Breathtaking Northeast Vietnam Motorbike Tour via Ha Giang and Cao Bang – 8 Days

We start our Motorbike tour by riding on to dyke roads following Red river to Thac Ba lake. See beautiful countryside, rice and green tea fields.
Then we turn to the little road to Vu Linh village, where populated by Dzao ethnic minority by the side of Thac Ba lake, very friendly people and the welcome is exceptional.
Home-stay in Vu Linh.

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

After breakfast, we motorcycle along the Thac Ba lake on a small road lined by palm trees and scenic mountain views to join the main Road 2, heading up to Ha Giang where we stop for the night and apply for a permit.

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

After getting the permit to ride in border areas at Ha Giang’s Immigration Police, we motorbike on small challenging mountain roads (but incredibly beautiful) on the land of colorful mountain hill-tribes.

Head up the Ma Pi Leng Pass. Here is yet another amazing place, with cloudy mountain ranges and the poetic Nho Que river winding off in the distance.

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.

Ride on a zig-zag track until reaching Vuong Family’s Residence, 14 kms before Dong Van.
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.

Summary:
Distance:  160 km
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel

The road is still under construction and tracks what make the 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.

In the afternoon, we stop for the night at Bao Lac, the ethnic crossroad of Northeast Vietnam. Many other ethnic groups on the two sides of the border meet at the market every Sunday.

Summary:
Distance:  80 km
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel

Beautiful motor ride down to Cao Bang province. Few passes from where you can dominate the area. The road is easy but there are many blind curves. We can stop very often for photos in Nguyen Binh and Tinh Tuc.
Good hotel in Cao Bang Town, where we can relax to be ready for next imaging day.

Summary:
Distance:  130 km
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel

Get out of town, we ride up to Ma Phuc Pass of Cao Bang Province. It is on the way between Cao Bang Town and the Ban Gioc Waterfall. The pass is not famous with the elevation or the danger like some others in Vietnam, but with the natural beauty that one could capture from the top of the pass.

Keep riding to Ban Gioc waterfall, one of Vietnam’s best-known waterfalls. It’s a very scenic spot, marking the border with China, but sees very few visitors. The name Ban Gioc is derived from the Montagnard languages spoken in the area, and is sometimes spelt Ban Doc.

The waterfall is the largest, although not the highest, in the country. The vertical drop is 53m, but it has an impressive 300m span; one end of the falls is in China, the other is in Vietnam. The falls have three levels, creating a sort of giant staircase, and there’s enough water any time, most years, to make the trip worthwhile.

Lunch in local restaurant before we get an other way back to Quang Uyen. This is the territory of Nung An people. Home stay in a host family and the hostess is a great cook.
This could be the best ride ever.
Overnight in Quang Uyen.

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

Ride from Quang Uyen to Lang Son on the famous historical Highway 4. Passing Dong Khe town, Battle of Route Coloniale 4.

The Battle of Dong Khe was a major battle of the First Indochina War. The fight began on 15 September 1950 and ended on 18 September with a French defeat. It took place in Dong Khe, in the Province of Tonkin, Vietnam, from September 15 to September 18, 1950, ending with a Viet Minh victory.

Arriving Lang Son at noon. We have a late lunch before time to discover this city which has become a big trading post between China and Vietnam. You can shop for cheap Chinese products at the nearby Dong Kinh market.
Overnight in hotel.

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

Easy day back to Hanoi on the new Highway 1B. You can wake up late or do some more shopping in Dong Kinh market in the morning as we guess you can be tired after  long riding days.
Arrival at Hanoi before rush hour, around 3pm

Summary:
Distance:  160 km
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

End of services