The northwest of Vietnam has become Tigit’s favorite area in which to drive motorbikes, both from a road perspective and an offroad perspective. Tourists always come to Vietnam and ask to do the Ha Giang Loop, but we tend to push people toward the North West where possible.
The pros of the North West
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- It is more authentic and gives a true cultural experience of Vietnam
- It can be argued has the best scenery
- It doesn’t have police issues
- It has both road and offroad, with alot of land slides
- It isn’t far from Hanoi, so days are not wasted getting to and from this area.
The Cons of the North West
- The road conditions are not great, so for beginner to intermediate riders they can sometimes find themselves on terrain they are not comfortable with
- Hotels can be a bit rough, English is limited, but we have suggested good hotels on our map.
- The roads are not in great shape, so fast paced open mountain driving isn’t possible. Battling slipper clay is the norm in the North West.
The Map for the North West
The section we are talking about here is in the North West of Vietnam and marked in Dark Blue. Day one however Hanoi to Mai Chau is marked in purple. There isn’t an exact science to these loops!
The North West route 4 to 5 days
Day 1 Hanoi to Mai Chau or Pu Luong : Mai Chau is closer to Hanoi, but Pu Luong is a bit prettier. Either way, this isn’t a big drive from Hanoi, and it will blow tourists away the transition from the big polluted Hanoi city to the countryside.
Day 2 Mai Chau to Bac Yen: A pleasant drive that has you going over a large ferry crossing (no bookings needed). Ta Xua is on the mountain above Bac Yen, and Ta Xua is the tourist area. However, we can’t find good hotels in Ta Xua, so we prefer to stay down the mountain in Bac Yen.
Either way, the star of the show is the Dinosaur backbone in Ta Xua, which is a must-visit. You can drive it or walk it, doesn’t matter.
The distance between Bac Yen and Ta Xua is around 30 minutes, so you can play around in the tourist area of Ta Xua before heading back to your hotel.
Day 3 Bac Yen to Tram Tau: Tram Tau is a gem of a village deep in the mountains with local hot springs. Hiking is also a popular activity on the Vietnamese market in this area.
It is still relatively off the tourist map, but that is rapidly changing. We are not exactly helping with that by recommending it!
Either way, for now, this is a golden place to visit, and think yourself lucky to see it before it gets ruined by over-tourism!
Day 4 Tram Tau to Vu Linh: Another area that is close to Hanoi but has somehow escaped mass tourism. Do a boat ride from any of the homestays in this area. It is a beautiful and majestic place that will set you up perfectly for an easy day back in Hanoi.
Day 5 Vu Linh to Hanoi: Nothing special here, but it is an easy way to get back into the big city!
