North Vietnam on a motorcycle

North Vietnam on a motorcycle

North Vietnam is truly a new world with a great diversity of landscapes and a multitude of ethnicities. This region benefits from breathtaking landscapes such as wide green basins, thatched villages lost in the middle of terraced rice fields, lakes with crystal clear waters which will also be visited during hikes, by bike, by boat, by kayak (depending on season) . Do not forget the real treasure of North Vietnam: a mosaic of ethnic groups and the smile of its inhabitants, who offer unforgettable memories during a motorcycle trip to Vietnam.

Itinerary

Day 1: Hanoi, Phuc An

Stop At: Thac Ba Lake, Yen Binh District, Yen Bai 320000 Vietnam
After the preparation of the machine, it's the start of our motorcycle trip to Vietnam! Leaving the capital Hanoi and its outskirts allows us to familiarize ourselves with our new mount. Then we take a road less traveled, crossing cities, countryside and rice fields.

Fork to Lake Thac Ba passing through small villages and hills covered with tea trees to reach the village of Phuc An. Visit the lake by motor boat and swim. This lake is one of the largest artificial lakes in North Vietnam, built in 1970 to supply the hydroelectric dam.

After a convivial dinner with tasting of rice alcohol, we spend the night in a traditional house on stilts of the Dao ethnic group in white pants.
Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Night with the locals.

Day 2: Phuc An, Bac Ha

Stop At: Bac Ha, Bac Ha, Lao Cai Province
We walk along the lake to see some ethnic villages with their houses on stilts placed on the banks. Passing the eucalyptus and acacia hills and small villages to reach Yen The (known for its precious stones and marble quarries). Visit of the wood unwinding and marble sculpture workshops.

In the middle of the rice terraces and the lataniers, arrival at a Tay family in Bac Ha.
Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Night with the locals.

Day 3: Bac Ha

Stop At: Bac Ha, Bac Ha, Lao Cai Province
Start of our trek (5 to 7 hours of walking) through the village. Our route crosses between the rice terraces and the small woods. Meeting of ethnic groups working in the fields. Stop at the edge of a small river for picnics and swimming (depending on the season).

A stroll through Na Kheo, Ban Pho and Na Lo - mountain villages of ethnic groups (Hmong Fleurs, Nung and Tay de Lan Gi Thang, Pu Ngai Cho, Thai Giang Pho, Lau Thi Ngai) allows you to reconnect with everyday life from the neighborhood.

Second night with the resident of the Tay ethnic group in Bac Ha.
Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Night with the locals.

Day 4: Bac Ha, Pan Hou

Stop At: Hoàng Su Phì District, Ha Giang, Vietnam
We continue our motorcycle trip in Vietnam towards the most remote region in the North of the country. we cross the border regions with China like the village of Lung Phin, Nan Ma along the Chay river.

Arrival in Hoang Su Phi, a very rural district dominated by the green color of its rice terraces. Night at the lodge located in the middle of the rice fields which we discover on foot the rest of the day.
Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Night at the lodge.

Day 5: Pan Hou, Nam Dam

Stop At: Nậm Đăm, Tp. Hà Giang, Hà Giang, Vietnam
By small roads little used and full of bends, continuation towards Ha Giang where the cities with their traffics and the agricultural cultures are more numerous.

After Ha Giang, through the mountains and the valleys, we cross the "door of the sky" to spend the night at the Dao ethnic group with long tunic in the Nam Dam village.
Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Night with the locals.

Day 6: Nam Dam, Dong Van, Meo Vac

Stop At: Dong Van, Dong Van, Ha Giang Province
Immersion in the heart of the local life of the blue Hmong of the village of Lung Tam to discover their craft activity of weaving hemp by women.

Continue on a winding road leading to the Dong Van geological plateau (classified by UNESCO in 2010) to visit the ancient castle of the King of the Hmong.

Stop at the town of Dong Van with its market and its old stone and tile houses. At the crossing of the Ma Li Peng pass, we contemplate the mountains with sharp contours and steep slopes covered with stone fields. Arrival at Meo Vac.
Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Night at the hotel.


Day 7: Meo Vac, Ba Be

Stop At: Ba Be, Ba Be, Bac Kan Province
In the town of Bao Lac, a small detour to the village of the black Lolo of Coc Xa. Through the village on foot, observation of the daily life of this small community still living far from the surrounding civilization.

Resumption of road towards Ba Be (natural park made up of a lake surrounded by karst mountains covered with luxuriant vegetation). Arrival at Pac Ngoi village of the Tay ethnic group to settle in at night in their house on stilts.
Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Night with the locals.

Day 8: Ba Be

Stop At: Ba Be, Ba Be, Bac Kan Province
Discovery of Ba Be lake and its surroundings. Ba Be is the largest natural lake in North Vietnam, it is surrounded by limestone cliffs and jungle. Visit the Puong cave crossing the mountain from side to side and housing a large colony of bats.

We see the Tay village of Ban Cam located on the banks of the Nang River with thousands of butterflies frolicking on the banks.
Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Night with the locals.

Day 9: Ba Be, Hanoi

Stop At: Ba Be, Ba Be, Bac Kan Province
We continue our motorcycle trip to Vietnam with a detour to the Hua Ma cave to visit it. Return to Hanoi via Bang Phuc, Bang Lung, Cho Chu, national 3 and Thai Nguyen. In Hanoi, we return our motorcycles with some free time before sleeping
Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Night at the hotel.

Day 10: Hanoi, Ninh Binh (by car)

Stop At: Ninh Binh, Ninh Binh, Ninh Binh Province
The day begins with a visit to the temples of Dinh and Le kings in the ancient capital of Vietnam Hoa Lu (between 968-1009). Walk in a small boat through the Van Long nature reserve with its rice fields, karst peaks and caves. Wild landscapes are home to many protected species (for example the Langur de Delacour, a primate species endemic to Vietnam).

Bike ride through typical villages of the surrounding region
Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Night at the hotel.

Day 11: Ninh Binh, Lan Ha Bay (by car)

Stop At: Lan Ha Bay, Cat Ba Vietnam
We join Hai Phong to take the ferry to Cat Ba Island and embark on the junk from Ben Beo harbor. Your junk crosses the first floating fishing village, then sneaks into Lan Ha Bay.

Stroll (in a boat or kayak) at the Ca tunnel. Back on board this junk, we drop anchor in the bay to spend the night.
Duration: 12 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight on board.

Day 12: Lan Ha Bay, Hanoi (by car)

Stop At: Lan Ha Bay, Cat Ba Vietnam
We are witnessing the sunrise over Halong Bay. Swimming at Ba Trai Dao beaches before disembarking at the port of Ben Beo. Back in Hanoi, transfer to the airport for your return flight.
Duration: 6 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
No accommodation included on this day.