The best biking trails for cycling from Hanoi to Luang Prabang, Laos is the north-west Vietnam. After a visit to Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, you can take the overnight train, usually departs at 21:00 pm in Hanoi and arrive around 5:00 am the following day.
Upon your arrival at Laocai train station it is possible for you to start the bike tour from Laocai. You will cycling uphill to Sapa. Sapa is the hilltribe capital of North Vietnam. There are a variety of minority people in this area and they all come to Sapa to the market.
Upon your arrival in Sapa town, you may want to have a short rest in a hotel for quick shower, and then breakfast. Then cycling about 16 kilometres uphill to the Vietnam highest pass at 2000 meters above sea level where you see beautiful Silver Waterfall and Tram Ton heaven gate then it is downhill for around 26 kilometres on the road described as the most beautiful one in Vietnam with breathtaking scenery all the way to Binh Lu. In the late afternoon you will arrive in Tam Duong.
The next day, you will continue cycling through Tam Duong plain which is covered in shark’s teeth-like limestone karst. We will have the opportunity to visit different ethnic groups on the ways such as the Red Hmong, Kho Mu, Mang and Dao ethnic minorities. They are settled there longtime ago and still retain their traditional culture and habits.
You continue your cycling adventure biking downhill to Chan Nua then to Lai Chau. You will have a couple pretty big climbs before following the picturesque Nam Na river riding into Lai Chau.
In 1954, the French Garrison at Dien Bien Phu was pinned down when the Vietnamese were able to do something thought impossible….carry heavy artillery into the mountains. When you ride in this area you will wonder yourself how they ever did it. The siege at Dien Bien Phu ended in a French surrender and marked the end of French Indochina. Little known is the fact that the US had developed a plan to aid the French by using tactical nuclear weapons at Dien Bien Phu.
After a day visiting Dien Bien Phu by bicycling, you will cross the border traveling to Laos. You will arrive in Muang Khua is located on the banks of the Nam OU river. This area is the less populated in Laos. A night will be spent here before you continue your bicycling trip towards the Laos capital, Luang Prabang. The following day is a tough climbing day at the start and then rolling hills with magnificent scenery.
You will arrive the historic and enchanting city of Luang Prabang. You will cycling along the banks of the Mekong before entering the city proper.