Motorbike Northwestern Vietnam

Discover Vietnam's rugged and scenic northwest and its people first hand. By taking to the roads and riding from the capital Hanoi to the remote area of the northwest we can see life as it truly is fo

Discover Vietnam's rugged and scenic northwest and its people first hand. By taking to the roads and riding from the capital Hanoi to the remote area of the northwest we can see life as it truly is for the Vietnamese.

The perfect itinerary and the support crew ensure you get the most out of the trip in terms of comfort, enjoyment and adventure. Along the way we encounter dramatic landscapes and sweeping panoramas as the rural population goes about its business.

Highlights include the terraced valleys of Sapa, challenging roads, stunning scenery and many different colourful minority groups.

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Itinerary / Highlights

Day 1: Ride to Mai Chau

Leave Hanoi around 8.30am, we ride our motorcycles west to Mai Chau, an area of beautiful landscape and home to the Thai ethnic minority. We will ride on road No6 passing expansive rice paddies and scenic villages. We will have a stop for refreshment before tackling 70km of undulating road with great view of mountains and valley. We will reach Mai Chau at noontime. We ride straight to Pom Coong, a peaceful village of White Thai ethnic minority where we have lunch, dinner and spend our night in a traditional stilt-house of a Thai family. After lunch we will have a short rest and then take a leisure ride toward Ma River. We will take a short boat ride upstream Ma Rive to reach a remote Thai Village. Relax and have interesting conversations with the villagers before we walk back to the dock. Return to Pom Coong Village for dinner and overnight.

Summary
Riding: 170km
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Home-stay

Day 2: Ride up to Son La

Breakfast at the home-stay before we embark on a beautiful ride up north to Son La. The road is in good condition and the scenery is stunning. We may take frequent stops to visit minority villages of H'mong, Black Thai,… or to take photos. Lunch will be in local restaurant en route. The highlight of our ride today could be the tea plantations in Moc Chau Plateau, where you find the best green tea in Vietnam grown along the roads on hillsides. We reach Son La in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight in Son La.

Summary
Riding: 187km
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel

Day 3: Descend valley of Dien Bien Phu

It is true to say “the further you go up north the faster you heart rate”. Today the ride is greater with more winding road, longer passes, more colorful minority groups and more stunning scenery. Like yesterday, we may have interesting stops to visit villages and take photos. Lunch en route in local restaurant. The highlight of today ride could be the impressive pass of Pha Din.

Pha Pin means Heaven-Earth, and according to local legend, it was the frontier between Heaven and Earth. Pha Din is some 1,000m above sea-level. Climbing and descending the slopes with their many bends and deep gorges is a really an unforgettable experience. We reach Dien Bien Phu in the afternoon around 4pm. Upon arrival we cound ride around to explore the town. Dinner and overnight in Dien Bien Phu.

Summary
Riding: 170km
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel

Day 4: Riding along Nam Na River to Tam Duong

After breakfast we will start our 225 km ride along stunning gorges and Nam Na River. On the way we will have interesting stops to visit H'mong and Dzao villages. Lunch in Lai Chau. We would reach Tam Duong around 4.30 pm. Dinner and overnight in hotel in Tam Duong Town.

Summary
Riding: 225km
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel

Day 5: Ascend Sapa

The ride today is the highlight of the whole trip. Climbing the highest pass in Vietnam, the Tram Ton Pass. Lunch in local restaurant en route. We will reach Sapa in the noon time. Sapa is the former hill station for the French colonists hundred years ago. Today Sapa is the paradise for trekking lovers thank to its beautiful trekking routes, stunning terraces, colorful minority groups and the highest mountain in Indochina, the Mt. Fansipang. Dinner and overnight in Sapa.

Note: The weekend market (Sunday market) in Tam Duong is very interesting with lots of colorful ethnic minorities. If this day is Sunday the market will be included in the program and we would reach Sapa around 3pm.

Summary
Riding: 280km
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel

Day 6: Trekking in Sapa & Night train to Hanoi

Breakfast in the hotel. We will take a jeep ride downhill to Muong Hoa valley. Today we enjoy the most beautiful trek route in Vietnam. We will trek on dirt path through pine forest, terraces and H'mong villages. En route we stop to visit minority villages, schools and have picnic lunch by river. In the afternoon we walk to the pick-up point to take a jeep transfer back to Sapa. Ride to Lao Cai for the night train back to Hanoi.

Summary
Trekking: 4hrs, downhill
Riding to Lao Cai: 37km
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Night train (AC, soft sleeper cabin)

Day 7: Arrive in Hanoi

Arrival in Hanoi early in the morning (5am). Tour finishes.

Note on client safety
We reserve the right to deviate from this itinerary for any reasons, including road and weather conditions, frequency of visits to a village, or for any other factor which may influence client safety.

Other Details

Accommodation Details

Hotel & Home-stay
In big towns we use the finest 3-star hotels with centre location. Please contact us if you prefer higher hotel categories. In remote areas we use the best hotels or guesthouses available. Home-stay in Mai Chau is simple in term of bedding condition and toilet. We will stay overnight in the traditional house-on-stilt of the Thai people and, as the local do, we will sleep on bamboo floor with mattress, clean sheet, pillows and mosquito nets. Toilet is usually flush-style and some step away from the house.