Northern Vietnam Road Journey - 7 days+

This is a well-paced journey through the North - covering a solid distance while giving you a taste of everything. I wouldn’t say it’s the ultimate deep-dive, but it fits perfectly for those on a tight schedule, and for many riders, it becomes the reason they come back for more.

Distance: 190 km

A perfect start - escaping the city and heading straight into the mountains.
We leave Hanoi after 9 AM, once people have dropped their kids off at school and settled into work, avoiding the worst of the morning traffic.

After a fuel stop, we take our first coffee break right on time, then make our way across the Black River for lunch at a lovely local spot.
In the afternoon, the ride opens up as we head into the mountains - smoother roads, better views, and a much more relaxed pace.

We keep things flexible, with a few casual stops along the way for drinks, a quick smoke, or just because it feels like the right moment. 

Distance: 230 km

This is where the real riding begins - endless curves and proper mountain roads.

We ease into the day, riding through small villages, then opening up the throttle on quiet stretches. The road conditions are great, with solid grip - perfect for leaning into the corners and enjoying the ride.

Khau Pha Pass is a highlight - fun to ride, with breathtaking views of rice terraces.
This area is also known for paragliding. We stop in Mu Cang Chai for lunch and a good coffee.

The afternoon just keeps getting better.
The road starts to feel a bit like the legendary Ho Chi Minh Road - smooth, scenic, with a river running alongside.

We pass through tea plantations before taking on O Quy Ho Pass - one of the best mountain roads in the North - leading us into Sapa.

Sapa to Bac Ha via Si Ma Cai - Chinese border ride

Distance: 175 km

Leaving Sapa, we ride about 40 km to Lao Cai - the main border city to check out the Chinese border gate.

Unlike the more familiar routes in Ha Giang or the Northeast, the scenery here feels raw and untouched - massive mountains, dense jungle, deep valleys, and sometimes you find yourself riding straight into the clouds.

One thing that always gets me thinking - why is the border set halfway up the mountain? Not at the top, not at the bottom - but right in the middle. It looks incredible, but it must have been a nightmare to build.

We also stop by a waterfall along the way and grab lunch at a local buffet.
The ride to Bac Ha is quiet and very local - almost no tourism.

Before reaching the hotel, we visit Hoang A Tuong Castle - a unique little landmark in the area.

Sapa to Bac Ha - Cable car to Fansipan - The Top of Indochina

Distance: 95 km

We keep the morning easy - no bikes, just Sapa.
We start with a short mountain train ride overlooking rice terraces. The station is just a few minutes’ walk uphill from the hotel, and it connects straight to the cable car.

From there, we take the cable car up to Fansipan. The views keep getting better, and if you’re lucky, you’ll be “cloud hunting” - a thick layer of clouds rolling through the mountains under a clear blue sky.

There are around 600 steps to reach the summit at 3,143 m. You can take the full ticket to shorten the climb a bit, but honestly, walking it makes it more rewarding.
Take your time at the top - explore the pagoda, grab a hot drink or even an ice cream, and of course, take plenty of photos.

After heading back down, we return to town for a proper lunch - often one of the best meals of the trip.
Then we gear up and ride out to Bac Ha in the afternoon. It’s a short ride, around two hours, and still a beautiful one.

Distance: 175 km

This day takes you into a quieter, less-traveled part of Ha Giang - even many local riders don’t make it out this way.
As a traveler, this is something you really only get to experience on a proper motorbike trip.

Just down the street from our hotel in Bac Ha, there’s a local market in the morning - a buffalo market on Wednesdays or a dog market on Sundays.
Don’t worry, this is a local breed and they’re often kept as pets.

The ride from Bac Ha to Xin Man is a great warm-up - smooth roads, plenty of viewpoints, and even a waterfall right by the roadside.

We stop early for lunch - not because we’re hungry, but because we don’t want to miss one of the best bowls of chicken noodle soup I’ve ever had. It’s all made fresh right in front of you: rice sheets steamed on the spot, then cut into noodles seconds after you order.
The whole setup fits into just a couple of square meters - simple, but seriously impressive.

From Xin Man to Vinh Quang, the road turns rough. DT178 is a small gravel road running along the river - twisty, a bit dirty, but a lot of fun if you’re up for it.

We stop for a “Koy coffee” in Vinh Quang - in Vietnam, that basically means a really good coffee spot.
From there, DT177 opens up into a wide, quiet road - perfect for covering some distance as we head toward Ha Giang and our next stop

Distance: 190 km.

Welcome to the famous Ha Giang Loop.
On this day, there are two different routes you can take, and both are equally beautiful.

Option 1: Ha Giang → Dong Van via Quan Ba and Yen Minh on QL4C, with many iconic viewpoints such as the Twin Mountains (nicknamed “Booby Mountains”), Tham Ma Pass, and the Nine Curve Pass.

Option 2: Ha Giang → Dong Van via Du Gia and Mau Due, with a mix of mountain views, a roadside waterfall, and an old French military post.

We can’t go to Dong Van without visiting the northernmost point of Vietnam - that would be a big mistake.
We also stop by the Lung Cu Flag Tower on the way.

Dong Van is one of the best towns to stop on the Ha Giang Loop.
It’s known for its old quarter, H’mong restaurants, coffee shops, and massage places.
Recently, there are even underground pubs, rooftop bars, steak houses, and pizza spots - a real treat after a day on the motorbike.

Distance: 185 km.

It’s hard to compare this day with the others. Many of my clients agree that this is the highlight, a.k.a. the best day of the whole trip.

Departing from Dong Van, we quickly get onto Ma Pi Leng Pass - the most beautiful mountain pass in the country.
We stop at the Tu San viewpoint, which really explains why people can’t get over the Ha Giang Loop.

Saying goodbye to Ha Giang, we continue towards Bao Lac via Khau Vai and cross the Nho Que River on a local bamboo ferry.
This is not an off-road-focused trip, but if you don’t mind a 2 km single track going down and back up to the river, and the weather is dry, we’ll do it.
It will never let you down - that’s my guarantee.

After a nice lunch in Bao Lac, we take a shortcut through the villages. There’s a short dirt section, a bit of rough road, and some good tarmac.

We have an appointment with the boat driver at 4 PM.
We load our bikes onto the boat.
From there, we go through Puong Cave and enjoy a 1-hour boat trip on Ba Be Lake - the biggest natural lake in Vietnam.

The lake is huge, deep green, and full of local life.
Feel free to grab a beer from the ice bucket because we’re not riding anymore from here - the boat will take us straight to our homestay.

Distance: 220 km.

This day used to be a big ride in terms of distance, but not anymore since the new road was built. You don’t even see it on Google Maps yet - it’s a wide, smooth, and quiet paved road.

We blast through the mountains before joining the highway towards Thai Nguyen.
The good news is the highway allows motorbikes and is not very busy.

We stop for coffee and a simple lunch - beef noodles and fried rice.
Then we make our way into Hanoi traffic. We normally arrive back around 2 PM in the afternoon.