Northwest Loop Vietnam Motorbike Tour 6 Days

This Northwest Loop Vietnam motorbike 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 day on mountain roads and dirt tracks.

Status (checked October 2026): this is a fixed-route, fixed-departure joined group motorbike tour with scheduled 2027 departures (dates below), 6–10 riders; private departures on any date can be arranged on request. Riders need a home-country motorcycle licence plus a 1968-Convention International Driving Permit. Lunar New Year (Tet) falls on 6 February 2027.

Northwest Vietnam Motorbike Tour at a Glance

2027 Group Departure Dates for This Motorcycle Tour

Join one of our scheduled fixed departures and ride this group motorcycle tour with other travellers. Each group has 6 to 10 riders. If none of these dates suits you, we can run the same loop as a private tour on the date you choose.

Ask about a departure or request private dates.

Northwest Loop Vietnam Motorbike Tour Price 2027

The Northwest Vietnam motorbike tour 6 days is priced per rider for a joined small group of 6–10 riders. The price depends on the bike you choose and whether you share a twin room or take a single room:

• Included: English-speaking tour guide and mechanic, Honda motorbike with all fuel, helmet, gloves, knee and elbow pads and rain gear, all meals and accommodation on tour, boat rides and river crossings in the itinerary, entrance fees and permits, Hanoi hotel pick-up and drop-off, a video of your trip and souvenirs from our team (café cup, cap).
• Not included: medical and travel insurance, bike damage, personal expenses, drinks and tips, international flights, and the single-room supplement unless you book at the single-room rate.
• At extra cost: support vehicle, airport transfers and bigger bikes.

Prices can change with the low or high season and special requests. Private motorcycle tours on your own dates are quoted separately, as private per-day rates depend on group size. Check availability and book your seat.

Is 6 Days Enough for a Northwest Vietnam Motorbike Loop?

Yes – six days is enough for a complete loop of the Northwest if you are happy to ride most of each day. The route covers about 1,090 km, so every day is a full riding day of 150–220 km, with time built in for photo stops, village visits and a short ride through the Muong Hoa Valley in Sapa.

What six days cannot give you is a rest day. If you would like a free day in Sapa, a slower pace on the mountain passes or time to walk in the villages, ask us for a private version with an extra night. Riders who want Ha Giang as well should look at our longer motorbike tours below.

Highlights of the Northwest Loop Motorcycle Tour

1. Mai Chau Valley and a Thai Homestay

The first afternoon leaves the main road for mountain back roads and dirt tracks into Mai Chau, a valley of rice fields and wooden stilt houses of the Thai people. Since the 2025 provincial merger, Mai Chau belongs to Phu Tho province (formerly Hoa Binh). You sleep in a family homestay and walk around the village the next morning.

2. Hua Tat Pass, Moc Chau and the Da River

Day 2 climbs out of the valley past Hmong villages to the Moc Chau plateau in Son La province, known for its tea hills, using the quiet Hua Tat Pass road instead of the highway. In the afternoon you drop down to the Da River reservoir, cross the water and follow the river to Phu Yen – one of the most scenic stretches of the loop.

3. Mu Cang Chai Rice Terraces

Day 3 is the longest mountain day, crossing long, winding passes and the terraced valleys of Mu Cang Chai. About 2,200 hectares of terraces in La Pan Tan, Che Cu Nha and De Xu Phinh communes were recognised as a special national relic at the end of 2019. Expect stops in Hmong, Thai and Dao villages along the way.

4. O Quy Ho Pass

Between Than Uyen and Sapa you ride the O Quy Ho Pass, about 50 km long, which climbs to about 2,000 m on the border of Lai Chau and Lao Cai provinces. The first half rolls through large tea fields; the second climbs steadily over the Hoang Lien Son range to Sapa, at about 1,600 m.

5. Sapa and the Muong Hoa Valley

After lunch in Sapa, a short afternoon ride takes you along the Muong Hoa Valley, the classic landscape of rice terraces and Hmong and Giay villages below the town. On Day 5 a quiet mountain road of about 30 km passes Hmong and Red Dao villages before you reach the Chinese border at Lao Cai.

6. Thac Ba Lake

The last night is at Thac Ba Lake, a large reservoir of more than 1,300 forested hill-islands created by the Thac Ba hydropower dam, in the former Yen Bai province (now part of Lao Cai). If time allows on arrival, we take a short boat trip on the lake.

Who This Group Motorbike Tour Is For – and Who Should Choose Another

Choose this tour if you:

• are a confident motorbike rider and want to see Northwest Vietnam from the saddle, on back roads away from the main tourist routes;
• enjoy long riding days, mountain passes and rice terraces, with stops in ethnic minority villages;
• are happy to join a small group of 6–10 riders, or want a private departure on your own dates.

Consider another option if you:

• have never ridden a manual or semi-automatic motorbike – mountain roads, trucks and loose surfaces are no place to learn;
• do not hold a motorcycle licence and a 1968-Convention International Driving Permit – without them you ride illegally and your insurance is unlikely to cover you;
• want rest days or more time on foot – our Hanoi – Sapa Tour 3 Days includes a valley trek by private car;
• want Ha Giang and the Ma Pi Leng Pass – choose our Ha Giang Loop Motorbike Tour 6 Days instead.

