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Overall Vietnam biking

18 DAY(S) Hiking and Trekking Tours

Hanoi - Sapa - Halong Bay - Cat Ba island - Danang - Hoian - Saigon

Description

With picturesque routes over the countryside, mountainfoots and sometimes passing listed cultural sites, biking in Vietnam can be one of the best Asian tours, especially from October to March when the weather if favorable. The voyage focuses more on real-life experience, meetings, and sharing with the locals than enjoying landmarks, though.

Highlights

  • Pedal and walk through mountainous area in Northern Vietnam, discovering local tribal traditional lifestyle. 
  • Fully unwind when cycling the offroad route with lush rice fields, tranquil bamboo trees, communal houses, children jumping onto the river, buffalo swimming in damp.
  • Cruise between limestone islets, grottoes, peaks and floating villages in Halong Bay.
  • Explore the Centre of Vietnam with its poetic cycling paths.
  • Admire highlights of Saigon and surrounding area, including the Notre Dame Cathedral, Post Office built by Gustave Eiffel's company, Ben Thanh Market, and Mekong Delta.
  • One lifetime experience on the night train from Hanoi to Lao Cai
  • Dig deeper into local's lives in a local  fishing  village, Tra Que  herb  village, Thanh Ha Pottery Village, handicraft villages
  • Cycling among the rural villages and fruit orchards of Mekong delta “the rice bowl of Vietnam”
     

Itinerary

Welcome at Noi Bai International Airport by our English speaking tour guide and private transferred to Hanoi city center for hotel checking-in. 
At 16:00, a private Electric car will pick you up from the hotel, driving you and the tour guide around Hanoi Old quarter. In 2 hours, you are driven around 28 old streets in the area with stops to visit Dong Xuan market, the oldest market of Hanoi; Bach Ma temple worshipping 1 of 4 former guardians of the city; Old House 87 Ma May street; Kim Ngan communal house of “Silver” village; Hang Gai “Silk” street, King Ly Thai To statue, Ngoc Son temple and walk around Hoan Kiem lake. See you off at your hotel. Overnight in Hanoi.

Please note: Hotel check in time is from 14.00

Cycling data - Total distance of cycling: 20 km - Road surfaces: Backroads & Asphalt city road – Support truck: NO
If you wish to see how the Hanoi people rise and shine in the morning, wake up early and run to a lake close by your hotel, you can join an exciting scene of hundreds of locals, passionately attentive in their morning exercises of Tai Chi quan, jogging, martial arts, classical dance and so on. 
After breakfast at the hotel, at 8:00am we will begin a fascinating day with visits to the Ho Chi Minh Complex, inclusive of Ba Dinh Square, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (outside for taking photos only), Ho Chi Minh Museum, the simple but elegant House-on-stilts of Ho Chi Minh, and the One-pillar pagoda since 1049 AD. Reach the Temple of Literature the 1st social university of Vietnam. Enjoy your buffet lunch at Sen Tay Ho restaurant.
Afternoon, let’s warm-up our biking tour by cycling around the West Lake, the largest lake of Hanoi. West Lake is also a religious area of the city with dozens of pagodas, temples and old villages. Our guide and driver will take you to the West Lake, where a truck with your bikes is waiting for you. The first stop is Tran Quoc pagoda, the oldest pagoda of North Vietnam founded 1,400 years ago during Kind Ly Nam De empire. Continue riding to West Lake Palace “Phu Tay Ho” worshipping Mother of Goddess, 1 of 4 most legendary characters of Vietnam. Also cycling to Lotus Pond, lotus is the national flower to take photos during sunset (best time from July to October). End the round 18km, your private vehicle will take you back to your hotel to collect your luggage. Dinner at local restaurant, then transfer to Train station for your overnight train to Lao Cai – Sapa. Train departs at 22:00.
Note: This cycling round doesn’t require stamina so you please avoid wearing tight and short clothes like short skirts or short clothes when visiting pagodas/temples. Also don’t make noise when you’re in the pagodas.

