Saigon to Hanoi

Meet in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) for dinner at one of the best restaurants in town!

Transfer a short distance out of town and ride to the famous Cu Chi Tunnels.

Rise early to catch a plane for a short flight to Dalat, once a favorite summer retreat among the French. Upon arrival, we'll test our bikes and cycle along lovely country lanes and back roads in the shadow of Mount Langbian.

From the hotel we tackle some big hills, including a 2,000-m pass, as we ride through dramatic mountains towards the beach resort town of Nha Trang.

For a rest day off the bikes we offer a boat trip to coral islands for swimming and snorkeling.

Riding from Nha Trang we stick to the coast, pass fishing villages and have time for a swim. The afternoon ride is flat and on quiet countryside lanes.

Riding along a remote road through a mix of tribal and Viet villages, we cover some gentle hills before reaching Quy Nhon.

We follow the coastal road to Tra O lagoon past many fishing villages. After lunch we cruise along the coast to Highway One before transferring to Quang Ngai for the night.

We’ll visit the Thien An pagoda on our way to see My Lai, the site of one of the worst massacres of the American/Vietnam War. Our cycle route loops to Ha Lam and we end our day in Hoi An.

We ride to visit My Son, the ancient centre of Cham civilization. Although many of the temples were destroyed during the Vietnam War, the existing sites are still sure to impress most visitors. We transfer by bus back to Hoi An.

This is the toughest but also the most rewarding day of riding. We start with a climb up Hai Van Pass with breathtaking views of the coast. We then take a coastal side road all the way to Hue, the old capital of the Nguyen Dynasty.

After cruising on the Perfume River to Thien Mu Pagoda we get back on bicycle to visit Ming Mang Mausoleum. Then we transfer to the railway station for an overnight train to Ninh Binh.

We arrive by train and cycle through spectacular karst scenery with limestone mountains soaring in the middle of rice paddies, stopping along the way at the ancient capital of the Viet people.

Ride from the ricefields into a completely different type of terrain, as the jungle-covered hills of Cuc Phuong National Park come into view. In this vast sanctuary, tour a primate rescue centre where rescued monkeys are gradually released into the wild. We stay the night at the edge of the park.

We depart the national park and enter beautiful farmland, passing local villages of the Muong people against a backdrop of mountain wilderness. In the afternoon, ride downhill into Mai Chau and enjoy the town’s patchwork of local cultures, and our relaxing resort where you can enjoy the sunset in this serene community.

A challenging last ride begins with a climb out of Mai Chau, then a more sedate ride into the city of Hoa Binh. After lunch, transfer into Hanoi for an afternoon of city exploration, then gather for a farewell dinner to celebrate and reflect on our grand journey!

Onward travel from Hanoi.