NORTHEAST VIETNAM - Motorbike tour 8D7N

Itinerary

Day 1: HANOI – VU LINH (THAC BA LAKE) (180KM)

Stop At: Thac Ba Family Homestay
This morning we will spend 30 minutes with our guide for a briefing about the trip and how to ride in Vietnam. This will help you get used to the bike before we start our trip to Thac Ba Lake. This lake area of 23000 ha and boasts over 1300 islands and hills with diverse ecological environments.
We will stop to Vu Linh ethnic village of Dao minority by the side of the lake. Here you can have a leisure walk to explore this beautiful village and people.
At night, the exceptional hospitality consists of a lot of local rice-wine from the hosts. It is sure to be one of the highlights of the trip.

Duration: 18 minutes

Meals included:
• Breakfast: including snacks, coffee, tea
• Lunch: regular food( meat, poultry, fish)
Vegetarian food
• Dinner: regular food( meat, poultry, fish)
vegetarian food
Accommodation included: Homestays

Day 2: VU LINH – HA GIANG (180KM)

Stop At: Ha Giang Homestay
After breakfast, ride along Thac Ba lake on a small road lined by palm trees and scenic mountain views to join the National road No 2 heading up to Ha Giang. Before getting to the Tay village where we will have another homestay, we’ll stop at Ha Giang city to get a motorbike permit to travel to the Dong Van Rock Plateau and frontier area over the following days.
We’ll eat dinner and sleep in a stilt house of Tay ethnic people

Duration: 18 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast: including snacks, coffee or tea
• Lunch: regular food( meat, poultry, fish)
Vegetarian food
• Dinner: regular food( meat, poultry, fish)
Vegetarian food
Accommodation included: Homestays

Day 3: HA GIANG – ĐONG VAN (160KM)

Stop At: Dong Van, Ha Giang Tourism Center
Leaving Ha Giang, the road climbs over the Quan Ba pass (Heaven’s Gate). The road winds over a saddle and opens up on to an awesome vista.
Dropping into Yen Minh through a pine forest, it is worth stopping for a drink and lunch. Next, we’ll drive through Pho Bang town – the quiet & secret Pho Cao, Sung La – The village of H’Mong people. They are located in the middle of the rocky mountains, their homes solid and old, painted in deep colors. It’s once again a very enjoyable ride where you’ll see amazing mountain views of the Rock Plateau.
If we drive in the spring, this land will be bright with the color of peach – the traditional flowers of Tet holiday in Vietnam. If you travel in the Autumn months, you will be surprised by the beauty of the pink and white Buckwheat flowers.
Duration: 8 minutes

Stop At: Dinh Vua Meo, Dong Van, Ha Giang Province
Finally, we’ll visit the infamous Vuong Palace. The Vuong Family was considered the King of the Hmong People in Dong Van, Ha Giang. Their residence was built in the scenic valley of Sa Phin with Chinese architecture. The whole house was built out of wood and rock. The rocks for the buildings were imported from China. Vuong Family Residence is a masterpiece of man-made work in the valley of the heavenly beauty of Sa Phin.
Duration: 16 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast: including snacks , coffee or tea
• Lunch: regular food( meat, poultry, fish)
• Dinner: regular food( meat, poultry, fish)
Vegetarian food
Accommodation included: Homestays

Day 4: DONG VAN –MEO VAC- BAO LAC (140KM)

Stop At: Meo Vac District People's Committee
After breakfast, we leave for Lung Cu flag pole around 8 am. It’s another amazing ride. Lung Cu flagpole is about 25km from the center of Dong Van district. Lung Cu mount is known as “a high forehead of the motherland”, marking the extreme north of our country. From its top, visitors can see the whole of the beautiful and spectacular landscape. When we are in Lung Cu, we can also leave our bikes and walk to visit a small village around the area.
Next, we’ll head around back to Dong Van and drive to the peak of Ma Pi Leng that will give you stunning views of the mountains and sweeping valleys. You won’t be disappointed as it is the gateway to the best section of roads in Vietnam: 22km that snakes its way along the mountainside to Meo Vac. The road has been cut into the side of the cliff face and far below are the distant waters of the Nho Que river. Towering above lie the rock faces of this mighty gorge.
Duration: 8 hours

