Far North Vietnam Mountain by Bike & Cruise

At 7:30 am, we’ll transfer for about two hours to Vinh Phuc Province, Upon arrival in a Dao Tru village, where we begin an exciting cycling holiday along quiet, scenic back roads. After a few kilometers, we’ll ride through charming small villages, passing verdant, lush farmlands, abundant fruit orchards, and emerald rice paddies as we gradually ascend to a picturesque higher plateau.

Lunch will be served en route to Son Duong. Following lunch, we continue cycling along the gentle, winding river, pausing at lively little markets along the way. Today’s distance is approximately 35 km, but you’ll be immersed in the rustic countryside, breathtaking hillside scenery, and the peaceful beauty of the river, enjoying all that this unspoiled region has to offer.

Our first day’s adventure ends in a quaint small town, where our shuttle will take a comfortable 40-minute drive to Tuyen Quang City.

Commence the amazing day with a scenic 1.5-hour shuttle to Vinh Tuy. From there, we collect our bikes and set off along the tranquil back roads of 196C, continuing to 196A where the route merges with QL279. Pedaling through lush rice fields and fragrant orchards, we pass picturesque valleys and a series of charming villages nestled along gentle hillsides. Along the way, we pause at several welcoming ethnic villages tucked away on quiet back roads.

After a relaxed lunch in a small town, we follow QL279 for a few kilometers before turning onto winding countryside back roads. The ride continues through breathtaking landscapes—terraced rice valleys, verdant tropical forests, and serene rural scenery. We conclude the day in the peaceful Thong Nguyen Valley.

Today, we’ll explore the most prestigious limestone mountains and marvelous rice terrace fields, including the breathtaking Paradise Terraced Fields—recognized as a National Heritage site of Northeast Vietnam—alongside stunning, vibrant tribal villages that make Ha Giang so unique.

After a leisurely, relaxing breakfast, we’ll hop on our bikes and set off on another exciting and adventurous journey. We’ll cycle 3 km to a charming local market, where ethnic communities gather in the early morning to trade goods in a lively and colorful atmosphere.

From there, we’ll turn onto a scenic, winding paved road that follows the river, passing through lush tropical forests and peaceful rural villages, where you’ll see gentle buffalos and traditional wooden stilt houses.

Continuing along DT177, prepare for moderate rolling hills and a thrilling descent toward Tan Quang. We’ll enjoy a well-deserved lunch en route before heading onward to Ha Giang. 

After breakfast, we set off from the town, cycling the first 25 km along a relatively flat road that winds through a scenic landscape of terraced rice paddy fields. We pass through quiet, picturesque minority villages, where friendly and welcoming locals offer a glimpse into life in this remote region.

The highlight of the ride is the challenging ascent to ‘Heaven’s Gate 1’, where we are rewarded with breathtaking, panoramic views over the stunning Tam Son Valley and the striking Twin Hills. We then continue cycling before turning onto a narrow, peaceful path that leads to the lodge.

Relax by swimming in the pools and strolling through the villages, letting your legs rest after days of adventure. Prepare yourself for what’s coming next.

We’ll depart from the hotel, powering up a gentle slope for a few kilometers before gliding into a scenic 10-kilometer descent. The route then eases into a relatively flat and relaxing stretch for another 10 kilometers, offering a brief reprieve. Soon after, the terrain turns rugged and demanding, with a series of undulating climbs and descents leading us into Yen Minh, where we’ll pause for a well-earned lunch.

The afternoon brings a more exhilarating challenge as we pick up the pace, tackling the dramatic Tham Ma and Chin Khoanh Passes. From there, we enter the breathtaking Dong Van Karst Plateau, a UNESCO Global Geopark where nearly 80% of the landscape is blanketed in striking limestone formations. This ancient terrain holds fossils dating back 400–600 million years, adding a profound sense of history to the journey. We’ll continue winding through majestic mountain scenery before arriving in Dong Van.

Be ready for another amazing, unforgettable day. Today’s routes wind through breathtaking, majestic mountains and alongside the emerald beauty of the Nho Que River, offering countless moments to slow down and take in the scenery.

