Ba Be Lake Car Rental

Ba Be lake Car Rental types ?

Taxi 4 seater Ba Be lake : Toyota Vios, Honda City, Hyundai Accent, Kia K3, Toyota Camry...

Taxi 7 seater Ba Be lake : Toyota Innova, Toyota Fortuner, Isuzu Mux, Kia Sorrento, Kia Sedona, Kia Carnival....

9 seater car rental Ba Be lake : Dcar Limousine Ford Transit, Dcar Limousine Hyundai Solati, Hyundai Starex...

16 seater mini van rental Ba Be lake : Ford Transit, Hyundai Solati, Toyota Hiace...

29 seater coach rental Ba Be lake : Hyundai County, Samco...

35 seater mini bus rental Ba Be lake : Thaco Garden, Samco , Thaco Town, Universe

45 seater bus rental Ba Be lake : Universe , Samco, Thaco...

Hanoi Car Rental Taxi Price to Ba Be lake 

Taxi 4 seater Hanoi Ba Be lake : 2.300.000 vnd/way

Taxi 7 seater Hanoi Ba Be lake : 2.600.000 vnd/way

Taxi 4 seater Noi Bai airport Ba Be lake : 2.000.000 vnd/way

Taxi 7 seater Noi Bai airport Ba Be lake : 2.300.000 vnd/way

Car rental 9 seater -> 45 seater : Please contact us

Travel routes Hanoi -> Ba Be lake : Ha noi central -> Ha Noi Thai Nguyen highway -> Thai Nguyen Pho Moi highway -> National road 03 -> national road 279 -> Cho Ra town -> Ba Be lake

Travel time Hanoi -> Ba Be lake : 5 hours 

Distance Hanoi -> Ba Be lake : 230 km

How long should spend in Ba Be Lake?

Since Ba Be Lake is a little far from Hanoi, you want to at least do a 2 day 1 night trip. The general recommendation is to stay 3 days 2 nights, so you can have one full day there.

The best time to visit Ba Be Lake?

There are pros and cons to visiting Ba Be Lake in the dry and wet season.

view of village on river ba be lake ba be lake view homestay ba be lake ba be national park Vietnam - laugh travel eat

During the dry season (November to April), trekking is much more pleasant and there’s less chance of heavy rain washing rubbish into the lake. Although the water level might be lower.

However, in the wet season (May to October) the higher level of the lake and river means you can take a boat trip starting at one of the rivers by the village (which I think it’s the prettiest part).

Stay at Ba Be homestay

Whilst there are other locations in Vietnam such as Sapa and Ha Giang where visitors may easily meet local ethnic minorities, these have become very tourist orientated.  Ba Be is home to a great diversity of ethnic people including three main groups of Hmong, Dao and Tay.  They do not live in a central town but live in hamlets scattered through the valleys, still living by fishing and farming.  Ba Be lake shore is where the ethnic minority people gather to trade, selling their farming products such as fish, rice, corn and fruit in addition to some local handicrafts.

Spending time boating on the lake, visiting ethnic minority villages, observing their daily activities and living in a homestay will enable visitors to understand more about their culture, and taking the opportunity to help with farming or making handicrafts would enhance their appreciation.  A local guide will show you around the lake, the jungle, the villages, telling wonderful stories about their culture and traditions, and may even invite you to join their family activities.

Trekking at Ba Be lake

Ba Be is considered by both native Vietnamese and visitors to be one of the best trekking areas in the country.  The whole district is dominated by the Pia Booc mountain range rising to a height of 1527m.  It is the combination of the scenery, from the karst outcrops clad in rich vegetation to the paddy fields carpeting the lower slopes of the Na Nghe mountains; the rich variety of flora and fauna; and the rich cultural diversity which together make this a unique and rewarding location.  Local guides are a wealth of invaluable knowledge; as well as keeping you safe, they know the which routes to take for the best sightseeing and wildlife spotting.

Kayaking at Ba Be lake

Kayaking is the best way to explore the breathtaking beauty of Ba Be Lake. Paddle through the islets; discover hidden caves; visit fishing villages.  You can get closer to the limestone karsts, and find some secret corners of Ba Be lake and the Nang river.

An added benefit of kayaking is that they can get you up close to karsts and into the caves that aren't suitable for bigger boats. The lack of engine also makes this an eco way to travel without causing air or noise pollution.

