Riveting Saigon to Hanoi Bike Tour
14 days
From US $3,295
Overview
A vivid and engrossing trip that begins at Saigon and takes us through spectacular mountain trails of Da Lat and the classic coastal cycling route of Central Vietnam. The ride takes an exhilarating twist as we board an overnight train to Ninh Binh, where we'll be enchanted by limestone mountains and the serene rural vistas of Mai Chau. Finally, the tour culminates in the timeless city of Hanoi, where ancient traditions and modern vibrancy converge.
The juxtaposition of lush countrysides and unspoiled beaches with vibrant markets and enchanting ancient towns characterizes this adventure. Throughout this cycling journey, we'll have the opportunity to discover temples, pagodas, and imperial citadels, bask in the splendor of some of the world's finest warm-water beaches, and savor delectable Vietnamese cuisine as we cycle from South to the North Vietnam.
Saigon | 17:00hrs
Hanoi | 16:00hrs
casual
moderate
50km or 30mi
Min. 2, Max. 14
SGN
HAN
Highlights
Itinerary
Brief Itinerary
Day | Place | casual Inns or similar | Meals | Distance | Activity |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
DAY 1 | Saigon | Silverland Yen | D | ||
DAY 2 | Fly to Da Lat | Du Park Hotel | B,L,D | 30km / 18mi | cycling |
DAY 3 | Nha Trang | TTC Michelia | B,L | 100km / 60mi | cycling |
DAY 4 | Tuy Hoa | Sala Beach | B,L,D | 60km / 36mi | cycling |
DAY 5 | Quy Nhon | L'Amor Boutique Hotel | B,L,D | 70km / 42mi | cycling |
DAY 6 | Quang Ngai | Cocoland River Beach Resort | B,L,D | 65km / 39mi | cycling |
DAY 7 | Hoi An | River Town Hoi An | B,L,D | 65km / 39mi | cycling |
DAY 8 | Hoi An | River Town Hoi An | B | ||
DAY 9 | Hue | Rosaleen Boutique Hotel | B,L | 86km / 54mi | cycling |
DAY 10 | Overnight train to Ninh Binh | Train | B,L | 25km / 15mi | cycling |
DAY 11 | Ninh Binh | Trang An Retreat | B,L,D | 40km / 24mi | cycling |
DAY 12 | Pu Luong | Pu Luong Home | B,L,D | 70km / 42mi | cycling |
DAY 13 | Mai Chau | Mai Chau Lodge | B,L,D | 60km / 36mi | cycling |
DAY 14 | Hanoi | B,L | 60km / 36mi | cycling |
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Saigon
Our guide meets you at your hotel at 17:00hrs for a briefing over dinner to celebrate the start of our journey on a bike.
The morning is free for you to explore the city. We recommend exploring some of the most popular sites - Ben Thanh Market, Saigon Opera House, Continental Hotel, The Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral and Post Office, The War Remnants Museum, China Town (Cho Lon in Dist 5), Thien Hau Pagoda, Landmark 81 building and Jade Emperor Pagoda. It gives you an excellent introduction to the city’s history with plenty of opportunities to soak up the unique mix of chaos and tranquility that is modern-day Saigon.
If you intend to arrive in Ho Chi Minh City a day in advance, we recommend seizing the chance to explore the Cu Chi Tunnels—an elaborate network of underground passages that were extensively used during the Vietnam War.
Day 2: Fly to Da Lat
Get up early today for a short flight 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. After the bike-fit, here we take a classic ride around Da Lat. Take in some spectacular views as we ride along Da Lat’s pine-forested hills, picturesque flower farms, and past Xuan Huong Lake and Mount Langbian.
Day 3: Nha Trang
An awesome day on a bike today. Ride through the lush mountain range and conquer Hon Giao 1,600m mountain pass before arriving at Nha Trang, a classic beach resort town. The initial stretch is undulating past pine forests and then it’s a sheer drop of 1,500m to the low lands. Break for lunch at a local restaurant by the river and continue riding on flat terrain through some gorgeous village trails. Hop into a shuttle for the last section to avoid a busy road.
Day 4: Tuy Hoa
After a visit to the nearby Cham temple, ride a spectacular coastal trail to a nearby village. A shuttle transfer from here brings us to our lunch point by the ocean. Today, we have an early lunch. Continue riding along the sea and admire the delightful ocean views around the Dai Lanh beach before meeting the pass which is the natural border between the provinces. Descend down to stunning Vung Ro bay and take a break for a swim and some snacks.
This is our first day of riding along the Vietnamese coast and it’s a long ride. Enjoy it to the fullest.
Day 5: Quy Nhon
A transfer of about 1hr today 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. Avoid the last leg of 10km as traffic picks up and transfer to Quy Nhon.
Day 6: Quang Ngai
Visit Cham tower – built by the Champa civilization who ruled the southern Vietnamese area for over a millennium up until the early 1800s. Descendents of this culture, the Cham people, still live in Vietnam and neighboring Cambodia as well as Thailand. Later bike in the tropical countryside, past tree-canopied rice farms and lush green fields and paddies. Arrive at Sa Huỳnh and spend a night at a beach resort. The Sa Huỳnh culture flourished between 1000 BC and 200 AD, was most likely the predecessors of the Cham.
Day 7: Hoi An
A transfer of about 1hr brings us to our start of the day with a visit to My Lai Massacre Memorial. During the Vietnam War, a company of American soldiers brutally killed the majority of the population of My Lai. Ride from here through corn and vegetable plantations with our first true view of cowherds. After a ride of about 30km, take a shuttle again to Tam Ky for lunch and then ride past a network of lush rice fields and narrow interior rural trails. We end our day at Hoi An with a short transfer.
