$3,190USD PER RIDER
[40% DISCOUNT FOR PILLION PASSENGERS]
TOUR DATES
October 4-13 2026
March 15-24 2027
May 9-18 2027
August 3-12, 2027
October 4-13 2027
1600+KM
SEE THE REAL VIETNAM
RIDE BEYOND THE MAP
Inspired by the BBC’s Top Gear Vietnam Special, Top Gear Moto 2 takes us from the lantern-lit streets of Hội An all the way to the unmistakable energy of Hanoi.
We follow part of the famous television route, but—as every rider knows—the real magic is found on
the roads they missed. Over ten unforgettable days, we cross the Hải Vân Pass, join the legendary
Ho Chi Minh Trail, ride through jungle-covered limestone mountains, explore the caves of Phong Nha and venture deep into remote valleys where village life has changed little for generations.
This is a ride packed with history, culture, incredible food and some of the finest sealed-road motorcycling in Vietnam. There are big riding days, quiet mountain roads, welcoming locals and plenty of time to stop, take it all in and wonder why more riders have never seen this side of the country.
The television special was good. The real ride is even better.
Day 1 — Hội An to Huế | 160 km
Good morning, Vietnam. The day we have all been waiting for has arrived. Saddle up!
We roll out through the ancient streets of Hội An, cross through Đà Nẵng and point the bikes towards
one of the most famous stretches of road in Southeast Asia—the mighty Hải Vân Pass.
This twisting mountain road climbs above the coast, delivering sweeping bends and huge views across the sea. It is a brilliant introduction to riding in Vietnam and the perfect way to begin our journey north.
There is no need to rush; we stop at the summit, soak up the scenery and enjoy that unmistakable feeling that the adventure has properly begun.
Dropping down the northern side, we continue along the coast before arriving in Huế, Vietnam’s former imperial capital and home of the country’s last emperors. Set beside the Perfume River, this World Heritage city combines grand history with relaxed riverside life.
Tonight we settle into our hotel and choose from Huế’s excellent restaurants and bars. The first cold beer of the tour always tastes especially good.
Day 2 — Huế to Khe Sanh | 170 km
A superb day lies ahead.
Leaving Huế behind, we escape the busy roads and pick up a network of lesser-known country
backroads. The traffic thins, the scenery opens and the riding becomes better with every kilometre.
Before long we join the legendary Ho Chi Minh Trail, following the Đa Krông River through broad
valleys and around long, flowing bends. Hillside villages appear between the trees, and everywhere
we go, local families and schoolchildren wave as we pass. Who are all these friendly people waving
at? Yes—that would be you.
As we move deeper into the mountains, the history of this region begins to reveal itself. These peaceful roads once formed part of one of the world’s most significant wartime supply routes. Today they have become a rider’s playground: quiet tarmac, jungle-covered hills and enormous views.
We finish the day in Khe Sanh, a name forever connected to the war years. It is a relaxed mountain
town now, but tomorrow we take a closer look at its remarkable past before heading into one of the
most spectacular riding regions on earth.
Day 3 — Khe Sanh to Phong Nha | 270 km
There is something quite moving about waking in Khe Sanh. The town is peaceful, the locals are welcoming and the surrounding hills are green—yet it is impossible not to think about what happened here. I can never leave without the Cold Chisel song playing somewhere in my head.
Our first major stop is the former Khe Sanh Combat Base, also known as Tà Cơn Air Base. The small museum contains photographs, maps and wartime displays, while old aircraft—including a C-130 Hercules, Chinook helicopter and fighter wreckage—stand around the former airstrip. It is a sobering reminder of a very different time.
We also visit the huge Khe Sanh Victory Monument before turning north onto the Western Ho Chi Minh Trail.
Now the riding becomes truly extraordinary.
The road twists through a landscape that looks like something from Jurassic Park: giant limestone peaks, dense green jungle, clear waterfalls and wild rivers. We enter Phong Nha–Kẻ Bàng National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage area containing some of Asia’s oldest karst mountains and hundreds of cave systems—including Sơn Đoòng, the largest known cave on earth.
Lunch is in a tiny village surrounded by scenery that hardly seems real. The afternoon brings more empty bends and pristine wilderness, with the occasional chance of spotting gibbons high in the forest.
Late in the day, we arrive in beautiful Phong Nha and pull up at our hotel overlooking the Son River. An
ice-cold welcome beer is waiting. After a ride like this, we have earned it.
