Itinerary

Day 1

Sept 8th 2007; Hanoi : Mai Chau, 140 km,~4hs, Thai family:
Heading out of Hanoi on road number 6 to Mai Chau, and idyllic valley populated by mainly White Thai ethnic people. Visiting Mai Chau, you have a chance to enjoy folk songs and traditional colourful culture of White Thai in Mai Chau. The scenery of the arrival to Mai Chau is characterized with beautiful limestone mountains and colourful hill tribes who can be seen and visited on the way. We also have an opportunity en route to learn about the culture of the rice-cultivating inhabitants in the Red River valley and Da River down stream. After lunch, we have the whole afternoon free to climb up to the top of Thung Nhuoi pass. From the top of the pass there is a beautiful view of Mai Chau valley, usually and mostly engulfed by clouds still it is a sight to be enjoyed. After visiting this wonderful site, we drop down to further explore the area of White Thai people.

Day 2

Sept 9th2007; Mai Chau : Thung Man, 100 km, ~3hs, H'Mong family:
Today we continue venturing onto Northern Vietnam by following the old National Highway No 6, which has been left fallow for 20 years. The narrow and bumpy road, cutting through many hill-tops make the topography difficult to manoeuvre, so the inter-transportation is very limited. Sometimes, if lucky you might catch the appearance of a horse-drawn carriage or buffalo-drawn carriage, but apart from that, this road is quite deserted. Along the way, we have excellent opportunities to learn about the people of different culture, such as the Red Dao, Dao Tien, Muong and Thai ethnic groups. The people living here are very friendly and live a simple lifestyle. They typically live on cultivating dry rice, vegetables and fruit at high altitudes, and hunting in the wild forest.

At noon, we stop for lunch at the top of the pass from which a beautiful view of spacious Moc Chau grassland and the Da River can be enjoyed.

The afternoon will provide a real challenge. After heading out of New Highway 6, we make our way onto the torturous and bumpy road. However, the exploring of the H'mong hill tribe's colourful customs and majestic mountainous scenery, it will make the hardship all worthwhile.

Day 3

Sept 10 th2007; Thung Man - Phu Yen, 130km, ~4h, Hoang Gia Hotel:
After breakfast and farewell with the hosts, we pay a visit to Thung Mai, the most timeless village of the H'mong ethnic people residing at an altitude of over 1,000 meters above sea level and in complicated topography. The H'mong people have lived here for nearly 100 years. While on the way to Ha Giang, they were forced to run away from French colonialists. That's the reason they are located in this remote area. To reach Thung Man, it takes about one and half hours to the top of the mountain. Up on arrival, you will see a pretty village with about 20 houses built from "stone" surrounding a small, fairy pond at the mountain top. The village seems isolated from mainstream world. There is no appearance of motorbike and karaoke here. The owners of this mountain still retain their age old cultural and traditions. Moreover, visitors to this remote area will have opportunity to discover the unique customs and the simple lifestyle of the local and even share the culture experience with the elders who enjoy the happiness of living under the same roof with 5-6 generations. You also have a chance to hear the legend story about the "toward South" process from their voice.

After lunch, we have the afternoon free to explore the dreamlike grasslands. These beautiful grasslands of Moc Chau have the best of both words, breath-taking scenery and it's favoured by nature and covered with clouds all year round. So it seems to have the most ideal climate condition in Northwest Mountain. Moc Chau's flora is diverse, ranging from forests and tea plantations to fruit hills.

Besides, we can enjoy walk to visit the local dairy farms and try produce from the local processing factories. Dairy produce is Moc Chau's specialty being exported to many other countries.

After visiting this scenic sight, we drop down to Da River and take a specialized boat to pass the river. Then we ride along the river to visit Phu Yen valley, one of the most prosperous and beautiful villages of Thai people in Northwest.

Day 4

Sept 11 st2007; Phu Yen : Tuan Giao, 210 km, ~5h, Trade Union Hotel:
The journey north continues onto Son La, following the 113 Highway. Along the way, there are superb landscapes with green valley and rice fields in terraces. Passing the Bac Yen Mountain top, through Chen Pass to the largest "maize" and "manioc" forest, we arrive at Son La plateau.

After lunch in Son La town, we will visit the former French Prison and provincial museum. It's also time to keep our willingness to climb over a range of passes, such as Son La, Chieng Pac, and Pha Din. While passing these scenic sites, you can enjoy the beautiful landscape on your way from Son La to Lai Chau town. The afternoon will provide free time to climb over the top of the Pha Din Pass - known as the interference between Heaven and Earth. Pha Din forms a natural border between Son La and Dien Bien Phu, the site of the decisive battle in Vietnam's struggle for independence in 1954. Then we take time to travel to Tuan Giao to view the sunset.

