Northeast Vietnam Motorbiking Trips, Motorcycling Expeditions Reviews

Here are comments and reviews from our customers about motorbiking adventures in North East Vietnam. Please click on the links to learn more.

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Mr Damien Moorhouse | ~1,400 km | 8 days Honda GL160

Mr Rhett Turley | ~1,400 km | 8 days Honda GL160

Mr Kevin Crofts | ~1,400 km | 8 days Honda GL160

Mr Allan Holland | ~1,400 km | 8 days Honda GL160

Mr Nick Stone | ~1,400 km | 8 days Honda GL160

Mr Ian Wood | ~1,400 km | 8 days Honda GL160

Mr Kevin Thompson | ~1,100 km | 7 days Honda XR250

Mr J�rgen Brandt | ~1,100 km | 7 days Honda GL160

Mr Erik Brandt | ~1,100 km | 7 days Honda Baja XR250

Mr Simon Wood | ~1,200 km | 8 days Honda Baja XR250

Mr Graham Wood | ~1,200 km | 8 days Honda Baja XR250

Tom Aginfort | ~1,200 km | 8 days Honda GL160 pillion passenger

Mr Richard Aginfort | ~1,200 km | 8 days Honda GL160

Mr Mike Driggers | ~1,300 km | 8 days Honda Baja XR250

Mr Stephen & Mrs Amanda Dahlgren | ~1,300 km | 8 days Honda GL160

Ms Dorothy Lenehan | ~1,300 km | 8 days Honda GL160

Mr George Besenbrok | ~1,300 km | 8 days Honda GL160

Mrs Susan Wade | ~1,300 km | 8 days Honda GL160

Mr Scott Wade | ~1,300 km | 8 days Honda GL160

Mr Gary Welch | ~1,100 km | 6 days Honda XR250

Mr Sam Bradley | ~1,100 km | 6 days Honda XL125

Mr Mark Crawford | ~1,100 km | 6 days Honda Baja XR250

Mr Les Dittert | ~1,100 km | 6 days Honda XL250

Mr Kenny Phang | ~1,200 km | 7 days Honda XL250

Ms Maisie Kendall | ~1,000 km | 6 days Honda GL160

Mr Matthew Rene | ~1,000 km | 6 days Honda GL160

Mr Trevor Dyson | ~1,000 km | 6 days Honda GL160

Ms Jo Brown | ~1,000 km | 6 days Honda GL160

Mr Philip Callow, Mr James Diggines & Mr Andy Murray | ~1,200 km | 7 days Honda XL125

Mr Karl Long | ~1,200 km | 7 days Honda XL125

Mr Lauric Barbier | ~1,200 km | 6 days Honda GL160

Mr Brett Davison | ~1,000 km | 5 days Honda GL160

Mr Christopher Unertl | ~1,000 km | 5 days Honda GL160

Mr Kevin Skelly | ~1,000 km | 5 days Honda GL160

Mr Kevin Bell | ~1,000 km | 6 days Honda GL160

Mr Paul Whiteaker & Ms Germaine Franse | ~1,000 km | 6 days Honda GL160

Mr Michael Liehr | ~950 km | 5 days Honda GL160

Mr Kevin Uram | ~950 km | 5 days Honda GL160

Mr Kenneth M. Davis | ~950 km | 5 days Honda GL160

Mr Michael and Dave Climie | ~1,000 km | 6 days GL160 & Minsk 125

Mr Damien Moorhouse (8 days Honda road bike 160cc adventure, ~1,400 km)

Anh, your quick responses + clarity via email prior to the tour gave us confidence that we had chosen a good tour company. Also when we arrived first at your office, we were again reassured of our choice. These are very important things for prospective travelers when there are so many scams + dodgy operators.

- Tempo of the tour and the stop-over: Tempo was good, but quite often dependant on condition of roads. In a group, it is hard to stop to take pictures as there is so much good scenery - but that is more to do with group dynamics.

- Bikes and equipment: Bikes were good - once I settled into my bike I was very happy with the plucky little 160's. In fact we chose your company because the bikes were better than other companies.

- Accommodation: Accommodation was mixed + varied. Some hotels were a bit crusty, but others were very good. Home stays were both great.

- Food: Choice of food also very good. The meals at home stays were some of the best meals we had in my opinion.

- Guide and organisation: Long very good tour guide. Good balance of decision making, friendliness, humor, expertise.

- The price: As we were 6 people, price was good value.

- How did you know about us? Website.

Full name: Damien Moorhouse
Address: AUSTRALIA.

Mr Rhett Turley (8 days Honda road bike 160cc adventure, ~1,400 km)

Really enjoy the whole experience. Starting with Anh in the early organization right through the end.

- Tempo of the tour and the stop-over: I think Long got it right. We did enough to keep us busy but still got enough rest.

- Bikes and equipment: Motorcycle (GL160) seemed to handle the conditions well.

- Accommodation: Mix of hotels + homestays worked well.

- Food: There was only one meal that was a bit ordinary. Both the homestays cooking were excellent.

- Guide and organisation: Long was well organised and managed to keep us together at all times. He also handled any mechanical problems well.

- The price: Great. Well worth it.

- How did you know about us? Internet.

Full name: Rhett Turley
Address: AUSTRALIA.

Mr Kevin Crofts (8 days Honda road bike 160cc adventure, ~1,400 km)

Highly recommend Long as a guide. Good man.