Welcome to Phong Nha.
Day 4 — Exploring Phong Nha | 40 km
Good morning, Vietnam!
There is no need to pack the bags today. We wake beside the river, enjoy fresh Vietnamese coffee and take in the peaceful mountain views surrounding the village.
At around 9:00 am, we board a local boat and cruise up the Son River towards Phong Nha Cave. The cave system stretches for kilometres beneath the limestone mountains. We travel approximately one kilometre inside by boat before stepping ashore to continue on foot among immense stalactites and stalagmites.
Calling it big does not come close. The sheer scale, colour and silence create the feeling that we have ridden to the centre of the earth.
After returning along the river and stopping for lunch, we fire up the bikes for a relaxed ride to Paradise Cave. Discovered in 2005, this vast underground world extends for more than 30 kilometres, with chambers reaching extraordinary heights and widths. It is one of Vietnam’s true natural wonders.
Back in Phong Nha, the remainder of the afternoon is ours. Wander through the village, enjoy the riverside cafés and bars or simply sit back with the crew and talk about yesterday’s unforgettable ride.
Day 5 — Phong Nha to Thái Hòa | 270 km
Breakfast and morning coffee overlook the Son River while our support crew gives the bikes their
daily check. Then it is time to reconnect with the Ho Chi Minh Trail and continue north.
Almost immediately, we plunge back into jaw-dropping countryside. The road threads between lush river valleys and a forest of limestone pinnacles, passing colourful rice fields, tea plantations and traditional farming communities. In places, old bomb craters remain visible among the crops—quiet scars from the region’s history.
We stop for lunch near a lake bordered by neatly trimmed tea hedges. Later, one unusually broad strip of road gives away another piece of the past: it once served as a wartime airstrip.
The kilometres roll by easily on these flowing country roads, and by late afternoon we arrive in Thái Hòa for a comfortable overnight stay. More excellent local food awaits. It is no wonder Vietnam is famous for it.
Day 6 — Thái Hòa to Ngọc Lặc | 240 km
Today we say goodbye to the main Ho Chi Minh Trail and turn northwest into a hidden mountain world where time seems to have stood still.
This is a real treat.
We ride narrow sealed roads close to the Laos border, moving further from the beaten path with every bend. Small ethnic-minority hamlets sit beside clear streams beneath massive limestone mountains. Wooden and thatched homes line the valleys, bamboo waterwheels feed the rice terraces and villagers continue traditions passed down through generations.
The scenery is raw, beautiful and wonderfully remote. Women and children wear traditional clothing, farmers work the land by hand and the quiet is broken only by our motorcycles and the sound of water moving through the valley.
Riders often describe these as the villages from Jurassic Park. It is not difficult to see why. Few overseas visitors ever reach this region, and travelling through it on two wheels feels like a genuine privilege.
Our overnight stop is Ngọc Lặc—a simple, friendly town surrounded by the mountains we have spent the day exploring.
Day 7 — Ngọc Lặc to Mai Châu | 110 km
We begin with a hearty local breakfast before climbing across a series of mountain passes near the Laos border.
The distance may be shorter today, but this is not a day to measure by kilometres. The road winds through bamboo forest, remote valleys and dramatic limestone peaks, with plenty of stops to admire the scenery and meet the people who call these mountains home.
Vietnam is home to more than 50 recognised ethnic groups, and this ride gives us a glimpse into lives shaped by the surrounding landscape. Food, building materials and daily necessities are still sourced locally, much as they have been for centuries.
Eventually the mountains open into the beautiful Mai Châu Valley, a patchwork of green rice paddies, traditional stilt houses and small farming villages.
Tonight we settle into one of the tour’s favourite overnight stays: a comfortable and atmospheric homestay surrounded by countryside. The food is terrific, the views are even better and, yes, the beers are ice cold.
Day 8 — Mai Châu to Nghĩa Lộ | 230 km
Morning mist hangs over the rice paddies as we leave the green embrace of Mai Châu and climb
towards Vietnam’s northwest mountains.
On the Mộc Châu Plateau, the forest gives way to rolling hills covered in tea plantations. This region
is famous for its brew, so naturally we stop to sample it—along with the local milk cakes traditionally
served beside a hot cup.
The temperature drops as we climb higher. The landscape becomes increasingly rugged and isolated, and the roads seem to have been built with motorcyclists in mind.
