North Vietnam by Gravel Bike

The pristine northeast of Vietnam, crisscrossed with beautiful trails, can be called a land of dragons and waterfalls. The razor-like spines of its limestone mountains are known as the Dragon’s Back, while the region is also blessed with abundant springs and streams that plunge off the lofty cliff faces dramatically, bringing life to the fields and orchards cultivated by countless farming communities living deep in the jungle-cloaked valleys. A sense of wonder pervades this terrain as we cycle its labyrinth of trails, with new discoveries around every bend!

North Vietnam by Gravel Bike is a series of connected rides, with transfers only at the beginning and end of the tour. We first gather in Hanoi for a welcome dinner and overview of the journey ahead. The following day, we will transfer up to Bac Kan, gateway to the northern mountains, and cycle our way to Ba Be Lake, Vietnam’s largest body of fresh water. The next day’s ride brings us to remote indigenous villages, then up near the Phia Oac summit, one of the region’s highest, where we will stay at an organic farm. Our following rides take us first to Thong Nong, we we will spend the night tucked in a secluded valley, then on to Pac Bo, where Ho Chi Minh and his guerillas were based in the 1940s. Roads and trails on a plateau near the Chinese border bring us to the Quay Son River and the famed Ban Gioc Waterfall, a natural marvel whose waters sparkle in the fresh mountain air. We then descend to the town of Cao Bang via a succession of riverside roads and gravel trails through jungle groves, and down the stunning Kneeling Horse Pass. Our final ride takes us out of town on a quiet road along the Hien River, with one more climb to take in the surreal mountain panorama. After a gentle descent to the end of our cycling journey, we’ll transfer into Hanoi. Our final night will be a celebration of our journey together, full of memories of the rides and friends made along the way.

Biking roads with moderate traffic. The riding surfaces are also diverse, including broken asphalt or concrete; champagne gravel; occasional chunky sections; and some smoothly-paved sections here and there. With ongoing road works and periodic damage, road surfaces can also change with little notice before the ride. You may encounter some traffic in villages and towns (the busiest being the town of Cao Bang). The roads are relatively seldom-traveled, but it’s always important to be aware of obstacles on the road (such as branches, stones, and livestock), as well as the unexpected approach of vehicles.