Cycling data      -     Total distance of cycling: 25 km    -   Hill trails and dirt bumpy road - Support truck: Yes
Elevation gain: 490m 
Elevation lost: 855m  
Highest elevation: 1010m 
Lowest elevation: 389m
You will arrival early in the morning in Lao Cai and meet your driver who will transfer you to Sapa after breakfast. The drive is approximately 1 hour. The  amazing  and  challenging mountain  biking  tour  starts  from Sapa  by a  transfer  downhill  on  a windy  road running along Muong Hoa valley, which is home to Black H’mong, Giay and Red Dao minorities. From the road you will have many opportunities to enjoy amazing scenery of mountains and rice paddy terraces. Upon arrival in Su Pan, you will get on  the bikes and cycle downhill on a paved road, some parts are bumpy. Before noon, your ride will be more challenging with about 10km up and down. The view is still amazing with the Muong Bo River snaking in the bottom of the valley. You will soon reach  the Thanh Phu Bridge, where you  take a short heartbreaking  ascent  and  arrive  at  the  Thanh  Phu  village  of  Tay minority.  Here  you  will  have  lunch  while experience the friendly atmosphere of the Tay people. 
The  ride  in  the  afternoon  is  short  but  almost uphill.  You  are now  in  the  remote  area  of Sapa, which hardly visited by tourists. The area is dominant by the Red Dao minorities. Beautiful view of deep valleys, waterfall and paddle rice fields are within your sight. In the mid afternoon you will arrive at the Nam Cang Riverside House, which is perfectly located by the Muong Bo riverside. It is time to stretch your legs or having a walking visiting the village. Your dinner is served in the sound of nature and your night is spent on the comfortable bed of your own room.

Cycling data - Total distance of cycling: 24 km - hilly off-roads and bumpy road (up & down) - Support truck: YES
Elevation gain: 306m 
Elevation lost: 700m 
Highest elevation: 967m 
Lowest elevation: 389m
You  wake  up  in  the  fresh  and  beautiful  atmosphere  of  the  remote  village.  Your  breakfast  is  served  on  the house’s terrace, just a few meters from the river. During  the  ride  today  you  will  gain  less  elevation than  the  previous  day,  but  it  is  no  less  challenging  and interesting. The ride will require lots of your concentration as it is mostly on hilly off-roads without the support of supporting vehicle. You first cycle uphill to Nam Than village, only where you can experience the daily life of the Blue H’mong. You are deeper  in  the valley and  the  local hill  tribes have hardly  seen  tourists visiting  their home on the bikes. On the way, you will visit the Red Dao minority villages of Sin Chai and Nam Cum. If it is a school  day,  you will be welcomed by  the  small  boys  and girls with  their  eyes wide  open. They  are  not  yet familiar with tourist yet. You will enjoy your lunch (local food) at a nice spot on the way. In early afternoon, you will arrive back the Thanh Phu bridge, where you met again your vehicle and be transferred back to Sapa town. Check in your hotel in Sapa. Your time at leisure to discover the town and the market. Overnight in Sapa.

After breakfast at your hotel, you will commence a trip heading north of Sapa, along the way you can admire the majestic of Fansipan Mountain and the beautiful valley. It is also a famous area of farming vegetable and flower in Sapa. Getting closer to Ban Khoang village is the amazing view of the valley, from
high road you can take some great picture and impressed how beautiful landscape. You will then stop for
an easy walk to visit a village of Red Dao ethnic at Ban Khoang. The Red Dao women are very skill of making their own embroidery as well as how beautiful their tradition costume. For hundreds of year living in the mountain the people here still maintain their culture of farming rice with using buffalo and keep their own self-sufficient system.
The trip will continue by short driving to Ta Giang Phinh village, where is large beautiful valley with a pretty stream running through and home of Black H’mong ethic. The walk here is an opportunity for explore the village and enjoy the valley view. You might see some free range animals running around or people working in their field such as planning or harvesting rice. The H’mong ethnic are famous with making their clothes form hemp and dying with indigo plants. Your picnic lunch will be served on the way
where is nice grass spot or at village restaurant.
You will end your walk where car waiting for driving you to Lao Cai for your night train back to Hanoi. Dinner at local restaurant.

