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Tour Highlights
px">Ride some of Asia's best singletrack trails!
px">Stay in a luxury lodge listed on National Geographic's 'Unique Lodges of the World'.
px">Visit the Sapa region and witness some of the most impressive terraced rice fields in the world.
px">Stay in the bustling 'Old Quarter' of Hanoi.
px">Spend a night on the waters of Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, aboard our own private boat.
px">Ride through the epic landscapes of the Ha Giang region.
px">Witness the stunning mountain landscapes of Northern Vietnam.
px">Enjoy an excellent mix of riding terrain, from singletrack riverside trails to steep tracks in the hills.
px">Ride through small rivers and cross large ones on local ferries.
px">Enjoy a variety of Vietnamese cuisine and western style picnics provided by our support crew.
px">Stay with a local family.
px">Touch upon the Chinese border in the far North.
North Vietnam is home to the best dirt bike riding in the country and it’ll certainly be up there with some of the best in Asia! With a wonderful combination of epic scenery, colourful tribal villages, snaking tracks & trails through the rugged landscapes, a dirt bike tour in Vietnam is worthy of every motorcyclists bucket list!
This motorcycle tour really is the ultimate off-road riding adventure of Vietnam. Looping around the entire north of the country and visiting all the best regions for dirt bike riding, you’ll cross rivers on bamboo rafts, ride roads that hug the cliffside, tackle technical rocky singletrack and ride up into the highlands which border China!
This tour kicks off with a 5* hotel in Hanoi and stays in a mix of homestays, guesthouses, resorts and hotels throughout the countryside.
If you’re looking for the ultimate dirt bike tour of Vietnam, you need look no further!
You’ll be greeted from Hanoi’s ‘Noi Bai’ international airport and transferred to our luxury hotel, ideally located in the Old Quarter of the city. Relax by the pool or take some time to explore the bustling streets before meeting with the group in the afternoon for a trip briefing.
In the evening we’ll go out for an excellent welcome meal at an authentic Vietnamese restaurant. If you weren’t in love with Vietnamese food before, you will be now!
- Accommodation: 5* hotel.
- Included Meals: Dinner.
We’ll collect you from the hotel after breakfast and take you to the workshop where you’ll meet our local team. We’ll make some personal adjustments to the bikes and ensure we’re all comfortable before venturing out into the streets.
This dirt bike tour in Vietnam first kicks off on paved roads that head towards the hills and away from the city. After lunch, we branch off onto smaller roads and tracks that lead us into the Ba Be Lake National Park where we can visit the spectacular clear lake, surrounded by jungle covered mountains.
Tonight we stay with a local hill tribe family. Always an incredible experience, with exceptional food and no doubt a few shots of rice wine!
- Accommodation: Homestay.
- Included Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
After a relaxing start in this beautiful village, we’ll saddle up and continue our dirt biking journey north. We pass through numerous hill-tribe villages and forests on our way through to Bao Lac – the gateway to Ha Giang plateau.
The day provides some exceptional dirt bike riding as we head for the high passes and black rocks that make up the landscape of the Ha Giang region.
We’ll encounter many colourful hill tribes, where the locals are dressed in red & black attire.
We’ll ride roads that hug the cliff face as we climb Ma Phi Lieng Pass, stopping en route for a snack to enjoy the spectacular views that reach across to the borders of China.
Our destination is the old town of Dong Van – a picturesque market town surrounded by mountains.
- Accommodation: Guesthouse.
- Included Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
A cracking day off-road today as we work our way through the mountains, traversing the steep tracks along the regions bordering China. More exceptional views of the rocky landscape and more colourful hill tribes. This is the real Vietnam right here, and it’s simply beautiful!
Tonight we again stay with a local family and are spoiled with more of that incredible home cooked Vietnamese food.
- Accommodation: Homestay.
- Included Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
We start the day with 50km of highway before branching off onto some brilliant dirt tracks that explore the rice terraces and villages of Hoang Su Phi district.
We descend to Pan Hou – a village of the Dao hill tribe – before reaching our eco lodge, set within beautiful gardens and surrounded by picturesque villages.
