Military Sweep
Military history and the Roof of Indochina.
From $840/rider
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Vietnam Motorcycle Tour Map - 7 Day Military Sweep - Rentabike Vietnam - White

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Hanoi
7 Days, 6 Nights
830 km
Pillions Welcome

Overview

The definitive tour of sites of historic significance from the French occupation of Indochina and the French Indochina war. Visit the colonial prison in Son La as well as Dien Bien Phu, the site of the war's most famous battle. You'll ride through mountains and awesome stepped rice fields all the way from Hanoi to the old hill station of Sapa, with the opportunity there to summit Fansipan, the 'Roof of Indochina', before dropping your bike off and taking a VIP bus back to Hanoi.

Genuine Hondas

Professionally maintained. Maximum reliability.

All-inclusive tour

Transparent pricing. No hidden charges.

Third party insurance

Full coverage as standard.

Visa assistance

We'll organise your invitation letter for you.

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Zero commitment. No card details required.

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broken rocks by a road in Hoa Binh that's still under construction
200 km
5 hours
riding along the Black River; Thung Khe Pass; Moc Chau Pass
This is somewhat of a long first day as we head out of Hanoi on main roads to make good time. We have the chance to get off the main road and take a few detours along the Hoa Binh Lakeside and the old French highway. After Hoa Binh is where we start to ascend and eventually go up onto the Moc Chau Plateau. This is where we rest for the night at a homestay nestled amongst the fields of peach and plum trees.
another great meal in Mai Chau
120 km
4 hours
Son La back roads; Son La Prison
What looks to be a straight route can be customised so that we get off the main road and onto the quieter ones. We have plenty of time to get to our destination today and will definitely be able to visit the Son La prison in the afternoon. We stay in the main town today just to have a little luxury.
view from the Pha Din pass
160 km
5 hours
Pha Din Pass; Dien Bien Phu back roads
A straight hike on the AH14 if you wish and this will take you over the Pha Din Pass. It’s a great stretch of road which is thoroughly enjoyable due to the twisty, turny nature and lack of traffic. There is an alternative, more challenging, route that can be taken but the weather needs to be consulted before making this choice.
Honda XR 150 on a really muddy road in North Vietnam
100 km
4 hours
Co Chay Pass; winding QL12 road
We can visit the Dien Bien Phu Victory museum and still make the short hop up to Muong Lay where we stay in a riverside homestay. It is a simple ride along the valley but the interesting sights to be seen on the roadside make up for the lack of technicality. We can head a little further today and get to Sin Ho if we wish but that is a decision to make when on the road.
some fruit and veg stalls in bao lac market cao bang
120 km
5 hours
road to Sin Ho; Sin Ho Market; DT128 road
We take the quieter route to Lai Chau that goes through Sin Ho. This is an extreme climb up the mountainside through some rugged and beautiful countryside. Then, we loop round to Lai Chau deciding which of the routes over the pass are possible due to time constraints and potential hazards such as landslides.
the O Quy Ho mountain pass near Sapa
80 km
6 hours
O Quy Ho Pass; views of Fansipan Mountain
This is a short hop but it means we have time to take selfies and also to spend the afternoon ascending Fansipan, ( by cable car) before heading to the hotel. This is where we can also fill up on western food which may be welcome by this time in the trip.
two young children in Sapa
50 km
3 hours (+ 6 hour bus ride)
back route to Lao Cai
We take the back route down to Lao Cai where we meet our contact to drop off the bikes. We then take a VIP minibus back to our hotel in Hanoi where we can get ready for the farewell meal that evening. This saves us the extremely dull and treacherous journey from Lao Cai to Hanoi. We then get ready for our farewell meal and drinks that evening.
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FAQ

Choosing a professionally guided tour allows you to make the most out of your adventure.

You’ll take roads and visit areas well off the beaten track that only someone with a lot of riding experience in the country could know about.

And, you get to focus entirely on your adventure, since everything from your meals, accommodation and motorcycle to things like route planning and motorcycle maintenance is taken care of.

The bulk of our tours start in Hanoi because the best riding in the country is easily accessible from here. However, we have offices in Hanoi, Danang and HCMC so we are able to start and end tours from any of these three locations.

