North Vietnam Motorbike Tour from Hanoi to Ba Be – 15 days

With this off-road tour, we recommend bikers use Honda motorbikes from 125cc to 150cc. Our itinerary for Day 1 is Hanoi – Xuan Mai – Luong Son – Hoa Binh – Muong Khen – Mai Chau. This route is the shortest and fastest way to get to Mai Chau. After breakfast, we leave Hanoi for our destination. We have a few stops along the way to rest, enjoy coffee and boiling corn and buy souvenirs. We get to Mai Chau in the late afternoon, then head to our homestay, unpack our bags, and get ready for dinner.

Summary:

Distance: 160 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Homestay

After saying goodbye to the host, we continue our northern Vietnam motorcycle tour to Moc Chau, a cool and green plateau in Vietnam, where we have lunch with some local specialties. After lunch, we ride a motorbike from 1000m above sea level to the foot of the mountain, where we have to take a ferry to cross the Da river to get to another side of the mountain.

Before getting closer to the town of Phu Yen, we enjoy a great motorbike ride along the bank of the river. It is a nice pleasure to leisurely ride a motorbike on the road lying between the big river and the mountain in the light, gentle wind in the afternoon. This is one of our best peaceful leisure moments of this 15-day Vietnam motorcycle tour.

Summary:

Distance: 150 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel

We start the morning with a motorbike ride through the winding mountain passes that pass through rustic villages of the Thai, Tay, and Muong ethnic people who plant corn, sugarcane, and green tea in the terraced fields. After having a light and joyful motorbike ride, we eat lunch and follow the smooth road to Son La province. We recommend bikers stop at some colorful local markets to experience and learn about the local tradition and culture.

We arrive at the city at 4 pm, have a quick rest, and take a short walk to the hell-on-earth Son La former prison where famous Vietnamese political prisoners were captured during French colonialism. A trip to the prison gives visitors an insight into the Vietnam war against French colonialism.

Summary:

Distance: 180 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel

Our fourth day is a beautiful ride among scenic mountains and forests. One of our highlights is the incredible journey to the legendary Pha Din pass (Heaven and Earth Pass in the local language), one of the four highest passes in northwestern Vietnam. The route to this pass is well-known for the hairpin bends and winding roads snaking through the rocky landscape of the area. This is both an adventurous and eye-opening trip that leads bikers to feel the grandeur of nature, the majestic beauty of the mountainscape, and the endless sea of clouds. On Day 4, we will stay at Muong Lay.

Summary:

Distance: 190 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel

After bidding farewell to the lovely town of Muong Lay, we ride along the Da River, enjoying the amazing view between the limestone mountain and the crystal clear river. We then ride upwards to Sin Ho town, located at 1500m above sea level. From here, we can have a panoramic view of the whole town; a vast green area dotted with little houses with red roofs. Local villages of the Dao, Thai, or Lu ethnic people are must-visit destinations here. If you come by on the right day, you can see colorful markets on local hills. After having lunch in Sin Ho, we drive downwards to head to Lai Chau – a short but scenic ride.

Summary:

Distance: 160 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel

We start the Sapa motorbike tour at around 9:00 am to ensure the morning mist disappears, and the sky is clearer. On this sixth day of our 15-day motorbike tour, we experience the second pass in the top four of Vietnam – the O Quy Ho pass. We drive from Lai Chau to Sapa and arrive at the destination at lunchtime. In the afternoon, we can either walk around Sapa or take a short motorcycle tour around the beautiful Muong Hoa valley to capture the picture-postcard rice terraced fields or visit more villages of the Dao and H’Mong ethnic people. Accommodation in Sapa is easy to find; tourists can choose to stay at a hotel in town or book a homestay with local ethnic people in Ta Van village.

Summary:

Distance: 130 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel or Homestay

From Sapa, we head down to Lao Cai. There are two routes for bikers: either have a smooth ride with a nice view of terraced rice fields or experience a rather tough route on bumpy roads through villages of H’Mong and Dzao ethnic people. You can afford a panoramic view of the mountain ranges with either option because Sapa stands at 1600m above sea level. We have a break at the border gate with China, enjoying hot coffee, then continue to ride to Xin Man, a tranquil town where we stay in a little peaceful guesthouse.

