Northeast Vietnam Motorcycle Road Trip from Hanoi to Lang Son – 5 days

After breakfast, let’s check out the hotel and prepare gears for your riding challenge. Our memorable motorbike ride will depart at around 8 am. Before enjoying riding on the quiet and peaceful roads of the suburbs, we should be ready and careful to leave busy and crowded Hanoi. Once you escape from the city, our motorbike tour begins. Our crew will ride along Highway 3 to Cho Chu town in Thai Nguyen for a stop to rest and enjoy a lunch of local specialties. Then, we will visit the magnificent Museum of the Cultures of Vietnam Ethnic Groups, where you can get the first sight of Vietnam’s 54 different ethnic minorities.

Leaving the smooth roads behind, we continue to ride through the mountainous areas to reach Ba Be National Park. Established in 1992, this park is an ideal destination for those who want to explore and experience nature. It is home to more than 500 species of plants, 353 species of butterflies, and many other rare animals. In the late afternoon, we head to Pac Ngoi, a small and peaceful village of the Tay people located right in the park. Our team will rest, have dinner, and stay overnight with a local family.

Summary:

Distance: 240 km

Meals: Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Home-stay

Start the day full of energy by getting up early to have breakfast with hospitality locals. Then, we take a walk to the boat station for an amazing boat tour to admire the breathtaking beauty of the largest natural lake in Vietnam. Ba Be means “three lakes” in Vietnamese. As the legend states, Ba Be Lake resulted from a dragon’s wrath that transformed a massive valley into a freshwater lake. Dubbed the pearl of Northeast Vietnam, the lake is home to many precious species of plants and animals listed in the Vietnam Red Book.

We will spend half a day sailing to explore and experience a close-to-nature life. After reaching the end of the lake and trekking to Dau Dang Waterfall, we return to Pac Ngoi village to have lunch and rest before hitting the road to the next destination on our Northeast Vietnam Motorbike Tour. Crossing the lush mountains and winding roads, we arrive at Cao Bang city in the late afternoon. Enjoy dinner with delicious local foods and overnight here.

Summary:

Distance: 130 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel

Leaving the city behind, we head to the stunning Ban Gioc Waterfall on the Chinese border. On the way, we will ride through Ma Phuc Pass – one of the most beautiful passes in Northeast Vietnam. Ma Phuc means a horse on bended knees, referring to the utter height of the pass. For adventurous lovers, conquering Ma Phuc Pass to admire the magnificent natural scenery is a must-do. Then, we keep riding on the winding road, where there is almost no traffic but offers excellent mountain views with peaceful villages of ethnic minorities. Nestled amongst these spectacular landscapes is the Ban Gioc waterfall, which stretches over 300 meters, separating half and half between Vietnam and China.

Ban Gioc Waterfall boasts an impressive sight with three levels and stunning jade green water flowing down to the giant lake below. You can get closer to the waterfall by riding on bamboo rafts. The cliffs and rocks are covered with green moss, contrasting with the white water of the fall to create an incredibly poetic setting. After discovering Ban Gioc Waterfall, we have lunch at a local restaurant before returning to Quang Uyen. Quang Uyen is inhabited by Nung people who have a simple life turning around their traditional craftsmanship. Overnight at a local family in Quang Uyen.

Summary:

Distance: 140 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Homestay

After having breakfast, keep riding on the historical Highway 4 to reach Lang Son city. We will pass through Dong Khe town, where the Battle of Route Coloniale 4 took place. Recognized as a national historic site, as you enter Dong Khe, you will be admired the beauty of the miraculously preserved houses since the French occupied the town in 1951. The war memorial is dedicated to Vietnamese soldiers who were killed in the town’s siege, recalling France’s first major defeat in the Indochina War.

The roads in this area are quite small and bumpy, requiring you to have good riding skills and an adventurous heart. But once you can cross those treacherous roads to reach the small rustic villages and enjoy the incredibly peaceful atmosphere, you will find it is worth it. We arrive in Lang Son at noon. After a late lunch, our crew will explore this beautiful city the whole afternoon. Dong Kinh Market is an exciting place that you should not miss. It is a cheap market; however, you should be careful because there are lots of knock-offs of the original. Spend the night in the hotel.

Summary:

Distance: 140 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel

You can wake up late in the morning because we know you were tired after long days of riding. Enjoying the last day of the journey, we will visit the ruins of the Mac Dynasty Citadel and two large caves – Tam Thanh and Nhi Thanh that are only a few kilometers from town.

After the morning of exploration, we will return to town for lunch and prepare for the trip back to Hanoi. Our crew arrives at the capital around 4 pm to avoid traffic jams. Tour ends.

Summary:

Distance: 160 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

END OF TOUR