Vietnam Motorcycle Tours

Vietnam Motorcycle Tours: Ride the Mountain Passes of North Vietnam

Vietnam motorcycle tours are guided small-group rides through the mountains of North Vietnam, where you ride your own Honda bike with an English-speaking guide and a mechanic. We run four tours from Hanoi – the Ha Giang Loop and the Northwest Loop in 6 days, an 8-day North Vietnam loop and a 12-day grand tour via Sapa, Ha Giang and Ban Gioc Waterfall – in groups of 6–10 riders, from US$960 per rider.

  • Who rides: you ride your own bike, so you need a motorcycle licence valid in Vietnam and some riding experience.
  • Included: Honda bike, fuel, guide, mechanic, meals, accommodation and permits as listed on each tour.
  • Extras: a support vehicle, airport transfers and bigger bikes can be added at extra cost.
  • Prefer not to ride? See our Vietnam Vespa Tours, where a driver does the riding.

Good to know (2026): prices are per rider in US dollars, in a small group of 6–10 riders. All tours start and end in Hanoi. Since July 2025 Ha Giang province is part of Tuyen Quang, but the Ha Giang Loop keeps its name.

Our Vietnam Motorcycle Tours at a Glance

Tour Duration Highlights Riding From (per rider)
Ha Giang Loop Motorcycle Tour 6 Days 6 days, 5 nights Thac Ba Lake, Ha Giang, Dong Van, Ma Pi Leng Pass, Meo Vac, Bao Lac, Ba Be Lake About 1,010 km US$960
Northwest Loop Vietnam Motorcycle Tour 6 Days 6 days, 5 nights Mai Chau, Moc Chau, Mu Cang Chai, O Quy Ho Pass, Sapa, Thac Ba Lake About 1,090 km US$960
North Vietnam Joined Group Motorcycle Tour 8 Days 8 days, 7 nights Ba Be Lake, Meo Vac, Ma Pi Leng, Dong Van, Ha Giang, Sapa, O Quy Ho Pass, Mu Cang Chai, Moc Chau, Mai Chau 150–240 km a day US$1,280
Vietnam Motorcycle Tour 12 Days: Hanoi – Sapa – Ha Giang 12 days, 11 nights Mai Chau, Sapa, Bac Ha, Ha Giang, Dong Van, Meo Vac, Ban Gioc Waterfall, Cao Bang, Ba Be Lake Long loop of the far north US$1,920

How to Choose a Motorcycle Tour

Best Time to Ride in North Vietnam

When What to expect
September – November Dry, clear and mild – the best season. Golden rice terraces in late September, buckwheat flowers in Ha Giang in October–November.
March – May Warm and mostly dry, with spring flowers and green terraces.
December – February Cold in the mountains, with fog and occasional frost – bring warm layers.
June – August Hot, with heavy rain and a risk of landslides – routes may change for safety.

Tips by Jimmy

  • Bring your licence and an International Driving Permit that covers motorcycles, and check that your insurance covers riding.
  • Pack light: one soft bag per rider, rain gear and warm layers from November to February.
  • Spend a day in Hanoi before you ride – see our Hanoi travel guide – and add Halong Bay after the tour.

Ready to ride? Choose a tour above, or contact Vietnam Tour Expert Team for a private departure.

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Ha Giang Loop Motorcycle Tour 6 Days
Islands of Thac Ba Lake
Village back road near Thac Ba
Pine ridge on the road to Ha Giang
Pine hill stop in Ha Giang +7

Ha Giang Loop Motorcycle Tour 6 Days

Excellent
- reviews

This Ha Giang Loop motorcycle tour 6 days (5 nights) is a joined small-group, guided motorcycle tour of about 1,010 km from Hanoi: a boat trip on Thac Ba Lake, Quan Ba Heaven Gate, the Dong Van Karst Plateau and the Ma Pi Leng Pass, off-road tracks from Bao Lac and Ba Be Lake. From […]

Hanoi - Thac Ba Lake - Ha Giang - Dong Van - Meo Vac - Bao Lac - Ba Be Lake - Hanoi

Highlights?

