Best Vietnam Motorbike Tour Ho Chi Minh Trail – 11 Days

Duration: 11 Days

Destination: Hanoi – Thac Ba lake – Sapa – Than Uyen – Mu Cang Chai – Mai Chau – Tan Ky – Phong Nha – Khe Sanh – Vinh Moc tunnels – Hue – Hoi An

With this 11 Day motorbike tour in Vietnam, our experienced team would like to show you almost the best routes for motorcycle touring in North Vietnam nearby Sapa and on the Ho Chi Minh trail as well as with the interesting attractions and historical sites to learn more about the Vietnam war. This covers mostly the most beautiful parts of Northwest Vietnam and the easiest and most interesting part of the historical trail from Hanoi to Hoi An, We are confident to say this is one of our most favorite motorbike tours in Vietnam.

Day 1: Hanoi – Thac Ba lake: 180 Km (L,D – Home stay)

8:30 am get on the bikes and start the motorbike ride up to the North of Vietnam, getting out of Hanoi on the Red river dyke to be away from busy traffic of the city. The ride crosses the Red River delta with a great view of the rice fields between villages This 60 Km ride along the dyke road could be the highlight of the first day motorbike tour in North Vietnam. We’ll get out of the dyke road to get to Doan Hung town for lunch. After lunch we can choose to ride to Thac Ba lake on the smooth road or dirt road. We’ll get to the lake at around 3:30 pm, leave the bikes at the village of the Dzao people who live nearby the lake then enjoy a short boat trip around the Thac Ba lake.

Day 2: Thac Ba Lake – Sapa: 210 Km (B,L,D – Hotel stay)DSC_1096

 

After breakfast with the Dzao family, we will continue the motorbike touring in Northern Vietnam to Sapa, the motorbike ride along the Thac Ba lake in the morning promises to be one of the best motorcycle tours in North Vietnam, it offers a great view of mountain, green lake and rice fields. After lunch in Pho Rang town, we have a easy motorbike ride to Sapa on the smooth road up to the North of Vietnam and ride along the Chinese border, we will have a stop to visit the border to China, just to have a look at China from Vietnam. After having coffee at the border gate, let’s enjoy the last 40 km of motorbike ride to Sapa. It must be a highlight of the Vietnam motorbike tour today because we will hit the road up and up to the level of 1600 meters above the sea where the Sapa town located. This motorbike ride offers plenty of chances to take amazing pictures of terrace rice fields and colorful hill tribes. We will finish the motorbike tour to Sapa at about 5:00 pm.

 

Day 3: Sapa – Than Uyen: 110 Km (B,L,D – Hotel Stay)North Vietnam motorbike tour

 

The morning in Sapa, we will have short motorcycle tour along the Muong Hoa valley – one of the ,ost beautiful valley in North Vietnam to visit some rustic villages of the local ethnic people to learn more about Vietnamese culture and also enjoy great scenery of the terrace fields. We’ll get back to Sapa town for lunch. After lunch in Sapa, we’ll have another great Vietnam motorbike ride cross the O Qui Ho pass – one of the longest and most imposing passes in the North of Vietnam. The ride offer the great view of the Hoang Lien mountain range with the Fanxipan peak heading to the height of 3141 meters above the sea level. We’ll be in Than Uyen at about 4:00 pm.

 

Day 4: Than Uyen – Mu Cang Chai – Phu Yen: 220 Km (B,L,D – Hotel stay)DSC_3362

 

It’s a long ride today with a lot of visits to villages of the hill tribes and stops for picturing of breathtaking scenery, This motorbike ride in Northwest Vietnam is almost on mountain back road with amazing view of terrace fields and crossing a lot of rustic villages of the local. This could be one of the best motorcycle tours in North Vietnam, it’s long but not boring ride, we can stop every meters of the road for picturing of amazing rice terrace fields or talking with interesting colorful hill tribes. We will be in Phu Yen town and end the great day of motorbike ride North Vietnam at around 5:00 pm.

 

Day 5: Phu Yen – Mai Chau: 150 Km (B,L,D – Home stay)

 

After the hot noodle soup for breakfast, we’ll enjoy a short motorbike ride to Mai Chau valley. It promises to be the highlight of this Vietnam motorbike tour on Ho Chi Minh trail. After getting out of the town, we’ll have beautiful motorbike ride along the Da river lake, this ride will remind you of the motorcycle tour on coastal roads in central Vietnam. The route is almost empty in between the mountains and the river lake. After crossing the river, we will motorbike up and up to Moc Chau plateau where is famous for green tea and cool temperature. Lunch is in Moc Chau. In the afternoon, we’ll make a turn to a small mountain pass to ride down to Mai Chau valley. We will end the great Northern Vietnam motorbike tour in Mai Chau at 4:30 pm then we can spend the rest time of the day to have a short walk around the peaceful village of the Thai people.