Day 8: Hoi An
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.
Day 9: Hue
We avoid riding on Da Nang’s busy roads and transfer straight away to the point, 5km before the climb. Bike on over gradual hills in the coastal ride to climb Hai Van pass for views of this splendid bay and of wooden fishing boats, waterfalls, mountains, and pine forests. Ride the downhill with utmost care and stop for lunch by a delightful lagoon. A short transfer brings us to Phuoc Tuong where we ride the undulating mountain terrain and cross the gorgeous estuary of the Perfume River. Recharged, ride through the backroads and beaches of this region towards Hue, a must-visit in Vietnam.
Day 10: Overnight train to Ninh Binh
Today take your bicycle out for a 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.
In the evening, we take an overnight train to Ninh Binh, arriving at about 2:30-3:30 am.
Day 11: Ninh Binh
Our representative picks us up at the station and transfers to the hotel. 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 loop back through the stunning landscape.
Day 12: Pu Luong
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.
Day 13: Mai Chau
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.
Day 14: Hanoi
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. We aim to reach Hanoi by 4 pm.
We highly recommend extending your trip by a few days to indulge in the breathtaking beauty of Halong Bay. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a must-see destination and serves as a perfect complement to your cycling holiday.
Ready to plan your adventure? Download a print-ready detailed itinerary.
Map
Dates and Prices
Single Supplement
From US $575
E-Bike Upgrade
From US $165
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Essential Info
Inclusions
LODGING
All hotels as mentioned in the tour details or similar (subject to availability).
trip leader
Expert Trip Leader(s) who look after your every need and add meaning to your vacation.
bike
Immaculately maintained bike with helmet, suited to a terrain.
shuttle
A Van support follows the group of riders and carries all belongings.
meals
Meals as per itinerary. Guests are given the opportunity to dine on their own so that they discover a location independently.
refreshments
Refreshments and mineral water while cycling.
entrance
Entrance fees to most of the monuments and temples.
E-bikes
E-bikes are available (subject to availability) on this trip at a surcharge.
Exclusions
Airport pickup and drop
We recommend to book direclty from airport or hotel.
Beverages
Beverages such as alcohol, tea, coffee, juice at a hotel or restaurant.
Gratuity
Gratuities for your guide team are not included in the trip price.
Bikes
When you have a road and the thrill of a journey ahead of you, it’s imperative to have a good bike to enjoy it. Our fleet majorly consist of the below bikes as a part of this tour. However, sometimes due to height or availability constraints, we may provide a different but similar quality bike.
Trek Marlin 5 or similar
Included in your trip price
Trek X-Caliber 7 or similar
Included in your trip price
Trek EBike or similar
Available at a surcharge
Weather
Like most tropical regions, Vietnam has hot summers, mild pleasant winters, and an extremely wet rainy season. Being located in the northern hemisphere, the best season for cycling in Vietnam is generally from September to May, with regional variations as described below:
North Vietnam – Hanoi and Halong Bay: The cycling tour season in this region runs from October to May. December and January can be cold with occasional rainfall. May to October is hot, with heavy rain in the months of August and September.
Coastal Vietnam – Hue to Nha Trang: Coastal Vietnam is a narrow crescent-like coastal strip that is at times only 60 km wide. As a result, it experiences coastal weather phenomena such as high rainfall and occasional typhoons during the wet season that runs from September to December. Travelers during this season should be prepared for last-minute changes to the itinerary. The Best season to visit this region is from January to September with the average temperature hovering around 30°C.
South Vietnam – Saigon and Mekong Delta: South Vietnam is a year-round cycling destination because of its pleasant tropical climate. April and May can be hot, but for the rest of the year, the temperature hovers around 30°C. There is moderate rainfall from May to early November but it settles soon, leaving the weather cool and the countryside lush. November to February is the best time for cycling in South Vietnam with warm weather, clear blue skies, and a light ocean breeze blowing in from the Pacific.
January
Best
February
Best
March
Best
April
Best
May
Good
June
Good
July
Good
August
Good
September
Mixed
October
Mixed
November
Mixed
December
Mixed
Best
Good
Mixed
Offseason
Visa
Residents from a number of countries have visa exemption status for tourist visits to Vietnam. For a full list of up-to-date visa-exempt countries, see the Vietnam Foreign Affairs website.
Starting August 15, 2023, the Vietnam government will start offering an e-visa valid for up to 90 days with multiple entries, replacing the current 30-day, single-entry option. Furthermore, passport holders from Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Russia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom will benefit from an extended visa exemption period of 45 days, up from the current 15 days. Eligible foreign nationals will either benefit from a longer duration of stay and greater flexibility with the extended e-visa validity of up to 90 days and multiple entries, or enjoy an extended visa exemption period of 45 days.
e-Visa – You can apply for an e-visa through the government website, then, once approved, simply print it out and present it upon arrival in Vietnam. The additional benefit of the e-visa is that it's valid at land borders, not just airports. The processing time ranges from 2 to 7 working days. We recommend applying 2 weeks in advance to avoid unexpected delays. Read more about tourist e-visas for Vietnam at the Vietnam Immigration portal and apply there.
While applying online for an approval letter, please ensure that you have the following documents:
- Passport scanned copy: A scanned copy of your passport - front (main) page. It shouldn't be a mobile photo or a photo taken from a laptop. Strictly scanned copy done through a computer scanner.
- Passport size photo: portrait photo (4*6 size, colored photo, white background, straight looking without glasses). A photo taken from a mobile or laptop may or may not work, so I would strictly advise getting one made through a nearby photo studio (retail shop) that specializes in taking photos for visas.
Here is an excellent resource on Vietnam visas that may be worth looking at.