dangerous dirt road from Can Cau. The craggy pass road hangs over tilted rocks, running along the Chay River with a length of nearly 20km. The edge of the road is the edge of a cliff, with no barriers or signs. Sometimes we only see a marker saying: “Border area”. Along the road, there are only a few sparsely populated houses.

5. O Quy Ho Pass (Lai Chau)

O Quy Ho Pass is nearly 50 kilometers long, located on Highway 4D, connecting the two provinces of Lao Cai and Lai Chau, cutting across the Hoang Lien Son mountain range. The top of the pass at an altitude of 2000m is the border of two provinces. With the name “Heaven’s Gate”, the top of the pass rises high among the mountain clouds. When winter comes, the top of the pass can be covered with snow and ice. The pass today has been upgraded, making it easier for regular vehicles to travel. However, with a breathtaking abyss on one side and steep cliffs on the other, O Quy Ho pass requires good driving skills and caution. Just one second of carelessness and both the person and the car will plunge into the abyss below.

The motorbike journey through O Quy Ho Pass opens up a pristine natural landscape with high slopes, dangerous turns and inspiring views of the primeval forest of Hoang Lien Son National Park. When reaching the peak of more than 2000 m on a beautiful sunny day, bikers have the opportunity to look back at the largest pass among the four great passes in northern Vietnam.

6. Khau Pha Pass (Yen Bai)

Khau Pha Pass is more than 30km long, located on Highway 32, bordering Van Chan and Mu Cang Chai districts, Yen Bai province and passing many famous places such as La Pan Tan, Tu Le, Che Nha, Nam Co,. .. This is one of the most dangerous mountain passes in Vietnam with an altitude of over 1200m above sea level and often covered by clouds. The pass winds windingly, passing through rolling mountains, creating dozens of hairpin turns. On cloudy days, drivers on Khau Pha Pass face danger due to limited visibility. Furthermore, rocks from high mountains can fall onto the road in bad weather, increasing risks and challenges for drivers.

In the fall, which is also the season of ripe rice, this place attracts thousands of bikers from all over the world to come here to admire the captivating beauty of the terraced fields from the top of the pass. Furthermore, bikers have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the diverse cultures of ethnic minorities, increasing the experience of their journey.

7. Ma Phuc Pass (Cao Bang)

Ma Phuc Pass serves as the gateway to the eastern districts of Cao Bang province, about 20km east of the city, in Quoc Toan commune, Tra Linh district. Although dangerous, the pass contains many beautiful scenes. The pass is about 3.5km long and about 700m above sea level. The pass is winding along the limestone mountain slopes. From the foot of the pass to the top, there are up to 7 steep slopes. One side is a towering cliff, the other is a deep abyss with narrow ravines. Although not as dangerous as O Quy Ho or Ma Pi Leng, people unfamiliar with this road still feel scared when passing through it for the first time.

It will be an impressive feeling for bikers when opening different bends, there will be different beautiful scenery of majestic limestone mountains with countless different shapes like pointed bamboo shoots growing straight up sky.

8. Me Pia Pass (Cao Bang)

Recently, images appeared on social networks of the most winding and dangerous 14-storey pass in the Northeast, called Me Pia or Me Pja. Located on Highway 4A in Xuan Truong commune, Bao Lac district, Cao Bang province, this pass is only 2.5km long but has up to 14 levels of the pass, enough to make us realize the unpredictable danger. Opened during the French colonial period, initially it was only a trail for horses carrying goods with a width of only 40cm. After that, this most famous pass in Vietnam was renovated and completed in 2011, now with a width of 5m including the sidewalk.

This is probably one of the highlights of a motorbike trip to the northeast of Vietnam. Stop here and walk about 150 steps to reach the top, opening up a beautiful view of the entire pass we passed.

9. Thung Khe Pass (Hoa Binh)

Thung Khe Pass, also known as White Stone Pass, is located between Cao Phong and Mai Chau in Hoa Binh province, on Highway 6. The pass passes through steep rocks, although not too long and steep, but is famous for its danger. . In the morning, Thung Khe is clear blue sky, in the afternoon it is brightly sunny, in the afternoon it is gentle with sunlight and at night there is fog spread all over the road. At this most famous pass in Vietnam, there are also a few leaf-roofed shops selling boiled sugarcane, bamboo-tube rice, stone moss, and wild vegetables. You can stop to enjoy boiled corn, boiled sugarcane, and delicious bamboo-tube rice dipped in sesame.