 

Day 6: Mai Chau – Tan Ky: 270 Km (B,L,D – Hotel stay)Mai Chau motorbike tour

We will start the Ho Chi Minh trail motorbike touring from today. After, we will have slow and short motorbike ride around the valley crossing some villages of the white Thai people and some rice paddies. After getting out of the valley, we will keep riding on a small, spectacular and paved trail along the Ma river and crossing through the bamboo forest until Cam Thuy town where we stop for lunch. In the afternoon, the Vietnam motorbike tour on the historical Ho Chi Minh trail starts, we’ll ride all the way on the smooth and easy part of the trail to Tan Ky town. Arrive Tan Ky at about 5:00 pm.

Tan Ky is known as the starting point of the Ho Chi Minh trail during the war. At that time, all the troops with foods and staffs gather in Tan Ky and start to matching to the south of Vietnam on the trail to join the war in DMZ. Tan ky now is a little town located by the sides of the Ho Chi Minh trail, it’s peaceful town surrounded mountains.

 

Day 7: Tan Ky – Phong Nha: 280 Km (B,L,D – Hotel stay)

 

After a simple breakfast, we continue the motorbike tour on Ho Chi Minh trail to Phong Nha and Ke Bang National Park.The ride in the morning is almost on the smooth, sealed roads offering nice view of rice fields and green tea farm, we can have some stop to take pictures and learn more about making green tea and tea drinking culture of Vietnam. The motorbike ride in the afternoon must be the highlight of this Vietnam motorbike tour, we’ll get closer to the Phong Nha National Park where the motorbike ride offers amazing view of limestone mountain and jungles.DCIM100GOPRO

 

The karst formation of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park has evolved since the Paleozoic (some 400 million years ago) and so is the oldest major karst area in Asia. Subject to massive tectonic changes, the park’s karst landscape is extremely complex with many geographic features of considerable significance. We will arrive Phong Nha at around 4:30 pm, and if time and weather permit, we can have a short boat trip along the green river to go through some famous caves.

 

Day 8: Phong Nha – Khe Sanh 220 Km. (B,L,D – Hotel stay)

Today is another highlight of the motorbike ride Ho Chi Minh trail. As Vietnam Motorbike Tour Expert, we will take you to Khe Sanh on the western Ho Chi Minh trail. The western trail is known as the hidden trail that the Us Army did never know to bomb, the trail runs through the National park of Phong Nha – Ke Bang, in more than 200 km, you will just see few other motorbikes but a lot of beautiful and beautiful mountain view. The ride on this trail could be one the best motorcycle tours in Vietnam; Especially, after getting out of the Phong Nha National park, we will get chance to visit the former US Merine Base with tunnels, Air base and a interesting museum of Khe Sanh. We will finish the great and enjoyable western Ho Chi Minh trail motorbike ride at about 5:00 pm in Khe Sanh town.

 

Day 9: Khe Sanh – Vinh Moc tunnel – Hue: 180 Km (B,L,D – Hotel stay)motorbike tour vietnam

 

After breakfast, we will leave the Ho Chi Minh trail to ride on another historical road No 9, the road is considered as another border between the North Vietnam and South Vietnam where happened a lot of fighting between the Northern communists and the Southern Vietnamese and American troops, It is a busy day of Vietnam motorbike tour because we will pay a lot of visits to some interesting historical sites such as: Hien Luong bridge – known as the symbol of border between the north and the south of Vietnam, museum of the 17th parallel and the famous Vinh Moc tunnel. After lunch nearby the tunnels, we will have short motorcycle tour to Hue. Arrive beautiful city of Hue at around 5:00 pm.

 

Vinh Moc (Vịnh Mốc) is a tunnel complex in Quang Tri, Vietnam. During the Vietnam War it was strategically located on the border of North Vietnam and South Vietnam. The tunnels were built to shelter people from the intense bombing of Son Trung and Son Ha communes in Vinh Linh county of Quang Tri Province in the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone. The American forces believed the villagers of Vinh Moc were supplying food and armaments to the North Vietnemese garrison on the island of Con Co which was in turn hindering the American bombers on their way to diadaovinhmoc(1)bomb Hanoi. The idea was to force the villagers of Vinh Moc to leave the area but as is typical in Vietnam there was nowhere else to go. The villagers initially dug the tunnels to move their village 10 metres underground but the American forces designed bombs that burrowed down 10 metres. Eventually against these odds, the villagers moved the village to a depth of 30 metres. It was constructed in several stages beginning in 1966 and used until early 1972. The complex grew to include wells, kitchens, rooms for each family and spaces for healthcare. Around 60 families lived in the tunnels; as many as 17 children were born inside the tunnels

 

Day 10: Tour around Hue (B,L – Hotel stay)

 

After breakfast in Hotel, we will have enjoyable time to discover the charm of Hue city. Basing on your mood, we can take a motorcycle tour around Hue to see some tombs of the kings along the Huong river or have an easy bus tour around the city to see the some famous attractions and enjoy a boat cruise along the Perfume river. We will be back to city to have lunch at one of the famous food streets in Hue. In the afternoon, take your free time to relax at the beach or have more walk around Hue or do some shopping. Diner is on your own, just fell free to enjoy your favourite food in Hue.