- Tempo of the tour and the stop-over: Found the tempo good.

- Bikes and equipment: Found the bike (GL160) to be the right package for this particular trip.

- Accommodation: Good variety of hotels + homestays.

- Food: Great variety of food and plenty of it.

- Guide and organisation: Found the guide + organization to be first class.

- The price: Well and truly worth every cent.

- How did you know about us? Website.

Full name: Kevin Crofts
Address: AUSTRALIA.

Mr Allan Holland (8 days Honda road bike 160cc adventure, ~1,400 km)

Great. Well done.

- Tempo of the tour and the stop-over: Good. Plenty of time for stops on the way and at the end of each day.

- Bikes and equipment: Motorcycle tour good (for Vietnam!).

- Accommodation: Good. Plenty of variation, and interesting home stays.

- Food: Good. Great. Fantastic eating at all the local shops etc.

- Guide and organisation: Fantastic communication via Internet + on the website. Fantastic tour leader - Long.

- The price: Good.

- How did you know about us? Internet search.

Full name: Allan Holland
Address: AUSTRALIA.

Mr Nick Stone (8 days Honda road bike 160cc adventure, ~1,400 km)

I would like to return and do another trip with Offroad Vietnam and would recommend to friends.

- Tempo of the tour and the stop-over: Good. Plenty of momentum.

- Bikes and equipment: GL 160 good bike, easy to handle, enough power for the job.

- Accommodation: Farm stay was fantastic. Hotels were fine.

- Food: Home / farm stay food was awesome.

- Guide and organisation: Long was very enjoyable guide, great English, knowlegable about local info and fun.

- The price: Reasonable.

- How did you know about us? Internet.

Full name: Nick Stone
Address: AUSTRALIA.

Mr Ian Wood (8 days Honda road bike 160cc adventure, ~1,400 km)

Good ride. Long was great. Had a great time. Will recommend this trip to others.

- Tempo of the tour and the stop-over: Excellent. Maybe a little slower on the first day while we get used to driving conditions.

- Bikes and equipment: GL 160 very good. Ideal size for the type of riding. A few small mechanical problems (horn doesn't work).

- Accommodation: Very good.

- Food: Very good.

- Guide and organisation: Very good.

- The price: Ok.

- How did you know about us? Internet.

Full name: Ian Wood
Address: AUSTRALIA.

Mr Kevin Thompson (7 days Honda dirt bike 250cc adventure, ~1,100 km)

Tour guides need to be given better bikes to ride. Please email me future rides as I might be bringing a group in future.

- Tempo of the tour and the stop-over: Once out of Hanoi - very easy going and not stressful at all. Stops were regular and spared out well.

- Bikes and equipment: XR250 - ok. I would prefer bigger motorbike, but know not possible in Vietnam - maybe a bigger bore.

- Accommodation: I am a bit older and prefer hotels even though homestays were interesting.

- Food: Was good - maybe once in trip some Western food.

- Guide and organisation: Long - excellent. English fantastic (5 star) informative and caring.
Thu - very good English, needs improving, tries very hard to help and will make a very good guide with experience.

- The price: No complaints.

- How did you know about us? Motorcycle Magazine (British).

Full name: Kevin Thompson
Address: AUSTRALIA.

Mr J�rgen Brandt (7 days Honda road bike 160cc adventure, ~1,100 km)

Dragon (Long) is by far the best guide I have ever had. The most enjoyable week of life. Thu (the training guide) is a great guy and will make a great guide with experience. He made the tour enjoyable, lots of laughs.

- Tempo of the tour and the stop-over: Perfect! Breaks were timed well.

- Bikes and equipment: Bikes were great. I will use the XR250 next time.

- Accommodation: Perfect.

- Food: Perfect.

- Guide and organisation: Extremely well organised. Gave us 100% confidence.

- The price: Spot on.

- How did you know about us? Google.

Full name: J�rgen Brandt
Address:NEW ZEALAND

Mr Erik Brandt (7 days Honda dirt bike 250cc adventure, ~1,100 km)

The very good administration and these very good guides made this trip above expectations. Highly recommended was to spend a week in Vietnam.

- Tempo of the tour and the stop-over: Very good.

- Bikes and equipment: Very good.

- Accommodation: Very good.

- Food: Long selected a good mix of different food each day.

- Guide and organisation: Professional organisation. Guide became part of the team.

- The price: Pricey but worth it.

- How did you know about us? Friends.

Full name: Erik Brandt
Address: Medan, INDONESIA.

Mr Simon Wood (8 days Honda dirt bike 250cc adventure, ~1,200 km)

Thanks!

- Tempo of the tour and the stop-over: Good pace. Nice roads. Speed of riding matched the road quality, not too fast or too slow. Rest stops were well timed.

- Bikes and equipment: Motorbike (250cc Baja) worked flawlessly, good bike.

- Accommodation: Nice mix of different type accommodations. Ha Giang beds were hard!!

- Food: Long selected a good mix of different food each day.

- Guide and organisation: Guide was very good both on the road and in the towns.

- The price: Price was right on.

- How did you know about us? Internet.

Full name: Simon Wood
Address: Entabbe, UGANDA.

Mr Graham Wood (8 days on Honda dirt bike 250cc adventure, ~1,200 km)

- Tempo of the tour and the stop-over: Fine - No problems.

- Bikes and equipment: Good.

- Accommodation: Good.

- Food: Good.

