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

Mr Karl Long | ~1,200 km | 7 days Honda dirt bike ride

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mr Michael Liehr | ~950 km | 5 days Honda motorcycle touring

Mr Kevin Uram | ~950 km | 5 days Honda motorcycle touring

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

Mr Michael and Dave Climie | ~1,000 km | 6 days Dirtbike tour

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.