Vietnam Bestspoke Biking

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS:

• Experience the overnight journey on the Reunification Express train.
• Savour the colonial charm of  Hanoi, the capital of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
• Take in Hoi An, Vietnam's oldest town, beautifully preserved and a delight to explore.
• Explore the historic monuments of Hué, once the capital of imperial Vietnam.
• Indulge in some of Asia's freshest and tastiest cuisine.

⇒ Tour grade: Moderate (customizable)
⇒ Trip code: VA12 ()
⇒ Trip duration: 16 days/ 15 nites
⇒ Destinations: Hanoi – Halong Bay – Hue – Hoi An – Quang Ngai – Kom Tum – Buon Ma Thuot – Da Lat – Saigon – Mekong Delta
⇒ Meals included: 15 breakfasts, 14 lunches, 8 dinners (Allow extra Meal budget minimum $20US/per day)
⇒ Transport: Private Car or Bus, Bycle, Halong Bay Cruise.
⇒ Accommodation: 13 night in hotels, 1 night on Halong Bay Junk Cruise, 1 night on train (Hanoi - Hue)
⇒ Tour guides: English speaking tour guides (other languages are available upon request with different service rates).

Notes: The bikes that we provide are Trek brand made in US, 24 gear multi- purpose mountain bikes with front suspension. All of them have carrying racks and have a single water bottle cage. They are steel frames in sizes 17-22 inches. They are all new ones and good condition in maintaining well monthly.

TOUR INCLUDES:

• Accommodation based on twin shared room at selected hotels with daily breakfast
    Check-in time at all hotels is 14:00 and check-out time at all hotels is 12.00.
    Early check-in and late check-out is subject to availability with surcharge.
• Meals and other those mentioned in the itinerary (B= Breakfast, L= Lunch, D= Dinner).
• Profestional English Speaking tour guide or other languages upon request.
• Tours and transfers as mentioned by private air-conditioned vehicle.
• Sightseeing fees and permits during guided time.
• Mountain bikes with front suspension.
• 02 medium size bottles of water/person/biking day.

TOUR EXCLUDES:

• Travel Insurance (Compulsory).
• Other flight tickets.
• Visas and airport departure tax.
• Meals, drinks and other those mentioned in the itinerary.
• Laundry, telephone calls and expenditure of a personal nature.
• Tips and gratuities.

BRIEF ITINERARY

Day  1  :   Arrive in Hanoi
Day  2  :   Hanoi City tour
Day  3  :   Hanoi – Halong Bay
Day  4  :   Halong Bay – Hanoi
Day  5  :   Hanoi – Overnight to Hue
Day  6  :   Hue – Cycle to Hoi An
Day  7  :   In Hoi An
Day  8  :   Hoi An – Cycle to Quang Ngai
Day  9  :   Quang Ngai – Cycle to Kom Tum
Day 10 :   Kon Tum – Cycle to Buon Ma Thuot
Day 11 :   Buon Ma Thuot – Cycle to Da Lat
Day 12 :   Da Lat city tour
Day 13 :   Da Lat – Saigon
Day 14 :   Saigon city tour – Cu Chi tunnels
Day 15 :   Saigon – Mekong Delta
Day 16 :   Departure day

DETAILED ITINERARY

Day 1:  Arrival day ( D)
Upon arrival at Hanoi airport, we are met and transferred to our hotel for check in. Late a trip briefing will be held around 5.00pm in the hotel lobby. This is followed by a traditional Water Puppet show before having dinner in a local restaurant sample specialty dishes of the north. Overnight in Hanoi

Day 2: Hanoi City tour (B, L)
After breakfast we will take a tour of Hanoi, visit  the Mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh, the father of modern Vietnam (sometimes closed in Oct and Nov when Ho Chi Minh is taken to Moscow for a touch-up). Here we walk through the grounds of the magnificent Presidential Palace, visiting the humble wooden cottage of Ho Chi Minh and a museum dedicated to the life of Vietnam's first President plus the One Pillar Pagoda. This is followed by a visit to the impressive Temple of Literature, the first university of Vietnam dating back 1076. The remainder of the afternoon is free to explore the many interesting streets of Hanoi’s Old Quarter, an area that is little changed over the centuries.
Overnight in Hanoi
    
Day 3: Hanoi – Halong bay (B, L, D)
Today we depart for Ha Long Bay in a four hour drive with a brief stop en route at Hong Ngoc Humanity center run for and by handicapped children. Upon arrival at Ha Long Bay (approx. midday) we will board our traditional wooden junk. Once we have settled in, we can begin our cruise around majestic Ha Long Bay accompanied by a delicious lunch. After lunch we indulge ourselves in magnificent scenery of this world natural heritage site followed by a trip to explore to one of the best known limestone caves.

Late in the afternoon we will anchor in a secluded spot where we can swim in the clear water, or just simply retire to the junk. We can relax on the top deck using the sun-tanning area or enjoy a refreshing drink from the bar. In the evening our cook will prepare a splendid meal of fresh local seafood and traditional Vietnamese dishes. Overnight onboard
 
Day 4: Halong Bat - Trang ceramics village – Overnight train to Hue (B, L, D)
Rising to the tranquil beauty of the bay we have time for an early morning swim followed by breakfast. This morning we continue to move around the bay to find more secluded areas. At around midday we will return to the docks before transferring to our awaiting vehicle for a 4 hour journey back to Hanoi. Stop en route at Bat Trang ceramics villages to wander around and visit some traditional workshops. Return to Hanoi in the late afternoon. Tonight we are transferred to Hanoi Station to catch the overnight train journey on the Reunification Express to Hue.
Overnight on A/C train

Day 5: Hanoi – Hue (B, L)
Arrive early morning in Hue and transfer to our centrally located hotel. After a shower and some breakfast we will gear up for our first day of riding.  First we will receive an introduction to our bike and a briefing on how to ride the bikes and how to handle the traffic in Vietnam. We will then set out for our first ride through the ancient capital of Hue. Seting on the banks of the Perfume River, Hue was the capital of Vietnam between 1802 and 1945 under the Nguyen Emperors, and later French colonial rule. Since the early nineteenth century it has been regarded as Vietnam’s centre of learning which, with its tradition of Buddhism, gives the city a sophisticated air.

In the morning we will visit the former walled Citadel containing the former Imperial Palace. The Citadel was closely modeled along the lines of the Forbidden City in Beijing. Much was damaged during the last 2 wars.  In the afternoon we will visit some ancient tombs of emperors past. We cycle approximately 12 km to the eccentric Tu Ducs tomb located in a serene setting on the outskirts of town. Time permitting we will cycle to Thien Mu Pagoda, which is considered the unofficial symbol of Hue, before returning to the hotel for overnight accommodation. Overnight in Hue
Cycle distance approx 30kms
 
Day 6: Hue – Cycle to Hoi An (B, L, D)
After breakfast we are taken by bus to get out of the city. From where we get dropped off, we will set out for our ride. We ride is on smaller paved roads away from the main traffic on flat terrain. Passing through rice fields, local markets, a famous covered bridge and seeing various other traditional crafts, makes this is a great introduction to cycling in Vietnam as well as seeing the countryside. We stop en route at Lang Co beach to have lunch in a local restaurant.

Following the lunch, we wind your way up spectacular switch back amongst the cloudy feelings on the top of the Hai Van pass, visiting Marble mountain where we can see the artisans carving colorful marble stone statues. Continue cycle till we reach the most charming ancient township of Hoi An. Check into our hotel and relax for a while. In the evening we will take a short walking tour through the old streets of Hoi An.,the World Heritage site. Dinner will be served in a Vietnamese restaurant. Cycle distance approx 60kms

Day 7: Hoi An free day ( B, L)
Setting on the banks of the Thu Bon River. The ancient town of Hoi An was occupied by early western traders, Hoi An was one of the major trading centres of Southeast Asia in the 16th century. Hoi An has  a distinct Chinese atmosphere with low tile-roofed houses and narrow streets; the original structure of some of these streets still remains the most intact. All the houses are made of rare wood, decorated with lacquered boards and panels engraved with Chinese characters. Pillars were also carved with ornamental designs. Nowadays, Hoi An is also well-known for its tailoring shops and exotic cuisines. The whole day is free to enjoy everything that Hoi An has to offer us. The whole day is at our own leisure. We may visit the tailor shops to get some cloth made up or try your hand at a local cooking class to learn some of the sumptuous Vietnamese dishes. Overnight in Hoi An.

Day 8: Hoi An – Cycle to Quang Ngai (B, L, D)
Leaving Hoi An in the morning we take the bus to Chau O about 60 kilometers away. From Chau O, the cycling is a mixture of dirt and paved roads through spectacular countryside and passing by villages where the people who love to say hello and wave at our group. We stop at Van Tuong town for a simple lunch. After lunch, we continue to cycle, passing rice and vegetables farms, fishing villages. We then arrive at My Lai village where we pay a visit to the memorial site and museum. In here, five hundred innocent unarmed people had died in the horrific massacre during the American War.The My Lai site is in a small rural settlement, surrounded by simple thatched huts, quilted rice paddies and farmers with conical hats going about their day to day routines. After this we can either continue riding (depending on the time of day) or take our support bus to Quang Ngai where we stay overnight.
Cycle distance approx 60kms

Day 9: Quang Ngai – Cycle to Kon Tum (B, L, D)
Today is a more challenging day as we leave Highway one to ride up and down hills with scenic valley ascending to the Central Highland of Vietnam where ethnic minority groups of Ru, Bana, Giarai and Ede live. The roads are small but so quiet, less traffic. There are plenty of stunning photo opportunities along the way. We will ridepast many remote villages, tropical forests, coffee and rubber plantations. Tonight we will spend one night in the second biggest City in central highland. This area was once the scene of fierce fighting and major battles during the Vietnam War! Overnight in Kon Tum.
Cycle distance approx 60kms

Day 10: Kon Tum – Cycle to Buon Ma Thuot (B, L, D)
Today’s cycling avoids highway 14 which recently has become quite busy. The cycle passes sceneryincluded rubber and tea plantations, as well as passing through several ethnic minority villages. The route today is on paved undulating roads on our way to the largest town in the Western Highlands, the capital of Dac Lac Province. Overnight in Buon Ma Thuot
Cycle Distance Approx 66kms

Day 11: Buon Ma Thuot – Cycle to Da Lat (B, L, D)
Morning depart for another outstanding cycle ride. We enjoy the first 50kms riding along the valley floors heading to Da Lat before taking in the undulating roads of Highway 27. The scenery along the way is just simply spectacular. We will make some stops for great photo opportunities. We arrive into Dalat, sometimes known as the “City of Eternal Spring” by late to mid afternoon. After check into our hotel, there will be the chance for a short walk to get the feel for this delightful city. This evening we will enjoy our dinner with Da Lat delicacy.
Cycle Distance Approx 50kms

Day 12: Da Lat city tour – Cycling (B, L)
Today we explore the fresh central highlands of Dalat by bike and enjoy its charming French colonial atmosphere. Our cycling ride around the city will bring us to  King Bao Dai’s Summer Palace, Crazy House, Thien Vien Truc Lam, Xuan Huong Lake, markets. We have lunch in town and then the rest of the day is free further exploration. Overnight in Da Lat.
Cycle Distance Approx 40kms

Day 13: Da Lat – Ho Chi Minh City/ Saigon  (B, L)
Today there will be no more cycling. Bidding a farewell to Da Lat and our bikes, we depart for 7 hours drive descending to Ho Chi Minh City (known as Saigon). Stop en route to visit Prenn water falls, green tea farm and some rubber plantation to take photos. We stop en route at Bao Loc town where we treated by a simple lunch. Arrive into Saigon around 6 pm. Check in our hotel and free evening.

Day 14: Saigon City tour – Cu Chi tunnels (B, L)
In the morning we visit the city's major attractions including the Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral and the War Remnants Museum. In the afternoon we depart for a 2 hour drive through the hustle and bustle of Saigon, heading northwest (75 km) to Cu Chi, an outer suburb of Ho Chi Minh City. This three level underground system covers about 250 km stretching from Saigon suburbs to the Cambodian border. It was home to Viet Cong guerillas for 10 years of the last war. Today the tunnels are a major tourist attraction showing the visitor what underground life was like during that difficult time. Return to our hotel in Saigon in the evening.
Overnight in Saigon

Day 15: Saigon – Mekong Delta day trip (B, L)
Our tour starts with a drive through the Mekong Delta to Cai Be floating market, where we board our river boats for a cruise along the endless waterways of the mighty Mekong. On arrival, we will embark on a boat trip to visit the vibrant and colorful Cai Be Floating Market where we will have the opportunity to observe hundreds of boats laden with exotic tropical fruits and vegetables for trade.

We continue our explorations through the lush green vegetation of the canals to an orchard, where we are treated to a delicious lunch complete with locally grown tropical fruits. Visit some of the local industries and sample the mouth-watering pop rice, rice paper and coconut candy. Late afternoon we proceed to Vinh Long town where we are collected by van and driven back to Saigon.

Day 16: Departure day (B)
A private transfer will take you to the airport for your onward flight

Price per person based On 2-5 People - Just You! Private Car, Driver and Guide