VIETNAM – LAOS LOOP DIRT BIKE TOUR 18-DAY

Vietnam Laos loop dirt bike tour to Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Viengxai, Phonesavanh till Hoi An – Brief Itinerary:

Day 1: Hanoi Motorcycle Tour to Mai Chau (Hoa Binh)

Start our motorbike tour by leaving Hanoi on dyke roads to avoid the heavy traffic around 9 am, we ride our motorbikes west to Mai Chau, an area of beautiful landscape and home to the Thai ethnic minority. We will motorcycle on Highway 6 passing extensive farming lands comprising a sea of paddy fields split by tree-lined roads punctuated by limestone karst scenery.

After a light lunch in Hoa Binh Province, we cross Thung Khe, one of the most beautiful mountain passes in North Vietnam then descend to the mountainous valley settlement of Mai Chau which is the home to ethnic Thai’s people with peaceful houses and villages. The people here are mostly living on the rice cultivation and farming & settling on the traditional houses built on the stilts.  After dinner we join performance, where you can dance and share a range of special liquors (rice wine) with the locals.

Overnight in a house-on-stilts of the Thai people.Summary:
Distance: 160 km
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Home-stay

After having breakfast, we’ll leave Mai Chau to Pu Luong nature reserve (70 Km from Mai Chau) which is situated in Quan Hoa and Ba Thuoc districts of Thanh Hoa Province, North Central Coast region of Vietnam. Pu Luong Nature Reserve is bordered by Mai Chau, Tan Lac and Lac Son districts of Hoa Binh Province. The reserve is located along two parallel mountain ridges, that run from north-west to south-east, and are divided by a central valley, which contains several human settlements and a large agricultural land area.

We have lunch in Pu Luong then keep heading to Na Meo border gate to stay overnight.

Summary:
Distance:  100 km
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Homestay

After breakfast, heading to Muangkham. Stop to visit Tham Piu Cave. This cave stands as a solemn monument to hundreds of innocent villager killed in a 1968 us missile attack. Today, the statue of a man, straining to hold his anger as the carries a lifeless child, call for an “annual Day of Remembrance”. First, go to the visitor centre and contemplate the display of photographs and history behind the bombings. You’ll read about the single shell that his the core of Piu Cave and claimed the lives of a reported 374 locals seeking shelter inside.

Then, climb the upper staircase, which passes a golden Buddha, grave markers, and bomb craters, until your reach Tham Piu, a sad hillside hole with the rubble floor. Inside, locals light incense to play tribute to the dead. Back outside and visit a Hot spring before back to Muang Kham town to check in a local guesthouse. (simple comfort)

After breakfast, we make our way over the mountains to Xieng Khouang, the province which is best-known for having been heavily bombed during Indochina War. But of course it is also famous for its historic Plain of Jars. We can make some stops at villages to observe the rural life of local people, including ethnic minorities such as the Hmong people.
Arrival in Phonsavanh, the capital of Xieng khouang province, visit UXO office before continue to Plains of Jars.

The Plain of Jars is a huge archaeological complex littered with mysterious 2000 years old stone jars sized from 70cm up to 3 or 4 meters. Their true origin remains a mystery. It seems that they were carved into boulders. Several researches lead by the French archaeologist Madeleine Colani in the 30’s suggested that they could be old graves, but to this day they remain an enigma. Your trip will enable you to visit the 3 sites and also discover some local villages where you can observe local village life.

Site 1, close to the town is settled at Thong Hai Hin and is the biggest site.
Site 2 is at Hai Hin on Phou Salator, “Phou” in Lao means “Mountain”.

End your tour at site 3 in Hai Hin Lat Khai. Site 3 is the most impressive with over 150 jars. Close to this site, you will visit Ban Xiengdi where there is a small monastery with Buddha images. On the way back, you will pass areas that were important battlefields during the American secret war. You can still see bomb craters from that time today.

In the afternoon, enjoy a half day trip to Muang Khoun. Muang Khoun one place in the old provincial capital that was not been destroyed by the American bombings during the secret war. Muang Khoun is home to unique sitting giant Buddha as well of some old pagodas that lies in ruins.
Then return to Xieng Khouang and check into your hotel. Vansana Hotel – STD room

After breakfast, free time in the morning for riding around to discover this town with your own way.
In the afternoon, we will depart to Vientiane. Stop on the way to visit Nam Ngum Lake.
Arrival in Vientiane and visit Wat Sisaket with its thousands of miniature Buddha statues.
Then, Wat Simuang and Wat Prakeo, which was the original home of the famous Emerald Buddha, which today lives in Bangkok. There are many excellent restaurants in Vientiane, and you will easily find something to suit your taste.

The huge golden That Luang monument, where all Lao citizen respect as holy pagoda.
Vientiane’s own Victory Monument, which looks like the Arc de Triumph. This was built at the end of the Indochina wars with money rumored to be American, and earmarked for the airport’s new runway. This is the departing Americans dubbed this monument the vertical runway! Have a look at the lovely arches inside the monument.
Then check into your hotel – Beau Rivage Mekong – STD room

After breakfast in hotel, start your journey to Konglor cave. Along the way, visit the Wat Prabath, which maintains an imprint of the Buddha’s foot and characterized by its Hindu-inspired stupa. A little further on, we stop in a village specialized in the sale of dried fish. After that, continue to Konglor cave and then you will leave the main road to enter the Phou Hin Poun NPA (National Protected Park).

Arrival at Ban Konglo village where you will overnight in a local residence.

Note: Simple comfort with toilet outside the house. Hot water is not available.

