Cycling through Vietnam from Hanoi

 

You will met at the Hanoi airport. Today is designed to allow you settle in and relax after your journey. The Old Quarter, with its narrow streets where trades peole can be seen working on the pavement, is well worth exploring. The Water Puppet show is also highly recommended - it is best to prebook on arrival in Hanoi. We also recommend that you add a few extra days in Hanoi and the World Heritage Park of Halong Bay before the tour.

We take the morning flight from Hanoi to Hue (c.1hr 15 mins, pop.286,000) built on the banks of the Perfume River, is steeped in 3,000 years of history. Here we will meet our cycling guide and fit you to your rental bike, or unpack your own and then explore the Citadel and Forbidden City by bicycle. At dinner tonight we will be entertained with traditional music in the garden courtyard.

We bicycle from town along a flat coastal road, through various fishing and agricultural villages. You will have your first experience of the friendliness of the locals, especially the children. Lunch is at Lang Co Beach, which is an hour's drive. From here we tackle the Hai Van Pass - the view from the top, and on the descent, is outstanding and well worth the effort. (The support vehicle will be there, of course, should you prefer to take a ride) After a fabulous descent we reach Danang, where you can board our support vehicle to drive to Hoi An (you can also continue riding if you prefer). 

You may like to visit My Khe Beach where American servicemen went for their R&R during the Vietnam /American War or a marble factory and view the exquisite workmanship.

Today is a day at leisure to explore this delightful town (dating back to 200BC) with its street side cafes, artists and markets. Explore the historic architecture of Japanese and French origin, take in the morning concert of traditional music or take a gentle ride (c.10km return) to fabulous Hoi An beach. There is much to see and do and there are also wonderful pastry shops in the old town and excellent tailors who will make any garment to measure, including cycling jerseys, in a few hours. Let your guide know if you would like an an extra ride.

We drive out of Hoi An town for about 45 minutes (25km) to the start of cycle section on Highway No.1. The country side is pancake flat with green fields and we will sample a slice of rural Vietnamese life-look out for villagers harvesting rice. We start cycling (about 50km) on a quiet road hugging the coastline before a half hour vehicle transfer to Tam Ky for lunch.

After lunch, an hour vehicle transfer (42km) from Tam Ky to Chau O Town. From here, we veer towards the coast to start our ride on country roads through Saky fishing village to My Lai. The route includes 12km of unsealed road; it is quite rideable but the support vehicle will never be far away. The ride finishes at My Lai at 4:00 pm; you may wish to visit the massacre memorial site (1968). Please discuss with your guide in the morning whether you wish to tour this site. We then continue driving 60km to Sa Huynh resort. 

Bicycling Options:
Morning Ride 50 km / 31 mi
Afternoon Ride 32 km / 20 mi

We drive to Tam Quan (15km, 9 miles) to commence cycling on an attractive minor road through rice paddies, salt making flats, mountainous area and later past shrimp farms. We will enjoy lunch at a local restaurant on the way. After lunch, continue riding to Tuy Phuoc town where we meet our vehicle and driving 30 km to Quy Nhon city. We will arrive between 5:00 pm and 6:00 pm.

Transfer 20 minutes out of the city for the start of ride at Café shop in Dieu Tri village. From here, we start cycling (about 60km) on a delightful quiet road to Me Trang café, though cassava and sugar cane plantations. A picnic lunch will be served when we arrive at Me Trang café. After lunch, continue riding 10 km to Chi Thanh town before reaching Highway No.1 where our vehicle will transfer us (about 29 km) to Tuy Hoa city. 

Bicyling Options: 70km (44 miles)

Drive out of Tuy Hoa city about 15 km to Tuy Hoa airport. Here we start cycling on quiet road to Vung Ro Bay then up to the top of Ca Pass (about 35 km). You will have a chance to enjoy jungle and bay views on both sides of the road up the pass. Have a short break at Vung Ro Bay for photographs and a recharge of energy levels before heading to the top of Ca Pass. Then we drive to Dai Lanh for lunch before transferring to Nha Trang city. Our last ride is about 17 km through Nha Trang city to the Novotel hotel for our overnight stay.

