The beautiful area of Da Bac is a scenic area situated Southwest of Hanoi in Hoa Binh. You quickly get out of Hanoi on the CT03 and are in the countryside before you know it. It is a great way to escape Hanoi for the weekend.
Hanoi to Da Bac is about 130km direct. It can be driven by motorbike in around 3.5 – 4 hrs using the main roads. However, there are one or two detours that will slow you down but increase your enjoyment of the journey immensely. Let us show you.
This route totals around 125km and will take around 4 hrs. You can choose to do this direct if you are in a rush, or take a couple of detours that we show you below.
Morning: Hanoi to Hoa Binh / 80km – 2- 2.5 hrs
Afternoon: Hoa Binh to Da Bac / 45km – 2 hrs
Hanoi to Da Bac is a nice, easy ride. The first half of the journey gets you out of Hanoi quite quickly and you then have several options for detours.
This route is 20km, and may even be shorter than the direct route, but it will take longer as the road is smaller and also not in great condition nowadays on account of not being maintained. It will take you through some small villages and is quite scenic.
This route is also around 20km and will be slower but much more interesting. It does start of with some bumpy road and there is construction on the first section, but it will soon get you to some small villages and then follow along the Black River. You may decide to take a ferry to the opposite bank of the river, which is Detour 3 below.
You might fancy taking the opposite bank of the Black River as it is a little quieter and will lead you into Hoa Binh dam a bit more directly. It is only 15km and a quick, easy route.
This is a winding little route that is actually quite remote in a sense. It can also be a bit hard to follow so take care. However, you will be rewarded with a quiet and peaceful ride.
This is a great ride that takes you along the shores and over the hills next to Hoa Binh Lake. You pass through a lot of villages and on a few bumpy roads but it is not too hard. well worth taking this route.
In Da Bac we usually stay in:
This is a great family run homestay which has the traditional stilt house shared dorm room and no private rooms.
There are plenty of other homestays in the are if there is no space here. Such as:
Remember it is important to book a bed and also dinner well before showing up here.
From Da Bac you can head across the lake to Mai Chau Hideaway and then on to either Mai Chau or Moc Chau. You can also head towards Xuan Son National Park and up to Ta Xua.
We would advise you to choose between a manual or a semi automatic bike. These are the best bikes for a long trip like this and also for when you get into the mountains of northern Vietnam. You have more control and they are less prone to overheating or break down.
The XR150 is a great budget option that will perform well on the road and in the dirt on the small tracks of Ha Giang. The bike is lightweight, even if a little underpowered. There is plenty of room to fit a 40l bag on the rear, which should hold more than enough for a trip. The 12l tank and great fuel economy mean that this bike has a huge range of over 300km on a tank.
If you plan to ride two up, it might be a bit of a squeeze and you will have to pack very lightly or risk overloading the bike and making it quite rear weighted.
The CB500x is a great bike for the long haul drive up to Ha Giang. It is big enough and powerful enough to overtake trucks on the highway and carry two people with ease. Using a rear box and side panniers will give you plenty of room for gear. The 17l tank means you will have enough range for a day’s ride with ease.
The only concern would be taking some of the smaller tracks off road as our bikes have road tyres and the bike itself is quite big and heavy. However, there are plenty of small, interesting tracks that have concrete and are wide enough for the CB500x.
The Semi Automatic bikes are a much more budget option. We can offer the Honda Wave, Honda Blade or the Honda Future and they are all quite similar. it is really best to ride single on this kind of bike as this will leave room for a backpack and also not overlaod the bike in the hills. They are very fuel efficient but only have a 4l fuel tank so will need filling more regularly than the manual options.
This is one of the best ways to escape Hanoi City for the weekend. It is an easy drive and it takes you through some stunning landscapes along the shores of the Hoa Binh Lake. Try out the detours we suggest.
This is part of our Black River Loop tour for good reason and the added bonus is that you are unlikely to meet other tourists along the way or when you get to the lake itself.
