Motorbike Tour – Vietnam, Laos & Thailand
From: ฿235,000.00
Tours starts:
14th May – 2nd June
22nd October – 10th November
This tour begins and concludes in the stunning region of Chiang Mai (Thailand), which is located approximately 800 kilometres north of Bangkok and features breathtaking scenery.
This motorcycle tour offers an exceptional chance to obtain a comprehensive impression of the one-of-a-kind qualities that can be found in Northern Thailand, as well as Laos, and Vietnam. The routes that were chosen include a variety of two-lane roads, the majority of which are located in rural areas. We will spend the majority of our time on this tour riding through areas of breathtaking mountainous beauty, which are among the finest ridings available anywhere in the world.
Description
This tour begins and concludes in the stunning region of Chiang Mai (Thailand), which is located approximately 800 kilometres north of Bangkok and features breathtaking scenery.
This motorcycle tour offers an exceptional chance to obtain a comprehensive impression of the one-of-a-kind qualities that can be found in Northern Thailand, as well as Laos, and Vietnam. The routes that were chosen include a variety of two-lane roads, the majority of which are located in rural areas. We will spend the majority of our time on this tour riding through areas of breathtaking mountainous beauty, which are among the finest ridings available anywhere in the world. We begin our journey by heading east toward Chiang Rai and Chiang Khong, which are located in the region where we will first come into contact with the Mekong River. After crossing the border into Laos, we continued our ride in the direction of Oudom Xai. Already on our third day of riding, we make our way into Vietnam and travel to the Dien Bien Phu battleground. When travelling north towards the Chinese border, you will come across Phan Xia Pang, which is both Vietnam’s and South East Asia’s highest mountain at 3,143 metres in height. After that, we take a day off to relax in the charming and photogenic resort town of Sapa before continuing our journey by bicycle to the nation’s capital and exploring the splendour of Hanoi. After that, we are going to spend the night in the world-famous Ha Long Bay on board a luxurious cruise ship. Keep going until you reach the Nghia Lo rice terraces. When we get to Ninh Binh, we’re going to take a boat ride through the limestone caves there. After that, we’ll have a wonderful time riding to Phu Mat along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. After arriving back in Laos, our next stop is the Plain of Jars, followed by Luang Prabang, both of which are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Before heading back to Thailand, we will have to travel through the mountains on yet another path that is less travelled to Pakbeng. We will ride through some of the lesser-known mountains that surround the province of Nan, which for centuries remained independent from the rest of the world and was completely sealed off from it. On this tour, we will sample the local cuisine of Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam at each and every stop along the way. At dinner time, most restaurants will offer a selection of western dishes for patrons to choose from. In reality, three different countries, and one million impressions!
It is important that you are aware that this 20-DAY TOUR does in fact include the day of arrival as well as the day of departure; this means that we will actually be on the road for only 18 days. The tour price, of course, already includes the hotel for both the day of arrival and the day of departure. Only two times per year do we offer this tour. There are only a few spots available, but the competition is fierce. If you need any further information, please have a look at the tour dates section of our website. In the event that you have any further inquiries, do not hesitate to get in touch with us at any time.
For activity times and locations, view the activity details tab.
What’s included
- Tour and transfer services as described in the itinerary with English speaking professional Thai, Laos, and Vietnamese tour guide
- The services of an escort vehicle (Service Truck in Thailand & Laos and small truck in Vietnam) for the transport of the main luggage; both guide and driver will take care of baggage delivery and pick-up at each hotel
- Accommodation as per hotels and room types specified in the itinerary
- All Meals (breakfast, lunch & dinner) – full board, except on arrival and departure day in Chiang Mai (no lunch on rest days)
- All entrance fees to sights specified in the itinerary
- Motorcycle Kawasaki Versys 650cc, fuel during the entire tour (optional: BMW F800GS against surcharge)
- Compulsory third-party insurance in Thailand
- Experienced Thai motorcycle mechanic accompanies the tour
- S.E.Asia-experienced and English/German-speaking “road captain” as a riding tour guide during the whole tour
- Temporary drivers’ license for Vietnam issued based on a valid international driver’s license
- Service charge, room tax, and baggage handling
- Vehicle registration and inspection fees (Vietnamese Road Transport Administration Department)
What’s NOT included
- All services not mentioned as included and all items of a personal nature
- Any Alcoholic beverages
- Any extra ietams purchased in hotels, souvenir shops and other such establishments
- Travel insurance (cover against cancellation costs, medical expenses, including repatriation, in the event of accident or illness). We highly recommend you arrange appropriate insurance in your home country
- Airfares
- Visa Fees
Gear
We recommend bringing your own gear as it will be the most comfortable, however we do offer helmets, jackets, gloves, and knee guards free of charge. Please note that due to reasons of hygeine, we do not offer boots and trousers, however these, and many other otems are available to buy in our show or pre-order on our website.