Cycling Options: 52km (32.5 miles)

Today there is the option of a boat trip to the islands. There will be time to swim and snorkel, so bring your "togs". Lunch will be at a lovely bamboo restaurant on an offshore island, returning to Nha Trang mid afternoon. There will be an opportunity to have a manicure or a relaxing massage while on the boat. There may be time to visit an ancient Cham Tower, a relic from the ethnic people who once ruled this part of Vietnam.

Today we cycle through the mountainous Central Highlands. A feature is the long houses of the Edeh and M'Nong people (the two main ethnic groups in the Central Highlands). We drive 18 kms from the city to begin cycling on quiet roads, past sugar cane farms towards Dat Set village, which has a local market and on an undulating route around a national park. After lunch there is a climb to the Phuong Hoang Pass before a final drive to the town of Buon Ma Thuot. Buon Ma Thuot is known as the coffee capital of Vietnam, a country that is second only to Brazil for its coffee exports.

Cycling Options: 82km (51 miles)

We cycle on a very attractive road through a wonderful variety of scenery - through hills and broad valleys we head for Lien Son, the summer palace of the last Emperor, with its sweeping views of Ho Lak and the surrounding countryside. We also stop at an ethnic village, with its long houses and may have the opportunity to have a ride on working elephants. 

Bicycling Options: Buon Ma to Lien Son: 75 km / 47 mi (An uphill but good cycling day)

We will sample a slice of rural Vietnamese life as we take a lovely side road out of Quang Ngai. On the way  to Da Lat, at 1,475 metres (4,839 ft) above sea level, is a temperate region dotted with lakes and waterfalls and surrounded by evergreen forests. Once known as "Little Paris", this was once a French hill station. The surrounding hills provide South Vietnam with the more temperately grown flowers, fruits and vegetables such as strawberries, carrots and apples. 

In the morning we visit a silk embroidery village, the "Crazy House", with its weird architecture, and the Art Deco summer palace built for former emperor Bao Dai in 1933. The afternoon is free for you to explore: Dalat is an excellent area to explore by foot or bicycle. You may wish to ride around Xuan Huong Lake, or take the cable-car to the Zen Pagoda. A half day tour to an ethnic village is an optional extra - please ask your guide to arrange this. 

We descend the Prenn Pass, then take a minor road, with superb views, through isolated country, to a K'Ho, an ethnic minority village where we'll have lunch. From here we continue our descent gently to the coast and our overnight stay at beautiful Bamboo Village resort on the golden sand Mui Ne.

Bicycling Options:
Ta In to Mui Ne 118 km / 74 mi (mostly downhill) 
Or from our picnic lunch to Mui Ne: 57 km / 35 mi

Quiet roads take us to the coastal desert reserve at Phuoc Buu. Lunch will be at La Gi. In the afternoon there will be more coastal riding as we cycle beside large sand dunes and plantations of the bizarre looking Dragon fruit. You decide how much you'd like to ride.

We cycle by rubber, cashew nut and black pepper plantations. On reaching a road side temple we load up to avoid the busy highway into Ho Chi Minh City and take the Cat Lai car ferry across one of the many branches of the Mekong. There is the option of not cycling today in order to spend more time in Saigon.

The tour finishes after breakfast this morning. We will gladly take you to the airport should you depart this morning. We hope you have enjoyed your holiday and wish you a safe journey home.

1. HOW DO I BOOK AND PAY FOR A TOUR?
Amity Smile Travel can be booked online by click on the ‘book this tour’ button on the tour that you want to book. Besides, you can let us know by contacting us via email or the phone and from there you will be in direct correspondence with one of our travel consultant who will help you step by step. 
Our email: info@amitysmiletravel.com
Our hotline: +84 (0)982 45 2222
Payment for a tour is done via bank transfer or by credit card at Paypal or payment by Western Union.

2. CAN I POSTPONE OR CANCEL  MY TRIP? 
All purchases are final and you will need to agree with our term & conditions before confirming your order. In some cases, your booking will be cancelled or postponed for a future day.  However, if you need to cancel within 14 days we may state in our conditions that we will charge cancellation fees. 

