Motorbike Tour Northwest to Central Vietnam – 14 Days

Day 1: HA NOI – VU LINH (170km)

After breakfast, we motorcycle to the North on enjoyable motorbike ride along the edge of the Red River bank. We will have chance to be in the heart of the Red River delta. We stop for drink and lunch on the way. Arrive Vu Linh, we finish the first day of safe riding tour. We boat around Thac Ba lake and swim if it is warm. Stay the night in homestay near Thac Ba lake.

Day 2: VU LINH – SAPA (240km)

After exploring and visiting our friends’ families in Dao friends’ village of Vu Linh – The hosts are “drinkers of Vietnam” we ride up to Sapa, through palm forest all the way. This route is one of the best highlights in the Northwest when you see high mountains, terraces, cloud, flowers, ethnic villages,..

Day 3: Sapa discovery

Depending on the group’s mood, we can either take it easy in Sa Pa town, or make excursions back to the top of the highest pass in Vietnam, or down deep into the amazing Sapa valley to do home-stay in peaceful village.

Sa Pa is lovely little town located at the height of 1600 meters above the sea, surrounded by amazing valley with the villages of minorities, we 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 offroad Tour ’s sugguestion is to take a short walk to Ham Rong – a highest peak of the town where you can get 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 or homestay.

Day 4: SAPA – MU CANG CHAI: (150km)

The team to Mu Cang Chai is another highlight of motorcycle tour Northwest Vietnam. The motorbike touring of the first half will cross huge green tea plantation and then the other half of the route must be one of the incredible motorbike trips in Vietnam when we gear up and up on the O Qui Ho pass – one of the longest and most amazing pass in North Vietnam. We will gear all the way down to level of more than 1600 m above the sea level to get to Mu Cang Chai via Sapa valley to some rustic villages of the Black H’mong , Red ZDao and DZay  people, Moreover,  motorbike tour along the Muong Hoa valley promises to give you best photos of stunning scenery in Northern Vietnam. Overnight in homestay or hotel in Mu Cang Chai.

Day 5: MU CANG CHAI – PHU YEN (180km)

We take “Pho” – a “must-try” noodle soup in Vietnam for breakfast. Departing at 8:00 AM. The motorbike tour  today could be  the most enjoyable of the North  Vietnam motorbike trip. We bike on some of the very long and most amazing mountain passes in Northern of Vietnam that can give you awesome pictures of mountain and rice terrace fields. We mostly ride on smooth roads but the both sides scenery with rustic villages will make motorcyclists stop every 5 minutes. Riding motorbike in Vietnam for many years, for me this part offers the best motorbike tours North Vietnam. We arrive in Phu Yen at about 4 pm. End one of the most highlight Northern motorbike tour today. We spend the night in a lovely hotel

Day 6: PHU YEN – MAI CHAU (150km)

After breakfast in hotel, we say goodbye to villagers and leave Phu Yen around 9 am. We ride to the direction of Mai Chau, where we have lunch. On the way, we will see some of Vietnam’s best tea and is a good place to stock up.

The surrounding area is also home to several ethnic minorities, including Green H’mong, Dzao, Thai and Muong. Moc Chau boasts a pioneering dairy industry that started in the late 1970s with Australian (and, later, UN) assistance. The dairy provides Hanoi with such delectable iuxur us as fresh milk, sweetened condensed milk and little tooth-rotting bars called “Banh sua”.

After lunch, we turn to the less travelled Road 43 leading to the Da River, crossing the reservoir of Da river at Van Yen ferry, then ride on a beautiful winding secondary road until Mai Chau where we stay in a lovely homestay.

Day 7: MAI CHAU – PU LUONG: 100km

Mai Chau is one of the closest places to Hanoi where you can experience a ‘real’ Montagnard village. In the next morning, we take a short walk around village to discover local life. Life in the side starts early so by sunrise there is a wealth of activity. The Thai women are masterful weavers who ensure that there is plenty of traditional-style clothing to buy in the village centre. You will see women weaving on looms under or inside their houses in the village we can buy some handmade traditional-style clothing, knife or cross-bow.

After breakfast, we can start the day with an easy walk around the village or be lazy with a waking up café. Then, say goodbye to the Thai people, we ride to the direction of Pu Luong.

After lunch, ride to Road 15 leading to the Ma River. We ride on a beautiful winding road until Pu Luong where we stay in a homestay.

