Venture into Vietnam’s far north and you’ll discover another world altogether, awash with rich green rice paddies and wide, flowing rivers that wind around the region’s many oversized landscapes. Those who strike out on Vietnam’s Northwest Loop will be handsomely rewarded with soaring mountains, plunging valleys, isolated villages, and unfathomable vistas. This is an independent adventure on which you’ll find few to no English speakers, no high-end hotels, and not a Western meal to speak of. The views from the northwest’s serpentine roads make it well worth the journey.
The peaks and valleys of Sapa. Photo © Petr and Bara Ruzicka, licensed Creative Commons Attribution.
This is an independent adventure on which you’ll find few to no English speakers, no high-end hotels, and not a Western meal to speak of.Starting from Hanoi, this 720-mile circuit runs west toward Dien Bien Phu, the city where Vietnam defeated its French enemies once and for all, turning north past Muong Lay and Lai Chau, before scaling the death-defying cliffs of Tram Ton Pass, rolling into Sapa town, and coasting back down to the capital.Most travelers make the trip on a motorbike in about a week; cyclists can complete the Northwest Loop in two weeks. Invest in a quality vehicle for the journey, as there aren’t many repair shops in the area. What shops do exist have far more experience with motorbikes than multi-speed bicycles. Cyclists should stock up on tools, tubes, and other necessities before leaving Hanoi. Before you set off, commit the Vietnamese words for hotel (khách sạn, pronounced “cack san”), guesthouse (nhà nghi, pronounced “nyah ngee”), and restaurant (nhà hang, pronounced “nyah hang”) to memory, as these will be essential when you’re looking for a place to stop.
Road conditions throughout this region are good, with smooth, sleek asphalt most of the way (with the exception of a treacherous stretch near Muong Lay north of Dien Bien Phu). Opt for heavy-duty tires on both bicycles and motorbikes. Guardrails and barriers are nonexistent. Even though there’s little traffic on the roads of the northwest, serious accidents can happen and adequate medical care is a long way away.
A handful of tour outfits in Sapa arrange guided, Easy Rider-style motorbike tours that follow this route, though the cost will be astronomically greater than doing it on your own. You can usually arrange these tours in Hanoi or Sapa and expect to take at least six days to complete the full circuit.
Excerpted from the First Edition of Moon Vietnam.