After breakfast in hotel, start your journey to Konglor cave.
You will be provided with lifejackets and headlamps before a short walk around the main entrance of the cave.

Once inside, you will board a long boat that will sail you along this spectacular cave on an underground part of the HinBoun River – a 7.5km journey before you see the daylight again! The river is active throughout the year and reveals a large formation of stalactites and stalagmites which you can explore partly on foot inside the cave. The place of the cave extends almost 90m and reaches a height of 100m.

After this sightseeing, driving to Laksao Border. You finish all visa formalities and cross the border to Vietnam.  Our tour guide with bikes will be waiting for you right after you immigrate into Vietnam again then we’ll keep riding straight to Vinh city for an overnight.

Overnight at hotel in Vinh City

After paying respects to Uncle Ho, we head to the HCM Highway via Thanh Chuong District.  You cross the Lam River on the Ro Bridge and then drive primarily on the beautiful new highway of Ho Chi Minh.  Lunch break in Pho Chau Town, a tiny town about 40km from Thanh Chuong.This morning we head inland towards the Laos border after 40min riding we can reach the birthplace of Ho Chi Minh in Kim Lien Village. The place is truly a shrine to the Vietnamese and visited by few westerners.

After lunch, we continue on the quiet highway to Dong Loc Intersection, (main junction for supply lines during the war) which is widely regarded in Vietnamese eyes as the beginning of Ho Chi Minh Trail. We then pass through remote back country, close to theHa Tinh motorcycle tours border , as the scenery steadily becomes dominated by karst limestone rock formations. We will reach our overnight spot, Huong Khe Town, around 5pm. Dinner in local restaurant and overnight in a mini hotel.Summary
Distance:  160 km
Accommodation: Hotel in Huong Khe Town
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Ride on Ho Chi Minh Highway until Pho Chau where we stop to visit the HCM Trail victory monument which is in fact the real starting point of our HCM Trail ride. Motorcycle all the way to Phong Nha – Ke Bang, the biggest and also the most beautiful cave in Vietnam and Indochina and is now a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site.

The karst formation of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park has evolved since the Paleozoic (some 400 million years ago) and so is the oldest major karst area in Asia. Subject to massive tectonic changes, the park’s karst landscape is extremely complex with many geographic features of considerable significance. The vast area, extending to the border of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, contains spectacular formations including 65 km of caves and underground rivers.

Summary
Distance:  280 km
Accommodation: Hotel in Phong Nha
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Continuing west on highway 9, we will climb into the Truong Son foothills, pass the Rock Pile and stop at some villages and beautiful natural springs and waterfalls near the highway.Boating and exploring World Heritage site of Phong Nha where local civilians and military sheltered from incessant bombing during wartime.

Then after having lunch, we will keep riding on Ho Chi Minh Trail and have short stop at Truong Son cemetary to pay respects to the soldiers who fought and died on the trail during the American War.

Approx 5pm we arrive in Khe Sanh which was established as a forward base by General Westmoreland near Laos to secure highway 9.
Check in to hotel, free time at night

Summary
Distance:  250 km
Accommodation: Hotel in Khe Sanh
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

In this morning, we ride along highway 1 to Quang Tri town, visiting Long Hung Church and Quang Tri Old Citadel which was a battlefield in 1972 between North and South Vietnam for 81 days and nights. We ride along the coast from Cua Viet Beach to Cua Tung Beach a long stretch of beautiful and peaceful coastline.

Next we visit the Vinh Moc tunnels and explore the Demilitarised Zone, stopping for lunch at the Doc Mieu Firebase. And then wee will keep on riding on Ho Chi Minh Trail via Dong Ha town, where we will stop by to take a look at Dong Ha market known as one of the most hassle and bustle markets in Central. Later on, we will ride directly to Hue and en route, our guide will stop by to show you more war relics before reaching Hue.

Upon arrival in Hue, if time permits, we will take a ride to visit Imperial Citadel and one of Royal Tombs then enjoy sunset on the bank of Perfume River. Check in to hotel, free time at night.Summary
Distance:  200 km
Accommodation: Hotel in Hue
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today, we’ll have an easy motorbike trip to weave around the city to visit some more royal tombs as well as other important travel sites & relics in Hue.
In the afternoon, you’ll be free on your own to relax or go shopping. Overnight at hotel in Hue

Summary
Distance:  100 km
Accommodation: Hotel in Hue
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

In this morning, we will keep on riding along the coastal line via Hai Van Pass, where we could look down from the top to view the splendid beauties of Lang Co beach and ocean then time to refresh yourself by a cup of coffee before heading straight to Da Nang.

Upon arrival in Da Nang, you will park your bikes somewhere nearby the Railway Station then our guide will take a taxi to get you to the hotel in Hoi An for a check-in. Free time on your own. Overnight at hotel in Hoi An

Summary
Distance:  150 km
Accommodation: hotel in Hoi An
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

You can extend any more day in Hoi An for “rest & recreation as you want otherwise you can say goodbye to go home from Da Nang international airport.

* Inclusions:

+ Motorbike(s) (Honda or Yamaha)
+ Helmet(s)
+ Driving gears
+ Gasoline on tour
+ English speaking guides
+ Mechanic (only for group from 6 passengers)
+ Accommodation as indicated in the itinerary (based on Twin or Double room)
+ Homestay permission
+ Meals as indicated in the itinerary
+ Entrance fees & Sightseeing fees
+ One-way airticket from Da Nang to Hanoi for our tour guides & mechanic
+ Train carriage for bikes from Da Nang to Hanoi.
+ Coffee or bottled water or 1 soft drink for every stopover en route.