Detailed motorcycle itinerary in Northern Vietnam: stages, routes and practical information

2 weeks in the north of Vietnam, it's both little and a lot... There is so much to see that we had to make choices, sometimes not easy. Knowing that for this 2nd trip to Vietnam, we decided to devote ourselves exclusively to the north, northeast. We therefore had to leave aside the entire northwest part towards Son La, Mai Chau etc.

We had obviously planned an itinerary at the start, but as always, we give ourselves a minimum of flexibility in order to be able to adapt according to possible unforeseen events and/or better options once other information on site has been obtained.

Well, honestly we can't say that we've really changed our schedule.

Here is the planned route at the start:

1. Arrival in Hanoi, departure for Ninh Binh -Tam Coc afterwards - night in Tam Coc
2. Visit Tam Coc, return Hanoi, night train to Lao Cai – night on the train
3. Lao Cai ➔ Sapa journey – night in Sapa
4. Sapa tour and excursion to Lai Chau - overnight in Sapa
5. Sapa ➔ Bac Ha route – overnight in Bac Ha
6. Bac Ha ➔ Ha Giang route – overnight in Ha Giang (obtaining permit for the border area)
7. Ha Giang ➔ Dong Van route – night in Dong Van
8. Dong Van ➔ Meo Vac ➔ Bao Lac route – night in Bao Lac
9. Route Bao Lac ➔ Cao Bang – night in Cao Bang
10. Visit Ban Gioc Waterfall – overnight in Cao Bang
11. Cao bang ➔ Lang Son journey – night in Lang Son
12. Visit Lang Son and surroundings – overnight in Lang Son
13. Return journey to Hanoi – overnight in Hanoi
14. Return Bangkok

Concretely, instead of spending 2 nights in Sapa, we stayed only one night in order to be there early in the morning in Bac Ha on Sunday, to see the market. When preparing, we hadn't really thought about that but once there... Then, instead of going straight to Ha Giang, we cut off with a night in Vinh Quang, which is about halfway, it saved us from having to drive too far with only mountains, we would have spent a lot of nights.

Then, at the end, we were supposed to stay 2 nights in Lang Son, but we finally headed to Bac Son for one night. Finally I wanted to take a trip to Thai Nguyen where we slept one last night before returning to Hanoi.

Our itinerary in the north of Vietnam

1. Arrived in Hanoi, departure for Ninh Binh -Tam Coc straight away - night in Tam Coc
2. Visit Tam Coc, return Hanoi, night train to Lao Cai – night on the train
3. Lao Cai ➔ Sapa journey – night in Sapa
4. Sapa -> Bac Ha route – night in Bac Ha
5. Route Bac Ha ➔ Vinh Quang – night in Vinh Quang
6. Route Vinh Quang ➔ Ha Giang – night in Ha Giang
7. Ha Giang ➔ Dong Van route – night in Dong Van (obtain permit for the border area)
8. Dong Van ➔ Bao Lac route – night in Bao Lac
9. Route Bao Lac ➔ Cao Bang – night in Cao Bang
10. Visit Ban Gioc Waterfall – overnight in Cao Bang
11. Cao Bang ➔ Bac Son journey – night in Bac Son
12. Bac Son ➔ Thai Nguyen route – night in Thai Nguyen
13. Return journey to Hanoi – overnight in Hanoi
14. Return Bangkok

Which, on a map, gives this:

Some explanations :

– The yellow beds (below the lettered dots) are our overnight stops.
– The blue line represents the route taken by motorbike (a total of around 1300 km!)
– The red line is the passage made at Tam Coc, we went there by bus then taxi from Ninh Binh.
– Finally, the black line is the night train, connecting Hanoi to Lao Cai, the motorbike also having taken the train with us (see the article here)

As a preview, this is what our days looked like:

Day 1: Hanoi – Tam Coc

We headed straight from the airport to Ninh Binh, using a mix of taxi and bus as transportation. That left us with a first afternoon to visit a temple and take the famous boat ride among the karst peaks.

2nd day: Tam Coc – Hanoi

For this 2nd day, until the early afternoon, we visited the surroundings of Tam Coc, first going to the viewpoint, then we searched in vain for Hoa Lu, considered the first capital of Vietnam. Towards the middle of the afternoon, we had to return to Hanoi, see and finish paying the agency that was going to give me the keys for the motorbike.

In the evening we went to the train station and spent a night on the train to reach Lao Cai.

• See our article about our visit to Tam Coc

Day 3: Lao Cai – Sapa

Once the motorbike arrived, we were going to fill up first, then head to the mountains of Sapa! In the morning, we went to see the Tram Tron pass and the Thac Bac waterfall (Silver falls) on the way. In the afternoon, after meeting and talking with a young woman from a tribe, we confirmed that we were going to follow her.

We went to his village by motorbike and spent the end of the day there, after chatting over a good meal.

• Read our article about our afternoon in a Hmong village

Day 4: Sapa – Bac Ha

Before leaving, we visited the Sapa market early in the morning, a fresh and friendly atmosphere. Then, a short 80 km journey awaited us to reach Bac Ha from Sapa, with a lunch break in Lao Cai where we passed again. We went along the border, waving hello to China, a rather easy day.