Cycling data - Total distance of cycling: 30 km -  Rural paths and river dyke - Support truck: Yes
Train arrives at Hanoi Station at around 5 am. Private transfer to local restaurant for breakfast.
At 8:00 am, meet our tour guide, then private transfer to Tam Coc. You go on boating in 2 hours across Ngo Dong river with rice fields, rural villages, karst moutains and caves. Enjoy lunch at local restaurant in Tam Coc. 
Afternoon you cycle from Tam Coc along the river dyke and rural villages to Hoa Lu, the ancient capital of Vietnam. You will be excited because the offroad route is very typical for rural villages in North Vietnam with lush rice fields, tranquil bamboo trees, communal houses, children jumping onto the river, buffalo swimming in damp.
End at Hoa Lu ancient capital in the 10th century, home to 3 dynasties and 6 kings. You visit King Dinh temple and Kindg Le temple. Know more about Vietnamese history. Back to your hotel in Hanoi to check in. 

Breakfast at hotel. At 8:30, Our private tour guide and private driver pick you up and transfer to Halong bay – 3.5 hour driving with a reststop on the way.
At around 12:00 noon, you arrive at Halong city. 
12h30: Arrive at Halong habour, transfer to Cruise by tender, enjoy welcome drinks & check-in your cabin. 
- Lunch (local food) is served while cruising through Halong bay toward Lan Ha Bay, passing: Ba hang fishing villages, Dinh Huong islets, Fighting Cock rock. 
15h00: Visit Titop island - one of the most beautiful island in Halong bay where you can climb up to the top & enjoy amazing Halong panorama view. Or swimming at the nice beach (if weather permits)
16h15: Kayaking & swimming in the Lan Ha bay, you will do kayaking around the bay. You will have got around 45 minutes to explore the tranquil bay yourself 
17h15: Back to the Legacy Legend  Cruise, cruising to Luom Bo area for docking and sleeping. 
Time for relaxing afternoon, make the most of sunbathing on deck. Taking picture on the way... Enjoy the small party with fresh fruit and Vietnamese tea. 
19h00: Dinner (local food) is served in the restaurant. 
21h00: Leisure time to enjoy a chat around the bar, dancing, karaoke; watch movie or enjoy night fishing…  Relax and spend a romantic night on board.

Note: Itinerary may be changed slightly without prior notice

Cycling data - Total distance of cycling: 35 km - Trail and Asphalt road - Support truck: YES
Start your day with Taichi exercises or a photo hunt. 07h00: Breakfast, coffee and tea and served while cruising ahead to Halong Bay. 
08h00: Visit splendid Me Cung Cave. This is one of the most beautiful grotto in Halong bay. You will feel surprise about imposing of stalagmites, stalactites and many legend stories about that
09h15: Back to Legacy Legend boat. Take time to refresh and relax before checking out. Keep sailing back to the Habour through the waters and passing many beautiful islets and island on the Bai tu long Bay. 
10h30: Vietnamese Cooking Class. 
11h00: An early lunch (local food) is served. 
12h00: Arrive at the pier. Time to say goodbye to the crew

After that, the speed boats will transfer you to Gia Luan Pier. Our driver and tour guide will transfer you to Ang Soi intersection, you receive the bicycles and start cycling along the West Coastline of Cat Ba islands through the lagoons, the national park, Xuan Dam village and stop at Suoi Goi ecolodge (4 km). 
Later this afternoon, you cycle from Suoi Goi (West of Cat Ba national park) to the entrance gate of the National park. Park your bikes there then a short trekking inside the National park. Immerse yourselves with truly nature. Cat Ba National park is recognised as UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve since 2003 because of its biology diversity. Cycle back to Suoi Goi ecolodge in the late afternoon. 
Private vehicle transfer from Suoi Goi to Cat Ba town. You check-in the hotel then free time at beach leisure. Overnight in Cat Ba town.

Your free time today for sunbathing or swimming on beach. This day our bikes are available for those who want to explore Cat Ba island by yourselves. Overnight in Cat Ba town.

