Traveling to Nghia Lo Vietnam By Motorbike: Time and Itineraries

On the way to Nghia Lo, Vietnam, you will have an interesting journey to experience and discover the stunning nature and rich cultural heritage of ethnic minorities in the Muong Lo field.

Welcome to Nghia Lo Vietnam

Nghia Lo Town, located in the West of Yen Bai province, 84 kilometers from Yen Bai City, and runs along Highway 32, has a natural area of ​​29.96 square kilometers. The North, East, and South of the town border Van Chan District, while the West borders Tram Tau District. 

With an average height of 250 meters above the sea, Nghia Lo Vietnam has relatively flat terrain, rises from West to East, South to North, and is surrounded by towering mountains.

For a long time, Nghia Lo town has been the economic and cultural center of the western region of Yen Bai and the motherland of Black Thai. Thai ethnic people make up 48% of the population of Nghia Lo. While exploring this land, you will realize several striking characteristics of Thai culture.

Thai villages here still have been pristine with stilt houses, daily lifestyle, culinary culture, costumes, and folk art forms with unique folk songs and dances, especially Xoe dance.

You also can take part in a variety of cultural activities. In particular, the “Xên bản, xên mường” festival is where the locals worship and show deep gratitude to those who discovered and struggled to protect Muong Lo.

Han Khuong festival is a form of early-stage performance where boys and girls respond to express their love.

Long Tong festival, which means working in the field, features a unique activity of the wet rice farmers, aimed at praying for fine weather, luxuriant vegetation, bump crops, and comfortable life.

Apart from attending cultural festivals, you should soak in the mineral springs at a temperature of over 40°C for relaxation and enjoy traditional dishes such as five-color sticky rice, dried buffalo meat, grilled chicken, stream fish, forest vegetables, and stream moss. In Vietnamese, these dishes are more delicious when served with fermented rice wine, also called “rượu cần” in Vietnamese. Surely, the unique flavor of rượu cần will leave you with unforgettable impressions. 

Check out: Northwest Vietnam Motorbike Tour from Hanoi to Nghia Lo – 5 days

Best time to visit Nghia Lo Vietnam

Nghia Lo is characterized by the climate of the Northwest region of Vietnam, with a cool summer with heavy rain and cold and dry winter. In September, you can plan a trip to Nghia Lo, Vietnam, to participate in the Cultural Week of Muong Lo Festival and the Terraced Rice Festival in Mu Cang Chai.

At the beginning of the year, especially in February and March, Nghia Lo often has a wide range of regional festivals for you to attend. This time is also considered the festive season in the Northwest region. If you are fond of exploring indigenous cultures, visiting Nghia Lo this time is highly recommended.

Travel from Hanoi to Nghia Lo Vietnam by motorbike 

If you travel by motorbike, you can move along Highway 32. You cross the Trung Ha bridge from Hanoi to Son Tay before reaching Thanh Son and Tan Son – Thu Cuc. After that, you turn to Highway 32 to get to Nghia Lo Town. It takes you about 4 or 5 hours to travel a distance of 180 kilometers.

Another choice is taking a coach tour, where you will take the Hanoi – Lao Cai Highway before turning to Yen Bai City. After following Highway 37, you will reach Nghia Lo.

Accommodations in Nghia Lo Vietnam

Hotels and motels 

Coming to Nghia Lo town, you can find dozens of motels and hotels with hundreds of rooms for tourists. They are scattered in the town center. 

If you choose to visit Nghia Lo Vietnam in September when Muong Lo Festival and Terraced Rice Festival have opened, you must make a reservation early. Most people who come to Mu Cang Chai stop at Nghia Lo. As a result, the hotels and motels here often run out of rooms.

Homestay 

In recent years, Nghia Lo town has focused on developing community-based tourism while combining exploitation with regeneration, preserving the natural beauty and traditional cultural values of ethnic groups, especially Thai people.

