Routes
Route Map: Hanoi to Thac Ba Lake by Motorbike
Use this map for general planning. You will see there are hotels, cafes, lunch stops and interesting sights labelled. You can easily find more info about them by clicking on their Google Map pins.
Route Map: Hanoi to Thac Ba Lake
This is the most direct route from HANOI to THAC BA is to take this route. The total distance is around 170km and the total drive time is around 5 hrs. The road surface is tarmac, which is in good condition, but there is a LOT of traffic on this main highway. There are some sights but they lie off this main route.
Google Map with Added Detours
This is content and will show you the alternative ways to get to Thac Ba. It should be very useful and help you to have a great trip. Hanoi to Thac Ba by Motorbike + Detours
The Direct Route
This is the quickest, but also one of the most congested ways out of town. You will be heading for the QL32, which starts around Cau Giay area. Then, you follow this for a good 50km until you go over Trung Ha Bridge. It is probably about here that is a good place to stop for a rest.
A few kilometres further on you can take the left fork and get onto the ‘Duong HCM’ which is a large and fast road. You can keep on this all the way North up to Doan Hung. This is where you turn off and head for Thac Ba on the smaller ‘Duong 78’ or ‘AH14’
You turn onto the 170 which hs been rebuilt and is in good condition. It is quite fast and not a bad ride. This will take you up to Vu Linh where there are two ways to get in to the village. The first left turn has a little mud and might not be a good choice in the wet. The second turning is much easier to take.
You will need to look out for signposts to your chosen accomodation because the village is full of small tracks.
Honda CB 500X Motorcycle Rental
Engineered to handle whatever the road throws at you Book NowWhere to stay
All of these places are family-run with the large dorm rooms typical of a stilt house and also private rooms both with and without connected bathrooms. They are all recommended by us.
What to do
All of the homestays are connected to the lake in some way and it is very easy to arrange a boat trip and go for a swim. You can also ask your homestay owner to show you around the area either on a trek or a fun motorbike tour on the muddy trails.
Where to go next
From Thac Ba is is usual for people to head North towards Ha Giang City. This is the standard option. However, you should consider Bac Ha or Hoang Su Phi.
You can of course go over to Nghia Lo or Ba Be Lake, but generally speaking the roads to get to these places are fairly dull.
Which bike to take?
You can use any of our bikes, except the Honda Cub, for this trip as the route is quite good and tarmac all the way. It is an easy, flat drive and not challenging other than the traffic. We definitely recommend using either the Honda XR150 or the Honda CB500x
Honda XR 150 Motorcycle Rental
Ready for adventure? The Honda XR150 is your perfect companion for rugged backroads, mountain passes, and open highways.
✅ Lightweight, reliable, and fuel-efficient
✅ Comfortable for long rides and multi-day tours
✅ Trusted by riders across Vietnam for the legendary Ha Giang Loop
Have a great start to your trip
This route is a busy one but it does get you out of the city quickly. From the second day you will be on smaller routes with less traffic so it is more fun.
Vu Linh is a cool area to stay in and make sure to take a boat trip on the lake and have a swim.