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6 Days in Pu Luong Biking Tours 2023: Not to Be Missed!

Pu Luong biking tours 2023 await nature lovers who desire a several-day getaway from busy cities to enjoy the slow-paced life in the northern land of Vietnam.

The place is a nature reserve located in Ba Thuoc and Quan Hoa districts in Thanh Hoa province and bordered by the Mai Chau, Lac Son, and Tan Lac districts of Hoa Binh.

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Since this area is quite unknown to most visitors, it remains the traditional way of living and unique cultural heritage. In addition, Pu Luong particularly features different terrains for outdoor adventure bikers, such as the back roads across the forest, countryside lanes, rice terrace fields, rough valleys, dirt tracks, or mountain passes.

Here I share with you my recent 6-day Pu Luong biking tours.

Pu Luong Biking Tours 2023: Itinerary in 6 Days

Day 1: Hanoi – Da Bac Ecolodge Bike Tour

I landed in Vietnam the day before the Pu Luong biking tour. The helpful tour guys picked me up at Noi Bai International Airport and took me to a beautiful hotel in Hanoi’s Old Quarter and ancient villages.

There I rested after the flight and got around our dynamic capital before starting the Pu Luong cycling tours.

On the following day – the first day of the cycling tour, the crew and I headed to Da Bac Ecolodge – 60 km south of Hanoi. We rode comfortably and captured the tarmac roads, lush rice paddies, and natural Da river on two sides. No need to be rushed.

In the afternoon, we arrived at the destination and spent a day in the Muong homestay village to experience a day with minor ethnic. I tried smoked buffalo meat, fermented bean curd calves, and Cai Meo vegetables for the first time. The Cai Meo is a vegetable in Moc Chau with a distinguished bitterness – love it!

Day 3 & 4: Da Bac – Mai Chau – Pu Luong Bike Tour

We had a local breakfast and freshened up in the cool lake at the homestay. My friend was a little under the weather that day, so she rested more before cycling to Mai Chau province.

The trails in Mai Chau were rougher to ride, yet the nice, beautiful nature we passed along the route was the best compensation for all our sweat. The tour reached the hotel by the evening of the third day, where we shared dinner with other crews and enjoyed the night.

Inside the Mai Chau valley lies Pu Luong – our desired destination the next day.

There are up to 24 quaint villages and hamlets when cycling to Pu Luong; most are Muong and Thai people. Each has its history and interesting culture. Some villages are inside the forest, while others, such as Kho Muong, Hieu, Son – Ba – Muoi, etc., can be passed through during your trip. That time, you have chances to glimpse into their daily life.

Our tour guide took us to Kho Muong, the biggest village in Pu Luong, and then to Kho Muong Cave. Its original name is Hang Doi – Bat Cave since the cave is home to different kinds of bats all year round. 

In addition, hundreds of stone blocks and stalactites in different shapes and colors are deep inside. They have existed in Pu Luong for millions of years and create a mysterious and lively atmosphere.

Wonderful as it is, the Kho Muong Cave is not for inexperienced cyclists because the roadway to reach the cave is challenging. One side is old trees on high mountains, and the other is rocky cliffs.

Day 5: Biking In Pu Luong – Hieu WaterFall Cycling Tour

Hieu is the second most popular village in Pu Luong after Kho Muong, where we were destined the next day. It is located in the Co Lung commune of Ba Thuoc district – 25 kilometers from Cang Nang town.

The road is constructed, so we had no difficulty cycling along while seeing the vast yellow terrace fields, streams, and scattered houses on both sides.

My crew took a short ride from Hieu village’s peak, and we saw a watercolor picture of waterfalls cascading down the hillside. Once you set foot there, you will agree that Hieu streams and waterfalls are the most beautiful in central Viet Nam. 

Those waterfalls are among the most charming features in Pu Luong – always blue and clean, never out of the water, warm during winter, and cool in summer.

We also saw the Muong and Thai water wheels by the stream banks. They are made from bamboo pipes tied with stones to automatically turn around to collect water from the low-lying streams to irrigate rice terraces on higher mountains. They are extremely helpful for terrace fields in the high mountains in the summer.

The wheels rotating slowly along the rocky streams give off a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere, like the ethnic life in Pu Luong.

Day 6: Pho Doan Market – Back to Ha Noi

Joining the ethnic market on the last day of the biking Pu Luong tour was a wonderful experience for me indeed. Luckily enough, we visited Pho Doan, Lung Niem commune, Ba Thuoc district, Thanh Hoa province on Sunday and could join Pho Doan market – it is the ethnic open, fair opening every Thursday and Sunday.

During the fair, the local villages mostly sold self-sufficient products like tube wine, traditional silk costumes, vegetables, fruits, animals, and more. Especially, they exchanged equivalent products – like how we traded in the earliest days, rather than using money.

I bought some local products as souvenirs and vegetables, such as Rau Cai Meo and Rau Don, because I tried them on previous days and loved their tastes. Another interesting experience for me was watching people in their colorful traditional costumes. I like Thai costumes since they look elegant.

In the early afternoon, we enjoyed a relaxing journey in the car instead after much cycling.

Wrapping Up

I hope my sharing can provide helpful information for planning cycling to Pu Luong. You will not regret visiting all the highlighted places above.

Or, to make it easier and safer, you can refer to the Pu Luong biking tours 2023 and Vietnam bike tours available at our site – we know regions well and share with you all the tried-and-true tips you can follow to make the best traveling.

Give them a try now! Let’s see what cyclists say about MTB Vietnam on Tripadvisor!

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