MOTOCYCLING NORTHEAST
Trip code: VET.AD-05 |
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BRIEF ITINERARY:
OPTION 1 |
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DAY 1: HANOI - LUC YEN. | |
DAY 2: LUC YEN - HA GIANG. | |
DAY 3: HA GIANG - QUAN BA | |
DAY 4: QUAN BA - YEN MINH - MEO VAC. | |
DAY 5: MEO VAC - DONG VAN. | |
DAY 6: DONG VAN - YEN MINH - QUAN BA. | |
DAY 7: QUAN BA - HA GIANG - HOANG SU PHI. | |
DAY 8: HOANG SU PHI - XIN MAN - BAC HA. | |
DAY 9: BAC HA - VU LINH. | |
DAY 10: VU LINH - HANOI. | |
OPTION 2 | |
DAY 1: HANOI - VU LINH. | |
DAY 2: VU LINH - HA GIANG. | |
DAY 3: HA GIANG - DONG VAN. | |
DAY 4: DONG VAN - BAO LAC. | |
DAY 5: BAO LAC - CAO BANG. | |
DAY 6: CAO BANG - QUANG UYEN. | |
DAY 7: QUANG UYEN - LANG SON. | |
DAY 8: LANG SON - HANOI. |
When you arrive in Ha Giang, if the weather is good and there is no rain, you are able to extend to Northeast Vietnam on the historical Highway 4 and we need just 8 days in total. This ride includes some extra dirt biking and only suitable for experienced bikers and is usually the more popular version than the first program:
Important! Please send us your full name, passport number, nationality, sex, date of birth and occupation as soon as you secure the booking because we need to apply a permit for you at Ha Giang Immigration Police office.
These programs are flexible, the following are just samples, we will customize to suit your riding skills and to meet your expectations.
ITINERARY:
OPTION 1
DAY 1: HANOI - LUC YEN (~220 KM, ~7 H). L, D
Before the ride, it takes 30 minutes to double check the bikes and insures that we have all necessary tools and equipment to guarantee maximum fun. Then another 30 minutes for finalizing paperwork and riding gear. Easy ride to on the sealed road to Thac Ba Lake and follow the little road and track to Luc Yen. Vu Linh is a Tay village, very friendly people and the welcome is exceptional.
DAY 2: LUC YEN - HA GIANG (~150 KM, ~5 H). B, L, D
After breakfast, ride on a small road lined by palm trees and scenic mountain views to join the main road heading up to Ha Giang. Then sealed road all the way to Ha Giang, where we stop for the night.
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DAY 3: HA GIANG - QUAN BA (~50 KM, ~2H). B, L, D
We need the whole morning for getting the permit to ride in border areas. Short ride but this one will set the tone for the next few days. The challenge begins as soon as we leave Ha Giang town and enter the land of colorful mountain hill-tribes and stunning mountain landscapes. Karsts rise straight up perpendicular to the valley bellow and hill-tribe people will be smiling and waving you as you pass by.
One of the highlights is the Heaven's Gate pass before we arrive in Quan Ba for overnighting.
DAY 4: QUAN BA - YEN MINH - MEO VAC (~100 KM, ~3H). B, L, D
Some of the most beautiful landscapes of the entire trip. Get your camera(s) ready! This triangular is one of the most scenic places in North Vietnam. You can have your own words about the landscape, no more comments!
We will meet the ethnic minorities when visiting traditional homes. After lunch in Yen Minh, we wind our way up a nearby pass and then descending into the Meo Vac valley, very close to the Chinese border, for dinner and overnighting.
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DAY 5: MEO VAC - DONG VAN (~60 KM, ~2H). B, L, D
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. Ride on a zig-zag track until Dong Van, a remote area and 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 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.
To be honest, Dong Van week-end market on Sunday is truly the best you can find in whole North Vietnam. Our customers even prefer it to the nearby Khau Vai love market which they hold once in a year on lunar March 26th. As the love market became more messy and touristy, we have stopped organizing this event tour unless our customers request a private tour.
DAY 6: DONG VAN - YEN MINH - QUAN BA (~110 KM, ~3H). B, L, D
We ride back! No road to continue from Dong Van down. We ride slowly from Dong Van to Quan Ba. Stop at the infamous Vuong Palace, where a Hmong family of high rank backed up by the French government. This palace attracts keen interest from architecturally minded visitors due to it's mixed style of European and Chinese architecture. We then hop back on the bikes and back to Quan Ba for our night.
