Cycling in northern Vietnam is an absolutely amazing way to get to know the region's breathtaking landscapes and rich culture. The northern part of Vietnam is famous for its gorgeous mountainous scenery. You'll find rolling hills and rugged mountain ranges that are just perfect for cycling, and the routes are both challenging and scenic.

Our 14-day Vietnam Backroads Bicycle Tours will take you to some of the most unique and beautiful places in Vietnam, where you'll experience the country's incredible landscapes and rich cultural diversity. You'll get to do more than just ride a bike and admire the gorgeous scenery. You'll also get to conquer the amazing passes hidden in the morning mist, wind around the mountainside, and cross the dreamy valleys.
 In our 14 Day Vietnam Backroads Bicycle Tours, we had the amazing opportunity to conquer 885 km of different gradients and mixed terrain, winding through steep passes, villages, valleys and green rice fields.
Our Vietnam Backroads Bicycle tours starts in the lovely hilltop town of Sapa, where we'll be cycling through the beautiful frontier district of Muong Khuong in Lao Cai. Then it's on to the border belt road, where we'll have an amazing, challenging but equally exciting journey, and we'll get to see the daily life of the Vietnamese and hill tribes. We'll also get to meet some lovely tribal people, who will show us around their beautiful, rolling countryside. We'll be cycling through some gorgeous valleys, too, and we'll stop off at the idyllic village of the Hmong people, hidden away in the old forest. It's a place that's still untouched by civilisation!
We're so excited to share that our trip will continue further in far northeast Vietnam, where we'll explore one of the most worthy and eagerly awaited destinations in our cycling trip!

Ha Giang is an absolute gem of a destination in the country, with Happiness Road, Dong Van Plateau, Khau Vai Love Market, Quan Ba Sky Gate, mysterious, majestic, twisting and winding passes. Far down the valley, hidden in dense clouds, are simple villages of H'mong people. They live a simple life, but they're happy!
Ha Giang is a hidden gem, more than 200 km from Hanoi, located in the northeast of Vietnam. It's the last province of the country to open to visitors in recent years, but it's well worth the wait! It's got spectacular scenery, primeval forests, high mountains, and natural fortresses.
The scenery is absolutely breathtaking, with some truly magnificent forests and some pretty impressive mountains. The area is full of natural fortresses, carved into steps, and rocky plateaus divided by fanciful stone alleys. This incredible landscape has been home to many generations of H'Mong people.
The spectacular and challenging roads in the Ha Giang rocky plateau not only delight those who love to explore and move, but also make many people "heartbroken" because of their amazing beauty. Nature on those roads always wears green and green clothes, full of vitality, creating a breathtaking scene, both poetic and mysterious, that leaves you speechless.

Day 01: Hanoi Arrival and Transfer to Sapa Cycling Tour. 

Welcome to Hanoi! We hope you had a lovely flight. Our diver and team will be waiting to greet you and help you load up your luggages. We'll be heading off to Lao Cai via the new highway, where you'll get to enjoy some stunning views of northern Vietnam through the window. We'll have lunch along the way, so you can enjoy some tasty treats! After lunch, we'll continue on to Lao Cai, a lovely border city. We'll take a quick break to explore the city and take some pictures of the border gate before we head up to Sapa Hill Station. When we arrive in Sapa, we'll check in and have dinner at a local restaurant.
Summary:
Activity: Picking up andTransferring 
Accommodation: Sapa Bamboo hotel***
Meals:L/D
Transferring distance: 380 Km

