Vietnam Motorcycle Trip from Hanoi to Mai Chau – 3 days

We start our journey from Hanoi city. We strike through the hustling, and bustling streets of Hanoi, then go along the famous Red River of Vietnam, pass through a rural area and have a glimpse into the life of local people in the countryside. We then join the national highway, head to Ninh Binh city, then get to the towering limestone mountains that will take us to Van Long, where we spend a few hours exploring. This largest wetland nature conservation area of the Red River delta region with more than 1,000 eye-catching caves, diverse ecosystem, and jaw-dropping views is a highlight of this trip. 

We arrive at the hotel near Tam Coc, have a quick break, enjoy dinner, then spend the night here. With impressive limestone mountains, seemingly endless rice fields, majestic mountains, lush green rivers, and mysterious large caves, Tam Coc is truly a heaven on earth’s destination that tourists shouldn’t miss while they visit Ninh Binh. 

Distance/ time: 160 km/ 4 hours of riding

We wake up early, having a walk around our hotel area to enjoy the fresh air and experience the tranquility and peace in a rural area before having breakfast. We then hit the road at around 9 am. After steering the small rural road and then the beautiful paths, we arrive at the Mua Cave, where we can spend some time to trek and get to the peak of the mountain to get a panoramic view of the rural villages, the limestone mountains, the vast rice fields, and the winding rivers.

We then head to Trang An complex, a must while you are in Ninh Binh. This offers you peaceful moments in a boat tour with a breathtaking view of limestone karst mountains and scenic valleys with cliffs. This two to three-hour boat tour will take you to various destinations: from ancient temples and palaces to mysterious caves. The serene nature with a cool breeze, the burbling sound of water, and birds’ chirping melody will be a perfect retreat for you after some hours of driving. 

In the afternoon, we drive along the Hoang Long River and get to the Cuc Phuong National Park before joining Ho Chi Minh Trail. From here, views and sceneries will change variously, and our ride will be a bit more challenging yet more fun. We drive past the famous Thung Khe, one of the most stunning passes in Vietnam, before making it to Mai Chau in the late afternoon. We then take a relaxing stroll around the area, watching the last rays of sunshine fall on the village before calling it a day. We spend the night in a local homestay and have dinner with local delicacies prepared by the host. 

Distance/ time: 180 km/ 5 hours of riding

After having a quick breakfast, we go to visit some destinations before getting back to Hanoi. We have a short ride to Ba Khan Lake, dubbed Ha Long Bay of the northern mountainous area of Vietnam, to contemplate its great view and astounding beauty. While in Mai Chau, visiting some ethnic villages is a must. We explore Lac village, home to well-preserved traditional houses on stilt, many of which now serve as homestays for tourists. Stupendous landscape, picture-postcard rice terraced fields, and hospitable local ethnic people with interesting culture and customs make the trip to Lac village rewarding and memorable to any visitor. 

We then bid farewell to Mai Chau and returned to Hanoi. We take a different route from the one we had when traveling from Hanoi with some off-road paths to make our journey back more challenging and fun. With these routes, we get the chance to drive on some small, narrow roads, passing by sugarcane and orange gardens and scenic rice fields. We get back to Hanoi before the rush hour. 

Within only three days, our travelers have the chance to try on different types of roads – both paved and off-road paths- to visit scenic destinations, meet authentic people, enjoy good local food, and be amazed by the beautiful landscapes of Vietnam. 

Distance/ time: 170 km/ 5 hours of riding

END OF TOUR