15 days Cycling Vietnam Hanoi to Saigon Via Sapa – Hoi An Nha Trang – Hue – Cu Chi

Day 1: Ha Noi – D.                    

Welcome to Vietnam’s French-inspired capital city!  We’ll transfer you from the airport to the city (45 minutes) and check you into the tour hotel.

Depending on your arrival time today, a city tour is on offer this afternoon taking you past various places of interest including the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (closed on Mondays) and the Temple of Literature.

We have the opportunity to see a traditional water puppet show and this evening, we’ll meet each other over our first group dinner. You will stay overnight in Ha Noi.

Day 2: Ha Noi – Sa Pa, 280km distance & 40km cycling – L, D. 

06h30 Our Car will pick up at hotel to Sa Pa at around  5hours. You ‘ll arrive in Sa Pa at 12 o’clock and then you’ll have lunch time in local restaurant then you’ll check in hotel in Sa Pa Town and relaxing.

Late in the afternoon,  you’ll start to cycle from the Hotel to Ta Phin minorities village about 20km( Located about 20km west of Sa Pa, Ta Phin is a village  of Black Hmong and Red Dao’s people who have a rich culture that has not been damaged modern life.

The village is surrounded by mountains with spectacular rice terraces) you’ll bike through the narrow rural road and enjoy amazing view of sunset over the village and surrounding areas. In Ta Phin village, you’ll witness the daily life the villages and communities of the Red Dao and Black Hmong minorities.

You’ll also have time to take Herbal medicine bath. After sightseeing around the village, we’ll bike to Sa Pa Town for spent overnight.  

Cycling distances given are entirely optional. The support vehicle will be available at any time.

Day 3: Cycling through beautiful landscapes into the Sapa valley – B,L,D.   

 We’ll wake up early in the morning and downtown on the streets to sightseeing, there are many Red Dao and Black Hmong’s people in colorful ethnic attire heading to Sa Pa Market for trading.

You’ll enjoy breakfast with local foods( if on here on the Sunday, we’ll see the traditional Love market only on every Sunday morning).

After enjoy breakfast, we’ll cycle along Muong Hoa’s  valley to Ta Van minorities village about 20km(Ta Van is small village set within a picturesque valley of Muong Hoa, with different hilltribe village as Hmong and Dao’s people). You Continue to cycle on narrow road heading to Thanh Phu Village, where we’ll enjoy  lunch break.

After lunch, you’ll continue to cycle about 10km more and arrive in Ban Den minorities village, where we’ll spent overnight in there by deluxe bungalows.  Cycling distance up to: 35km.

Cycling distances given are entirely optional. The support vehicle will be available at any time.

Day 4: You wake up in the fresh and beautiful atmosphere of the remote village, 10km hiking-B,L,D.

You have breakfast and enjoy the beautiful  and  peaceful  view  of the surrounding valleys and mountains from your private balcony.

After that, you’ll hiking to Ban Kim to know how the local villagers make writing paper, jewelry and embroidery. Until at 11h00 we’ll check out the Bungalow head to Sa Pa town for lunch break.

After lunch, we’ll transfer you back Ha Noi about 5 hours. You will spent overnight in Ha Noi.

Day 5:  Ha Noi – Hue, 600km distance- B,L,D.   

This morning wake early, head to Hoan Kiem Lake to watch local Vietnamese practicing Tai Chi and then enjoy a local breakfast – Pho Bo (beef noodle soup) in the town or you can return to the hotel for a continental breakfast. The morning ride features a cycle through the outskirts of the capital.

The route follows the Red River, pedal on a dike path, a fascinating introduction into life outside the big capital. Return to the hotel for an afternoon at your leisure. After an early dinner back in the city, transfer to the train station for the overnight ride to Hue.

You’ll spent overnight on board the train to Hue. Distance and journey time: Transfer: About 45 mins. Cycling distance up to: 35km. Difficulty: Easy.