Itinerary
THAILAND – LAOS – VIETNAM – LAOS – THAILAND
(Distance: approximately 3.375 km / 2.100 miles)
Day 1. Chiang Mai, Arrival
Day 2. Chiang Mai – Chiang Khong (Thailand) 309 km
Day 3. Chiang Khong – Oudomxay (Thailand / Laos) 311 km
Don’t forget! In Laos, we drive on the right side of the road! We have lunch in Luang Namtha and then continue the remaining stretch to Oudomxai. The road is quite good and the scenery is great as we are passing through a couple of villages, where it is time to stop and “mingle” with the locals. The first stretch of today to Luang Namtha is the main transit road between Thailand and China and normally has a bit more traffic. After lunch, the road is more provincial, with plenty of cures and villages. Part of this stretch is full of trucks due to the high-speed railway construction between China and Vientiane. Once the high-speed train is in service this part of Laos will change a lot, especially Luang Prabang. Overnight at a lovely resort in Oudomxai.
Day 4. Oudomxay – Muang Khua – Dien Bien Phu (Laos / Vietnam) 221 km
The Battle of Dien Bien Phu was the climactic confrontation of the First Indochina War between the French Union’s French Far East Expeditionary Corps and Viet Minh communist-nationalist revolutionaries. We can visit the Dien Bien Phu Museum, the notorious hill
Day 5. Dien Bien – Sapa (Vietnam) 274 km
Day 6. Rest Day in Sapa (Vietnam)
There are many things to do in Sapa. You can do an optional ride in the area. Or you simply chill out. For a remote small town in northern Vietnam’s mountains, Sapa is surprisingly modern. It offers a great variety of gastronomic options – from local street food and Vietnamese specialties to high-quality Italian restaurants and wine bars. Not to mention the many local cafes that serve super robust Vietnamese coffee. If you are up to it, take the cabin to the top of Phan Xia Pang or simply just stroll around in the town. Overnight in Sapa.
(Laundry service possible)
Day 7. Sapa – Nghia Lo (Vietnam) 231 km
Day 8. Ngiah Lo – Thai Nguyen – Hanoi (Vietnam) 296 km
Day 9. Rest Day in Hanoi (Vietnam)
Hanoi is the capital and the largest city in Vietnam by area. With an estimated population of 7.7 million as of 2018, it is the second-largest city in Vietnam by population. Located in the central area of the Red River Delta, Hanoi is the commercial, cultural, and educational center of Northern Vietnam.
Originally a small settlement along the banks of the Red River, the city was founded as Thang Long, the capital of Imperial Vietnam, in 1010 by monarch Ly Thai To. Thang Long would remain the most important political and cultural center of Vietnam until 1802. Thang Long was renamed to its current name Hanoi in 1831. In 1873, Hanoi was conquered by the French, and from 1883 to 1945, the city was the administrative center of French Indochina. The French colonization left a lasting impact on the city’s architecture that is visible today, as showcased through French-style avenues, bridges, and buildings juxtaposing with traditional Vietnamese architecture. Overnight in Hanoi. (Laundry service possible)
Day 10. Hanoi – Ha Long Bay (Vietnam)
Ha Long Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The name Hạ Long means “descending dragon”.
The bay features thousands of limestone karsts and isles in various shapes and sizes. Ha Long Bay is a center of a larger zone which includes Bai Tu Long Bay to the northeast, and Cát Bà Island to the southwest. Hạ Long Bay has an area of around 1,553 km2 (600 sq mi), including 1,960–2,000 islets, most of which are limestone. The core of the bay has an area of 334 km2 (129 sq mi) with a high density of 775 islets. The limestone in this bay has gone through 500 million years of formation in different conditions and environments. The evolution of the karst in this bay has taken 20 million years under the impact of the tropical wet climate.
Boat: Phoenix Cruise
Day 11. Second Rest Day in Hanoi (Vietnam)
Day 12. Hanoi – Ninh Binh (Vietnam) 117 km
Day 13. Ninh Binh – Pu Mat (Vietnam) 243 km
Once back on our motorcycles we continue our journey to Pu Mat. We follow the Ho Chi Minh Trail and the Ca (big) river and arrive in Pu Mat town in the Nghe An province towards the end of the day. Most of today’s route is on good enjoyable low-density roads. Next to our hotel is a swimming pool with a bar, full of locals. Enjoy a swim and a beer with them. There is also a possibility to ride and visit a waterfall, paved road, a total of 50 km return. Overnight at hotel in Pu Mat.
Day 14. Pu Mat – Nam Can – Phonsavan (Vietnam / Laos) 268 km
Day 15. Phonsavan – Luang Prabang (Laos) 267 km
Day 16. Rest Day in Luang Prabang (Laos)
In the morning you will have the option to rise early to view the procession of monks on their daily outing collecting alms, a practice that dates back centuries. It is done early, as the monks cannot eat anything after midday. By giving food to a monk you make merit, which should augur well for your next life.
