18 DAYS, BIKING VIETNAM NORTH – SOUTH

Itinerary

ITINERARY IN DETAILS:

DAY 1:  ARRIVAL HANOI AND FIRST CONTACT CITY, LAKE, OLD QUARTER AND LOCAL PEOPLE
Arrival Hanoi in morning you will be transferred to our hotel for a freshen up and breakfast. Sightseeing tour of the town in the afternoon to Temple of Literature - Vietnam’s first university,  the Ethnology Museum. Tonight we enjoy water puppet show.
Overnight in Hanoi

DAY 2:  ACQUAINT YOUR MOTORBIKES AND RIDE TO HALONG BAY, CRUISE HALONG (B, L,D)
Drive to Halong bay. Boat trip to explore the stunning limestone back drops. Visit cave and explore floating villages. We are treated to a fresh seafood lunch and at leisure to take photos or have a swim (or jumps off boat).  Tonight we stay at hotel in Halong Bay City.

DAY 3:  HEAD OUT TO NINH BINH AND NATURAL RESEVE OF VANLONG(B, L,D).
Pick up you at 8.00 from your hotel. Ride through the northern countryside to Tam Coc. Embark on an open river sampan for a 3 hour cruise along the Ngo Dong River flowing peacefully between 2 spectacular limestone mountain ranges. Enjoy the wonders of nature. Feel the peace and quiet. And bring along your camera! After lunch drive along the wonderful route of Vietnam’s “ Inland Ha Long Bay “ through villages, rice fields and impressive limestone mountains. 
Overnight at Vanlong resort.

DAY 4:  SIGHT THE ANCIENT CAPITAL AND EN ROUTE TO NGHEAN (B, L,D)
Breaksfast at hotel. Continue to visit  HoaLu, the capital city of Vietnam before 1010 AD, and discover an important piece of the country’s early history  in the “ Ancient Capital " and end route to Nghe An. Overnight at hotel in Vinh City.

DAY 5:  SIGHT PHONG NHA & KEBANG NATIONAL PARK(B, L,D)
After breakfast drive to Phong Nha cave – a World Heritage site recognized by UNESCO in 2003. Upon arrival, take a boat cruise along a river to a complex of caves. After a short hike up the "300 steps", explore caves with hundreds of glisteningful stalactite and stalagmites in various shapes and sizes. Continue cruising down river and into a limestone mountain cave. Inside the cave, guests can leave the boats and walk through the stalactites and stalagmites. Visit Ke Bang National Park.Over night at hotel  Hotel in DongHoi

DAY 6:  RIDE ALONG COSTAL RUGGED AREAS TO HUE(B, L)
Breakfast at hotel, we will ride along the costal to Hue. Visit Vinh Moc Tunnels and 17 paralell. Continue our way through rugged costal strip ton Hue. Arrive Hue at later in the afternoon. Visit DongBa market and walk along the river bank.  Overnight at Hue Hotel.

DAY 7:  VISIT HUE, CITADELS, TEMPLES AND ROYAL TOMBS (B, L)
AM: 8 a.m pick up from your hotel in Hue. Visit the Citdel, containing the Imperial City and the Forbidden Purple city, the Emperor's private residence. Both were almost totally destroyed during the Tet offensive of 1968. Visit Tuduc Royal tomb followed by HoQuyen Coloseum where the tigers were pit against elephant for royal entertainment.
PM: Visit Thien Mu pagoda, considered by many as the unofficial symbol of Hue. It is active Buddhist monastery with its origins dating back to 1601. One of its most poignant displays is a car belonging to a former monk, who in 1963, drove to Saigon and set himself alight to protest against the South Vietnamese regime and its cruel treating of Buddhist. From here we embark on a lovely boat cruise on Perfume river to visit Minh Mang tomb, in a tranquil setting of gardens and lakes. Overnight at your hotel in Hue

DAY 8:   VISIT HOIAN AND ITS QUAINT RIVER SIDE MARKET, AND OLD HOUSE(B, L)
We leave Hoian early in the morning and head up to Hoian. Drive through the lovely country side with multitude opportunity to meet smiling children on the way to Thanh Toan bridge. Continue our way to Danang. Visit Cham museum, crafting village and china beach. Arrival Hoian and visit  the ancient town and  explore the old port town's narrow cobblestone streets. Pay a visit to historic sites including the traditional Chinese trading houses and the 400-year-old Japanese Covered Bridge. At leisure for shopping or enjoying the charming township of Hoian.
Overnight at hotel in Hoi An.