This morning you’re free at leisure. Wander around the town streets to the fishing harbour or just lying on Cat Co beaches near from your hotel. Tranfered to Cat Ba Habour to take the speed boat to Hai Phong. Speed boat time: 10h00am – 10h45am. Enjoy 45 minutes across Lan Ha bay to Hai Phong city (with tour guide). Our driver will welcome you at Hai Phong harbour, transfer to a local restaurant for lunch. Then private transfer back to Noi bai Airport for the flight to Danang (air ticket not included).
Upon arrival, picked up & transferred to hotel for check in. Overnight in Danang.

Cycling data    -     Total distance of cycling: 40 km -  Backroads & Asphalt road    -   Support truck: YES
Breakfast at hotel then start the biking tour to Son Tra Peninsula.
Son Tra Peninsula is 10km from the center of Da Nang City to the North-east and is 693m high above sea level. It is considered as the gift of God to the Central land. It is famous for its plentiful plants and fauna as well as the attractive scenery. Legend has it that the scenery is so romantic even fairies came from heaven to Son Trafor for singing, dancing and playing chess so Son Tra is also called Tien Sa (Fairies’ landing place). 
Start our exciting trip today along the bank of Han River in the cool and fresh air. After a few minutes leisure biking, we across the  Han River bridge considered as one of landmarks of Danang City that specially beautiful at night time to reach the palm-shaded beach. En route, we don’t miss the chance for shooting the stunning pictures of landscape and seascape and the fishing village nearby. We enjoy the biking on the zigzag paths with many stunning sights of jungles, waterfalls and beaches. Stop to visit Linh Ung Pagoda, where the huge Goddess of Mercy statue towers over Non Nuoc Beach. From here enjoy the panorama view of Danang and the East Sea. Continue biking along the very beautiful road hugging the shore to Marble mountain or Ngu Hanh Son Mountain (Five Elements Moutains), home to several Buddhist and Hindu grottoes. Spending your time walking to up to a stairway of 156 steps leads to the summit of Thuy Son, the only marble mountain accessible to visitors. It allows a wide panoramic view of the surrounding area and the other marble mountains. From here cycling back to the city center. If time permit, we visit Cham Museum, the marvelous museum which tells us in advance about the Cham Culture, once brightened in Central Vietnam, before we visit the Cham nation holy land in My Son next day. Return to your hotel. Dinner at your own arrangement will give you the great chance to enjoy the local food of Danang. (Lunch at local restaurant). Overnight in Danang.

Cycling data    -     Total distance of cycling: 40km -    Backroads &City roads     -         Support truck: YES
Early breakfast at hotel then transfer to Hoian, 30km from Danang. Hoi An was a bustling international trading port,a meeting place of the trading ships of Japan, China and the West during the 17th and 18th centuries.
Upon arrival, we transfer  to  a  local  fishing  village.  Learn  about the daily life of Vietnamese fishermen, their families and their community. Board on boat and commence cruising on the Cua Dai River. Join local fisherman on the river and enjoy hands on experience of round net or cast net. Learn how to paddle the Vietnamese unique bamboo basket boat.Explore the now tranquil coconut-palm flanked waterways of a past war and hear of the extreme conditions endured by soldiers of both sides. Back on-board, we will take the boat  to  Tra Que  herb  village  to enjoy  a  Complimentary  Traditional  Fisherman’s  Lunch prepared by our chef.
After lunch, cycling around the village before continueing to Thanh Ha Pottery Village located by Thu Bon River where you will visit a space of traditional occupational village preserved intact in cultural scenery such as: banian tree, dock, communal house, religious monuments and directly enjoy clever, skillful hands of the potters producing high quality utensils. You will also have chance to do some pottery product with the guide of the locals and of course of can keep it as a gilf of this land. Back to the town to check in hotel. Dinner at your own arrangement. Dinner at hotel in Hoian.

Your free time today to explore the city by yourselves or relax at beach. Overnight in Hoian.
Suggestion for tour: Today is for Hoian ancient town – when walking over the tile-roofed Japanese Bridge, visit taciturn Chinese Assembly Halls and Trading Houses, Pagodas, and stroll around the market located by Thu Bon river, you may find out the same feelings of the artists, who see the charm of Hoi An a magical old world of Oriental feel and source of inspiration. Overnight in Hoian.