Check out: Off-road Vietnam Dirt Bike Tour from Hanoi to Vu Linh via Nghia Lo – 6 days

Stunning destinations for any biker once coming to Nghia Lo Vietnam

Sa Ren village

Sa Ren, a Thai village, runs along the banks of the Thia stream. It takes you two hours by car to reach Sa Ren village. This village is known to be home to black Thai people who still retain the traditional cultures of the old days.

As a new and peaceful village with traditional features, Sa Ren has become the favorite spot of both domestic and foreign tourists. The ancient stilt houses, distinctive ethnic dishes, and the hospitality of the locals are attractive to most visitors to Sa Ren village.

Check out: North Vietnam Motorbike Tour from Hanoi to Halong Bay via Nghia Lo – 10 days

Chao Ha village

Chao Ha in Nghia Loi commune is also known as the residential area of Thai people. Since 2012, the local people have started to promote community-based tourism to introduce the characteristics of Thai culture to tourists from different places.

The scenery of mountains and forests gets the most stunning in the spring. Therefore, if possible, it is advisable to take a trip to Chao Ha this season. 

Besides, you should spend time exploring the cultures of the Thai ethnic group and enjoy a lot of regional foods with unique tastes.

Deu village

This destination is a village in Nghia An commune. The villagers here have maintained their native cultures from generation to generation. To get more knowledge of the regional cultures, you don’t miss the opportunity to immerse yourself in the daily life of the people here.

Suppose you intend to stay here for a long time. In that case, it is suggested that you should experience cycling 30 kilometers to reach Nam Dong stream for a bath or go to Tram Tau to discover the life of the Hmong people, who will introduce you to exciting activities.

Muong Lo Valley (Muong Lo Field)

When visiting Nghia Lo Vietnam, you should not miss Muong Lo valley, one of the famous Northwestern attractions. Muong Lo is the second-largest rice field in the Northwest region, just ranked after Thuong Thanh in Dien Bien.

Muong Lo valley stands out with immense rice fields, especially when the rice gets ripe. When you come to visit this place, the Black Thai will invite you to drink wine and have Thai dances around the fire in the stilt houses.

In addition to the majestic natural scenery, this land attracts tourists due to the friendliness of the locals. Thai wine and regional specialties of Muong Lo win the hearts of thousands of visitors.

Cang Don Nghia Lo

Nghia Lo Vietnam has beautiful landscapes, unique cultural features, and historical sites that show the spirited resistance to foreign invaders in ancient times. The most outstanding site is Cang Don Nghia Lo, which detained Vietnamese patriotic prisoners during the French colonial period.

Can Don is shaped like a rectangle with three separate rows of houses? Solid barbed wire fences encompass the entire area, while the outside is a deep trench with stakes. Each corner has a watchtower for guards to watch day and night.

Check out: North Vietnam Motorbike Tour from Hanoi to Lang Son – 11 days

Muong Lo Market

Located at the center of Muong Lo, the market is a busy trading area of ​​Nghia Lo town. Here there is a wide variety of goods for you to choose from, especially the brocade craft items made by ethnic people.

After coming to Muong Lo market, you can buy some souvenirs as gifts for your friends and relatives. The market also gives you a chance to enjoy many delicious dishes from Thai people.

Memorial Area of Ho Chi Minh 

When traveling to Nghia Lo, Vietnam, you should also pay a visit to the Memorial Area of Ho Chi Minh. This memorial area includes a large fish pond, a fresh fruit garden, and a wooden stilt house designed like Ho Chi Minh’s stilt house in Hanoi. Paying a visit to this spot will help you learn more about Ho Chi Minh’s daily life.

Van Chan hot spring

Here Thai girls will take you to Van Chan hot spring, where you can enjoy hot water for deep relaxation. After that, you can admire the traditional dances of the local people and try some regional dishes. There are also many other interesting activities waiting for you here.

Other places to visit in Nghia Lo Vietnam

If you have much leisure time, please visit nearby tourist destinations such as Hoc hamlet, Giang stream, and Mu Cang Chai. Coming to these destinations, you will have an opportunity to learn more about the indigenous cultures of ethnic minorities such as Muong and Munong.

