14 Day Amazing Motorbike Tour To from Northwest to Northeast of Vietnam
Guided Motorcycle Tour in Vietnam
For many riders, northern Vietnam represents some of the best motorbiking opportunities anywhere in the world. The north offers the most majestic scenery on the grandest scale in Vietnam: the mountains are higher, and the passes are loftier than anywhere else in the country. Riding can be slow, but the scenery is sublime, the roads are extraordinarily ambitious, and the history and culture are fascinating. The north of Vietnam is the best riding guests can ever experience. This 14-day motorcycle tour in Northern Vietnam will give you a full view of the hidden beauty and rich traditions of Vietnam. It covers all the famous attractions in Northern Mountain areas and also the untouched lands in remote areas near the Chinese border that not many tourists can come to. You can be sure it’s one of the greatest adventures and this will be the trip of your lifetime.
Key information
- Terrain: mix of on and off-road
- Bike: Honda dirt bike xr150 or upgrade to honda CRF300L
- Mileage: 2190 kilometers / 13561 miles
- Daily rides: 150 - 260 kilometers / 90 - 162 miles
- Riding gear: included: helmet, saddle bags, gloves, rain ponchos
- Meals: 13 breakfasts, 14 lunches, dinner
Highlights
- Starts and ends in Hanoi
- See the unreal beauty of nature in Sapa and Ha Giang
- Discover Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark
- Visit Puluong - Mu Cang Chai - Ba Be National Park
- Ride through the highest pass in Vietnam, Tram Thon Pass
- Meet the colorful hill tribes
- 13 nights accommodation
Skill level
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Noi Bai International Airport (US$ 15 per person)
Accommodation
During this tour, you will be staying at various accommodations provided by King Nguyen Travel.
Program
Day 1: Ha Noi - Pu Luong (180 kilometers / 112 miles)
After meeting your guide, you head out of Hanoi to Hoa Binh. The first day is a difficult day but for you, the first-day ride to Pu Luong is the highlight of this motorbike tour. You branch off onto smaller roads that wind through the hills and villages to meet the Black River (much more beautiful than it sounds!).
You can enjoy an interesting motorcycle tour in North Vietnam through some peaceful villages on the back roads that offer you amazing views of green mountains and rice fields. In the afternoon, you hit the trails and carve through the forests to your destination of Pu Luong Valley. Tonight, you stay in a stilted house with a local family. It’s a beautiful setting that feels a world away from the city you left behind this morning! Enjoy a stroll around the village before enjoying the incredible feast put on by the local family.
- Accommodation: Homestay.
- Included meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 2: Pu Luong - Moc Chau (150 kilometers / 93 miles)
Plenty of singletrack and dirt roads today as you pass through remote areas inhabited by the Hmong tribes, where the locals are dressed in their colorful attire, take some souvenir photos, then keep moving ahead, the road is quite steep and it might make you unforgettable memory for you.
Only when it comes to the forest, you will feel overwhelmed by the beauty of the northwestern forest. Perhaps the flower begins to bloom this time, and the scene becomes even more appealing and romantic.
- Accommodation: Guesthouse
- Included meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 3: Moc Chau - Tram Tau (180 kilometers / 112 miles)
After saying goodbye to your friendly host in Moc Chau, you continue the Vietnam road trip today with an incredible day of challenging trails, steep tracks, and more amazing views. You surely will be surprised by the beautiful scenery along the road pass, which on one side is high mountains and on the other is a valley with plum trees. You will then be crossing the Da River on a local ferry that chugs you over to the other side.
From here, you head high up into the hills on off-road trails that lead you to tiny mountain villages before you descend to your destination of Tram Tau. Finishing with a challenging ride up to our overnight stop, you will be greeted with some much-appreciated cold beers!
- Accommodation: Hotel
- Included Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 4: Tram Tau - Mu Cang Chai (180 kilometers / 112 miles)
On this day, you venture further into the remote regions of the Hmong and Dao minority villages. Make sure your cameras are charged today – the colorfully dressed locals combined with the beautiful villages and mountainous backdrop make for some truly incredible sights.
This legendary route presents you with a demanding challenge in addition to its spectacular splendor and dangerous curves and twists. More technical off-road riding today as you traverse the rugged landscapes on your way to Mu Cang Chai.
This day could be the most scenic motorbike ride in Vietnam, it offers one of the most beautiful views of North Vietnam. The ride is challenging but very rewarding.
- Accommodation: Guesthouse
- Included meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 5: Mu Cang Chai - Sapa (170 kilometers / 106 miles)
Today you pass through forests and alongside tea plantations as you continue through the highlands. You cross numerous passes, including the highest pass in Vietnam: Tram Thon Pass at 1900 m. This pass is known as "Heaven’s Gate." It is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to view the spectacular majesty of Fansipan Mountain from the top of the pass.