Day 5

Sept 12 nd2007; Tuan Giao : Sin Ho, 150 km, ~4h, Kieu Thuong Guest House:
Today we continue venturing in to northern Vietnam with the 98 km remainder of the historical Highway 6. The road is rough, but the scenery is unbelievably beautiful and magnificent with the 7 tall passes cutting though steep mountain along the Da River flowing around the foot of the passes, which can be found nowhere else in the Northwest route. Moreover, a part of the pleasure of travelling by motorbike in this region is the simple joy of seeing friendly smile and waving of the local people, which make the hardship all worthwhile. Along the way, we stop to visit the Black Thai, Kho Mu, Lu , Black H'mong, Green H'mong and White H'mong, just some of the many hill tribe groups who have settled there and discover their simple lifestyles and colourful cultures.
After lunch at Lai Chau, we take a boat to travel along the Nam Na River, passing the high, dangerous and sheer rocks, the pretty villages on the two sides of the river and the hillside green rice fields. The boat is not a big one, but the coxswain is skilled enough to make your cruise safe and adventurous to the next destination. After that, we make our way to Sin Ho.

Day 6

Sept 13rd2007; Sin Ho- Sapa, 110km, ~3h, Hoang Long Hotel:
Due to the environment and a height of 1,700m, getting there is very hard journey, so the people living here mostly keep to their very long lasting lifestyle. The unchanged way of life from ancient days is hard to be done anywhere. However, it should be said that there is no way for urbanization to occur in these areas. Moreover, only a handful of travel agencies can bring their customers to this remote area. The reason Sin Ho is regarded as the richest mountain market in the Northwest province, is that anybody who is courageous enough to visit the area is rewarded with the fortune of visiting. This does nothing to limit the motley colours of traditional clothes of various ethics such as the Green H'mong, the Black H'mong, the White H'mong, the Dzao Dau Bang, and the Lu.

We will enjoy a picnic lunch at the top of Tram Ton Pass, the most beautiful one in Sapa. In the afternoon we are free to explore Sapa, usually being engulfed by clouds. After enjoying a cup of Artichaux local herbal tea, a special drink from Sapa, we embark on a walk to discover this charming town and get acquainted with the host people who are the soul of this area.

Sapa was founded in the early years of the last century as a hill resort for the French administration at the time. It soon became famous in Indochina for its ideal climate. Nowadays, Sapa's breathtaking scenery is some of the best in ASEAN.

Day 7

Sept 14th2007; Sapa : Xin Man 140 km, ~4 h, Gia Long Hotel:
In the morning, we go down to Lao Cai town to visit Lao Cai Border with China. Then rolling along the route 70 to Bac Ngam for a nice brake taking pictures of beautiful scenery of mountain and river view. Then we head up mountain pass to Bac Ha for our lunch and short hiking to some H'Mong villages there. In the afternoon we continue the small trail to Xin Man in the rocky and wildly road.

Day 8

Sept 15th2007; Xin Man : Luc Yen, 170 km, ~5 h, Tay family:
One special day begin by heading South direction on the bumpy road, dirty, and muddy. Luckily that we clime up to top hill on a good condition but then enjoy your riding down hill with beautiful scenery of rice paddies on the mountain sides by the way back to Sin Man seams to be impossible in the rain. We will stop in many villages for chatting and talking with local people to discover about their cultures.
After about 3 hours riding, we reach a small good road taking us through rice fields, limestone mountain karsts of Luc Yen.

Day 9

Sept 16th2007; Luc Yen : Ba Be, 160 km, ~4 h, Tay family:
Follow beautiful green tea fields and villages to Tuyen Quang town, and then riding on the National High Way 2 for half an hour. However, it is boring there and we turn left for more wildly mountain tracks and rocky, bumpy, through natural forest landing in to Ba Be National Park and lake. There we will stay with a family of Tay ethnic family, locates on beautiful view of rock mountain and rice fields surrounding the biggest Natural Lake of Vietnam.

Day 10

Sept 17th2007; Ba Be : Ha Giang, 130 km, ~5 h, Hoang Anh Hotel:
In the early morning, we put our bikes on boats to take 2 hours explore Ba Be lake and National Park, landing on a maize field. Carry out our bike to the maize field and have good breakfast with the owner of the Nang river restaurant; Mr. Pirrate, who then will give you a lot of helpful advices for the adventure day

The day begins with 3 km riding along an old hillside trail surrounding the Nang River, which is spacious, and more than enough for a motorcycle. Catch your breath while you can, it's worth it!! Then, its time to muster up all your skill, technique and experience for the 80 km of forest road, Only with the help of our experienced guides will you not get lost in one of the 16 branching roads. Along the way, we climb over many tall passes and deep river valleys. This road trip will take you only 3-4 hours during the dry season, but at least 7-8 hours during the rainy season. However, the impression from ‘conquering nature' makes the hardship all worthwhile. Upon arrival, we will cross 3 rivers between 20-30m in width and up to 70 cm in depth, all managed with the instruction of our experience guide.
The last 50 km will be easy even with some passes to go to Ha Giang.

There will be 2 options, depend on the water level of the Nang River so we may have to take another boat trip to the other side for another half an hour. As now they finish the dam from down stream of the river.