Day 02: Sapa  Cycle Tour valley and hill tribe track 

Enjoy a delicious breakfast at the hotel before setting off on a wonderful cycling adventure! We'll be descending from the hotel to the breathtaking Muong Hoa Valley, where we'll explore all the highlights of Sapa.   Sapa Valley is simply magnificent! It boasts rice terraces that will take your breath away, colourful hill tribe villages that will delight your eyes, and breathtaking scenery that will take your breath away. 
As we leave the tourist area of Sapa behind, we'll enjoy a lovely ride down a paved road, off the beaten track, single track, and dirt road. We'll even cross a suspension bridge to Lao Chai – Ta Van Village! Along the way, we'll have the chance to chat with some friendly locals. Or you could even visit their home to learn more about their way of life and culture.  Once we've crossed the bridge back to the paved road, we'll be on our way to Su Pan and then down to Den Thang, Thanh Kim and Thanh Phu. We'll have lunch with a lovely local family along the way. After lunch, we'll continue our journey on single track and dirt roads, passing many villages and streams on our way to Nam Cang Riverside Lodge. We'll be staying overnight with the lovely Dao family! We'll enjoy a lovely dinner together, and then it's time for us to head to our homestay for the night.
Summary:
Activity: Cycling
Accommodation: Nam Cang Riverside Ecolodge
Meals:B/L/D
Cycling distance: 56 Km

Day 03: Nam Cang  mountain bikeThanh Phu – Gia phu – Vinh Yen

Get up nice and early to take part in some fun local activities or just wander around the village to enjoy the beautiful, tranquil surroundings. Enjoy a delicious breakfast of traditional pancakes and banana cake, accompanied by a cup of soothing herbal tea with your host. Then, we'll set off on our cycling adventure from our homestay, passing through quaint villages, rice terraces, streams, and even a buffalo road that leads to the charming towns of Sin Chai A, Thanh Phu, Nam Cang, Nam Sai, and Suoi Thau. We'll have lunch in Suoi Thau, where we can enjoy a tasty meal surrounded by the beauty of the countryside.
We then continue our journey on a lovely undulating route, with a steep pass at the end of the distance to Xuan Giao Section. You'll be blown away by the incredible scenery, the stunning limestone mountains and the peaceful hill tribe villages. Once you've finished, you'll meet our support vehicle and we'll take you the rest of the way to the ecolodge. You're more than welcome to check in and have dinner in Cinnamon Forest.
Summary:
Activity: Cycling from Village - Village
Accommodation: Cinnamon Ecolodge
Meals:B/L/D
Cycling distance: 56 Km

Day 04: Vinh Yen – Nghia Do – Ban Lien – Bac Ha Bike Tour

Today is an absolutely amazing day! It's full of highlights and cultural values as we cycle through rice terraces and around villages.  Get ready to be blown away by the incredible scenic beauty, unspoiled nature and colourful hill tribal villages! 
After a hearty breakfast to recharge our batteries, we'll set off on our bikes from the Ecolodge. We'll be cycling on an asphalt road for 20 km to Nghia Do section, where we'll turn off onto a single track trail and dirt path. Get ready for a rough and tough hill road, passing serene villages and stunning rice terraces to Tan Tien Commune!
Get ready to be immersed in a magical world of breathtaking landscapes in the northernmost region of Vietnam! And now for something really challenging! We're going to gear up and tackle 12 km from Tan Xuan to the top of Ban Lien pass. Once we reach the mountain slope, we'll embark on an exhilarating descent to Ban Lien village for a picnic lunch.
Once you've had a chance to recharge, it's time to get back on your bike and tackle another 10 km of steep passes! Winding its way along mountain and tropical forest, this route will take you to the pinnacle of the mountain. And the views from the top are absolutely breathtaking! You'll be rewarded with panoramic sights into the dreamlike valley of Nam Khanh.
And now for the grand finale! We're in for a treat with our last stage of the cycling day, a long and thrilling descent to the dam of the hydro power plant, followed by a short but sweet ascent to the undulating road leading to Bac Ha Town.
Summary:
Activities:Cycling from village - Hotel
Accommodation: Legend Home Eco
Meals:B/L/D
Cycling distance: 55 Km
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45078523

