Cross Borders Indochina 2008 November 1, 2008

CROSS BORDERS INDOCHINA 2008:

Ride the off road Honda Baja 250 for 25 days through Indochina mainland, conquer the Ho Chi Minh Trail - the Legendary Trail, cross rivers, ride in the "nowhere" of Truong Son mountain ranges to the highest mountain reservoir Sapa with is at the eastern extremity of the Himalayas. [offroad motorbike tours vietnam maps]
CROSS BORDERS INDOCHINA is not simply the tour, the ride. It is the ethnology live museum where you see, meet, live with local ethnic minorities. The missed of Indochina histories that you will discover, the training course for your physical health and mind.
Here are some highlights of the CROSS BORDERS INDOCHINA 2008
* The World Heritage Sites:
- Gong Culture music in the Central Highland
- My Son Cham tower
- Hoi An Ancient town
- Hue Ancient Capital of Vietnam
- The Mystical Plain of Jars
- Luang Prabang Ancient Capital of Laos
* The World famous sites:
- Mui Ne Beach
- Nha Trang The World Most beautiful Beaches
- Danang beach The World Most beautiful Beaches
- Da Lat the land of flowers
- Sapa
* Be the first rider who discover the "Labyrinthine battle array laid on the eight-sign figure's pattern through the jungle" Ho Chi Minh trail
* The Best Home-stay Experienced
* The land richest local cultures, habits and customs
* The most challenge riding road in Asia.

Route details
1. 2nd Nov, 08: HO CHI MINH CITY - MUI NE.
The first day riding on the crazy road Ho Chi Minh - Bien Hoa, then it get easier but try to get to Mui Ne as soon as possible to relax in Mui Ne beach.
L, D

2. 3rd Nov, 08: MUI NE - NHA TRANG. 220km~5h. Begin motorcycle tour.
Ride along the coach with some breaks to visit Cham towers in Phan Rang. Relax in Nha Trang beach or more activities on your own.
B, L, D

3. 4th Nov, 08: NHA TRANG - DA LAT. 140km ~3h
Early departure heading on a new mountain road up ~1800m above the sea-level though rain nature forest. Arrive in Da Lat at mid-day, free walk in town to visit Da Lat.
B, L, D
4. 5th Nov, 08: DA LAT - BUON MA THUOT. 180km ~4h
Here we ride in the most beautiful windy mountain part for motorcycling in the Central highland of Vietnam. Imaged of green colored of rubber, coffee, pepper farms. And magic viewed of Phuong Hoang (Phoenix) pass.
B, L, D

5. 6th Nov, 08: BUON ME THUOT - PLAY KU. 180km~4h
Visit Daklac museum before we get our bike parked. Riding onward to Don village and then following the dirt road through ethnic villages of E'dhe, J'jai, M'Nong. Visit Yang Prrong Cham towers, the majestic ancient sits on the Ea H'leo river.
B, L, D

6. 7th Nov, 08: PLAY KU - DAK GLEI.
Ride to Kon Tum to visit Ancient Pleiku Prison built since the French Colony, visit Bana Rhong House of Bana ethnic in the village then ride to visit Dak To battle-field then we drive along the Dak Pko river to Dak Glei.
B, L, D

7. 8th Nov, 08: DAK GLEI - HOI AN. 200km~4h
It is a long riding day to day on windy mountain passes of the Truong Son mountain Range then downhill to My Son Holly-land the world Heritage Culture site for a visit before riding to Hoi An
B, L, D

8. 9th Nov, 08: HOI AN - HUE. 150km~3h
Ride along the China Beach where the first American Army Troop landed in to Vietnam in 1965. Visit Cham museum in Da Nang city.
In the afternoon ride over Hai Van passes which is known as the most beautiful passes of Truong Son mountain ranges.
B, L, D

9. 10th Nov, 08: HUE
Full day visit Ancient Hue including Royal place, Thien Mu pagoda and Tombs of King Tu Duc, Gia Long, Ming Mang. Boat trip in "Huong" perfume River.
B, L, D

10. 11th Nov, 08: HUE - SEPON (Laos). 190km~5h
Heading on road National No1 to Quang Tri ancient citadel for a visit then follow the Parallel of L'adtitude 17 known as the DMZ to visit the Hien Luong Bridge, Camp Carroll, Rock Pie, Lang Vay and Khe Sanh Combat Base. Enter to Laos by the late afternoon at Lao Bao / Dene Savan for the first night in Laos at Sepon.
B, L, D

11. 12th Nov, 08: SEPON - NONG CHAN.
Explore the Ho Chi Minh Trails in Laos you will experienced the most importance part of the "Labyrinthine battle array laid on the eight-sign figure's pattern through the jungle" Ho Chi Minh Trail - The Legendary Trail. Ride the motorcycle through the jungle, cross rivers, ride on bamboo bridge...ready to rock and roll in the heaviest bombed area in the World. You will be eyed many bombs scatter and American bomber crashed like the F4 Phantom, Jets, T28...left.
B, L, D

12. 13th Nov, 08: NONG CHAN - LAK XAO.
Nong Chan is a small village just 10km from Vietnam border with a well known of Mu Gia pass, the "Death Gate" during the Second Indochina War. Mu Gia is one of the main exist point from Vietnam to Laos on the Ho Chi Minh Trail where Viet Cong transported food, weapons, army...to supply the South.
B, L, D

13. 14th Nov, 08: LAK XAO - PAK XAN. 190km~4h
Easy day for driving your motorbike on the paved road No 8, you will have time to visit the Klonglor cave then ride on the road No 13 along Mekong River to Paksan to relax after the first part of Ho Chi Minh Trail.
B, L, D

14. 15th Nov, 08: PAK XAN - THA VIANG. 160km~4h
Another exciting day riding on dirt road in forest, the extremely motorcycle road of Laos with beautiful ethnic villages, the untouched road in Laos
B, L, D

15. 16th Nov, 08: THA VIANG - PLAIN OF JARS. 120km~3h
Short riding trip to Phonsavan with amazing landscape and mountain views. After lunch in Phonsavan, leave your luggage in the hotel to clean your motorbike before driving to explore the Mystical World Haritage Plain of Jars.
B, L, D

16. 17th Nov, 08: PLAIN OF JARS - LUANG PRABANG. 180km~4h
A great day for wheeling your motorcycle on windy high mountain-road No7 and No13 where you will have time to visit local ethnic villages of H'Mong, Thai Dam and Thai Nua
B, L, D

17. 18th Nov, 08: LUANG PRABANG. Rest day
Free day to visit Luang Prabang the World Heritage Culture Site on your own.

18. 19th Nov, 08: LUANG PRABANG - MUANG KHUA. 220km~5h
Motorbiking along the Nam Ou river after 110km riding on flat road, you will head up mountain passes from Pak Mong, the windy passes running as a snack will take you to Udomxai where you will turn right onto a small road to Muang Khua village. Muang Khua is a peaceful small village lies on the bank of Nam Ou river (upstream point) with the main habitant is Thai and Kh'Mu, H'Mong, Dao ethnic.
B, L, D

19. 20th Nov, 08: MUANG KHUA - DIEN BIEN. 100~3h
Short distance but long journey of motorbiking on dirt road heading to Vietnam border (Sophoun/Tay Trang). Take time to visit ethnic villages on the road side where you will meet many friendly people.
Exist Laos to enter the Northwest Vietnam at Tay Trang (Dien Bien). The rest part from Tay Trang to Dien Bien is 30 km paved road.
B, L, D

20. 21th Nov, 08: DIEN BIEN - TUAN GIAO. 100km~4h
In the morning we will visit Dien Bien Phu museum, Alliamce Hill (A1), the Command Banker of De Castries...after lunch in town we ride onward to Tuan Giao. The road is under construction but the ride in mountain passes and view of rice paddies is spectacular.
B, L, D

21. 22th Nov, 08: TUAN GIAO - XIN HO.160km~4h
Ride on the old road No6, The road is rough, but the scenery is unbelievably beautiful and magnificent with the 7 tall passes cutting though steep mountain along the Da River flowing around the foot of the passes, which can be found nowhere else in the Northwest route. Moreover, part of the pleasure of travelling by motorbike in this region is the simple joy of the friendly smiles and greetings of the local people, which make the hardship all worthwhile. Along the way, we stop to visit the Black Thai, Kho Mu, Lu, Black H'mong, Green H'mong and White H'mong, just some of the many hill tribe groups and discover their simple lifestyles and colourful cultures.
After lunch in Lai Chau, we continue to ride for the last 60km to Sin Ho in the sunset. Sin Ho is located at 1700m above the sea-level with the main habitant of H'Mong, Dao, King people.
B, L, D

22. 23th Nov, 08: XIN HO - SAPA. 140km~3h
The most beautiful landscape, mountain hill-tribe in the Northwest of Vietnam will be seen today: Visit Sin Ho market, the most colorful ethnic dressing in Vietnam, where you will meet many different hill-tribes who walk to the market from surrounding villages.
Motorbiking will provide you the best way to discover the area.
B, L, D

23. 24th Nov, 08: SAPA - LUC YEN. 180km~4h
Ride down hill to Lao Cai for a visit at the Internation Trading Border Gate between Vietnam and China. The continous riding will be following the dirt bank of Chay River to Luc Yen, where we will stay in a Tay ethnic village.
B, L, D

24. 25th Nov, 08: LUC YEN - VU LINH. 80km~3h
Walk in the village then we continue for a 3 hours riding pass by beautiful limestone karts of Luc Yen which is the biggest mining area of red-rock and marbal.
After the lunch in our host family (Dao ethnic) we go for rolling the local boat in Thac Ba Lake to visit the area.
B, L, D

25. 26th Nov, 08: VU LINH - HANOI. 165km~4h
Easy day but interesting day back to Hanoi on the dirt road of Chay river bank, crossing the river on a local ferry to ride through beautiful rice and mais fields.
B, L

COST = 3.177 Euro/rider

Including:

- all food
- all accommodation as above (base on share twin room)
- motorcycle Honda Baja 250 or SL 230cc
- all gasoline needed
- Tour guide leader
- biker wears (helmet, jacket, pans, gloves, rain gears, saddle bag)
- transfer Hanoi - Saigon for motorcycle by train
- border taxes (for motorcycle only)
- sightseeing tickets (as detail above)
- boat trip private (above)
- private vehicle to visit Hue
- private boat trip in Hue

Not including:

- drinks
- personal insurance (for motorcycle accident)
- personal expenses

Official Website: http://www.voyagevietnam.net/eng/8.php