Ride & Capture | Cao Bang Photo Journey

📍 Day 1 — Hanoi → Cao Bang City

Transportation
Your adventure begins with a premium public bus ride from Hanoi to Cao Bang City. Known locally as the "limousine bus", this service is a step above the usual coaches, offering wider seats, cool air conditioning, and a smoother ride to keep you comfortable along the way.
It's a journey of about 280–300 km, taking 6–8 hours, as the busy city slowly gives way to the peaceful northern mountains.

Activities
Arriving in Cao Bang, you'll check into your hotel, enjoy a well-deserved rest, and have a local dinner. Receiving your motorbike (125–150cc), the companion for your upcoming ride.
Before we set off, we'll carefully inspect every detail, including brakes, lights, tires, luggage racks, waterproof straps, and all the essentials, to ensure safety and comfort.
In the evening, we'll gather for a brief group briefing, a chance to meet fellow travelers, share our first impressions, and get a taste of the road that awaits us the next morning.

Overnight in Cao Bang city

📍 Day 2 — Cao Bang City → Bản Viết Lake → Ngườm Ngao Cave → Bản Giốc Waterfall

The road calls early. At 4:00 AM, we ride out into the quiet mountain air, heading toward Bản Viết Lake in Trùng Khánh. Here, the world slows down, still waters mirror the mountains, morning mist drifts gently across the surface, and the first rays of light paint the landscape in soft gold. It's a perfect setting for capturing the poetry of sunrise.

Surrounding the lake, the forest glows in shades of red and amber, with leaves softly veiled by morning mist and touched by golden sunlight. This dreamlike atmosphere is precisely why we designed the tour for this time of year and why Bản Viết Lake is the very first destination on our journey.
(Distance: ≈ 65–75 km, 1.5–2 hours from Cao Bang City)

Next, we explore the underground wonder of Ngườm Ngao Cave. Inside, magnificent stalactites and stalagmites shimmer under warm amber light, creating natural textures and patterns that beg to be photographed.
(Distance: ≈ 15–20 km from Bản Viết)

By afternoon, the journey leads to the crown jewel of the day, Bản Giốc Waterfall, one of Vietnam's most breathtaking natural landmarks. As the sun dips lower, mist rises from the cascading water, scattering rainbows through the golden light. This is the magic hour, when every frame tells a story. Don't forget your ND or circular polarizer filters, the spray here is powerful.
(Distance: ≈ 3–4 km from Ngườm Ngao)

Overnight: A hotel near Bản Giốc Waterfall, where the roar of the falls becomes the soundtrack to your night.

📍 Day 3 — Sunrise at Bản Viết Lake → Trùng Khánh → Phia Thắp Village → Angel Eye Mountain (Núi Mắt Thần) → Trùng Khánh

The morning begins before dawn. At 5:00 AM, we return to Bản Viết Lake, this time exploring new angles of the quiet village waking up, wooden boats drifting on the mirror-like water, and mist rolling gently over the surface. Every sunrise here feels different, and today's light will reveal new stories waiting to be captured.
(Distance: Bản Giốc ↔ Bản Viết ≈ 25–30 km one way)

By midday, we reach Trùng Khánh town for lunch and refueling, before heading deeper into the countryside.
(Distance: Bản Viết → Trùng Khánh ≈ 25 km)

The road winds through Quảng Uyên, bringing us to Phia Thắp Village, where time seems to move more slowly. Known for its traditional incense-making and authentic Tày/Nùng culture, the village offers a chance to document daily life from the smoky fragrance of incense drying under the sun to the warm smiles of local artisans.
(Distance: Trùng Khánh → Phia Thắp ≈ 35–40 km)

In the afternoon, we ride to one of Cao Bằng's most dramatic natural wonders, Angel Eye Mountain (Núi Mắt Thần) in Trà Lĩnh. Rising from the valley, this limestone peak is pierced by a perfect circular hole, like a giant stone eye watching over the land. As the sun sets, golden light floods the valley, casting surreal shadows and creating a backdrop that feels almost otherworldly.
(Distance: Phia Thắp → Angel Eye ≈ 15–20 km)

Overnight: Return to Trùng Khánh for the night, your cameras filled with the day's contrasts, tranquil lakes, cultural intimacy, and a breathtaking mountain sunset.
(Distance: Angel Eye → Trùng Khánh ≈ 25–35 km)

📍 Day 4 — Trùng Khánh → Phong Nậm – Giốc Rùng → Hạ Lang → Thàng Khám Waterfall → Ba Quáng “Burning Grass Hill”

The morning ride begins at 4:00 AM, leading us to Phong Nậm Giốc Rùng. Here, the Quây Sơn River snakes its way through rice fields blanketed in dawn mist, a dreamlike scene where light and landscape merge. Along the riverbanks, Tày and Nùng villagers begin their day, offering intimate moments for portrait photography, faces weathered with kindness, framed by the gentle breath of morning.
(Distance: Trùng Khánh → Phong Nậm ≈ 20–25 km)

By noon, we check out and continue toward Hạ Lang. The road unwinds through remote mountain passes, wide curves, and sweeping valleys nearly empty of traffic. This is pure rider's joy, the hum of your bike against the silence of untouched nature.
(Distance: Phong Nậm → Hạ Lang ≈ 80–100 km)

En route, we stop at Thàng Khám Waterfall. Its cascades spill over rugged stone and forest green, not thunderous but poetic, offering textured backdrops for lifestyle shots and moments of stillness in motion.

