Vietnam Bike and Beyond 16 Days

Tour Detail


Destinations: Hanoi – Mai Chau – Pu Luong – Ninh Binh – Ha Long Bay – Hue – Danang – Hoi An – Ho Chi Minh City – Cu Chi tunnels – Mekong Delta.

Duration: 16 Days

Overview: This 16-day adventure offers a deep dive into Vietnam’s diverse landscapes and cultures, starting with a relaxing day in Hanoi before cycling through the scenic Mai Chau and Pu Luong areas. You’ll explore historical sites in Ninh Binh, cruise the stunning Bai Tu Long Bay, and experience the rich heritage of Hue. Continuing south, you’ll enjoy cycling tours in Hoi An and the Mekong Delta, ending with a cultural tour of Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong’s floating markets. This journey combines vibrant city experiences, serene natural beauty, and immersive cultural encounters.

 

Itinerary


Arriving at Noi Bai airport in Hanoi, you’ll be met and driven to your hotel. You’ll have time to relax after your journey. You’ll spend the night in Hanoi.

After breakfast, you’ll drive to Mai Chau, passing through mountainous landscape. You’ll start riding after an hour’s drive on the quiet countryside roads. The cycling distance can be flexible, as our van will be following us the entire way.

You’ll stop for lunch halfway to Mai Chau, then continue our afternoon cycling up and down hills and along the Hoa Binh lakes, where you’ll encounter amazing views of the peaceful lakes.

In the late afternoon, you’ll descend down the hills to Mai Chau and arrive at your lodge for overnight accommodation.

Trail Difficulty: 3/5

After breakfast, you’ll take a short car ride, then cycle along the Ma riverbank. If the weather is good, you’ll try a 10 km single track to some very remote villages along the Ma River. Enjoy our picnic lunch in a local house, then challenge yourself with a 12 km uphill cycle to over 650 meters through Pu Luong Nature Reserve. You can skip this part by enjoying the views from the support van to the top.

You’l then hit the trails for a downhill ride with spectacular views of mountains, forests, and rice paddies. You’ll arrive in Don Village for dinner and an overnight stay. You’ll stay in your own private bungalow with mountain view.

Cycling Distance: 40-80 km

Trail Difficulty: 3/5

It’s great to take a slow walk around the village with your camera to see life going early. After breakfast, you’ll start  biking down hill about 35 km with some spectacular views. You’ll have lunch at a local restaurant before our 2hours drive to Trang An world heritage site.

You’ll visit Trang An Scenic Landscape complex nearby which recently recognized as an UNESCO World natural heritage, get on a rowing boat (small sampan) traveling along the small river with scenic mountain and green fields landscape. The boat will take you to visit cave complex of Trang An: Sang Cave, Toi Cave, Ba Giot Cave, Nau Ruou in mystery and wildness, the scenery of mountain and rivers – Ha Long on land of Ninh Binh. In the late afternoon, you’ll drive to your hotel in Ninh Binh for overnight accommodation.

Cycling Distance: 35-50 km

Trail Difficulty: 3/5

After breakfast, you’ll be picked up from your hotel to Ha Long Bay. After a comfortable drive, you’ll arrive at the Indochina Junk Office, where you can relax in the Waiting Lounge before transferring to the cruise.

A short electric car ride will bring you to the port, where you’ll be warmly welcomed aboard the Dragon Legend Cruise. The adventure begins with a refreshing welcome drink and a safety briefing.

As the cruise sets sail, you’ll enjoy a delicious lunch while taking in the breathtaking views of Bai Tu Long Bay, with its fascinating rock formations. Your first stop is the well-hidden Thien Canh Son Cave, a natural marvel waiting to be explored.

Next, you’ll have the opportunity to relax on a white sandy beach at Hon Co Island or embark on a kayaking adventure to explore the limestone formations in the bay. Afterward, return to the junk to refresh and watch the sunset on board.

