Day 1: Overnight train to Lao Cai
You will be met up with Asia Pacific Travel guide at your hotel in Hanoi and transferred to Hanoi station for overnight train to Lao Cai.
Day 2: Lao Cai – Bac Ha
You will be greeted by Asia pacific Travel local team at Laocai station and transferred to a local restaurant for breakfast. Enjoy a full day cycle from Laocai to Bac ha with stops en route for visiting local tribal villages.
Day 3: Bac Ha – Xin Man
We will bike across one of the most remote parts of northern Vietnam. At first we tackle a steady climb of 6km on good paved road but then turn into short section of jeep track. After around 3-hr riding we will have a picnic lunch wherever we find good for that. After lunch we continue riding to Xin Man, a small and busy town near Chinese border. Xin Man is around 75 km from Bac Ha and the biking in the afternoon is not less challenging than the one in the morning. We will climb for the first hour or so up to a plateau at 2500m, where we have fantastic view before hitting rough paved road for a steady descent into Xin Man. During the biking we will have regular stop for break, snack and taking photo. Dinner and overnight in hotel.
Day 4: Xin Man – Hoang Shu Phi – Ha Giang
Today we take a gentle ride covering 90km from Xin Man to Viet Quang Town. The ride takes us down to a bridge over the main river and for the next 40km we ride along a quiet road that gently climbs and follows the river upstream to Hoang Shu Phi, a quiet town at 1000m. Have a break in town for snack and refreshment then continue with downhill quiet road 60km to Viet Quang. We will have a late light lunch in Viet Quang Town then take a bus transfer to Ha Giang Town, the capital of Ha Giang Province which is the final frontier in northern Vietnam, a lunar landscape of limestone pinnacles and granite outcrops. Dinner and overnight in Ha Giang Town.
Day 5: Ha Giang – Bac Me – Bao Lac
Today the ride is mostly road based. At first we tackle 12 km climbs and then it is an undulating, idyllic route through friendly villages and paddy fields, surrounded by jagged limestone hills. Around noon time we will reach Bac Me Town where we will have lunch in local restaurant. After lunch we will continue riding to Bao Lac. The long and gentle section in the afternoon can be done partly by biking and partly by driving. We may ride around 35km on quiet road then take a drive to Bao Lac Town where we stay overnight in a simple guest house. Dinner in town.
Day 6: Bao Lac – Tinh Tuc – Ba Be Lake
Having a relaxing breakfast and then we leave the town around 9am. Today we will enjoy the last ride of our trip. We start with a climb 6km, followed by an undulating quiet road though scenic villages. We will have snack break on the way and have late light lunch in the small town of Nguyen Binh. After the lunch we will take a relaxing drive to Ba Be National Park. We will stay overnight in the beautiful village of Pac Ngoi, which is home to Tay people who live on Ba Be Lake in stilt house. Our hosts will cook us a great dinner and we will have a great time talking with the friendly hosts.
Day 7: Ba Be Lake – Cho Ra – Hanoi
After the breakfast we say goodbye to the hosts and take a short walk through the village. We will board a long boat for a fantastic boat trip on the stunning Ba Be Lake. This lake is one of the country’s largest natural lake, surrounded by limestone cliffs, waterfall, caves and an abundance of wildlife. The interesting boat trip lasts around 1.5hr and we will ride along the Nang River to reach Cho Ra Town. Drive 5hr back to Hanoi with a lunch stop on the way. We arrive in Hanoi about late afternoon. End of Asia Pacific Travel service.
