ESSENTIAL VIETNAM NORTH-WEST MOTORBIKE TOUR TO HA GIANG

Itinerary:

Our motorbike tour will be started 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, which is a small mountain town as a stop-over for a night.

Stay in guest houseSummary:
Distance:  160 km
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Guest-house

Day 2:  Phu Yen to Than Uyen (Lai Chau) ~ 210 km

In the morning, we motorcycle 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. 

Day 3: Than Uyen  to Sapa (Lao Cai) – Sapa Motorbiking Tours to H’mong’s Villages ~ 110 km

We motorcycle to head straight toward 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).

Motorbiking 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!

Day 4: Sapa to Bac Ha (Lao Cai) – Motorbiking to some Hilltribe’s Villages ~ 120 km

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 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 the 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.Summary:
Distance:  120 km
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Home-stay 

Day 5: Bac Ha to Ha Giang City ~ 200 km

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.Summary:
Distance:  200 km
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel

Day 6: Ha Giang to Dong Van (Ha Giang) ~ 160 km

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 Motorcycle Tours passing Meo Vac to Ba Be National Park

The road is still under construction and tracks what make the motor ride relatively

long in spite of few kilometres. The landscape is among the most beautiful of Vietnam, and the slow tempo is only more appreciable.
We motorcycle across the wild regions of the mythical province of Ha Giang, Meo Vac is included. It shares the border with Dong Van District of Ha Giang Province and Bao Lam District of Cao Bang Province. Meo Vac has most of the terrain in the Rock Plateau of Dong Van and above 1000m above sea level.

Meo Vac has a harsh climate in the winter which is from November to April with dry and freezing cold weather. It is inhabited by different ethnic minorities including the H’mong, the King, Tay, Dzao…Most ethnic groups have maintained their culture untouched from the outside world. Beautiful motor ride down to Bac Kan Province in the afternoon. Take a local boat-ride on the reservoir of Na Hang Hydro Power Factory to village near by Dau Dang waterfall in Ba Be National Park for home-stay.

Summary:
Distance:  160 km
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Home-stay

Day 8: Ba Be back to Hanoi ~ 230 km

After breakfast, take an other boat-ride on Ba Be lake to other side, before jumping on our bikes to Cho Ra, head up to main Road 3. Ba Be National Park is an abundant bioreserve area containing the world’s only fresh-water karst lake and several rare species of fauna and flora. The biodiverse 10,048 ha park – home to 1,268 species of flora and fauna, a series of caves and a gigantic fresh water lake – was established in 1992 by the Vietnamese Government to preserve forest ecosystems in the northeast.

Ba Be is home to over 3,000 people from the ethnic minorities of Tay, Nung, Dao and Mong, who live in 13 villages within the park. The Tay people have inhabited Ba Be area for centuries and make up 58 per cent of the population within the park’s boundaries.

On Road 3, the way back to Hanoi, traffic is getting worst and worst, so we should be back before rush hour.

Summary:
Distance:  230 km
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch