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Cycling Vietnam
Duration
14 days
Site savings
$44
From
$2,149 USD
Experience the real Vietnam by bike from Saigon to Hanoi on a 14-day cycle adventure. You will ride from vibrant Saigon in the south to the chaotic capital of Hanoi in the north on this two-week cycling tour, traveling on tarmac roads through colorful fishing villages, folding rice terraces and mountains cloaked in jungle. The vast shoreline of white sandy beaches is yours to discover along the way, with time to swim in the sea on a tropical island retreat.
- CategoryCultural & Historical
- TypeFully Guided
- Duration14 days
- Culture LevelOut There
- Skill Level3 - Intermediate
- Activity Level3 - Active
- Elevation2 - Moderate
- TerrainCoastal
- Distance391.5 miles
- Avg. Daily Distance43.5 miles
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Quick Stats
- Duration14 days
- Main DestinationHo Chi Minh City
- Distance391.5 miles
- Avg. Daily Distance43.5 miles
- Elevation2 - Moderate
- TerrainCoastal
Route Map (click to view larger image)
Itinerary Details
- Day 1Start Saigon
- Day 2Transfer out of the city; cycle to the Cu Chi tunnels
- Day 3Cycle towards the coast and drive to Mui Ne
After an early breakfast, you will head out of Saigon by bus and then start cycling towards the coast. You will hit the backroads and head through tropical fruit and rubber plantations also passing some small fishing villages as you make your way closer to the coast finishing your ride in time for lunch. You then transfer approx. 3 hours to Mui Ne, a tranquil white sand beach where you can witness your first sunset over the Eastern Sea. You will spend approx. 4-5 hours on the bus today.
- 31.1 miles
- Sea Links Beach Hotel or similar
- Breakfast and Lunch
- Day 4Cycle to Dalat in the Central Highlands
You will cycle towards Dalat; the route is undulating with occasional climbs. Along the way, you will pass coffee and tea plantations as well as flower gardens and pine forests as you reach higher altitudes. You will rejoin the bus before the road climbs steeply to the mountain town of Dalat. You will spend approx 3.5 hours on the bus today.
Dalat is a pleasant hill station, formerly known as Le Petit Paris, and has been described as the most beautiful town in Vietnam. It was favoured by the French for its climate and is now a popular honeymoon resort for the Vietnamese.- 37.3 miles
- Sammy Hotel Dalat or similar
- Breakfast and Lunch
- Day 5Cycle through Bidoup N.P.; to the coast and boat transfer to Whale Island
Today's ride is predominantly undulating and approximately 30km (18mi) downhill through pine forests and paddy fields as you descend nearly 1,500m (4921ft) traveling through the Bidoup Ba National Park. This area is home to rare pine forests as well as small villages inhabited by the ethnic minority people of the central highlands. Once you arrive at the coast, you will head by bus (approx. 1.5 hours) to the coast near Nha Trang before boarding a boat to your tropical island retreat of Whale Island for the next two nights. Today you can cycle up to 100km (62mi) according to preference.
- 62.1 miles
- Whale Island Resort or similar
- Breakfast and Lunch
- Day 6Cruise around islands with seafood lunch and snorkeling
Having a rest from the bikes today you will get the opportunity to really relax and unwind. You will join a boat trip in the morning for a spot of snorkeling and swimming in the turquoise sea before a seafood lunch is served. In the afternoon there is the option to visit a local fishing village, see the Whale temple or walk around the island to the viewpoint for a 360-degree view of the stunning mountainous coastline and the surrounding coves and white sand beaches.
- Whale Island Resort or similar
- Breakfast and Lunch
- Day 7Coastal ride to Quy Nhon
You will set off early in the morning and first take a short transfer from Whale Island through Dai Lanh and Ca Pass before setting off on the bikes at Vung Ro Bay, where you'll ride along the coast to Tuy Hoa and O Loan Lagoon to Chi Thanh.
In Chi Thanh, stop for lunch and a short rest before continuing to La Hai where you will complete the longest ride of the trip (62.2mi/100km). From La Hai, transfer one hour to the hotel in Quy Nhon. You'll spend approximately two hours on the bus today.
- 62.1 miles
- Seagull Quy Nhon Hotel or similar
- Breakfast and Lunch
- Day 8Further coastal ride stopping en route at sand dunes; then transfer to Hoi An
Leaving Quy Nhon you will travel through a new economic zone over the Thi Nai Peninsula and Nhon Hoi Bridge, the longest sea bridge in Vietnam. Getting off your bike, you will visit a market, where it's not unusual to be pulled aside for a photo as this part of the country does not see many western tourists. The coastline features secluded bays, sand dunes and beaches with colourful fishing boats bobbing on the Eastern Sea. You will cycle until you arrive at Phu Ly and then drive to Hoi An. If time permits, you will cycle the last 12km (7.5mi) once you turn off Highway 1 into Hoi An.
Hoi An, the original European trading port in Vietnam dating back to the mid-sixteenth Century is now a living museum, with attractive wooden merchant's houses and pagoda-style temples with Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and European architectural influences. It is also a marvellous place to wander around and enjoy the thriving riverside market. You will spend two nights in Hoi An which is also a fantastic place to buy local art or have some clothes tailor-made for you. It's best to bring a picture or a sample of what you want made. Approx. 6 hours on the bus today.- 31.1 miles
- Hoi An River Green Boutique or similar
- Breakfast and Lunch
- Day 9Sightseeing in Hoi An; free afternoon
This morning you will take a guided walking tour of Hoi An to explore some of the structures of historical significance in the Old Town, including bridges, temples, wells and houses. Those less interested in architecture can cycle the 5km (3.1mi) to the lovely Cua Dai beach or cycle to the Marble Mountains, which are 19km (12mi) from town. These five marble hills, formerly islands, contain many caves, some of which were used as Buddhist (and Viet Cong) sanctuaries.
Also nearby is My Khe beach, a famous US R & R spot in the war, and Da Nang, where there is a Cham Museum, which despite being in poor condition, is very interesting. It is also possible to visit My Son, one of the most important Cham temple sites in Vietnam where Cham kings were buried as early as the fourth century. Although wartime bombing has destroyed much of the site, there are a number of interesting stone towers and sanctuaries.
- Hoi An River Green Boutique or similar
- Breakfast and Lunch
- Day 10Ride over the spectacular Hai Van Pass; cycle and drive on to Hue
Today you will turn north again for the drive/cycle to Hue. The route traverses over the spectacular Hai Van Pass - the 'Pass of the Ocean Clouds'. The views are stunning though those who prefer to avoid the 580m (1902ft) climb can always take a lift in the support vehicle. Once at the top it will all seem worth it as you plummet back to the ocean, then continue through small villages and timeless rural scenes to the outskirts of Hue, from where you will transfer to your city center hotel. Approx 2.5 hours in the bus today.
- 49.7 miles
- Park View Hotel or similar
- Breakfast and Lunch
- Day 11Explore Hue and surroundings by bike and boat; overnight train to Hanoi
- Day 12Arrive Hanoi; drive to Halong Bay; board boat and cruise/kayak among spectacular limestone formations
- Day 13Further cruising in Halong Bay; return to Hanoi
Visit Me Cung cave and enjoy further time to cruise the many islands of Halong Bay. You will then return to Hanoi late afternoon. This charming city contains many beautiful old buildings and the atmosphere is completely different from that of Saigon in the south, mainly due to the much more conservative nature of the North Vietnamese. Also, unlike its industrial counterpart, the center of Hanoi has a faded charm with broad tree-lined avenues dating from the French period as well as some attractive lakes and pagodas. In the evening there is the option to enjoy a performance of Hanoi's famous water puppets.
- Foreign Relations Hotel or similar
- Breakfast
- Day 14End Hanoi