Day 05: Bac Ha  cycle tour Ta Van Chu  - Sin Chen – Si Ma Cai – Bac Ha

Once we've had a chance to recharge our energy at the hotel, we'll be back on our bikes to tackle the rough and narrow road leading to Ban Pho village. There, we'll get to observe the beautiful architecture of the Hmong houses and see what daily life is like in this fascinating village.
We then continue on a lovely concrete road, which takes us on a winding journey around the village and through the valleys. Then it's downhill all the way to the deep valley of Hoang Thu Pho. You'll be back up again before you know it, though, as we head on to Ta Van Chu village. There, you'll get to admire the plum gardens and pear plantations. You'll also find a single track trail and a dirt road that winds through plum gardens and rice fields, as well as past local homes and the inhabitants of the villages. 
Once we've geared up, we'll head out along a lovely local trail for about 12km to Quan Than San. Then we'll turn left onto a single track trail to Nan Sin summit. Then it's time for a lovely 12 km descent on a single track trail and a beaten track to the wonderful Sin Chen Market and the lovely Si Ma Cai township. You'll get to experience the real daily life and enjoy a picnic lunch in the warm hospitality of your lovely Flower Hmong hosts during this wonderful homestay experience.  Once we've had a chance to recharge our batteries, we'll hop back on our bikes and cycle on the secondary road and village road, which will take us back to Can Cau and Lung Phinh commune. Then it's just a short hop back to the hotel!
Summary:
Activities: Cycling
Accommodations: Bac Ha Hotel
Meals: B/L/D
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/42421631
Distance:    81.0 km
Elevation:    + 2821 / - 2818 m

Day 06: Bac Ha – Coc Pai – Thong Nguyen

Guess what! We're back on our bikes today, cycling to Xin Man. We're so excited to be taking you on a journey through some of the most remote areas of north-eastern Vietnam! The ride starts with a gentle 10km climb of around 400m on a newly sealed road. Then, we turn off onto an unsealed rough track for the next 15km, heading into the beautiful rural tribal areas. Then it's time for the big descent! We'll be dropping 1,000 metres to Xin Man. Xin Man is a hidden gem right on the Vietnamese/Chinese border. It's nestled in a landscape of wild mountains and forests, home to 15 ethnic groups, including the Nung, Flower H'mong, Tay, La Chi, Kinh, and Hoa. After lunch, we cross over the river Chay for 40km of lovely cycling along a quiet road. There's a gentle incline as we approach Hoang Su Phi, but it's totally worth it for the beautiful views of the river!
Summary:
Activities: Cycling from Hotel - Hotel
Accommodation : Pan Hou Ecolodge***
Meals: B/L/D
Cycling Distance: 78km

Day 07: Thong Nguyen  Bike ride Ho Thau

Just imagine spending a night in the vastness of heaven and earth, breathing in that fresh air and watching the mists floating on the dreamy valleys every morning! It's a truly memorable experience.
After a delicious Vietnamese-style breakfast to recharge your energy, it's time to hop on your bikes for a new adventure! We'll be cycling down a single track trail, meandering through terraced fields and peaceful villages in the early morning, and crossing small streams that lead to irrigation canals for the golden rice fields nestled in the hills.
Guess what! Today is another special day in our cycling journey to discover the golden season of Hoang Su Phi. We spent almost the whole day cycling through the core area of the rice fields, with fields stretching from the top of the map all the way down to the valley. It was such a treat to see these extremely majestic and lyrical natural pictures! We followed the big road up a steep hill for 14km to the Nam Khoa Heaven Gate. This part is absolutely gorgeous! You'll be blown away by the thick rainforest and narrow terraced rice paddies on steep hill sides.
We'll take a quick break before heading down another big dirt track for almost 10 km along the Nam Khoa Valley to the junction of the Nam Khoa River. As you cycle through the area, you'll be treated to some truly stunning scenery. You'll pass by small villages like Zao and Nung, surrounded by tea farms, plantations, and terraced rice paddies stretching along both sides of the valley. It's a truly breathtaking sight!
When you get to the junction of the Nam Khoa River, turn left and follow a narrow single dirt track that winds its way up and down steep hillsides for 8 km to Ban Luoc.
Summary:
Activities: Cycling from hotel to Hotel
Accommodation: Ho Thau Eco Village/ Tay Con Linh Hotel
Meals:B/L/D
Cycling distance:  67 km/

