“Spend more time on the open road”
11 Day Adventurous Loop Guided Motorcycle Tour in Northeast Vietnam
Ba Be, Vietnam
Diverse Motorcycle Tour Vietnam
From the lowlands of Tonkin to the wild and remote province of Ha Giang, this motorbike tour explores the country’s diverse and local culture as you pass through lakes, rivers, jungles, rice fields, and dizzying heights. Take a boat ride through waters that open up to engulfing spectacular scenery. Ride through passes of mountains and valleys, limestone and a sea of emerald fields, and get taken away in a frenzy of mystical beauty. Discover the sundry ethnicity of Vietnam through a colorful kaleidoscope of customs and lifestyle. Mr. Linh's Adventures proposes this North to North loop for an intimate encounter with Vietnam.
Key information
- Bike: rental (Honda XR150)
- Terrain: mix of asphalt and off-road
- Daily rides: 80 to 235 kilometers / 50 to 146 miles
- Riding gear: included: rain gear, helmets, motorbike jacket
- Meals: 10 breakfasts, 11 lunches, and 10 dinners
Meet the instructors
Tran Khac
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Highlights
- Starts and ends in Hanoi
- Boat ride through lovely lakes
- Cultural visit to ethnic communities
- Biking through karst mountains and valleys
- Superb panorama from Cong Troi Pass
- Honda XR150 motorcycle rental
- 10 nights accommodation
- Services of a guide
Skill level
- Intermediate
10 days with instruction in English
The organizer also speaks: French
Group size: 2-15 participants
Airport transfer available:
Noi Bai International Airport (US$ 26 per person)
Noi Bai International Airport (US$ 26 per person)
Accommodation
Check-in Time:
08:00
Check-out Time:
17:00
Please note that the hotels mentioned in this list are for reference only. Depending on availability and your preference, they can be changed. If we are unable to book any hotel, it will be replaced by another hotel at least of equivalent standard and value.
Accommodation list
- Ba Be: Homestay (1 night)
- Ba Be: Homestay (1 night)
- Bao Lac: Hotel (1 night)
- Dong Van: Hotel (1 night)
- Ha Giang: Homestay (1 night)
- Hoang Su Phi: Homestay (1 night)
- Bac Ha: Homestay (1 night)
- Luc Yen: Hotel (1 night)
- Vu Linh: Homestay (1 night)
Program
Itinerary
Day 1: Hanoi – Ba Be (235 kilometers / 146 miles – 6 hours on the road)
You will leave Hanoi early to reach the first destination. You will drive on small secondary roads, winding along forests and valleys. Landscapes will be wild after Thai Nguyen City. Lunch will be provided en route. You will arrive in Cho Ra in the afternoon and take a boat waiting for you at Buoc Lom Harbor.
You will then continue visiting the village of Ban Cam from the Tay ethnicity located on the shore of the river. Afterward, the boat will take you to Dau Dang which is also a Tay village. You will spend the night by the waterfalls at the house of a friend Ong Pirate, the chief of the jungle. Lunch and dinner will be provided.
Day 2: Ba Be Lake
You will have a full day to enjoy the national park. Ba Be is a national park covered by one of the last primary forests of Vietnam. In the morning, you will go for a walk by the Nang River until the waterfalls of Dau Dang. You will come back to take a boat to cross the Nang River and begin the trek through the hills.
During the walk, you will cross several villages and pay a visit to the H’mong, Dao, and Tay friends lost in the forest. You will finally reach the Lake of Ba Be where a boat will wait for you. Then, you will cross the lake to get to the village of Coc Toc and have some rest. You will spend the night at Mr. Linh’s Homestay in the jungle. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be provided.
Day 3: Ba Be – Bao Lac (180 kilometers / 112 miles – 6 hours on the road)
You will have an early departure for a long and beautiful ride through a small and easy road that recently replaced a dirt road. The scenery will change as you climb the mountain. You will drive through the mountain and passes with no traffic at all!
You will go through the territory of the Tay, Doa, H’Mong, and San Chi to end up in the Lo Lo ethnic area. Depending on the day of the week, you can visit the ethnic market of Bao Lac. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be provided.
Day 4: Bao Lac – Meo Vac – Dong Van (120 kilometers / 75 miles – 4 hours on the road)
On day four, you will have one of the most stunning rides in Vietnam along the Chinese border. There will be many incredible mountain passes, valleys, and ethnic territories and you will witness a mystical atmosphere for a trip from another time. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be provided.