You may also want to visit the beautiful Kuang Si Waterfalls. It’s possible to swim in the lagoon, so bring your swimming gear. A great way to get there is to take a local “Tuktuk”.
Another option is cruising a couple of hours on the Mekong River to the Pak Ou Caves. If this is too long-time spent on a boat, enjoy a short sunset cruise on the river.
Once back in Luang Prabang you can visit the major temples, including the magnificent Wat Xieng Thong, which nestles at the meeting of the Mekong and the Nam Khan Rivers, and Wat Wisunalat, which is the oldest temple in the city. Another great optional activity is to sample a traditional Lao massage and herbal sauna. Along the walking street, you find plenty of antique shops, bakeries, bars, etc. After sunset, the night market takes off. Enjoy and have fun! We stay another night in Luang Prabang.
(Laundry service available)
Day 17. Luang Prabang – Pakbeng (Laos) 280 km
Day 18. Pakbeng – Nan (Laos / Thailand) 261 km
Day 19. Nan – Chiang Mai (Thailand) 297 km
Day 20. Chiang Mai, Departure
End of Tour
VISA THAILAND
Most nationalities do not require a visa to enter Thailand for a stay that does not exceed 30 days. However, it is important to note that Thailand’s immigration regulations require that passports must remain valid at least six months beyond visitors’ intended length of stay in Thailand.
Furthermore, it is important to note that Thai Immigration authorities only grant a visa-free stay of a maximum of 15 days in Thailand if tourists enter the country overland (from Burma) rather than through an international airport. Hence, after returning overland from Burma, you will only be allowed a maximum visa-free stay of 15 days in Thailand.
VISA FOR LAOS
For Laos also Visa on arrival is possible, the same as it´s in Thailand. The Visa fee on arrival for Laos is about 30 US$ for 30 days (1,200 THB). We will, of course, support you with all the paperwork at the border.
VISA FOR VIETNAM
First of all, please note that today it is irrelevant whether you refer to Vietnam.
To facilitate the issuance of visas through a Vietnamese Embassy or Permanent Mission, it is best if persons with pre-booked travel arrangements submit along with their visa application a so-called “Visa Confirmation Letter” from the tour operator in Hanoi responsible for the tour arrangements. We shall obtain the visa confirmation letter and forward it to you. The confirmation letter implies that the tour operator is responsible for you during your entire stay in Vietnam and eliminates further questioning by the Vietnamese Embassy.
Please note that Vietnamese Embassies generally do not consider the exact travel dates but simply stamp visas valid for 3 months and entitling the holder to 1 single entry into Vietnam within these 3 months. Therefore, we will forward to you the visa confirmation letter approximately 1 ½ months before the start of the tour to ensure that the validity of your visa will extend beyond the length of your stay in Vietnam. Once you have received your visa confirmation letter, you should contact the nearest Vietnamese Embassy or Permanent Mission to obtain visas application forms, fill in the visa application forms in triplicate, attach one passport photo to each copy of the application form and enclose a printout copy of the visa confirmation letter with the application. Please refer to the List of diplomatic missions of Vietnam for a list of all Vietnamese Embassies, Permanent Missions, and Consulate Generals.
REGISTRATION / DEPOSIT
Due to the cumbersome logistics involved with obtaining all necessary permits and border formalities, we must impose the following conditions for registration of your participation in the tour:
- The deadline for the latest registrations is two months before the tour start
- Confirmation of your participation in the tour will only be confirmed against the payment of a 10% deposit (down payment) of the total tour price.
- First, come – first served: the date of receipt of your deposit (down payment) will determine whose participation will be confirmed first. We will not confirm participation in the tour before receipt of your deposit.
We shall guarantee the departure of the tour with a minimum of 4 bikers and shall limit the maximum size of the group to no more than 15 bikes.
With your registration for the tour, we also need the following personal data from you:
Family Name(s) – as per passport:
First Name(s) – as per passport:
Passport Number:
Nationality:
Date of Birth:
Passport Issue Date:
Passport Issue Place:
Passport Expiry Date:
Please note that to participate in this tour, you must own a valid international driver’s license for motorcycles over 500cc.
We strongly recommend that you purchase individualized travel and/or medical insurance from any insurance company in your home market to prevent having to incur any unexpected medical or travel expenses.
INSURANCE – THAILAND & LAOS
The motorcycles carry compulsory third-party insurance according to Thai law but do not carry full comprehensive insurance as this is not available in Thailand for rental motorcycles. The tour partic
Additional information
| Pick Up Time | 1 Hour Before Activity Starts |
|---|---|
| Activity Location | Thai-Viet-Laos |
| Activity Start Time | 08:30 |
| Activity Finish Time | 17:30 |
| Drop Off Time | 1 Hour After Activity Finish |
| Notes | Transport Times Confirmed in Email |
