Central Vietnam Motorcycle Tour from Hanoi to Hoi An – 8 days

Our off-road motorcycle tour starts at approximately 9 a.m. and rides first to the suburban area. Far away from the city center, the traffic seems lighter and much slower, which is a good thing for our team. Riding along the roads, motorcyclists get a chance to enjoy the serene and stunning beauty of the rural areas. Here, the paddy fields are so beautiful and vast overlooking the sky, driving you speechless. Quick snapping some photos here is highly recommended for you to keep the nice moments.

The closer you come to the mountainous areas of the North, the more vivid you can observe the changing of landscapes. You will be awarded an enchanting view of the mountains and forests. Tonight, we will rest in a small town in Phu Yen, Son La.

Summary:

Distance: 160 km

Meals: Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: homestay

The second day with Northwest Vietnam Motorbike Tours promises to be a wonderful day because we will cross the easy-to-ride roads with fabulous views. The sceneries along the way are more charming and serene that comes from the winding trail surrounded by vast green tea hills. It has become an endless inspiration for photographers and tourists. After passing the Hua Tat Pass – an old road built in French colonization, we descend to Mai Chau in the early morning.

At the end of the day, we will stay at the Thai people’s house. Houses are based on hills, adjacent to rivers and streams, in front of large fields. The floors are made of bamboo or rattan. Windows are quite large to welcome the wind so it makes you feel clean and cool. In addition, you can taste Thai specialties, enjoy different forms of the art and exchange culture with the local people throughout a warm fire camp.

Summary:

Distance: 150 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Homestay

After having breakfast at the local village, our crew will come to Tan Ky town. On the more than 200km riding road, we will pass Ma River, Cam Thuy Town and finally reach Tan Ky Town. If coming to Tan Ky on summer days, you can go trekking in majestic mountains and forests, explore the pristine caves, beautiful waterfalls, and unique customs of Thai ethnicity in Thai Minh village.

You will be able to immerse yourself in a peaceful life of the unique architectural village at the mountain foot. Every day, Thai women weave skirts, pillows, and colorful brocade bags. You can also directly join hands in the process of making the special dishes of Thai people and have fun with great dance. We will spend this night at a local – chosen hotel.

Summary:

Distance: 290 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: hotel

On the fourth day of the tour, our crew will move to Phong Nha – one of the World Natural Heritage popular for its largest caves. It is compared to a huge geological museum due to its complex geographic structure. Phong Nha – Ke Bang stands out as an ancient image with a terrain of over 400 million years tectonic age. Its significant beauty has resulted from the process of raising and lowering the continent, being eroded, weathering for a long time. Caves look like splendid castles in limestone mountain ranges, created from millions of years ago. Phong Nha cave has a prominent length of nearly 8 km, mainly underground rivers categorized as the longest underground river in the world. You can go by motorboat along the Son River to Phong Nha cave. The ticket price is quite cheap.

After visiting the Phong Nha cave, you can visit Tien Son dry cave- a masterpiece of the stalactite. It has earned the nickname of “Fairy on the mountain”, located at a 200-meter height compared with the ceiling of Phong Nha cave with a length of 980 meters. Moreover, you can go to restaurants located next to Nhat Le sea to enjoy delicious seafood and specialties here. It comes to the end of the day and we will stay overnight at a hotel here.

Summary:

Distance: 280 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: hotel

There are two options after leaving Phong Nha – Ke Bang, departing to Khe Sanh. One is going to the east side and the other is the opposite side. However, it is advisable to ride on the western Ho Chi Minh trail. Riding motorcycles on this road, you will be able to admire majestic mountain ranges and primitive forests. Khe Sanh is located on Highway No. 9 in Huong Hoa district, Quang Tri province. From 1965 to 1966, the US Army built Khe Sanh into the largest base in the 9th line of defense. It is situated in a red soil 400m above sea level embraced by hills and mountains. At Khe Sanh, there were major battles during the 9th Street Campaign – Khe Sanh in 1968 and Operation Lam Son 719. If you are fond of exploring the history, you should pay a visit Ta Con bases where possess a variety of victorious items in 1968. The day will close with a local supper and overnight at a hotel.

Summary:

Distance: 220 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel

On the 6th day of the Central Vietnam Motorbike Tour from Hanoi to Hoi An, we can discover some historical places such as Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone, Hien Luong Bridge, Ben Hai River or Vinh Moc Tunnel. The demilitarized zone was created around the 17th parallel as a dividing line between North and South Vietnam in 1968. At this time, Southern Vietnam was under the control of the US Army and Northern Vietnam was struggling for independence.

Then we move to National Highway No 1 to set a footprint in Hue. It is expected that our riding team will arrive in Hue around 5 pm because if we come later, we have to struggle with the busy traffic. To relax after a long day of riding, we will spend a night at a hotel here.

Summary:

Distance: 180 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel

This day is the most relaxing day of the tour because you have a free day to explore and enjoy the ancient beauty of Hue. Some recommend places are Hue Citadel, Huong River, and Trang Tien Bridge. Hue was a capital city of the Nguyen Dynasty for 140 years from 1805 to 1945. The Citadel Complex of Hue is now one of the World Cultural Heritage, capturing much of tourists’ attention because of its poetic beauty.

Huong River flows through a series of scenic spots, taking visitors to travel by boat to every corner of the ancient citadel.  Especially, you must try a boat ride on the Huong river at night because when night comes, the surface of the river glistens the moonlight and only the songs of the boat rowers break the silence. Those incredible images have inspired artists to make many poems, pictures or songs. At night, you also can walk in the pedestrian street and enjoy delicious food without worrying about the price. We have to move to Hoi An tomorrow so you should not return the hotel too late.

Summary:

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel

Our final destination is Hoi An ancient town. It is always ranked top 1 in the must – to – visit the list of tourists. What makes this small town such a delightful travel destination are wonderfully picturesque spots and excellent cuisine. The intersection between the Eastern and Western creates a unique and special culture for this place. It’s shown off in Hoi An cuisine and architecture which is the combination of the essence of plenty of countries, including Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, and European. Some typical foods are Cao Lau, Banh Xeo, Banh Mi, and Fried Wontons.

Hoi An is the best place to be at night as the area is lit by quaint and old-fashioned lanterns, making it an atmospheric and beautiful spot. If you are lucky to come to Hoi An on the 14th of the lunar month, you will be able to see all the lights going out and the whole street becomes fanciful when illuminated by the shimmer of lanterns.

Summary:

Distance: 170 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: Hotel