  • Ride about 1,010 km through Vietnam’s far north on a guided Honda dual-sport motorcycle, mixing quiet back roads, high mountain passes and stretches of off-road track.
  • Ride the best of the Ha Giang Loop: climb through Quan Ba Heaven Gate onto the Dong Van Karst Plateau, a UNESCO Global Geopark, and cross the Ma Pi Leng Pass high above the Nho Que River.
  • Take to the water on two very different lakes: Thac Ba, a man-made lake dotted with more than a thousand islands, and Ba Be, Vietnam’s largest natural lake.
  • Sleep in Dao and Tay village homestays and share home-cooked meals with your hosts.
  • Tackle the best off-road day of the trip from Bao Lac to Ba Be, past rice terraces and through river crossings.
  • Join a fixed-departure small group of 6–10 riders with an English-speaking guide and a mechanic – from US$960 per rider with meals, permits, fuel and riding gear included.

$960 /pax

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Vietnam Motorcycle Tour 12 Days: Hanoi – Sapa – Ha Giang
Rest stop in the Mai Chau valley
Tea hills near Moc Chau
Rice terraces on the road to Mu Cang Chai
Golden terraces near Sapa +8

Vietnam Motorcycle Tour 12 Days: Hanoi – Sapa – Ha Giang

Excellent
- reviews

This Vietnam motorcycle tour 12 days (11 nights) is a joined group, fixed-departure guided motorcycle tour of about 2,060 km that loops from Hanoi through Mai Chau, Mu Cang Chai, Sapa, Ha Giang’s Dong Van Karst Plateau, Ban Gioc Waterfall, Ba Be Lake and Thac Ba Lake. From US$1,920 per rider, with a Honda trail […]

Hanoi - Mai Chau - Mu Cang Chai - Sapa - Ha Giang - Dong Van - Ban Gioc - Ba Be Lake - Hanoi

Highlights?

  • Ride about 2,060 km through both the northwest and the northeast of Vietnam in one 12-day motorcycle loop from Hanoi.
  • Cross O Quy Ho Pass at about 2,000 m and spend an afternoon in Sapa.
  • Ride the Dong Van Karst Plateau UNESCO Global Geopark and Ma Pi Leng Pass above the Nho Que River.
  • See the rice terraces of Mu Cang Chai and Hoang Su Phi, and Ban Gioc Waterfall on the Chinese border.
  • Take boat trips on Ba Be Lake and Thac Ba Lake and sleep in Thai, Tay and Dao homestays.
  • Join a small group motorbike tour of 6–10 riders on Honda trail bikes, with an English-speaking guide and a mechanic – from US$1,920 per rider.

$1920 /pax

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North Vietnam Joined Group Motorcycle Tour 8 Days
Boat on Ba Be Lake
River bridge on the road to Bao Lac
Nho Que river viewpoint
Dong Van Karst Plateau +7

North Vietnam Joined Group Motorcycle Tour 8 Days

Excellent
- reviews

This North Vietnam joined group motorcycle tour 8 days (7 nights) is a guided small-group motorcycle loop of about 1,480 km from Hanoi, from US$1,280 per rider. You ride Honda trail bikes past Ba Be Lake, over Ma Pi Leng Pass on the Ha Giang plateau, up to Sapa and O Quy Ho Pass, through […]

Hanoi - Ba Be - Meo Vac - Dong Van - Ha Giang - Sapa - Mu Cang Chai - Phu Yen - Mai Chau - Hanoi

Highlights?

  • Ride about 1,480 km of northern Vietnam’s best mountain roads in eight days, from Ba Be Lake to Ha Giang, Sapa, Mu Cang Chai and Mai Chau.
  • Cross Ma Pi Leng Pass high above the Nho Que River and Tu San Canyon, the most famous stretch of road on the Ha Giang plateau.
  • Climb O Quy Ho Pass, at about 2,000 m one of the highest paved passes in Vietnam, on the way from Sapa to Lai Chau.
  • Ride past the rice terraces of Mu Cang Chai and Tu Le, at their most striking just before the autumn harvest.
  • Sleep in Tay and Thai stilt-house homestays at Ba Be Lake and Mai Chau, with home-cooked dinners.
  • Join a fixed-departure small group motorcycle tour (6–10 riders) on well-maintained Honda trail bikes, with an English-speaking guide and a mechanic.