- Guide and organisation: Great. Long is v. good.

- The price: Good.

- How did you know about us? Internet.

Full name: Graham Wood
Address: Arusha, TANZANIA.

Tom Aginfort (8 days pillion passenger adventure, ~1,200 km)

Great trip.

- Tempo of the tour and the stop-over: Very good. The time flies.

- Bikes and equipment: The Honda is great. It is also quite comfortable being a pillion. You have to stretch your ass though.

- Accommodation: Very good. It was the case of the better the quality of the hotel the harder than the bed.

- Food: Not that good, all I ate was rice (I'm only 11 though).

- Guide and organisation: It was great. Our guide (Long) knew where he was going everyday.

- The price: I didn't pay.

- How did you know about us? Google (I think).

Full name: Tom Aginfort
Address: Melbourne, AUSTRALIA.

Mr Richard Aginfort (8 days on Honda road bike 160cc adventure, ~1,200 km)

- Tempo of the tour and the stop-over: Perfect tempo.

- Bikes and equipment: All good.

- Accommodation: Very good.

- Food: Good.

- Guide and organisation: Very good.

- The price: Reasonable.

- How did you know about us? Internet/Google.

Full name: Richard Aginfort
Address: Melbourne, AUSTRALIA.

Mr Mike Driggers (8 days on Honda dirt bike 250cc adventure, ~1,300 km)

- Tempo of the tour and the stop-over: For this group the tempo was perfect, this is to say fairly fast for the road conditions and traffic but safe for the groups riding skills. It was brisk enough for everyone but still allowed time for enjoying the sites and people.

- Bikes and equipment: I had the largest bike offered by Off Road Vietnam and for me it was the best choice. I am about 6'2'� and weigh around 300 pounds, so I needed the extra power and suspension offered on the 250. I had no issues other than a flat about 22kilometers out of Hanoi on our last day. The guides repaired the flat in record time and we rolled on into town.

- Accommodation: All of the accommodations were good to excellent but the home stays were the best for me. I did like our first home stay the best it was in a stilt home with a wonderful family that I will never forget (How May Do). An inside joke!

- Food: The food was wonderful everything exceeded my expectations with a lot of variety.

- Guide and organisation: Our guides were excellent. Their personalities and style truly added to the experience, I cannot say enough about Thoi and Luan, when I get a chance to go back I will certainly request their services again.

- The price: Given today�s economy this was an excellent value.

- How did you know about us? A friend with follow up on the Internet.

Full name: Mike Driggers
Address: U.S.A.

Mr Stephen & Mrs Amanda Dahlgren (U.S.A.)

Mr Stephen & Mrs Amanda Dahlgren (8 days on Honda road bike 160cc adventure, ~1,300 km)

- Tempo of the tour and the stop-over: We thought everything was perfect. The guides never made the ride too long or too short between stops.

- Bikes and equipment: Headlight did not work on one bike and foot pegs came loose on another bike. Making both issues a safety hazard, especially the ride at night with no headlight other than those two issues, everything worked well.

- Accommodation: There was a perfect mix of homestay & hotel. We felt that we were able to see how the Vietnamese lived with the homestays. This made the trip even better.

- Food: The food was excellent after getting used to the variety of foods people like to eat here.

- Guide and organisation: Thoi + Luan were outstanding without them the tour wouldn't be half as good as it was. They were knowledgeable, fun, and pleasant. They took care of everyone's wants and needs. Both of them are unbelievably great guys! I have nothing but great things to say about Offroad Vietnam from start to finish!

- The price: Price was fair, value was good. The tip jar on the Halong Bay boat was a little excessive.

- How did you know about us? Susan Wade.

Full name: Stephen & Amanda Dahlgren
Address: U.S.A.

Ms Dorothy Lenehan (8 days on Honda road bike 160cc adventure, ~1,300 km)

I think it is important that everyone's bike be serviced and running at its best. Mine was good after 2 days if we had done a short trip I may have been disappointed. In the end all the bikes were good - thanks to the guides & their abilities.

Anh Wu - The only problem on this tour - when I was feeling pressured on the boat on Halong Bay to buy things. I know it is tourist area but I think we all disliked that treatment by the crew on the boat - not a good feeling.

- Tempo of the tour and the stop-over: For me the pace was perfect. I think that our group was all well matched but if we had anyone slower or less skilled it would have been a problem. I enjoyed the stops - the home stays very much - especially our first where the hosts & hostess were involved with us - we learned a great deal from them about their culture.

- Bikes and equipment: Originally I was worried about the size of the bike but in the end it was just the right machine for what we were doing.

- Accommodation: The first home stay was the best (Vu Linh) - for sure - hosts were very involved with us.

- Food: Interesting and varied. Thoi + Luan always took great care to be sure everyone had something they would eat. Most places were very good. Like any travelling - sometimes you get a bad meal but that is life.

- Guide and organisation: Thoi + Luan were fantastic guides. We began to tease them regularly and they both kept us laughing & learning for the entire trip. Their knowledge of their country + culture is extensive - of course they could have been making it all up - I wouldn't know :)

- The price: The pricing was good on this trip. And it was worth every Dong.

- How did you know about us? Friend.

Full name: Dorothy Lenehan
Address: U.S.A.

Mr George Besenbrok (8 days on Honda road bike 160cc adventure, ~1,300 km)

- Tempo of the tour and the stop-over: I thought the days were a perfect length. Lots of time on the road and plenty of stops to refresh.

- Bikes and equipment: My bike worked fairly well. It did have a clunk in the front end that worried me abit. Quiet mufflers would be nice also.

- Accommodation: With one exception, I was happy with our stays. We did not do the third home stay, but that was good. We stayed 2 nights at a nice hotel instead and got to ride one day without luggage. A plus.

- Food: Happy with the food. I feel like we experienced genuine Vietnamese food. Only comment was there was sometimes too much...

- Guide and organisation: Our guides were awesome. Could not have been any better. You should pay them well.

- The price: Good value.

- How did you know about us? Sue & Scott Wade.

Full name: George Besenbrok
Address: U.S.A.

Mrs Susan Wade (8 days on Honda road bike 160cc adventure, ~1,300 km)

The guides made this trip. They worked hard to keep bikes running well and everyone happy! The whole group finished the ride with big smiles.

- Tempo of the tour and the stop-over: Tempo worked well for our group. Would have preferred a little earlier starts to avoid getting in in the dark. Guides responded to requests for more picture stops which was great.

- Bikes and equipment: My motorcycle ran fine. I would be willing to pay more for newer motorcycles with suspension.

- Accommodation: Most accommodation were great. The hotel in Lang Son was not good. I would recommend a better hotel be used in that area. Everyone loved the host family at the first guest-house (Vu Linh).

- Food: Food was good. Guides worked hard to order food that would satisfy everyone in the group.

- Guide and organisation: Both Thoi and Luan were excellent. They were very knowledgeable, responded immediately to our requests, and handled challenging situations very well. When I was violently ill on the road they found a truck to transport me and made sure I had everything required.

- The price: Worth every penny, it was a trip of a lifetime.

- How did you know about us? Internet then check on Adventure Riders web site for others experience.

Full name: Susan Wade
Address: U.S.A.

Mr Scott Wade (8 days on Honda road bike 160cc adventure, ~1,300 km)

- Tempo of the tour and the stop-over: Excellent, no boring (slow) times!

- Bikes and equipment: First bike would not run correctly.

- Accommodation: Very nice.

- Food: Excellent and plenty of it.

- Guide and organisation: Our guides were excellent. Always available and keeping us safe.

- The price: Good value for the cost.

- How did you know about us? Adventure Riders web site recommendation.

Full name: Scott Wade
Address: U.S.A.

Mr Gary Welch (6 days on Honda trail bike 250cc adventure, ~1,100 km)

Will gladly recommend this trip to other people - great scenery + well organised - home stay at Ba Be + boat trip on lake great.

- Tempo of the tour and the stop-over: Very good - not too long between stops.

- Bikes and equipment: Bike in good condition.

- Accommodation: Very good - home stays better than some hotels.

- Food: Very good + plenty of it.

- Guide and organisation: Great service - Long looked after us very well.

- The price: Good value for money.

- How did you know about us? Internet.

Full name: Gary Welch
Address: Sydney, AUSTRALIA.

Mr Sam Bradley (6 days on Honda trail bike 125cc adventure, ~1,100 km)

Excellent website - once in, I was pretty much captured.

Ba Be + Ban Gioc waterfalls were very beautiful. Loved the whole experience. Thank you!

- Tempo of the tour and the stop-over: Nice pace - some full days, some slower - for 6 days it was well paced. Some excellent sections, maintain roads.

- Bikes and equipment: Bike was good. Did the job.

- Accommodation: V. nice. Homestays were really nice + appreciated the chance to be with nice locals some more.

- Food: Great! delicious + plenty. Accidentally ate dog, but that's okay.

- Guide and organisation: Long was excellent. Couldn't ask for a better guide. Was impressed with mechanical skills especially. Great sense of humour and local knowledge was appreciated very much.

- The price: Happy. Good value.

- How did you know about us? Website - found by chance somehow.

Full name: Sam Bradley
Address: AUSTRALIA.

Mr Mark Crawford (6 days on Honda trail bike 250cc adventure, ~1,100 km)

- Tempo of the tour and the stop-over: Excellent.

- Bikes and equipment: Motorcycle very good (250cc).

- Accommodation: Very good.

- Food: Excellent.

- Guide and organisation: Excellent.

- The price: Good.

- How did you know about us? Internet.

Full name: Mark Crawford
Address: AUSTRALIA.

Mr Les Dittert (6 days on Honda trail bike 250cc adventure, ~1,100 km)

Bring warm clothes if in Dec time-frame, it gets cold.

- Tempo of the tour and the stop-over: About right.

- Bikes and equipment: Bike needed new rear shocks. Otherwise good.

- Accommodation: Hotels good. Needed help to figure out the heater in some, as it was much colder than anticipated.

- Food: Food was lower quality than Vietnamese food in Western countries, but was ok overall. I liked the dog, it was tasty!

- Guide and organisation: Good, everything straight forward.

- The price: A good deal.

- How did you know about us? www

Full name: Les Dittert
Address: CA, U.S.A.

Mr Kenny Phang (7 days on Honda trail bike adventure, ~1,200 km)

- Tempo of the tour and the stop-over: The tempo & speed of the tour was fine, especially with a new rider on the trip. I felt that there could be more stop-overs at scenic sites where foreigners don't get to see very often. Some of us will stop behind and spend some time taking pictures while the rest waiting in front. The stops for food was paced nicely and the food was fantastic.

- Bikes and equipment: The motorcycles were fine but maintenance and regular checking may have helped prevent some problems. For example, a simple check on the sprockets should have prevented Quynh's bike from moving as his front front sprocket teeth were totally worn out while the Honda Degree had a worn out spark plug.

- Accommodation: The first night's home stay at Quang Uyen was not up to standard, especially we were living in a shop-house. We would have hoped to live with the tribal minority in their authentic homes. The home stays for the rest of the trip was great, with good scenery and welcoming owners. The hotels were average but livable. Interspersing homestays and hotels, we would have like a mixture of good living space and comfort.

- Food: The food was great! Quynh orders the authentic foods and the homestays all have good food. No complaints.

- Guide and organisation: Quynh was a little distracted with his mobile phone but he tries to engage us sometimes in the stops. He is not too knowledgeable on motorcycles, so experience on motorcycle repair is needed. If he speaks better English and is able to tell us more about the places we are in, it would be better. Quynh seemed tired also as he slept once he reached the guest-house. Maybe he had too many trips? More conversation would be better.

- The price: The price is high and we thought that making it more affordable for Singaporeans would mean better business. For the price, the professionalism of tour guides and bikes would be expected to be high but Offroad Vietnam just passed on this. I hope the next year's price increase will not affect Singaporeans too much.

- How did you know about us? Internet.

Full name: Kenny Phang
Address: SINGAPORE.

Ms Maisie Kendall (6 days on Honda road bike voyage, ~1,000 km)

Has been such an adventure and we have definately caught the "biking bug". We will remember this forever and thank you for such a great experience. It has made us love Vietnam even more.

- Tempo of the tour and the stop-over: Well paced I think. We had plenty of "bum" stops, drink stops and always arrived at the homestays with time to shower and have a "bia hoi".

- Bikes and equipment: I was a pillion passenger but I think the bike was good!.

- Accommodation: Really lovely to stay at homestays - the families were very friendly and cooked delicious food. We were even able to help prepare it! We shared rice wine with the hosts and fed their pet monkey. The 1^st homestay (at Ba Be lake) was very romantic - fantastic views!

- Food: Chi was great - he ordered food for us or whatever we asked for - we always ate at the local places and local food - very varied and fresh. We ate alot and tried lots of new things.

- Guide and organisation: Chi was amazing - he was always laughing (even when we got punctures and problems). He was very informative, funny, helpful - the perfect guide. We valued him as a friend, enjoyed his company - he definately made the trip.

- The price: Very good value and it was easy paying before so we didn't have to worry about it after - all we paid for was cheap "bia hoi".

- How did you know about us? Research on the web.

Full name: Maisie Kendall
Address: London, U.K.

Mr Matthew Rene (6 days on Honda road bike journey, ~1,000 km)

- Tempo of the tour and the stop-over: The tempo was great. We could stop whenever we wanted and just when we were getting tired, we'd arrive at the destination!

- Bikes and equipment: Bike was fine for us (doubling).

- Accommodation: The homestays were great - really nice families and lovely locations! Good hotel on the last day too.

- Food: Really loved the food, especially the food at the second homestay. The pumpkin flower rolls were amazing. Mrs Chinh was very kind to show us how to make Lot leaves rolls! (our favourite disk back in London).

- Guide and organisation: Chi made it for us. he was fantastic really entertaining and full of good stories like the "Baby Tiger". Loads of good info from him too!

- The price: Very fair. Perhaps I'd have even paid more.

- How did you know about us? Web search.

Full name: Matthew Rene
Address: London, U.K.

Mr Trevor Dyson (6 days on Honda road bike trek, ~1,000 km)

Thank you Chi.

- Tempo of the tour and the stop-over: A good mix of long driving days (to get out of the city) and shorter days (to enjoy the surroundings).

- Bikes and equipment: The bike was in good condition and when things did go wrong (puncture, clutch cable) Chi was quickly able to fix it.

- Accommodation: The hotels were very nice (maybe too nice when we were covered in mud). The homestays were very welcoming with lovely hosts. The National Park homestay had beautiful views.

- Food: Excellent variety, copious amounts. Chi was an expert on rice wine.

- Guide and organisation: Brilliant, amazing. Chi is a hero. I have been travelling for nearly a year and have done may organized trips and Chi is the best guide so far. He was friendly and full of information, always came to us to ask our opinion. Give him a pay rise.

- How did you know about us? Mr Dung at Green Trail Tours.

Full name: Trevor Dyson
Address: ENGLAND.

Ms Jo Brown (6 days on Honda road bike trek, ~1,000 km)

Green Trail Tours inform customers that all soft drinks + water is included - perhaps you should ask them to update this as it is incorrect.

A truly fantastic trip which I would highly recommend to anyone who want to see the "real Vietnam".

- Tempo of the tour and the stop-over: Just right. Lots of kms covered but plenty of rest offered. Regular, short breaks always welcome - if only for a photo or to take in the view.

- Bikes and equipment: Excellent. Any problems with the bike were quickly resolved without disrupting the tour schedule.

- Accommodation: A good mix of homestay + hotel. Homestay adds so much to the experience, but it is nice to have a little luxury in the hotel too. Families in homestay were wonderful hosts + I would highly recommend it.

- Food: Delicious, always plentiful. Great opportunity to eat local delicacies. Our guide always encouraged us to eat plenty + drinks lots of rice wine.

- Guide and organisation: Fantastic. Our guide (Chi) made the trip wonderful. He looked after us so well, always putting our needs first. He was excellent company + chatted freely about life in Vietnam sharing many interesting stories.

- The price: A good price for a group of 4 people - a little expensive if just 2 people attend. Consider offering a small discount for riders who double up or charge more for individuals who want a bike each.

- How did you know about us? Green Trail Tours.

Full name: Jo Brown
Address: U.K.

Mr Philip Callow, Mr James Diggines & Mr Andy Murray (England)

Mr Philip Callow, Mr James Diggines & Mr Andy Murray (7 days on Honda dirt bike 125cc - 250cc, ~1,200 km)

A great tour, you guys listened to what we said, made it very enjoyable and were good company!

- Tempo of the tour and the stop-over: Great tempo, never too much or too little, when we did arrive early there were always things to do etc...

- Bikes and equipment: Bikes were fine for the distances involved, bigger would be better but understand the local laws and taxes etc... make this an issue.

- Accommodation: We had no preconceptions so all was good!! It was good to have the mix of homestay and hotel.

- Food: Food was fantastic!

- Guide and organisation: The knowledge of Knock (Ngoc) was excellent, always had a story and interesting fact and could answer everything we asked him!

- The price: Price was very good value for money.

- How did you know about us? Web search.

Full name: Philip Callow, James Diggines & Andy Murray
Address: SINGAPORE & ENGLAND.

This is Philip's recommendation email to Lonely Planet.

Mr Karl Long (7 days on Honda dirt bike 125cc, ~1,200 km)

Overall this tour and experience was absolutely amazing, our guide, Thang was a brilliant bloke and was always taking care of things where ever we went. The scenery we drove through and the villages we saw for any westerner could not fail to effect your outlook. The people were so friendly and hospitable, the environments they were living in so rural and tough, it was a really life changing experience. One point to note, it was much wetter than expected and we were in rain or heavy cloud for 4 days straight, and got very wet, so gortex boots and plenty of socks and underwear are important.

- Tempo of the tour and the stop-over: The pace we set was generally very good and pretty much matched our skill levels. The only issue was we tended to have bike problems in the morning which delayed us getting started so we would often finish of the day in the dark which was generally not fun.

- Bikes and equipment: We had some bad luck with the bikes, couple of broken chains, a couple of welding jobs needed doing, a blocked fuel line, and various electrical problems made for some unexpected excursions an adventures, this in some ways added to the trip, but it became tiresome after a while.

- Accommodation: Accommodations were generally good with Babe Lake really standing out.

- Food: We always had plenty of food, again Babe Lake stood out in this regard, as did dinner with Thangs family, and lunch on the halon bay junk. We always had enough food, and the quality was excellent. The only thing I would try and do is try and add a bit more variety.

- The price: Overall great value for money.

Full name: Karl Long
Address: San Francisco, CA, U.S.A.

Please read his blog here

Mr Lauric Barbier (6 days on Honda motorcycle, ~1,200 km)

Anh, thank you very much for making this trip possible.

- Tempo of the tour and the stop-over: Perfect, Chi was a cautious rider and we had enough time on the road and at the final destinations.

- Bikes and equipment: Motorbike (Honda) was a very good recommendation resp. choice. With a Minsk the offroad trips would probably been more difficult! Bike was good and reliable. Chi was a very good guide - thank you again!

- Accommodation: As expected. The quality of the homestay was fine, the food good to very good. Always rich meals. Excellent stay at Ba Be Lake.

- Food: See above.

- The price: As I travelled alone the price was quite high, especially with the junk tour. Also compared with other travellers meeting on the tour, their prices seemed to be much lower. Nevertheless, the tour was excellent and I enjoyed every $ I spent. I would do it again, the tour was worth the amount.

- How did you know about us? Web search.

Full name: Lauric Barbier
Address: Rietwisstr.3, 8142 Uitiken, SWITZERLAND.

Mr Brett Davison (5 days Honda motorcycle cruise, ~1,000 km)

- Tempo of the tour and the stop-over: Generally good. One day was a bit long and exhausting - too much traffic on day 4. Spectacular views!!

- Bikes and equipment: Good.

- Accommodation: First night (in Vu Linh) great. 2^nd night Okay. Didn't like the pig farm smell. 3^rd night hotel good. 4^th night hotel good.

- Food: Day 1 great! Day 2-5 Okay. Breakfast needs improvement. Meals were mostly repetitive. Need improvement.

- Guide and organisation: Well done. Good knowledge of the area, customs etc.

- The price: Excellent. Great value.

- How did you know about us? Web search.

Full name: Brett Davison
Address: HONG KONG.

Mr Christopher Unertl (5 days Honda motorcycle cruise, ~1,000 km)

- Tempo of the tour and the stop-over: OK.

- Bikes and equipment: Good.

- Accommodation: First night (in Vu Linh) great. 2^nd night OK. 3^rd night hotel OK. 4^th night hotel OK.

- Food: Could use some improvements & variety breakfast - need more than noodles each day. Food quality is good but restaurant choice could be better.

- Guide and organisation: Good.

- The price: Good.

- How did you know about us? Internet - Search engine - Google.

- Other comments Some good night life recommendations would have been useful.

Full name: Christopher Unertl
Address: Flat D, 13Fl, Jade Terrace, 3 Link Road, Happy Valley, HONG KONG.

