Enthralling North Vietnam Off-road Motorbike Tour via Tram Tau, Ta Xua, Dien Bien – 10 Days

On the first day, after leaving the busy city of Hanoi, we hit the countryside, roaming through peaceful villages, rice fields and backroads. In the afternoon, we ride along the Red River heading to Vu Linh, a peaceful village of Dao ethinic people in Yen Bai province. Depending on your demand, we can do some light dirt track before and after lunch to warm up your a bodies for the next challenging days. We finish the day on a boat trip on Thac Ba Lake – one of the biggest lakes in Vietnam.

Located in the north west of the country, formed in 1971 on Chay river to be the water supplier for the operation of Thac Ba hydropower plant. Thac Ba Lake has nearly 23,500 hectares in width with over 1,300 large and small green islands, the system of  beautiful caves hidden deeply in the limestone mountain ranges, boating on the Thac Ba lake is a lovely way to commune with nature.

Relax yourself by a nice swim in the fresh and clean water here before a fancy dinner at the homestay of a Dao family. The Dao ethnic group in Vietnam has a total population of nearly 1 million people. They live mainly in the northern mountain provinces of Cao Bang, Ha Giang, Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Lai Chau and Tuyen Quang and the midland provinces of Phu Tho, Vinh Phuc, and Hoa Binh.

Summary:
Distance: 160 – 180 km
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Home-stay

We begin the ride today at 9 o’clock after having breakfast at 8. The bikes take us on an easy ride to Yen Bai city through bumpy backroads and small tea farms in the morning, there are many nice spots for pictures on the way. Leaving Yen Bai city, we head to Nghia Lo, a land of Thai people which is famous for the charming “Xoe Thai dance” and bucolic rice terraces.

After lunch, we keep rolling on National road no.32 through peaceful villages and farms to Tram Tau.If you’re long for offroading then prepare yourself for some challenges this afternoon, we can have from 10 to 25 kilometers of dirt track along unspoiled landscapes, remote villages with friendly H’mong people. 

Tonight we stay in another nice homestay located on a small hills surrounded by lovely rice terraces. If time allows we can embrace ourselves in a hot spring nearby.

Tram Tau is like a raw ruby stone waiting to be polished by a lapidarist, as a highland district of Yen Bai province, Tram Tau is endowed with terraced fields and natural hot mineral sources. Currently, tourists can combine sightseeing, eco-tourism and relaxation when coming to this place. Contributing to the map of Vietnam’s well-known terraced fields, along with the famous terraced fields in locations such as Hoang Su Phi (Ha Giang province), Y Ty (Lao Cai), Mu Cang Chai (Yen Bai), the Tram Tau terraced fields has become notable lately.

Summary:
Distance: 140 – 170 km
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Home-stay

We begin riding today from 8.30 to 9.00 follow a winding backroad across vicious rice fields.  After some nice stops where we may have chances to see spectacular clouds and mountains, we get to the Dinosaur back bone of Ta xua, a great picture spot with a thrilling goat track. Ta Xua is a rising star for Vietnamese adventurers among other destinations as a weekend retreat.

Located at an altitude of over 1,500m above sea level, Ta Xua is famous for a beautiful paradise in the morning sunlight and gorgeous mountains, a nice place with cool weather to relax and hunt for photos of spectacular landscapes. “The Dinosaur backbone” also tops as one of the main reasons to visit Ta Xua. Lies on top a 2000-meter high mountain range, “Dinosaur backbone” is a narrow trail which looks like the backbone of a dinosaur. Crossing along the ridges with the two sides are steep slopes, it is a desired destination and a real challenge even for experienced bikers.

Spending a few minutes here and we keep riding to Bac Yen town for a light lunch, in the afternoon, the road to our destination stretches along Da river. There are 30 kilometers of dirt track waiting for thrill-seekers with spectacular view from high on the mountains down to the majestic Da river. On the way to our hotel, if time permits we might pay a visit to Sơn La prison, a historic relic of the Indochina war era where the French colonizers imprisoned Vietnamese patriots who fought against them.  

Summary:
Distance: 150 – 170 km
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel

After having breakfast, we leave at 9 o’clock to day, the road in the morning will lead us to the first hightlight of the day which is a ride straight through a cave to a local ethnic village nestled near green coffee farms. After some quick picture stops, we hit the road again, a combination of backroads and dirt tracks will lead us to the second hight light of the day-Pha Din pass, this hitoric pass witnessed extraordinary efforts and achievements of Vietnamese military at the time of the famous Battle of Dien Bien Phu.

We have lunch in Tuan Giao town, in the afternoon, we head to Dien Bien Phu city on a scenic winding road, there are some historical relics and monuments on the way to visit such as the Vietnamese military’s Headquarter of Dien Bien Phu campaign or the Artillery pulling monument. Offroading is always on the menu since there are many spectacular trails around for us to explore.

