Itinerary 1: SIX DAYS – North West Vietnam (Sapa)

Highlights: Mai Chau, Sapa, Bac Ha Markets (Sundays), overnight train back to Hanoi

Itinerary 2: 10 DAYS – North and Central Vietnam

Highlights: Mai Chau, Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Ho Chi Minh Trail, Hue city tour, Hoi An

Itinerary 3: 10 DAYS – North West/North East Vietnam

Highlights: Ha Giang, Ban Gioc Waterfall on the border with China, Ba Be Lake

 

Itinerary 1

SIX DAYS – North West Vietnam (Sapa)

Highlights: Mai Chau, Sapa, Bac Ha Markets (Sundays), overnight train back to Hanoi

Day 1: Hanoi to Mai Chau
Distance: 160 km
We leave Hanoi at 08:30 and ride along the Red River (Song Hong) which brims with traditional farming activity, and we pass through many limestone monoliths and into foothills populated by Muong people. We reach a high and beautiful forested pass, which descends into the hidden valley of Mai Chau where we spend the night with friends in a traditional Thai stilt house in Pom Coong village after an amazing motorbike tour in North Vietnam today.

Day 2: Mai Chau to Son La
Distance: 201 km
Our tour today is on good road conditions looking high over beautiful mountains. We keep riding up into a forested region populated by H’mong people before riding to a mountainous tea-growing region. Soon after we follow a long valley floor covered in a sea of rice surrounded by Black Thai villages all the way to Son La with its bargain-filled market. After a great day of touring we will sleep in a local hotel in Son La.

Day 3: Son La to Muong Lay
Distance: 202 km
Our ride today will pass about 15 passes on very beautiful roads and amazing landscape. Probably the most beautiful journey of the whole tour in Northern Vietnam even the road is not in very good condition. Stay in a local mini hotel.

Day 4: Muong Lay to Sin Ho
Distance: 120 km, 5hours
Heading out northwest from Muong Lay, the road passes isolated communities of Hmong and Thai people, whose small villages settle on the banks of dark green rivers and on the steep slopes of the mountains. After lunch by a forest stream the road begins to climb up the high Sa Tong pass. At the top for sunset before dropping sharply into the deep Lai Chau valley. Muong Lay town was sunk in early 2010 and our new place for overnighting is Sin Ho, a small remote town.

Day 5: Sin Ho to Sapa
Distance: 120 km

Day 6: Bac Ha Markets (Sundays only)
After having a morning coffee, you take a ride to the Bac Ha Markets castle of the former Hmong King. From there you can have a view over the town. You will then visit the huge market of Bac Ha with its colorful array of ethnic minority people such as Flower Hmong, Phu La, Black Dao, Tay, Nung who gather to buy and sell. After spending the whole morning exploring the market, your lunch will be served in a local restaurant. After lunch, we ride our motorbikes downhill for the journey back to Lao Cai for the overnight train back to Hanoi (putting the bikes on the train).

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Itinerary 2

10 DAYS – NORTH AND CENTRAL VIETNAM

Highlights: Mai Chau, Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Ho Chi Minh Trail, Hue city tour, Hoi An

Day 1: Hanoi to Phu Yen
Distance: 165 km ~6 hours riding
Ride to Phu Yen on country road with a stop in Son Tay. In November 1970, a joint force composed of USAF Special Operations and rescue personnel and U.S. Army Special Forces, supported by U.S. Navy Carrier Task Force 77, made a daring raid on the Son Tay prison camp located less than 50 miles from Hanoi. The objective was to rescue as many as 100 U.S. captives thought to be held there. The assault troops, in six ARRS helicopters accompanied by two C-130 aircraft, flew 640km to Son Tay from bases in Thailand. No prisoners were found in the camp.

After lunch, ride on the winding mountain road to Phu Yen to take in some of the best mountain views in Northwest Vietnam. This gives us a great day of riding on the mountain roads. Overnight in a hotel.

Day 2: Phu Yen to Mai Chau
Distance: 145 km, 5 hours riding
There are many small roads that lead into the mountains around Mai Chau so we’ll take the chance to ride out to isolated H’mong, Dao and Thai villages. We will take on the challenge of an old road built by the French army and spend the afternoon exploring nearby villages. Overnight in a Thai ethnicity stilt house in Mai Chau.

