This motorcycle tour through Central & North Vietnam is a combination of many things; the fun of riding a motorcycle; the experience of the culture and history of the country; the encounters with the locals and last but not least the beautiful nature that captivates you.
Pricing
| per rider in a double room incl. rental motorcycle Kawasaki KLX 150 ccm (only available when booking with own room partner. As a person participating alone choose additionally the single room surcharge). | €3,350.00 $3,666.41 ? |
| Rental motorcycle upgrade to Honda XR 250 cc (surcharge) | €375.00 $410.42 ? |
| per pillion passenger in shared twin/double room (pillion passengers can only book along with an accompanying rider) | €2,950.00 $3,228.63 ? |
| per person single room (surcharge, only available with an additional selection of the basic price "per rider in shared twin/double room") | €425.00 $465.14 ? |
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| Extension Halong Bay per person in double room (surcharge): | €265.00 $290.03 ? |
| Extension Halong Bay per person in single room (surcharge): | €340.00 $372.11 ? |
Included
| Transfers airport Hanoi - hotel and back |
| All overnight stays |
| Rental motorcycle (Depending on booking) |
| German-speaking tour guides on the motorcycle |
| Escort vehicle and luggage transport |
| Mechanic |
| Invitation letter for visa |
| Travel security note |
| Travel guide |
| Everything that is not specified under services |
| Scheduled flight -arrival Hoi An and return from Hanoi |
| Visa |
| Petrol |
| Optional excursions |
| Halong Bay Extension |
| Food and drink |
| Upgrade Honda XR 250 cc (375EUR) |
| Pocket money: €450,- ( This amount is an indication how much money you need for this trip. It includes food, drink, souvenirs, optional excursions and gasoline). |
More details
| Minimum number of participants: 8 |
| Maximum number of participants: 12 |
| Maximum number of passengers: 2 |
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| Motorcycles: |
| During this trip we ride on Kawasaki KLX 150 ccm motorcycles. Upgrade to Honda XR 250 ccm is possible. Please specify when booking. |
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| Tour character: |
| During this tour we will not ride up to any notable heights and also not through very deserted areas. We ride on light motorcycles and therefore this tour is also suitable for people who have no experience with adventurous motorcycle tours. The daily stages are not long, which offers the possibility to visit or photograph different villages on the way. An inconvenience is perhaps the traffic density in and around Hanoi. Every day thousands of motorcycles, scooters, rickshaws and bicycles make their way through the streets. On the main road (which we avoid as much as possible), consider the lorries, because the traffic rules are mostly hidden to European eyes. |
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| Offroad: |
| Only a small part of this trip we will ride on unpaved roads. In the current itinerary this is only 2 or 3 days. These routes are not difficult. So they are also good for participants without offroad experience to ride. Only when the weather is bad can these routes be a challenge. |
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| Clothing: |
| A helmet is compulsory, as are protective clothing with protectors, good gloves and boots or sturdy shoes. Especially in spring and autumn it can get very warm in the lower regions. Therefore we recommend to wear breathable protective clothing. On the higher, colder parts in the mountains, you can wear extra warm clothing under your motorcycle clothing if necessary. Because of the dust it is advisable to have a pair of glasses with you. In the north of Vietnam the rainy season (monsoon) is from June to the end of August. We plan our trips before or after the monsoon season. Nevertheless, we must expect short rain showers at all times. In the end, the temperatures in the mountain regions can fall up to 5 C in winter, so it is advisable to take warm clothes with you. |
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| Travel documents: |
| You need a passport that is valid for 6 months after the return date. German citizens need a visa to enter Vietnam. The visa can be applied for at the Vietnamese embassy in Berlin before the start of the trip, costs about € 75,-. Since a short time it is also possible to buy a 'Visa on arrival' in Hanoi, cost about 45 USD (& passport photo). You will receive the required invitation letter free of charge from us. Further information and application forms can be found on the homepage of the Vietnamese Embassy in Berlin: http://visa.mofa.gov.vn |
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| More details about the trip and what to take with you can be found in the manual that you will receive about 1 month before departure. |
| Language: This offer is usually suitable for English and/or German speaking participants. Please enquire for language options. |
| Mobility: The offer is not suitable for people with reduced mobility. Please contact us for more information. |
Description
We will ride through the mountains and visit colourful markets, get a taste of the varied Vietnamese cuisine and visit historical sites. We start at the coast in Hoi An, visit the forbidden purple city of Hue and descend into the tunnels of Vinh Moc. We ride through shimmering valleys, along rugged mountains, stretched out rice fields and small mountain villages. We will also meet many mountain tribes in colourful, traditional clothing. We will end the trip in the beautiful green Hanoi. A motorcycle tour where you will experience the beauty of Vietnam.