Day 8: PU LUONG – TAN KY: 240km

The 8^th day of our tour will be a long riding day from Pu Luong to Tan Ky and most of the times. We keep riding along the Ma River, until we reach the Ho Chi Minh legendary Trail and have lunch. Motorbike tour is officially triggered when we hit the starting point of this road and ride non-stop to Tan Ky town for having a night in the hotel.

Day 9: TAN KY – PHONG NHA: 280km

Tan Ky is known as the starting point of the Ho Chi Minh trail during the war time. From here the Northern communist with food and weapons travel down to the South Vietnam to join the war. After breakfast, we travel down to the South Vietnam with our motorbikes on the historical trail. The ride is almost on the repaired part of the trail but still offers a great view of mountain and the daily life of the local. The motorbike ride on Ho Chi Minh trail in the afternoon must be the highlight of the trip.

Day 10: PHONG NHA discovery

07:30 Having breakfast

08:00 Take boat along Son river to the gate of Phong Nha cave. The wildly and weirdly beautiful of that cave will make be good impression to the travellers.

10:00 Back to the harbor and motorbike pickup to Paradise cave, take some pictures with natural forest, limestone mountain on the way.

11:00 Walking about 10 minutes to Paradise Cave. Enjoy the voice of many kind of birds over there. Begin explore “Paradise Cave” and you will be surprised increasingly by the structure of these stalactites and the stalagmites inside.

12:30 Come back to Phong Nha National Park. Enjoy the local food for lunch then take a nap. Free time in the afternoon and dinner at a restaurant nearby the hotel

Day 11: PHONG NHA – KHE SANH: 220km

It’s another highlight of this Ho Chi Minh trail motorcycle tour! After departing from Phong Nha town, we will make a turn to join the western Ho Chi Minh trail; known as the hidden trail that the US army did never know and bomb, the western Ho Chi Minh trail offers us the wonderful motorbike ride today: with the length of more than 200 km, this western Ho Chi Minh trail motorbike ride is almost under the Phong Nha Ke Bang national park where the traffic is completely empty. In the late afternoon when we get out of national park we will pay a interesting visit to Khe Sanh – the former important US Marine Base including US Air base, tunnels and new Khe Sanh museum. We will head down to the Khe Sanh town and finish the great day for motorcycle touring Vietnam at about 5:00 pm. Overnight there

Day 12: KHE SANH – HUE: 170km

We will leave the Ho Chi Minh trail today to ride along the historical road No 9 along the Dakrong river.

The motorbike ride is straight to the eastern side of Vietnam along the 17th parallel where we can visit the Hien Luong bridge – a symbol for the border between the north Vietnam and south Vietnam, Vinh Moc tunnels and where you can have short motorbike ride on coastal roads which offers different view from the ride on Ho Chi Minh trail days before. We arrive Hue at 4:30 pm. Hotel stay.

Day 13: HUE – HOI AN: 150km

The end destination for this day is the ancient town of Hoi An, another World Heritage site, most famous for its contribution to trade with South-East Asia, back in the 16th and 17th centuries. Riding National Highway 1 until we meet one of the greatest attractions though, is the Hai Van Pass, the mountain pass, whose scenic beauty will amaze you and its twisting roads will challenge our riding skills! No wonder it has been featured by Top Gear, in 2008, as one of the best cross roads in the world. The pass was controlled by the U.S army during the American war and what remains of the base, are still visible and open to explore. After a short coffee break we descend down the mountain and following the coastal road, which will bring us to Hoi An, where we stay overnight.

Day 14: HOI AN – CU LAO CHAM island – DA NANG

We set off day tour today from the hotel in Hoi An. The Cu Lao Cham Islands is one of UNESCO’s biosphere reserves because of its valuable marine habitats. Ride a speedboat from Cua Dai Wharf. View the small islands rising from the sea, surrounded by stunning rock formations. Stroll through the elegant Hai Tang Pagoda. This small temple was built in the 17th century to worship Buddha and the Sea Deity. Browse through Tan Hiep local market and bring home charming forest and sea themed souvenirs. Continue to Bai Ong beach, where you can swim and snorkel in the nearby lagoon. Enjoy the peaceful scenery of the harbor, Bai Lang, and local fishing villages. Savor a seafood lunch, consisting of succulent fish and shellfish. Take a dip into crystal clear beaches and white sands. Try out thrilling water sports like paragliding, kayaking, and boat racing. Dive and discover vivid sea creatures such as clownfish, sea anemones, and lobsters. Immerse yourself in rich marine life and culture today!

We are back to hotel’s Hoi An in the afternoon.

Tour ends. You can spend more time in Hoi An or check out the hotel fly back to your home in Da Nang international airport.