Day 3: Mai Chau to Pu Luong
After breakfast we embark on a beautiful ride following shaded village roads to Van Mai Village where we have lunch in a local house. After lunch we ride southward to Pu Luong Nature Reserve. We will first bike on beautiful tar road through Mai Chau valley before jumping into bumpy village road the last 15km. We will reach Hang Village around 5 pm where we will have dinner and overnight in a traditional stilt-house of a Thai family.

Day 4: Pu Luong to Tan Ky
Distance: 60 km; 40% unpaved bumpy road
After breakfast we say good bye to the villagers and ride toward Ma River passing expansive maize fields. Near the river we would see many water wheels which used by the local to water their farms. We cross the river on bridge and have lunch in Canh Nang town. After lunch we continue biking toward the Fairy Fish Stream in Cam Luong where you see thousands of fish in a shallow stream. You can feed and touch them. After that you continue riding southward on Ho Chi Minh Highway. In the afternoon we will use support van for over 100km transfer to Tan Ky Town, where we will stay overnight in a small hotel and have dinner in local restaurant.

Day 5: Tan Ky to Phong Nha
Distance: 280 km, 8 hours riding
Ride on Ho Chi Minh Highway until Pho Chau where we stop to visit the HCM Trail victory monument; now our ride starts to follow the Ho Chi Minh Trail.

Ride all the way to Phong Nha – Ke Bang, the biggest and also the most beautiful cave in Vietnam and Indochina and is now a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site. The karst formation of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park has evolved since the Paleozoic (some 400 million years ago) and so is the oldest major karst area in Asia. Subject to massive tectonic changes, the park’s karst landscape is extremely complex with many geographic features of considerable significance. The vast area, extending to the border of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, contains spectacular formations including 65 km of caves and underground rivers.

Day 6: Phong Nha to Dong Hoi
Distance: 60 km, 2 hours riding
Boating and exploring World Heritage site of Phong Nha where local civilians and military sheltered from incessant bombing during wartime. Then we drive down to the coastal town of Dong Hoi, which was heavily shelled by US warships during the war. At a hotel over looking the beach, we can take in some sunbathing by the beach. Overnight in Dong Hoi.

Day 7: Dong Hoi to Hue

Day 8: Hue city tour

Day 9: Hue to Hoi An
Distance: 145 km, 5 hours riding
See the Forbidden Citadel in the morning. Join the National Highway 1 and head up the Hai Van Pass (Cloudy Pass) before the World Heritage site of Hoi An, a major trading centre in SE Asia in the 16th and 17th centuries. Overnight in Hoi An.

Day 10: Hoi An. Farewell lunch
Those who wish can ride up to My Khe beach, where US marines first landed, otherwise enjoy a free day to explore Hoi An by foot or by motorbike taxi. With fine wining and dining (including a range of Hoi An specialities), impressive architecture, fantastic tailoring, endless shopping, and a glorious beach, there is no shortage of activities to indulge in. After lunch, we will say goodbye and our guide flies back to Hanoi from Danang. There are two options from here: Return to Hanoi on train or by air or go by train/air down south (from Danang).

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Itinerary 3

10 DAYS – North West / North East Vietnam

Highlights: Ha Giang, Ban Gioc Waterfall on the border with China, Ba Be Lake

Day 1: Hanoi to Phu Yen
Distance: 165 km, ~6 hours riding
Today we start our tour to Phu Yen on countryside road with a stop in Son Tay. In November 1970, a joint force composed of USAF Special Operations and rescue personnel and U.S. Army Special Forces, supported by U.S. Navy Carrier Task Force 77, made a daring raid on the Son Tay prison camp located less than 50 miles from Hanoi. The objective was to rescue as many as 100 U.S. captives thought to be held there. The assault troops, in six ARRS helicopters accompanied by two C-130 aircrafts, flew 640km to Son Tay from bases in Thailand. No prisoners were found in the camp.

After lunch, we continue our tour on the winding mountain road to Phu Yen to take in some of the best mountain views in Northwest Vietnam. We’ll stay in a mini hotel in Phu Yen town.

Day 2: Phu Yen to Vu Linh village (Thac Ba Lake, Yen Bai)
Distance: 180 km
In the morning, we motorcycle across Lung Lo pass before head up on Road 32. During the First Indochina War, the 15km-long Lung Lo Pass, used by the Vietnamese resistance force to transport weapons, goods and food during the Dien Bien Phu campaign of 1954, was heavily bombed by the French in order to sever the front lines from the rear. Lung Lo Pass, situated in the northern province of Yen Bai, is recognised as national heritage.