In the evening, you’ll join a Vietnamese cuisine cooking demonstration, learning how to make Banh Xeo, a traditional dish. As night falls, unwind with a peaceful and romantic dinner on the bay. After dinner, you can enjoy some leisure time, perhaps trying your hand at squid fishing, before retiring for the night on the Dragon Legend Cruise.

Begin your day with a refreshing Tai Chi demonstration on the sundeck, setting a peaceful tone for the morning. Afterward, enjoy a delightful breakfast served on the cruise, fueling you for the day’s activities.

Your first adventure takes you to Vung Vieng fishing village, where you’ll explore by a rustic rowboat. Here, you’ll have the chance to meet the local people, pass through the floating school, and see the fish farms that sustain the community.

After your visit to the village, return to the cruise for some relaxation and leisure time. As the cruise continues its journey, you’ll have the opportunity to check out, take some memorable photos, and admire the stunning limestone island scenery.

A delicious buffet will be served as you sail through the bay, providing a final taste of the culinary delights on board. As the cruise returns to the International Port of Ha Long, you’ll prepare for the drive to Noi Bai airport for an afternoon flight to Hue. When you arrive, you’ll be met and driven to your hotel to check in. You’ll spend the night in Hue.

Departure from your hotel for our morning explorations to visit the Imperial city to learn all about the royal kingdom here in the past. We then embark for our beautiful boat ride along the Perfume River, with stop at Thien Mu Pagoda.

Continue our boat journey downstream with pleasant viewing along the sides of the river and lunch onboard while we are sailing down the Perfume River.

Our afternoon start with biking to visit the flower village of Tien Non, it’s just lovely to be among different types of flowers, then cycle a bit more to visit Thanh Tien paper flower making village, you can try to make one by yourself.  After that, you will visit village where they make traditional folk painting, more ride through the beautiful and peaceful countryside of Hue before hitting the road back to your hotel for about 17.00.

In the evening, you’ll sit down for a private dinner in the pleasant surroundings and a comfortable atmosphere of another of Ngoc Son Princess garden house. The owner will prepare and serve a traditional meal based on the distinctive characteristics of classic Hue cuisine. You’ll spend the night in Hue.

Cycling Distance: 14 km

 

Take a ride on one of Vietnam’s most famous roads! Starting from historic Hue, our vintage Vespas will drive you to Hoi An using a curated route that takes in mountains, coast, villages and endless miles of scenic scenery! With plenty of stops along the way, it’s all about capturing the beauty and magic of Central Vietnam!

Starting from your hotel in Hue, you’ll take off on the Vespas and hit the road. Our first stops give deeper insight to local life with visits to family temples, ancestral houses, cottage industries and boat building workshops. You’ll continue down the road, running parallel to the coast, pausing to admire historic Cham temples, learn about religious traditions at the ‘City of Ghosts’ and venture to a hilltop Buddhist pagoda.

No Vietnam road trip would be complete without great coffee and food- and we’ll take a break at a wonderful cafe for strong cuppa java and a local restaurant for a tasty lunch.

And, of course, scenery is a big highlight of this Vespa Adventure! Be prepared for jaw-dropping views at Hai Van pass, sleepy deserted beaches and beautiful rural villages as you cruise on the back of our vintage Vespas.

You’ll roll in to Hoi An early evening, dropping you at your hotel for check-in. You’ll spend the night in Hoi An.

The day starts with cycling the narrow roads through the countryside, passing by rice paddy fields, water buffalos, bamboo bridges and local farmers on their daily work. You’ll then board a boat to the mouth of the Thu Bon estuary where the river meets the Cua Dai Sea and cruise along the coastline observing the lives of the local fishermen. After joining the fisherman to try your hand at catching fish in a traditional ‘Thung Chai’ basket boat, you will meander through the water palm coconut canal. During the American War, Viet Cong soldiers made use of this area as a highly effective hiding place from enemy attacks through their long struggle. Following an insightful visit to a local fishing village, you’ll be free to relax and enjoy a lunch before cycling back to your hotel. You’ll spend the night in Hoi An.