10. Bac Sum Pass (Ha Giang)

Bac Sum Pass is a pass in Ha Giang province, located between the two districts of Vi Xuyen and Quan Ba. Known for its long length, steep and dangerous slopes, Bac Sum Pass is a challenge for those who love to explore. On the winding road, you will enjoy fresher air and see the wonderful beauty of Tam Son valley with its green rice fields. In particular, in winter, clouds and white smoke wrap around the top of the mountain, creating a magical scene. This most famous pass in Vietnam is also the starting point for the journey to explore Dong Van stone plateau by motorbike to explore Ha Giang Loop, so this is definitely a memorable experience for you.

11. Da Deo Pass (Quang Binh)

Da Deo Pass is 17 km long, located on Ho Chi Minh Road in Thuong Hoa commune, Minh Hoa district, Quang Binh province, with long curves and primeval old forests, this is an attractive road for many drivers. Da Deo Pass is associated with history, being a fierce raid point by the US Air Force during the war. At that time, the pass was just a trail, but when generations of young people volunteered to open the Truong Son road, the people in front cut stones to pave the way for the next people to advance, so the pass was called Da Deo. Today, the pass is also a place to preserve traces of young people’s love on tree trunks and cliffs along the road.

This is a legendary pass during the motorbike journey to explore the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Going through the pass, we come to the famous tourist area Phong Nha Ke Bang, the capital of the world’s largest caves.

12. Ca Pass

Deo Ca, one of the largest and most dangerous passes in the Central region, brings irresistible appeal to bikers. On one side of the pass is a deep abyss all the way to the sea, and on the other side are overlapping hills and mountains with dangerous cliffs. With an altitude of 333m and a length of 12km, located on National Highway 1A, Ca Pass winds between the green of the mountains and forests with difficult turns. This most famous pass in Vietnam is not only majestic and dangerous but also poetically beautiful with green space and clear sky. Beautiful nature captivates travelers, evoking passion for wonderful natural landscapes.

13. Sa Mu Pass

Sa Mu Pass is located in the northwest of Quang Tri province, connecting Huong Phung and Huong Viet communes of Huong Hoa district, Quang Binh. With an altitude of nearly 1,400m above sea level and bordering the Vietnam – Laos border, Sa Mu Pass is called “Sa Mu” because of the white clouds that stretch for 20km. When conquering Sa Mu Pass, visitors will experience the intersection between earth and sky, because no matter what time of year, fog covers the surrounding landscape.

The pass is also a place that many motorbike enthusiasts want to conquer at least once in their lives.

14. Hai Van Pass

Hai Van Pass is one of the most famous passes in Vietnam, about 20km long from Hue to Da Nang, cutting across the Bach Ma mountain range and emerging on the blue sea of the East Sea. Although there are many dangerous turns, the pass still attracts many tourists to admire the scenery or couples to take wedding photos. Along the pass, you can see incense bowls, fake graves and shrines, proving the danger of this road. Currently, there is a road tunnel going through the mountain, large cars often avoid going through the pass because it is too dangerous.

This place has become a famous landmark after the reality show top gear Vietnam. That’s why this is also one of the most beautiful roads in the trip to explore central Vietnam.

15. Phoenix Pass

Phuong Hoang Pass is located on Highway 26, connecting Khanh Hoa and Dak Lak provinces. The 12km long road is like a bird’s wing in the sky, taking travelers to admire the beautiful cloudy sky. Once considered a death pass because of its danger, but now, the pass has expanded and attracts many young people. On this most famous pass in Vietnam, you can admire the beautiful scenery like a majestic picture of the mountains and forests. The winding roads and mountains make us feel closer to nature.

