4-Day North Vietnam Motorbike Tour with Moc Châu and Thác Bà Lake

The journey

Trip highlights

• 01 Ride scenic back roads through rural villages, mountains, and rice paddies
• 02 Explore the peaceful Thai village of Mai Châu
• 03 See the beautiful plateaus and green tea farms of Moc Châu
• 04 Cross the Đà River by ferry and ride along its scenic riverbank
• 05 Enjoy a short boat trip on Thác Bà Lake
• 06 Meet the friendly Dzao people by the lakeside village

Join this exciting North Vietnam motorbike tour and escape the hustle and bustle of Hanoi to explore the enchanting countryside and meet the smiling faces of colourful hill tribes. Ride through the picturesque plateaus of Moc Châu, follow scenic back roads along the Đà River, and enjoy diverse landscapes of mountains, rice paddies, tea fields, and rustic villages. A peaceful boat ride on Thác Bà Lake and the warm hospitality of the Dzao people add a memorable cultural touch to this adventurous journey.

This stretch may be the highlight of the North Vietnam motorbike tour, as it crosses breathtaking mountain passes and many villages of colourful tribes.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 4 Days

Tour type Shared

Activity level Moderate

Accommodation Included · Standard

Transport Included

Wheelchair access No

Cities Yen Bai, Hanoi, Mai Châu

Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

1

Day 01

Ride from Hanoi to Mai Chau via the Countryside

• Meet your tour guide in Hanoi.
• Although Google Maps may show the shortest route from Hanoi to Mai Chau as around 130 km, this journey takes a longer and more rewarding route with an experienced team of motorbike experts.
• Ride along back-country roads away from the touristy tracks, passing through many rural rustic villages with scenic views of mountains and rice paddies. For many other Vietnam motorcycle tour organizers, this first day could be the hardest, but for us, it is the highlight of the motorbike tour in North Vietnam.
• Reach Mai Chau - a peaceful village of the Thai people - at 5:00 pm.
• Go for a short walk around the lovely village, depending on your wishes.

2

Day 02

Moc Chau Plateau and Da River Ride to Phu Yen

• Say goodbye to your host in Mai Chau and continue north to Moc Chau - one of the most beautiful plateaus in Northern Vietnam, famous for its green tea farms. Lunch will be served in Moc Chau.
• Ride on mountain back roads to the Đà River lake. This stretch may be the highlight of the North Vietnam motorbike tour, as it crosses breathtaking mountain passes and many villages of colourful tribes.
• Cross the river by ferry, then continue on another great motorbike ride along the riverbank to Phu Yen. It is a short ride of about 30 km, but it may be the best part of the day and feels like riding along a coastline.
• End the day at the hotel in Phu Yen town at about 4:30 pm.

3

Day 03

Tea Fields and Thac Ba Lake

• Set out on another short motorbike ride in North Vietnam, another highlight of this 4-day Vietnam motorcycle tour.
• Continue riding north on winding roads through more beautiful tea fields. Lunch will be in Yen Bai town.
• After lunch, hit the road down to Thac Ba Lake.
• Arrive at the lake at about 3:00 pm. Leave the bikes in the village of the friendly Dzao people, located on the lake bank.
• Enjoy a short boat trip on Thac Ba Lake.

4

Day 04

Return Ride to Hanoi

• Start the last day of the North Vietnam motorbike tour back to Hanoi at 8:00 am after a simple breakfast with the friendly Dzao people. Depending on your requests, you can do a little off-road riding around the village before heading down to Hanoi, or simply ride back slowly on back roads through green tea fields, rustic villages, and along the riverbank.
• Return to Hanoi at about 4:00 pm and end this enjoyable motorbike tour in North Vietnam before rush hour.

The route

Where you'll travel

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

• Experienced English-speaking tour guides (2 tour guides/mechanics for a group of 5 riders)
• Quality Honda XR150L or Honda CRF250L or other bikes (with fuel)
• Quality helmets, gloves, knee and elbow pads, rain jackets, and pants
• All meals on tour (all breakfasts, lunches, and dinners with local Vietnamese food, as mentioned)
• Accommodation on tour (twin-share room in a standard hotel or stay at a homestay, as mentioned in the itinerary)
• Boat rides on lakes or rivers, as mentioned in the itinerary
• All entrance fees and permits
• Hotel pick-up and drop-off before and after the tour
• Video of the trip made with an updated GoPro

What's Not Included

• Medical insurance
• Bike damages
• Personal expenses
• Drinks and tips
• Air tickets and visa to Vietnam

What to bring

• Warm clothes
• Scarf
• Hat
• Cap (because the weather in Sapa is pretty unpredictable. It is usually cold in September, October, November, December, January, February, and March.)
• Trekking shoes
• Sunglasses
• Sun cream
• Insect repellent
• Cash (the banking system in Sapa sometimes does not function well.)
• Medicine (although there are some chemist's shops in Sapa in case you get sick.)

Logistics

Meeting & route

Meeting point

Hanoi, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội, Việt Nam

Tour start

Hanoi, Hoàn Kiếm, Hanoi, Vietnam

Tour ends at the same location as the start point.