Day 5: Dong Van – Ha Giang (150 kilometers / 93 miles – 5 hours on the road)
Day five will be a very nice step toward the heights of the province in China. You will cross passes, valleys estates, and many countries with different cultures. You will pass through several villages of friends from the Hoa, Pu Peo, and Phu tribes.
It will also be an opportunity to see some vestiges of the French and H’mong constructions including the H’mong Castle. It will be a sublime journey from a different time. You will stay overnight at a hotel. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be provided.
Day 6: Ha Giang – Hoang Su Phi (90 kilometers / 55 miles – 3 hours on the road)
The riding will be a short stage yet you will have to go through the Cong Troi Pass which offers a beautiful panorama. You will have time in the afternoon for a walk to discover the Hoang Su Phi surroundings.
You will be welcomed by friends at the lodge, which offers good comfort, nice meals, and a gorgeous view of the forest, river, and gardens. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be provided.
Day 7: Hoang Su Phi – Xin Man – Bac Ha (100 kilometers / 62 miles – 5 hours on the road)
You will drive through an alternatively sealed road and tracks through remote areas. Sceneries will change every 15 kilometers and you will cross many different ethnic villages such as the White and Red Dao, the Tay, Cao Lan, the Flower H’mong on the Chinese border, Lo Lo, and about eight other ethnic groups.
You will stay overnight at a hotel on the road between Vietnam and China. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be provided.
Day 8: Bac Ha – Luc Yen (130 kilometers / 81 miles – 4 hours on the road)
You will have time to enjoy a little bit more the place and then, you will leave by a nice road after lunch. You will see small hills covered by tea plantations and karstic mountain peaks. You will reach Luc Yen in the early afternoon. Dinner and the overnight stay will be at a hotel. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be provided.
Day 9: Luc Yen – Vu Linh (80 kilometers / 50 miles – 3 hours on the road)
If you have not been the day before, you can climb up to the red Dao village to meet friends or you can start directly by taking a beautiful small road in the middle of limestone and palm trees. You will ride up in the foothills of the lake then ride down to go along its fiords until the village of Vu Linh.
You will be welcomed in a superb stilt house by Dao Quan Trang friends right on the bank of the lake. Depending on time and schedule, you can rent a boat to go for a cruise on the peaceful lake and hopefully enjoy one of the nicest sunsets of the trip on the 3,000 islets of the huge lake. You will arrive at around 06:00 p.m. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be provided.
Day 10: Vu Linh – Green Vietnam (80 kilometers / 50 miles – 3 hours on the road)
You will go west to Tuyen Quang and then north to Green Vietnam, an ecological project managed by a dynamic Vietnamese agricultural family. You will sleep in the stilt house in the heart of an extraordinary garden of fruit trees. It will be an opportunity to discover and participate in the development of a unique project in Vietnam. You will arrive at around 06:00 p.m. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be provided.
Day 11: Green Vietnam – Hanoi (173 kilometers / 107 miles – 5 hours on the road)
It will be a quiet morning with friends from Green Vietnam. You will have time to enjoy the site visit around the neighborhood before hitting the road again to get back to Hanoi. Breakfast and lunch will be provided.
Skill level required for this tour: intermediate
Intermediate
- can ride for three to four hours
- average riding experience
- little assistance required
- comfortable with extreme curves and leans
- average experience with unsurfaced roads
- steep ascents and descents
International drivers license is required to attend this tour.
Included excursions
- Board a boat from Buoc Lom Harbor
- Boat ride crossing the Nang River
- Cross Ba Be Lake and visit Coc Toc
- Take a walk by the Nang River to Dau Dang Waterfalls
- Trek through the hills to reach local villages
- Trip to H’mong Castle
- Visit the village of Ban Cam and Dau Dang
- Walk around the surroundings of Hoang Su Phi
Instructors
Tran Khac Cuong
Mr. Cuong is a local guide in the northern mountainous region in Vietnam since 2010. He is an expert in paths and passionate in conquering the most zigzag roads of Vietnam. He graduated in Tourism and has a deep local knowledge where he can take travelers to the off-the-beaten-tracks. He is also an expert in repairing motorcycles with skills to support travelers in dangerous situations, Mr. Cuong is confident in guiding international travelers who are passionate about off-road adventures.
