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:
- Arrival in Hanoi, departure for Ninh Binh -Tam Coc afterwards - night in Tam Coc
- Visit Tam Coc, return Hanoi, night train to Lao Cai – night on the train
- Lao Cai ➔ Sapa journey – night in Sapa
- Sapa tour and excursion to Lai Chau - overnight in Sapa
- Sapa ➔ Bac Ha route – overnight in Bac Ha
- Bac Ha ➔ Ha Giang route – overnight in Ha Giang (obtaining permit for the border area)
- Ha Giang ➔ Dong Van route – night in Dong Van
- Dong Van ➔ Meo Vac ➔ Bao Lac route – night in Bao Lac
- Route Bao Lac ➔ Cao Bang – night in Cao Bang
- Visit Ban Gioc Waterfall – overnight in Cao Bang
- Cao bang ➔ Lang Son journey – night in Lang Son
- Visit Lang Son and surroundings – overnight in Lang Son
- Return journey to Hanoi – overnight in Hanoi
- 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
- Arrived in Hanoi, departure for Ninh Binh -Tam Coc straight away - night in Tam Coc
- Visit Tam Coc, return Hanoi, night train to Lao Cai – night on the train
- Lao Cai ➔ Sapa journey – night in Sapa
- Sapa -> Bac Ha route – night in Bac Ha
- Route Bac Ha ➔ Vinh Quang – night in Vinh Quang
- Route Vinh Quang ➔ Ha Giang – night in Ha Giang
- Ha Giang ➔ Dong Van route – night in Dong Van (obtain permit for the border area)
- Dong Van ➔ Bao Lac route – night in Bao Lac
- Route Bao Lac ➔ Cao Bang – night in Cao Bang
- Visit Ban Gioc Waterfall – overnight in Cao Bang
- Cao Bang ➔ Bac Son journey – night in Bac Son
- Bac Son ➔ Thai Nguyen route – night in Thai Nguyen
- Return journey to Hanoi – overnight in Hanoi
- 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.
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.
Crossing the Tram Ton pass.
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.
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.
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!
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 gave it to us required).
- 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.
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!
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…
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…
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.
Bac Son rice fields.
Viewpoint at Bac Son.
Tea pickers in Thai Nguyen.
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 sat down in a café for a bit and did some souvenir shopping while remembering our visit here 5 years ago.
A view of Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum from afar.
In the streets of 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!
Opinions, suggestions, let loose in the comments!
Laurent
Hi Romain,
Tell me, are you used to riding a motorcycle or not at all (question from a novice who occasionally rides small 100cc motorcycles on vacation, and no more...)?
Mathieu
Great story!! I would like to do a similar thing with a friend on a motorbike, unfortunately we will only have 5 days, so we are considering a much more modest tour. Can I ask you for some details in a private message?
Roman
Hi Laurent,
Let's say that I'm not a diehard either, I regularly take motorbikes on holiday (when I say motorbike, it's the Asian way in fact, max 125Cc and semi-automatic speed, not in a car with big machines). Would the adventure tempt you?
Roman
Thanks Mathieu! 5 days is quite short… You can ask for details by contacting me via the dedicated page:
But maybe your questions could benefit other readers, right?
Laurent
Yes, I might be interested. The motorbike provides a significant freedom of movement in the countryside. I can handle 125s with semi-automatic gears, even if I have never tested them on bad terrain. But I'll make a note of that 🙂
Roman
This is undeniable, it is a freedom that is dear to me and I cannot recommend it enough 😉
Arsène
Hello !
We just did bac ha – tan quang via vinh quang and simacai, the road was not very good but so beautiful! We hoped to go as far as ha giang but it will be for tomorrow! 140 km of small mountain road for 2 on a 125… Our butts said stop!!
We will then continue with Dong Van Meo Vac, then maybe Babe, but I am not sure that the Babe-Lao Cai return will be nice…
In any case, we are enjoying ourselves (eyes and stomach!). Thanks for your site
Roman
Hi! Too bad I haven't written all my articles yet! But for your information, just before arriving in Dong Van there is a nice visit to make, an old building, former home of a local tribal chief, the Dinh Vua Mèo.
You are still at the beginning, the sore buttocks after 1000 km were almost unpleasant, I had to take breaks every 20 km...
On the other hand, we clearly didn't enjoy ourselves... just noodles and rice, basically Pho or Com... it's boring and lacks taste, only in Vinh Quang did we eat well.
Have a good trip and thank you!
Camille
Hi Romain,
It all makes you dream…!!
I'm starting to prepare my one-month roadtrip in Vietnam and I'm very very tempted to do part of it on a motorbike... But the problem is that I've only driven scooters in Asia and I'm not a great pro... ^^ How are the roads in Vietnam? And do you think that if I embark on this motorbike adventure alone it's feasible?