Mr Kevin Skelly (5 days Honda motorcycle cruise, ~1,000 km)

- Tempo of the tour and the stop-over: Tempo was fine.

- Bikes and equipment: Motorbike was OK - just sore ass.

- Accommodation: Fine. First night (in Vu Linh) very good.

- Food: First night (in Vu Linh) very good. Rest was just OK.

- Guide and organisation: Good.

- The price: Fine.

- How did you know about us? Web - friend.

Full name: Kevin Skelly
Address: Taipei, TAIWAN.

Mr Kevin Bell (6 days Honda motorcycle holiday, ~1,000 km)

Very good and quick reply when booking. Tour went ahead with only one person as other rider could not make it (visa problem) - much appreciated.

- Tempo of the tour and the stop-over: Good tempo with sufficient breaks during the day. Started at around 08.00 - 08.30 which was good too. Good lunch breaks.

- Bikes and equipment: Motorcycle 160cc. Comfortable and good bike for road (sealed) conditions. Easy to ride.

- Accommodation: Home stays were great and very interesting, a good way to see how the local people live. Hotel accommodation was clean and comfortable.

- Food: Local food was interesting and tasty.

- Guide and organisation: Ngoc was a great guide, very good English and very good local knowledge.

- The price: Fair price with all included.

- How did you know about us? Web site

Full name: Mr Kevin Bell
Address: 9 Mountpleasant Drive, Jordanstown, NORTHERN IRELAND.

Mr Paul Whiteaker and Ms Germaine Franse (Australia)

Mr Paul Whiteaker and Ms Germaine Franse (6 days Honda motorcycle traveling, ~1,000 km)

How can you say to someone if we've had a real taste of Vietnam? You can do it by combining a scenic tour with the thrills of a country motorbike ride while living with the beautiful Vietnam people, all tailored to by your own personal tour guide who has a wealth of knowledge and experience of Vietnamese culture. I will highly recommend this tour to anyone who enjoys life and wishes to get the best from any travel experience. We have achieved in 5 days what takes others 5 months - five stars guys!

- Tempo of the tour and the stop-over: The pace was well catered for and itinerary well planned out allowing for flexible departure and arrival times. Everything is done in Vietnam time - meaning 'whenever you feel like it'. There was always ample time for rest and relaxation throughout the tour.

- Bikes and equipment: We were offered all of the necessary safety equipment. The Honda 160cc was strong and reliable (never once failed or broke down) without creating too much disturbance to the country side components of the tour. They were extremely comfortable for the rider and pillion considering the distance travelled. Be sure to pack your sunburn cream or even better wear fully covered light loose clothing as the Vietnamese sun can be quite harsh in the warmer months. Also a quick lesson in road rules would have been beneficial.

- Accommodation: We felt very welcomed at the homestays with well adapted facilities to allow for western standards. The families were sociable allowing for interesting conversation and cultural exchange. It is vital to use your tour guide as a translator in these situations to take full advantage of getting to know the Vietnamese people and their way of life - which offers a great way to reflect on your own life's journey. Every night was a good night's sleep - cool and comfortable!

- Food: The hygiene standards are to be admired and the food was always presented to a safe standard. Did I mention how delicious and fresh each meal was? It was a real highlight tasting the culinary delights of this country and puts my country's cuisine to shame.

- Guide and organisation: Ngoc was very experienced and constantly aware of our needs with our interests at heart. He was forthcoming with interesting information while open to answer any of our questions along the way. Ngoc was very good at encouraging us to try new things which heightened the level of our experience - he took us to places and offered us the opportunity to try food dishes we would have never otherwise experienced by ourselves in a very reassuring way.

- The price: A great idea to have everything payed for up front. This saves the bother of paying for meals or working out prices with the possibility of being penalised for being a foreigner. I can truly say this was worth every cent and we will be saving for our next trip to try another part of this amazing country with Offroad Vietnam in the future.

- How did you know about us? Web site - Google search.

Full name: Paul Whiteaker and Germaine Franse
Address: AUSTRALIA.

Mr Michael Liehr (5 days Honda motorcycle riding, ~950 km)

- Tempo of the tour and the stop-over: Was fine. Day 4 (Quang Hoa - Lang Son) was a bit long, but that was our choice.

- Bikes and equipment: Honda GL Pro 1600 160cc, excellent, good shape, biggest bikes available.

- Accommodation: Great variation. Entire range from family accommodations to hotels. Very pleased with homestays and friendly families.

- Food: Only good things to say. I gained weight.

- Guide and organisation: Ngoc was outstanding! The tour was well organised and our guide flexible.

- The price: Competitive

- How did you know about us? Web site.

Full name: Michael Liehr
Address: 15 Sydney Drive, Essex, VT 05452, U.S.A.

Mr Kevin Uram (5 days Honda motorcycle riding, ~950 km)

Excellent. Excellent. Excellent.

- Tempo of the tour and the stop-over: Excellent. Plenty of riding but also lots of opportunity to take photos and sight see.

- Bikes and equipment: Honda GL Pro 1600 160cc, adequate for all the types of surfaces and conditions we rode on.

- Accommodation: Homestay. 1^st night (Na Khan) excellent. 2^nd night (Ba Be) excellent. 3^rd night (Quang Uyen) good. The first two families we stayed with were very friendly, houses very clean, food excellent. 4^th night (Lang Son) hotel okay.

- Food: Excellent. Excellent. Excellent.

