Introducing the best motorcycle tour in Northern Vietnam: the must-visit bucket list for all motorcycling and traveling enthusiasts. Exploring the traditions, cultural diversity, and simplicity of living in Vietnam riding on a motorcycle is a must-do for all adrenaline riders and biking aficionados. Being able to take your motorcycle and ride along mountain passes and quaint towns absorbing the tranquility and happiness will surely invoke a sense of serenity within. Vietnam as a biking destination has great treasures in its store waiting to be explored. The winding mountainous roads rising as high above, alongside clouds and steep rides down allow riders to fulfill their desire for extreme adventure.
You will be forced to leave a piece of your heart back at the narrow roads with remote green mountainous vegetation, places of spiritual reverence perched on perilous cliffs, and picturesque villages with welcoming local folks. Vietnam is at the cusp of modernism but also strived hard to maintain sovereignty and individualism along with our age-old customs, and traditions and always greet newcomers as one of our own. At every turn, you take on your bike an un-miscible adventure awaits to be explored and appreciated.
Vietnam is the perfect destination for motorcycle enthusiasts looking to embark on an unforgettable ride. Let’s start your adventure now!
Highlights: The Northern is one of 3 different parts of Vietnam but also is the oldest and has a lot of mystery that needs to be discovered, not only many mountainous areas but plenty of ethnic people with colorful cultures. This 10 Day Motorcycle Trip through some famous places such as Ba Be Lake, Meo Vac, Dong Van, Sapa, Than Uyen, Mai Chau, etc, is the best fit for you if you are looking for an amazing journey.
| TOUR OPERATOR | Big Bike Tours – Golden Buffalo Rider | ||||||||||||
| DEPARTURE/RETURN LOCATION | Hanoi City / Noi Bai International Airport | ||||||||||||
| DEPARTURE TIME | The tour will start at 8.30 am. Please be informed, that you arrived at least one day before the tour started in Hanoi. We recommend two days before the tour start to acclimate and avoid jet lag. | ||||||||||||
| RETURN TIME | The tour will finish at about 4/5 pm back in Hanoi, so if you like to fly back the same day to Ho Chi Minh City or other destinations, you can catch easily any flight from Hanoi after 8 pm. | ||||||||||||
| GEAR | We recommend bringing your gear to be the most comfortable. But we also offer some helmets, jackets, gloves, and knee guards. Please be informed, that we do not offer boots and trousers due to hygienic reasons. | ||||||||||||
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Please be informed, that our tours are all-inclusive. So you can completely focus on your holiday, the adventure, the riding, and the unseen Vietnam. There are no hidden costs or other surprises – our tour prices are final. All is paid. Come ride with us – the real deal!
Hanoi – Ba Be Lake – Meo Vac – Ha Giang – Xin Man – Sapa – Mu Cang Chai – Phu Yen – Mai Chau – Hanoi
(Distance: about 1,675 km. / 1,050 miles )
Day 1. Hanoi - Ba Be Lake (240 km.)
The amazing journey starts at 8.00 am from Hanoi to the Northeast region of Vietnam. The urban view is replaced by the rustic countryside road with plenty of rural villages between hills and rice fields. Heading up to the North and enjoying the beautiful mountain scenery, you will reach Ba Be Lake – the largest natural lake in Vietnam. The whole area is full of limestone country, lakes, waterfalls, caves, and unusual rocks, which entirely make you feel comfortable after 240km of riding. We offer you a night-in homestay with the Tay people in a traditional stilt house.
Accommodation: Ba Be Lakeside Bungalow
Day 2. Ba Be Lake - Meo Vac (200 km.)
The second day has a shorter distance (about 200km) but probably takes more time because the road is quite dangerous. Still, the landscape of endless limestone peaks combined with idyllic scenery could impress you immediately. If luckily, you can see the movement through the mountain peaks of the sun that draws charming sunshine. Dinner and stay at a hotel in Meo Vac.
Accommodation: Hoa Cuong Hotel
Day 3. Meo Vac – Ha Giang (180 km.)
The road from Meo Vac to Ha Giang (via Dong Van) is considered one of the most remarkable journeys. You have to pass Ma Pi Lang Pass to reach Dong Van. This staggering road clings to the edge of a wall of limestone mountains, towering hundreds of meters above the Nho Que River, all of the things are so incredible. Dong Van Town is located in the heart of Dong Van Rock Plateau, which was recognized as part of the Global Geo–Park Network. If time permits, you can take a short walk to wander the ancient streets lined with H’mong clay bricks–built centuries ago. One more time, get a homestay with the Tay people at Ha Giang City.
Accommodation: Truong Xuan Resort
Day 4. Ha Giang - Xin Man (140 km.)
After breakfast, ride straight to Xin Man – a mountainous district in the West of Ha Giang. With an area of about 600 km². Xin Man is the home of many ethnic minority groups that live in agriculture, so it is famous for a lot of terrace fields from some communes such as Nam Dan, Nan Ma, Then Phang. The best time to visit Xin Man is in the harvest season – around September and October. At that time, Xin Man creates an irresistible attraction for many visitors. Stay at a local hotel in Xin Man.
Accommodation: Panhou Retreat
Day 5. Xin Man - Sapa (140 km.)
Goodbye Xin Man, continue the tour to Sapa with a 160–km mountain road. You will come face to face with “heart-stopping” and the most virgin lands on Earth. Riding over 2,000 meters above sea level and going through an all–year cloudy area absolutely makes you think that you are in heaven. Our next stop is at Sapa, a beautiful tourist attraction that has gained elevated interest from more and more people in the world. Having lunch in Sapa. After checking in at the hotel in town, we will have another short motorcycle tour along the Muong Hoa Valley where the tourists usually do walking and hiking to visit some different villages of ethnic people and take the picture of impressive terrace fields. We will be back in Sapa town at 5:00 pm.
Accommodation: BB Sapa Resort & Spa
Day 6. Rest Day in Sapa
A day of leisure. Today we’re doing nothing at all. Relaxing by the pool or discovering the town. Optionally you can, of course, discover the historical and cultural sites of unseen Sapa: Cat Cat Village, Cable Car to Cap treo Fansipan, Ansapa Village …)
(Laundry service available)
Accommodation: BB Sapa Resort & Spa
Day 7. Sapa – Mu Cang Chai (185 km.)
After 6 days in the Northern of Vietnam, we will turn back to the south direction and head towards the next destination ‘Than Uyen”. It is the shortest road of the entire journey, just 100km but you have to be careful because of the downhills. This is a true challenge for risk–takers but worth trying. Stay in a hotel at Mu Cang Chai.
Accommodation: Mu Cang Chai Ecolodge
Day 8. Mu Cang Chai - Phu Yen (130 km.)
The next destination is Phu Yen Town. Continue riding towards the south and enjoy the awesome pictures of mountain and rice terrace fields. Especially, you can reach Mu Cang Chai Rice Terrace Fields, which stretch across the mountainside, layer by layer reaching up endless with about 2,200 hectares of rice terraces, which have been recognized as one the unique landscapes of Vietnam. Besides, you also have a chance to meet many ethnic minorities such as Thai, Tay, Man, and H’mong. Arrive in Ta Xua and stay overnight in a hotel.
Accommodation: Hong Long Hotel
Day 9. Phu Yen – Mai Chau (165 km.)
We will start in the early morning. This road across on the way down, through Da river. The scenery has lots to offer with numerous mountain hills and an endless river ready to be discovered. Da River (also called Black River) is known as the most important tributary of the Red River, its total length is nearly 910 km. We continue riding on the banks of the river and then reach Moc Chau Plateau. The landscape becomes even more inviting as you make a turn to a small road named Hua Tat Pass – an old French–built road with an amazing view of mountains not to be missed. At around 4:00 pm, we arrive in Mai Chau and take a short trip to explore the town, just before dinner. Then you can choose to attend traditional Thai Dance music shows and stay at Mai Chau Ecolodge.
Accommodation: Mai Chau Ecolodge
Day 10. Mai Chau – Hanoi (150 km.)
The last day of the journey is the day to relax after 9 days of travel through hard roads. So, we have breakfast at 8:00 am with the fresh air of the countryside and take a tour to explore the daily life of Thai people. Then, we will arrange to get back to Hanoi at around 4.00 pm before the rush hours.
VISA FOR VIETNAM
First of all, please note that today it is irrelevant whether you refer to Vietnam.
To facilitate the issuance of visas through a Vietnamese Embassy or Permanent Mission, it is best if persons with pre-booked travel arrangements submit along with their visa application a so-called “Visa Confirmation Letter” from the tour operator in Hanoi responsible for the tour arrangements. We shall obtain the visa confirmation letter and forward it to you. The confirmation letter implies that the tour operator is responsible for you during your entire stay in Vietnam and eliminates further questioning by the Vietnamese Embassy.
Please note that Vietnamese Embassies generally do not consider the exact travel dates but simply stamp visas valid for 3 months and entitling the holder to 1 single entry into Vietnam within these 3 months. Therefore, we will forward you the visa confirmation letter approximately 1 ½ months before the start of the tour to ensure that the validity of your visa will extend beyond the length of your stay in Vietnam. Once you have received your visa confirmation letter, you should contact the nearest Vietnamese Embassy or Permanent Mission to obtain visas application forms, fill in the visa application forms in triplicate, attach one passport photo to each copy of the application form, and enclose a printout copy of the visa confirmation letter with the application. Please refer to the List of diplomatic missions of Vietnam for a list of all Vietnamese Embassies, Permanent Missions, and Consulate Generals.