- Accommodation: Eco-lodge.
- Included Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
We’ll enjoyed a relaxed morning of roads & easy trails before hitting the rough stuff after lunch. Steep rocky tracks take us high into the mountains before crossing a pass and descending into the Xin Man valley.
This area is home to the colourful Hmong tribes. We’ll stop to meet the locals and take some photos, before enjoying stunning views from the seat of the motorbikes as we head towards our overnight stay in Xin Man town.
- Accommodation: Guesthouse.
- Included Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Today is a mix of excellent sealed roads, trails and dirt tracks. We might be one week into the trip, but the scenery continues to impress as we ride parallel to the Chinese border, snaking through the mountains, passing through forests and villages.
The terraced rice fields of the Sapa region are some of the most spectacular in the world, and tonight’s accommodation is perched atop a hill slap bang in the middle of it all. Listed on National Geographic’s ‘Unique Lodges of the World’, this place is the perfect place to relax for a couple of nights before commencing on the second leg of the journey.
- Accommodation: Luxury resort.
- Included Meals: Breakfast, lunch.
Relax by the heated pool or take a stroll around the beautiful surrounding countryside. For those that want to explore, there’s plenty to see and do around Sapa so we can go for a ride in the surrounding hills and into the town.
- Accommodation: Luxury resort.
- Included Meals: Breakfast.
Continuing through the highlands, we cross numerous passes, including the highest pass in Vietnam: Tram Thon pass, at 1900m. This is known as ‘Heaven’s Gate’, due to the incredible views that open up in front of you at the top.
We’ll pass through forests, alongside tea plantations and over Cao Pha pass as we near our destination of Mu Cang Chai.
- Accommodation: Guesthouse.
- Included Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Today we venture further into the remote regions of the Hmong and Dao minority villages where the locals are always colourfully dressed as they go about their daily lives. The colours of the local’s traditional dress, combined with the beautiful villages and mountainous backdrop makes for some truly incredible sights.
More technical dirt biking today as we traverse the rugged landscapes on our way to Tram Tau.
- Accommodation: Hotel.
- Included Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
An incredible day of challenging trails, steep tracks and more amazing views. Leaving from Tram Tau, we head straight up into the hills onto steep rocky tracks that lead us to tiny mountain villages.
We descend to the Black River (much more beautiful than it sounds!) where a local ferry will chug us and our bikes to the other side.
Finishing with a challenging ride up to our overnight stop, our hosts will greet us with some much appreciated cold beers! This will have been one hell of a day’s riding!
- Accommodation: Homestay.
- Included Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Plenty of great singletrack and dirt roads today as we snake our way through the rolling hills and forest.
We reach Pu Luong Nature Reserve where our final homestay awaits. A stilted house surrounded by beautiful rice fields, it’s the perfect setting for our last night in the Vietnamese countryside. It’s our final night with the local team that has supported us through our journey, so a few farewell drinks will be in order!
- Accommodation: Homestay.
- Included Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Wake to the sounds of this beautiful village coming to life, as the locals walk their buffalo out to the fields and the ducks and chickens scratch around our bikes.
We then saddle up for the final day of riding on this epic dirt bike tour of Vietnam. Leaving the village, we hit the singletrack for the last time and enjoy a cracking morning on the dirt.
We then reach the Ho Chi Minh Highway and stop for lunch before cruising back towards the city.
Cold beers await at the workshop! We’ll say our goodbyes to the local team and hop in a minivan that will take us back to our hotel in the Old Quarter of Hanoi.
- Accommodation: 5* hotel.
- Included Meals: Breakfast, lunch.
A minivan will scoop us up from the hotel in the morning and take us over to Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where our private boat awaits.
Ha Long Bay is a stunning place, with karst limestone mountains sticking out of the blue waters all around us. After such an epic journey, this is the perfect way to bring it all to an end! Relax on the deck, have a swim in the crystal clear waters, or take one of the kayaks for a paddle through small coves.
Sunset cocktails on deck? Why not.
- Accommodation: Private boat.