Location
- Ba Be National Park - A wild treasure home to one of the biggest natural freshwater lakes in Asia
- Ha Giang Province - Vietnam's final frontier rich with a multitude of ethnic cultures and stunning landscapes
- Hanoi - Bustling capital city of Northern Vietnam
Food
During this tour, all meals will be provided daily, except for breakfast on the first day and dinner on the last. Visiting each destination in the northern mountainous region in Vietnam, travelers will have the chance to experience local food. All the specialties will be cooked by local people with fresh, natural, and healthy ingredients prepared with a distinctive cooking method.
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Regular (typically includes meat and fish)
If you have special dietary requirements it's a good idea to communicate it to the organiser when making a reservation
Things to do (optional)
Biking
Ba Be is great for exploring by bicycle. Sports bikes can be rented for 10 USD per day. The main roads around the national park are mostly in good condition and do not see much traffic. One-day cycling around the park should enable you to visit Hua Ma Cave, Thac Bac Waterfall, and some villages.
Car hire and motorbike taxis
Car hire and motorbike taxis can also be arranged in Ba Be. Motorbike taxis (Xe Om) can be a good way to explore the park as the drivers usually know the best spots. Be sure to clearly agree your plans and price in advance.
Kayaking
Ba Be Lake is definitely a place to remember, well worth the effort of the journey. It is breathtakingly beautiful, serene, and culturally fascinating whilst also offering a range of adventure activities. Mr. Linh's Adventure looks forward to seeing you there and sharing a little piece of heaven.
Kayaking is the best way to explore the breathtaking beauty of Ba Be Lake. Paddle through the islets, discover hidden caves, and visit fishing villages. You can get closer to the limestone karsts and find some secret corners of Ba Be Lake and the Nang River.
An added benefit of kayaking is that they can get you up close to karsts and into the caves that are not suitable for bigger boats. The lack of engine also makes it an eco-way to travel without causing air or noise pollution. When kayaking, suitable clothing is a must.
It is essential to wear a life jacket and you are recommended to wear a t-shirt and shorts or a swimming suit in summer, warmer clothes in winter, wet shoes, hat, sun cream, and sunglasses.
A dry bag is extremely useful for storing your camera, insect repellent, and water. Kayaking is only provided by the Ba Be Tourism Center or Mr. Linh's Homestay in Coc Toc Village.
Other activities
While on tour, you can visit the ethnic market of Bao Lac, climb to the Red Dao village, and take a cruise around the lake as you arrive in Vu Linh.
Tasting local food
Ba Be's local food specialties are another ideal reason to relish your stay in the area. There are too many to mention but boiled chayote cooked with sesame or "lon cap nach" are worth the taste. It literally means “pig carried under the arm,” home pigs raised in the field or forest.
Barbecued meat and fish and a huge variety of vegetables together with dumplings, bamboo tube rice, noodles, and eggs may all be part of the feast you can enjoy at the table of your host.
Trekking
The whole district of Ba Be is dominated by the Pia Booc mountain range rising to a height of 1,527 meters. It is the combination of scenery from the karst outcrops clad in rich vegetation to the paddy fields carpeting the lower slopes of the Na Nghe mountains.
There is also a rich variety of flora and fauna and cultural diversity which together make Ba Be a unique and rewarding location. Local guides have a wealth of invaluable knowledge as well as keeping you safe. They know which routes to take for the best sightseeing and wildlife spotting.
What's included
- 10 nights accommodation
- Honda XR150 motorbike
- All petrol (gasoline)
- Rain gear, helmets, and a motorbike jacket
- Boat trip
- Daily meals
- Services of a local English-speaking guide
- All entrance fees and permits to visit the frontier area
What's not included
- Visa to Vietnam
- Any other transportation not mentioned in the itinerary
- Insurance
- Drinks
- Meals are not mentioned in the itinerary
- Tips for the guide
- Other personal expenses
- Airfare
How to get there
Recommended Airports
HAN
Noi Bai International Airport
134 km
Transfer available for additional US$ 26 per person
Arrival by airplane
Please book your flight to Noi Bai International Airport (HAN). Airport transfer is available at an additional cost of 26 USD.
Airport: Noi Bai International Airport
Airport transfer available:
Noi Bai International Airport (US$ 26 per person)
Additional charges may apply. You can request this in the next step.
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 30% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid on arrival.
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through Tripaneer.com. All major credit cards supported.
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