19 DAYS, BIKING HCM TRAILS

Itinerary

ITINERARY IN DETAILS:

 

DAY 1: ARRIVAL HANOI
Meet and greet upon arrival to Hanoi airport. Transfer to the hotel for check in. At leisure. After noon embark on a cyclo ride for the city acquaintance and orientation. Overnight in Ha Noi.

 

DAY 2: HANOI - HALONG BAY KAYAKING.(B,L,D)
Breakfast and depart for Halong bay through Red river Delta.
Arrival to Halong we embark on a lovely boat ride for an exploration of the legendary Halong Bay. Along the cruise  we will have opportunity to kayak to the lagoon and deserted beach. We begin our first kayaking experience to discover the limestone karst formations which are littered with beaches, grottoes and beautiful caves, and visit one of the many hidden grottoes beneath towering cliffs. At the end of afternoon we return to our escorted boat for relaxation and dinner. The night paddle is available for kayaking fervor. Overnight on boat.

 

DAY 3: HALONG BAY - HANOI.(Brunch)
After breakfast  we continue our cruise amongst the  3,000 towering  limestone islands, islets  and outcrops
.Further kayaking to the outlaying beaches and caves. Return to our escorted boat for lunch and get back to Halong Pier.
Meet our awaiting vehicle for the journey back to Hanoi. Overnight in Hanoi.

 

DAY 4: HANOI - MAICHAU  (B,L,D)  

We depart for Mai Chau early in the morning. Arriving at lunchtime, enjoy a cooked lunch at a local Tai village house before setting off along a spectacularly beautiful river valley towards Hoi Xuan along an undulating tarmac road. (Formerly highway 15A).  The road follows the flow of River Song Ma. This is an old supply route of the HCM Trail that fed the main trail with ammunitions during the American War with Vietnam. Overnight at the edge of Pu Luong Nature Reserve in a traditional Thai village homestay, part of an ecotourist community project set up by Fauna and Flora International in 2003. Overnight village house on stilts.

 

DAY 5: PULUONG NATURAL RESERVE - QUANHOA  (B,L,D)  ~80km ride
ToDAY the  route takes us through the beautiful sceneary passing by  the river and appears to contour through the same range of mountains that stretch from Mai Chau to Cuc Phuong to Hoa Lu. The road gets more scenic as we  get closer to  Ngoc Lac with looming karst limestone cliffs and lush vegetation. The route is tarmac all the way, but quite hard riding due to the undulating terrain. Overnight in guesthouse  in Ngoc Lac.

 

DAY 6: NGOC LAC - THAIHOA ~90km ride . (B,L,D)~80km ride
Morning embark on Ho Chi Minh Highway, once used for transportation of food and local supply to the south.The road now makes for smooth fast riding,
and for those who prefer there is always the old highway dirt and gravel - that weaves around the new highway allowing for plenty of exploring possibilities along the way.
Ride to Muc Son, on the banks of River Song Chu. On the outskirts of this small town are the famous Kan Linh historical relics - a pagoda where the first king of the Ly dynasty, Le Thai To, ruled, in 1428. Continue riding on the trail to Yen Cat. The distance covered toDAY is quite long and there will be the chance to transfer some sections by the back-up vehicle to rest weary legs.There are fewer villages toDAY as the route cuts through forests and jungle. Picnic lunch en route. Overnight Thai Hoa guesthouse.

 

DAY 7: THAI HOA - VINH (B,L,D)~90km ride
Continue riding the incredible Ho Chi Minh Trail. Have lunch in Lat town. In Kim Lean visit the famous museum and birthplace of Ho Chi Minh in 1890. This province has a reputation for producing charismatic revolutionary leaders; not only Ho Chi Minh but also Phan Boi Chau – another fervent anti colonialist -was born here. Overnight in Vinh city.

 

DAY 8: VINH - HUONGKHE(B,L,D)~80km ride
After  breakfast we continue our ride on the Ho Chi Minh Trail crossing the Lam river. The trail is still a dream to ride on. Again there is virtually no traffic. Transfer if tired in the afternoon to Huong Khe for overnight in a local guesthouse.

 

DAY 9: HUONG KHE - PHONGNHA NATIONAL PARK (B,L,D)~80km ride
From Huong Khe the mountains rise and the road winds up, down and along the hillsides. The scenery is spectacular, the road tranquil. Ride up to 80km then transfer the last few km to Phong Nha National Park. The park contains one of the most spectacular caves in Vietnam, It is a true speleological wonder. Visit the cave by boat then wander through the cavern, past the foundations of ancient Cham ruins. Pause to admire the incredible formation of stalactites and stalagmites. Formed approximately 250 million years ago Phong Nha was used as a hospital and ammunition depot during the war, the entrance still showing evidence of fighter aircraft attacks. There are community projects underway with Flora and Fauna International and it may be possible to visit village initiatives and learn more about the forests of the National Park. Overnight at the National Park.