As the sun dips lower, we reach Ba Quáng's "Burning Grass Hill." Here, the land rolls into sculpted ridges, glowing gold under the last rays of light. Riders appear as dark silhouettes etched against the fiery shimmer of dry grass, a frame of strength, freedom, and fleeting beauty.
(Distance: Hạ Lang → Ba Quáng ≈ 15–25 km)

Overnight: At Ba Quáng homestay, where the open ridge sets the stage for tomorrow's sunrise session.

📍 Day 5 — Sunrise at Ba Quáng Hill → Cao Bang City

The day begins with sunrise at Ba Quáng Hill. As the first light filters through the mist, the rolling ridges appear in soft layers, each silhouette fading into the next like brushstrokes on a giant canvas. With a telephoto lens, the scene becomes even more dramatic, with mist rising, hills overlapping, and the occasional rider framed against the dawn glow.

Adding to this dreamlike setting, the image of a Tày woman leading her horse along the slope completes the scene, evoking a sense of timeless nomadic life. Her presence against the backdrop of golden grass and misty ridgelines adds a rare human touch to the wild landscape, a frame that speaks both of culture and nature.

After capturing the magic of morning, we enjoy a simple breakfast before beginning the return ride to Cao Bang City.
(Distance: ≈ 110–130 km)

By afternoon, we arrive back in the city. The day is quieter, a pause to reflect and reset. Cameras are backed up, gear is cleaned, and motorbikes are prepared for tomorrow's final stretch. The evening is free to rest, wander the streets, or enjoy a meal in town savoring the balance of work, adventure, and calm before the road home.

Overnight: Cao Bang City.

👉 Tomorrow, the circle closes from Cao Bằng back to Hanoi.. The road may end, but the images remain stories carved in light and memory.

📍 Day 6 — Cao Bằng City → Hanoi 

The final morning marks the closing of our northern journey. After breakfast, we leave Cao Bang behind and board a premium public bus (limousine service) bound for Hanoi. The ride retraces the long mountain roads, watching the rugged landscapes slowly give way to the bustle of the capital.
(Distance: ≈ 280–300 km, 6–8 hours)

For some, the journey ends here with a direct drop-off at Nội Bài International Airport. For others, it is a chance to linger in Hanoi for one more night, wandering the Old Quarter, savoring street food, or simply reflecting on the memories captured during the ride.

Though the motorbike adventure comes to an end, the photographs remain vivid records of misty sunrises, winding mountain passes, and encounters with the people of Cao Bằng. These frames, carved in light and time, are the authentic souvenirs of the journey.

Ride & Capture: Cao Bằng is more than just a motorbike photo tour; it is a journey through layers of mist, light, and culture. Over six days, you've traced winding passes, chased sunrises over tranquil lakes, witnessed waterfalls at golden hour, and met the warmth of the Tày and Nùng people in their villages.

Every stop offered not only landscapes but also stories told through incense smoke, the rhythm of rivers, the silhouettes of riders, and the quiet dignity of highland life.

As engines fall silent and cameras rest, what remains are the frames you carry home: authentic, unrepeatable moments carved in light. These photographs are not just memories; they are proof that you have lived, felt, and captured the soul of Cao Bằng.

👉 Until the next ride, the road is always waiting, and the mountains will be there ready to be seen anew through your lens.

• Ride & Capture A Unique motorbike photography experience with total freedom to stop anywhere.
• Bản Viết Lake Magical sunrise, calm reflections, and drifting morning mist.
• Ngườm Ngao Cave: Stunning stalactites glowing in warm golden light.
• Bản Giốc Waterfall, Asia's grand cascade, is best at sunset with a rainbow and spray.
• Phia Thắp Village Traditional incense-making and authentic Tay/Nùng lifestyle.
• Angel Eye Mountain: An iconic stone arch frames a dramatic valley.
• Phong Nậm; Giốc Rùng Winding Quây Sơn River, rice terraces, and misty villages.
• Thàng Khám Waterfall, Remote rocky forest backdrop for nature & portrait shots.
• Ba Quáng Hill Sunrise & sunset silhouettes, S-curve ridges, a nomadic vibe with Tay women and horses.
• Small group, big focus. Limited to 5 guests for safety and personalized guidance.

Who is this tour for?

Photographers who seek golden light & authentic human moments.

Adventure riders who prefer freedom over glass windows.

Travelers craving real local connections, not staged scenes.

Slow travelers who want to feel, live, and carry home stories.

Why choose this tour?

Motorbike freedom  Stop anywhere, anytime for the perfect shot.

Small group  Max 5 guests for safety & personal guidance.

Expert leader  Led by award-winning photographer Nguyễn Vũ Phước.

Iconic + hidden gems From Bản Giốc Waterfall to remote villages.

Beyond photos  Meet locals, share tea, breathe the mist.

All guests are required to have valid travel insurance that includes motorbike riding coverage (125–150cc). Please check with your provider to confirm that "adventure sports/motorbike" is covered under your plan.

For local compliance, riders may also purchase Vietnamese third-party liability motorbike insurance (TNDS), a cost-effective option that meets the basic legal requirements.

 Travel insurance protects you, while local TNDS covers others. Both together ensure a safe and responsible journey.