When kayaking, suitable clothing is a must; it is essential to wear a life jacket, and we recommend wearing a t-shirt and shorts or a swimming suit in summer, warmer clothes in winter, wet shoes, hat, sun cream and sunglasses. A dry bag is extremely useful for storing your camera, insect repellent, water.

Kayaking is only provided by the Ba Be Tourism Center or Mr Linh's Homestay in Coc Toc Village. 

Biking at Ba Be lake

Ba Be is great for exploring by bicycle. Sports bikes can be rented for around $10 per day.  The main roads around the national park are mostly in good condition and don't see much traffic. One day cycling around the park should enable you to visit Hua Ma Cave, Thac Bac Waterfall and some villages.

Car hire and motorbike taxis can also be arranged in Ba Be.  Motorbike taxis (xe om) can be a good way to explore the park as the drivers usually know the best spots.  Be sure to clearly agree your plans and price in advance.

What to see at Ba Be lake?

Ba Be Lake

Ba Be Lake itself is definitely the biggest attraction in Ba Be National Park. But there is more than just cruising around to do on the lake, although that is pleasant enough already! Here are the top attractions on Ba Be Lake:

Fairy Lake

Fairy Lake is the most famous rock basin pools by Ba Be Lake. It’s technically not connected to the lake, located north of the tip of Ba Be Lake by the river. There are many local vendors from the Hmong village across the mountain selling herbal teas, peanuts, and various food items. There are also plenty of snails (still alive)!

The rock pool was not at its best on my visit, having been flooded after heavy rain and filled with rubbish. My guide told me that they used to have bamboo rafting there but those were destroyed under the heavy rain.

An Ma Shrine

The An Ma Shrine is located on an island roughly in the center of Ba Be Lake. Although the site of worship is not new, the temple we see was only built in 2006. Before that, it was just a small shrine at the back of the temple.

It’s a popular place of worship for local people and they hold a festival here on the 6th of the second month in lunar new year. But in general, it’s well visited on the first day of every lunar month.

Hua Ma Cave

The Hua Ma Cave is located next to the river Leng and is also known as the Suspension Cave. While the cave entrance has been noted by the locals for a long time, the dark interior did not invite any explorer until the early 21st century. The cave was explored in the early 2000s and opened to visitors in 2007.

Although it can’t compare to the series of caves in Phong-Nha Ke Bang National Park, the Hua Ma Cave itself is a surprisingly deep and wide cave, extending over 700m. It’s a 300m climb to get to the cave entrance and a descend into the cool, damp air of the cavern.

Unfortunately (or fortunately), the new lighting installed in the cave in 2020 is now multi-coloured, which has the tendency to make it looks like a Stranger Things location or Halloween haunting ground.

Thac Tat Ma Waterfalls

The drive leading up to the Thac Tat Ma Waterfalls reveals a gorgeous value and a thundering stream of water cascading down to the flatland. It is a popular waterfall for locals in the summer, and it’s a surprisingly easy hike from a dirt-parking lot.

That said, during the wet season, it’s at its full strength and one must be careful when taking a dip. The local Tay people would build a bamboo bridge to cross the upper part of the waterfall, but that can be washed away during heavy rain or flow.

Trekking in Ba Be National Park

The Ba Be National Park is full of gorgeous farmland across mountains and valleys. You can also visit the various ethnic villages that have been cut off from the rest of the world until recently.

You would absolutely need a local guide while hiking in the area, as the trails are not well mapped and you can easily get lost on an offshoot. There is still a good deal of wildlife in the area who are generally quite shy. They could create paths that look like a trail but aren’t!

Plus, the trails are not marked on google map and only local guides know where the best spots are!

What to eat at Ba Be lake?

Ba Be's food specialities are another reason to relish your stay in the area. There are too many to mention but boiled chayote cooked with sesame or lon cap nach (literally pig carried under the arm) which are home pigs raised in the field or forest. Barbequed meat and fish and a huge variety of vegetables, together with dumplings, bamboo tube rice, noodles and eggs may all be part of the feast you can enjoy at the table of your host.

Ba Be Lake is definitely a place to remember, well worth the effort of the journey. It is breathtakingly beautiful, serene, culturally fascinating, whilst also offering a range of adventure activities. We look forward to seeing you here and sharing our little piece of heaven.