Thanks in advance 😉
Roman
Hi Camille,
There is not much traffic so it is ok, to my knowledge, doing it on a scooter is doable if you don't feel like it with gears (it is semi-manual because there is no clutch so it never stalls), no reason not to do it alone, just study your route well to avoid getting lost and that's it 😉
Laurence
Hi Romain,
Thank you for sharing your experience with us, the photos and stories will be a dream! My husband and I are leaving for Vietnam at the end of October, do you think your motorbike trip is feasible in 7 nights + 1 night on the train? Otherwise, what can we "skip"? We really want to do it by motorbike because for once we are leaving without the children! I also wanted to ask you if you had reserved your motorbike on the internet (by the way, are there bigger engines? Maybe more comfortable?), without having to go to the agency before going to Tam Coc? In total, we will spend 10 nights in Vietnam, then 2 nights in Bangkok, a city that we loved during our vacation in 2008!
Thank you for answering me, have a nice day
Laurence
Roman
Hello,
Honestly it's limited, already over 15 days I would have liked to be able to cut a little more in order to avoid too long days. Over 7 days it would give something like:
Laoc Cai, Bac Ha, Vinh Quang, Ha Giang, Dong Van, Cao Bang and back to Hanoi, that would mean no visit to Tam Coc, no time to visit Hanoi or Sapa…
I had booked the motorbike on the Internet, I talk about it in this article: http://www.thailande-et-asie.com/mettre-moto-train-hanoi-lao-cai/
They have bigger engines of course. I'm not sure I understand the "no need to go to the agency before going to Tam Coc?" You only need to go to the agency when you pick up the vehicle and on the return date... If you want to go to Tam Coc by public transport first, that's what we did.
Laurence
Hello Romain,
Thank you for your answer. In fact we will spend 10 nights in Vietnam, we arrive on a Saturday evening, we thought we would go to Tam Coc directly, then take the train to Laoc Cai on Sunday evening, and return the following Monday to Hanoi which we would have visited until the next day, departure for Bangkok. Do you think this is too short… Do you have another itinerary to recommend to us by motorbike please? Is it possible for example to do a smaller loop and take the train at a station other than Laoc Cai to return to Hanoi? On the other hand, is the Hanoi Tam Coc section possible by motorbike, the landscapes are beautiful?
Thank you for all your answers.
Laurence
Roman
If it's 7 days from Lao Cai, it seems feasible to me. It will be a long day but it's worth a try maybe. The alternative is to do the west side, passing through Sapa, Lai Chau, Sin Ho, Muong Lay, Son La and Mai Chau. This is probably what I would do if I return to this part of Vietnam.
My journey to Tam Coc was mostly highway, not particularly memorable but otherwise doable by motorbike…
Laurence
Thanks for all your answers! We'll give you our impressions when we get back! We're going to do a loop to the north that's smaller than yours. I hope we'll have time to visit and rest after the bike each day!
Anyway, thanks for everything!
see you soon
Laurence
Roman
Enjoy!
Anthony
Hi Romain, I'm writing to you from Penang where I'm waiting to get my run visa back.. a motorbike trip has been tempting me for a long time and I wanted to thank you because I found answers on your page and stories... I'm mainly looking for information on renting a motorbike and maybe on the budget that you need to plan for before landing there! I'd be happy to discuss it with you, I'll share some links in the meantime? talk soon, Antho
http://www.blurb.fr/user/anthony_r
Roman
Hi Anthony,
To rent a motorbike, I mention in the article the agency that I used to do so. For the budget, I wrote one concerning this same motorbike trip, see here, that can give you an idea.
Oanh
Hello,
Bravo. Great report. Beautiful photos. Lots of information. I still have a bit of trouble finding all the articles talking about this trip. I wanted to ask you a question about the state of the roads throughout the trip, especially on the Ha Giang side, is it possible with a two-person road bike or do you have to rent a trail bike? (problem given my size). For the short visits that cannot be done by motorbike, is there a way to have your vehicle looked after? Thank you.
Roman
Hello,
Given the bike we had, I would say that a road bike is enough and will be more comfortable if there are 2 of you. The road was sometimes unpaved because it was under construction but that must have been finished by now I imagine. For places to visit there is generally a parking lot so no worries about that.
Couedel
Hello Romain,
This is exactly what I want to do next year in November.
What advice would you give me?
This is my first solo trip. I am a 45 year old woman.
I am already preparing financially and am also targeting only the north of Vietnam.
I prefer to do fewer kilometers, but be free in terms of time and take the time to enjoy.
I will read your blog more carefully.
Haste. ..
Have a good day
jacqueline
Roman
Hello,
Are you used to riding a motorbike? Driving fewer kilometres is obviously recommended if you have the time. For our part, we had an imperative due to our 15 days available…
GROC MARIELLE
Hello Romain, great story and magnificent photos
We are a group of 10 friends, 5 couples, and we are returning from our 5th motorcycle roadtrip in Thailand.
Next year, we would like to change and try Vietnam, when did you do your road trip?
We would like to do your loop in February, but the weather might not be good, what do you think?
Thank you
Roman
Hello,
Our trip was during the first half of May. Although the weather was generally good, it was not the best season for rice fields, most of them being dry at that time... Same in February, no rice fields...
Julien
Hello,
Your story and your photos make me want to go!! 🙂 My wife and I are going to Vietnam for 1 month in July/August, do you think it would be possible to make a trip connecting Sapa and Ha Giang by motorbike?
Thanks again for this blog, good luck to you.
Roman
Hello,
Of course it is possible since that's what we did! Look at the others articles about Vietnam to give you an idea.