PROGRAM:
Day 1 - Arrival Hoi An
Depending on the airline you are flying with, you will arrive at Da Nang airport in the morning or afternoon. We ride 45 minutes to the hotel. Hoi An is a small atmospheric town with traditional houses which many travellers experience as one of the most attractive and beautiful places in Vietnam. It lies along a river, there is a colorful market and traditional streets with colonial buildings and sanctuaries where Chinese influences are visible.
DAY 2 - HOI AN - EXCURSION
Today we take a test ride with the motorcycles and ride to My Son (30 km from Hoi An). My Son was the political and religious centre of the Champa, people who worshipped the Hindu God Shiva, from the 2nd century A.D. onwards. Between the 4th and 12th century, 71 religious buildings were built here. Since the 15th century the complex is abandoned. The war has left its traces but it is still an interesting place to visit. The rest of the day you can continue to explore the city, in Hoi An there are great restaurants and charming pubs galore. Colorful lanterns hang everywhere making Hoi An look even more atmospheric in the evening. A boat trip on the river is also possible and then you could visit the nearby beach.
DAY 3 - HOI AN - HUE
We ride north via the Marble Mountains in DaNang. During the war, American ships have been bombed along the coast from caves. These caves are in the mountains and are now marble quarries. Many artists working with marble live in the surrounding villages. Afterwards we take a breathtaking mountain pass along the coast through Bach Ma National Park and end the trip in Hue. There we visit the old citadel of Hue Tu Cam Thanh, where the forbidden purple city is located. This was the private residence of the emperor and is located exactly in the middle of the complex.
DAY 4 - HUE - DONG HOI
We visit the impressive Vinh Moc tunnels. Where the CuChi tunnels in the south - near Ho Chi Minh City - were mainly used as war routes, the Vinh Moc tunnels were shelters for the inhabitants of the village to protect themselves from the intense bombing by the Americans. At that time, about 60 families lived in the tunnels and 17 children were born there. After the guided tour, we get on our motorbike and follow a part of the Ben Hai River along the border with the demilitarized zone (DMZ). We visit an impressive monument and take a coastal road to Dong Hoi. During the Vietnam War this town was devastated and rebuilt from scratch, it has great beaches, colourful markets and delicious Vietnamese coffee.
DAY 5 - DONG HOI - PHONG NHA
Today we ride an adventurous route through a part of the Ke Bang National Park. This park consists of 90% primary forest that has not been influenced by humans, it provides a high level of biodiversity. This is also the most secret part of the Ho Chi Minh Trail: the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). During the Vietnam War this was a neutral zone between North and South Vietnam. The US Secretary of Defense, Mc Namara, established this zone and named it after him, the Mc Namara Line. This line is a part of a band of bases. It is also the narrowest part of Vietnam, only 90 km wide, between Laos and the coast. In the afternoon we take a boat trip to the Phong Nha Caves. The caves developed about 250 million years ago, are the largest in the world and the most beautiful caves in Vietnam. The cave is at least 8Km deep with a network of underground rivers. We spend the night in a small village nearby.