Hue is one of 3 capital cities of Vietnam during thousand years of history, but unlike the others, Hue remains a lot of originally historical vestiges in this ancient Capital City.

 

On the Northern bank of Perfume River has relics consisting of palaces, which were constructed as arc defensive ramparts with 11km length. This valuable lang moconstruction includes more than 100 architectural works which were extremely reflected the life of Emperors and mandarins under Nguyen’ reign. Situated in the middle of hills on the Southern bank of Perfume River are very beautiful tombs of Nguyen Kings. Among these tombs are the four famous ones with the name and the arrangements of the tomb reflected each Emperor’s points of view, personality, and tastes. This is majestic Gia Long tomb, imposing Minh Mang tomb, poetic Tu Duc tomb and magnificent Khai Dinh tomb.

Hue is also an important center of Buddhism. In Hue and its surrounding still exist tens of pagodas constructed more 300 years ago, and a hundred of temples and pagodas built in the early century. They take an important role in making Hue more attractive.

 

Day 11: Hue – Hoi An: 170 km (B,L – Ending the 11 Day Vietnam Motorbike Tour)

 

The last day of this motorbike tour in Vietnam is completely different from the days before. Right after getting out of Hue city we will have great motorbike ride along the coastlines through some fishing villages and colorful fields of tombs. The view is quite different from the view of mountain along the Ho Chi Minh trail; especially the motorbike ride cross the Hai Van pass must be one of the best motorcycle tours on coastline Vietnam and this should be the last highlight of the 11 Day motorbike tour via northern Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh trail. We will be in Da Nang city at around 2: 00 pm. You can choose to stay in coastal city of Da Nang or keep riding more than 30 km to Hoi An ancient town before ending up and say good bye to the staff of Vietnam Motorbike Tour Expert.

 

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Our tour price is based on NUMBER OF GUESTS (the more people in the group, the less money each person will pay) and TYPE OF BIKES (the smaller bike you take, the less money you will pay). Please contact us for the right price, or you can view the sample price below for the regular tours North Vietnam by 125cc – 150cc bikes:

  • Tour for group of private solo rider: 200 USD/Day
  • Tour for group of 2 riders: 150 USD/Day/Person
  • Tour for group of 3 riders: 140 USD/Day/Person
  • Tour for group of 4 – 10 riders: 130 USD/Day/Person
  • Airport pick up/drop off, Support vehicle or Air tickets are not included but they can be arranged depending on your request with the extra cost
  • The extra cost to upgrade to Honda CRF250L is $40 USD/Bike/Day.
  • The extra cost for the backup vehicle + driver is $150 USD/Day.
  • The prices listed above are only for the Northern Loop Vietnam motorcycle tours, Other  special motorcycle tours on Ho Chi Minh trail or crossing the border to Laos or Cambodia… will cost more. Please contact us for more details.
  • The tour price can be different depending on the low/high tourist season or other special requests, Please contact us to get the right price of tours.

Tour price includes:

  • Experienced English speaking tour guides (2 tour guides/mechanic for a group from 5 riders)
  • Quality Honda XR150L or Honda CRF250L or other bikes we have with all fuel
  • Quality Helmets/Gloves/Knee and elbow pads/Rain jackets/pants
  • All meals on tour (All breakfasts, lunches and dinners with local Vietnamese food)
  • Accommodation on tour (twin share room in standard hotel or stay at homestay as mentioned in itinerary)
  • Boat rides on lakes or rivers as mentioned in itinerary
  • All entrance fee / Permits
  • Hotel pick up/drop off before and after the tour
  • Video of the trip made by updated GoPro

 

Tour price excludes:

  • Medical insurance
  • Bike damages
  • Personal expense
  • Drinks/Tips
  • Air tickets and  visa to Vietnam
  • To secure your bookings we require a minimal of 30 % deposit. Balance can be made upon arrival
  • The rider is responsible for any bank charges. ( surcharge 3,5% if you pay by credit card )
  • The balance can be paid by cash or credit on the first day of the trip
  • If you cancel the Vietnam motorbike tour before the departure date, you will lose 100% of the deposit.
  • If you cancel the tour after the departure date, you will lose 100% of the total cost/ fee of the tour for any reason.
  • After departure, NO REFUNDS will be given for any reason, if you cancel the tour.
  • A Damage Cost deposit of US$ 100 – 1,000 or more is required for each motorcycle for using in the guided or self-guided motorcycle tours. In case of a self-caused accident, your own participation is up to US$ 2,000 or more.

 

“We guarantee to deliver the best balance between cost and quality of tours”