Vietnam offers travelers many means of transportation. Some of these forms of transportation can be unpleasant or long, but one thing is for sure, the best way to embrace this country’s beauty is hopping on a motorbike for a trip. We have a proud collection of many breathtaking motorbike passes throughout the country, looping around stunning mountain and jungle views. Let’s take a ride across Vietnam from north to south!
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Hanoi – Moc Chau Route
An Unrivaled Beauty Between the Mountains
It’s about 180 kilometers from Hanoi to Moc Chau along National Route 6 towards Son La and Dien Bien province. Overall, National Route 6 is well constructed with two wide lanes and a nice surface. Traveling by motorbike will take approximately four hours, including passing Kem and Cun slope halfway through the route. They are not very dangerous but you always have to be calm and cautious when riding as you might not be familiar with these sudden ascending terrains in the northwest area of Vietnam.
After passing the slopes, you will arrive at Cao Phong – a lovely town in Hoa Binh province that is famous nationwide for its distinctive local oranges. More interestingly, if you travel during the production season, these orange gardens will be even more beautiful with their ripe fruit and a pleasant citrus smell. Be more careful on this track because there are often police stationed here to check on your speed and motorbike papers.
Now, lying ahead of you are Muong Khen, Tan Lac, and Thung Khe pass, which are all considered to comprise one of the most spectacular loops in Vietnam. They act as boundaries between craggy mountain ranges and the vast abyss. You’ll enter a picturesque scene made of dense green forest, lovely stilt houses of the ethnic people, and a gentle touch from the foaming clouds above. It’s very likely that there’ll be fog in this area during the winter so ride more carefully and pay attention to the roads to avoid getting lost. Midway down the pass, there are many small local markets selling wild orchid flowers in various colors and the iconic snack in this region – steamed corn. Situated by the foot of Thung Khe pass is Mai Chau valley which is an extremely photogenic scene. You can also take a short break here to recharge your energy for the remaining route. After that, you’ll meet another track that has a regular police control point – Long Luong village. Continue for 20 kilometers, and Moc Chau is right in front of you.
When to Go: Hanoi – Moc Chau Route
The landscape on the way to Moc Chau has seasonal beauty, so you can visit at any time of the year. Pick your most favorite scene, pack your bags, and you’re ready to go! There are several distinct seasons.
From October to February is the season of mustard green flowers and wild sunflower with strong yellow color. Before and during Tet holiday in Vietnam, there’ll be peach blossoms and plum flowers blooming all over the place. They will magnificently cover Moc Chau in white just like a snow covered mountain.
Moving on to March, you can experience a pink flower theme with camel’s foot tree flower, or simply hoa ban in Vietnamese. There’s even a song written and performed by one of our famous rock bands about this beautiful flower.
Plants will produce fruit from April to August in relatively cool weather, which is a perfect occasion to escape the scorching heat from Hanoi. This season doesn’t yield too many flowers but you can still see a marvelous scene of peach and plum fruit everywhere.
Hanoi – Ta Xua
Explore Unspoiled Nature at this Destination
Ta Xua commune belongs to Bac Yen town, Son La province and borders Yen Bai province. It is home to the tenth highest mountain in Vietnam with surprisingly delightful weather and unique cloudy scenery. This place is becoming more and more popular for many tourists in Northwest Vietnam, especially young and adventurous motorbikers. “Cloud hunting” is a term that is often associated with Ta Xua traveling as its cloud clusters are so mesmerizing and worth discovering once in your life. 220 kilometers away from Hanoi and 100 kilometers from Moc Chau, Ta Xua is quite an easy route so beginner motorbike travelers can also try this track. Here’s where it leads: Hanoi – Son Tay – Trung Ha Bridge – Thu Cuc – Thu Cuc Intersection – National Route 32 – turn left toward Phu Yen direction – Bac Yen towards National Route 37.
It usually takes six to seven hours to ride if you start in the Hanoi center, which already includes a lunch break on the way. Like Hanoi – Moc Chau, Hanoi – Bac Yen is fully packed with splendid mountainous roads and gorgeous natural scenery. If you start your trip in the early morning, you’ll have a chance to watch sparkling sunshine through multiple layers of clouds, which lights up the whole forest underneath. The way from Bac Yen to Ta Xua center is only 15 kilometers but it’s more challenging. There’ll be more dangerous slopes and rugged terrain, with thick fog and clouds blocking your vision so remember to be cautious when riding. If you don’t feel comfortable traveling this route by yourself, take a short rest in Bac Yen and hire a motorbike taxi to Ta Xua.