DAY 6 - PHONG NHA - THAI HOA
Today we spend the day travelling. We ride the famous road to Ho Chi Minh. On this road we stay in northern direction. This legendary road used to be a path through the jungle, which the North Vietnamese troops used to supply the Vietcong in the south with supplies during the Vietnam War. We ride on spectacular and remote trails through the mountains, along the Vu Quang National Park, a remote area on the border with Laos. A few years ago the Saola, or Spindlehorn, also known as the Vu Quang Ox, was first seen here. It is one of the strangest animals in the world. The people living in and around the national park belong to the Muong, an ethnic group of the Aetians.
DAY 7 - THAI HOA - TAM COC
We follow the Ho Chi Minh Trail and ride through small villages and rice fields, the trail becomes narrower and the region is only sparsely populated. Here hardly any tourists come, we see how life is in the countryside of Vietnam. The trail leads us again through small villages along rubber plantations, tea and grain fields, we see water buffalos grazing and ploughing in the rice fields. In this area we notice that there are more churches than temples.
DAY 8 - TAM COC - STAY
Today we will make an hour and a half's ride in a rowing boat, it will take us through limestone mountains of natural caves and we will see traditional farming activities. It is a short ride to Hoa Lu, the ancient capital of North Vietnam. There are several temples built in honor of the first Vietnamese emperor Dinh Tien Hoang (924-979) (r. 968-979). This happened after the liberation of the country from the ruling Southern Chinese Han Dynasty.
DAY 9 - TAM COC - MAY CHAN
Our path leads us in a westerly direction. We ride on narrow, quiet rural roads along a few nature parks to Mai Chan. This town is located in an idyllic valley, surrounded by hills and rice fields. The valley has several Thai villages, characterized by the houses on stilts. If we have enough time, we will take a small detour through the hills via off road trails and visit a chopstick factory.
DAY 10 - MAY CHAN - NGHIA LO
We are awakened by the impressive nature, you hear streams rushing and birds singing. Today we are riding on narrow but paved roads again. It is a wonderful environment, along the route there are many small villages and tea plantations. In the morning we will mainly meet Thai people, but later in the day we will meet more and more people of the Hmong people. We will cross the black river with a small ferry and reach the main road to Nghia Lo. Nghia Lo is located in the mountains and grows fast, it is located at a crossroads with two important roads. In the city we will mainly see people of the Dao and Hmong.
DAY 11 - NGHIA LO - SAPA
The route takes us further north where the landscape is once again very beautiful. On both sides of the road there are green rice fields built on the slopes. We ride through the mountains and cross a few high passes. In this area there are many people of the Dao tribe. 40 km before we reach Sa Pa, we climb the highest mountain pass of this trip. Sa Pa is very touristy. If we don't go to the market at the weekend, we won't see so many tourists.
DAY 12 - SA PA - STAY
Sa Pa is situated at an altitude of 1500 meters. During the French colonization, Sa Pa was a summer retreat to recover from the heat in the not so high situated parts of the country. It is a nice place to stay for a day, rent a bike or just visit the town and the market.
DAY 13 - SA PA - BAC HA
The first 110 km we cover today lead us along a somewhat more busy road. On the way we stop in Lao Cai to have a look at the Chinese border. The red river separates the two countries, yet they are connected by a railway bridge. On the other side of the river we see the skyscrapers of the relatively much richer China. After our coffee break we ride a small piece of main road and then take a quiet paved country road. We wind our way through villages and rice fields towards Bac Ha. This is a typical North Vietnamese village in a valley with colourful people.