16. Ngoan Muc Pass (Ninh Thuan)

Ngoan Muc Pass, also known as Krong Pha Pass, located in Ninh Thuan province, is one of the most beautiful mountain roads in Vietnam. With a length of 18.5 km and a slope of over 9 degrees, this pass has the steepest slope in the South. The majestic beauty of Ngoan Muc Pass, with its dangerous winding turns across high mountains, makes visitors ecstatic. The serenity and romance in the wild and majestic landscape of nature create a painting-like picture. Visitors coming to Ngoan Muc Pass will not help but be fascinated and captivated by the wonderful beauty of this place.

​17. Ngang Pass

Ngang Pass, also known as Hoang Son Quan, is located in Ky Nam commune, Ky Anh district, Ha Tinh province, 75km south of Ha Tinh city. Ngang Pass is located on National Highway 1A, connecting Ha Tinh and Quang Binh provinces. This is a route associated with the nation’s history through the poem “Va Deo Ngang” by Ba Huyen Thanh Quan. The scenery of Ngang Pass is majestic, below are beautiful clean beaches. On the pass there are many famous historical relics, ancient temples and shrines. This place is planned to become the tourist area Deo Ngang – Hon La with majestic and poetic natural scenery.

18. Cu Mong Pass

Cu Mong Pass is one of the shortest but most dangerous passes in Vietnam. Located on National Highway 1A, which is the border between the two provinces of Binh Dinh – Phu Yen, the pass has a length of 7km, a peak height of 245m, with a steep pass and many sharp turns, with high mountains on both sides. Historically, in 1471, the Cham people lost land from Hai Van Pass to Cu Mong after a defeat. Cu Mong Pass used to be the border between Dai Viet and Champa (until 1611).

19. Hon Giao Pass

Hon Giao Pass, also known by many other names such as Khanh Le Pass, 723 Pass, Omega Pass or Long Lanh Pass, is located on provincial road 723, connecting the coastal city of Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa province with the city of flowers. Da Lat, Lam Dong province. With a length of up to 33km, Hon Giao Pass is considered the longest pass and one of the most beautiful passes in Vietnam. This is a road for those who love to explore, each turn brings new scenery that is both majestic and poetic with mountains, forests, fog, and winding valleys.

20. Bao Loc Pass (Lam Dong)

Bao Loc Pass, with a length of 15km, is a beautiful natural picture across the majestic natural land of Vietnam. With 108 winding turns, this has become the “heart” of backpackers who are passionate about challenges. Bao Loc Pass offers a memorable adventure, where visitors discover fascinating and challenging experiences. Crossing the zigzag passes, you will experience majestic natural scenery, immersing yourself in the wild beauty of Lam Dong land.

21. Prenn Pass (Lam Dong)

Prenn Pass, an 11km long mountain pass located in Lam Dong province, about 10km from Da Lat center. From the Cham language, the word “Prenn” means “invasion”. For those who love backpacking and photography, the Prenn Pass road is captivating with its vast pine forests, cool air, and dangerous bends that are always captivating with its charming beauty. Many groups of tourists coming to Da Lat rent motorbikes to experience this road and fully feel the beauty of the city of flowers. Prenn Pass brings them wonderful experiences with green pine forests, cool space and a sense of challenge when traveling through zigzag curves.

22. Trieu Hai Pass (Lam Dong)

Trieu Hai Pass road cuts to the East, adjacent to Nam Cat Tien forest from Da Teh to Dambri waterfall area, Bao Lam, Lam Dong. This is a harsh and exciting journey, making backpackers passionate about constant challenges. There are two ways to conquer the Trieu Hai route. The easier way is from Bao Loc city center, turn to Dambri waterfall, then go to the junction to Tam Chau lake and turn left. From here, there is a sign leading you to the Dambri hydroelectric dam. The journey to conquer Trieu Hai Pass will help you learn skills to solve difficulties and find hidden value within yourself.

22 Best mountain passes to ride motorbike in Vietnam only attracts those who are passionate about conquering difficult places but also captivates visitors with the wild and majestic beauty of nature. Each pass has a story, a unique culture and is an inseparable part of the journey to discover the beauty of Vietnam. If you have the opportunity, please conquer these passes once and don’t forget to share your feelings with BM Travel Blog