 

DAY 10: PHONGNHA - HUE (B,L)~70km ride
Explore Phong Nha Cave in the early morning. Continue riding on the Ho Chi Minh Trail across the DMZ (better known as the 17th Parallel,) to Cam Lo. The road is now quite flat and makes for good cruising! Stop en route to visit Truong Son Cemetary, a memorial to the tens of thousands of North Vietnamese soldiers who were killed in the Truong Son Mountains along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Fourteen miles further on is the town of Cam Lo – the Trail here intersects a strategic feeder road (H9) from Dong Ha and at this junction part of the Ho Chi Minh Trail heads across country into Laos. We finish our exploration of the Ho Chi Minh trail here. This is where we end the cycling section of the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Transfer to Hue visiting war relics en route. Overnight Hotel in Hue.

 

DAY 11: HUE - HOIAN (135 km) (B,L)~80km ride
Hue was the capital of Vietnam under the Nguyen Dynasty of emperors from 1802 till 1945. In the morning cycle to the elaborate mausoleums of Emperor Tu Duc and Khai Dinh along the banks of the Perfume River . Leave Hue in the afternoon for the ancient trading port of Hoi An 120km to the south via the spectacular Pass of Ocean Clouds . Arrive in Hoi An late afternoon and transfer to hotel. Overnight in Hoi An

 

DAY 12: HOIAN (B,L)~80km ride
Depart Hoi An and cycle to the sacred Marble Mountains where caves contain dozens of Buddhist shrines. Detour at Da Nang to visit the famous China Beach , once a 'rest and recreation' resort for American servicemen. Return to Hoi An for lunch and spend the afternoon discovering the delights of Hoi An's historic town centre or perhaps cycle to Cua Dai Beach through the country side 6km away. Overnight in Hoi An.

 

DAY 13: HOIAN - QUYNHON  (B,L), 280km~80km ride
We cycle coastline to Sa Huynh beach - which is also a pleasant place for a dip in the cooling South China Sea.
We continue cycling past rural villages canopied by coconut palms. We visit a Cham tower before taking our bus the rest of the way to Quy Nhon
 Overnight in Qui Nhon.

 

DAY 14: QUYNHON - NHATRANG (B,L)240km~80km ride
We depart down the  Highway one by bus and then bike dy along Vietnam’s most scenic coastline,
rugged mountains with deserted blue lagoons and stone promontories, fishing villages, colored boats, mountain passes etc
 to Vietnam 's premier beach destination, Nha Trang. Overnight in Nha Trang.

 

DAY 15: NHATRANG (B,L)~80km ride
In the morning we take a cruise on Nha Trang Bay to visit some of the offshore islands with time for swimming and snorkeling.
Return to shore after a seafood lunch. Afternoon cycling around Nha Trang to visit the 9th century Po Nagar Cham Towers,
Long Son Pagoda with its enormous Buddha statue and the interesting Dam Market. Overnight in Nha Trang.

 

DAY 16: NHATRANG - PHANTHIET(B,L)250km~80km ride
After breakfast depart by bus and bike for Phan Thiet breaking the journey at Phan Rang to visit the spectacular Po Klong Garai Cham Temple.
The landscape between Phan Rang and Phan Thiet changes to an arid semi-desert with sandy soil and prickly pear cactus.
In Phan Thiet turn off to the Mui Ne Peninsula with its  white sandy beaches and swaying coconut palms. Overnight in Phan Thiet.

 

DAY 17: PHANTHIET - HCM CITY (B,L)200km~80km ride
A morning free to relax at the beach or perhaps explore Mui Ne and its spectacular sand dunes.
 After lunch we ride along the coast passing through dense rubber plantations before reaching Bien Hoa and the outer suburbs of Ho Chi Minh City .
Transfer to hotel in HCM city. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City

 

DAY 18: HCM CITY - CUCHI TUNNELS (B,L)120~60km ride
City tour of Ho Chi Minh City, nicknamed Saigon by many locals. Visit  the former Presidential Palace, the Notre Dame Cathedral, Old Saigon Post Office, a lacquerware workshop and Thien Hau Pagoda and  Chinatown. In the afternoon visit the famous Cu Chi Tunnels, an incredible underground tunnel network constructed by Vietnamese resistance fighters during the war. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City .

 

DAY 19: HOCHIMINH CITY - DEPARTURE (B)
At leisure until transfer to Tan Son Nhat Airport for your departure flight.