Crossing the highlands and the Hoàng Liên Sơn ranges, we enter a region of Vietnam still experienced by very few outsiders. The descent towards Nghĩa Lộ delivers stupendous views over the northwest’s famous rice terraces, cascading down the slopes in layers of vivid green and gold.
Filled with fresh mountain air and another full day of brilliant riding behind us, we roll into Nghĩa Lộ and settle into our friendly hotel for the night.
Relax and enjoy it. Tomorrow, Hanoi awaits.
Day 9 — Nghĩa Lộ to Hanoi | 200 km
Our final riding day begins on excellent mountain roads, meandering down through spectacular passes towards the Red River Valley—the ancient cradle of Vietnamese civilisation.
For thousands of years, communities have lived beside this great mud-red river. The first Vietnamese kingdoms rose along its banks, and today we wind through a living landscape of crops, villages, old towns and raised river dykes.
Gradually, the quiet country roads become busier. Motorcycles multiply, villages merge into suburbs and the calm of the mountains gives way to the incredible organised chaos of Hanoi traffic.
Scooters are everywhere, often carrying loads that seem physically impossible. We mix it with the locals at a steady pace and ride together into the heart of the capital.
Welcome to the jungle of Hanoi. It is completely unreal.
Then the engines fall silent. We park the bikes, shake hands with the crew and head for the comforts of our hotel. From Hội An to Hanoi, we have crossed an extraordinary slice of the real Vietnam.
Day 10 — Exploring Hanoi
Good morning, Hanoi.
Today we leave the motorcycles parked and explore one of Asia’s most fascinating cities on foot.
The Old Quarter is a maze of narrow streets, hidden courtyards, market stalls, tiny workshops, cafés and food vendors. Every corner seems to tell another story. We spend the morning discovering some of Hanoi’s lesser-known gems before sitting down together for an incredible local lunch.
The afternoon is yours. Cool off at the hotel pool, book a well-earned massage, find a quiet café or venture back into the Old Quarter for one last look at the city’s wonderfully chaotic street life.
Hanoi is a real gem—and a fitting place to finish an unforgettable ride.
WHY BOOK
WITH
VIETNAM MOTORBIKE TOURS?
Established in 2007, Vietnam Motorbike Tours is an Australian and Vietnamese-owned company that combines expert local knowledge with high western standards. This winning combination has resulted in incredible motorbike adventure tours.
Send us a message via our enquiry page.
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
• Ride from Hội An to Hanoi through regions rarely seen by outside visitors
• Cross the legendary Hải Vân Pass
• Follow spectacular sections of the Ho Chi Minh Trail
• Visit Khe Sanh and significant wartime-history sites
• Ride the Western Ho Chi Minh Trail through Phong Nha–Kẻ Bàng National Park
• Explore Phong Nha Cave and Paradise Cave
• Experience remote ethnic-minority villages and mountain communities
• Stay in the beautiful Mai Châu Valley
• Ride through the tea plantations, highlands and rice terraces of northwest Vietnam
• Finish with the unforgettable experience of riding into Hanoi
• Enjoy Vietnam’s famous food, warm hospitality and remarkable culture
See the real Vietnam. Ride beyond the map.
TOUR INCLUSIONS
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Personalized in-house booking manager, making planning a breeze .
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Quality overnight stays, hotel & Homestay - all with wifi. single room upgrade available
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complimentary one night pre & post-tour accommodation
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airport pick up as per itinerary
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Domestic flights within Vietnam “as per tour itinerary”
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Detailed rider breifing covering all aspects of the tour
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Expert guide Lead guide & Vietnam Motorbike Tours support crew
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Lifan motorcycle & fuel . fully serviced & maintained . prefect for touring Vietnam.
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Support chase Minivan, seats passengers & bagagge transfers.
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All Breakfast & lunches - one welcome dinner
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Vietnam Motorbike Tours T-shirt - Cap - Vietnam touring map
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Endless bottled water, fruits & snacks
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Field medical kit - 24hr back-to-base support
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Motorcycle damage cover - 3rd limited party cover
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Return motorcycle freight to headquarters
NOT INCLUDED
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Motorcycle riding gear
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International flights - visa
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Personal travel insurance
All riders must have travel insurance
(must include motorcycling cover) -
Dinner meals - beverages
Vietnam Motorbike Tours' tours are designed for riders seeking the ultimate adventure and exploring some of the best back roads in Vietnam.
Places are limited so book early!
