Lai Chau Vietnam

lai chau vietnam photo 3

Lai Chau cycling is our complete travel guide dedicated to all things Lai Chau bicycle travel: Hanoi to Lai Chau cycling, Lai Chau cycling tour, Sapa to Lai Chau, Dien Bien, mountain bike ride, bicycle hire, rent, rental, Lai Chau bike routes, Lai Chau Vietnam by bike…

Cycling in Lai Chau lets you to discover one of the less-traveled place in Vietnam, the impressive terraced paddy fields, and to experience the rich culture of several Vietnamese ethnic groups.

Lai Chau province is situated on high mountainous region in the North West of Viet Nam, northern of Da River. The province shares its border with Yunna (China) on the north, Laos on the west, Lao Cai Province on the north-east, Dien Bien, Son La provinces on the south.

A range of mountain following Northern West – Southern East makes up the terrain The Pu Sa Leng point is 3,096m in height. There are sloping mountains, hill, valley, plateau, spring alternately. Falls and waterfalls with high flow are potential of hydroelectricity in Lai Chau.

Lai Chau map

How to get to Lai Chau?

There is no airport neither train station in Lai Chau province. The transportation is mainly by road. National Highway No.12 connects Dien Bien Phu City to Ma Lu Thang Border Gate crossing Lai Chau, and National Highway No.4D links Lai Chau with Sapa Town. Lai Chau City is 406km from Hanoi.

Getting to Lai Chau from Hanoi

From Hanoi to Lai Chau you can rent a private car or take a sleeper bus from the My Dinh or Giap Bat bus stations. The bus journey can take about 7-12 hours, depends on the company and on the bus route, stops. Some buses also stop in Mu Cang Chai or Sapa, this place can be a very good stopover on the way.

Getting to Lai Chau from Sapa

At Vietnam Cycling we run cycling tour from Sapa to Lai Chau. The package includes both bike rental and transportation. Options include day ride and overnight package.

If you just need transportation from Sapa to Lai Chau, you can either hire a car in Sapa or take a local bus from Sapa bus station. Car rental is provided in most hotels and travel agencies in Sapa town.

When to go cycling in Lai Chau?

The province of Lai Chau belongs to the tropical monsoon zone; the climate is divided into two seasons including the rainy season and the dry season. The annual average temperature is 21oC – 23oC.

Lai Chau in rainy season

The Rainy season starts in May and continues till September, with the month of July experiences extreme torrential rainfall. 80% of the average rainfall occurs in the months of June, July and August. This season sees high temperatures and humidity with temperatures ranging from 25 – 35 degrees Celsius. The rain and humidity may be uncomfortable for those who are not used to tropical climate.

Lai Chau in dry season

Dry Season begins from mid-October and continues till mid-April, with December and January being the coldest months. During this season, both temperature and humidity are quite low, with temperatures dropping down to 5 degrees Celsius. Thick mist hangs in the air and dry cold winds blow especially during the months of December and January.

Best time to take a Lai Chau bike ride?

September, October, November, December, January, February, March, April, May are months to visit Lai Chau province as well as its surrounding attractions. Among these months we recommend October and April are usually the two best months to visit Lai Chau by bicycle.

You enjoy both the nice weather and the beautiful of Lai Chau terraced fields. Please do not forget to ask your Vietnam Cycling travel consultant for the days of the local markets. To visit an ethnic market which is open following the lunar calendar will enrich your Vietnam cycling experience.

What to explore on your Lai Chau bicycle tour?

Here we’ve compiled all of the popular cycling spots in and around Lai Chau Vietnam, covered by our great selection of exciting Lai Chau cycling routes and bike tours.

Sin Ho town

Sin Ho town is located on the highest peak of the Sin Ho plateau in Lai Chau province, over 2,000m above sea level. It is surrounded by verdant mountain ranges and clouds. Sin Ho town looks like “the second Sapa” of Lai Chau province.

Tam Duong town

Tam Duong town is situated on the cycling route between Sapa and Dien Bien Phu. The town is home to beautiful natural landscape and many ethnic minority groups. Each ethnic group is featured with a special and unique traditional characteristic expressed through the songs, the dances, the specialties and the old stories.

Pu Sam Cap cave

Pu Sam Cap cave is located high up on the 1,700m in Pu Sam Cap Mountain. It is reached from the parking lot on a short but strenuous walk uphill, which is rewarded by the extraordinary views of the valley and Nam Ron River, and the beautiful cave.

Tien Son cave

Tien Son Cave is located in Binh Lu Commune, Phong Tho District. It is a complex of the caves and grottoes. The cave is formed from million-year carxto. It has 36 separated sections running through the two mountain sides. The deeper it gets, the more spacious it is.

Lai Chau hill tribe villages

Lai Chau hill tribe villages are the highlight of any Lai Chau bike tour. Both Lai Chau day trip and Lai Chau 2 day tour from Sapa offers you the chance to stop/visit a local village in Chau. You will discover traditional architectural style houses, stone-paved roads, and unique culture of ethnic groups.

Cycling routes Lai Chau

Lai Chau to Sapa

cycling route Lai Chau to Sapa

Lai Chau to Sin Ho

cycling route lai chau sin ho

Lai Chau to Dien Bien Phu

bike route lai chau dien bien phu

Lai Chau to Tuan Giao

bicycle route lai chau tuan giao

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Lai Chau cycling tours

Find out how to plan your most enjoyable cycling trip to Lai Chau Vietnam with our collection of best Lai Chau biking tours including Lai Chau bicycle tour, cheap, budget Lai Chau bike ride, off the beaten path Lai Chau cycling holidays, easy, guided Lai Chau biking itinerary, mountain bike, Lai Chau cycle packages are crafted for cyclists, small group tour.

Whether you look for a half day bike tour to explore Lai Chau hill tribe villages or an overnight trip to discover Tam Duong, Phong Tho, Pa Tan, Sin Ho, Muong Lay from Sapa or Dien Bien Phu, at Vietnam Cycling we can customize an itinerary for you.

Read more: Lai Chau tours

Lai Chau bike rental

Looking for bike rental in Lai Chau? If you take a self-supported ride in Lai Chau, you should bring your own bike from Hanoi since there is no place to hire mountain bike in Lai Chau province. The alternative option is to rent a good mountain bicycle in a bike shop in Sapa. We can help with the arrangement. A deposit is required for bike rental in Vietnam.

For any Lai Chau biking tour we highly recommend hybrid, mountain bicycles with 24 or 27 speed gear. You will need that gear while cycling in such hilly region as Lai Chau Vietnam.

Additional questions about cycling in Lai Chau?

Do you have any questions about bicycle touring in Lai Chau that you want to ask us? Is there anything you think I should discuss about biking Lai Chau Vietnam that we left out… that we should include in future updates to this article?

Leave a comment with your questions and we’ll write you back with a response just as soon as we possibly can.