Vietnam Motorcycle Trip Mountain Peoples and Mountain Rides

Our first day on the Honda CRF 250cc begins with an obstacle course that takes us out of the city. It quickly becomes clear that traffic looks worse than it actually is - somehow everything fits together. Soon we are on the banks of the Red River, traffic becomes clearer, and we can admire the rice fields and banana plantations along the roads. The roads switch from asphalt to concrete to gravel and dirt tracks. After about 50km, we make our first stop in a small village. Not long after, the silhouettes of mountains appear in the distance, under whose shadow we will spend our first night. Our homestay in Vu Linh, a Dao village with 26 houses, is romantically situated by a small pond, surrounded by rice fields and palm groves, inhabited by a flock of ducks. Not far away is That Ba Lake, where we will take a boat trip. People here row their boats with their legs. A rather unusual sight. Some fish from the pond might find their way to our dinner table. In the stilt house adorned with woven palm leaves, we sleep on mattresses in the first floor, protected by mosquito nets. A warm shower to wash off the dust of the street is available.

We drift further away from 'civilization' and head into the karst mountains. The Ha Giang province with its rugged karst mountains is one of the most scenic areas in Vietnam. Here, we will also apply for our permit to continue further north towards the border with China. Tonight, we will stay in a hotel.

We cross one of the most impressive parts of the karst mountains. A monumental landscape with deep gorges and hundreds of steep, bald mountains unfolds before us. The morning mist gives the already enchanting landscape an even more mystical touch. Even here, houses and small fields can be found in the most unlikely places. Another viewpoint offers a view of fields and villages hundreds of meters below. The road that leads us into the valley - someone had the idea to call it 'Road of Bliss' - seems to be glued to the mountainside. After lunch, we follow the course of various rivers along rice terraces and banana plantations through villages of the 'Black Hmong'. The landscape around Ba Be National Park is much gentler, and the hills are rounder than those we have experienced in the past few days. We reach the national park and the lake in its center early. We will load our motorcycles onto a boat, and during the ride to our homestay located on a river running above the lake, we will also take a round on the lake. The park and the lakeshore are covered by seemingly impenetrable tropical rainforest. A small walk to the village or a nearby waterfall offers a relaxing afternoon activity.

After the karst mountains have taken a short break as our daily companions, they are back with us today. And how! We tour through the northeasternmost province of Vietnam. There is hardly a straight stretch of road amidst the eternal and fascinating ups and downs. If we needed further confirmation, it becomes clear here why Vietnam is one of the world's largest rice exporters. We follow a border river to China until we reach the waterfalls of Ban Gioi. These are equally an attraction for both Vietnamese and Chinese. Bamboo rafts bring them to the center of the river, but they are not allowed to set foot on Vietnamese soil. Today we will again spend the night in a homestay in Quang Uyen, and as always, the cooked food is an experience for us.

The landscape becomes gentler but remains hilly. Between the rice fields, we keep discovering brightly painted houses with balconies, terraces, and playful decorations that remind us of small palaces.

You will be taken to the airport and then it's back home. In your luggage, there will be many memories and impressions from a fantastic motorcycle trip just in case.