This morning, you cycle west along quiet roads toward the the World Heritage My Son Sanctuary where your guide will show you the remains of the remarkable brick towers, and explain their origins and purpose. In the afternoon, you’ll return to your hotel by support vehicle. The remainder of the day will be your owns. You’ll spend the night in Hoi An.

You’ll be free in the morning until your car anfd driver arrive to take you to Danang    airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City. When you arrive, a private car will be waiting to take you to your hotel in the city centre. After checking in, you’ll be free for a preliminary wander around District 1. Your overnight will be in Ho Chi Minh City.

After breakfast, your guide will take you to visit the famous Cu Chi tunnels, a Byzantine maze of underground passages, chambers, rooms and booby traps used by both the Vietminh and the Viet Cong to suddenly materialise as if from nowhere, launch a lightning ambush, and vanish equally rapidly. After lunch, you’ll return to Ho Chi Minh City for the afternoon city tour.

Your guide will show you around Ho Chi Minh City. You’ll visit the Notre Dame Catholic Church and Centre Post Office. You’ll also call in the Reunification Hall – an early colonial masterpiece constructed to accommodate the Governor –general of Indochina. The Binh Tay market and the China Town are worth a stroll to explore the local daily life and the culture mix.You’ll spend the night in Ho Chi Minh City.

After escaping from Ho Chi Minh City’s urban sprawl, you’ll be taken to My Tho, the gateway to the mighty Mekong. You’ll take a short break at Mekong rest stop before continuing our drive crossing the new Rach Mieu bridge over the main Mekong river to BenTre, a province that provides some of the most beautiful scenery in the Mekong delta, with lots of small winding channels lined with water palms. You’ll start riding in back country roads, feeling lost under the green coconut canopy. You’ll also pass Ba Lai river, a smaller branch of Mekong on our way, and continue our bike ride toward Ham Luong bridge and have lunch break.

After lunch, you’ll take a hammock siesta or walk through the local village to visit a farmer’s house where fighting cocks are bred. Then you’ll hop back on your bike for another 10 km along Mo Cay Canal to visit coconut husk peeling workshops. Our van will meet you at Cho Thom for water supply, then we’ll kick off another 30 km ride through the coco palms to An Thoi, Cam Son Commune, and end up at the Mekong. We’ll cross the huge Co Chien branch of the Mekong River to Vam Tra Vinh. You’ll spend the night in Tra Vinh.

Tra Vinh is the homeland of the Khmer people, with more than 250 Khmer pagodas in the province and over 300,000 Khmer residents. It is the most populated Khmer minority area in the Mekong Delta provinces. We’ll spend this morning discovering beautiful Theravada pagodas like Ong Met, Ang Pagoda, and the historical Ba Om Pond, and encountering the Khmer monks in their pagodas. You’ll then cycle 20 km through tranquil rice fields and countryside villages to Tieu Can. This is the highlight of the Mekong Delta cycling tour, a 2-day journey from Ben Tre to Tra Vinh. Upon arriving in Tieu Can, we will explore a colorful Khmer pagoda before embarking on another 23 km ride to Cau Ke. We will take a lunch break at a local rest stop.

In the afternoon, you’ll keep on cycling on tranquil road to Tich Thien and Tra On, catching a local ferry from Tra On to Luc Si Thanh island where we have a nice ride to My Hoa community of grape fruit trees. You’ll spend the night in Can Tho.

After breakfast and a boat cruise, you’ll arrive at Cai Rang floating market on the Mekong Delta. Both the journey and the market provide insights into the rural Mekong Delta lifestyle.  Afterward, you’ll mount our bikes for another two hours of pleasant riding under the lush green jungle canopy in one of the most scenic areas of the Delta. We’ll pass through numerous rural villages alongside small canals, greeting locals (many of whom will also be on bicycles). We’ll also pause at local markets along the way to observe how the vendors conduct their business.

