Northwest Vietnam Motorbike Tour from Hanoi to Ninh Binh – 6 days

Kicking off from Hanoi, we will head to Mai Chau Valley in Hoa Binh province. So there are two options available for you here. We have a route for adventurous travelers and a safer one.

If you would love to challenge yourself, we will follow dirt tracks through villages of some ethnic groups. In that way, we can see how people in these rural areas live before reaching Mai Chau. Of course, this route is suitable for experienced riders or adventure seekers.

In case you want a route more comfortable to ride, Highway 6 is available to help you out. A good thing when we move on this route is that we will pass by Ba Khan Lake. The lake is also located in Mai Chau district, Hoa Binh province. It is dubbed as “Halong Bay on land”, and its majesty is undeniable.

As soon as we approach Mai Chau, we will quickly be amazed at the vast green tea fields. From a distance, the tea fields look just like surreal paintings. There is plenty of attraction in Mai Chau Valley, but we should first visit Lac and Pom Coong villages. These humble villages are the habitat of the Muong and Thai people. Vast paddy fields, traditional stilt houses, brocade craft, and the well-preserved culture create the allure of these spots. Then we can explore Mo Luong and Chieu Cave on Pu Kha Mountain. The stalactites inside bring the caves an irresistible charm. We will stay overnight in Tay people’s stilt houses.

Today, we will head to Moc Chau, and we will return to Mai Chau at the end of the day. Once again, we have two options: highways or trails along Laos’ border. Depending on your appetite, we will make the decision. First, we will come by Cun Pheo and Hang Kia – Pa Co communes before arriving at Moc Chau Farm Town.

Moc Chau plateau is a favorite attraction of both domestic and foreign tourists. Here you can see large tea hills and plenty of wildflowers with different colors. In Moc Chau, there are many sites for us to visit. Son Moc Huong (or the Bat Cave) is the most beautiful cave in Son La. Sparkling stalactites of different shapes, and archeological values have made the reputation of this cave. We bet that you would love to immerse yourself in the cool water under 100-meter-high Dai Yem Waterfall. Amid the lush forest, this silvery waterfall is truly breathtaking. Visiting the pine forest in Ang Village is also not a bad idea. After exploring Mai Chau’s splendor, we will ride on old and new Highway 6 to get back to Mai Chau.

Let’s bid farewell to Mai Chau and go for Pu Luong in Thanh Hoa province. Highway 6 will lead us to Thung Khe Pass. The pass is 1000 meters above sea level; therefore, we can see the whole panorama of the area – mountain ranges in floating clouds, large rampant fields, and colorful tiny houses. The pass has a unique attractiveness as white rocks cover it. That’s why the pass is also called White Rock Pass.

After Thung Khe Pass, we will encounter Lung Van highland. Perhaps Lung Van is not a familiar name to many people. The good thing is that the pristine beauty of the site is still kept unharmed from over-tourism. Lung Van is located on the peak of Muong Bi at an altitude of over 1200 meters. An exceptional experience to try in Lung Van is hunting clouds. There we can see a sea of white clouds flowing through towering mountains. This highland is also where the core cultural values of the Muong ethnic group are protected. After that, we will keep riding until we meet Pu Luong and rest in a hotel.

We will spend the whole day exploring Pu Luong Nature Reserve. We can choose either trekking or using a motorbike. Pu Luong in the Thai people’s language means the highest mountain. The nature reserve area is 17600 hectares with rich flora and fauna.

We will visit Don and Hieu villages with a local tour guide who has a profound knowledge of these places. Both of the communities are the habitats of the Thai ethnic group. Both of them possess a tranquil beauty harmonized with the environment. And we bet that you will relish tasting the local delicacies – bamboo shoots, boar, wild duck, chicken, etc. It will be a pity if we don’t give Hieu Waterfall a try. Contemplating the majesty of the forest while swimming in the pool under the waterfall is undoubtedly fantastic.

In Pho Doan Market, which was established during the French colonial period, you can see a distinctive trading culture. Many people of different ethnic groups (King, Muong, Thai, etc.) from districts of Hoa Binh province come to Pho Doan not only to buy or sell things but also to share their own stories. Sometimes people here don’t even use the money to purchase; they just exchange their goods. After the fourth day of the trip, you will surely understand more about Northwest Vietnam.

Today’s destination is Cuc Phuong National Park – one of the most popular tourist attractions in Vietnam. But we will first ride to the streams of the Fish Gods (Cam Luong – Cam Lien streams in the Cam Thuy district of Thanh Hoa province). In these streams are thousands of massive fish of different colors with an average weight of 2-8 kilograms. There is even a fish that weigh up to 30 kilograms. The local people worship the fish here, and no one dares to eat them. The water in the streams is crystal clear and can be used for cooking. The mysteries about the fish have not been unveiled, so curious visitors keep coming day by day.

Our trip will continue with Cuc Phuong National Park. This is the first national park in Vietnam, as it was established in 1962. The ecosystem here is incredibly diverse, with thousands of animal and plant species. This number includes many rare and endangered ones. In Cuc Phuong, you can quickly encounter giant trees and ancient caves with incomparable archeological values. The perennial trees here are up to 45 meters high, and some of them are so big that a ring of twenty people can fully embrace them. Some caves we cannot miss our Nguoi Xua, Con Moong, Pho Ma, etc. Trekking, camping, fishing, and mountain climbing are all possible here. In the evening, we will head to Trang An and stay overnight there.

Today is the last day of the trip, yet the excitement won’t lose its weight. With outstanding landscapes, Trang An deserves to be recognized as a UNESCO world heritage. This landmark is of great importance for both science and history. After admiring some of the notable temples and caves, we will continue to visit the Tam Coc Bich Dong complex.

The serene river, the vast rice fields, and the towering mountain ranges are enough to assure you that this is the trip of your life. Notably, the golden of ripe rice fields will enhance the allure of Tam Coc Bich Dong actively. Off-road tracks will bring us to the pier, and from there, we will join a boat trip and find the way to Thung Nang. This is an excellent site for you to take some impressive photos. Some excellent pictures will mark the end of our trip. It’s time to head back to Hanoi before the traffic gets crazy.