Northern Vietnam & Laos: Hanoi to Luang Prabang Bike Tour

Arrive in Hanoi and enjoy the day at leisure.

Our guide meets at your hotel around 12:30 hrs in the afternoon. Today walk the busy streets of Hanoi and visit some of the cultural and historical highlights of Hanoi; Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, and One Pillar Pagoda, constructed nearly a millennium ago. Also, visit the Temple of Literature, dating back close to a thousand years, is a wonderfully preserved piece of ancient Vietnamese architecture and stands to honor the scholarly achievements of the country’s academics and philosophers. Continue exploring the area around Hoan Kiem (Sword) Lake, the old quarter including Ngoc Son Temple, which sits perched on a little island in the lake.

In the late afternoon, we do bike fit and briefing over dinner tonight and later take an overnight train from Hanoi to Lao Cai.

Meet your tour guide at Lao Cai railway station and get transferred to Sapa. This morning, take a short hike around and visit some of the ethnic villages. After lunch, we go for a short bike ride, giving a glimpse of spectacular karst scenery and what is to come in the next few days.

Sapa is a spectacular hill station and home to the region’s largest ethnic groups, Hmong and Dao people.

A classic ride today. Starting from your hotel at Sapa, we make a gradual climb up to Tram Ton Pass (2000m), Vietnam’s highest mountain pass on the northern side of Fansipan and 15km from Sapa. The climb is rewarded with enchanting views of terraced rice fields, tea plantations, and innumerable streams. Enjoy a sheer drop to 750m in about 25km to the Lai Chao side. We stop here for lunch at a roadside restaurant and continue cycling to Lai Chau. The scenery is spectacular throughout the day and gives an opportunity for plenty of landscape photos. The region is mainly inhabited by white Thai and White Hmong people.

Sin Ho is regarded as a sleeping beauty. You’ll be surprised that hardly anybody comes here and yet it boasts some of the best mountain scenery in this region. Another amazing day on a bike as we ride the old highway and reach Sin Ho. A tough day on a bike today, rewarded with amazing views all around.

Go for a hike in a nearby area and discover the local life at close quarters. In the late morning, get ready to bike towards Muong Lay. Another good day on the bike as we make way past amazing topography to Muong Lay. Mostly a downhill ride today.

Today is a long riding day. We cross few not-so-high passes along the way before arriving at Dien Bien Phu. The river plays a big part in today’s cycling journey as we ride largely along the Nam Na river flanked by bananas and bamboo plantations, and past lush paddy fields.

Visit some classic highlights of Dien Bien Phu such as A1 Hill and Dien Bien Phu Museum.

We take a transfer to Tay Trang, the border town between Vietnam and Laos. Meet our Lao guide and continue riding to Muang Khua. This is one of the most unvisited parts of Laos and the experience is truly unique.

To get to the Oudomxay, we ride along the Nam Pak River. Along the way, notice how the homes are made of wood and bamboo. An undulating ride dotted with forests and river streams.

Today's ride features some rough, dusty roads, complemented by a shuttle transfer. This is one of the most spectacular stretches of long mountain road. The road is dotted with small villages and this is a great way to get acquainted with local rural life. The dramatic limestone and green rolling hills formations make for great photographic opportunities. There will be plenty of opportunities to stop and admire the wonderful scenery. The journey passes through beautiful mountain ranges and Hmong hill tribe villages.

We transfer to the pier and board a huge traditional Mekong riverboat for the upstream cruise to Luang Prabang, departure at 08.00 hrs. This portion of the Mekong is very remote, which sometimes allows glimpses of wildlife in the extensive forests. There are occasional stops at local hill tribe villages to meet people and observe life on the riverside. Lunch will be served on the boat. Enjoy the lovely scenery along both sides of the Mekong cruising to today’s destination.

Arrive at Luang Prabang and enjoy a feel of an open-air museum. After rest and a short orientation, we leave to see the UNESCO world heritage city from the seat of a bicycle. This is a good way to warm up for riding on these roads and also see the most famous sights of Luang Prabang. The city has traces of French architecture as an erstwhile colony but is largely dotted with golden roofed wats (temples) amidst the raw topography of rugged mountains and lush environs. The combination is stunning!

Our guide meets you at your hotel at about 13:00hrs. Begin the afternoon tour by cycling around the old quarter of Luang Prabang, starting at Heuan Chan Heritage House and after to Luang Prabang’s National Museum, formerly the Royal Palace. Displayed within is a collection of personal artifacts of the former Laotian Royal Family. Visit nearby Wat Mai – the five-tiered roof epitomizes the graceful Luang Prabang architectural style. Continue cycling along the Mekong River and stop at the hillside temple of Wat That Luang. Take a short walk and visit the ancient stupa called That Dam (the Black Stupa) before biking to Wat Visoun, the oldest living temple in Luang Prabang. Wat Visoun dates back to 1513 and contains a collection of antique wooden Buddha images. Continue along the Nam Khan River to Wat Xieng Thong – often considered to be Luang Prabang’s most elegant. The temple is characterized by tiered roofs sweeping low to the ground and the impressive “tree of life” mosaic. Before sunset, cycle back to your hotel on the town’s main street, stopping at Wat Sop and Wat Sen along the way.

Today’s dinner is on your own. We suggest eating dinner at a street stall so you can dig into the local delicacies. street stall so you can dig into the local delicacies. Lao food can be very meat-oriented. Chopped meat, chicken, or duck are common, but there are plenty of options for vegetarians as well. Our personal recommendation is the light and tasty Tam Mak Houng or papaya salad, which is made from sliced raw papaya, garlic, chilly, peanuts, sugar, fermented fish sauce, and lime juice.

Our main destination for the day is the hidden waterfall, Kung Si. Tucked away between thick foliage, the famous waterfall feels like a secret. The aquamarine waters are tempting, so do carry your swimwear along.

On our way to the waterfalls, we make a stop at the Great Project (called the Laos Buffalo Dairy), a project designed to educate the Rural communities in Animal Husbandry and basic animal health care. They rent the Cattle from the villagers to enable a secure income for the community and use the milk to create Cheese and Spectacular Ice Cream. Lunch is served Picnic style here and there is also an opportunity to get an unforgettable ‘Buffalo Selfie’.

We also hike to the top of the falls. We spend until afternoon here and return to the town by a long-tail boat skirting the spectacular Mekong river. In the evening, we recommend visiting the famous night handicraft market. Shopping for local delights can be great fun, so enjoy your shopping time for the day.

Dinner is at a Local NGO who train marginalized youth for careers in the Hospitality industry. It is also one of the most exciting menus in town, a great balance between traditional and modern flavors.

Get up before sunrise today, and walk up to Mount Phousi for a beautiful tinge of orange in the sky and seeing the city bathe in the warm glow of the rising sun.

Please make arrangements as per your onward journey.