Experiences of Vietnam motorcycle tours to the northwest

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Vietnam motorcycle tours to the northwest are one of the most popular tourism activities nowadays. Do you know why? Because Vietnam is a motorcycle nation. So get out of the taxi and onto two wheels. Moreover, this kind of tour helps travelers save some costs, be active throughout their trip without missing any scenic sights during the way. Don’t worry if you have no experiences of Vietnam motorcycle tours, we have got you covered!

Best time to visit Vietnam

The 2 best seasons for a wonderful Vietnam motorcycle tour in northwest Vietnam are spring and fall when the region is the most beautiful and attractive. In each season, the northwest has its own stunning natural beauty. During the spring, flowers of all kinds bloom, echoing birds’ songs over the hills. Also in this time, ethnic minority groups hold their traditional festivals with many activities such as singing, dancing, and playing games to name a few. And when the fall comes, the terraced rice fields shine a picturesque yellow. On every Saturdays or Sundays, weekend markets take place, giving a chance for those seeking remarkable experiences.

Best road trips to take

There are quite many road trips through scenic sights for you to choose from, check out top picks as follows:

Lao Cai – O Quy Ho Pass – Lai Chau
Dien Bien – Pha Din Pass – Son La
Nghia Lo – Khau Pha Pass – Mu Cang Chai
Pa Tan – Muong Te
Pac Ma – Muong Te – A Pa Chai
Muong Nhe – Dien Bien
Son La – Mai Chau – Hoa Binh

These are all favorite routes of backpackers because they are quite safe to get through with many landscapes on both sides. We bet that these routes never fail to wow visitors.

Expected time and expenses

A three-to-five-day trip is highly recommended for you. And the average expense per person ranges from 3 to 5 million Vietnam dongs (from approximately 130 to 216 US dollars). However, the more time and money you have, the more amazing destinations, experiences, and food you can reach and enjoy.

Where to stay

Followings are several charming homestays for backpackers heading to northwest Vietnam:

Phơri’s House in Ta Van, Sapa
Nam Cang Riverside Lodge, Sapa
Viettrekking homestay, situated at the end of Hoang Lien Street, Sapa

Best places for Northwest Vietnam motorcycle tours

There is plenty to explore in the northwest on Vietnam motorcycle tours. With such various great options, many backpackers have worried they will miss something interesting. But don’t fret, here are the top 5 places where you should come with a motorcycle.

Mu Cang Chai, Yen Bai Province: A land rich with wonderful terraced rice fields. When autumn comes to the northwest, those green fields turn into a vast golden blanket. Such a breathtaking scene sure to leave you speechless!
Dien Bien Phu, Dien Bien Province: Dien Bien Phu Museum is the place displaying a series of keepsakes from the wars, which embrace a hurtful but glorious history of the nation.
The Moc Chau Plateau, Son La Province: The temperature here is cool with the average temperature of 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit). The Plateau offers exciting tourist attractions including relic sites, Son Moc Huong Cave: House of Bats, Phieng Luong peak, a forest of pine trees, and so on.
Mai Chau, Hoa Binh Province: In an idyllic valley, Mai Chau is totally a new world for travelers to break away from the daily grinds of life. Mo Luong Cave, a natural cave inside Phu Kha mountain and Chieu Cave, situated in the southwest of Mai Chau are the 2 of the impressive caves to visit in Mai Chau travel.
Sa Pa, Lao Cai Province: Renowned as a town for tourists in Lao Cai, Sa Pa’s climate is cool all year round. The town provides visitors with an opportunity to visit some most exciting and amazing sites such as the Heaven Gate, Thac Bac (Silver Waterfall), Gio Cave, Ham Rong Mountain, Cau May (Rattan Bridge), and so on.

Aside from the aforementioned locations, backpackers taking Vietnam motorcycle tours can also stop by Tien Son Cave (Lai Chau), Pha Din Pass (Son La, Dien Bien), O Quy Ho Pass (Lao Cai, Lai Chau), Khau Pha Pass (Yen Bai), Thac Ba Lake (Yen Bai).

What to eat

Northwest Vietnam provides visitors a great experience through its tasty and diversified specialties. Once setting your foot here, you must try smoked buffalo meat, smoked sausage, zanthoxylum rheostat, dried local apples, Dien Bien Brihaspati atrostigmella Moore, gobies fish buried in ash, Moc Chau veal, Tu Le green rice flakes, 5-color sticky rice, and so on.

All the above are the experiences of Vietnam motorcycle tours to northwest Vietnam picked up on our own. We hope this will be useful for your coming motorcycle tour.

Notes

In general, the northwest motorbike routes are quite unspoiled except for some destinations for tourists. The locals here are all meek and sincere, hence you should respect their culture to the utmost.

Do not make noise when entering the villages and take pictures of villagers without their consent. It annoys them, anyway.

A small tip for you before taking Vietnam motorcycle tours: learn about the routes carefully before your departure. Do not take any road trips by chance. For your own safety, fully prepare your backpack. Do not let important things out. It is also necessary to calculate your itinerary every day to arrive and leave in safe.

Have a great reserve of cakes, dry provisions, various kinds of fruits, water, to name a few. These are useful items to feed yourself if you find no food stands on the way. Bring along some coats or jackets even in summer, and of course warm clothes in winter.

Do not forget to bring some more candies, cakes or old clothes to give local children as gifts. They will be grateful to you for sure. That makes your journey much more interesting and meaningful.