Accommodation on the Northwest Motorbike Loop

Accommodation is simple and local, chosen for its location on the route rather than for stars. Rooms are twin share; single rooms are available at the single-room rate shown in the price table above.

Why Book This Motorcycle Tour Direct with Vietnam Tour Expert

• Local team in Hanoi: we plan and run our motorbike tours in North Vietnam ourselves, so you deal directly with the people organising your ride.
• No middleman commission: booking direct means a local price with our best price guarantee, rather than an online agency mark-up.
• Clear group prices and inclusions: from US$960 per rider on a joined departure, covering your Honda bike with fuel, riding gear, a tour guide and mechanic, all meals and accommodation on tour, boat rides in the itinerary, entrance fees and permits, Hanoi hotel transfers and a video of your trip.
• Fast replies: we answer every inquiry within 24 hours, and you can reach us on WhatsApp on +84 88 626 1368 before and during the tour.

Send us your travel dates and we will reply with availability and a quote.

Customise This Motorbike Tour

The group departures follow the fixed route described here. On a private departure, popular changes include:

• Your own dates: run the same loop as a private motorcycle tour for your group on any date (quoted separately).
• A rest day in Sapa: add a night to walk in the valley or ride the cable car up Fansipan – see our Sapa trekking guide.
• Easier or harder riding: more paved roads or more dirt tracks, depending on your experience.
• Support vehicle: a van for luggage or non-riding companions can be added at extra cost.
• Extend to Ha Giang: combine the Northwest with the far north on our Vietnam Motorcycle Tour 12 Days: Hanoi – Sapa – Ha Giang.

Customise this tour – tell us what you would like to change.

Compare Similar Motorbike Tours

Local Expert Notes by Jimmy

These notes come from years of arranging North Vietnam tours for international travellers.

• Licence first: Vietnamese law requires foreign riders to carry their home-country licence with a motorcycle category plus an International Driving Permit issued under the 1968 Vienna Convention; a 1949-type permit is not accepted. Carry both originals on every riding day, and check with your insurer that motorbike riding is covered.
• Helmets are mandatory: we supply helmets, gloves, knee and elbow pads and rain gear – wear them all day, even on short village rides.
• Weather: the rainy season in the northern mountains runs roughly from May to September, bringing slippery tracks and occasional landslides; from December to February Sapa and the high passes can be cold and foggy, so pack warm layers under your riding jacket.
• Golden terraces: Mu Cang Chai and the valleys around Sapa are usually golden in September, just before the harvest; in May and June the flooded terraces mirror the sky.
• Tet 2027: Lunar New Year falls on 6 February 2027. The 15 February departure runs shortly after the holiday, when roads and markets are busy with family travel.
• Pack light: your luggage travels in bike bags or a backpack, so bring one small soft bag and leave the rest at your Hanoi hotel.
• Cash: carry Vietnamese dong in small notes for drinks, snacks and tips – ATMs are scarce between the towns.

More planning help: Sapa travel tips, Sapa food guide, how to get from Hanoi to Sapa, Hanoi travel tips, our Sapa travel guide and our Hanoi travel guide.

Ready to ride? Send us an inquiry with your preferred departure date and riding experience – we reply within 24 hours.

Updated 10 October 2026 · By Jimmy, Vietnam Tour Expert

About This Northwest Loop Vietnam Motorbike Tour 6 Days

This 6-day, 5-night motorbike loop starts and ends in Hanoi and rides about 1,090 km through the mountains of Northwest Vietnam: Mai Chau, Moc Chau, the Da River, Mu Cang Chai, the O Quy Ho Pass, Sapa and Thac Ba Lake. Days are 150–220 km on paved mountain roads, back roads and some dirt tracks. It runs as a joined small group motorcycle tour (6–10 riders) on fixed 2027 departures, from US$960 per rider, or as a private tour on your own dates.

Brief itinerary

• Day 1: Hanoi – Mai Chau, about 170 km (L, D)
• Day 2: Mai Chau – Hua Tat Pass – Moc Chau – Phu Yen, about 160 km (B, L, D)
• Day 3: Phu Yen – Mu Cang Chai – Than Uyen, about 210 km (B, L, D)
• Day 4: Than Uyen – O Quy Ho Pass – Sapa – Muong Hoa Valley, about 150 km (B, L, D)
• Day 5: Sapa – Lao Cai – Thac Ba Lake, about 220 km (B, L, D)
• Day 6: Thac Ba Lake – Hanoi, about 180 km (B, L)

B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner. Distances and times are approximate and depend on weather, road works and the group’s pace.

• Prices are per rider in US dollars for the full 6-day, 5-night joined group motorbike tour, with all meals, accommodation, guide, mechanic and fuel included.
• Small group: 6–10 riders per fixed departure. Prices can change with the low or high season and special requests.
• Private motorcycle tours on your own dates are available and quoted separately (private per-day rates depend on group size).

Check availability and book your seat