Day 08: Vinh Quang – Tung San – Thuong Son – Ban Me  - Ha Giang Cycling Loop

Hoang Su Phi is one of the most untouched regions of Vietnam, and communities have lived in total isolation from mainstream society until very recently – it's a truly magical place! At an average elevation of 800 m above sea level, this area boasts high mountains, deep valleys, streams and forestland, making it an area of outstanding natural beauty and unspoiled traditional life. Today we're taking on the incredible challenge of cycling over the 'Heaven Gate 2' mountain pass at an elevation of +895m, en route to Tan Minh. The pass offers absolutely stunning views beneath a wide open sky!
Then it's time for the best part! Follow the tarmac for 25 km heading north, then turn right onto a dirt track that winds its way uphill to the Tay Con Linh, the second highest mountain range of Vietnam. For the next 2 hours, you'll be treated to incredible views as you make your way to the top of the pass! You'll get to stop and visit some small villages of the Zao peoples, and then enjoy a well-deserved lunch break at the top.
Once you've recharged your energy for the day's adventures, hop back on your bikes and descend into a new paved road, winding along a stunning stream, amongst wild nature and later impressive terraced rice fields for nearly 3 hours to Thuong Son commune of the Nung and Zao ethnic.
Summary:
Activities: Cycling from hotel to Hotel
Accommodation: Ha Giang Wing Bungalow
Meals:B/L/D
Cycling distance: 74km/ `126 Km
Elevation gain at: 4,340M + 32.3% - 4,869M – 27.8%
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45745786

Day 09: Ha Giang  Cycle Tour Quan Ba – Yen Minh

We set off this morning, raring to go! We're heading out of town on a cycling adventure, taking in the stunning scenery of terraced rice paddy fields along the way. We then have the incredible opportunity to cycle through minority villages, before embarking on the next 25km up winding roads into the vast limestone mountain range with its perpendicular walls of rock. We'll be climbing 800m towards the mountain road pass, aptly named 'Heaven Gate'. As we pass through mountain villages sometimes covered by cloud, we will receive a friendly greeting from the local communities, which will make our journey even more special! From the pass, we can enjoy absolutely amazing views, including the famous Tam Son Valley with its incredible Twin Hills. We can even see Quan Ba town, our destination, nestled in a truly beautiful location. The last 15km into Quan Ba are mainly downhill, which is great! We'll have lunch in Quan Ba. After lunch, we'll be on our way! We're off! We're kicking off our bikes and cycling uphill for the first few kilometres before a descent of around 10 kilometres and then relatively flat terrain for the next 10 kilometres. It's a challenging up-and-down terrain to an altitude of 1,025 metres before we make a final descent for the last 15 kilometres into Yenh Minh. And we'll have the chance to see the traditional homes of the local hill tribes! The communities in this area are Chinese.
Summary:
Activities: Cycling from Hotel - Hotel
Meals: B/L/D
Accommodation: Phuong Dong Hotel***
Cycling Distance: 97 km

Day 10: Yen Minh Climb over the Rocky Plateau to Dong Van, 

Today we're going on a lovely bike ride on some quiet roads. We're going to have a bit of a challenge going up out of the dense cedar forest and onto the rocky Dong Van plateau, but we'll do it together! This incredible place is a registered UNESCO Global Geopark, and it's easy to see why! 80% of the terrain is covered by rock, and it is said to contain fossils from 400-600 million years ago. The lovely town of Dong Van is tucked away in a valley at the heart of the Rock Plateau. It's very close to the Chinese border and surrounded by gorgeous mountain forest and multi-coloured orchids. The lovely town of Dong Van is home to a wonderful mix of people, including Chinese Hoa, H'mong, Tay and Kinh. The houses here are built in a lovely Chinese style.
As we cycle on the lovely road from Dong Van to Meo Vac alongside a vast gorge, we are treated to some truly spectacular views. This road is really lovely, winding and undulating, and the Nho Que River is right there below us. From the Ma Phi Leng Pass, we look down from around 1500m into the valley. We're staying tonight in the small town of Meo Vac. It's so lovely to see that most of the tribes living here have preserved their way of life from outside influence, as travelling to Meo Vac was almost impossible until the recent construction of new road
Summary:
Activities: Cycling from Hotel - Hotel
Accommodation: Hoa Cuong Dong Van Hotel***
Meals: B/L/D
Cycling Distance: 68km

