This tour takes us from the mountains to the beach. It is a great one for those who want to see a great range of what Vietnam has to offer. We start off in the famous Sa Pa and descend into the Red River Delta before heading up into the hills on the border with Laos following the Ho Chi Minh Trail. We see a lot of hill tribe people and several war remnant sites from the Vietnam War. For those that have the time and inclination, there is a great deal to see and experience on this tour.
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Hanoi to Danang
11 Days, 10 Nights
1500 km
Pillions Welcome
Genuine Hondas
Professionally maintained. Maximum reliability.
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Itinerary
Motorcycles
Inclusions
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Day 1: Ha Noi – Sa Pa
70 km
4 hours + 6 hour bus ride
Sa Pa Valley
We take a private VIP bus up to Bao Ha where we meet our bikes. Then, we take the back route up to Sa Pa to avoid the traffic and mayhem of the main road. We can stay in the valley or choose to stay in town (if we plan on going up Fansipan). This is a mellow introduction to driving in Vietnam and a good day for getting used to the bikes.
Day 2: Sa Pa – Ngoc Chien
200 km
8 hours
Fansipan Mountain; Ngoc Chien Hot Springs; O Quy Ho Pass; rice terracing
We head out of Sa Pa past Silver Waterfall and down the O Quy Ho Pass. Today sees us travel on the QL32 which is one of the best roads in the North due to the beautiful rice terracing. There is some traffic but it does not distract and there are plenty of fun pit stops to be had. We turn off and head down to Ngoc Chien, the site of an old French fortress and some interesting hot springs.
Day 3: Ngoc Chien – Phu Yen
220 km
8 hours
Ta Xua Mountain; Tram Tau Valley
We get back on to the QL32 and head for Phu Yen. We need to pass Phu Luong Mountain and Ta Xua Nature Reserve. We can take a very adventurous detour but this is only for expert riders. Phu Yen is a sleepy town but we stay in a great hotel in the centre where all the ‘action’ is.
Day 4: Phu Yen – Pu Luong
200 km
7 hours
Mai Chau valley; Pu luong Nature Reserve; Van Yen ferry crossing
A long day today we need to head down to the Black River and then up on to the Moc Chau Plateau from where we head into the Mai Chau and then Pu Luong Valleys. We will see a wide range of geography due to the change in elevations and also several different ethnic groups will be represented. We overnight in a secluded homestay tucked half way up a hill and feast on delicious home cooked food.
Day 5: Pu Luong – Tan Ky
210 km
7 hours
Ho Chi Minh Trail
This is a section of road that we just need to get our heads down as it is through some relatively flat land. We do get off the main road and use the smaller ones for interest but we need to be cautious of time as we have a long way to go. We end up in Tan Ky, which is the start on the Ho Chi Minh Trail and we can take our photo by the milestone for this.
Day 6: Tan Ky – Phong Nha
260 km
6 hours
Ho Chi Minh Trail
Now, we get on to the Ho Chi Minh Trail proper and head into the hills. It is a great drive and one that passes quickly even though it is long. We are now getting into the least populated areas of Vietnam and we need to prepare accordingly. Luckily, our fuel tanks are big enough and we have spare parts.
Day 7: Phong Nha
optional
-
chilling in Phong Nha; various caves, lakes and back roads
This is a day to get off the bike and have a well needed rest. It also means it is possible to take advantage of Phong Nha’s entertainment be it Hiking, Kayaking, Caving, ziplining… You cold take a trip to Dong Hoi to see the beach and sand dunes, or you may (like me) just wish to chill out by the pool.
Day 8: Phong Nha – Khe Sanh
230 km
6 hours
Ho Chi Minh Trail; war remnants in Khe Sanh Combat Base
It is back on to the Ho Chi Minh Trail (west) and we head down to Khe Sanh, the site of the old military air base. We pass the base and head straight into town to look around and get to our hotel. The road is much the same as yesterday and we make sure the bikes are in tip top condition before we head out.
Day 9: Khe Sanh – Hue
175 km
5 hours
Ho Chi Minh Trail
We head further South and on to Hue today. We have time to look around at a few sites in Khe Sanh if we wish and if we get up early. However, the road continues through the jungle and that is where we should spend most of our time. It is very much over the hills into the A Luoi Valley and then over the hills into Hue.
Day 10: Hue
optional
-
beaches, tombs and historical sites in the Ancient Capital, Hue
We get to relax in Hue today and it is possible to go to the beach, take a boat on the river or visit any of the citadels and tombs that the city is so famous for. We stay in a great hotel and have time to get clothes cleaned and service the bikes. Hue is also famous for its food so there is an opportunity to try this.
Day 11: Hue – Da Nang
120 km
5 hours
Danang; Hai Van Pass
Today, is the last push and we will be able to take the beach road to Hai Van Pass and then go over the mountain. This is a great drive but it is a little busy with tourists. Most commercial traffic now take the tunnel. There are some great views and a few military posts that we can stop at. It is good to take our time. Then, once we have come down the pass it is a very easy ride to our hotel. We will have a farewell meal and drinks in the evening and a chance to reminisce about the tour.
Honda Future 125
The Honda Future is our most powerful semi-automatic motorbike, and makes for a surprisingly capable tourer.
fuel injected: easy to start and good throttle response
storage space beneath the seat
light and easy to maneuver
Displacement
124.9 cc
Transmission
automatic
Starter
electric
Fuel System
fuel injection
Fuel Capacity
3.7 litres
Dry Weight
91 kg
Seat Height
745 mm
Front Brake
disc
Rear Brake
drum
Honda XR 150
The Honda XR 150 is the most popular dual sport in Vietnam for a reason: whether you’re riding a highway, a country road or a single track through the jungle, it’s built to handle anything the region has to throw at it.
comfortable seat, even carrying a pillion
huge fuel tank gives the XR fantastic range
very capable off road
Displacement
149 cc
Transmission
manual (5 speed)
Starter
electric/kick
Fuel System
carburettor
Fuel Capacity
12 litres
Dry Weight
129 kg
Seat Height
825 mm
Front Brake
disc
Rear Brake
drum
Honda CRF 250
The extra power provided by the CRF’s 250cc engine makes it an absolute joy to ride. Its enduro/off road pedigree means it was designed specifically with the gnarly roads Vietnam likes to throw at you in mind.