Cycling distances given are entirely optional. The support vehicle will be available at any time.

Day 6:  Hue,  40km cycling – B,L,D. 

You’ll arrive in Hue this morning and begin cycling through town. Located on the bank of Song Huong- Perfume River; Hue, the capital of Thua Thien Hue province in Central Vietnam. Not until 1945 was Hue the national capital, the political, cultural and religious center of Vietnam under the control of Nguyen Dynasty. Most well-known for its historic values; Hue had been recognized as one of the World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. Today’s cycling journey takes you into town and across the Perfume River to Hue’s Imperial Citadel, where you can explore this sprawling complex, rich with history, on foot before continuing the ride out to the countryside along dirt tracks to the Mausoleums of Tu Duc and Khai Dinh. Ride past relics and ruins until you reach the end of your journey at the beautiful Thien Mu Pagoda on the banks of the Perfume River.  You’ll stay overnight in Hue.

Cycling distances given are entirely optional. The support vehicle will be available at any time.

Day 7: Hue – Hoi An, 140km distance & 70km cycling – B,L.   

Today is a classic day of cycling. Starting just outside of Hue and following the picturesque and very narrow peninsular road from Thuan An beach to Vinh Loc then Lang Co beach – one of the nicest beaches in Vietnam. Reward your hard work with a swim at Lang Co Beach and re-fuel with lunch as there is one more hill of the day – Hai Van Pass(25km & 600m above sea level). Challenging, yet manageable, this ride is full of breathtaking views. After the climbs well-earned descent, transfer the remainder of the distance by our support vehicle to Hoi An, a delightful old trading town and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Unwind over dinner and drinks or perhaps a traditional massage for sore muscles!  We’ll overnight in Hoi An.

Cycling distances given are entirely optional. The support vehicle will be available at any time.

Day 8: Hoi An – My Son Holy land – Hoi An.  40km cycling – B,L.  

Set out for a challenging ride from the outskirts of Hoi An on a quiet back road to the famous Cham Towers of My Son. My Son Holy land-a unique beautiful sanctuary world of the ancien Cham religion, was an imperial city during the Cham dynasty, between the 4th and 15th centuries, and more than 70 towers and temples remain rising majestically from the rice paddies. The ride is along Thu Bon River and  through a remote area where very few tourists venture, and surrounded by stunning views. You will arrive in My Son Holy land, where have many wonderful towers and enjoy a lunch time break in a local restaurant. After lunch, you’ll walk around the My Son Holy land to sightseeing. The Cham people originated from Indonesia and My Son was a religious centre between the 4th and 13th centuries and is located in a dense valley beneath Cats Tooth Mountain (Hon Quap). The Cham Kings were buried here from the 4th century onwards. Hidden by dense vegetation for many centuries the temples were re-discovered by a French archaeologist in the 1890s who located about 70 temples. American carpet bombing destroyed much of the area during the Vietnamese War but around 20 temples managed to survive the Yanks – even these few temples suffered some damage though. These Cham Temples were skilfully built using bricks however instead of mortar it is thought they used resin mixed with ground brick dust and mollusc shells so that there is only hairline gaps between the bricks. The variety of carvings were cut into the bricks themselves rather than being inserted – the carvings and relief’s are of religious images dedicated to Vishnu and Shiva. After sightseeing we will transferring back to Da Nang City for relaxing. Da Nang is a major port city in Vietnam, and the third largest of all cities in the country. It’s a beautiful place to spend time either if you’re holidaying there or travelling through Vietnam or the wider South East Asia region, and is within 100km of several stunning UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It’s also a beach city, with miles of stunning beaches. We’ll stay overnight in Hoi An.

Cycling distances given are entirely optional. The support vehicle will be available at any time.

Day 9:  Hoi An – Da Lat – B,L. 

