Vietnam cycling holiday from Hanoi to Hoi An

Itinerary in brief:

• 1 night Hanoi
• 1 night Pu Luong Nature Reserve
• 1 night Ngoc Lac
• 1 night Vinh
• 1 night Huong Khe
• 1 night Phong Nha
• 1 night Khe Sanh
• 1 night A Luoi
• 2 nights Hue
• 2 nights Hoi An

Day 1: Depart UK

Depart the UK from your chosen airport.

Included: International flights 

Day 2: Arrive Hanoi

On arrival in Hanoi, you will be met at the airport and driven to your hotel in the city. After checking in and freshening up, you will receive a short trip briefing to prepare for your journey that begins tomorrow.

Included: Transfers, 4* hotel 

Day 3: Hanoi to Pu Luong

Leave the city behind early this morning, for a drive through the countryside to Mai Chau, arriving in time to enjoy lunch in a local village. Hop on your bike for a ride through the spectacular, undulating valley of the Song Ma River on the way to Hoi Xuan. This route was used to carry supplies during the war and linked to the main part of the Ho Chi Minh Trail.

Your accommodation tonight is a traditional Thai village house, located just at the edge of the Pu Luong Nature Reserve. It is part of an eco-tourism community project and is a great place to experience the unique culture and lifestyle of the local hilltribe people.

Cycling distance: 50km  Difficulty: Medium

Included: Transfers, breakfast, lunch, dinner, support vehicle, homestay              

Day 4: Pu Luong to Ngoc Lac

After breakfast, you’ll transfer by road, around 45 minutes, to the start of the day’s ride. The route heads away from the river, riding through a range of mountains stretching from Mai Chau to Cuc Phuong National Park and the ancient capital of Hoa Lu. As you cycle, you’ll notice the scenery gradually changing to tall limestone cliffs and lush vegetation. The road has several challenging hills to ascend but the support vehicle is always nearby.

In the late afternoon, you will arrive in the town of Ngoc Lac, where you will spend the night.

Cycling distance: 70km  Difficulty: Medium

Included: Transfers, breakfast, lunch, dinner, support vehicle, homestay              

Day 5: Ngoc Lac to Vinh

Today you’ll pedal along the newly-built Ho Chi Minh Highway – the tarmac makes for smooth, fast riding and there are very few cars or vehicles on the road. A parallel dirt and gravel highway runs alongside the main road – a challenging alternative!

Along your journey, you’ll stop to visit the Ly Thai To Pagoda, built in honour of the first king of the Ly dynasty. You’ll also pull in at Kim Lien village, the birthplace of Ho Chi Minh. Here you can visit his house and the small museum dedicated to him. At the end of the day you will be driven out of the mountains to the city of Vinh, arriving in the late afternoon.

Cycling distance: 80km  Difficulty: Medium

Included: Transfers, breakfast, lunch, dinner, support vehicle, homestay              

Day 6: Vinh to Huong Khe

After breakfast, you’ll take a 40 km bus journey to the town of Pho Chau, the starting point of today’s ride. The journey winds through lush jungle and beautiful villages nestled under the Truong Son mountain range. During the ride, you can admire the stunning scenery and intricate karst forms that surround you.

After a long day of pedalling, you’ll arrive at the remote town of Huong Khe. Located in Ha Tinh province, this quiet town is a great place to rest after a busy day of cycling.

Cycling distance: 80km  Difficulty: Medium

Included: Transfers, breakfast, lunch, dinner, support vehicle, homestay                              

Day 7: Huong Khe to Phong Nha

Today you’ll carry on cycling along the Ho Chi Minh Highway towards Phong Nha. The road will continue to be a dream to ride on, with undulating mountains rising up and down along the hillsides.

After cycling for around 80km, you’ll trade in your bike for a relaxing bus journey to Phong Nha National Park. The park contains one of the most spectacular caves in Vietnam, a phenomenal natural wonder with vast tunnels and underground rivers. Used as a hospital and ammunition depot during the war, the entrance to this enormous cave still shows evidence of attacks from fighter planes. Spend the rest of your day learning about the forests and landscape of the national park.  

