The Cao Bang East Loop is not built around rushing, partying, or ticking boxes.
It’s built around space, nature, and the freedom to actually feel where you are.
Over three days, this itinerary takes you through some of the most untouched landscapes in northern Vietnam. Borderland mountains, quiet valleys, bamboo forests, iconic natural landmarks, and places where the road feels like it exists just for you.
Loop Tours designed this journey to be personal, experience-first, and affordable, so travelers don’t have to choose between depth and budget. You ride, explore, relax, laugh, and connect - without hangovers, without pressure, and without missing the moments that matter.
Day 01: Cao Bang to Bao Lac: Views, Forests, and a Sunset That Sets the Tone
The first day is about slowing down and opening up. After breakfast and a relaxed welcome chat, you meet the guides and the group. There’s no rush to prove anything. You get familiar with the plan, the pace, and each other before rolling out of Cao Bang City.
Vu Nong Valley Coffee Stop
The first stop comes at Vu Nong, overlooking wide valleys below. This is where the noise fades. You grab a coffee, take photos if you want, or just stand quietly and look out. It’s an easy moment to settle into the journey and realize how open this region really is.
Dinh Phung Viewpoint
At Dinh Phung Viewpoint, you walk a short trail to a natural lookout. This is your first group photo moment, but more importantly, it’s where you start to understand the scale of Cao Bang. Mountains layer into the distance. Roads disappear into valleys. You’re already far from crowded routes.
Truc Lung Pan Bamboo Forest
In the afternoon, the road enters the Truc Lung Pan Bamboo Forest. Tall bamboo surrounds the road, creating a cool, quiet tunnel through the hills. This forest isn’t preserved for tourism - it’s actively harvested and used by nearby villages.
Here, you ride slowly, take photos, and feel how close nature is to daily life in this part of the north.
Bao Lac Homestay with Panorama Sunset View
You arrive in Bao Lac by mid-afternoon and check in at a homestay known for its panoramic sunset views. As the sun sets, mountains along the China border glow, and village lights begin to appear across the valley.
Dinner is shared. A bonfire is lit. There’s happy water if you want it, but nothing is forced. You can drink, talk, laugh, or just sit quietly and watch the mountains darken. This is fun without chaos - the kind that lets you wake up fresh the next day.
Day 02: Bao Lac to Angel Eye Mountain to Ban Gioc: Passes, Valleys, and Cao Bang’s Raw Icons
Day two is the backbone of the Cao Bang East Loop itinerary. It’s varied, immersive, and deeply scenic.
Khau Coc Cha Pass
The day starts strong with Khau Coc Cha Pass. You ride the steep, winding road first, then park the bikes and hike about 1 km up to the viewpoint.
From above, you see the full 14-switchback road carved into the mountain. It’s one of those moments where effort meets perspective. You’re not just looking at a view - you’re looking at what you just rode.
Na Tenh Pass and Valley View
After intensity comes balance at Na Tenh Pass. The road softens, the riding relaxes, and the valley opens wide below. From the viewpoint, you can see the winding road stretching through fields and villages.
This stop is quiet, calm, and grounding. People usually talk less here. Not because they’re tired but because the place invites stillness.
Angel Eye Mountain
In the afternoon, you reach Angel Eye Mountain. You explore the valley on foot, walk around freely, and take in one of the most unique natural formations in Cao Bang - a massive mountain with a natural hole through its center.
This is a place to wander, not rush. No ropes. No queues. Just space and some buffaloes.
Phong Nam Valley
From Angel Eye Mountain, the route flows naturally into Phong Nam Valley. Streams cut through flatlands. Villages sit quietly beside the road. Riding here feels effortless and immersive.
This is where the East Loop feels deeply connected to nature.
Day 03: Ban Gioc to Vinh Quy to Cao Bang City: Water, Open Hills, and a Gentle Finish
The final day is about contrast and closure.
Nguom Ngao Cave
After breakfast, you trek about 30 minutes through Nguom Ngao Cave. Inside, massive chambers and stone formations stretch underground, offering a cool, quiet contrast to the open roads above.
Ban Gioc Waterfall
Next is Ban Gioc Waterfall. You take a boat ride right up to the falls, close enough to feel the power of the water. The river here divides Vietnam and China, narrow but symbolic.
After the boat ride, you explore the area on foot at your own pace.
Vinh Quy Grass Hills
After lunch, you ride through the Vinh Quy Grass Hills. Rolling green hills extend in every direction. No crowds. No fences. Just open land and sky.
This is one of the most freeing landscapes on the loop.
Doc Lap or Na Tau Waterfall
Before returning, you stop at Doc Lap Waterfall or Na Tau Waterfall. You swim, cool off, and let the journey settle into your body.
By mid-afternoon, you arrive back in Cao Bang City. Goodbyes are said, and later, organized transport takes you back to Hanoi.
Why the Cao Bang East Loop with Loop Tours Feels Different
This loop is fun, but it’s not reckless. Social but not forced. Adventurous but never rushed.
Loop Tours believes you enjoy nature more when you’re clear-headed, rested, and present. There’s space for drinks, laughter, and connection, but never pressure to overdo it. That’s how you wake up excited for each day instead of recovering from the night before.
Just as importantly, this experience is affordable and accessible. By using local homestays, shared meals, and smart route design, Loop Tours makes the wild side of Cao Bang available to travelers who care about experience, not luxury labels.
Final Word
The Cao Bang East Loop Itinerary is for travelers who want freedom without chaos, adventure without burnout, and nature without noise.
Three days. Untouched landscapes. Deep connection. Real moments.
This is the wild north, experienced the Loop Tours way.
👉 Call/WhatsApp The Loop Tours - Hotline: +84862443320
