(No availability) 11 Day North Vietnam Guided Motorcycle Tour
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Private Motorcycle Tour in North Vietnam
This tour is difficult but so exciting. You will be out of Hanoi's chaotic traffics and head to the Northwest mountainous region. It’s such a beautiful day to ride through the jungle, cross the river, and sometimes in the stream bed. It is a great mixture of on and off-road rides that covers almost the beautiful landscapes in North Vietnam with Ba Be National Park, Ban Gioc waterfalls, Dong Van, and Ha Giang Rock plateau.
Key information
- Terrain: 25-70% off-road
- Bike: rental bike (Honda XR150L)
- Mileage: 1,900 - 2,000 kilometers plus / 1181 - 1243 miles
- Daily rides: 150 - 230 kilometers / 93 - 143 miles
- Riding gear: pants, jacket, gloves, helmet, rain gear, and other safety equipment are available at a favorable rental rate
- Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, tea, and drinking water are included
Highlights
- Starts and ends in Hanoi
- Ride through Ha Giang Loop
- Ride along the Ma River across rice fields
- Admire the Mu Cang Chai Terraced Rice Fields
- Get a glimpse at the life of many beautiful ethnic groups in Vietnam
- Visit the beautiful Dong Van Karst Plateau
- 10 nights accommodation
Skill level
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Noi Bai International Airport (US$ 18 per person)
Accommodation
You will stay in hotels and homestays along the route.
Program
Day 1: Hanoi - Muong Waterfall
It is a difficult but so exciting start to this North Vietnam motorbike tour to be out of Hanoi's chaotic traffics and head to the Northwest mountainous region. It’s such a beautiful day to ride through the jungle, cross the river, and sometimes in the stream bed. After the first hard day, you have a chance to sink in the cool waterfall in a national reserve park and stay with locals in a stilt house near a dreamlike spring.
- Distance: 160 kilometers / 99 miles
- Dirt road: 20 - 50 kilometers / 12 - 31 miles
Day 2: Muong Waterfall - Moc Chau Plateau
Wake up in a remote hamlet with murmuring streams and birds singing everywhere will be a great start to an exciting day. You will continue the North Vietnam motorbike tour by riding the 50 kilometers slope through the national reserve and going up to Lung Van village, which is clouded all year round. The bigger challenge will be the distance of 10 kilometers through the forest to Mai Chau valley for lunch.
Mai Chau is a small valley with roofed roofs nestled beneath the Thung Khe mountain pass. It is home to ethnic minorities such as Thai White, Muong, H’Mong, Tay, Zao Hoa, and Kinh. You will have lunch with locals at Lac village which is resided by the White Thai ethnic group.
Leaving Mai Chau village, you will continue on the old Highway 6, formerly the main road in the Northwest in the 80s and has been forgotten for many years. After 50 kilometers of land road along the Da River, the second day of the North Vietnam motorbike tour ends in the Moc Chau plateau, the beautiful highland of the Northwest.
- Distance: 160 kilometers / 99 miles
- Dirt road: 40 - 70 kilometers / 25 - 43 miles
Day 3: Moc Chau Plateau - Ngoc Chien Hot Spring
You will agree that today must be a very interesting day for any fan of off-road rides.
After breakfast, a short tour of Moc Chau is needed to help you explore the beautiful nature of this famous plateau before jumping into the track. You will soon be extremely excited when showing out your off-road skill in different terrains of gravel stone, mud, sheer cliffs, and deep abyss…visit some of the Black H’mong villages with fantastic nature.
In the evening, you will have a rest in the local house beside a hot spring after a hard and fun day.
- Distance: 190 kilometers / 118 miles
- Dirt road: 40 - 70 kilometers / 25 - 43 miles
Day 4: Ngoc Chien – Mu Cang Chai Terraced Rice Fields
Hope that the weather is good at least 1 week before you approach the track because today is very long and challenging for 90% of the distance is dirt. If you want to check your ability and want to conquer the very hard track, you can pray for rain right before or during your ride. All riders have to overcome many obstacles of streams, steep slopes, and too slippery mud, and stone in the jungle.
With a lot of effort, hope that we can reach Mu Cang Chai terraced fields before dark.
- Distance: 180 kilometers / 112 miles
- Dirt road: 70 kilometers / 43 miles
Day 5: Mu Cang Chai Terraced Rice Fields - Sapa
Today will be an easy and relaxing day. The ride is full of grandiose scenery, awesome gravel roads, and windy tracks. Sure, you will stop to catch many incredible moments. The temperature will be changed suddenly when you ride to O Qui Ho, the highest pass in Vietnam which connects Lai Chau province and Lao Cai province.
Stay overnight in the most famous touristy town which is very rich in cultural value in Northwest Vietnam, Sapa.
Have lunch and feel free to discover Sapa by yourself.
- Distance: 170 kilometers / 106 miles
- Dirt road: 20 kilometers / 12 miles
Day 6: Sapa - Xin Man Town
Depart from the beautiful and touristy town. You will ride to Bac Ha, one of the most famous traditional markets in Northeast of Vietnam. However, the market only opens on Sunday, so you can not take part in this colorful market if you do not ride here on the right day.