Yes, this is what we do. We can assist with reservations in any hotel in Hanoi and also provide a FREE airport pick-up that will take you to your hotel of choice. Good hotels can be had for 30-40usd per night and they will also store any excess gear you may have until you return from tour. You can choose from staying in the heart of the city’s old quarter or closer to West Lake and our office.

Up in the North, it is hard to say as each of the four seasons has distinct advantages and drawbacks. The Summer is usually around April to October and ranges from warm and wet to boiling hot with the occasional torrential downpour. This also leads to the risk of flooding and landslides. The Autumn, October to December will generally be dry and cool with the potential for cold fronts to descend creating cloudy drizzly days. Winter, January / February, will be relatively cold (10C) and colder at altitude (Ha Giang, Cao Bang), but often quite dry and clear. Spring, around February to April will often have mixed spells of warm and cold air with dry or drizzly days. 

Driving North/South or South/North means that you pass through a whole range of climatic regions (northern, central and southern) and it is very difficult to answer which is the best time. This is because the weather may be great to ride in one regions but not optimal in another. We suggest not passing through the central or southern regions in Summer as there can be a lot of storms and flooding.

You will see that we do not list tours less than 5 days on our site. This is because it takes a day to get out of Hanoi / Sai Gon and to get to the ‘countryside’. While this may be interesting and a culture shock for many, we don’t think it is what you came here for. You then have 3 days of pleasurable riding, which, in all honesty, will leave you wanting more. Therefore, we would say an optimum length of tour to be around 7 – 9 days with one or two rest days thrown in so that you can take some time off at key points and transform from being a motorbike tourist to just a tourist. 

North / South – South / North Route

You will need more time to complete this tour due to the distance covered. It simply isn’t wise to cover 1,600km in 8 days. We recommend around 10 days as a minimum and 14 – 16 days being perfect.  

The longer you have, the more chance we have of getting you to the most remote places that offer the highest rewards.

Absolutely, yes. Generally, speaking foreigners are left alone and not hassled other than by pesky tourist touts (just like any other country). Vietnam is a predominantly Buddhist and partly Christian country and women play a vital role in daily life. They are not wall flowers and nor are they hidden away. They are strong and capable and, although, there are some extra precautions that a female traveller might feel necessary, these are no more or less than most countries in the world. Also, bear in mind that this is a guided tour and there is plenty of support from our staff in all aspects of the tour. Contact us for details of female guides and female only groups.

Yes, we can let you know what tours we have arranged and whether they are willing to accept a new member. Often times this is possible but it takes a little understanding on both sides due to different skill levels, needs and desires. We have found that most people can get along quite well and this isn’t an option.

No, definitely not. Whilst the country does not shut down as it did in the past a large number of businesses, including ours, will close for at least one week and perhaps longer. It will be difficult to find services available and there will likely be a holiday ‘premium’ applied. 

Further to this, travelling on the roads at this time can be quite dangerous du to the levels of traffic, distraction and, unfortunately, drink driving.

You need a valid passport with a minimum of 6 months validity to obtain a visa for Vietnam.

We have an excellent visa agent we work with, and will be happy obtain visa invitation letters for all riders in your group for free!

All you have to do is provide us with copies of your passports, and we’ll send you your invitation letters before you arrive in Vietnam. With your invitation letters sorted, you each bring two 3x4cm passport photos and around $20USD for the visa stamping fee to the immigration counter, they’ll give you your visas and you’re ready to start your adventure!

All riders in your group must have a valid motorcycle license.

If you can get an International Driving Permit, then you should do so. However, you must check to make sure that Vietnam is named on this. There are two different conventions and Vietnam signed up to the 1968 Convention so this is the one that you need.

You must have your own personal medical insurance that covers you for riding a motorcycle in Vietnam, and you must adhere to the requirements of that insurance.

We strongly recommend taking out our motorcycle damage waiver. For $5/day (Honda Future 125 or Honda XR 150) or $10/day (Honda CRF 250 or Honda CB 500), we cover you against loss, theft or any damage to the motorbike caused by an accident or fall and you will be covered should the bike be damaged beyond repair. This is not a license to go crazy as you will not be covered for misuse of the bike. The policy excludes any personal medical insurance, 3rd party liability or damage / injury caused by other vehicles or drivers. The peace of mind this offers is worth its weight in gold.