14 Day Fantastic Route from North Vietnam to Laos Guided Motorcycle Tour

Overview

Enjoy an exciting motorcycle tour in Vietnam and Laos! The two countries share such a long border but remain very different lands. Vietnam is busy and densely populated whilst in Laos time seems to have stood still for centuries. Although the countries are almost equal in size, Vietnam has a population almost twenty times that of Laos. The northern regions of both countries give a blended mix of vivid nature, voluptuous landscapes, and a vibrant culture.

Highlights

• Starts and ends in Hanoi
• See the unique Plain of Jars while on tour
• Admire the view of paddies and green hillside
• Visit Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage site
• Meet the friendly local people and get a glimpse at their life
• Support car available starting from 4 participants
• 12 nights accommodation
• Airport transfers included

Itinerary

1. Day 1: Arrival - Hanoi

   One arrives either in the morning or the afternoon at Hanoi airport depending on the airline. It’s a half hour drive to the hotel in the center of the old town.

2. Day 2: Hanoi - Mai Chau

   The trip to the west starts with the bustle of the morning rush hour in the capital. Jam-packed mopeds force their way through the city and we form a small part of this crowd. From Xuan Mai onwards, you will follow a part of the Ho Chi Minh trail. What is now a beautiful route used to be nothing more than a trail through the jungle used by the North Vietnamese to supply the South during the war. Thereafter, ride on narrow quiet country lanes to lunch near Cam Thuy from where you will take the main road to the Pu Luong National Park and on to Mai Chau. You will stay overnight in a Thai home. It

3. Day 3: Mai Chau - Viang Xai

   It is an early rise today as you will cross borders that always takes some time. Just outside Mai Chai, you will briefly visit one of the chopstick factories along the way. Next, wend your way along narrow inland roads to the border checkpoint with Laos (Na Meo). After the border formalities, enter the world of Laos where time has long stood still. The leisurely pace in this sparsely populated country brings you into a different rhythm immediately. After the border it is just over 50 kilometers through beautiful karst mountains to the impressive caves of Vieng Xay. Depending on the time, you c

4. Day 4: Viang Xai – Muang Kham

   If you have not been able to visit the Caves yesterday, you can do so this morning. Alternatively, explore the southern part of Nam-Et Phou Louey National Park – via some adventurous gravel paths. Then continue via a tarmac but beautiful and quite road through lush green terrain Eastwards. It is a very remote area. You can ride for 90 kilometers by yourself in your own speed until you meet the team again at the first cross section for lunch. From there, scroll further southwards to your rest place for the night: Muang Kham.

5. Day 5: Muang Kham– Phonsavan

   Today, take the time to visit the Plain of Jars. It is only another 50 kilometers to Phonsavan, but will take your time to drive there, and to explore small routes along the way to visit the different sites. The different plains around Phonsavan are filled with gigantic stone jars. The jars are sometimes more than five meters high. How the jars came to be here and what their purpose was remains unknown. It is definitely worth the effort to visit one of the plains. The area around Phonsavan suffered much bombing during the Vietnam War. During this period, Laos was a free bombing zone. This was

6. Day 6: Phonsavan – Luang Prabang

   This is a long route but completely surfaced and perhaps the most beautiful part of Laos. The road starts a bit straight and flat, but soon become curvier, windy and hilly. The rice paddies climb in giant steps up green, green hillsides. The terracing, created by hand over many centuries, is a remarkable feat. Bullocks are used to pull ploughs, but the back-breaking work of planting, tending and harvesting is still done by hand. You will slalom through small villages and clusters of houses, passing open markets and often friendly and welcoming people. The end of the afternoon, arrive in Luang

7. Day 7: Luang Prabang - Overnight stay

   We spend the day in this beautiful city, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The city slows your pulse and awakens your imagination: Sitting at the sacred confluence of the Mekong River and the Nam Khan (Khan River), nowhere else can lay claim to this UNESCO-protected gem's romance of 33 gilded wats, saffron-clad monks, faded Indochinese villas and exquisite fusion cuisine. We can also possibly make a trip in the morning to the UNESCO protected Kuang Xi Waterfall, about 15 km outside of Luang Prabang. There are many temples to see in the surroundings of Luang Prabang. Luang Prabang is also a perfect

