9 – 20 April 2027 · 11N / 12D · ex Hanoi
Vietnam & Halong Bay
The north and east of Vietnam on the road less travelled — border country, ethnic homestays and the Ha Giang loop — finished in style with two days on a Halong Bay cruise.
Overview
Easy to moderate, all the way north
Eight riding days through Mai Chau, Ta Xua, Mu Cang Chai, Sa Pa, Ha Giang, Dong Van and Ba Be Lake, with a road marshal, mechanic and backup vehicle. Then a one-night, two-day cruise on Halong Bay before you fly home.
Download the full itinerary (PDF, 3.1 MB)
- 9 – 20 Apr 2027
Licence and passport
You must hold a valid International Driving Permit for a geared motorcycle to ride in Vietnam, and your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the date you arrive. Apply for your permit on our Driving Permits page — start a few weeks before you travel.
Tour highlights
What makes it special
- The northern and eastern regions of Vietnam, on the road less travelled
- Border areas and time with local ethnic communities
- Ethnic homestays mixed with comfortable hotels
- Traditional and ethnic cuisine along the way
- Good shopping for favourite brands at low prices
- A one-night, two-day Halong Bay cruise to finish
Where you stay
Hotels, homestays and a cruise
- Hanoi — Golden Art Hotel
- Mai Chau — Little Mai Chau Homestay
- Ta Xua — Ta Xua Ecolodge
- Mu Cang Chai — Hello Mu Cang Chai Homestay
- Sa Pa — Hotel Cha Pa Dew
- Ha Giang — Wings Bungalow
- Dong Van — Plum Homestay glamping camps
- Ba Be Lake — Ba Be Legend
- Halong Bay — Arcady Cruise
Same or similar stays. Some homestays have mixed room categories, which are allotted as available.
Itinerary
Day by day
Pickup at Hanoi International Airport and transfer to the hotel (30 km, 50 min). Meet your fellow riders and explore the local market. In the evening, bikes are allotted with an orientation from the guide and mechanic.
Via Hoa Binh up to Pu Luong, with lunch at a local restaurant, then through small villages, paddy fields and rice terraces to Mai Chau. Dinner and the night at Little Mai Chau Homestay.
Visit the ethnic communities at Hang Kia and Pa Co, then the tea plantations of Moc Chau for lunch. Take the ferry across the river at Van Yen and continue to Ta Xua Ecolodge.
Scenic mountain roads through Tram Tau to Nghia Lo for lunch, then on to Mu Cang Chai. Stay in authentic huts at Hello Mu Cang Chai, with local music and singing by the host family over dinner.
Through the villages to Than Uyen, lunch at a roadside eatery run by local ethnic families, then up to Sa Pa's Heaven Gate and the Silver Waterfall. Sa Pa is livelier than the earlier stops, known for its cafes and night life.
Down to Pho Rang and on through Nghia Do, Quang Binh and Viet Quang to Ha Giang — a rugged, remote province on the Chinese border, known for its mountains and ethnic minority villages. Night at a resort in Ha Giang.
Through Quan Ba and Heaven's Gate with its twin mountains, Lung Tam handicraft village and Yen Minh. After lunch, Sung La, the Vuong Palace and the Lung Cu flag tower, then over the Ma Pi Leng Pass to Dong Van, right on the Chinese border. Take care when going out alone here.
The last big ride: Mau Due, Du Gia and Bac Me for lunch, then on to Ba Be. Night in a lakeside bungalow overlooking Ba Be Lake.
A boat trip on Ba Be Lake after breakfast, then the ride back to Hanoi (with a waterfall stop if time allows). Bikes are returned and checked at the hotel. Free evening to enjoy Hanoi.
By bus or van to the cruise terminal (160 km), stopping at the Pearl Museum. On board, meals are included along with hiking, cave walks, boating and kayaking. Night on the cruise.
The cruise docks around 11:00 AM and the bus or van takes you back to the hotel in Hanoi. The rest of the day is free — a good time for souvenirs. Dinner and the night in Hanoi.
Drop to Hanoi International Airport after breakfast. Transfers follow the earliest flight in the group; for odd timings a packed breakfast is provided.
Indicative itinerary — it may change because of unforeseen circumstances.
What is included
- 150cc rental motorbike with fuel
- Road marshal, mechanic and backup vehicle
- Double-occupancy rooms with breakfast
- Packaged drinking water on riding days
- Airport–hotel transfers (one group transfer each way)
- One night, two days on the cruise, with transfers
Not included
- Airfare and visa fees
- Lunch and dinner
- Travel insurance and medical emergencies
- Personal expenses such as laundry and tips
- Entry fees, joy rides and camera / video fees
- Bike damage or spare parts
- Costs from unforeseen circumstances
- Refundable security deposit of USD 150 per motorbike, on top of the package cost
Package cost
In US dollars
Upgrade to a bike of up to 250cc for USD 160. The tour can also be customised as a self-drive tour. No refund for services not used.
Booking & cancellation
₹10,000 holds your seat
- The balance is due 45 days before departure, at the exchange rate on the day you pay
- 45 days or more before departure: full refund of the package cost
- 44 to 30 days: ₹10,000 is deducted and the rest refunded
- 29 to 15 days: 50% of the package cost is refunded
- 14 days or less: no refund
- Full refund of the package cost if we cancel the tour
From the road
Photos from this departure
April 2027
Hold your seat for Vietnam
Tell us your package and we will confirm your seat — or pay the booking amount here.