Northwest Vietnam Motorbike Tour via Northern Loop Trail - 6 days

We are all super excited for this six-day motorbike tour to explore northwest Vietnam. Our first destination is Phu Yen, which locates at the height of more than 1000m above sea level. Majestic mountain, lush green forests and small valleys nestled between mountains and hills, Phu Yen is like a giant art painting and a marvelous masterpiece of creation. 

It takes 4 hours to drive from Hanoi to Phu Yen, which is 190 km away and we choose the Noi Bai-Lao Cai highway route. Driving off the beaten path, we arrive at Phu Yen after four hours, our first destination in our six-day northwest Vietnam motorcycle tour. Over the hills, we catch the sight of rice and corn fields which are well blended and look like an oil painting with radiant colors. The poetic beauty of this area is typical to the northwest area of Vietnam. Setting our foot in this land, taking a deep breath and we find peace within us. 

Summary:

Distance: 190 km

Accommodation: Hotel in Phu Yen

Meals:   Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Waking up to the lovely view from our homestay, we can immediately feel the cool temperature and pleasant breeze filled with mist. Tourists should wake up early to enjoy the foggy atmosphere of the mountainous area. After having a hearty breakfast in Phu Yen, we prepare our bags and stuff for our journey of Day 2. Mountain ranges, hills after hills, vast rice terraced fields are the first impressions we have in Yen Bai’s Mu Cang Chai district. 

We spend 4 hours on our 180km route and taking 4 hours. Though it’s quite far and the road is not always easy to handle, the journey is very interesting as the scenery changes constantly along the way. Tourists will see typical Thai stilt houses, golden rice terraced fields in Muong Lo, stunning flower valleys, winding roads and steep hills in their own eyes. After lunch, we travel to mist-capped Qua Khau Pha Pass. On the way driving to the top of the pass, we can vividly feel the change in elevation. 

Rice terraced fields appear magnificently below hundreds of grand mountain ranges and forests of northwest Vietnam. Getting to the top of the mountain range and looking over the rice fields, we understand why this is a treasure and heritage of this land. In the ripe rice season, the fields look like a “golden sea" which spans throughout the mountain ranges of Mu Cang Chai. After spending a day with lots of thrilling drives and memorable experience and majestic landscapes, we get back to the hotel, enjoy dinner which features all specialties of the province and play some fun games. 

Summary:

Distance: 180km

Accommodation: Hotel in Mu Cang Chai

Meals:   Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Early morning may be the most tranquil and peaceful moment in our motorbike trip as this is the time when we can enjoy the pure air, the wet mist and watch dawn break. On day 3, we head to Sapa. The route from Mu Cang Chai to Sapa is about 140km and takes more than 3 hours thanks to Noi Bai-Lao Cai highway. Instead of spending 6 to 7 hours on a bus or train to get to Sapa, now tourists just need to drive for only 3 hours. 

Talking about Sapa, there are tons of things to do and places to visit here. It has ancient villages, stunning rice terraced fields, and hospitable Mong people. To get a local taste, tourists can try local home-made wine, join local ethnic people in their dance show, learn about the musical instruments used by local artisans. 

Summary:

Distance: 140km

Accommodation: Hotel in Sapa

Meals:  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Cold temperature seems to facilitate our sleep in Sa Pa. The chill is well intertwined with warm rays of sunshine when the sun rises. After breakfast, we head to Luc Yen, which is 175km from Sapa and takes 4.5 hours. This is a remote district of Yen Bai province with some interesting spots to visit. One that tourists shouldn’t miss is the busy gem market locating in the district’s center where locals sell gemstone products of various types: ruby, sapphire, from the cheap to exquisite piece. 

A trip to Cam Duong cave, listed among the top 10 caves of Vietnam is also a must-visit while tourists are in Yen Bai province. Untouched by human activities with many colorful sparkling stalactites of all shapes and different sizes, and enchanting shapes, Cam Duong cave is a fascinating place to see whether you are a cave aficionado or just simply drawn by allures of mysterious caves.

Summary:

Distance: 175 km

Accommodation: Hotel in Luc Yen

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

In our northwest Vietnam motorbike tour via the northern loop trail, we experience not only the rugged and wild but also the peaceful rural village like Vu Linh. This is a small village lying near hydropower Thac Ba lake. Tourists can enjoy the peace in the rural areas of Vietnam by taking a stroll around the village to see local women in their delicate traditional costumes and visit the typical stilt houses or take a boat on the lake, visiting the herbal gardens or Phuc An waterfall. Make sure you spend a whole day in Vu Linh and the surrounding neighborhood to get a full experience of this land and culture. 

Summary:

Distance: 70km

Accommodation: Hotel in Vu Linh village

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner