NORTHWEST 5 DAYS BY MOTORBIKE

This short 5-day motorbike tour of Northwest Vietnam is a good option for inexperienced riders who would rather avoid navigating Hanoi’s heavy traffic on the way to Sapa. It allows you to take the night train from Hanoi to Lao Cai and start riding directly in the mountains.

For experienced riders, however, taking the train may not be necessary. You can decide based on your riding experience and budget, since train tickets aren’t particularly cheap. Another option is our cheaper 4-day Northwest motorbike tour, using the train for only one way.

Below is a video clip featuring portions of this Northwest Vietnam motorbike trip. If you would like to see more riding videos, please visit our YouTube channel.

NORTHWEST 5 DAYS DETAILED ITINERARY

Night 1: Hanoi – Lao Cai – Night train. (~10 h)

Departure from Hanoi at 9:30 pm.

Arrival in Lao Cai at approximately 6:10 am the following morning.

Day 1: Lao Cai – Muong Hum – Sapa. (~120 km, ~6 h)

Take our motorbikes in Lao Cai and head out of the city, following the Chinese border along a rough and scenic road toward Muong Hum, home to the Giay ethnic people.

From Muong Hum, we ride up into the mountains toward Sapa on rough, sometimes muddy roads. Along the way, we visit villages inhabited by Red Dao and H’mong people and experience the traditional lifestyle of local hill tribes.

A picnic lunch will be served on the road, allowing us to stop and enjoy the surrounding scenery. In reality, this is one of the wildest and most beautiful areas around Sapa for motorbiking, with remote trails, mountain scenery, and very little traffic.

Day 2: Sapa – Tam Duong – Sin Ho. (~150 km, ~6 h)

Enjoy a fantastic day of motorbike riding through Northwest Vietnam, crossing mountain passes and riding through some of the most spectacular scenery in the region.

After lunch in Tam Duong, we continue climbing toward Sin Ho, a remote mountain town hidden behind the surrounding peaks at approximately 1,700 m above sea level.

This remote area is one that you are unlikely to forget. The colorful hill tribes of Sin Ho are known for their traditional clothing and welcoming nature, and meeting local people along the way adds another memorable dimension to this Northwest Vietnam motorcycle adventure.

Day 3: Sin Ho – Lai Chau (Muong Lay) – Tuan Giao. (~200 km, ~8 h)

We descend toward the Nam Na River, following Route 12C to Lai Chau for lunch. After lunch, we continue deeper into northern Vietnam, covering the remaining 98 km of the old Highway 6.

The road can be rough in places, but the scenery is incredibly beautiful. Seven impressive mountain passes cut through steep mountains along the Da River (Song Da), which winds around the foot of the passes. This dramatic landscape is one of the highlights of the Northwest Vietnam motorbike route.

Part of the pleasure of traveling by motorbike in this remote region is the simple joy of receiving friendly smiles and greetings from local people. Their warmth makes the challenging roads and long riding days well worthwhile.

Along the way, we stop to meet members of several ethnic minority groups, including the Black Thai, Kho Mu, Lu, Black H’mong, Green H’mong, and White H’mong. We have opportunities to discover their traditional lifestyles, villages, and colorful cultures.

Day 4: Tuan Giao – Than Uyen. (~120 km, ~4 h)

Continuing along Road No. 6 toward Son La, we climb Pha Din Pass, one of the most beautiful and longest mountain passes in the region. Known as the interface between Heaven and Earth, Pha Din forms a natural boundary between Son La and Dien Bien provinces.

The pass also has great historical significance. During the 1954 Dien Bien Phu campaign, the area was heavily bombed for 56 days and nights, while thousands of Viet Minh bicycles continued making their way toward Dien Bien Phu, carrying food and weapons for the decisive battle in Vietnam’s struggle for independence.

We then descend toward Thuan Chau, one of the major muongs, or traditional districts, of the Thai communities in Northwest Vietnam. From here, we turn onto a rocky road that is not even shown on some maps and enjoy the thrill of riding your “Iron Buffalo” along this challenging dirt track.

Eventually, we rejoin Road No. 279. We have a picnic lunch on the road while enjoying the surrounding mountain passes and views of the Black River (Song Da).

At Pac Uon village, we take a ferry across the Black River before continuing our motorbike ride through Northwest Vietnam toward the beautiful Than Uyen Valley.

Day 5: Than Uyen – Lao Cai, night train return to Hanoi. (~150 km, ~5 h) End of Northwest 5 Days.

We ride along Road No. 279, crossing the wild and scenic Khau Co Pass toward Ben Cau village. From there, we turn onto a small local road and cross Ngoi Nhu by motorbike, adding another exciting off-road section to the final day.

We return to Lao Cai in the afternoon and visit the Lao Cai border gate with China before preparing for the night train back to Hanoi.

This marks the end of our Northwest Vietnam 5-day motorbike tour, after five days of riding through remote mountain roads, spectacular passes, ethnic villages, dirt tracks, and some of the most beautiful landscapes in northern Vietnam.

Contact us at [email protected] for more details, availability, or other options for Northwest Vietnam motorbike tours and Northern Vietnam motorcycle adventures.