Check out: North Vietnam Motorbike Tour from Hanoi to Halong Bay via Nghia Lo – 14 days

Must-try dishes when coming to Nghia Lo Vietnam

Dried buffalo meat 

Buffalo meat is marinated with various spices, including “mắc khén”, a special ingredient of Thai people. Then, the locals dry the meat with the woodstove smoke. When enjoying the food, you will realize the burning smell of smoke, but its taste is truly delicious. It is said that dried buffalo meat is the most famous specialty in Nghia Lo, Vietnam.

Muong Lo fried bush crickets  

To make bush crickets delicious and eye-catching, you must spend a lot of time and effort. This food has a delicious aroma and a smooth taste, thus being loved by almost all the tourists.

Muong Lo black rice cake (Bánh chưng đen)

Thai people often offer this traditional cake to ancestral altars on the Tet holiday. Bánh chưng đen is made from Tu Le sticky rice and other ingredients to create a delicious flavor.

Muong Lo bamboo-tube rice

Different from bamboo-tube rice of other regions, the rice in Muong Lo is made from Thai glutinous rice that brings distinctive tastes. The rice here is also delicious and sweet because it is cooked with a green bamboo tube.

Muong Lo shrimp floss

Shrimp floss in Muong Lo is made with a unique recipe by Thai people. Therefore, the floss here leaves a taste that is so different and unmistakable. You can eat shrimp floss with white rice or boiled vegetables. You also should buy shrimp floss as a gift for your family.

Stream mossy in Muong Lo

Stream moss is used for processing a variety of nutritious dishes in Nghia Lo, Vietnam. The black Thai families here usually eat mossy in their dinners.

Finger bamboo shoots (Măng Sặt)

Thanks to the fertile soil, finger bamboo shoots in Nghia Lo Vietnam also differ from those from other places. These shoots can be combined with a variety of dishes at family meals.

Other tasty local dishes

In addition to the foods above, you can enjoy many other delicious dishes, such as five-color sticky rice, sour meat, grilled fish, and crunchy crickets.

Check Out: Top 6 Exotic Foods in Northwest Vietnam You Must Try Once in Your Life

Check out other scenic motorbike tour routes from Hanoi to Nghia Lo designed by BM Travel Vietnam Motorbike Tours, which are best for off-road riding. To adventure lovers, these are ecstatic motorbike routes to challenge and explore! Just choose the one that suits your plan most and head to Vietnam in no time! 

Northwest Vietnam Motorbike Tour from Hanoi to Nghia Lo – 5 days

Northwest Vietnam has majestic and wild beauty, distinctive culture, and glorious history. Traveling on the 5-day Northwest Vietnam Motorbike Tour from Hanoi to Nghia Lo takes you through this fabulous land home to various ethnic minorities. It can’t be denied that it would be a great chance for you to immerse into the life of the indigenous and expand your mind with their exotic cultural values. On the way to have the best Northwest Motorcycle Tour adventure of your lifetime, feast your eyes on the magnificent and untouched natural views on all sides of the stunning off-road trails.

North Vietnam Motorbike Tour from Hanoi to Halong Bay via Nghia Lo – 10 days

Our 10-day North Vietnam Motorbike Tour from Hanoi to Halong Bay is a great chance for you to discover the most well-known landmarks in Northern Vietnam and Southeast Asia, such as Tu Le, Mu Cang Chai, Sapa, Hoang Su Phi, Dong Van, Meo Vac, Ban Gioc Waterfall, and Halong Bay – the World Natural Heritage Site. After more than a week of conquering fierce and challenging off-road trails, we spend the last day blowing off steam on a luxurious cruise in Halong Bay with a panoramic view of jaw-dropping scenery and rocky mountains in different shapes.

Hopefully, with the abovementioned experiences and schedules, you will have a memorable trip to Nghia Lo, Vietnam. Suppose you do not have enough time to plan the trip or have no private vehicle. In that case, booking high-quality Northwest Vietnam Motorbike tours of BM Travel Adventure with reasonable prices and the best services is highly recommended. Certainly, these tours will allow you to get acquainted with new friends and gain fascinating experiences during the journey.