Biking Vietnam to Laos - Hanoi to Luang Prabang

We'll visit some of Hanoi's cultural and historical highlights and take a night train to Laos. The morning is the best time to experience the busy streets of Hanoi's Old Quarter, then walk to Hoan Kiem Lake, Ngoc Son Temple, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, One Pillar Pagoda, and visit the Temple of Literature, was built about 1000 years ago to be dedicated to Confucius, sages, and scholars and is also considered as the first university in Vietnam. The temple represents ancient Vietnamese architecture and a traditional fondness for learning. After lunch, you relax or explore the markets until we meet in the evening; take an overnight train from Hanoi to Lao Cai.

The train arrives early in the morning; meet your bike guide at Lao Cai railway station and get transferred to Sapa. Early check-in at the hotel, rest or explore the Sapa town alone. After lunch, we go for a loop bike ride and experience the culture and life of the Dao and H'mong ethnic minorities in Ta Phin village. Explore and enjoy the wild and fantastic beauty scenery; spectacular karst, rice terraced, green valleys, and strawberry fields, passing Old French Church. There will be many stops along the villages, and then we will ride to Sapa.

We start from the hotel, undulating, ride a few km, then pedal to gradually climb to Tram Ton Pass- heaven gate, the highest mountain pass in northern Vietnam. Look over the tea plantation, view the Silver waterfalls, and break at the summit for landscape photo chances and breathtaking views surrounding Fansipan before we ride down hills to Binh Lu, where our organized lunch at a local restaurant and spectacular view surrounding Fansipan peak.
Following lunch, we turn on a small dirt road to villages and experience the lifestyles of Thai and Lu ethnic people at Na Hum, Ban Hon villages. White Thai, Lu, and White Hmong people mainly inhabit these villages. The fantastic routes allow us to benefit from beautiful valleys, rice fields, and limestone mountains. We pedal rolling hills, cycle along the river, and finish the day at the hotel lobby in Lai Chau city.

The distance between Lai Chau to Sin Ho is short distance, but its routes are incredible, through jungles, tiny villages, and rice terraces to stimulate you to conquer winding mountain passes through its plateau. We will explore unspoiled nature and the diverse cultures of local ethnic groups and immerse ourselves in the natural landscape of northwest Vietnam. After lunchtime, we will ride down the valley of Sin Ho city in the early afternoon. It's a great time to explore the small valley town, and it's a valley in your way.

After leisurely breakfast, and we ride from the hotel stop off at the market in town, where local tribes gather here every morning but are more bustling and more attractive on Sunday. Afterward, we ride to Chan Nua; the day is more relaxed, undulating the hillsides and mostly downhills which is more leisurely and downhill than up. We have plenty of time to get close to Thai Ethnic, visit the local homes, admire the solid wooden stilt houses, and learn more about the culture before we carry on our adventures to deep valleys and down the road 128 to Chan Nua with many endless photos. We continued the day to Muong Lay after lunch in Chan Nua village. The ride is undulating along the river, forest, and green hills as the sun gradually sets down behind the mountain hills making your ride more enjoyable in the valley. The rest of the afternoon is free to explore valley town. 

We cycle from the hotel, and pedal along the river, past many small villages by waterways, enjoy a peaceful landscape along the river, To Muong Tung, then cross the river to national road 12—our day's adventure to Dien Bien Phu. Enjoy the ride through the natural beauty of diverse mountain regions, winding roads, green grassy hills, rice paddies, and lush rural farms; challenge Ma Phi Ho Pass called Heaven Gate, undulate along the mountain jungle, you arrive in Muong Cha at noon time. Following lunch, we head toward Dien Ben Phu, undulating the road along the small river through tiny towns, colorful rice fields, and fruit orchards along hillsides. The roads are smooth and more down the up, allowing us to enjoy watching tiny stilt houses and vast valleys alongside the rivers

There is no cycling today. Explore the French commander Colonel de Castries' Headquarters of Dien Bien Phu battlefields, the A1 hill, bunkers, and it's the museum. After lunch, we return to the hotel, have free time for the rest of the day, and prepare for the fantastic ride in Laos.

After breakfast, check out; you'll transfer 1 hour to the Tay Trang border. Say goodbye to the team, and welcome to Laos; meet your new support crew- after we get through the customs border immigration checkpoint. We start the first-day ride in Laos, undulating on a quiet road, passing remote villages along sleepy rivers. The quiet road offers plenty of fantastic mountain views of Muong Mai and Muong Khua.

Muang Ngoy is a remote Dist located by the Nam Ou River between Muang Khua and Nong Khiaw. Those are beautiful riverside villages; the only way to get there is by waterway. Loads your luggage, suitcase, and bikes on the traditional long boat and set off from nong Khiaw.

The slow boat journey gives you more opportunities with great views along the river, subtropical forest, limestone cliffs, small villages, and the amazing daily life of local traders and fishermen. You can also experience local handicrafts and excellent souvenirs when we stop along the river bank. After lunch, the boat journey continues forwards to Maung Ngoy. Free to explore the charming town and its rustic countryside until we meet up for dinner.

Nong Khiaw is close to Muang Ngoy both by land and boat. The dirt tracks through the jungles, tiny villages of Hmong, and some parts along the Nam Ou River. Continue undulating and some gentle hills, shallow water stream crossings, and terraced rice fields to the outskirts of Nong Khiaw town. Break for lunch before checking in at the hotel. Free to explore the town in the afternoon.

Commence the last day ride from the hotel to Pak Mong; ride on the famous Nong Khiaw Bridge, which gives you a great view of the Nam Ou River and the breathtaking rocks, mountains, and hills surrounding authentic villages. Enjoy stunning views of mountains, rice-terraced fields, and small villages in Pak Mong where we break for coffee, fruit and explore a little town. Then we resume pedaling on paved roads, kids riding bicycles to schools, holding umbrellas to avoid getting tan. Umbrellas are trendy, as they can be seen almost everywhere in Laos. It is beneficial because of the long daylight rains and sunshine in mountainous countries. Both women and men are teenagers too old. Take time with your easy time cycling on a smooth road along Nam Ou River—lunch en route. Continue today's ride to Nam Ou bridge, turn right on country back roads, bike 20 km through small villages, and view beautiful scenery along the rivers, passing colorful temples and small markets until riding back to the man road. We'll end up cycling here and hopping on the support vehicles for a short transfer to Luang Prabang City. Tour End!