After having lunch in Bac Ha, you will ride to the far remote villages of the Black H’mong to have 30 kilometers off-road and have fun with rocky roads and steep hills along the boundary between Vietnam and China to Xin Man town where you can spend your night at a small hotel here.
- Distance: 160 kilometers / 99 miles
- Dirt road: 50 kilometers / 31 miles
Day 7: Xin Man Town - Ha Giang
If you are addicted to off-road rides, the tracks today were born to you.
Enjoy the unique flavor of a highland town in the borderland which is only apart from China by Tay Con Linh range – the roof of Northeast.
Start the ride in the morning full of challenges to the top of Chieu Lau Thi, the third highest roof in Vietnam, only after Fansipan and Tay Con Ling ranges, where all year round is covered by fog and cold winds. The majestic nature here will surprise you. Ride downhill to have warmer weather, passing Suoi Thau, U Bo, following the provincial road No. 178 and Highway No. 2, you will reach Ha Giang city.
Stay overnight in the homestay of the Tay people, about 5 kilometers from Ha Giang city.
- Distance: 150 kilometers / 93 miles
- Dirt road: 50 kilometers / 31 miles
Day 8: Ha Giang - Dong Van Karst Plateau
Ha Giang is well endowed with many natural landscapes which are extremely beautiful and unique with many winding passes on the rugged mountains. However, to off-road fans, following the muddy and slippery road along the border belt is a better choice and you can see many small houses of different hill tribes such as H’mong and Lo Lo built on the mountainous slopes. The source of water in the Dong Van karst plateau is very precious because this land rarely has rain, no rain in even a year. So, if you come here, stop and drink a cup of cooking water taken from the small slit running down from the high mountains. You will have a very special feeling.
Overnight in a hotel next to Meo Vac market.
- Distance: 170 kilometers / 106 miles
- Dirt road: 20 - 60 kilometers / 12 - 37 miles
Day 9: Dong Van - Bao Lac
Dong Van karst plateau has many special places to visit such as Dong Van Ancient Street and Rocky Market, a short tour on foot in Dong Van to learn more about the old architectural style and the hidden beauty of the little township are very interesting.
The ride today is very special, still winding roads running along the rocky peaks but the climate, scenery, and people are changed quickly. Enjoy a “thrilling” ride through the most dangerous pass of 20 kilometers length in Vietnam: Ma Pi Leng to Meo Vac market. From this pass, you can see the Nho Que river running under the foot of the pass. After crossing the Nho Que river at noon on the bamboo raft with capstan, riders will do 30 kilometers dirt road near the river bank to get to the hotel in Bao Lac before dark.
- Distance: 120 kilometers / 75 miles
- Dirt road: 60 kilometers / 37 miles
Day 10: Bao Lac – Ba Be
With 40 kilometers of dirt out of 100 kilometers total, today, the distance is quite short in comparison with the other days but it is good for local interaction to learn more about their special features. In addition, you can have more time to relax by boating on Ba Be lake or swimming in the cool water of this biggest mountainous lake in North Vietnam. Enjoy the night in the village nearby the lake.
- Distance: 120 kilometers / 75 miles
- Dirt road: 40 kilometers / 25 miles
Day 11: Ba Be - Hanoi
The last day and also the easy day of the ride comes. It is time to say goodbye to the stunning windy roads, the fantastic dirt tracks, the remote villages, and the friendly locals. You will ride back to the busy and crowded Hanoi. Be careful, your steering wheel is still not familiar with the crowded streets.
- Distance: 230 kilometers / 143 miles
- Dirt road: 0
Skill level(s) required for this tour: intermediate, advanced
Intermediate:
- can ride for 3-4 hours
- average riding experience
- little assistance required
- comfortable with extreme curves and leans
- average experience with unsurfaced roads
- steep ascents and descents
Advanced:
- can ride for 5-6 hours
- extensive riding experience
- assistance on demand (if required)
- experienced with riding a variety of motorcycles
- comfortable with any terrain and weather conditions
Location
Food
All of the meals are offered from local restaurants, hostels, and homestays along the tour. They come with regular Vietnamese or vegetarian foods.
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Drinks
The following drinks are included:
- Water
- Coffee
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Vegetarian
- Regular (typically includes meat and fish)
What's included
- Experienced tour guide on a motorbike (dirt bike)
- Dirt bike Honda XR150L or CRF150L upon availability
- Gasoline and spare parts
- 10 nights accommodation in standard hotels (double, twin, or triple shared room) and/or homestays (sleeping bags, mosquito nets, sheets, and pillows are provided) during your ride
- Breakfasts, lunches, dinners with non-alcoholic beverages (Vietnamese food)
- Vietnamese tea and drinking water
- All entrance fees, permits, tickets, boat trips, ferries, bamboo rafts, etc.
What's not included
- Support vehicle for luggage transport, back-up bike and service
- Personal expenses, personal medical insurance
- Drinks other than tea and local rice wine
- Single room supplement if you request a single room
- Motorbike protection pants, jacket, gloves, helmet, rain gear, and other safety equipment at a favorable rental rate
- Train or flight tickets before and after your tour
- Breakfast on the departure day and dinner on the return day
- Accommodation and food in Hanoi
- Tips
How to get there
Recommended Airports
Noi Bai International Airport
20 km
Transfer available for additional US$ 18 per person
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 20% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid on arrival.