After lunch at a local restaurant, you’ll return to Ho Chi Minh City where you’ll spend the night.

Your time will be your own until your private car and driver arrives to take you to Tan Son Nhat airport for your departure flight. End of services.

PRICE GUIDE & NOTES


Pricing depends on your group size and requested services, such as hotel type. Please fill out the form below, and we'll respond within 24 hours.

Meals: 17 MEALS
Transportation: Private vehicle, Boat, Plane
Accommodation: Based On Your Request

WHAT'S INCLUDED


  • Accommodation sharing double/twin room and overnight cruise in Ha Long Bay.
  • Pick-ups and transfers by private air-conditioned vehicle as specified in the itinerary above.
  • Boat cruises as specified in the programme.
  • Domestic flight tickets (economy class): Hanoi – Hue and Danang – Ho Chi Minh City including airport tax.
  • Travel in an appropriate private air-conditioned vehicle with an experienced safe driver.
  • The services of experienced English-speaking guides as indicated in the itinerary (your other preferred languages are available upon request)
  • Entry fees for all visits as mentioned in the programme.
  • Mountain bikes.
  • Meals as specified in the itinerary (B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner; Br: Brunch)
  • Service charges and government taxes.

WHAT'S EXCLUDED


  • Other international flight tickets and airport tax.
  • Visas
  • Lunches and dinners, except as specified above.
  • Drinks, tippings, and personal expenses.
  • Insurance.

BEST TIME TO & & VISIT


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FAQ


How does Vietnam cater to special dietary requirements?
At Luxury Travel Agency Vietnam, we ensure that your dietary needs are met by communicating your restrictions to hotels and restaurants in advance. We also brief our guides on your specific requirements to ensure you receive the appropriate meals throughout your trip.
What vegetarian options are available in Vietnam?
Although vegetarian options can be somewhat limited, especially outside major cities, you will find some vegetarian restaurants in larger urban areas. Vegetable-based dishes are relatively easy to find, and the selection of fresh fruit is exceptional.
Are there restrictions on photography in Vietnam?
Yes, there are restrictions on photography in Vietnam, particularly near military installations, airports, and other sensitive areas. It’s important to respect these guidelines to avoid issues such as equipment confiscation or legal trouble. Always seek permission before photographing restricted sites.
Can itinerary changes be made after arrival in Vietnam?
Yes, itinerary changes can be accommodated where possible. Once the official payment has been made, any changes to the tour details should be requested via email to info@luxurytravelagencyvietnam.com or directly to the staff handling your booking. Please note that changes may incur surcharges from hotels and restaurants, depending on the specific case. Additionally, the ability to amend reservations is subject to the availability of our suppliers, including hotels, restaurants, and other service providers. Minor changes involving minimal or no additional costs are typically offered as a complimentary service.
Can I enter Vietnam later than my granted arrival date in visa approval letter?
Yes, you can enter later than the granted arrival date in visa approval letter providing that you exit by granted exit date.
Can I purchase antiques in Vietnam?
You can purchase antiques in Vietnam, but keep in mind that only items less than 100 years old are legally permitted for export. The process for exporting recent artifacts can be complex, and there is a risk of high-quality replicas being confiscated at the airport. It’s advisable to buy from reputable dealers and ensure all items have the necessary documentation.
Are internet facilities widely available in Vietnam?
Yes, internet access is widely available in cities and major towns throughout Vietnam. Most large hotels provide Wi-Fi for guests, and internet cafes are plentiful and affordable.
As an American, should I expect hostility in Vietnam due to the war?
You might be pleasantly surprised by the warm reception you'll receive in Vietnam. The focus of the community is on the present and future, and they warmly welcome visitors from all backgrounds without holding onto past grievances. In fact, American tourists consistently rank among the top visitors to Vietnam.