Summary:
Distance: 150 – 180 km
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel

On this day, we begin at 8 o’clock, before the ride, we pay a visit to the A1 hill (which is called “Eliane 2” by French military), where the last charge of the Battle of Dien Bien Phu happened. On May 7^th -1954 this hill marked the ultimate victory of Vietnamese military against French colonizers, this victory after that leaded to the collapse of the French colonial reign in Indochina.

After this short history tour, we get back on our bikes to ride on a remote road to Lai Chau province, hills, mountains and local tribes await us on the road. After lunchtime in Muong Lay, there’s a little change with the scenery which is Da River and its branches along the road. Da river is one of the longest river in Vietnam on which located 5 important major hydropower factories of Vietnam.

The river will follow us for 70 kilometers more before saying goodbye to us in Phong Tho, from here, we come back to mountains and forests on a 40-kilometer long to the destination. If we get there soon enough, there’s a waterfall nearby where we can get soaked in the nice and fresh water after a long ride. On this night, we stay in a homestay of H’mong people in Sin Suoi Ho, have dinner with a local family and explore the colorful H’mong culture. 

Summary:
Distance: 210 km
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Homestay

This day is a relaxing day after 5 challenging ones, we can depart a bit later at 10 o’clock, spend our morning time walking around the village. If we’re lucky enough with the schedule, we will have chance to attend “Cho phien”, a type of local periodical market which only held on weekends.

“Cho phien” is a unique event happening in the mountainous areas of Northern Vietnam, it’s basically a kind of weekly or monthly market where local people trade there home made products such as vegetables, fruits, rice, clothes…, but it also appears like a small festival where people come to party, play traditional games or even look for a boyfriend/girlfriend.

This day comes a short ride, only 90 kilometers so we can relax more stop more for pictures. After a light lunch, we head to O Quy Ho, another famous pass of Vietnam with spectacular view. And when you feel the air getting cooler, see the mist coming from the mountain ranges, that’s when we arrive in Sapa, where we spend the night.

Located at the altitude of 1600 meters above sea level, Sapa is famous for its cool weather, breathtaking scenery and culture diversity with 6 different tribes of people living together. This is also a big town comparing to other destinations on the tour so you can spend your time here for casual entertainment activities like bars, pubs… We stay in a hotel for this night.

Summary:
Distance: 90 km
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel

It’s a big day today so we will start a bit earlier, let us say good bye to the fancy town of Sapa at 8 o’clock. The first stop of today’s ride is an interesting checkpoint near Vietnamese – Chinese border where you can see China right beyond a river and enjoy a nice coffee, it’s 30 kilometers from Sapa.

The road to Ha Giang-our destination today is decorated by scenic mountain ranges and small valleys with many picturesque views. Since the distance on this day is quite long so we mostly stick with the main road and backroad for timing reason. Beautiful rice fields and lovely villages await for us all along the trip to Ha giang.

Summary:
Distance: 240 km
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel

After a nice breakfast at 8 o’clock, we get on our iron horses again at about 9 o’clock, the ride today could be both relaxing and challenging since we can enjoy breathtaking landscapes literally on every kilometer of the road. It’s difficult to describe the epic beauty of Ha Giang, it just overwhelms us!

In the morning we can do some ofroad tracks that lead us to beautiful rice terraces and forests. Along the tracks lie some small remote villages and local schools where we have chances stop to meet local people and lovely kids, we can also do some small charity in these places to share the hard ship with them, sharing is caring!

In the afternoon, we head to Ma Pi Leng pass, a legendary pass in local H’mong culture of Ha Giang province, the view from the top of this pass is just spectacular!

The next interesting place to see today is the H’mong King’s Palace located 14 kilometers before Dong Van. A H’mong man named Vuong Chi Sinh was considered the King of the H’mong 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.

Note: Dong Van, where we spend the night today is another touristy town beside Sapa so you will have chances here to find some bustling corners for entertainment.

Summary:
Distance: 140 km
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel

The morning ride today will take us to the most beautiful pass in the North of Vietnam, Ma Pi Leng pass. It is really difficult to find the exact words to describe Ma Pi Leng Pass, located between Dong Van and Meo Vac, near the northernmost tip of Vietnam, as a painting of astonishing beauty and magnificence that captures the eyes of all viewers and nature lovers.

If weather allows, we will get in a memorable dirt track where we cross the enchanting Nho Que river on a bamboo raft.

Today we cross 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, Tay, Dzao…Most ethnic groups have maintained their culture untouched from the outside world. We finish the ride by taking a boat trip on the verdant Ba Be Lake, the biggest nature lake in Vietnam, at the end of the day we enjoy a nice stay in a homestay of a local Tay family.

Summary:
Distance: 210 km
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Home-stay

One last big day to complete our trip of a lifetime, it’s a long way to go this day so we’d better depart early. An easy motor ride in the morning will take us through peaceful villages and rice fields before reaching very busy road in the afternoon. After our last meal in Thai Nguyen city, traffic will get worst on the way back to Hanoi, so we should be back before rush hour and finish our trip around 3 pm.

Summary:
Distance: 230 km
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

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