- Included Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Sunrise in the bay often comes with a low lying fog, which, combined with the views of the karst mountains, provides an almost eery feeling. It’s certainly a relaxing place to wake up!
We’ll travel back to Hanoi where our journey comes to an end. Our hotel is perfectly located in the Old Quarter, where the bustling streets lend endless opportunities for souvenir shopping or just an entertaining stroll!
We’ll go out for a farewell dinner and no doubt a few celebratory drinks. Hanoi is a very lively city!
- Accommodation: 5* hotel.
- Included Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Saying our goodbyes, we’ll arrange for a taxi to take you to Noi Bai international airport. Bon voyage!
- Accommodation: Not included.
- Included Meals: Breakfast only.
On this trip we stay in a mixture of hotels & resorts, traditional homestays and guesthouses. Please see the daily itinerary detail for more info on each nights accommodation.
You’ll be collected from Nội Bài International Airport in Hanoi (airport code: HAN) on the morning of the first day. (You are of course welcome to arrive a day or two earlier, but there will be an extra cost for airport pickup).
At the end of the trip we will arrange transfers from our the hotel back to the same airport.
All entrance fees or boat fees for river crossings during the ride.
Your tour will be led and managed by a highly experienced member of the Ride Expeditions team (trained as a wilderness first response medic).
Ride Expeditions Ltd is committed to customer satisfaction and consumer financial protection. At no extra cost to you, and in accordance with ‘The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018’, all passengers booking with Ride Expeditions Ltd are fully insured for the initial deposit, and subsequently the balance of monies paid as detailed in your booking confirmation form.
The policy also includes repatriation if required, arising from the cancellation or curtailment of your travel arrangements due to the insolvency of Ride Expeditions Ltd. This insurance has been arranged by Towergate Travel through Evolution Insurance.
During the COVID-19 crisis, every rider that requested a refund was issued a cash refund.
All fuel for your motorcycle is provided by us.
This motorcycle tour is accompanied by a GPS tracker that displays our live location and track history on an online map. We will provide you with the link and login details which you can then share with your family at home so they can track your progress throughout the trip.
This motorcycle tour will be guided by an experienced local Vietnamese guide.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner is provided on most days.
Please see the daily itinerary to see what meals are included on each day.
A mechanic will be riding at the back of the group, ready to attend to any issues that may arise.
At least one member of the support team will have been trained as a Wilderness First Response medic.
An extensive medical kit including a defibrillator (AED) & stretcher is carried in the support vehicle.
We also have consulting doctors on call, 24/7, who are always ready to assist in the case of an emergency. Our doctors are fully briefed on all riders medical info prior to the tour, they know what we do, where we are riding, exactly what we have in our medical kit and what training our medics have.
Tours are accompanied by GPS trackers and a satellite messenger device so our doctor and office can see exactly where we are and can maintain communication.
If you have you your own suitable & reliable motorcycle at the start point, you are quite welcome to use that for this trip. If not, we will provide a rental motorcycle for you… Please see the Dates & Prices section for available bikes.
The cost of shipping your motorcycle to and from the start and end destination is also included.
Enjoy an overnight cruise on our private boat on Ha Long Bay.
Since the day Ride Expeditions started running tours in Cambodia back in 2012, we have been dedicated to supporting the local community.
Part profits from every motorcycle tour are donated to M’Lop Tapang – a local Cambodian charity dedicated to bettering the lives of young children & their families.
A Ride Expeditions riding jersey with your name printed on the back.
Playing our part in rainforest & wildlife conservation and in an effort to off-set our carbon emissions, we donate part profits to World Land Trust.
This tour is accompanied by a large support vehicle, equipped to carry your luggage, an extensive medical kit + stretcher + defibrillator (AED), drinking water, snacks, tools, and spare parts.
We’ll welcome you with a bag of Ride Expeditions goodies which will include:
- T-shirt;
- Map;
- Stickers;
- Water bottle;
- Keyring;
- Neck tube.
