Best Vietnam Motorbike Routes 2024: 15 Cross-Country Days

Intro

Among many Asia highlights, excellent views in Vietnam always gain enormous attention and affection from global motorbikers. Motorbike tours in Vietnam can allow riders to enjoy the majestic mountain range, evergreen and primitive forests, spectacular coastal roads, a cool party city, and peaceful rural villages.  2024 is coming! Let us show you the best Vietnam motorbike routes 2024 that we enjoyed in our previous Vietnam motorbike tour. 

The Best Vietnam Motorbike Routes 2024: 12 Days

Day 1: Nghia Lo – Mu Cang Chai Motorbike Tour

We started the first day of the Vietnam motorbike ride in a mountainous location in Northern Vietnam, Nghia Lo Town. This route was considered as a warm-up ride because the roads were not too challenging.  Our team passed the Khau Pha Pass, one of the iconic passes in Vietnam. From the highest point of the pass, a panoramic view of the mountainous area in Vietnam opened up. We could observe the tranquil rural villages, and the terraced rice fields look like a huge yellow picture. Don’t forget to take photos of the fields if you go there! Next, we had our dinner at a boutique hotel in Mu Cang Chai, followed by a good sleep before starting the second day. 

Day 2: Mu Cang Chai – Dien Bien Motorbike Trip

You should stay in the hotel for breakfast because it might be difficult to find a breakfast restaurant in the mountainous area. Next, we took a 250-kilometer ride from Mu Cang Chai to Dien Bien. The quiet roads allowed us to indulge ourselves in the pristine nature of North Vietnam.  On our route, we visited Son La Hydroelectric Lake, representing the Vietnamese’s effort and intellect to convert natural power to energy for daily life purposes. A picnic lunch near the lake area was so refreshing, allowing us to feel the airy and cool atmosphere there. Then, our team kept riding to Dien Bien City. Dien Bien City is a remarkable location in Vietnam in the patriotic war against the French invasion. We could learn more about Vietnam’s tragic but glorious history by visiting places like A1 Hill, the Victory Museum, and Bunker of Colonel de Castries .

Day 3-4: Dien Bien Phu – A Pa Chai – Muong Nhe Motorcycle Tour

We only started your ride after breakfast to make sure that we wouldn’t starve on the long-hour motorcycle ride. The first destination on the third day of the motorbike tour was the Westernmost point in Vietnam, A Pa Chai, Dien Bien province. The unpaved road hindered us from reaching A Pa Chai as soon as the digital map suggested. You shouldn’t miss the chance to go through villages because you can learn more about the life of farmers and enjoy the local Vietnamese food there.  The next day was our ride from A Pa Chai to Muong Nhe. We managed to conquer the high mountain peak Milestone Zero, and we recommend you opt for a dirt bike for a smoother ride. We were amazed by the stunning views of the surroundings along the dirt roads to the milestone. Then, our team climbed down and took a motorcycle ride to Muong Nhe. 

Day 5-6: Muong Nhe – Sapa Motorcycle Trip

Vietnamese roads have been developed for a more convenient experience for tourists, so the Northern Vietnam locations will be linked to each other by more paved roads than in the past. We could leisurely ride our motorbikes from Muong Nhe to one of the most reputable towns in Northwest Vietnam.  On the scenic ride to Sapa, we went on the reputable O Quy Ho Pass. The weather was cloudy, so we could literally touch the fluffy clouds on the Pass. We decided to pause for lunch and contemplate the mythical views of Vietnam’s mountainous areas covered in the cloudy vibe before reaching Sapa in the afternoon.  Sapa is more crowded than the above destinations, with bustling streets and many wonderful restaurants and classy hotels. Yet, if you don’t find the cement buildings appealing, you can choose to witness the immense terraced rice fields in the town. Some well-known farming villages in Sapa are Ta Phin, Ta Van, Lao Chai, etc.

