Routes
Route Map: Hanoi to Cuc Phuong by Motorbike
Cuc Phuong National Park is the first of its kind in Vietnam. It is filled with great things to do and see, such as: Primate Rescue Centre, 5km trek, Cave of Prehistoric Man. It is a lesser known and visited wonder of Vietnam.
If you are fortunate enough to be there in Spring you may even see the annual butterfly hatching, which is a breathtaking sight.
Route Map: Hanoi to Cuc Phuong by Motorbike
Hanoi to Cuc Phuong National Park is about 140km direct. It can be driven by motorbike in around 3.5-4hrs going on the highway (QL) route. The route turns wuite scenic, quite wuickly and there are one or two, but the real highlights are in the park itself.
Our route steers clear of AH13 / QL6 and QL21b because they are heavily trafficked and stressful to drive on.
Expat Rentals
Live here? Ride like you own it. Our long-term expat rentals are made for those working or living in Vietnam.
✅ Cost-effective monthly rates
✅ Flexible contracts, full maintenance support
✅ Ride like a local: Hanoi, Danang, or Ho Chi Minh City
Hanoi to Cuc Phuong – Direct Route
This route totals around 140km and will take around 4 hrs. You can choose to do this direct if you are in a rush, or take a detour, which we show you below.
Morning: Hanoi to Lac Thuy / 75km 2.5 – 3 hrs
Afternoon: Lac Thuy – Cuc Phuong / 55km 1.5 – 2 hrs
Hanoi to Cuc Phuong (Detours)
The Hanoi to Cuc Phuong route is a very easy ride along the QL highway. This will get you used to the traffic flow in Vietnam and get you to the park quickly. Once you are more used to the traffic, you might like to take the detour below and wind through the smaller towns along the way.
Detour 1
This route is 50km long and slightly shorter than the direct route, but it will take longer because the road is smaller and you will be going through little towns. It is a little slower and there is more local life to see on the road.
Where to stay in Cuc Phuong
In Cuc Phuong, we like to stay in the park headquarters or in Ho Mac.
There are plenty of other hotels, resorts and homestays in the area, but they are a little way away from the park and the highlights.
Where to next
From Cuc Phuong, you could be heading back to Hanoi directly or over to Ninh Binh and then Hanoi.
If you are heading further Northwest, you will be going to the Mai Chau, Moc Chau area.
If you are going further South, then you will then go down to Thai Hoa, Tan Ky or even Thanh Chuong.
What type of bike to choose
We would advise you to choose between a manual or a semi automatic bike. These are the best bikes for a long trip like this and also for when you get into the mountains of northern Vietnam. You have more control and they are less prone to overheating or break down. You will also find that they handle the long trips on the highway better than the automatic bikes.
Honda XR150
The XR150 is a great budget option that will perform well on the road and on the small tracks, if you choose to find them. The bike is lightweight, even if a little underpowered. There is plenty of room to fit a 40l bag on the rear, which should hold more than enough for a trip. The 12l tank and great fuel economy mean that this bike has a huge range of over 300km on a tank.
If you plan to ride two up, it might be a bit of a squeeze and you will have to pack very lightly or risk overloading the bike and making it quite rear weighted.
Honda CB500x
The CB500x is a great bike for the highway. It is big enough and powerful enough to overtake trucks on the highway and carry two people with ease. Using a rear box and side panniers will give you plenty of room for gear. The 17l tank means you will have enough range for a day’s ride with ease.
The only concern would be taking some of the smaller tracks off road as our bikes have road tyres and the bike itself is quite big and heavy. However, there are plenty of small, interesting tracks that have concrete and are wide enough for the CB500x.
Semi Automatic
The Semi Automatic bikes are a much more budget option. We can offer the Honda Wave, Honda Blade or the Honda Future and they are all quite similar. it is really best to ride single on this kind of bike as this will leave room for a backpack and also not overload the bike in the hills. They are very fuel efficient but only have a 4l fuel tank so will need filling more regularly than the manual options.
Expat Rentals
Live here? Ride like you own it. Our long-term expat rentals are made for those working or living in Vietnam.
✅ Cost-effective monthly rates
✅ Flexible contracts, full maintenance support
✅ Ride like a local: Hanoi, Danang, or Ho Chi Minh City
FAQ
How far is Cuc Phuong from Hanoi?
Cuc Phuong is around 140km from Hanoi and it will take about 4hrs to drive there.
Are there any good places to stay or visit in Cuc Phuong?
In our opinion, the best place to stay is in the park itself. You have three options: at the main gate, at ho mac, or in the deep centre of the forest. There are many other resorts and homestays outside the main gates that are higher quality but they are further from the park.
Where can I eat in Cuc Phong?
Mostly, you will eat in your accommodation for breakfast and dinner. For lunch there are small restaurants in the park itself.
Where can I go to from Cuc Phuong?
You may wish to head over to Ninh Binh and Tam Coc from Cuc Phuong, or you could head around to Pu Luong or Mai Chau. If you are heading South then the nest choices to stay would be Thai Hoa, Tan Ky or possibly Vinh City.
When is the best time to visit Cuc Phuong ?
Without a doubt the most spectacular time to visit Cuc Phuong is in ‘butterfly season’. This is the annual even when butterflies hatch from their cocoons and the forest floor, and air, is filled with butterflies. It is amazing. This happens in late April – mid May.
Hanoi to Cuc Phuong by Motorbike
The direct route can be a little dull, but it does give you the chance to get used to the bike and the traffic in Vietnam. We choose the CT03 route over the QL6 or QL21b because it is a little less crowded and simpler to drive.
Once you are feeling a little more at ease you might take the route through Chi Ne on the smaller road and soak up a little more of the atmosphere.