3rd party motorcycle insurance is a legal requirement in Vietnam. We advise you first check if this is included (or can be added as an extra) in your travel insurance policy. If not, we can arrange this within Vietnam for an additional cost. Please see the 'Optional Extras' section for more information.
You’ll need to book a return flight to arrive in Nội Bài International Airport in Hanoi (airport code: HAN) on or before the morning of Day 1 of this trip. You will then fly out of the same airport on the last day of the trip.
It is important you either:
- Book a flexible flight ticket that allows you to make amendments or cancel without penalty;
- Have travel insurance that will reimburse you for out of pocket expenses incurred by a cancelled trip;
- Do not book your flights until we have notified you that this departure is guaranteed.
Please be aware that you are liable for all damage to the motorcycle. Please see the 'Optional Extras' information on 'Damage Protection Plan'.
- Alcohol;
- Laundry;
- Souvenirs;
- Any meals that are not mentioned in the itinerary;
- Emergency transportation;
- Any other item, optional excursion, activity or entrance fee that is not specifically mentioned as being included.
It is a condition of booking that you obtain appropriate travel insurance that covers you for riding the same capacity motorcycle that you’ll be riding on this motorcycle tour.
The insurance must cover emergency evacuation, medical bills, repatriation etc.
Enduro / summer weight adventure style kit is the way to go on this motorcycle tour, rather than road riding kit. If you are opting for enduro kit, we’d recommend you bring extra layers and waterproofs to keep out the wet stuff.
You'll want some decent armoured protection and please do bear in mind that we will sometimes be riding on the road... 'dress for the slide, not the ride!'
If you're unable to obtain this with your travel insurance, we can organise this within Vietnam.
All damage to the motorcycle is then covered by us. Please bear in mind that this excludes damage caused by irresponsible riding.
Single room accommodation is available at all of the resorts, guesthouses and hotels, but not the homestays.
Yes, and we advise you do. They’re cheap to top up and easily obtainable at the airport or small shops in the cities.
While the Vietnamese locals love their meat, it’s no problem for the restaurants / hotels to prepare vegetarian meals. Fresh vegetables & fish are plentiful in Vietnam. That said, the vegetarian options will be quite limited in the more rural areas.
As for food allergies, we will make every effort to communicate your requirements to the kitchen. If you have concerns, please do get in touch so we can discuss these with you.
For the most accurate and up to date info on travel advice for Vietnam, we advise you to visit the foreign office website.
Follow this link for Vietnam’s entry requirements. This is a link to the UK foreign office website – if you are not a UK resident, please search for the equivalent info from your home country’s foreign office.
To secure your place we simply need a 20% non-refundable deposit (subject to a minimum of £500). The remainder does not need to be paid until 60 days prior to the tour start date.
As this is a largely inclusive tour, you won’t need much. You will only need money for the items not listed as inclusions, which is mainly just alcohol, souvenirs and any other personal spending. Unless you go mad in the gift shops and bars, around £5 – £10 per day should be adequate. Shopping in Vietnam tends to be very reasonable so you can get quite a lot for not much!
Yes. Here at Ride Expeditions, we take the necessary precautions to ensure that we protect both ourselves and you as the customer, with insurances covering financial failure, public liability, professional indemnity and employers liability (you will need your own travel insurance).
To obtain this insurance we must meet strict safety standards and local regulations. We must also carry out thorough risk assessments about all aspects of a tour before tyres can hit tarmac (…or dirt!).
Yes. All passengers booking with Ride Expeditions Ltd are fully insured for the initial deposit, and subsequently the balance of monies paid as detailed in your booking confirmation form. The policy also includes repatriation if required, arising from the cancellation or curtailment of your travel arrangements due to the insolvency of Ride Expeditions Ltd. This insurance has been arranged by Towergate Travel through Evolution Insurance.
Not riding the motorcycle, no (although this will of course depend on the extent of your limited mobility). However, we may be able to accommodate you in our support vehicle. We advise you to give us a call and we can discuss.
Yes, there is wi-fi at almost every overnight accommodation.
For the most accurate and up to date info, we advise you visit the ‘Travel Health Pro’ website. Follow this link for Vietnam info.