- Guide and organisation: Tour was great. We went to many places and saw much of Northern Vietnam. Caves, waterfall, etc. Ngoc was a great tour guide. He knew a lot about various hill tribe culture and history. His riding skills were obviously great as well.

- The price: Great value for the experience. One of the best vacations I have ever had.

- How did you know about us? Web site.

Full name: Kevin Uram
Address: 245 Orchard Boulevard, SINGAPORE 248648

Kevin's recommendation email.

Mr Kenneth M. Davis (5 days Honda motorcycle riding, ~950 km)

Great trip! Beautiful country + people. I loved the ride.

- Tempo of the tour and the stop-over: Great. Able to stop when we wanted. Guide took rest stops at appropriate distances.

- Bikes and equipment: Bikes were nice + ran well. Minsk was a little smoky to follow.

- Accommodation: All very nice. I liked the homestays. Ba Be particularly nice because of porch and view.

- Food: Excellent overall. Dinner in Quang Uyen was a bit too salty or soy saucy, but the breakfast + lunch were excellent.

- Guide and organisation: Both the guide (Ngoc) + office (Anh Wu) were awesome. Office responded to my questions very quickly + clearly. Ngoc was the best I've had in Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand. He was always smiling + helpful + had very interesting things to tell us. His English was excellent as well.

- The price: The price was good. We choose Offroad Vietnam because the price was better than another tour agency.

- How did you know about us? Internet search.

Full name: Kenneth M. Davis
Address: 6 Centurion Court Newburgh, NY 12550, U.S.A.

Mr Michael and Dave Climie (6 days Dirt biking + Halong Bay, ~1,000 km)

- Tempo of the tour and the stop-over: The tempo of the tour was just right. Despite taking a condensed tour, we had plenty of time in the afternoons and evenings to relax or walk around and enjoy the surroundings. The stopover and boat ride in BaBe Lake was amazing. We frequently stopped our bikes on the side of the road to take pictures (and what pictures!).

- Transportation: The Russian Minsk bikes were great. They offered a surprisingly comfortable ride. They were powerful enough to negotiate the steep hills but not too fast as to miss the amazing scenery. The road tires had a little trouble in the mud (offroad section) but this made it all the more fun. We each took a turn on the Honda and having never seriously biked before I was impressed with the speed, but less impressed with the suspension.

- Accommodation: The home stays were great. There is no better way to experience the various cultures in Vietnam than to stay with them in their homes and eat the food they prepare! The hosts were always friendly and welcoming. The hotels in Hanoi were less memorable but provided a decent place to spend the night.

- Food: The food was excellent (especially at the home stays). Eating the local food was a great way to experience the culture and it tasted great. Having traveled and gotten sick before I was concerned about the food handling procedures. In the end my stomach confirmed it was not an issue on this trip. We drank bottled water, tea, coffee, and soft drinks.

- The organization - Guide services: Our guide (Thanh) was a lot of fun. He wasn't a guide in the typical sense of telling you everything you ever wanted to know about Vietnam, but he offered enough insights into the Vietnamese way of life while allowing for plenty of personal discovery. Most of the "learning" came from questions my brother and I would ask. I appreciated this approach to guiding as it made me feel like less of a tourist (some people might prefer a guide in the typical sense). His riding skills and knowledge of the bikes was more than adequate. He was responsible, mature, and had a great sense of humour. The organization of the trip was flawless. There was ample time to make it to our destinations and there was never any riding late or speeding as a result of bad planning. The guide took care of all our needs (travelers that don't speak Vietnamese or the appropriate minority language will be challenged without a guide in this region). Food and accommodation came without effort on our part.

- The price: I won't comment on the price (my brother's domain) but it would be hard to put a monetary value on such an experience (it was well worth the money).

- Any other comments? As an adventurous Canadian with a passion for outdoor activities and great scenery, this motorbike trip ranks among my top expeditions. Initially I questioned the sanity of the trip. I mean who would give a guy (who has never driven a motorbike) a bike to start a lengthy tour from the heart of Hanoi!? Indeed, getting out of Hanoi was stressful for me. By the end of the first day, however, the scenery was beautiful and calm and the chaos from earlier in the day had already transformed into a great memory and story to tell my friends (amateur westerner lives to tell the tale of learning to drive a motorbike in Hanoi). The trip was unreal and blew away my expectations. We thought the scenery couldn't improve after the first day but it kept getting better, and better... Traveling by motorbike provided up-close interaction with the people of Vietnam that I don't think can be matched by any other means of transportation. The windy-mountain roads (the stuff in biker's dreams) were in much better condition than I had anticipated (not including offroad track!).

The Ha Long day trip was also great. I doubted it could be done in a day but by the end of the day I felt it was the perfect amount of time. Of course our guide (Ngoc) was great and super-informative. Having a boat to ourselves seemed excessive once we realized the size of the boat (but who wants to interact with lowly tourists?! -Haha).

There it is...it's all positive. I am not sure if you were looking for constructive criticism but I don't have any! My brother and I (and most other young travelers) have an appetite for adventure and will love these trips. We are also low-maintenance travelers. That said, some higher maintenance travelers might perceive things differently and their reviews might sound different. The optional starting point out of Hanoi might appeal to some (it would have appealed to me that day but I am glad I went through with it).

Thanks again for the services. I had a really great time.

Full name: Michael and Dave Climie
Address: Calgary, Alberta. CANADA.

Mike's recommendation email.