Tax Code: 0105306316
International Tour Operator License: 01-2010/2022/TCDL-GP LHQT
15a Ng. 12 Đ. Đặng Thai Mai, Quảng An, Tây Hồ, Hà Nội 100000, Vietnam
© 2025 Rentabike Vietnam. This site is subject to copyright. No unauthorised reproduction is permitted.
Engine Type
air-liquid cooled, twin cylinder, DOHC, boxer engine
Displacement
1255 cc
Bore X Stroke
102.5 mm x 76 mm
Ignition
FI
Fuel System
fuel injection
Compression Ratio
12.5:1
Starter
electric
Gearbox
6-speed
Front Suspension
BMW Motorrad Telelever; stanchion diameter 37 mm
Rear Suspension
single-sided swing arm with BMW Motorrad Paralever
Front Brakes
dual disc brake, floating brake discs, diameter 305 mm, 4-piston radial calipers
Rear Brakes
single disc brake, diameter 276 mm, double-piston floating caliper
Front Tyres
120/70 R19
Rear Tyres
170/60 R17
Wheelbase
1514 mm
Seat Height
850 mm
Ground Clearance
790 mm
Kerb Weight
249 kg
Fuel Capacity
20 litres
Dimensions
2207 mm (L) x 952.5mm (W) x 1430 mm (H)
Engine Type
air cooled, OHC, single cylinder
Displacement
149 cc
Bore X Stroke
57.3 mm x 57.8 mm
Ignition
CDI
Fuel System
20 mm piston valve carburettor
Compression Ratio
9.5:1
Starter
electric with kick starter backup
Gearbox
5-speed
Front Suspension
telescopic fork, 180 mm axle travel
Rear Suspension
single shock swing arm, 150 mm axle travel
Front Brakes
dual piston caliper, 240 mm disc
Rear Brakes
mechanical drum
Front Tyres
90/90 19
Rear Tyres
110/90 17
Wheelbase
1362 mm
Seat Height
825 mm
Ground Clearance
243 mm
Kerb Weight
129 kg
Fuel Capacity
12 litres
Dimensions
2091 mm (L) x 811 mm (W) x 1125 mm (H)
Engine Type
liquid cooled parallel-twin four stroke
Displacement
470 cc
Bore X Stroke
67 mm x 66.8 mm
Ignition
PGMI – FI
Fuel System
fuel injection
Compression Ratio
10.7:1
Starter
electric
Gearbox
6-speed
Front Suspension
41 mm SFF-BP USD Forks
Rear Suspension
Prolink Mono with 5 stage pre load adjuster
Front Brakes
dual 296 mm discs with 4 piston calipers; ABS
Rear Brakes
240 mm disc; ABS
Front Tyres
110/80R19M/C (59H)
Rear Tyres
160/60R17M/C
Wheelbase
1445 mm
Seat Height
830 mm
Ground Clearance
180 mm
Kerb Weight
199 kg
Fuel Capacity
17.7 litres
Dimensions
2,155 mm (L) x 830 mm (W) x 1,410 mm (H)
Engine Type
single cylinder, DOHC, liquid cooled
Displacement
286 cc
Bore X Stroke
76 mm x 63 mm
Ignition
Full Transistor Digital
Fuel System
PGM-FI electronic fuel injection
Compression Ratio
10.7:1
Starter
electric
Gearbox
5-speed
Front Suspension
43 mm telescopic upside down
Rear Suspension
Prolink Mono with 5 stage pre load adjuster
Front Brakes
Rear Brakes
220 mm disc, single piston caliper
Front Tyres
80/100 21
Rear Tyres
120/80 18
Wheelbase
1455 mm
Seat Height
880 mm
Ground Clearance
285 mm
Kerb Weight
142 kg
Fuel Capacity
7.8 litres
Dimensions
2230 mm (L) x 820 mm (W) x 1200 mm (H)