Day 11 : Dong Van  Mountain Bike  Lung Cu Plag Pole – Dong Van – Ma Pi Leng – Meo Vac

We're so excited for you to join us on this incredible day of cycling in the heart of the world-listed Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark! Start your day with a hearty breakfast at the hotel, then take a quick visit to the vibrant hill tribe market nearby. After that, we'll set off on the amazing Happiness Road to Dong Van. As you cycle up to the summit, you'll be rewarded with some truly stunning views of the pristine nature and magnificent karst plateau scenery. We'll stop by the lovely Hmong King Palace (Vuong Chi Sinh Palace) for a visit and then we'll continue our cycling adventure to the Lung Cu Pole Flag Tower. 
As we cycle along the lovely, modest road from Dong Van to Meo Vac, we're treated to some truly spectacular views of a vast gorge. This road is so lovely, it winds and undulates, and you can see the Nho Que River below. From the Ma Phi Leng Pass, we get to enjoy a lovely view of the valley from around 1500m up! We'll be staying in the lovely little town of Meo Vac tonight. It's so lovely that most of the tribes here have managed to keep their way of life free from outside influence. It's only recently that they've been able to travel to Meo Vac, as it was almost impossible to get here until the new roads were built.
Summary: 
Activity: cycling and Visiting
Accommodation: Hoa  Cuong meo Vac hotel
http://kshoacuong.vn/
Meals:B/L/D
Cycling distance: 56 Km

Day 12: Meo Vac  Bike Ride  Mau Due  - Du Gia

What a wonderful day it is for discovering and conquering the Dong Van geological plateau! Make sure you recharge your batteries fully so you're ready for the epic exploring ahead in Du Gia!
We're off on our cycling adventure today! We'll be setting off from the lovely border town of Meo Vac, where we'll cycle out of town and start our endurance test. We'll be climbing a slope of more than 5 km with an altitude of more than 200 meters on a gravel road, and then we'll take some concrete zigzags through the cliffs to reach the Sa Phin village. And now, we're in for a treat! The long slope begins to pass through the towering cat-eared rocky mountains, or weaves through a forest of high sharp rocks to create a scene that is as majestic, mysterious and poetic as contemplative rock paintings. It's a truly magnificent sight, boasting the vastness of heaven and earth.
Our journey quickly takes us down to the valley, where we'll meet the second pass, the M-pass. This lovely little road crosses the two sides of the mountain range, taking us to Mau Due valley for lunch.
Once we've had a chance to recharge for the next part of our journey, we'll conquer the remaining two passes: Mau Due Lung Ho Summit before plunging into Du Gia Valley. The gorgeous scenery along the way always fills us with joy and excitement, and gives us the extra energy we need to power through the last stretch!
Summary: 
Activity: Cycling from Hotel - Hotel
Accommodation: Du Gia Stream Lodge
Meals:B/L/D
Cycling distance: 72 Km

