North Vietnam Dirtbike 5 Day Motorbike Tour

North Vietnam Dirtbike 5 Day Motorbike Tour

Thac Ba Lake; the mountain province Ha Giang; the palace of the H'mong King; the mountain town of Dong Van; Ba Be Lake; the Ma Pi Leng and Ba Be mountain passes

2 nights in homestay and 2 nights in hotels

Itinerary

Day 1: Day 1: Hanoi - Thac Ba Lake

Stop At: Thac Ba Lake, Yen Binh District, Yen Bai 320000 Vietnam
180km

homestay

Thac Ba Lake; the minority area of Vu Linh

Leaving Hanoi you'll follow the Red River northwest. As you ride, you'll see the flat farmland start to give way to foothills before taking a little road towards Thac Ba Lake. Created by damming up three rivers in order to power the first power station in Vietnam, this man-made lake is the largest in Vietnam. Its banks are populated by people of the Dzao minority—the family who run the homestay you'll spend the night in are Dzao—and, depending on the weather, you'll have the opportunity to explore it further by taking a trip to one of its many islands on a little boat.
Duration: 4 minutes

Meals included:
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: homestay

Day 2: Day 2: Thac Ba Lake - Ha Giang

Stop At: Dinh Vua Meo, Sa Phin, Dong Van Vietnam
180km

hotel

the mountain province Ha Giang

You'll skirt the lake and head north, passing through miles of palm forest before being met with the sight of the imposing mountain range that forms Vietnam's natural border with China. Then it's up and up, the roads becoming steeper and rockier, into Ha Giang. Populated almost entirely by ethnic minorities, most of whom still live in small communities connected by little dirt roads, Ha Giang Province is easily one of the country's most famous riding spots.
Duration: 4 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Homestay

Day 3: Day 3: Ha Giang - Dong Van

Stop At: Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark, Sa Phin, Ha Giang 310000 Vietnam
160km

hotel

the mountain town of Dong Van; the palace of the H'mong King; the Ma Pi Leng Pass

The road from Ha Giang City to Dong Van runs east along the Chinese border. You'll ride through the country of, among others, the Tay, Dzao and H'Mong, taking in one of the country's most famous roads, the 20km long Ma Pi Leng Pass. Before arriving in Dong Van you'll also have the opportunity to visit Dinh Vua Meo, the palace of the H'mong king who once ruled the area and famously allied himself with Ho Chi Minh. It doesn't take long to explore, but the building itself and the artefacts it contains make it worth the visit. Dong Van is great, too: it's got a historic Old Quarter, a busy traditional market and some French colonial buildings that are more than 200 years old!
Duration: 4 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: homestay

Day 4: Dong Van - Ba Be Lake

Stop At: Ba Be National Park, Bo Lu Village Ba Be district, Nam Mau 270000 Vietnam
170km

homestay

Ba Be Lake; Ba Be National Park

You'll continue through the mountains of Ha Giang Province before riding south through the province of Bac Kan. Stopping for lunch there is always interesting, since the cuisine so far north differs a lot from that of Hanoi: dishes are more substantial and tend to contain more meat, probably as a consequence of the cold Winters and the harsh terrain. After lunch you'll continue south to Bac Kan's biggest attraction, Ba Be Lake. Ba Be means 'three bays' and, true to its name, is actually three lakes joined together into one body of water. It's got some caves and lagoons which, time and weather permitting, you'll be able to explore on a little boat and the national park in which lies is home to a diverse range of indigenous species and boasts plenty of good homestays.
Duration: 4 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: homestay

Day 5: Day 5: Ba Be Lake - Hanoi

Stop At: Ba Be National Park, Bo Lu Village Ba Be district, Nam Mau 270000 Vietnam
190km

the Ba Be Pass

Leaving Ba Be National Park, you'll ride the Ba Be Pass before continuing your journey through Bac Kan and into the province of Thai Nguyen. Thai Nguyen is Vietnam's tea-growing powerhouse, exporting tens of thousands of tonnes annually, and the roads there are good. Entering Hanoi from the north is far more forgiving than doing so from the west, too, so, following the Cau River through farmland and past numerous smaller lakes, you can expect a relatively relaxed journey back into the capital.

Prices
Duration: 5 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: no