Heading up to Ba Khe T-junction, we continue our motorbike tour on sealed road through renowned tea growing areas, where the hillsides are literally covered in plantations, all the way to the city of Yen Bai which sits on the Red River. From here it’s a short ride to the Thac Ba Lake, also formed by the construction of hydroelectricity dam in the 1970s. We keep riding to the Dao village of Vu Linh where we stay for the night, enjoying Dao hospitality. We will have an unforgettable dinner with the hosts. Overnight in homestay.

Day 3: Vu Linh to Ha Giang
Distance: 180 km / 7 hours
After breakfast, ride along the Thac Ba lake on a small road lined by palm trees and scenic mountain views to join the main road heading up to Ha Giang where we stop for the night and apply for a permit.

Day 4: Ha Giang to Dong Van or Meo Vac
Distance: 180 km / 7 hours
After getting the permit to ride in border area from Ha Giang’s Immigration Police, we ride on small challenging mountain roads (but incredibly beautiful) on the land of colorful mountain hill-tribes. Head up the Ma Pi Leng Pass. Here is yet another amazing place, with cloudy mountain ranges and the poetic Nho Que river winding off in the distance. Ride on a zig-zag track until Dong Van, a remote area and meet the hard-working local people here. It is inspiring to see how they survive as they manage live in the rocks. When we reach town we will have some extra time to wander the ancient streets lined with H’mong homes of clay bricks and tiles roofs built centuries ago.

Another option is to stay in Meo Vac in a home stay or a hotel. From our experience, Dong Van is a nicer place than Meo Vac to overnight.

Day 5: Dong Van or Meo Vac to Bao Lac
Distance: I80 km / 5 hours
The condition of the tracks make the ride relatively long in spite of the short distance. The landscape is among the most beautiful of Vietnam, and the slow tempo is only more appreciable. We cross the wild regions of the mythical province of Ha Giang. Stop for the night at Bao Lac, the ethnic crossroads of Northeast Vietnam. Many other ethnic groups on the two sides of the border meet at the market every Sunday.

Day 6: Bao Lac to Ba Be
To save time for the boat trip in Ba Be lake, We should start the day earlier so after breakfast, we start riding at around 8am. Today is exactly the best off-road Vietnam motorbike tour. Just after 20 km from Bao Lac we turn to narrow and bumpy road with breathtaking view of terrace rice paddies. Especially, we have to cross few rivers instead of riding on some bamboo bridges. Finishing the memorable riding day with lunch in a peaceful village of the Tay people nearby Ba Be Lake .
It’s time for relaxing on one of the most beautiful and biggest natural lake in Vietnam in the afternoon.

Day 7: Ba Be to Cao Bang
Boat ride on Ba Be National Park and ride to Cao Bang City (130 km)
Half-day boat ride on the lake to the other side, where we can explore Dau Dang waterfall on Nang river. As one of the 27 ASEAN heritage gardens, Ba Be has the potential to attract nature lovers with its 450ha natural fresh water lake, and 553 species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish.

According to a survey from the Viet Nam Institute of Geo-sciences and Mineral Resources, over 11,000 years ago, an earthquake caused a collapse of the subterranean Nang River, creating a natural dam which led to the formation of Ba Be Lake.

After boat ride, we get out to Cho Ra for lunch before ride up to Cao Bang Town. Overnight in Cao Bang.

DAY 8: Cao Bang to Quang Uyen
Distance: 140 km / 6 hours
Ride for 1.5 hours to reach the beautiful village of Quang Uyen, in the middle of circle of mountains. This is the territory of Nung An people. Home stay in a host family and the hostess is a great cook.
We make our way through spectacular scenery to Vietnam’s most impressive waterfall, Ban Gioc Waterfalls, 50 km from Quang Uyen. Weather permitting we can swim right up to where the 50 m high falls hit the river.

Day 9: Quang Uyen to Lang Son
Distance: 180 km / 7 hours
Ride from Quang Uyen to Lang Son on the famous and historical Highway 4. We will have time to discover this city which has become a big trading post between China and Vietnam. You can shop for cheap Chinese products at the nearby Dong Kinh market. Overnight in hotel.

Day 10: Lang Son to Hanoi
Distance: 150 km / 5 hours
Easy day back to Hanoi on the new Highway 1B. You can wake up late in the morning as we guess you can be tired after many long riding days.

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