Summary:

Distance: 180 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Homestay

On the eighth day of our 15-day northern Vietnam motorbike tour, we experience the most challenging routes, which are joyful for daring travelers. We travel from Xin Man to Hoang Su Phi, home to the most beautiful rice terraced fields in Ha Giang province. From here, our off-road team ride through the Tay Con Linh trail. Tay Con Linh is dubbed “the roof of northeastern Vietnam” and is a difficult challenge to conquer for its narrow, rugged, bumpy road. Adventure-loving travelers will fall for and enjoy this route. Riding on the bending roads embraced by the vast rice fields, feeling the breeze as it caresses our face, and catching the sun’s last rays are our lifetime memories. We have another 30 km ride to Ha Giang on the smooth road before finally reaching the hotel in Ha Giang at 5:00 pm.

Summary:

Distance: 170 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel

The alluring view of rock plateaus in Ha Giang will mesmerize any motorcyclist. We must make a few stops as we can’t resist taking photos of the gorgeous scenery. Dropping by some local villages of Lo Lo and H’Mong people, tourists get to learn about the locals’ life and customs. We finish the enjoyable tour and head to the guest house in Dong Van at 5:00 pm.

Summary:

Distance: 150 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel

After having a lovely breakfast at the guesthouse, we take a leisure stroll around the town, visiting colorful markets (only on weekends) and seeing well-preserved ancient houses built some 200 years ago. We start our trip at 9:30 am to Dong Van, riding in the famous rock plateau or the Dong Van global geopark and then passing by the Ma Pi Leng pass – one of the longest and most beautiful passes in northern Vietnam. In the afternoon, we travel downhill along the Nho Que and Gam rivers. The beautiful day ends at the hotel on the riverbank of the Bao Lac town at 4:30 pm.

Summary:

Distance: 140 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel

The route from Bao Lac to Quang Uyen is a tough trip with challenging trails which are all rewarding experiences for passionate bikers. On this eleventh day, we travel from Cao Bang province to some small towns, head to the border with China, and then stop at Quang Uyen town, a serene place surrounded by tranquil rural villages of Tay and Nung people. We choose a homestay here.

Summary:

Distance: 170 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel stay

From Quang Uyen town, we ride in the north to get to the border between Vietnam and China, spending some time at the gorgeous, magnificent Ban Gioc waterfall. After having lunch near the waterfall area, we will have some off-road rides in the neighborhood, take pictures of amazing sceneries and take a dip in a natural freshwater pool in Ban Gioc waterfall. Bidding farewell to the Ban Gioc waterfall, we join a motorbike ride on another beautiful road to get back to Cao Bang city, where we have a relaxing night at a hotel. The motorbike ride from the waterfall back to the city offers a very nice mountain view with the road not so steep but quiet and not crowded.

Summary:

Distance: 180 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel

Our 13th day will be a great pleasure as we spend most of the time exploring Ba Be Lake, mysterious Puong Cave, Tien pond, and Grand Island. We stay in a nearby homestay. Relax by watching the last rays of sunshine falling on the lake or taking a dip in the crystal clear lake is such a positive way to have our energy refresh.

Summary:

Distance: 150 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Homestay

We join the breakfast with our local Tay host and have a really good chat with them about the land and stories of Ba Be lake. From here, we have a motorbike ride on small back roads to the peaceful village of Dzao people at 3 pm, then take a boat ride around Thac Ba, the largest artificial lake in Vietnam.

With nearly 3000 islands of different shapes and sizes, emerald crystal clear water, and poetic scenes, Thac Ba lake is known as a “Ha Long Bay in the land” of the mountainous area of Vietnam. This is truly a highlight of this northern Vietnam motorcycle tour. We end the day at 5:00 pm and spend the last night of the tour at a homestay of the Dzao people.

Summary:

Distance: 160 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Homestay

On this final day, we choose easy and smooth routes to ensure bikers have an enjoyable ride back to the city. It is hard to bid farewell to the off-road team who have been together for the whole 15 days, yet the beautiful memories of the places we have been to, the people we have met and talked to, and the terrific experience we have had together will be something that we always treasure.

Summary:

Distance: 180 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel

End Tour