You’ll have wonderful opportunities to pause and admire the stunning landscapes of lush, verdant valleys and the authentic charm of hill-tribe villages scattered along the remote borders of Vietnam and China.

We’ll roll down the spectacular, winding slopes of Ma Pi Leng Pass toward Meo Vac, then continue along gently undulating roads through peaceful, picturesque villages, sometimes tracing the serene curves of the Nho Que River toward Bao Lac, with a relaxing lunch en route.

As this remarkable journey draws to a close, we’ll transfer to Bao Lac in the late, golden afternoon, carrying with us the memories of an awe-inspiring day.

Tra Linh Mountain Dist is close to China. It's one of the non-tourist towns in the far north of Vietnam. Conical mountains surround a little town in the valley. From Cao Bang City, the beautiful mountain road DT208 will lead us to explore the life of colorful tribes, experience local style life and culture, and immerse ourselves in stunning mountain scenery and peaceful valleys.

From the hotel, we'll have a short transfer to a rural village where we start the day cycling along Bang River, cycling through small villages and tiny towns, passing verdant farmlands and rice-terraced fields. After 10km, we leave the river behind and roll onto gentle mountains, hillsides, and cornfields. We'll meet hill tribes on the way; as we enter the Ha Quang rural Dist, we ride along the river, traveling through the little town, then we roll along mountain hillsides, enjoying the scenery of green valleys alongside small rivers and undulating the mountain road, through jungles to Pac Po. The place Ho Chi Minh organized a revolution again the French and Japanese. Later, he liberated the Vietnamese from the French in 1954. We break for lunch at a local restaurant and get ready to speed some gentle pass on winding forest jungles on Road DT210. We cycle and pass by small hill tribal villages and experience the rich culture of life of different ethnic minorities until we speed up to Tra Linh township-small border town.

The morning ride starts from the hotel. We quickly leave the town and will stop at a small village on the side road to see the bamboo water wheels by the stream. Then we roll hills onto the mountainous countryside and enjoy views of brilliant scenery and breathtaking landscapes. Break for coffee in the town of Trung Khanh, and we ride to Dinh Phong village, passing the Cao Vit Gibbon National Reserve of Trung Khanh. The project has established a new Cao-vit Gibbon Conservation Team of 11 members, including government staff and people from local communities who regularly monitor the gibbon population in the conservation area. After lunch at a local restaurant, we follow the single track couple of km to Quay Son River. This is your endless photo opportunity for stunning landscapes and lush rice paddy fields along the borderline. Cross Quay River on a narrow suspension bridge, we cycle a couple of km on road DT206 to Ban Gioc

Get up early in the morning to expose the fascinating nature, walking down to discover the magnificent Ban Gioc Water Fall. Ban Gioc Water Fall is one of Vietnam's most beautiful waterfalls, sharing half of the River with China. Then we return to the hotel for breakfast and begin riding from Hotel to Quang Uyen Town today on frontier roads. We cycle along the river that is the border of Vietnam and China. In the first section of the river, we can see local Vietnamese and Chinese trading by crossing the river with little boats as smugglers. The new frontier roads offer picturesque limestone mountain ranges along the sleepy river then, where we cycle and pass by hill tribal villages of Tay and Nung hill tribes. We will have regular stops along the villages, learn about their life Have lunch en route. After lunch, we continued riding undulated village roads to Quang Uyen Town where we'll transfer to Cao Bang City. 

After a leisurely breakfast, we'll transfer out of the City, pick up the bike, and travel through tea plantations and corn fields, undulate the road QL34, passing little towns, peaceful countryside, and rice-terraced fields to Tinh Tuc, where we have lunch. After lunch, we hope to support vehicles to transfer to Ba Be Lake. Check in the local homestay by the lake, taste coffee, enjoy beautiful views, relax, or explore the area on your own until dinner at the homestay.

After breakfast, we'll take a boat trip to admire the peaceful scenery of the lake and explore the lake's wildlife—cruise along the river, explore the cave, visit the village, and resume the ride about 20 km, enjoy views of high limestone ranges of the national park is Ba Be Lake – the largest freshwater lake in the country. Transfer to Ha Noi in the late afternoon. Tour Ends!