DAY 9:   EXPLORE THE RUINED CHAM TOWERS OF MYSON(B, L)
Drive to visit Myson Cham ruined tower.  Myson is one of the most stunning sights in Hoi An area, and  a UNESCO World Heritage recognized Site. During the century when Tra Kieu ( then known as Simhapura) served as the political capital of Champa, My Son was the site of the most important Cham intellectual and religious centre, and also may served as a burial place for Cham monarchs. My Son is considered to be Cham’s counterpart to the grand cities of South-East Asia’s other Indian influenced civilizations: Angkor( Cambodia), Bagan( Myanmar)Ayuthaya (Thailand) and Borobudur (Java). Balance of the day at leisure. 
Overnight at hotel in Hoian.

DAY 10:  RIDE TO MYLAI AND QUANG NGAI (B, L,D)
AM: board ride on Thu bon river in Hoian and enjoy Hoian town
Pm: Head out on a scenic ride to QuangNgai. Visit Mylai complex. Overnight at hotel in QuangNgai.

DAY 11:  KONTUM AND  VISITE  TRIBLE VILLAGES(B, L,D)
Kon Tum is the largest plateau on the central Highlands. It is more than 800 meters above sea level. The majority of the local inhabitants are made up the Ba Na, the second largest group is the Kinh which is followed by the Gia Rai people. Today, we will embark on pleasant ride up the plateau to central highland. Visit triple vilagges. Visit Ede and Bana village. Overnight at hotel in Kon Tum.

DAY 12:  BANMETHUOT WITH ELEPHANT RIDE EXPERIENCE(B, L,D)
We ride through the lush vegetation of Central highland through tribal villages of Buon Ma Thuot, famous as the best coffee cradle in Vietnam  to Buon Don village, home of elephants and elephant trainers in Vietnam. Arrive BuonDon we embark on a lovely drive to Buondon village. Continue to  07 branches waterfall for an lovely elephant riding through verdant villages offering an insight into highland life.  We walk  around this area, interact with local tribale people. Diner and overnight at local long houses.

DAY 13:   HEAD OUT TO NHATRANG BEACH(B, L)
Breakfast at village . Visit Dray Sap, Ham and Dray Nur waterfalls . Walk to surroundings and swimming at Tien place. Continue Trinhnu waterfall and enjoy lunch. Embark on lovely drive to down to the coastal are in Nha Trang. Stop by splendid view of Phuong Hoang. Arriving in Nhatrang later in the afternoon.  Our time in Nha Trang is free for relaxing and soaking up the sun on the beautiful white sandy beaches and swimming in the crystal clear warm waters. 
Overnight at hotel in Nhatrang.

DAY 14:  FISHING VILLAGE, PRIME BEACH AND WATERFALL(B, L)
pick up tourists at the hotel Travel down the Cai River to observe the peaceful life of the villages along Nha Trangs waterway. The trip begins with a visit to the Po Nagar Temples. An outstanding example of Cham architecture, situated on Mount Cu Lao this hillside offers panoramic views of the surrounding bay and countryside. From here board the riverboat for the leisurely cruise visiting a wide range of local handicrafts in production. Before returning to the hotel enjoy a sumptuous lunch at a riverside restaurant. An unforgettable cultural experience. Visit Thanh Long studio ( famous black &  white photographer) in Nhatrang . Back to the hotel. 
Overnight in Nhatrang

DAY 15:  CONTINUING ONTO DALAT(B, L)
Drive to Dalat. Visit Cham tower in Ninhthuan. Tour of Dalat to Baodai palace, Dalat flower market and famous temple. You will have many opputinities to take many photos- stop along the road at the tea , coffe , mulberry, rubber plantations. Visit Prenn water fall and Dalat famous central market.
Overnight at hotel in Dalat.

DAY 16:  RIDE SAIGON(B, L)
Visit Crazy house, Bao Dai palace and en route for a scenic ride down to Baoloc, visit Damri water fall and continue our way to HCM city.  Arrive HCM city, visit Benthanh market. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh city.
Overnight at Sai Gon.

DAY 17:  EXPLORE MEKONG WATER WAY(B, L)
We set off this morning for a drive through the Mekong Delta to Cai Be floating market. Here we will board our private boat for a cruise along the maze of waterways and canals to Vinh Long. We will stop at the home of a Bonsai gardener for a sumptuous Delta lunch, before continuing our exploration of the tributaries and canals of the delta. Following these visits we will once again board our vehicle for the drive to Ho Chi Minh City. 
Overnight at Sai Gon.

DAY 18:  DEPARTURE WITH FOND OF MEMORIES(B)
Balance of the day at leisure until the departure transfer to the airport for your flight home.