North Vietnam Motorbike Tour - Iti #9

The 10-day motorbike tour North Vietnam takes you to such places as Yen Bai, Nghia Lo, Mu Cang Chai, Than Uyen, Lai Chau, Sapa, Bac Ha, Lao Cai, Ha Giang, Dong Van, Meo Vac, Ba Be National park. You ride on both paved roads and off-road with up and downhill rides. Taking this motorbike tour, you will have the opportunity to visit different ethnic groups who only live in the northern Vietnam such as the H’mong, the Dzao, the Tay…Enjoy the beauty of the wild nature and experience the rich ethnic culture of the northern Vietnam. This guided motorbike tour is highly recommended for active adventure riders who used to ride in the mountain where the traffic is not busy but riding uphill and downhill requires some skills.

Day 1: Ha Noi – Yen Bai.

You will be met up with Lotussia Travel guide at your hotel. Then take a taxi to get to the starting point at the outskirt of Hanoi, from here you take the motorbikes and start your first day ride to Yen Bai. Leaving Hanoi and breaking out of the delta plains, we pass through endless limestone karst scenery as we travel south through “Thay Pagoda”, country and extensive farming lands comprising a sea of paddy fields split by tree-lined roads. Arrive in Yen Bai in late afternoon. We check into a local hotel for overnight.

Day 2: Yen Bai – Nghia Lo – Tu Le – Mu Cang Chai.

We head up today into a forested and high mountain region populated by H’mong people. We will ride up a very high mountain pass before descending into a mountainous tea-growing region. Soon after we follow a long valley floor covered in a sea of rice surrounded by Hmong and Thai’s villages all the way to Mu Cang Chai. Check into a local hotel for overnight.

Day 3: Mu Cang Chai – Than Uyen – Sapa.

Today we head straight towards the main Fansipan Mountain range. 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 2000m the views looks out over the main range for miles and miles, before we descend to the mountainous Sa Pa valley. We check into a local hotel for overnight.

Day 4: Sapa – Bac Ha – Pho Rang.

We start from Sapa and ride to Lao Cai, a short stop to visit the Chinese border. Lunch on route. After lunch, we continue riding to Pho Rang. Check into a local guest house.

Day 5: Pho Rang – Ha Giang.

Beautiful motorbike ride today by taking a small road, during your way, you will have chances to visit many roadside ethnic villages and markets. Lunch in Viet Quang. Continue riding to Ha Giang for overnight.

Day 6: Ha Giang – Dong Van.

Today motorcycle ride must be highlights of the trip as we will visit one of the most remote land in Vietnam where are special with many ethnic groups with their unique cultures and imposing mountains – the “Heaven Gate” in Quan Ba, Rock Plateau and the Vuong palace in Dong Van.

Day 7: Dong Van – Meo Vac.

After breakfast, we leave to Meo Vac. The scenic route climbs over a pass, and then we descend down to Meo Vac valley, a beautiful valley situated very close to Chinese border. We take time to climb over the Ma Pi Leng Pass where we can enjoy beautiful mountain ranges and the the Nho Que river – Just an amazing place to be – the heaven on earth while passing on the Happy road.

Day 8: Meo Vac – Bao Lac.

Continue your trip to Bao Lac, Cao Bang with many stop over on the way: visit village and meet Tay and Dzao people, taking photos, rural market. Arrive at Bao Lac. Free time.

Day 9: Bao Lac – Ba Be National Park.

Today we continue to Babe lake & national park where the landscape is amazing and the homestay is another unique experience. Upon your arrival, you are free at leisure to do the boat trip (own expense) or walk to explore the village of the Tay people. Overnight in homestay of a Tay family.

Day 10: Ba Be Lakes – Thai Nguyen – Hanoi.

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. End.