After breakfast, we will transfer you to Da Nang International Airport for flight to Da Lat Hill Station. On arriving, check in hotel and relaxing. 13h00 Mountain Biking in Da Lat area, 14km and 2hours cycling. We will short transfer to Victory Lake, where,  you will join the Hill Tribe biking teams and experience great riding, a variety of landscapes, scenic views of farms, forests and mountains surroundings and good trails.  You’ll through vegetable and flower farms. Our guide will take you further to the pine forests, enjoying the beautiful view of the Victory Lake. The trail is sometimes up hill or down hill which makes the tour more adventurous. You will free your body on the bike to Da Thien Lake. You’ll to enjoy the beautiful view of Da Thien Lake and then cycling to Van Hanh Zen Monastery to sightseeing biggest gold Buddha in Da Lat area. After that, our support vehicle will take you back your hotel at around  16h00 Until 18h00: Our Guides& Driver will transfer you to Lat Minority village  about 30 minutes to enjoy “Ethnic Gong Music Show” :  intergrade with friendly native K’ho tribes to learn about their culture. Drinking “Can-wine” special wine of ethnic and taste roasted meet while enjoying the show performed by local artists in the imposing mountain scenery. 20h40 Return  your hotel for Free to explore. You will spent overnight in Da Lat.

Cycling distances given are entirely optional. The support vehicle will be available at any time.

Day 10:  Jungle Trekking – Camping in Da Lat area, 16km trekking – B,L,D. 

Our Car will bring you to the south of Da Lat city and come to Chicken Minority Village where   sightseeing around the village and to know about the ethnic minority people’s handicraft and their lives. The Trek starts to crossing vegetable farm before We up to Elephant Mountain. Soon you will notice a dramatic change in scenery to thick jungle. Walk the rolling hill among the vines, broad-leaf trees and enjoy the cool jungle breeze. If you’re lucky, you may see a troop of monkeys, snakes or a wild orchid in bloom. We have lunch time on the top of the mountain where the views of the valley below are fantastic.  After that, you will continue to trekking 3 hours to the campsite. We’ll spent overnight in the Campsite by Tents + Sleeping Bags.

Note: BBQ Dinner party & Bon Fire& Happy Hours & Happy Water( Rice wine).

Distance and journey time: Transfer: 1 hours. Trekking distance: 16km (5 or 6 hours). Difficulty: Medium.

Day 11: Da Lat – Nha Trang, 140km distance, 50km Cycling&17km White Water Rafting – B,L,D.

Breakfast at the campsite then Cycling Vietnam guide will transfer to the northeast Da Lat on the new road and through the newest National Park in Vietnam  (Bidoup Nui Ba).  Beautiful views of farms, countryside and Nui Ba mountain. The ride  begins on the flat countryside road for 18km down hill and up hill on the top of Bidoup National Park. Then 32km, uninterrupted downhill section is the longest of downhill. The spectacular mountain views are perfect for pictures along the way. After reaching at the bottom of the pass, you will have short break for lunch. After that, Cycling Vietnam’s  guide will provide a short instructional briefing about Rafting and then you will float down on Khanh Le River for 3 hours at around 17km on the river. You will passing some sections of rapids and the mountain scenery is imposing.  Arriving Khanh Nam village, where our raft is finish and then we will continue to Nha Trang Beach by our vehicle. You will spent overnight in Beaches of Nha Trang, where  is possibly Vietnam’s most famous beach destination. Nha Trang itself is one of the larger cities in Vietnam, and Nha Trang Beach is a massive, miles-long stretch of white sand and clear turquoise waters. The beach is stunning. That, combined with Nha Trang’s popular nightlife scene, makes it a prime destination for both Vietnamese and international travelers. This also makes the beach rather crowded in high season though, so if you’re looking for a quiet, relaxing beach, Nha Trang probably isn’t your thing.

Cycling distances given are entirely optional. The support vehicle will be available at any time

Day 12:Nha Trang – Red Sand Dunes(Mui Ne Beach), 190km distance 70km cycling – B,L,D. 