Day 11

Sept 18th2007; Ha Giang : Meo Vac, 165 km, ~4, Nho Que Guest House :
Rise and shine for a few hours trek to many of the Heaven Gates such as Quan Ba, Yen Binh, Dong Van. They are called so because one gets the feeling of touching the sky, the heaven gates. This is the best time and place to enjoy the wonderful sightseeing of the vast limestone mountain range and perpendicular walls of rock, which brings one a feeling of adventure while being lost in a magic land.

Here we are surrounded by many rocks of all shapes and sizes. After lunch at Yen Minh town, the scenic route climbs over a pass before arriving to Pho Bang, also called Bang Street, which was built a long many centuries ago and features multi-storey houses made of clay bricks and tile roofs. Visit local some of our friends, who are Hoa - Chinese - minority. Then we continue our trip to visit the infamous Vuong Palace, a H'mong family of high rank during French colonial rule Vuong Chi Sinh who was supported to be the H'Mong King in Vietnam. This palace attracts keen interest from architecturally minded visitors due to it mixed style of European and Chinese architecture.

Day 12

Sept 19th2007; Meo Vac : Cao Bang, 170 km, ~4 h, Bang Giang Hotel:
Ride on the old road down hill to meet Lo River, the border of Ha Giang and Cao Bang. Here large river but no bridge, no ferry. Try to guess how we can cross this large and deep river? That will be very good fun and real challenging of an adventures life time.
Pass by Tinh Tuc, Nguyen Binh to Cao Bang town where we will have an overnight there.

Day 13

Sept 20th2007; Cao Bang : Ban Gioc waterfalls : Quang Uyen, 150km, ~4h, Nung An family:
Riding to the Eastern districts of Cao Bang provide us a chance to explore the most beautiful limestone mountain karts and ethnic villages sounded by Rock Mountains.

Arrive at Ban Gioc water fall with mark the natural border between Vietnam and China. Picnic lunch on a bamboo raft and enjoying picturesque scenery of the area. In the afternoon, we ride along the China border to the wildest region of the Northest provinces of Vietnam : Ha Lang then return to Quang Uyen for the nigh with our friend family Nung An ethnic.

Day 14

Sept 21st2007; Quang Uyen : Mau Son 180 km, ~4 h, Mau Son Hotel:
Riding in the middle of magic landscapes with many lovely smiling faces, waving hands from local you ride passing by in the villages. Just right at the conjunction of Bac Vong and Bang Giang river, the border gate was call “Thuy Khau” - river mouth bordering gate - on the China Shuikojie. Arrive in Ta Lung border town and pay a visit at the border gate then we cross Bang Giang river to clime the mountain down to the other side the valley Dong Khe, the practice battle of Viet Minh and local army. Before the famous Dien Bien Phu 1954, and to break down the French Defending RC 4 along China border, kept opening the relationship with International Communism.
Riding again on the RC 4 to That Khe and visit more battle fields on this RC 4 to Lang Son and visiting Friendship Border Gate “Huu Nghi Quan”, visit Dong Dang town where you will see Chinese product flooding the town. Don't mention with some crazy Minsk running at the top of their speed and carry on dozen of Chinese products to dodge the taxman.
It's about 30 kilometers from Lang Son city to Mau Son. The winding narrow mountain path, like a snake, lies tucked between 2 steep mountains. Then we climb to reach the top of Mau Son to surroundings 1,542 m above of the sea level. This area's pictureresque scenery turns it into a Sapa in miniature characterized with the beautiful steep mountains. In the late afternoon, we can enjoy a comfortable sight seeing at sunset in Mau Son and observe China at the foot of mountain.

Day 15

Sept 22nd2007; Mau Son : Hanoi, 180 km, ~4 h:
On the way going down hill, we will stop for a short walking to visit Dzao Ta Pan, Nung Phan Sinh villages on the hillside, in which you can have a good time with the family specializing in wine brewery. For hundreds of years, Mau Son wine is the Lang Son's specialty which sells well in Hanoi, the South of Vietnam and even China. Then we will visit some war relics at the center of Lang Son town or International Friendship border gate for buying a variety of Chinese goods. The return trip begins on the National High way No 1 with a possible visit to Chi Lang vestige surrounding by the steep mountains.

Extra Information

Extras -

Voyage Vietnam organizes only all-inclusive full package tours. The only exception is at the request of the travellers when they want to upgrade their accommodation for something more luxurious.

* Including:
- Motorbike Minsk, all fuel;
- Tour guide / Translator;
- Motorbiking protective pants, jacket, gloves, helmet, rain gear, and other safety equipments;
- Sleeping bags, mosquito nets, sheets, pillows and accommodations;
- Third party motorbike insurance;
- All food;
- All entrance fees, permits, tickets, boat trips, ferries, bamboo rafts, etc...
- Voyage Vietnam assistance throughout your trip;
- We also love to celebrate our guests' birthday... well any excuse for a celebration on the open road.

* Personal expense (such as souvenirs), personal insurance, drinks, train or flight tickets, food and accommodation in Hanoi and tips are not included in our fee.