Motorbike Tour Northern Vietnam – 8 Days

Day 1: Hanoi – Phu Yen (Son La) (180km)

In the morning we start our motorbiking tour by leaving Hanoi on dyke roads to avoid the heavy traffic and breaking out of the delta plains. We head out of Hanoi skirting along Red River to Son Tay and then ride through peaceful countryside to Phu Yen mountain town (a district of Son La Province in the Northwest region of Vietnam), as a stop-over for a night.

Day 2: Phu Yen – Mu Cang Chai  (200km)

In the morning, we keep motorbiking 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, was also recognised as a national heritage by the ministry. After lunch, we ride to Mu Cang Chai massif, almost as high as the Fansipan. From the top, it offers one of the most beautiful views of North Vietnam. The ride is challenging but very rewarding. Overnight in a hotel.

Day 3: Mu Cang Chai – Than Uyen – Sapa (Lao Cai) (140km)

We motorbike straight towards the main Fansipan Mountain range. There is also the option for a very challenging back route which takes us through several river crossings. The massive mountain range dominates the road until finally we must make a splendid climb up from Binh Lu and up to the top of the highest road pass in Vietnam (Tram Ton Pass).

Crossing into Lao Cai Province at over 2,000m the views looks out over the main range for miles and miles, before we descend to the mountainous Sa Pa valley.

Sa Pa is located in Lao Cai Province, north-west Vietnam, and 350 km north-west of Hanoi, close to the border with China. Sapa is famous both for its fine, rugged scenery and for its rich cultural diversity. French used to consider Sapa as Summer Capital of Northern Vietnam in the early decades of the 20th century. Its naturally gifted beauty keeps attracting more and more people to spend their vacation there since then. Particularly, the place is the foremost choice for honeymoon couples! Overnight in Hotel.

Day 4: Sapa – Bac Ha (Lao Cai) (120km)

Motorcycle down from Sapa to Lao Cai City and then have a coffee-stop on the bank of Nam Thi river, which is Vietnam – China border. Enjoy your coffee while taking the view to China.

Head to Road 70 before turn to Bac Ha on Road 153. Long touted as the weekend alternative to Sapa, this small highland town doesn’t have the same dramatic location of its more il-lustrious neighbour, but it is calmer when Saturday comes. It fills up to choking point on Sunday morning, when visitors flood in to meet the Flower H’mong at the Bac Ha Market – morning market. Compared with Sapa, tourism is still in its infancy here and during the week the town has a deserted feel. Bac Ha is a good base to explore the surrounding highlands. Around 900m above sea level, it is noticeably warmer than Sapa.

One of Bac Ha’s main industries is she 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 5: Bac Ha – Ha Giang city (200km)

After breakfast, we take a motor ride on the track to Xin Man and Hoang Su Phi on many small; back roads with scenic mountain views. Xin Man is right on the border between Vietnam and China. It is, as of this writing, well hidden and completely 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 area of Ha Giang Province of Vietnam. The area was separated from the mainstream society until very recently. Passing Hoang Su Phi, we 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 lunch, join the main road heading up to Ha Giang City, where we stop for the night and apply for a permit.

Day 6: Ha Giang – Dong Van (Ha Giang) (160km)

After getting the permit for motorbike tour in border areas at Ha Giang’s Immigration Police, we ride on small challenging mountain roads (but incredibly beautiful) on the land of colorful mountain hill-tribes.

Motorcycle 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.

It is really difficult to find the exact words to describe Ma Pi Leng Pass, located between Dong Van and Meo Vac, near the northernmost tip of Vietnam, as a painting of astonishing beauty and magnificence that captures the eyes of all viewers and nature lovers.

Ride on a zig-zag track until reaching Vuong Family’s Residence, 14 km before Dong Van.

Vuong 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 Family Residence is a masterpiece of man work in the valley of heavenly beauty of Sa Phin. This is a remote area and we can 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 Dong Van Town we will have some extra time to wonder the ancient streets lined with H’mong homes of clay bricks and tiles roofs built centuries ago.

Day 7: Dong Van – Ba Be lake via Bao Lac (210 km)

The motorbike ride in the morning is still winding along the Rock Plateau, after breakfast, enjoy slowly Vietnam motorbike tour on some beautiful mountain passes until Bao Lac where we stop for lunch. In the afternoon, Just after 20km 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 8: Ba Be Lake – Hanoi (240 km) 

Staying off the main road for as long as possible we head back towards the Red River Delta, passing through areas inhabited by Hmong, Dao, Tay and Nung minority peoples. A mixture of both challenging track and glorious sealed road all the way back to Hanoi. the great Vietnam motorbike tour to Ha Giang will end safely in Hanoi before rush hours.