• Read our article on the journey between Sapa and Bac Ha

Day 5: Bac Ha – Vinh Quang

Visit to the Bac Ha market, a place of bargaining for many tribes including the Flowery Hmong, and their beautiful colorful costumes. We left disappointed, without really knowing why, but it was quickly forgotten by going to the Lung Phin market, more rural, a few kilometers further north. After lunch, we got on the bike and left for Vinh Quang, also about 80 km away.

• Read our article on Bac Ha market
• Read our article on Lung Phin Market and the journey to Vinh Quang

6th day: Vinh Quang – Ha Giang

Day in the heart of the mountains, we got lost until we were stopped by customs, because I had driven on the wrong road, leading to China. And of course I didn't have the famous access permit yet, let alone a visa for China. This made me lose so much time that I also took the wrong road afterwards.

At least, technically, no, since I was following the GPS and there is indeed a road… But which later becomes a path, quickly impassable with our motorbike. The locals confirm to us as best they can that it is not possible to go back down to Ha Giang, I then had to resolve to do the big tour, so I finished the last 40 kilometers, fortunately flat, to Ha Giang.

At least it allowed us to see some great places!

• Read our article on the journey between Vinh Quang and Ha Giang

Day 7: Ha Giang – Dong Van

I was planning to do the special permit to reach Dong Van region in Ha Giang before leaving… But no luck for us, it was closed that morning, and given the road that awaited us (more than 150 km), I couldn't see myself waiting for it to open at the beginning of the afternoon.

After checking, I have confirmation that now, you can get the permit on site in Dong Van (or Meo Vac too). This is the journey I was most looking forward to doing. I was not disappointed. Having fallen a little behind schedule, I arrived at night, a little frustrated, but well satisfied by the superb and different landscapes I had encountered that day.

The police station was still open and we were able to get the permit, which is mandatory to stay in the region (the hotel asked us for it).

• For information regarding Obtaining the “special” permit is here!

Day 8: Dong Van – Bao Lac

And frustrated by the day before, I went back to do the loop before Dong Van, leaving our luggage at the hotel since we would go back there. Despite the rain that decided to annoy us that morning. Fortunately, it was the only time and it didn't last!

Noticing a photo of a kind of local palace in a restaurant, I inquired about visiting it. This was done when we went to the Palace of the "Hmong King". Satisfied with this morning of around thirty kilometers, we loaded the motorbike back to Dong Van, and after lunch, headed for Bao Lac for a journey of around 80 km again.

Beautiful views, especially when passing by Ma Pi Leng Pass, and winding roads. Having reached this part of the journey, my buttocks are starting to get sore by the end of the day.

• Read our article on the Hmong King's Palace
• Read our article on crossing the Ma Pi Leng pass

Day 9: Bao Lac – Cao Bang

A slightly less interesting part, but quite long with a little more than 130 km. A few passages in villages, we come across people selling vegetables on the side of the road, a few lost houses and this kid, peacefully on the back of a buffalo!

• Read our article on the journey between Bao Lac and Cao Bang

Day 10: Visit to Ban Gioc waterfall and surroundings

A slightly different day, since we were going back to sleep in Cao Bang, we moved without luggage this day. A little less than 90 km there but as much afterwards for the return, which ultimately made the longest day in terms of kilometers. But the road is generally easy with an average speed of 50 km/h.

After the sublime Ban Gioc waterfall, which straddles China and Vietnam (it was the first time, by the way, that I could see Chinese people in their country…), we were going to take a trip to the Nguom Ngao cave. It was just after this cave that the blunder arrived… A small fall, the details of which I will explain to you later…

• Read our article on Ban Gioc Falls

Day 11: Cao Bang – Bac Son

So it was with my arm in a mess that I drove the 130 km of the day to Bac Son. Fortunately a rather easy road. The worst was not my arm or even my hill that I almost did not feel, but my buttocks, which were starting to have difficulty staying on the seat for more than 15 km…

• Read our article on this journey between Cao Bang and Bac Son

Day 12: Bac Son – Thai Nguyen

In the morning, we climb the hill to admire the magnificent Bac Son viewpoint, not easy but it was worth it! Then we joined Thai Nguyen after 80 km of motorbike. Thai Nguyen is a large city north of Hanoi known for its tea plantations. The terrible weather and my condition did not make me particularly like the area but I remain convinced that by exploring the province a little better, there must be better.

• Read our article about the viewpoint at Bac Son
• Read our article on tea plantations in Thai Nguyen

Day 13: Return to Hanoi

Reunion with Hanoi. Not without difficulty, because in addition to my still painful arm, it is almost 2 hours of dusty road (80 km again) and with traffic that is quite chaotic with motorbikes and trucks galore. Not to mention Hanoi which is even worse. I was somehow happy to return the motorbike and thus ended the 1300 km of adventure in the north of this beautiful country.

We spent the afternoon wanting to visit Hanoi, but it was Monday so all the monuments and museums were closed… So, we settled down for a while in a cafe and did some shopping (mostly souvenir shopping) while reminiscing about our visit here 5 years ago.

• Read the article about our return to Hanoi

Day 14: Return to Bangkok

It's the end of the trip, back to "reality". We return to Bangkok, as the rainy season begins to water the big city... But my buttocks and my arm will be able to recover!

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