Please also consult with your own doctor at home at least 8 weeks before your trip.
Average group sizes are 8-9 riders and we limit the groups to 12 riders.
If you cancel your booking before departure, cancellation charges will be applied as follows:
- 61 days or more before tour start date – retention of deposit
- 42-60 days before tour start date – retention of 50% of tour price
- 28-41 days before tour start date – retention of 70% of tour price
- 0-27 days before tour start date – retention of 100% tour price
Please refer to our Terms & Conditions for further info regarding cancellations, changes and transferring your trip to a friend.
For the most accurate and up to date info on travel advice for Vietnam, we advise you to visit the foreign office website.
Follow this link for Vietnam travel advice from the UK foreign office. As we are a UK company, this is the official government advice we follow. If you are not a UK resident, we advise you search for the equivalent info from your own country’s foreign office, as travel advice may differ.
We’d like all of our riders to have at least two years active riding experience.
As this tour is predominantly off-road, it is more than preferable if you have a good amount of off-road riding experience before booking up. Should you have any doubts, give us a call and we can talk you through it in more detail.
Expect a mix of conditions! We’ll be riding at varying altitudes where the temperatures will differ and the weather can become unpredictable. It could be very warm, it could be very cold. It could be bone dry, or we could get very wet!
While the average riding temperatures should be 20 – 25°C, you should prepare to ride in temperatures anywhere between 5 – 35°C!
As with all of our tours, we only schedule the trips for the very best riding months of the year. But it’s always better to be safe than sorry, so please pack plenty of layers and waterproofs to cover all bases!
Please also bring warm clothes for the evenings.
The minimum required number for this trip to run is 6 riders. We reserve the right to cancel the tour if this number is not met and we will provide you with a minimum of 56 days notice. Please know that this is an absolute last resort for us and we will always do everything in our power to avoid this happening.
The following countries driver’s licences are NOT ACCEPTED and their IDP (International Driving Permits) are not recognised/accepted in Vietnam – China, India, USA, Canada, Ireland, Iceland, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. Guests from these countries will need to make sure that their insurance will cover them for the size motorbike as well as in case of an incident while riding in Vietnam.
Should your insurance not provide an incident or medical cover in the event of an accident, then the liability is solely for the rider’s account. If an accident involves a local Vietnamese resident, then the (civil liability) compensation is your responsibility as well.
To legally ride in Vietnam you are required to carry your local driving licence, which must cover the size of bike you will be riding. This will also be a stipulation of any travel insurance company too. You will also need an International Driving Permit (IDP). An IDP is basically an official, multi-language translation of your driving licence.
We accept GBP payments by Visa, Mastercard & American Express and direct bank transfers. Please get in touch if you would rather pay in another currency – we’ll do our best to accommodate!
For Vietnam there are three associated plug types, types A, C and F. Plug type A is the plug which has two flat parallel pins, plug type C is the plug with two round pins and plug type F has two round pins with two earth clips on the side.
Dates & Pricing
Tour Price
- Rider (Incl. bike rental): £4190
- Rider (own bike): £3545
The Motorcycles
- Honda CRF 300L Included
Optional Extras
- Motorcycle Damage Protection Plan + £305
- Single Room Supplement + £390
- Start Date: January 23, 2024
- End Date: February 7, 2024
- Only 3 places remaining.
Expedition Leader:
Rob
Tour Price
- Rider (Incl. bike rental): £4190
- Rider (own bike): £3545
The Motorcycles
- Honda CRF 300L Included
Optional Extras
- Motorcycle Damage Protection Plan + £305
- Single Room Supplement + £390
- Start Date: January 21, 2025
- End Date: February 5, 2025
Expedition Leader:
Luke
Tour Price
- Rider (Incl. bike rental): £4190
- Rider (own bike): £3545
The Motorcycles
- Honda CRF 300L Included
Optional Extras
- Motorcycle Damage Protection Plan + £305
- Single Room Supplement + £390
- Start Date: November 27, 2025
- End Date: December 12, 2025
Expedition Leader:
Ian
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