What It’s Really Like to Disconnect on the Bong Hostel Secret Tour (And Why You Totally Should!)

Let’s be real: when was the last time you truly, actually disconnected? No bars on your phone, no notifications, no doom-scrolling, no signal-sapping café “breaks”? 

If you’re craving a real escape—the kind that doesn’t include hotel lobbies with TikTokers vlogging their “authentic” experience—then you might be ready for the Bong Hostel Secret Tour.

This isn’t just a trip. It’s a digital detox, a slow-burning, jaw-dropping, soul-recalibrating adventure into some of the most spectacular off-grid landscapes North Vietnam has to offer. 

No maps. No Google. Just mountains, mist, waterfalls, Happy Water—and moments that don’t need to be uploaded to mean something.

Welcome to the Secret Tour life. Here’s why disconnecting might be the most connected you’ve ever felt.

What Is the Bong Hostel Secret Tour?

Okay, so let’s lift the curtain just a little—just enough to tempt you. 

The Bong Hostel Secret Tour is an exclusive, small-group expedition into the less-traveled, seriously wow-worthy parts of Northern Vietnam. 

It’s like the Ha Giang Loop, but deeper. Wilder. And waaay off the radar.

Led by one Vietnamese tour guide, one English-speaking representative, and a team of 8 legendary Easy Riders (local motorbike drivers), this trip is more than a ride—it’s a roving slice of culture, nature, and pure, unfiltered freedom. 

There are only 8 spots up for grabs, and every guest rides pillion (as a passenger), giving you time to soak up every curve of the road and every cloud-skimming peak.

Why so secret? Because these routes, villages, workshops, lakes, and caves are too special to shout about. We want to keep them quiet. Peaceful. Pristine. 

You’ll understand why when you’re there.

Related article: 20+ Tips to Connect with Your Ha Giang Loop Easy Rider.

The Secret Tour is Designed to Help You Log Off and Tune In

From the moment you hop on the back of that motorbike, signal bars drop—and your soul levels rise. The Secret Tour is deliberately off-grid. 

Phones stop buzzing. Social media goes silent. And something kind of magical happens: you look up.

You stop seeing the world through your screen and start seeing it through your senses—the roar of the waterfalls, the smell of wood smoke in the air, the sudden surprise of a hill tribe festival just around the bend.

Why Being Unreachable is Underrated

• No Instagram pressure.

• No FOMO (you’re already in the best place ever).

• No awkward Zoom calls from a mountaintop (why would you?!).

Instead, you:

• Actually feel present.

• Sleep deeper.

• Laugh harder.

• Make eye contact.

• Remember what it feels like to be alive, not just online.

Related article: Discover 9 Must-Visit Local Ethnic Villages on the Ha Giang Loop (Plus 1 Secret Village with Bong Hostel).

Secret Tour Scenery: It Deserves Your Full Attention

This tour isn’t just about switching off—it’s about tuning in. The landscapes you’ll ride through are next-level breathtaking. We’re talking:

• Secret waterfalls that are so massive they roar like thunder and drench you with mist before you can even get your camera out.

• Caves that could contain entire cathedrals, with ancient legends hidden in every echo.

• Mirror-flat lakes where time seems to pause—perfect for skipping stones, floating in with a cold beer, journaling, or just…being.

• Mountain passes that look like dragons’ spines curling through the clouds.

• Remote villages where you’ll be greeted with wide smiles and curious stares—not tourist traps, but real human encounters.

• A hidden workshop where traditional crafts are still made by hand, passed from generation to generation.

It’s the kind of place that Google Maps forgot. And thank goodness for that.

Related article: A Guide to the 6 Best Lakes in North Vietnam: From Ba Be to Hoan Kiem.

The People on the Secret Tour Make the Magic

Disconnecting from tech means connecting to something way more meaningful: each other.

Your Easy Rider isn’t just your driver—they’re your new best friend, your hype man (or woman), your photographer (if you ask nicely), and your ticket into a world most tourists never see.

Many of our riders come from Vietnam’s ethnic minority communities—like the Hmong, Tay, and Dao people. 

They grew up in these mountains and know every backroad, every shortcut, every trail that leads to a hidden waterfall or a view that’ll make your jaw drop. 

They also know how to make you laugh, how to dance around with a karaoke mic in hand, and how to show you the heart of the north.

Your group becomes a mini family: 8 travelers + 8 Easy Riders + 2 trip leaders. 18 humans, one incredible adventure.

What a Day on the Secret Tour Actually Looks Like 

Morning: Wake up to birdsong and misty mountain air. Grab a hot bowl of pho or a cheeky pancake. No checking emails—there is no email.

Mid-morning: Hop on the bike and ride. Feel the wind. Feel the freedom. Curve along cliffside roads as the valleys open wide.

Afternoon: Stop at a secret village for lunch and a wander. Maybe chat with a local elder. Maybe try your hand at a new skill (Weaving? Incense making? Depends on the village!).

Evening: Arrive at a homestay. Cook dinner together. Swap stories. Maybe karaoke. Maybe a bonfire. Definitely belly laughs.

Night: Sleep hard. Dream better. Wake up wondering if that view from your homestay is real.

Related article: 31 Local Dishes to Try in North Vietnam.

But Wait… Is the Secret Tour Too Off-Grid?

Nah. Look, we’re not saying you’ll be surviving on berries and building huts with your bare hands.

You’ll still have:

• Cozy homestays.

• Hot meals (and cold beers).

• Clean water and showers.

• Comfy beds.

• Wi-Fi in accommodations—if you must use it!

What you won’t have:

• 24/7 phone signal.

• A million tour buses.

• Stress.

• A clue what the next day will bring!

Basically: it's a whole special, secret vibe.

Psssst! If you’re the sort of person who needs to know what they’re doing from one hour to the next, this tour is not for you! Besides a rough morning outline for the day, you’re in the dark. In the dark, and yet I’ll bet you’ve never felt more free!

The Benefits of a Digital Detox (Backed by Science!)

If you need more convincing, here’s what stepping away from your phone can actually do:

• Improve your sleep (blue light be gone!)

• Boost your creativity (hello, journal pages and sketchpads!)

• Lower anxiety (no comparison game)

• Deepen relationships (you’ll talk to actual people!)

• Heighten your senses (the food tastes better, the air smells cleaner)

It’s not just a break from the screen—it’s a return to the real world.

So Who Should Come on the Bong Hostel Secret Tour?

• Nature lovers.

• Soul searchers.

• Instagram burnout victims.

• Adventure seekers.

• People who want something deeper than “just a tour”.

• Anyone who’s said, “I just want to get away for real.”

• Those who loved doing the Ha Giang Loop tour with Bong Hostel but want more.

If that’s you—welcome. You’re our kind of people.

Final Thoughts: The Best Things in Life Aren’t Scrollable

We’ll say it straight: not everyone is ready for this kind of travel. Some people want phone signal, western food, and hashtags. 

But if you want something real, something that lingers in your heart (and not just your feed), then this might be the best trip you ever take.

The Bong Hostel Secret Tour isn’t about what you’ll post—it’s about what you’ll feel. And trust us, you’ll feel a lot.

It’s wild. It’s weird. It’s wonderful. And once it’s over, you won’t want to go back online.

Ready to Log Off and Ride Out?

Spots are limited. This isn’t us playing hard to get—it’s literally a max of 8 travelers per trip. Two trips have already run. Another is coming soon. You in?

Message us on Whatsapp (+84 85 561 8585) or drop by Bong Hostel in Hanoi to ask about upcoming dates. But fair warning: we might not tell you everything.

Because some secrets? They’re just better lived than told.