Vietnam Wanders (Northern Vietnam)

Nine nights in a loop from Hanoi, guided, through the far north of Vietnam on a Honda CRF250L or CRF300L, on a mix of sealed road and dirt.

Phu Yen comes first through rural villages, rice and green tea, then Mu Cang Chai by way of Tu Le, where the terraces climb the valleys in steps cut by Black H’mong, Dao and Thai families over generations, with a homestay in a Tay village.

Sapa follows over the O Quy Ho pass, one of the longest and highest in the country, then Bac Ha through Lao Cai on the Chinese border, and Ha Giang by way of Hoang Su Phi and the Saturday market at Can Cau, where traders cross from China. Dong Van and Meo Vac come next on tight mountain roads, with the Ma Pi Leng pass, which was cut by hand into a cliff above the Nho Que gorge in the 1960s and is the most spectacular stretch of road in Vietnam. Ba Be follows with river crossings, and the bikes are loaded onto a boat for the final approach to the largest natural lake in the country, with caves and another Tay homestay.

The bike hire is included; the full inclusions are not itemised on the operator’s page and are worth confirming at booking. September to November and March to May are the windows, with the terraces green in summer and gold just before the harvest. Ten days with homestays rather than hotels for several of the nights makes this a closer trip than most, and the trail bikes are the right choice for the surfaces involved.