Day 7: Sapa – Xin Man – Hoang Su Phi Motorbike Ride

Once again, we only went on a ride after breakfast, especially on the seventh day of the motorbike tour that passed through many beautiful destinations. We spent the whole morning finishing the quiet country roads from Sapa to Xin Man. This was considered a warm-up ride at first, thanks to the paved roads. But then, the rough terrain challenged our motorbike-riding ability.  The route from Sapa to Xin Man is also filled with the iconic sites of Northern Vietnam’s mountainous area, like the peaceful remote villages, primitive forests, and compelling rice terraces. After having a light lunch, we moved on to Hoang Su Phi, Ha Giang province.  Although the route from Xin Man to Hoang Su Phi is about 50 kilometers long, it took us more than two hours to complete. Of course, the reason for the longer duration must be the dirt roads troubling motorbikers.  When reaching Hoang Su Phi, we had a chance to capture the moments of the unforgettable motorbike trip with photos of the spectacular buckwheat flower gardens. Then, our team continued riding to a charming city, Ha Giang, the last location of the seventh day.

Day 8: Ha Giang City – Dong Van Motorcycle Ride

Our wonderful motorcycle riding experience in Vietnam continued with roads from Ha Giang City to Dong Van, Ha Giang province. Before Dong Van, we came across Quan Ba. The district is well-known for its excellent views of the Twin Mountains and the Heaven Gate.  No matter how hurried you are, try to stop and record a high-quality video of the nowhere-to-be-seen sights except for Vietnam. We chose the ride option of moving to Yen Minh. But if you want to have a picnic lunch in Quan Ba, it’s up to you. The notable point of the route from Yen Minh to Dong Van district must be the Dong Van Karst plateau. The plateau is true proof of the million-year geological formations in Vietnam. The majestic karst mountains will always be a memorable motorcycle riding experience in Vietnam.  In the late afternoon, we were in Dong Van district. After enjoying appetizing Vietnamese food in a lovely restaurant, we walked around to immerse ourselves in the peaceful vibe of the mountainous town. 

Day 9: Dong Van – Lung Cu – Meo Vac Motorbike Tour

The motorbike ride on the ninth day was not a long route, but it was the most challenging and exhausting one, so we started the ride early after restoring our energy with a hearty breakfast. From Dong Van, our team traveled adversely to Lung Cu, then from Lung Cu to Meo Vac. Consequently, the total length of the motorbike ride was doubled than it should have been.  Although the quiet roads to Lung Cu were only about 30 kilometers, the curvy twists, narrow, sloping, and unpaved roads, craggy abysses on one side of the road, and high cliffs on the other prevented us from riding at high speeds. These natural features of roads to Lung Cu will test the bravery and mentality of any adventurous motorbiker. If you are not a professional motorbiker, you should rely on the guidance of an experienced trip leader.  Reaching Lung Cu would have been meaningless if not taking a picture with the famous Lung Cu Flag tower at the North Pole. The huge Vietnamese flag represents the enormous patriotism of the Vietnamese. We had a light lunch in a garden restaurant along the way to Lung Cu Flag Tower before heading to Meo Vac. That was an unforgettable day of Vietnam motorbike tours with many breathtaking sights the country offers. On the roads through villages and provincial roads to Meo Vac, we went through Ma Pi Leng Pass. It’s not an exaggeration that Northern Vietnam is a place of magnificent passes.  Standing on the Ma Pi Leng Pass offered us a jaw-dropping view of the poetic and crystal-like Nho Que River. The panoramic view of Vietnam’s amazing natural beauty was a precious reward for us after completing hours of tense riding. 

