In this section, you’ll find some itinerary suggestions for week-end trips from Hà Nội. The distances may not be too impressive, rounding out at  200 km on average. The point isn’t how far you go, but where you’re going to. A magical mix of wild landscapes, bumpy tracks and remote villages await, all only a few hours away from Hà Nội. Forget Solace at once, and escape the cacophonous chaos of Hà Nội !

Mai Châu

This touristy town is the first stop of the « West Loop », but is worth a trip all on its own. Located at the bottom of a steep valley, this village is inhabited by Thái people living in stilt - houses. You can enjoy trekking, bicycle tours, and above all you’ll be grateful for the silence which you thought was nowhere to be found in Vietnam.The place is calm and relaxing, and the road that leads you there is beautiful.

Leave Hà Nội via Hà Đông, going in the direction of Hoa Bình. If you’re still alive after this dreadful section, here is our tip: don’t drive through Hoa Bình! 20km past Hà Đông, after Xuân Mai, turn left to Bãi Chao. This road takes you through Karst hills to Bãi Chao, where you can get back on the main road. From there, drive through the pass, and then all the way down to Mai Châu. The view from the pass is breathtaking. It takes nearly 4 hours from Hà Nội, including tea breaks and picture breaks.

Ba Vì

60 km from Hà Nội. You can make it a 2-days trip, for there are plenty of small and back trails that are enchanting. From Hà Nội, follow the Red River (north) until Sơn Tây. It’s a charming paved road, surprisingly calm. Once you’ve reached Sơn Tây, ride the road that goes to Hoa Lac. After 2 or 3 kms, when you see a giant sign advertising a golf resort, turn right to Thác Đa (ask around…). The road takes you through a forest and around a beautiful lake. Some hotels await you there. Next day, you can wander around in the rice fields and even reach Đền Thượng Temple, up Tản Viên Hill.

Tam Đảo

Tam Đảo is a hill station located only 80 km from Hà Nội. It’s 1500m high, and thus the air is fairly fresh in the summer, even while Hanoi is choking under 40°C temperatures.
To get there, follow the road to Nội Bài Airport, and in Vĩnh Phúc, go in the direction of Tam Đảo.
Trucks and dust will be all you see the first 60 km but after that the road gets much nicer as you drive up the hill towards the resort.
Up there, don’t expect to find many activities other than golf (not my style), eating, and viewing the scenic environs ! It’s worth the trip though. When getting back to Hanoi, our recommendation is to take a rough trail that passes nearby Lake Đại Lải. The countryside is quiet and peaceful.

Pù Luông

This natural park is located near the Laotian border. You need to go to Mai Châu first. Once you get there, 3 hours of mud awaits you (although I’m definitely a Wave person, I must admit that the Wave has a tendency to sink in the mud… on rainy days there are benefits to having a Minsk on that trail). The path is difficult to find, so you’re better off going with someone who’s been there before. Your reward for braving the mud will be the fantastic landscapes, and you can overnight in a Thái village that hasn’t changed much in the last hundred years. It’s a big weekend  of riding: 15 hours total, and half of it on dangerous paths. Not exactly a romantic week-end, more of a  ‘mates and beer’ week-end. A must.

Near the Chinese border

Somewhere in between Lào Cai and Bác Hà …
One of the best ways to find out what the “real” mountainous Vietnam is like in the space of one week-end is to organize a round trip itinerary from Lào Cai train station. It’s up to you whether you take your motorbike along with you on the train or rent one once you arrive in Lào Cai (not always easy though). If you turn your back from the station, you’ll see on the right side, very close to the station, a shop that rents out motorbikes and offers guiding services for one or two days.
This option is ideal to explore all the hidden paths of this mountainous area, and much cheaper than if you had had it organized by a Hanoi travel agent. Hidden between Sapa Valley and Bác Hà Valley, the Muong Khuong Valley is also worth exploring. Though it is scenically located with good road access, it sees almost no tourists. Minority markets and sharp mountains landscapes abound…

Đồng Châu

Coastal town, near Thái Bình.
The road that leads to Đồng Châu is nothing special so you may as well  go there by bus, and rent a motorbike when you get there. Not exactly a touristic spot, rather a quiet place to enjoy delicious seafood, chat with local fishermen or explore a rich countryside that is surprisingly peaceful compared to the rest of North Vietnam.

Vu Linh

Around 170 kms, 5 hours. From the center of Hanoi, ride on Kim Ma Street, turn left at the Daewoo hotel on Nguyen Chi Thanh Street, go straight to the traffic circle and then go straight again on Lang Hoa Lac Street.
At the end of Lang Hoa Lac Street, turn left for 20m and then turn right and go straight to Hoa Lac.
In Hoa Lac, turn right to Son Tay.
In Son Tay, follow Trung Ha then Hung Hoa. Cross the Phong Chau Bridge and turn left just after it, following the Red River until Phu Tho (if you turn right after the bridge you will go back to Viet Tri, wrong!).
In Phu Tho cross the village to join the National Road 70, then turn left, Doan Hung direction.
Then be careful! In Doan Hung the road turns 90° to the left (Yen Binh direction). If you go straight you reach Tuyen Quang, wrong! So... Doan Hung center, left for about 18km until Cat Lem market.
You have a petrol station on your left before this market. The market has a triangular shape and lies on your right. Turn right there, Thac Ba direction. Big large new road for about 13km along the Chay River.
Then cross the bridge on your right, go straight on through this small road (Yen The direction) for 14km. It is exactly 6km before the village of phuc Anand 4 km after the center of Vu Linh commune.
You will see a sign LA VIE VU LINH on your left. Turn there; you now enter the village of Ngoi Tu. Follow the signs until the lake...

"It's a round trip. Getting to the summit is optional, getting down is mandatory."
Ed Viesturs