Stop At: Baolacsport
In the afternoon, we will motorcycle downhill along the river and see a different mountain view (less rocky and more green). Stay in Bao Lac overnight.
Duration: 12 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast: including snacks, coffee, tea
• Lunch: regular food( meat, poultry, fish)
Vegetarian food
• Dinner: regular food(meat, poultry, fish)
Vegetarian food
Accommodation included: homestay or hotel

Day 5: BAO LAC TO CAO BANG CITY – PHIA THAP (150KM)

Stop At: Phia Thap Village homestay
Beautiful motor ride down to Cao Bang province. There will be a view passes where feel like you can see forever.
The road is easy but there are many blind curves. We can stop often for photos in Nguyen Binh and Tinh Tuc.
Reach Phia Thap community-based tourism village – the famous incense making the village. The village is surrounded by limestone pinnacles which make for spectacular scenery. Every household in this village makes incense, so you can easily see and explore the process of making incense and talk with friendly and hospitable locals here.
You also have the option to visit Pac Rang blacksmith village – a mountainous village famous for its traditional blacksmith craft. The farming tools made here are an integral part of the lifestyle which is evident in the surrounding rice paddies and fields.
Duration: 18 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast: including snacks, coffee, tea
• Lunch: regular food(meat,poultry, fish)
• Dinner: regular food( meat, poultry, fish)
Accommodation included: homestays

Day 6: PHIA THAP TO BAN GIOC WATERFALL – CAO BANG

Stop At: Ban Gioc Falls, Cao Bang, Cao Bang Province
After breakfast at the homestay, you will depart for Trung Khanh which lies on the border with China. canoeing for 2 hours on Quây Sơn river.
Take a boat trip and take photos here. Glide through the jade-blue waters of Quay Son river along a spectacular scenery of limestone mountains and green rice terraces. It will be an awe-inspiring and relaxing activity.
After canoeing, we will transfer to Ban Gioc waterfall – Nestled in amongst these amazing landscapes is the breathtaking Ban Gioc Waterfall which spans over 300 meters, half in Vietnam and half in China. You can take beautiful pictures of 2 huge waterfalls in Vietnam, take the boat trip close the bottom of the waterfall and see the other side of the Chinese border.

Duration: 6 hours

Stop At: Nguom Ngao Cave, Cao Bang, Cao Bang Province
Afternoon: Visit Nguom Ngao Cave, one of the most spectacular caves in North Vietnam with beautiful stalactites of various shapes. We will certainly include this amazing cave plus a short visit to the stone craft village of Khuoi Ky where most of the houses are made of stone.
Duration: 12 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast: including snacks, coffee or tea
• Lunch: including regular food(meat, poultry, fish)
Accommodation included: Homestays

Day 7: CAO BANG- BA BE LAKE

Stop At: Ba Be Lake View Homestay
After breakfast, we will snake down a pass towards Ba Be Lake.
Ba Be Lake (Vietnamese: Ba means “Three”, Bể is from the Tay language word pé, meaning “lake”) is the largest natural lake in Vietnam. Ba Bể Lake is a biodiversity reservoir. It is a part of Ba Be National Park. It is home to a range of animals and plants.
You can relax on board a boat, do some wildlife spotting or if you need to cool off, you can jump into the cool, clean waters for a refreshing swim! As you float in Ba Be Lake, you can take in the scenery of the surrounding karsts decorated with patches of wild vegetation and inhabited by all sorts of interesting creatures. The boat ride continues along the Nang River and the caves of Puong Grotto, where you can explore the stalactites and stalagmites which are the result of the erosion of the river on the karsts. The caves are also home to a bat colony several thousand strong.
At the end of the day, we arrive in Pac Ngoi village – a community consisting of Tay people on the side of Ba Be Lake. At the homestay, you can relax and unwind from the day and enjoy a meal of home cooked local food.
Duration: 12 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast: including snacks, coffee or tea
• Lunch: regular food(meat, poultry, fish)
Vegetarian food
• Dinner: regular food(meat, poultry, fish)
vegetarian food
Accommodation included: homestays

Day 8: DAY 8: BA BE LAKE – HANOI

Pass By: Ba Be Lake View Homestay
You will depart for the journey back Hanoi, a drive of approximately 150 miles (230 kilometers). We will stop at some tea plantations before returning to your hotel in the bustling city of Hanoi.

Meals included:
• Breakfast: including snacks, coffee or tea
• Lunch: regular food(meat, fish, poultry)
No accommodation included on this day.