3. IF I PURCHASE A PACKAGES, CAN I TRAVEL IN REVERSE DIRECTION?
Yes, our packages are made up on individual travel vouchers, which can be use in any order.  You may want to travel our intineraries in reverse or you may want to complete your package over a number of short trip. 
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4. DO YOU OFFER LONGER OR MORE CUSTOMIZE TOUR? 
Yes, you can ask for longer or customize with any tours. If you have any request or questions please do not hesitate to contact us via email address: info@amitysmiletravel.com, our travel experts will help you decides which is best itinerary for you.

5. I HAVE SPECIAL DIETARY REQUIREMENTS – WILL THEY BE CATERED FOR?
We will try our best to accommodate all dietary requirements but in some out-of-the-way places it can be very difficult to guarantee. We will let you know if there are places on your itinerary where this is the case. Please let us know at the time of booking of any food requirements or allergies and we will pass the information onto your leader. It is also a great idea to bring a card with your dietary requirements written in local language for those time you are eating away from the group.

6. WHAT IS THE CURRENCY IN MY DESTINATION?
It is a good idea to travel with a credit card and ATM card. In Vietnam, the US Dollars and Euros are more widely accepted than other currencies (off course, out of VN Dong). However, in some cases, at some hotels they can accept your local currency but not very much. 

7.  WHAT STANDARD OF ACCOMMODATION SHOULD I EXPECT? 
The standard of accommodation depends on trip style you have choosen. Find out more

8. WHAT DO I DO IF I NEED HELP WITH MY BOOKING?
If you need any help with your booking please let us know by contacting us as soon as possible at anytime  via:
Email address: info@amitysmiletravel.com
Or, hotline: +84 982 45 2222. 
We will make our hardest  to help you with the most comfortable and enjoyable trip.
 
9. WHAT IS AN EXTRA COST?
An extra cost is something you will pay direct to the tour or hotel upon arrival. Or, something is mentioned in NOT INCLUDED.  Most of Amity Smile trips are “All Clusive” meaning no extra fees will need to be paid. 

10. HOW DO I KNOW  MY RESERVATION IS CONFIRMED?
After you make an online booking, we will follow up with you to confirm availability and confirm the booking.  Your reservation is not confirmed until receive this follow up email or fax. 

11. CAN I MAKE CHANGES TO THE ITINERARY  OF MY GROUP TRIP, EITHER BEFORE OR DURING THE TRIP?
Please make sure that you are happy with your group trip itinerary before booking because we are unable to change them for individual travelers. However, if you and a group of friends, colleagues,…would like your own personally designed itinerary, get in touch with our travel consultants, they can tailor an itinerary just for you.

12.IN CASE OF EMERGENCY ON TOUR, WHO WILL I CONTACT?
When on tour, your tour guide is the first person of contact. We have our own hotline,  so emergency assistance is available 24hours per day. Please see the office contact details listed on your itinerary or on your voucher. 

13. I AM NOT READY TO BOOK RIGHT NOW,  WHAT SHOULD I DO?
For flights, you can make a booking and then we can hold the booking for a limited period of time until you are ready to purchase and issue the ticket. When you make a booking, we will inform you of the amount of time until the ticket must be issued since this time frame varies by airline.
For hotels, in order to make a booking and hold a room, you must confirm and pay immediately. Unfortunately, we cannot hold a hotel booking for you without payment.
For tours, as tours are related to hotels booking. We will need you 30% for Deposit. This amount is to cover our costs if you cancel the tour. Almost is for cancellation charges of hotels/resorts.
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Thank you so much for your support to Amity Smile Travel !

TOUR PRICE: Available Upon Request
Rates vary frequently. Please contact us to get the best possible price based upon your travel period and specific touring needs.

THE TRIP INCLUSIONS:
- Use of a 27-speed quality hybrid bike
- 15 breakfast, 12 lunches, 11 dinners
- Accommodatons in three and four star French colonial hotels.
- English Speaking guides

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