Day 10: Meo Vac – Ba Be Motorbike Route

Bidding farewell to the tranquil rural country villages, the majestic mountain range, impressive terraced rice farms, and the magnificent passes, our team headed to Ba Be Lake, Bac Kan province. Ba Be Lake is the largest natural lake in Vietnam, covering a total area of 6.5 square kilometers.  We didn’t start our trip in the late morning because the 230km route would take us more than 7 hours to complete. It was ideal to have a picnic lunch on the lakeside of Ba Be Lake.  After reaching Ba Be Lake, nothing can be more relaxing than leaving your motorbikers and then joining a boat ride along the lake. The refreshing and cool atmosphere eliminated all the fatigue we had suffered from hours of riding in a fixed posture.  The optimal 20-minute boat trip was enough to feel all the pleasurable moments of Vietnam nature brings you. Next, we enjoyed a delectable dinner with fish caught from the lake in wonderful restaurants near the Ba Be Lake. 

Day 11: Ba Be Lake – Ban Gioc Waterfall Motorbike Tour

We continued to contemplate the stunning views of Vietnam with the route from the Ba Be Lake to the Ban Gioc Waterfall in Trung Khanh, Cao Bang Province. On our way, we also passed some beautiful rural villages in Vietnam, but these scenes were not the spotlights of the route.  On the other hand, Ban Gioc Waterfall was the most prominent beauty spot on the eleventh day, as well as the most notable sights in Cao Bang province. Ban Gioc waterfall is the largest waterfall in Southeast Asia, dropping 30m.  Besides, the waterfall is the natural borderline between Vietnam and China. When witnessing the excellent views of Ban Gioc waterfall, we had a sense of a mythical and romantic vibe from a fairy tale.  In the evening, we immersed ourselves in the comfortable atmosphere there and had delicious Vietnamese food. 

Day 12: Ban Gioc Waterfall – Mau Son Motorcycle Route

Our Vietnam motorcycle ride nearly ended on the twelfth day, so the challenging roads were no longer there. In contrast, we had a leisurely ride on paved roads along the route from Ban Gioc Waterfall to Mau Son, Lang Son province.  Mau Son is a huge mountain range with about 80 different mountains of various sizes in Lang Son province, and some people even regard it as a sightseeing complex in Lang Son. Coming to Mau Son, we visited the remote areas of Vietnam with many primitive forests, tranquil farming villages of ethnic people, and, once again, the iconic terraced rice fields. The majestic and spectacular beauty of Vietnam’s mountainous area always impressed us. If you are a fan of off-road motorbike tours, don’t hesitate to conquer the Cong Son peak of Mau Son, which is 1,500 meters in height. We didn’t have enough time for our schedule on the twelfth day, so we had to skip the Cong Son peak.

Day 13-14: Mau Son – Halong Bay Motorbike Route

We officially said farewell to the mountainous areas of North Vietnam and headed to one of the rare World Wonders located in Southeast Asia, Halong Bay. The route from Mau Son to Halong Bay, Quang Ninh province, took us nearly six hours. Despite the long duration, the breathtaking sights were worth your effort. Halong City can satisfy any type of tourist, whether you want to enjoy the luxurious beachside resort, wonderful restaurants, and high-end services, or you just want to explore primitive nature. Halong has all the things.  The must-do activity when visiting Halong is to take a cruise floating along the bay. When cruising on the ocean, we were closer to observing the interesting rock formations in Halong’s ocean, the million-year-old mysterious caves, joined outdoor water-based activities and indulged in the sun-drenched crystal-like beaches. 

Day 15: Back To Hanoi

The memorable motorbike trip in Vietnam ended on the fifteenth day. We rode our motorbike back to Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. If you are tired after thousands of kilometers covered in the tour, don’t hesitate to ask for the tour bus to take you back to Hanoi. A tour bus was also our choice to get back to Hanoi. 

Bottom Lines

The optimal itinerary for the best Vietnam motorbike routes 2024 will allow you to explore all the most reputable destinations in North Vietnam. The tour will definitely amaze you with the massive amount of charming beauty that Vietnam offers you.  After taking the tour, we bet that you will be eager to go on another motorbike tour in South Vietnam. Share this post with your friends, and hit the road now! What riders have said about Vietnam Motorcycle Tours on Tripadvisor!