The Great Vietnamese Ride

Our guide meets you at your hotel at 13:00hrs for a bike fit.

Post that, walk the busy streets of Hanoi visiting some of the cultural and historical highlights of Hanoi. Visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, One Pillar Pagoda, which was constructed nearly a millennium ago, and is delicately elevated in a pond. Also visit the Temple of Literature, dating back close to a thousand years, is a wonderfully preserved piece of ancient Vietnamese architecture and stands to honor the scholarly achievements of the country’s academics and philosophers. Continue exploring the area around Hoan Kiem (Sword) Lake, the old quarter including Ngoc Son Temple, which sits perched on a little island in the lake. In the evening, we convene over dinner.

Ride past the rich farmlands of the Red River Delta before taking a shuttle to Halong City. The river rises in Yunnan province, and flows across the Tonkin region, through Hanoi, and enters the Gulf of Tonkin. We criss-cross the rivers and ride over a multitude of bridges.

A quick ferry journey amidst spectacular limestone mountain scenery brings us to Cat Ba Island. After lunch, get on the bike for a loop around the island. Enjoy the stunning sunset over the limestone mountains.

Cat Ba Island also has numerous caves; Hospital Cave, Hoa Cuong (Diamond) Cave, Thien Long Cave, and Trung Trang Cave. Cat Ba Island is fortunate to have so many fantastic caves and natural beauty.

After a hearty breakfast, get on board a smaller boat and take a journey to the more remote and secluded parts of the Lan Ha Bay waters and islands. Trade your boat with a kayak and explore the lagoons, the coral reef, beaches, and limestone peaks. Ferry back to Hai Phong and shuttle to Ninh Binh. The transfer to Ninh Binh takes about 3 hrs.

A short cycling ride along the river brings us to Trang An, known as Halong Bay on land. The landscape is largely dominated by limestone mountains, rivers, caves, and pagodas. Here we take a boat ride and get to experience the magical scenery dotted with natural and cultural wonders.

We take a break at the ancient city of Hoa Lu for a quick temple tour and then continue riding toward Cuc Phuong National Park through the stunning landscape.

In the early morning hours, visit the Cuc Phuong National Park, an important site for biodiversity in Vietnam

It’s a long day interspersed with transfers and rides. We start with a transfer of about 90min to the starting point for our cycling. Unload the bikes and cycle on largely undulating paths. We continue cycling past acacia plantations, sugarcane fields, and corn farms dotted with Thai and Muong Tribes' villages. Arrive in Pu Luong, and check in at a family lodge located in the heart of Pu Luong Nature Reserve.

Another day of the undulating ride. Cycle past a spectacular mountain range with karst cliffs, terraced rice fields, and a typical agricultural landscape, ending at the beautiful valleys of Mai Chau. The experience is truly unique as we get to experience a good change in landscape.

Mai Chau is a collection of villages and offers a true rural cycling experience. Do enjoy the evening walking around the valley and admiring simple rural life amidst spectacular scenery.

The initial stretch has a bit of climb and then it delves down to the foothills of mountains. The topography is adorned with timber and fern trees. After around 45km, we stop for lunch along the Da reservoir and then make a transfer to Ky Son to cycle further along rivers and lakes. The cycling is up to yen Trung and then take a shuttle transfer to Hanoi.

In the late evening, take an overnight train to Hue.

The UNESCO World Heritage town of Hué is your gateway to Vietnam. Our guide meets at the station and then transfers to your hotel for early check-in.

Today is a rest day and you can plan your own day. Hue is a city located in central Vietnam, known for its rich history, cultural heritage, and scenic beauty. The Perfume River flows through Hue, adding to the city's charm. Taking a boat trip on the river is a popular activity. Hue is also known for its traditional arts and crafts, including delicate porcelain, intricate embroidery, and distinctive Hue-style cuisine, which is renowned for its sophisticated flavors and presentation.

Today take your bicycle out for an early morning leisurely loop around the imperial town of Hué. Ride past the Citadel, Thien Mu Pagoda, Mausoleums, and the merchant’s houses along the banks of the Perfume River and through quiet lanes with lush gardens.

If you're up for more riding, explore the ‘purple city’ on a short countryside loop on a bike, swerving to unthreaded nooks and corners through the beautiful rural countryside and absorbing this historic capital city of Vietnam at your own pace. Take a short transfer out of Hue to visit the Thanh Toan Bridge, an ancient architectural monument extremely valuable in terms of its history and culture. This is one of two bridges remaining in Vietnam today that retains its unique architectural style. We then cycle on to Dam Chuon Lagoon, a part of the Tam Giang Lagoon system. This is a must-see spot for all those who are lovers of beautiful scenery and keen photographers.

We continue riding to Thuan An beach, an ideal place for relaxation. On the way to the beach, there will be many houses, temples, pagodas, rice fields, and beautiful gardens to see and explore. Upon arrival at the beach, enjoy a swim and then jump back on the bikes and head to Con Te Islet.