Cycling distance: 80km  Difficulty: Medium

Included: Transfers, breakfast, lunch, dinner, support vehicle, homestay               

Day 8: Phong Nha to Khe Sanh

After an early morning expedition to Phong Nha Cave, you’ll be driven an hour or so along the road before resuming your bike ride. Pedal across the DMZ, also known as the 17^th Parallel to Cam Lo. On route you’ll stop to visit the Truong Son cemetery, a memorial to the thousands of soldiers who died in these mountains during the Vietnam War.

From there, it’s only 14km further to the town of Cam Lo, close to the Laotian border. Finish your day with a short transfer to Khe Sanh, a former US marine base and side of the famous 1968 battle of Khe Sanh.

Cycling distance: 80km  Difficulty: Medium

Included: Transfers, breakfast, lunch, dinner, support vehicle, homestay      

Day 9: Khe Sanh to A Luoi  

Starting with a visit to the Khe Sanh combat base, where you can explore the relics from the war, as well as the airstrip. From here, the day is a pleasant ride of spectacular scenery, mainly downhill, from the Laotian border to the Dakrong River. Crossing the river by bridge, you’ll ride along the water to the southern part of the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Again, the traffic-free road with rolling terrain is a nice contrast to the previous day’s flat plains.

Cycling distance: 65km  Difficulty: Medium

Included: Transfers, breakfast, lunch, dinner, support vehicle, homestay              

Day 10: A Luoi to Hue

Due to the bad roads in the south of A Luoi, you’ll venture off the Ho Chi Minh Trail today and head across the countryside towards Hue. The journey through the middle of Vietnam is on backroads until you hit Highway 1. From here, you can cycle into the city or we can pick you up and take the last few miles in the support van.

Cycling distance: 65km  Difficulty: Medium

Included: Transfers, breakfast, lunch, dinner, support vehicle, homestay              

Day 11: Hue

After breakfast, you’ll enjoy an easy ride on the back roads of Hue through lush countryside on a mix of quiet country lanes and footpaths. Your day begins with a visit to the Imperial Citadel to explore the ruins of this grand monument, before riding along the banks of the Perfume River to Thien Mu Pagoda. Continuing on the quiet roads you’ll visit the royal tomb of Ming Manh, a former Nguyen emperor, and loop back across the river to Hue.

You’ll be back in the city by early afternoon, at which time you can park your bike and head out to explore the rest of this ancient town on foot.

Cycling distance: 30km  Difficulty: Easy

Included: Transfers, breakfast, lunch, dinner, support vehicle, 3* hotel                  

Day 12: Hue to Hoi An

Today is a truly epic cycling day! There are two small hills to conquer before the intense 11km climb up to the top of Hai Van Pass. Reaching the summit of the pass, you’ll be rewarded with stunning views of the ocean. Thanks to a recently opened tunnel, this mountain pass has relatively little traffic. Cruise down the hill to Lang Co Beach for a swim and lunch by the water, before hopping into the support van for the final few miles to Hoi An. The rest of your day is yours to explore this charming harbour town on foot.

Cycling distance: 100km Difficulty: Hard

Included: Transfers, breakfast, lunch, dinner, support vehicle, 3* hotel                 

Day 13: Hoi An & My Son

Spend your final day in Vietnam exploring My Son, an easy cycle ride away from Hoi An. We’ll transfer a bit out of town to avoid the busy highway before cycling along scenic back roads, past rice paddy fields, through a eucalyptus forest and many pretty villages. The winding road eventually leads you to My Son, once the Cham kingdom’s greatest spiritual city and now a spectacular archaeological site. Enjoy lunch near the temples and spend the afternoon exploring the crumbling relics before head back to Hoi An.

Spend your final evening eating delicious street food in the dusk light in Hoi An, and toasting a local beer to your adventurous cycling journey through Vietnam.  

Cycling distance: 60km Difficulty: Medium

Included: Transfers, breakfast, lunch, dinner, support vehicle, 3* hotel                 

Day 14: Depart Vietnam

After one final breakfast and a last stroll through the pretty streets of Hoi An, you’ll be driven to Danang Airport for your flight home.

Included: Breakfast, transfers, international flights       

Day 15: Arrive UK