8. Day 8: Luang Prabang – Oudomsay (Muang Xai)

   You will have multiple options to ride to Oudomsay, and the exact journey depends on the group experience, the latest road status and the weather. In general, we start the morning along winding dirt roads headed Northwards. This is mostly unsurfaced and sometimes in a very bad condition. It is a very isolated area, so you will pack some snacks for a light lunch. You will follow rivers, ride along some magnificent mountain ridges and combine dirt with asphalt, which makes for an exciting journey. Oudomsay is an easy town, but the largest in North Laos. It is situated at the Nam Ko river, and it

9. Day 9: Oudomsay - Nong Khiaw

   Today is a relaxing ride through a lush green mountainous area along curvy roads. Whilst it is a relatively short distance on surfaced grounds, the 1000 curves will take time. You will arrive around lunchtime in the hotel. The afternoon will be spent for chilling or an optional boat ride on the Nam Ou River.

10. Day 10: Nong Khiaw - Muang Khua

    Today will be one of the most adventurous days, only 100 kilometers but 90% unsurfaced. The support car will not join the group as you will follow a mix of wide and small paths and unsteady bridges. Difficulty of this route is entirely dependent on rainfall. The rain may have changed the surface layer of clay into a smooth mirror. Muang Khua is a small stop over town; its river setting is surprisingly picturesque, and it has a small local market worth visiting early mornings.

11. Day 11: Muang Khua – Dien Bien Phu

    Today is a short ride to the border with Vietnam where we will need to take our time for paperwork. We hope to arrive in Dien Bien Phu by lunchtime. Dien Bien Phu developed itself in recent years from small village to a big city. The city is famous for the Battle of Dien Bien Phu, the decisive engagement in the First Indochina War (1946-1954). It consisted of a struggle between French and Viet Minh (Vietnamese Communist and nationalist) forces for control of a small mountain outpost on the Vietnamese border near Laos. The Viet Minh victory in this battle effectively ended the eight-year-old wa

12. Day 12: Dien Bien Phu – Ta Xua

    Today, you will make an early start for a beautiful ride through the Vietnamese countryside. You will stay on the asphalt, but will take narrow and remote routes, riding up and down between 100-meter altitude and 1600 meters. Make your way to Ta Xua nature reserve, a mountain reserve hardly visited by foreign tourists but popular by the Vietnamese who are “hunting for clouds”. There are spectacular cloud views.

13. Day 13: Ta Xua - Hanoi

    This is a long day’s ride back to the capital, swindling through the countryside and avoiding the highways. In the morning, the roads are quiet but the closer we get to Hanoi the busier it gets. This is the last stage of the trip but certainly not the least: for many participants, riding into the city in the massive traffic is a fantastic end to the trip.

14. Day 14: Hanoi - Departure

    Transfer to the airport for your flight. You can extend your stay with a visit to Halong Bay or another day in Hanoi.

Ride Details

Bike

rental bike (Kawasaki KLX 150cc or Honda CRF 150cc, upgrade to upgrade: Honda XR 250cc 250cc available)

Terrain

~ 25 % Off-road

Mileage

2000 kilometers / 1243 miles

Riding gear

not provided, but mandatory: a helmet, motorcycle jacket with protection, gloves, a good pair of (motorcycle) trousers with protection, and solid high (mountain) boots

Meals

Some breakfasts

Accommodation

During this tour, you will stay in a mix of accommodations from semi-luxurious to simple homestays.

Food

The package includes some breakfast.

Getting There

You start and end this trip in Hanoi, Vietnam. However, the journey largely takes place in Laos, and that is where the most adventurous part of the journey lies. In two days, you drive from Hanoi to Laos. An adventurous route through a nature park with tigers immediately follows. Then follow a few very adventurous days on a long unpaved route through beautiful karst mountains. By boat, you cover t