Your free time today to explore the city by yourselves or relax at beach. Overnight in Hoian.

Cycling data: Total distance of cycling: 70 km – Backroads & City roads -  Support truck: YES 
After breakfast, we will depart from Hoian to My Son, where we can discover the hidden treasure of the Cham culture that once brightfully developed in the area of present Central Vietnam. Thanks to the beauty and secrets of building the Cham Towers hereby, My Son had been also designated by UNESCO as one of the five World Heritages in Vietnam. Cycle back to Hoian in an tranquil road through the villages which will offer you the great chance to learn more about the local daily life. Stop en route for lunch at local family restaurant. Take a ferry over Thu Bon River to back to Hoian Town. If time permit we will cycle to the isolated and remote villages on the other river bank. Just a kilometer from Hoian bustling town, we will discover a tranquil area with boat-making factories, bamboo bridges, local sampans and fishing villages. Pedal on small tracks thru ricefields to the rivergate where we take another ferry back to Cua Dai beach. Optional: Stop for relaxing time on the beach before return to Hoi An. Overnight in Hoi An.
 

Breakfast at hotel then transfer to Danang Airport (air ticket not included) for the flight to Ho Chi Minh City. 
Upon arrival, picked up and transferred to hotel for check in. The rest of day is your time at leisure for own exploration the biggest city of Vietnam. Overnight in HO CHI MINH CITY.
Optional tour: Cu Chi Tunnels half day sightseeing:
Morning visit Cu Chi Tunnels, one of the few remaining monuments to the Vietnam War. Beneath the ground lie 200 km of tunnels, dug by hand and inhabited by the forces of the Vietnamese guerillas during the conflict. At its peak, prior to the Tet Offensive in 1968, the tunnel complex was base to almost 10,000 troops. To this day, it remains one of the most impressive examples of how fierce the war used to be.  You even can try to crawl some dozens of m on the tunnel underground to have the real experience. Return to Saigon for lunch (at your own account)

Cycling data: Total distance of cycling: 25 km – Backroads & City roads - Support truck: YES 
Today offers you a short cycling among the rural villages and fruit orchards of Mekong delta “the rice bowl of Vietnam”. Once you get out the heavy traffice of Ho Chi Minh City and the high way, let’s star pedal thru the quiet rural roads passing numerous orchards, rice fields, villages, bridges, canals. You will have chance to witness the colorful daily life and meet friendly people along the country lanes.  Arrive at My Tho pier at around noon. Take a boat for a cruise along islets and tropical orchards. Cruise through the canal of Vam Xep to reach a small islet. A relaxing walk along shady and palm fringed trails will take you through the local villages where you see glimpses of daily life. Stop en route to sip special tea with honey and sample fruit with a local family, share their stories of life in the Mekong. Enjoy lunch with local food at the islet then visit handicraft villages, a coconut candy factory before returning on shore. In the afternoon, transfer back to your hotel in Ho Chi Minh City. Dinner at your own arrangement. Overnight at hotel in Ho Chi Minh City.

Breakfast at hotel. Your free time today for own sightseeing and shopping around till transfer to the airport for the departure flight back home. 
Please note: Standard check out time is 12:00. Late check-out is not included

Inclusion

  • English-speaking professional cycling Tour guides.
  • Land transfer by air-con vehicles. Mineral water during transfer. 
  • Overnight train, two ways, Hanoi – Lao Cai – Hanoi with 4-berth, air-con wooden cabins.
  • Accommodation on twin/double-shared room with breakfast
  • Boat trip in Halong Bay.
  • Entrance fee, cruising fee. 
  • Theatrical show tickets as mentioned in program.  

Exclusion

  • Airfare 
  • Visa stamp fee (Vietnam: USD 25/person for visa-upon-arrival service), visa fast track (arranged upon request). 
  • Personal expenses (early checkin, late checkout, drinks, tips and gratuities)  
  • Other meals (arranged upon request).
 

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