UPDATE: You also can apply for E-Visa here: www.vietnamvisa.govt.vn/apply-online
REGISTRATION / DEPOSIT
Due to the cumbersome logistics involved with obtaining all necessary permits, we must impose the following conditions for registration of your participation in the tour:
- The deadline for the latest registrations is one month before the tour start
- Confirmation of your participation in the tour will only be confirmed against the payment of a 10% deposit (down payment) of the total tour price.
- First, come – first served: the date of receipt of your deposit (down payment) will determine whose participation will be confirmed first. We will not confirm participation in the tour before receipt of your deposit.
We shall guarantee the departure of the tour with a minimum of 4 bikers and shall limit the maximum size of the group to no more than 10 bikes.
With your registration for the tour, we also need the following personal data from you:
Family Name(s) – as per passport:
First Name(s) – as per passport:
Passport Number:
Nationality:
Date of Birth:
Passport Issue Date:
Passport Issue Place:
Passport Expiry Date:
Please note that to participate in this tour, you must own a valid international driver’s license for motorcycles over 500cc.
For inquiries or in case of any uncertainties, please contact us at info@bigbiketours.com.
FULL PREPAYMENT
Because we shall have to fully prepay all suppliers far in advance, we require your full prepayment of the tour (minus the deposit) by the latest one month before the tour start.
CANCELLATION FEES
Please note that the following cancellation fees apply in case you are obliged to cancel the reservations for the tour at the last minute:
If cancellation is received: Fee (in % of the total tour price)
60 Days to 15 Days 30% of the Tour cost
30 Days to 8 Days 50% of the Tour cost
14 Days or less 100% of the Tour cost
We strongly recommend that you purchase individualized travel and/or medical insurance from any insurance company in your home market to prevent having to incur any unexpected medical or travel expenses.
INSURANCE – VIETNAM
The motorcycles only carry compulsory third-party insurance for Vietnam. Consequently, the participant carries full risk in case of an accident, regardless of whether the accident is caused by the tour participant or by a third party. Please bear also in mind that in the case of an accident, the adversary will most likely not be carrying any insurance coverage at all. Hence, the tour participant carries the maximum risk of 5,000 USD in case of total damage to his/her motorcycle.
OPTIONAL
Against the surcharge of 300 USD, we offer limited comprehensive insurance cover with a maximum liability/participation of 1,000 USD (instead of 5,000 USD) for the participant in case of damage sustained to his/her motorcycle. For minor damage, we will collect the costs for repair at the end of the tour as it is easier to handle such minor cases on the spot. Tour participants who opt for fully comprehensive insurance coverage will also have to deposit 1,000 USD in cash at the beginning of the tour.
It is also important to know that the participant is liable for damage caused to his/her motorcycle in the case of an accident caused by a third person. Third-party insurance in Vietnam generally only covers bodily harm caused to the third party and does not cover damage caused to the vehicle of a third party.
VIETNAM CURRENCY / CREDIT CARDS
ATMs are not yet widespread in Vietnam, and only major hotels and sometimes upcountry accept the most common credit cards such as American Express and Visa. In many places, however, credit cards will not be accepted at all. Hence, it is useful to bring cash in US Dollars, preferably also in small denominations as many shops upcountry cannot easily provide change for a 100-Dollar bill. You may also want to change some foreign currency into Vietnamese Dong (VND) as the Vietnamese only trade in their currency. When paying for something small with US Dollars, the change will most likely be rendered in Vietnamese Dong (VND). This change, in turn, can be used again for buying a drink or for small tips, etc. Bringing traveler cheques is useless as only the Vietnamese Investment, and Commercial Bank (VICB) or the Vietnamese Foreign Trade Bank (VFTB) in Saigon would trade in these through cumbersome and time-consuming procedures. However, it is now possible to change US Dollars and even Euros into local currency at most airports and many other places. We don´t recommend changing the Vietnamese Dong (VND) already in your home country!
Tour Highlights: The Northern is one of 3 different parts of Vietnam but also is the oldest and has a lot of mystery that needs to be discovered, not only many mountainous areas but plenty of ethnic people with colorful cultures. This 10 Day Motorcycle Trip through famous places such as Ba Be Lake, Meo Vac, Dong Van, Sapa, Than Uyen, Mai Chau, etc, is the best fit for you if you are looking for a fantastic journey.
Day 1. Hanoi – Ba Be Lake (240 km)
Day 2. Ba Be Lake – Meo Vac (200 km)
Day 3. Meo Vac – Ha Giang (180 km)
Day 4. Ha Giang – Xin Man (140 km)
Day 5. Xin Man – Sapa (140 km)
Day 6. Rest Day in Sapa
Day 7. Sapa – Mu Cang Chai (185 km)
Day 8. Mu Cang Chai – Phu Yen (130 km)
Day 9. Phu Yen – Mai Chau (165 km)
Day 10. Mai Chau – Hanoi (150 km)
2023 Tour Starts
| 08. August | 05. September | 06. November | 08. December |
2024 Tour Starts
| 19. January | 18. February | 01. March | 05. April | 03. May | 16. August | 06. September | 04. October | 01. November | 06. December
