Best Motorcycle Guide in North Vietnam!!
If you're after epic adventure, mind-blowing scenery and truly authentic experiences, you cannot do better than having Thang Pham Van as your trip planner and guide! I first met Thang, the owner of Frontier Travel, on my first trip to Vietnam in 2017 when i was scouting the far north as a new destination for my photography tours/workshops business. I was so impressed with Thang's knowledge, abilities, and enthusiasm that i asked him to be my guide the following year when i returned with a small group of clients for an off road motorcycle based photo workshop (check out some photos from this trip here). I travel the world for a living, but I have to say that trip was the adventure of a lifetime for both me and my clients! We rode the most remote roads and trails, photographed jaw dropping scenery and visited countless tiny villages that never see tourists. Thang is now my exclusive guide in northern Vietnam although my trips are no longer bike based. Thang is an amazing rider and knows his territory as well as any other guide but what separates him from everyone else is his absolute passion for what he does. Aside from his family, there is nothing Thang loves more in life than exploring his home country on a dirt bike and showing others its astounding beauty. Another impressive aspect of his character that Thang shares with his wife, is their love for their country and especially the people of the far north. Many small ethnic minority groups inhabit the mountains there, living a beautiful but difficult life. Thang and his wife support several mountain villages by operating a small shop in Hanoi, With Love from the Mountains, which sells handicrafts made by village artisans. If you care about authenticity and knowing that your purchases directly benefit the people who product the goods you buy, I encourage you to visit their tiny store. I keep telling Thang that he should charge much more for his services. You should book him before he takes my advice ;-)!
Kenneth L, United States
