On the bike · 5 days
Five days on the back of a bike, zero worries — and four nights beyond where the tour buses turn around.
The experience
Sit back on a comfortable 150cc motorbike with a backrest while your rider takes the handlebars — one guest, one rider, so every stop is your stop.
We climb the legendary passes of Ha Giang, drift along the emerald Nho Que River, then keep going into the quiet, wild border country of Cao Bang: past Lo Lo and Tay villages, over the 14-turn Me Pia Pass, all the way to Ban Gioc Waterfall — and we sleep right next to it, so you see it at sunrise before anyone else arrives.
Meals, rooms, water and even your limousine bus ticket back to Hanoi are all taken care of.
Duration
5 days
4 nights
Riding
±620 km
total
Style
1 : 1
one guest, one rider
Route
Ha Giang
to Cao Bang
Why this one
Sunrise at the waterfall, before the day-trippers arrive. Most tours miss this — it is the best moment of the trip.
The quiet stretch from Meo Vac to Bao Lac is your rider's personal favourite. Few tourists ever see it.
You ride pillion behind an experienced local rider. Nothing to arrange, nothing to prove at a police check.
Matthew, or a local rider he works with. You will know their name before you arrive.
The route
Day 1
±150 km · riding with plenty of stops
Pick up at your hotel in Ha Giang. We climb Bac Sum Pass to Quan Ba Heaven Gate for the famous Twin Mountains view.
Lunch in Yen Minh town, then the H'Mong King's Palace and the winding Tham Ma Pass.
Night 1 — Dong Van old town. Private room, hot shower, comfortable bed.
Day 2
±90 km · a shorter, relaxed day
Lung Cu Flag Tower — the northernmost point of Vietnam.
Ma Pi Leng Pass and the emerald Nho Que River far below. We take our time — coffee with a view included. Optional boat trip through Tu San Canyon.
Night 2 — Meo Vac. Private room.
Day 3
±130 km · quiet, wild, no crowds
We leave the crowds behind. This quiet stretch into Cao Bang province sees few tourists. We pass through villages of the Lo Lo and Tay people.
Night 3 — Bao Lac. Private room in a family-run guesthouse; the home cooking is excellent.
Day 4
±160 km through limestone valleys
Viewpoint over the famous 14-turn Me Pia Pass, then on through Cao Bang's limestone valleys.
Arrive at Ban Gioc Waterfall — one of the largest waterfalls in Southeast Asia, right on the China border.
Night 4 — sleeping near the falls, so the morning is yours before the buses arrive.
Day 5
±90 km · relaxed all-day pace
Sunrise at Ban Gioc Waterfall — just you and the sound of the water.
Explore Nguom Ngao Cave, then a relaxed ride back toward Cao Bang city with stops along the way.
Your rider helps you board an afternoon limousine bus to Hanoi — ticket included, comfortable reclining seats, arriving around 10:00 PM.
Before you book
| Day | What it involves | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ha Giang → Dong Van | ±150 km |
| 2 | Dong Van → Meo Vac | ±90 km, relaxed |
| 3 | Meo Vac → Bao Lac | ±130 km, quiet |
| 4 | Bao Lac → Ban Gioc | ±160 km, the longest |
| 5 | Ban Gioc → Cao Bang | ±90 km, then the bus |
No licence needed and nothing to ride yourself — you sit behind an experienced local rider for the whole route. This is the longest trip on offer and the only one that leaves Ha Giang province.
Good to know
The price
Everything above is in the price, including your bus ticket back to Hanoi. You will not be asked for cash on the road.
Easy rider
$549
per person, one guest to one rider
Minimum two guests. Private trip — I never merge groups. Travelling solo? Message me anyway.
To reserve: your passport photo page, your dates and your group size. That is all I need to start the permit.
Free cancellation up to seven days before. If I cancel for weather, you get everything back or a free date change — your call.
Next step
I will tell you honestly whether it is a good time to come, and which trip fits you.