Before you descend to the mountainous Sa Pa valley, a must-see location on North Vietnam motorbike adventures, the terraced rice fields of the Sapa region are some of the most spectacular in the world and tonight’s accommodation is perched atop a hill, slap bang in the middle of it all.
Its naturally gifted beauty keeps attracting more and more people to spend their vacation there. Particularly, the place is the foremost choice for honeymoon couples! Overnight at the hotel!
Day 6: Sapa relaxing day
After 5 fun days of this amazing motorcycle tour in Vietnam, it’s really joyful to have an easy day off the bikes. Sa Pa is a lovely little town located at the height of 1600 meters above the sea, surrounded by an amazing valley with villages of minorities, you can either take it easy in Sa Pa town, or take another SaPa motorbike tour along Muong Hoa valley-one of the most beautiful valley in northern Vietnam, or down deep into the valley to see more interesting local people. All options are dominated by the crest of the enormous Fansipan mountain range.
The entire region is populated by Hmong, Giay, Tay, and Dao people. Vietnam Motorcycle Adventures' suggestion is to take a short walk to Ham Rong – the highest peak of the town where you can get a full view of Sa Pa or take a short Sapa motorcycle tour along the Muong Hoa Valley where you can see the amazing view of rice terrace fields and visiting more H’mong and Zay people.
Overnight in hotel.
Day 7: Sapa - Bac Ha (130 kilometers / 81 miles)
You visit the Bac Ha, Lao Cai district on the fourth day of the tour. When you arrive in Bac Ha town, you will see nature's magnificent scenery bestowed on this land, with terraced fields stretching and majestic mountains beside deep blue abysses.
Each ethnic group of Mong, Tay, Dao, etc., wearing beautiful brocade clothes, smiles, and converses, leading horses carrying various wares to the market. They sell various highland goods in the market, including vegetables, fruits, honey, or even important agricultural equipment like plows, hoes, shovels, and knives. Yet, the most alluring item is still jewelry, and brocade gowns made by the ethnic Bac Ha highland are hand-woven with colorful designs. These will make good keepsakes for your beloved ones.
One of Bac Ha's main industries is the manufacture of alcoholic home brews (rice wine, cassava wine, and corn liquor). The corn hooch produced by the Flower H'mong is so potent it can ignite! Bac Ha is the only place in Vietnam where you'll find this particular moonshine; there's an entire area devoted to it at the Sunday market. Overnight in Bac Ha.
Day 8: Bac Ha - Ha Giang (200 kilometers / 123 miles)
After breakfast, you take a motor ride on the track to Xin Man and Hoang Su Phi on many of the small and scenic mountain views back roads. Xin Man is right on the border between Vietnam and China. It is, as of this writing, well-hidden and surrounded by wild mountains and forests.
There's a single road from Xin Man to Hoang Su Phi.
Hoang Su Phi is among the most untouched areas of Ha Giang Province of Vietnam. The area was separated from mainstream society until very recently. Passing Hoang Su Phi, you will be charmed by the pristine beauty of the wild mountains and the authentic culture of the local ethnic groups which include: the Nung, the Flower H'mong, the Tay, and the Ha Nhi People.
After stopping for lunch in the village of Xin Man, your group will travel to Hoang Su Phi to take pictures before arriving in the city of Ha Giang. The Ha Giang roads are intrinsically difficult due to their winding and rocky terrain, but as you zoom in, you get to gaze at the majesty of the plateau. It is another highlight of Ha Giang motorbike touring.
Day 9: Ha Giang - Dong Van (170 kilometers / 106 miles)
You will ride on small challenging mountain roads with an incredibly beautiful land of colorful mountain hill tribes. You stop at Quan Ba to watch the vast pine forests and winding slopes.
Ride on a zig-zag track until you reach Vuong Family's Residence, 14 kilometers from Dong Van. Vuong’s Family was considered the king of the Hmong People in Dong Van, Ha Giang. Their residence was built in the scenic valley of Sa Phin with Chinese architecture.
The whole house was built out of wood and rock only. The rocks for the buildings were imported from China. Vuong’s Family Residence is a masterpiece. It is in the valley of the heavenly beauty of Sa Phin. This is a remote area, and you can meet the hard-working local people here. It is inspiring to see how they survive as they manage to live on the rocks.
When you reach Dong Van town, you will have some extra time to wander the ancient streets lined with H'mong homes of clay bricks and tile roofs-built centuries ago.
