Vietnam Enduro Tour to Northwest Vietnam – 8 days

After a hearty breakfast, we will assemble in the parking lot and set off at around 8:15. As we leave the center of Hanoi – a bustle and hustle city, you can see totally different scenery. Busy streets where people keep honking all of the time will be replaced with a tranquil landscape of vast rice fields and humble farmers.

Our destination for today is Muong Waterfall, and to get there, we have to overcome rough tracks through jungles and streams. It will be a bit challenging, but isn’t that what has made you join this trip? Soon we will find ourselves in the homestay near the scenic waterfall. Right after checking in at the homestay, we can go to the waterfall and dive into the crystal-clear water. Undoubtedly, we will have fun there.

Waking up early and taking a deep breath of fresh air will be a perfect start for the second day. The first day is probably enough to arouse your interest, and we promise you that the next days will be more and more exciting. The 50-kilometer dirt track to Mai Chau is going to be the best demonstration. In Hoa Binh province, Mai Chau Valley possesses a mind-blowing beauty with immense fields and modest villages amidst imposing mountains. This is the home of White Thai; therefore, we can witness the distinctive cultural features of this ethnic group.

After lunch in Mai Chau, we will continue to move to the Moc Chau plateau. We will keep riding on National Highway 6 until we see large tea hills. This means we have reached Moc Chau in Son La province. We will stay here tonight and get ready for tomorrow’s exploration.

The first part of the third day is for exploring the Moc Chau plateau. In this land, we have a chance to behold broad fields of vividly colorful flowers. Moc Chau attracts people with verdant tea hills, mysterious caves, silvery Dai Yem waterfall, and lovely villages of Thai and H’ mong people. Waiting for us today are tortuous roads, some of which are muddy and slippery.

Leaving Moc Chau, we will head to Bac Yen – a small town in Son La province. On the way, our crew can come by Black H’ mong villages to witness the daily life of an ethnic group with unique traditions. In the late afternoon, we are supposed to arrive at Bac Yen town, where we will stay for tonight.

In this whole 8-day tour, the fourth day is probably the biggest challenge. 90 out of 135 kilometers are dirt tracks. We will have to cross streams, ride on roads full of mud, and overcome dangerous slopes. Today we need you to ride with full attention, and if you have incredible riding skills, don’t hesitate to show off. These rough tracks will lead us to villages that other routes cannot offer. These villages are where H’ mong, Dao, and Tay people are eager to introduce their impressive customs.

And after all the obstacles, we are already here in front of Ngoc Chien hot spring, Muong La district, Son La province. With an altitude of 1600 meters above sea level, Ngoc Chien has an excellent view of the surroundings. And, of course, we can relax in hot water to relieve fatigue and stress. That’s what we call happiness.

Kicking off from Ngoc Chien hot spring, we will make our way to Mu Cang Chai in Yen Bai. This is another hard day with plenty of obstacles on the way from Ngoc Chien to Mu Cang Chai. We have to conquer rough trails through forests and steep slopes. One reckless second can snuff out your excitement and put you in danger.

After all, our efforts will pay off – we can finally behold the most beautiful terraced fields in the country. Yes, the most impressive spectacle in Mu Cang Chai is the terraced fields – either green or yellow. This scenery is so magnificent that pictures of it are usually posted in tourism magazines. Tu Le village, La Pan Tan field, and Lim Mong village are the highlights of this upland. Don’t hesitate to snap hundreds of pictures with this fantastic background. It’s absolutely worth it.

After sipping a hot cup of coffee to have the best mood, we will bid farewell to Mu Cang Chai and come to Sapa. The first part of the route is quite comfortable, and we can leisurely enjoy the majesty of mountains and woods on the way. But once we encounter O Quy Ho Pass, today’s challenge will begin.

O Quy Ho is one of the four greatest passes in the North (together with Pha Din, Ma Pi Leng, and Khau Pha). With a length of 50 kilometers, O Quy Ho is the longest pass in Vietnam. It includes plenty of sharp curves. Also, the pass belongs to National Highway 4D at an altitude of nearly 2000 meters. This means we may have to move in fog and clouds. In short, this section is a real dare for even experienced riders. If nothing changes, we can show up at Sapa at noon.

Located in Lao Cai province, Sapa is always one of the most popular tourist destinations in Southeast Asia. Even two days are not enough to explore Sapa’s full beauty because the variety of landscapes here is overwhelming. We have sublime Fansipan Peak, dreamlike waterfalls, valleys with myriads of flowers, enchanting old structures, tranquil villages, mysterious ancient stones, etc. If you could visit only one place in Northwestern Vietnam, Sapa is the one.

Although over-tourism has been affecting Sapa strongly, the town can somehow retain its pristine charm. Leaving this picturesque town too soon is a pity. Therefore, we will spend the morning exploring a bit more. We can visit the valleys or climb O Quy Ho for a perfect panorama of Sapa. Also, we will not leave without tasting some delicacies here.

After that, we will say goodbye to Sapa and keep moving to Thac Ba Lake in Yen Bai province. You need to ride on dirt tracks to Pho Lu before joining the National Highway 70. After conquering 240 kilometers, we will approach Thac Ba Lake. There are up to 1300 islands on the lake. That’s why Thac Ba is dubbed “Halong Bay on the mountain”. It’s advisable to join a boat trip since this is the best way to explore the lake.

Time flies like an arrow, and this is already the last day of our awesome trip. It’s time to return to Hanoi. Let’s hug our hosts and then set off. Following National Highway 2, we will come to a small town in Phu Tho. From there, we will ride along the Red River to go back to the capital city.

Our trip will be perfect if we can reach the Hanoi center before the rush hour. Our 8-day enduro motorbike tour exploring the Northwest of Vietnam will undoubtedly end up with happy memories.