$1280 /pax

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Northwest Loop Vietnam Motorcycle Tour 6 Days
Rice-field lane on the way to Mai Chau
Tea plantations on the Moc Chau plateau
Group stop above the Da River
Highland valley near Mu Cang Chai +7

Northwest Loop Vietnam Motorcycle Tour 6 Days

Excellent
- reviews

This Northwest Loop Vietnam motorcycle tour 6 days (5 nights) is a guided, joined small-group motorcycle tour from Hanoi on Honda CRF250L or CRF300L bikes, from US$960 per rider: Mai Chau, the Da River, the terraces of Mu Cang Chai, the O Quy Ho Pass, Sapa and Thac Ba Lake, riding about 150–220 km a […]

Hanoi - Mai Chau - Phu Yen - Mu Cang Chai - Than Uyen - Sapa - Thac Ba Lake - Hanoi

Highlights?

  • Ride a full loop of Northwest Vietnam in six days on a Honda CRF250L or CRF300L, with a riding guide and mechanic.
  • Sleep in a Thai stilt-house homestay in the Mai Chau valley after an afternoon of mountain back roads.
  • Follow the Da River and cross the reservoir on the way to Phu Yen, one of the most scenic stretches of the loop.
  • Cross the terraced valleys of Mu Cang Chai, a special national relic, with stops in Hmong, Thai and Dao villages.
  • Climb the O Quy Ho Pass, about 50 km long and about 2,000 m at the top, to Sapa and ride the Muong Hoa Valley.
  • End beside Thac Ba Lake and its forested islands, then return to Hanoi on quiet back roads.
  • Join a small group of 6–10 riders on fixed 2027 dates, or ride privately on your own dates.

$960 /pax

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Frequently Asked Questions about Vietnam Motorcycle Tours
1. What is a Vietnam motorcycle tour?

A guided multi-day ride in which you ride your own motorbike through the mountains of North Vietnam, with an English-speaking guide, a mechanic and pre-booked hotels or homestays.

2. Which Vietnam motorcycle tour should I choose?

With 6 days, choose the Ha Giang Loop for limestone passes and canyons, or the Northwest Loop for rice terraces and Sapa. With 8 days, the North Vietnam loop combines both; with 12 days, the grand tour adds Ban Gioc Waterfall and Cao Bang.

3. How much does a motorcycle tour in Vietnam cost?

From US$960 per rider for the 6-day Ha Giang Loop and Northwest Loop, US$1,280 for 8 days and US$1,920 for 12 days, in a small group. Check each tour page for what is included.

4. Do I need a licence to ride a motorbike in Vietnam?

Yes. You need a motorcycle licence recognised in Vietnam – a Vietnamese licence, or an International Driving Permit issued under the 1968 Vienna Convention that covers motorcycles – and travel insurance that covers motorcycling. Contact us before booking if you are unsure.

5. How big are the groups?

Our joined motorcycle tours run with 6–10 riders, a guide and a mechanic. Private departures can be arranged on request.

6. When is the best time for a motorcycle tour in North Vietnam?

September to November and March to May are the best months: dry, clear and mild. Ha Giang is famous for buckwheat flowers in October–November and Mu Cang Chai for golden rice terraces in late September–early October. December–February can be cold and foggy; June–August brings heavy rain.

7. Is riding in North Vietnam difficult?

The mountain roads are paved but steep and winding, with trucks and changing weather, so you should be a confident rider. Daily distances are about 150–240 km, and the guide sets a steady pace.

8. Can I ride as a passenger instead?

Ask us about your options on the contact page. For short city rides with a driver, see our Vietnam Vespa Tours.

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