Hanoi, Phuc An: 180km

After the preparation of the machine, it is the beginning of your motorbike trip to Vietnam! The exit from the capital Hanoi and its surroundings will allow you to familiarize yourself with your new mount. Then we will take a less busy road, crossing cities, countryside and rice fields.

We will head towards Lake Thac Ba passing through small villages and hills (covered with tea trees) to reach the village of Phuc An. We will visit Lake Thac Ba by motorboat and we will be able to swim. This lake is one of the largest artificial lakes in Northern Vietnam, built in 1970 to supply the hydroelectric dam.

After a convivial dinner with rice alcohol tasting, we spend the night in a traditional house on stilts of the Dao ethnic group with white trousers.

Phuc An, Bac Ha: 190km

We walk along the lake to see some ethnic villages with their houses on stilts on the banks. We cross eucalyptus (and acacia) hills and small villages to reach Yen The (known for its precious stones and marble quarries). We visit woodworking and marble carving workshops. In the middle of the terraced rice fields and latan trees, we arrive in Bac Ha to settle with a Tay family.

Bac Ha

We start our trek (5 to 7 hours of walking) slowly by crossing the village. Our route crosses between the rice terraces and the small woods, we meet the ethnic groups who work in the fields. We stop by a small river for picnics and swimming (depending on the season).

We cross mountain villages of the ethnic groups (Hmong Flower, Nung and Tay of Lan Gi Thang, Pu Ngai Cho, Thai Giang Pho, Lau Thi Ngai) and exchange a few words with the locals. We reach the village of Na Kheo, Ban Pho and Na Lo. We spend our second night at the home of the Tay ethnic group of Bac Ha.

Bac Ha, Pan Hou: 120km

Heading to the most remote and northern region of the country, we cross the border regions with China such as the village of Lung Phin, Nan Ma along the Chay River. We reach the Hoang Su Phi region by several passes and bends to settle at the lodge located in the middle of the rice fields that we discover on foot the rest of the day.

Pan Hou, Nam Dam: 140km

By small roads with little traffic and full of bends, we reach National Road 2 at the Lo River which we go up to Ha Giang where cities with their traffic and agricultural crops are more numerous.

After Ha Giang, through the mountains and valleys, we cross the "gate of heaven" and reach the Nam Dam village by a path to spend the night with the Dao ethnic group with long tunics.

Nam Dam, Dong Van, Meo Vac: 120km

We join the Hmong blue of Lung Tam village to discover their craft activity of hemp weaving by the women of the village. We continue on a winding road leading to the Dong Van geological plateau (classified by UNESCO in 2010) to visit the former castle of the King of the Hmong.

We take the road again to discover the city of Dong Van with its market and its old houses made of stones and tiles. As we cross the Ma Li Peng Pass, we contemplate the mountains with their sharp contours and steep slopes covered with stone fields. We arrive in Meo Vac to spend the night at the hotel.

Meo Vac, Ba Be: 235km

We reach the city of Bao Lac. We make a detour to visit the village of the Black Lolo of Coc Xa. Through the village on foot, we see the daily life of this small community still living on the fringes of the surrounding civilization.

We head towards Ba Be (a natural park with a lake surrounded by karst mountains covered with lush vegetation). We arrive at the village of Pac Ngoi of the Tay ethnic group to settle down before spending the night in a house on stilts.

Ba Be

We continue our motorbike trip to Vietnam by boarding a boat to discover Ba Be Lake and its surroundings. Ba Be is the largest natural lake in North Vietnam, surrounded by limestone cliffs and jungle. We visit the Puong cave that crosses the mountain from one end to the other and shelters an important colony of bats. We see the Tay village of Ban Cam located on the banks of the Nang River which we walk along with thousands of butterflies frolicking on the banks. We spend the night with the Tay inhabitant in a house on stilts.

Ba Be, Hanoi: 235km

We head towards the Hua Ma cave (500 meters long by 50 meters wide) to visit it. We return to Hanoi via Bang Phuc, Bang Lung, Cho Chu, National Road 3 and Thai Nguyen. When we arrive in Hanoi, we return our bikes with some free time and sleep at the hotel.

Hanoi, Ninh Binh (by car): 100km

We are heading towards the former capital of Vietnam Hoa Lu (between 968-1009). We discover this region by visiting the temples of the kings Dinh and Le. We walk in a small boat through the Van Long nature reserve with its rice fields, karst peaks and caves. The wild landscapes are home to many protected species (e.g. the Delacour Langur, a species of primate endemic to Vietnam).

We then continue with a bike ride through the typical villages of the surrounding region and sleep at the hotel.

Ninh Binh, Lan Ha Bay (by car): 170km

We reach Hai Phong to cross the Lach Huyen bridge towards Pha Got to take the ferry to Cat Ba Island to board the junk of Ben Beo harbour. Your junk passes through the first floating fishing village, then sneaks into Lan Ha Bay.

In the Ca tunnel, a trip (by boat or kayak) allows you to discover a lake surrounded by cliffs. Back on board this junk, we drop anchor in the bay to spend the night.

Lan Ha Bay, Hanoi: 150km

We are witnessing the sunrise over Halong Bay. We continue our cruise through the islets of the bay in front of the Ba Trai Dao beaches. We can swim before landing at the port of Ben Beo to head back to Hai Phong. Back in Hanoi, we transfer you to the international airport for your return flight. End of your motorbike trip to Vietnam.