DAY 14 - BAC HA - HA GIANG
A little further north we take a small path that leads us into a spectacular area dotted with rocks. The inhabitants of the Hmong villages will be surprised to see us, because hardly any foreigners come here and certainly not on motorcycles! After a nice downhill ride we arrive in Xin Man. A little outside of Xin Man we cross a bridge and ride along the river to Huang Su Phi village. Many members of the Nung people live here. On the way we see many Nung villages, after every bend there is a different view on the beautiful green terraces. As soon as we reach the junction with the highway we will take smaller paths towards the main road. The main road leads us to Ha Giang. Watch out! There is a lot of traffic, Ha Giang is the capital of the province, We spend the night outside the center in a resort by the river.
DAY 15 - HA GIANG - DONG VAN
Our tour leads us again early in the morning through an extraordinarily beautiful and unique karst mountain area. It is a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site, "Kart Plateau Geopark" here it is also called "Don Van- Meo Vac" after two of the largest villages. Immediately after Ha Giang the road becomes narrower and we climb over a beautiful pass. We take our time to look at the breathtaking landscape and to observe the hardworking mountain tribes that are able to grow corn in the seemingly most impossible places.
DAY 16 - DONG VAN - STAY
Today we will have a look at the surroundings or the city. There is also the possibility to visit the former Hmong Kings Palace. A short but adventurous ride takes us further north to the Chinese border. We can also do a few short laps on small paths and through small villages.
DAY 17 - DONG VAN - BAO LAC
We wake up at the spectacular Ma Pi Leng Pass. It is only 21 km, but Vietnamese poets declared their love at this pass. We take our time to explore this special environment. It is a quiet route via a hilly landscape with rice terraces.
DAY 18 - BAO LAC - BA BE
To the Ba Lake we ride on narrow paths and trails. After crossing a river with a small ferry we arrive at our accommodation. Lake Ba is located in the national park of the same name. The lakes here are surrounded by angular rocks (karst). The national park consists of limestone, so there are lakes, waterfalls, caves and strange rock formations in abundance. You can encounter strange animal species such as the King Cobra, the Asian Black Bear and the Asian Golden Cat, and there are more than 350 species of butterflies. Lake Ba is the largest lake in the country, it is about 7 km long and 1 km wide. In the park itself there are some villages with ethnic minorities, such as the Tay, White Hmong and Red Dao.
DAY 19 - BA BE - HANOI
Today we ride a long way back to the capital Hanoi. In the morning it is still quiet on the roads but after Nguyen the traffic gets livelier. It is the last stage of the journey but maybe the most interesting one, because for many participants riding in the city in the overwhelming traffic is a fantastic experience at the end of the journey.
DAY 20 - HANOI - STAY
On the last day you can look around in Hanoi. During the colonization Hanoi was the capital of French Indochina. French history is still clearly visible in the wide boulvards and the old villas. You can walk around the old quarter in the small streets and along the lively shops. You can also visit museums or pagodas, there is plenty to do here. In the evening you have the possibility to enjoy the delicious Vietnamese specialties during dinner.
DAY 21 - HANOI - DEPARTURE
Today you go to Hanoi airport for the flight back to Germany.
EXTENSION
If you wish, you can extend this trip with two days and then visit Ha Long Bay by boat, one of the world's wonders of nature and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
DAY 20 - HANOI - HALONG BAY
In the morning you will be picked up from the hotel by a minibus and taken to Halong Bay. The trip takes about 4 hours. The pointed mountains in Halong Bay make this bay very special and it is beautiful to ride through here by boat. You will arrive at Halong Bay around noon. Here you will board a traditional boat with other (international) tourists. You will then sail into the bay and spend the night on the boat in a beautiful environment. If there is interest to visit caves, we will stop at several caves.
DAY 21 - HALONG BAY - HANOI
In the morning we come ashore again and get back into the minibus. Between the coast and the capital Hanoi there is a lot of traffic, the closer you get to the capital the worse it gets. In the afternoon you could visit the old Hanoi, either by motorbike or on foot. Depending on your flight you will go to the airport in the evening or the next morning.
DAY 22 - DEPARTURE HOME
Changes to the route can be adapted to the current conditions on site