Day 13: Du Gia – Lung Ho – Thai An – Thuan Hoa – Ha Giang Cycle Loop

Start your day with a delicious breakfast at a local Vietnamese restaurant before setting off on a new cycling adventure from the Ecolodge. Get ready to challenge an incredible pass that winds its way along the hillside and slope of a mountain to the Lung Ho Summit! You'll be blown away by the incredible views of the rugged, rocky mountain ranges over Lung Ho Valley. You'll love immersing yourself in the sunrise over the mysterious valley and dreamlike landscapes in the villages.
The route to the summit is quite challenging, with lots of winding and switchbacks, but it's so worth it! We'll take a quick break to refresh ourselves with some cold water and a snack before descending to Lung Ho Commune. From there, we'll turn off the main road and cycle through some lovely narrow valleys, with corn fields and groundnut plantations along the way.
We quickly hit the second steep hill, which was a real challenge! But it was so worth it, as we wound our way along the canopy forest and hillsides up to the summits.
Time for a quick refreshment stop before we dive into the mysterious valleys for a picnic lunch! Once we've recharged our batteries, we'll gear up our bikes and challenge the steep hilltop to Thai An.
We'll then start our cycling trip to Ha Giang Town. When we arrive at the hotel, we'll check in and relax. Exploring the city and trying the local beer is a highlight of our second day in Ha Giang Town. We'll have dinner and stay overnight in Ha Giang.
Summary: 
Activity: Cycling  from Hotel – Hotel.
Accommodation: Ha Giang Wing
Meals:B/L/D
Cycling distance: 97  Km  
Total Ascend/ descend: + 2,941M – 3,211M
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45638921

Day 14: Ha Giang  bike tour Hanoi

After a hearty breakfast at the hotel, we said goodbye to the incredible passes and hilltop, and got back on our bikes to cycle through the gorgeous lowlands of Ha Giang province. The route was absolutely stunning, and the scenery was just breathtaking! We then had the pleasure of cycling on a lovely winding road and snaking along a village road and hillside to the Tan Quang section. We'll have lunch in a lovely local restaurant. Once we've had a chance to recharge our batteries, we load up our bikes on the truck and head back to Hanoi.
Summary: 
Activity: Cycling  from Hotel – transfer to Hanoi.
Accommodation. The Light hotel****
Meals:B/L/D
Cycling distance: 76 Km
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/42595331
Distance:    76.8 km
Elevation:    + 1404 / - 1440 m
 
Important Notes:

We strongly recommend the purchase of travel insurance (covering emergency medical evacuation) for trips to Vietnam.
Tour cost will be valided during 45 days from date of offer. Past this date price and conditions may be readjusted.
The cost of air tickets is subject to change without prior notice by the airlines.
Reservations during peak times (Christmas, New Year, Vietnamese Lunar New Year, National Holidays) may be subject to supplementary charges.
Rooms at hotels are available only from 14:00 P.m on arrival day till 10:00 A.m on departure date. A supplement will be added if early check-in or late check-out is desired.
Please note that all the above services & tours have yet to be booked, they are proposed for your information only and we will not make any reservations before we receive your confirmation to do so. If one or some proposed service(s) is (are) not available at the moment of booking, we will try to find other possibilities/options or other similar service(s) in order to avoid changes to the program.

Meals: if you have any specific food requirements ( vegetarian, vegan, food allergies) please inform us in advance so that we can provide notice to our restaurant, tour guide, our partners so that they can server you better. If you are a food lover, Snail Adventure tours can be your culinary guide and provide you opportunity to savor tempting local food and world famous – dishes.

Tour included in:

English speaking cycling guide ( other languges upon requests)
Accommodations are based on double/ twin occupancy
Meals details in itineraries (14 breakfast, 14 lunches, 14 dinners)
A/C transfer/ and transportation
Van or bus supported during the cycling times.
Truck supported for the group size from 6 and above.
Sightseeing excursions as outlined itineraries
Bike tour pump, bike tools, spares tubes, spare bikes
Permission Papers in Ha Giang and Hoangs u Phi
First aid kit
Cold water box, small fresh towel.
Mineral water for drinking
Fruit and snack for cycling days

Tour excluded in:

International airfare
Travel insurance
Items of personal nature
Alcoholic beverages and soft drinks in meals
Mineral water beyond that supplied
Optional excursions
Additional transport required due to any emergency situation
Personal expenses such as telephone, laundry bills.
 Mountainbike trek, or Hibryd Trek FX 3 Bike
Ebike
Visa fee
Departure  tax
Tip for team and guide
.
Creating Unique Touring Experiences:
 All the touring itineraries on this website have been carefully crafted by our in-country management teams and represent a series of experiences we can certainly recommend. However, we understand that every travel experience should be as unique and individual as each traveler. Our consultants are waiting to hear from you so that we can tailor or custom design a Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar tour to your individual specifications.