Day 10: Dong Van - Bao Lac (160 kilometers / 100 miles)
Another enjoyable motorbike touring day with a lot of joy! After breakfast, enjoy an easy walk around Dong Van town to feel the daily life of the hill tribes at the local market, or enjoy the beauty of the ancient architecture of the houses that were built during the French time.
Start the best motorbike tour in Ha Giang at about 10 a.m. Keep riding on narrow roads along the Rock Plateau, right after Dong Van Town, you will have an amazing motorbike ride on the Ma Pi Leng pass (one of the four longest and most beautiful passes in Vietnam). Ride 20 kilometers on the mountain pass with many picture stops, this is one of the best parts of this motorcycle tour of Vietnam. You will be in Meo Vac town at noon. After lunch in Meo Vac, you go along the Gam River to Bao Lac.
Dinner and stay overnight in a hotel.
Day 11: Bao Lac - Cao Bang (180 kilometers / 112 miles)
Beautiful motorbike ride down to Cao Bang province. The road is easy and there are many beautiful villages along the way, so you can do some stoppages for visiting the locals to learn more about minority people’s culture and for photos. You will be at Co Bang in the early afternoon. Check-in at a hotel before seeing around the town or being lazy with cool beer!
Day 12: Cao Bang - Ban Gioc waterfall (130 kilometers / 81 miles)
This is another highlight of this motorcycle tour of Vietnam. After breakfast, you have a beautiful North Vietnam motorbike tour to the nice village of Quang Uyen, in the middle of a mountain cirque. This is the territory of the Nung An people.
Homestay in a host family and the hostess is a great cook. After good lunch with the family, you make your way through spectacular scenery to Vietnam’s most impressive waterfall – Ban Gioc Waterfalls – 50 kilometers from Quang Uyen.
Weather permitting, you can swim right up to where the 50-meter-high falls hit the river. After the waterfall, you will take another beautiful road back to Quang Uyen. Cao Bang is quite flat with full of green rice fields so the ride around this land is surely enjoyable.
Homestay in Quang Uyen village.
Day 13: Ban Gioc waterfall - Lang Son (160 kilometers / 100 miles)
The motorcycle tour to Lang Son is mostly on the famous historical Dong Khe and That Khe passes where many battles between the Vietnamese and French occurred. Arrive in Lang Son in the early afternoon. You will have the chance to discover this city which has become a big trading post between China and Vietnam. You can buy cheap Chinese products for souvenirs at the Dong Kinh market so if you like shopping, this amazing motorcycle tour Vietnam is also a good choice for you.
Overnight in a hotel in Lang Son.
Day 14: Lang Son - Ha Noi (150 kilometers / 99 miles)
Closing up this Amazing North Vietnam Motorcycle Adventures. Today is the easiest day of 14 busy ones but it is an enjoyable day. Wake up late, slowly enjoy a good café, and after breakfast motorcycle down to Hanoi. You will finish the memorable North Vietnam tour at around 3 p.m., saying goodbye to the guide team of Vietnam Motorcycle Adventures. Then, the team will take you back to your hotel in Hanoi by taxi / bus.
Skill levels 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
This tour takes you through Northern Vietnam.
Food
King Nguyen Travel will provide you with meals during the whole tour. Moreover, drinking water and soft drinks will be also included.
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Drinks
The following drinks are included:
- Water
- Coffee
- Tea
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Regular (typically includes meat and fish)
Things to do (optional)
For solo rider, there will be an additional charge for motorcycle rental: Honda XR150cc at 35 USD and Honda CRF300cc at 50 USD.
What's included
- Experienced English-speaking guide
- Motorbike for self-riding (license required)
- Fuel
- 13 breakfasts, 14 lunches, 13 dinners
- 13 nights accommodation
- Entry fees and ferry crossings
- International safety standard helmet
- Drinking water on the road
- Saddle bags, gloves, and rain ponchos (if needed)
- If more than 6 riders there will also be a tour mechanic coming
- If more than 10 riders there will also be a 2nd guide and support van for luggage coming along
What's not included
- Alcohol / minibar drinks
- Drinks (after travel time on the road / during dinner)
- Personal and motorbike insurance (for motorcycle accident)
- Personal expenses / laundry / tips
- Damages to motorcycle / tour equipment
How to get there
Recommended Airports
Noi Bai International Airport
196 km
Transfer available for additional US$ 15 per person
Arrival by plane
Please book your flight to arrive at Noi Bai International Airport (HAN). Transfer from the airport to your hotel in Ha Noi will be available at 15 USD for 4 seat car, 17 USD for 7 seat car, and 20 USD for 16 seat car.
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 departure.
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through Tripaneer.com. All major credit cards supported.