After breakfast, We will short transfer you to the south of Nha Trang City to Nui Chua National Park, where you will cycle from Nui Chua coastal road to the Vinh Hy Bay at around 25km. At Vinh Hy Bay, you will bear right into the village for refreshments and then bear left to continue to bike on the Nui Chua coastal road as it climbs up behind Vinh Hy Bay. The mountain pass is 10km long with spectacular views. You continue straight on to bike on the Nui Chua coastal road until it meets a new bridge connecting the Nui Chua coastal road with the Ninh Chu Beach  after 10km. we have short break for lunch and then, you continue biking to Ca Na Habour  at about 40km through Hai Chu Commune heading to Son Hai town. The ocean road is very quiet, with little traffic and even less amenities. The coast is really exposed and there are some epic views along the way. It’s a pleasure to ride this section. You will stop at Mui Dinh Lighthouse to see the immense sand running alongside the blue sea. Mui Dinh lighthouse, constructed by the French in 1904 at a height of 177 meters above the sea level, is still an integral part of the community serving vessels at sea. This section of the road lasts for another 20 km before arriving in a flat salt-farm complex. Arriving in Ca Na Beach, where our support vehicle  will transferring through white and red sand dunes to Mui Ne Beach. Arriving in Mui Ne Beach in the late afternoon. You will spent overnight in Mui Ne Beach.

Cycling distances given are entirely optional. The support vehicle will be available at any time.

Day 13: Mui Ne Beach –  Ho Chi Minh, 191km distance & 40km cycling –  B,L,D.   

Mui Ne is famous for its enormous red and white sand dunes. The ‘red dunes’ are convenient to Hai Long, but the ‘white dunes’ 30km northeast are the more impressive – the near-constant oceanic winds sculpt the pale yellow sands into wonderful formations. But as this is Vietnam (not deepest Mali) there’s little chance of experiencing the silence of the desert. To day you will cycle through two geological wonders of the sand dunes of Mui Ne.

After breakfast, we will short transfer you to out of Phan Thiet City at around 40 minutes to the Phu Thuy Village, where the riders will start to cycle on coastal road – it’s a smooth ride, through the biggest abundance of dragon fruit trees.

Riding through field after field of these long gangly-armed green monsters is quite an experience and you will stop to enjoy the dragon fruit in a local farms and  have some short rests  for ice teas, cane-sugar juice and coffees – there are plenty of options to rest in a hammock and refresh with a cold beverage along this stretch.

You will arrive in La Gi Town for lunch. After lunch, we will transfer you to Ho Chi Minh City at about two hour.  Arriving in Sai Gon and spent overnight in there.

Cycling distances given are entirely optional. The support vehicle will be available at any time.

Day 14: Cu Chi Tunnels and City Tour – B,L,D. (No Cycling)  

Our Guide s& driver will pick up at your hotel early in the morning to outside of  Ho Chi Minh City. You will arrive in Cu Chi , before exploring the tunnels, you will have some short introduction followed by introductory video about how the tunnels were constructed and how the people survived in the harsh conditions of the war time.

Then, spend your time to explore the remaining area and tunnel systems which included the special constructed living areas with kitchens, bedrooms side by side with other martial facilities like storage, weapons factories, field hospitals, and command centers helping whoever lives inside the tunnels meet their basic needs. Besides, there are also many hidden trap doors and dangerous traps within the maze-like tunnels for security purpose during the war. Afterward, special tea and cassava (guerilla’s food during the war) will be served.  

Break time for relax or time for those who want to try the real shooting gun. You will return to Sai Gon for lunch. After lunch, continue to visit: the American War museum, the Presidential Palace and Notre Dame Cathedral. You will stay overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Day 15: Departure – B.   

You have free at leisure in Ho Chi Minh City  until Cycling Vietnam’ guide will transfer  to Tan Son Nhat International airport for onward flight.