The North West of Vietnam with rugged mountains, steep gradients and challenging tracks is ideal for mountain-biking enthusiasts.

Northwestern Vietnam Biking Holidays Overview

The tour is a hard adventure for our travellers to test your biking skill on mountainous terrain for 10 days 9 nights. The trip can only be done from December through April when it's dry. Some parts of the road from Lai Chau to Sapa may be covered in snow in the period between 20Dec-10Jan every year.

Apart from the breathtaking natural beauty, the North West of Vietnam is home to a number of ethnic minorities whose lifestyle still remains mysterious to the outside world. There are ample chances on the trip for us to visit their communities and learn about their daily life.

The accommodations include hotels with standard facilities, guest houses with basic facilities and homestay in an ethnic family. Most meals on the tour are included with Vietnamese cuisine and ethnic cuisine.

Brief Itinerary
Day1 Ha Noi – Yen Bai ( 150km, cycling 90km) (L/D)
Day2 Yen Bai – Sapa (200km, cycling 80km) (B/L/D)
Day3 Sapa – Lai Chau (80km) (B/L/D)
Day4 Lai Chau – Muong Lay (110km) (B/L/D)
Day5 Muong Lay – Dien Bien Phu (100km) (B/L/D)
Day6 Dien Bien Phu – Tuan Giao (80km) (B/L/D)
Day7 Tuan Giao – Son La (80km) (B/L/D)
Day8 Son La – Moc Chau (120km) (B/L/D)
Day9 Moc Chau – Mai Chau (70km) (B/L/D)
Day10 Mai Chau – Hoa Binh – Hanoi (150km, Cycling 70km) (B/L)

Accommodations
Hotels, guest houses and homestay with basic facilities.

{Inclusions
English-speaking guide;
Bike as indicated on the tour itinerary;
Accommodations in twin-shared rooms as indicated on the tour itinerary;
Meals as indicated as indicated on the tour itinerary: B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner;
All admission fees as indicated on the tour itinerary;
}
{Exclusions
Insurance of any type;
Drinks or personal expenses;
Others not specified in the inclusions;
}

Detailed itinerary

Day1 Ha Noi – Yen Bai ( 150km, cycling 90km) (L/D)

The support vehicle transfers us to Phu Tho Province where we get our bike and start riding along the Red River. The road is basically flat and becomes a bit hilly when we cycle further into Yen Bai Province.
Overnight at Yen Bai.

Day2 Yen Bai – Sapa (200km, cycling 80km) (B/L/D)

Breakfast at the hotel.
The support vehicle transfers us for the first half the way, then we get our bike and cycle on a paved mountainous road toward Lao Cai. From Lao Cai, the road turn uphill and the gradients are steep. The rice fields, valleys and ravines below look more and more stunning the higher we get…
Overnight at Sapa.

A Black Hmong lady at Sapa, Lao Cai

Day3 Sapa – Lai Chau (80km) (B/L/D)

Breakfast at the hotel.
We cycle on a breathtaking road on the rim of the Muong Hoa Valley which offers stunning panoramic view of Sapa Town and the ethnic villages. We have a break for adoring the sublime beauty of nature at Tram Ton on the O Quy Ho Pass. Here, we travel downhill to the base of the pass in the support vehicle, then cycle toward Lai Chau. The road today is all paved and in good condition, the scenery of mountains, rice terraces and valleys are just stunning.
Overnight at Lai Chau.

A road through rice fields at Than Uyen, Lai Chau

Day4 Lai Chau – Muong Lay (110km) (B/L/D)

Breakfast at the hotel.
We cycle amid rolling hills and rugged mountains to Muong Lay Town. The first half of the road is amid mountains and rice terraces; the second one is along the Nam Na River with towering mountains on both sides of the road. The town of Muong Lay is at the confluence of the Nam Na River, the Nam Lay River and and the Da River.
Overnight at Muong Lay.

Scenic landscape at Muong Lay, Dien Bien

Day5 Muong Lay – Dien Bien Phu (100km) (B/L/D)

Breakfast at the hotel.
We bike on a paved road passing myriads villages, mountains and hills toward Dien Bien Phu City. Dien Bien Phu was the site of a decisive battle ending the French presence in Indochina. On arrival, we have time to cycle along the former battlefield.
Overnight at Dien Bien Phu.

A fighting trench at Him Lam Hill (Beatrice), Dien Bien Phu

Day6 Dien Bien Phu – Tuan Giao (80km) (B/L/D)

Breakfast at the hotel.
On the sixth day, we have a relaxing cycling tour around Dien Bien Phu, then toward Tuan Giao. Most of the terrain is flat with some downhill at the end.
Overnight at Tuan Giao.

Rice fields at Tuan Giao

Day7 Tuan Giao – Son La (80km) (B/L/D)

Breakfast at the hotel.
We pedal uphill the Pha Din Pass, then mostly downhill to Son La City. The Pha Din (The Pass of Heaven and Earth) offers captivating beauty of mountains in cloud and deep valleys. At Son La, we cycle to the hot-spring just outside of the city for some relaxation after a hard day.
Overnight at Son La.

Peaceful countryside out of Son La City

Day8 Son La – Moc Chau (120km) (B/L/D)

Breakfast at the hotel.
We cycle on gentle uphill terrain toward Moc Chau, known for its cool climate, green tea, fresh milk and dairy products.
Overnight at Moc Chau.

Tea plantations at Moc Chau, Son La

Day9 Moc Chau – Mai Chau (70km) (B/L/D)

Breakfast at the hotel.
We pedal amid peaceful tea plantations and round hills of Moc Chau Plateau. Then, turn into a back road toward the picturesque valley of Mai Chau, home to White Thai Communities.
Overnight at Mai Chau.

Day10 Mai Chau – Hoa Binh – Hanoi (150km, Cycling 70km) (B/L)

Breakfast at the hotel.
We bike uphill from Mai Chau to Thung Khe Pass which offers great views of the below valleys with Muong and Thai Villages. Then we pedal downhill toward Hoa Binh City. The road offers spectacular karst mountains and ethnic villages. At Hoa Binh, we load our bike onto the support vehicle concluding our cycling. We arrive back to Hanoi in the afternoon. We trust you had a great mountain-biking adventure in the North-West of Vietnam with AdventureGreen.