DAY 7: QUAN BA - HA GIANG - HOANG SU PHI (~130 KM, ~4H). B, L, D
Ride back to Ha Giang, then Bac Quang. The ride is a pleasant one with countless meandering turns and winding sections on our way to Hoang Su Phi. This is your own trip and we encourage you to stop as many times as you wish to meet local people or to take those "once in a lifetime photographs".
DAY 8: HOANG SU PHI - XIN MAN - BAC HA (~150 KM, ~5H). B, L, D
Real challenging ride on tortuous roadways. More picturesque Vietnam countryside and landscapes, as well as meeting and talking with local ethnic families.
The second half of this drive is much easier but be warned not to ride ahead of our guide as you are likely to get lost in the dense forest. Arrive in the town of Bac Ha, dinner and sleep in town.
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DAY 9: BAC HA - VU LINH. ~180 KM, ~6 H.
From Bac Ha to Luc Yen, the road is easy and sealed all the way. Then, secondary road along the Thac Ba lake, Dzao and Tay territory until the traditional village of Vu Linh where we stay with our friends. Superb work of wood! The houses are superb. In addition, the exceptional greeting and local rice from the hosts are surely the highlights of the night.
DAY 10: VU LINH - HANOI (~180 KM, ~6H). B, L
Ride back to Hanoi via Son Tay in 6 hours. There is a possibility to ride along Red River. We estimate that you will arrive in Hanoi early in the afternoon, before the rush hour.
OPTION 2
DAY 1: HANOI - VU LINH (~180 KM, ~7 H). L, D
Easy drive to on the sealed road to Thac Ba Lake and follow the little road to Vu Linh. Vu Linh is a Dzao village by the side of the lake, very friendly people and the welcome is exceptional.
DAY 2: VU LINH - HA GIANG (~180 KM, ~6 H). B, L, D
After breakfast, ride along the Thac Ba lake on a small road lined by palm trees and scenic mountain views to join the main road heading up to Ha Giang. Then sealed road all the way to Ha Giang, where we stop for the night.
DAY 3: HA GIANG - DONG VAN (~180 KM, ~6H). B, L, D
After getting the permit to ride in border areas at Ha Giang's Immigration Police, we ride 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. Ride on a zig-zag track until Dong Van, a remote area and 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 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.
DAY 4: DONG VAN - BAO LAC (~80 KM, ~4 H). B, L, D
The road is still intersected with sections of track what makes the stage relatively long in spite of the little of kilometres. The landscape is among the most beautiful of Vietnam, and the slow tempo is only more appreciable.
We cross the wild regions of the mythical province of Ha Giang. 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.
DAY 5: BAO LAC - CAO BANG (~150 KM, ~5 H). B, L, D
Beautiful ride down to Cao Bang province. Few passes from where you can dominate the area. The road is easy but many curves. We can stop very often for photos. All together, stop for drinks and food it should be an 8-hour journey. We stay in a hotel.
DAY 6: CAO BANG - QUANG UYEN (~140 KM, ~5 MIN). B, L, D
Ride in 1 hour and half to reach the beautiful village of Quang Uyen, in the middle of a mountain cirque. This is the territory of Nung An people.
We make our way through spectacular scenery to Vietnam's most impressive waterfalls, Ban Gioc Waterfalls. Weather permitting we can swim right up to where the 50 m high falls hit the river.
DAY 7: QUANG UYEN - LANG SON (~180 KM, ~6 H). B, L, D
Ride from Quang Uyen to Lang Son. We will have time to discover this city, which has become a big trading post between China and Vietnam. You can shop for cheap Chinese products at a nearby market.
Overnight in hotel.
DAY 8: LANG SON - HANOI (~150 KM, ~3 H). B, L
Easy day back to Hanoi on the new Highway 1B. You can wake up late in the morning as we guess you can be tired after 7 long riding days.
Arrival at Hanoi around 3pm.
B: Breakfast.
L: Lunch.
D: Dinner.
PRICE & INCLUSION
This rate is quoted in USD per person, based on Double/Twin occupancy with 3-star hotel standard.
Valid until 31.December - 2013
| Group Size | 2 persons | 4 persons | 6 persons | Single Supp* |
| Price / pp | 1,028 | 851 | 792 | 135 |
Include: Meals as mention in the program, Mechanic man, Minsk motorbike, Accommodation, Daily breakfast, Travel insurance, Guide.
Exclude: Visa, Tips, Personal expenses