Loopback to Hue, and stop at Sinh Village – an ancient village well known for its artists and beautiful, traditional, craft woodblock paintings.

After a hearty breakfast, we take a short transfer out of Hue to the coast. Begin riding off the beaten track along a picturesque, narrow peninsular road. Cross the estuary of the Perfume River and from here, challenge yourself by cycling up the Phuoc Tuong Pass then take a short transfer to Lang Co and have lunch by the gorgeous lagoon.

Later, ride along the Lang Co Bay with spectacular views of winding paths, wooden fishing boats, waterfalls, mountains, and forests, and bike over gradual hills to climb Hai Van pass for views of this splendid bay. This rugged pass is the final section of the Truong Son Range stretching to the sea. From the pass, go downhill to the base and shuttle to Hoi An, a delightful old trading town and UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The architectural beauty of Hoi An will captivate you as this UNESCO World Heritage Site offers a melange of Vietnamese, European, Chinese, and Japanese monuments in an unhurried, timeless setting.

Today you can plan your own day, and enjoy the enchanting Hoi An town at leisure. A paradise for shoppers, a walk through the town gives a feel of an open-air museum.

Ride past a network of lush rice fields and narrow interior rural backroads. Break for lunch at Tam Ky and then transfer for about 1hr. Ride from here through corn and vegetable plantations with our first true view of cowherds. We end the ride with a visit to the My Lai Massacre Memorial. During the Vietnam War, a company of American soldiers brutally killed the majority of the population of My Lai. Transfer from here and end the day at Sa Huynh. The Sa Huỳnh culture flourished between 1000 BC and 200 AD, and was most likely the predecessors of the Cham.

Today get ride to bike in the tropical countryside, past tree-canopied rice farms and lush green mountains. The ride is largely flat with mountains looming in the backdrop throughout. Stop off at a Cham tower – built by the Champa civilization who ruled the southern Vietnamese area for over a millennium up until the early 1800s. Later take a short transfer to Qui Nhon.

Today is a beautiful rolling route. A short transfer takes us off the highway and to the remote area where we start biking with the view of gorgeous forests and hills. The biking is through undulating terrain past beautiful villages and mountain views. After lunch, continue riding towards the main highway and then transfer to Tuy Hoa.

Another good day at the saddle. Ride past the network of lush rice fields which blanket the valley. Admire the ocean view around Vung Ro bay before meeting the pass which is the natural border between the provinces. Descend down to stunning Dai Lanh beach and take a break for a swim and lunch.

After lunch, continue riding along the coast and then turn on to the Hon Gom peninsular road for the final leg.

Before arriving at Nha Trang, visit the famous Po Ngar Cham Towers, built between the 7th and 12th centuries and still actively used for worship.

Enjoy the rest of the evening at leisure. Dinner is on your own today. We recommend digging into Hải san, a medley of seafood.

A long mountainous ride today takes us to Da Lat, the jewel of the central highlands. The region is dotted with lakes, waterfalls, pine trees, and infinite flowers, making for a picturesque cycling adventure. Take in some spectacular views as we ride along Da Lat’s pine-forested hills and picturesque flower farms.

Get up early today for a short flight to Saigon. Our guide meets you at the airport and transfers you to your hotel. Later, go on a walking tour to explore some of the most popular sites (Ben Thanh Market, Saigon Opera House, Continental Hotel, The Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral and Post Office, and The War Remnants Museum). This walking tour gives an excellent introduction to the city’s history and provides you with plenty of opportunities to soak up the unique mix of chaos and tranquility that is modern-day Saigon.

A short shuttle transfer brings us to My Tho – the gateway of the Mekong delta. Ride along a small creek to the Mekong estuary past gorgeous paddy fields and lush orchards. Along the way, we may also see how local people use water-coconut leaves to make thatch roofs. Lunch is served en route at a local restaurant.

We go deeper into the delta. We ride past numerous rice fields, rivers, and canals, and over a multitude of bridges that may offer views of floating villages. Apart from rice fields, the region is dotted with many plantations of banana, coconut, and citrus trees. It’s a long ride today through the interior trails of Mekong Delta to Can Tho. Set on the southern bank of the Hau River, Can Tho is known for its network of canals and nearby floating markets.

Experience early morning Cai Rang floating market on a boat ride and then cycle to Phong Dien floating market. Weave through teeming early morning market bustle along the banks of an active riverfront. Absorb the sights of the endless cottage industries, timber merchants, coconuts shredders, small dock loading/unloading rice, and tiny vibrant markets. Continue by bike on the narrow lane and loop round to the main road.

Later shuttle to Saigon for an extension here or for your onward flight.

We aim to reach HCM (Saigon) by 16:00hrs and will drop you at your hotel in Saigon or the airport. It’s good to book your onward flight for 17:00hrs onwards.