Day 1: Hanoi to Ba Be National Park, Bac Kan (210 kilometers / 130 miles)
You will start your tour by leaving Hanoi and heading towards Road 3, a busy road, you will spend all morning riding, until lunch. Then, you will switch to an emptier road, passing peaceful villages and rice fields before you arrive in Ba Be National Park.
Ba Be National Park is an abundant natural reserve containing Karst Lake, as well as several rare species of fauna and flora. The biodiverse 10,048-hectare park is home to 1,268 species of flora and fauna, a series of caves, and a gigantic fresh water lake. It was established in 1992 by the Vietnamese Government to preserve forest ecosystems in the northeast.
Ba Be is home to over 3,000 people from the ethnic minorities of Tay, Nung, Dao, and Mong, who live in 13 villages within the park. The Tay people have inhabited the Ba Be area for centuries and make up 58 per cent of the population within the park’s boundaries.
Later, you will ride into Bac Ngoi village, which is located inside Ba Be National Park. Your homestay in Tay’s family is right by the side of Ba Be Lake, offering a wonderful and peaceful view. Today, lunch and dinner are included.
Day 2: Boat ride on Ba Be National Park and ride to Cao Bang City (130 kilometers / 81 miles)
Today, you will join a half-day boat ride that will take you to the other side of the lake, where you can visit the Dau Dang waterfall on Nang River. As one of the 27 ASEAN heritage gardens, Ba Be has the potential to attract nature lovers with its 450-hectare fresh water lake and 553 species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish.
According to a survey from the Viet Nam Institute of Geo-sciences and Mineral Resources, over 11,000 years ago, an earthquake caused a collapse of the subterranean Nang River, creating a natural dam which led to the formation of Ba Be Lake. After your boat ride, you will go to Cho Ra for lunch before riding to Cao Bang Town, where you will spend the night in a hotel. Today, breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included.
Day 3: Cao Bang, Ban Gioc Waterfall, and Quang Uyen (140 kilometers / 87 miles)
Today, you will ride up to the Ma Phuc Pass in the Cao Bang Province, which is located on the way between the town of Cao Bang and the Ban Gioc Waterfall. The pass is not famous for the elevation or the danger, as are some others in Vietnam, but it is famous for the natural beauty that one could capture from the top of the pass.
Keep riding to Ban Gioc Waterfall, one of Vietnam’s best-known waterfalls. It is a very scenic spot, marking the border with China, but sees very few visitors. The name Ban Gioc is derived from the Montagnard languages spoken in the area, and is sometimes spelt Ban Doc.
The waterfall is the largest, although not the highest, in the country. The vertical drop is 53 meters, but it has an impressive 300-meter span, with one end of the falls being in China and the other in Vietnam. The falls have three levels, creating a sort of giant staircase, and there is enough water at any time of the year (on most years), to make the trip worthwhile.
Lunch will be served at a local restaurant before you get on your way back to Quang Uyen, the territory of Nung An people. Homestay accommodation will be provided with a host family and the hostess is a great cook. Today, breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included.
Day 4: Quang Uyen to Lang Son City (140 kilometers / 87 miles)
Ride from Quang Uyen to Lang Son on the famous historical Highway 4, passing through Dong Khe town, where the Battle of Route Coloniale 4 took place. The Battle of Dong Khe was a major battle of the First Indochina War. The fight began on September 15, 1950 and ended on September 18, 1950 with a French defeat and a Viet Minh victory. It took place in Dong Khe, in the Province of Tonkin.
At noon, you will arrive in Lang Son, where you will have a late lunch before taking some time to discover the city, which has become a big trading post between China and Vietnam. You can shop for cheap Chinese products at the nearby Dong Kinh market. You will spend the night in a hotel. Today, breakfast and lunch are included.
Day 5: Lang Son to Hanoi (160 kilometers / 99 miles)
Today will be an easy day back to Hanoi on the new Highway 1B. You can wake up late or do some more shopping in Dong Kinh market in the morning after these long riding days. You will arrive in at Hanoi before rush hour, at around 3 p.m.
Rentals
The price is based on using 125cc manual bikes Honda or Yamaha. Other types of bikes, such as 150cc or 250cc, are available upon request.
Skill level
Intermediate:
- Can ride for 3-4 hours
- Average riding experience
- Little assistance required
- Comfortable with extreme curves and leans
- Average experience with unsurfaced roads
- Steep ascents and descents
