Itinerary:

Summary

The whole of northern Vietnam offers so much to discover. While all mountainous, it also presents a lot of variations in landscape

and sights to take in. On our ‘Big Loop’ we ensure to cover three of the most famous sights and areas – the Ba Be Lake (entrancing fresh-water lake surrounded by the high limestone mountains and primeval jungle and retains its beauty year-round), the Ban Gioc waterfall (this 30 m high and 200 m wide fall on the boarder of Vietnam/China will stun any visitor) and the Ma Pi Leng mountain pass (without doubt the most astonishing mountain road in Vietnam. 20 km of winding road that formally hangs on the mountain side with jaw dropping views at every bend)

This tour presents some longer days on the bike so both stamina and experience (especially if self-driving) is a requirement.

Possibility to self-drive or to ride pillion (behind guide/driver). If self-driving, we recommend extensive prior motorcycling experience.

Accommodation will be in a mix of ethnic minority homestay and hotels

Roundtrip bus transfer from Hanoi to Hagiang

1. Pickup:

   We will pick you up at 19:30 pm at the hotel in Hanoi Old Quarter the day before

2. Board the Night Bus:

   • Head to the bus on the scheduled day, and board the night bus to Ha Giang. Night buses often come equipped with sleeper seats, allowing you to rest during the journey.

3. Arrival in Ha Giang:

   • The journey from Hanoi to Ha Giang takes around 7-8 hours. You’ll arrive in Ha Giang early in the morning. Take a short break before starting the tour 

Itinerary

The tour may be done clockwise or anti-clockwise around the loop and will depend on driving skills, seasons and market-days.

Day 1: Ha Giang motorbike tour to Ba Be Lake via Bac Quang and Na Hang 

(approx. 245 km)

After some breakfast, we on a ‘marathon loop’, but even if there are many kms to cover it is for a large part on easy roads where we make up distance at quite a speed. We go south out on highway QL 2 till we reach Viet Quang where we turn into road TL 279 and we will reach the small town of Na Hang where we stop for lunch.

After lunch we ‘finally’ meet beautiful mountains roads taking us over a spectacular mountain pass before reaching the town of Cho Ra in late afternoon where we branch of and go down Ba Be Lake. Here we check into a nice Homestay by the lake and which will provide us a wonderful dinner, bed and breakfast. (Day includes Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 2: Ha Giang Loop Tour via Ba Be Lake and Cao Bang: Motorcycle tour to Ba Be Lake

We will spend the full day on and around the lake. After breakfast we will enjoy a boat ride and explore the lake and its surroundings. The lakes have a lot to offer, including waterfalls, rivers, valleys and caves all set amidst picturesque landscapes. Lunch and dinner at the Homestay. (Day includes Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner).

Day 3: Ha Giang – Cao Bang – Ban Gioc Waterfalls, approx. 205 km

After breakfast we travel north up and down the ‘snake pass’ and stop for our lunch in Cao Bang City. We continue towards the Chinese boarder where at the end of the day meet the breath-taking Ban Gioc Waterfall which spans over 300 meters, split half and half between Vietnam and China. We spend the night in a Nung ethnic homestay and enjoy some traditional home-cooked dinner. (Day includes Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 4: Ha Giang Loop Tour via Ba Be Lake and Cao Bang: Ban Gioc – Cao Bang – Bao Lac, approx. 210 km

After breakfast we start the morning to discover the Nguom Ngao Cave, an impressive natural wonder with a cave that stretches for 2,144 meters underground and is brimming with incredible stalactites and stalagmites. Then it is time for a ride through beautiful landscape and nice roads until we reach the small town of Ba Lac where we take into a hotel for the night. (Day includes Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 5: Ban Lac motorbike tour to Meo Vac – Ma Pi Leng mountain pass – Dong Van – Lung Cu – Dong Van, approx. 145 km

From Bao Lac town we continue north and connect to QL 4C or ‘Road of Happiness’ and start driving north towards Meo Vac where we take lunch. After that we will climb up the majestic Ma Pi Leng mountain pass. 22 km of stunning beauty and a road that just hangs off the mountainside. We will reach the most norther town of Vietnam, Dong Van, but we continue on to reach the North pole. Anyway, that is what the most northern point of Vietnam is jokingly called – Lung Cu and its famous flagpole tower which we climb and view China from the top. We return towards Dong Van where we stay in a hotel or homestay as what has been agreed. (Day includes Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 6: Ha Giang Loop Tour via Ba Be Lake and Cao Bang: Dong Van motorbike tour to Sa Phin – Yen Minh – Tam Son – Ha Giang City, approx. 150 km drive

If we are waking up on a Sunday in Dong Van the weekly big local market meets you before or after a breakfast. More ethnic minority groups than you can count have travelled on Saturday or extremely early on Sunday to reach here. Really colourful and people from near and far to do their weekly shopping and gossiping. Thereafter, we start our journey south. Soon we reach Sa Phin where we find the one-hundred-year-old palace of Vuong Chinh Duc – the King of H’mong people. We go down the Stone Plateau and reach Yen Minh where we take lunch and then climb a mountain pass covered in pine forest and sweeping rice terraces along our drive. Down to the Song La river valley until the road takes us up to Tam Son, over the Quan Ba mountain pass and back to Ha Giang. (Day includes Breakfast, Lunch).

After having a shower and a dinner (your own account),  you will board the night bus where you take a sleep on and arrive in Hanoi early morning the next day.

End of the trip

Hereunder are the pricing options to match with your personal plans

1. Option 1: if you are budget travelers looking for group tours to save your travel budget, you can join our groups of different tourists with no more than 10 people at the price of US$ 498/person

* NOTES:
+ On this group tour, you’ll be just pillion passengers sitting behind our guides/drivers.
+ You must be joining with other different riders under the supervision of our guide 

2. Option 2: If you guys don’t want to join with other different riders, you can be in private groups with your own friends and sitting behind our drivers, the cost will be as follows:

* NOTE:
+ On this private tour, you’ll be just pillion passengers sitting behind our guides/drivers.
+ You won’t have to join with any outsider yet but only you and your friends with our guide

3. Option 3: In case, you guys are much confident in your riding skills & prefer riding motorbikes on your own on private groups, the cost for each riding geared scooters of 110cc or automatic ones of 125cc will be as follows:

* NOTES:
+ If you prefer riding motorbikes on your own, you must have International Driver’s Permits to ride legally otherwise you must be responsible for all troubles with our traffic police on the roads if they stop to check your paperworks.
+ The surcharge manual Yamaha Exciter 150cc / Honda Winner 150cc, Honda XR 150cc is US$ 18/bike/day