Nghia Lo is a fair distance from Hanoi so you will find you need to ride a fair bit of highway. However, there are one or two detours that get you onto the smaller roads and a few interesting things to see along the way.
Hanoi to Nghia Lo is a good long distance, around 200km and it will take over 4 hrs. However, once you have done this you are in the countryside and can really start to enjoy your trip.
There are a few little detours on the way but the real aim of today is to get to destination.
This route totals around 200km and will take around 4 hrs without stops. You can choose to do this direct if you are in a rush, or take a couple of detours that we show you below.
This is all tarmac and is quite an easy drive once you have become used to the traffic flow. Drive easy and leave some in the tank as it is your first day and there is no need to get cocky.
Morning: Hanoi to Nghia Lo / 120km – 3 – 3.5 hrs
Afternoon: Hoa Binh to Nghia Lo / 80km – 2.5 hrs
Hanoi to Nghia Lo Is a fairly long ride and can be quite dull. It is nice road ‘n all but mainly highway. we try to get out of Hanoi on the quieter road and then, if you take one or both of these detours, you will get some even quieter routes.
This route is about 40km long and will take about 1hr without stops in the tea fields to take photos. It will take yo over to Long Coc which is a scenic little place and it is fun to drive in the tea fields. A welcome break from the highway.
This route is about 40km and takes you on a smaller road and over the Lung Lo Pass. The way down is a fun winding route on good tarmac and the road is really quite empty. Another welcome break :)
There are many places to stay in Nghia Lo as it is well situated between Ta Xua and Mu Cang Chai. It is a small undeveloped town so do not expect too much. We like:
These are good clean homestays with good food and friendly families that run them. They also provide Dinner and Breakfast.
From Nghia Lo, most people will be heading northwest on towards Mu Cang Chai and then, likely, Sa Pa. This takes you on the QL32, which is a great route.
You could be coming the other way and want to head over to Ta Xua and see the Dinosaur’s Spine Ridge. Then you would either be going up to Son La or back down to Moc Chau, Mai Chau.
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 on the small tracks, if you choose to find them. 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 highway. 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 overload 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.
Hanoi to Nghia Lo is not the shortest drive so you need to make sure you leave in good time. It can be dull and only highway so you want to make sure you have time to take one or both of the detours.
Once across Trung Ha bridge you will find the traffic tends to calm down a little but still be on the look out for carzy drivers and trucks on the wrong side of the road.
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
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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)