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Laos Vientiane and Khong Lor Cave

VIETNAM CYCLING TOUR

Situated in South-eastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of Tonkin, and South China Sea, lies the ancient and incredible country of Vietnam. Its neighbouring Cambodia lies to the south west.

Day 01: Hanoi

Arrival and transfer to your hotel. (Check in time is 14:00)

If time permits, we will spend the afternoon at the Ethnology museum which will give you an overview of 54 ethnic minorities in Vietnam including the Thai people who you will meet along the way.

Overnight in Hanoi

Day 02: Hanoi to Hoa Binh (B, L, D)

Cycling Hanoi – Hoa Binh 56/72 km

We leave Hanoi by car and start cycling from Luong Son to Hoa Binh town. The town is famous for the biggest reservoir in Vietnam and also the culture diversity of many typical ethnic groups such as Muong, Thai.

Overnight in Hoa Binh

Day 03: Ride Hoa Binh to Mai Chau (B, L, D)

Cycling Hoa Binh- Mai Chau 62 km: a beautiful landscape of mountains and red soil hills, it is covered by green of sugarcane, cassava, corn and rice fields.  There are many shops on the way where you can find “Ruou Can” – the unique rice wine of Hoa Binh province in brown jars drunk  with bamboo straws. You also pass by some factories where they make brooms from “Dot”; a new wonderful golf is located behind mountains; a place where is famous for hot mineral stream- “Kim Boi”; some small villages of Thai & Muong and many other interesting things you will see and learn on the way.

Overnight at home-stay of Thai ethnic in Mai Chau

Day 04: Ride Mai Chau to Moc Chau (B, L, D)

Cycling Mai Chau- Moc Chau 67 km: from low to higher area, from houses-on-stilts of White Thai located in a big valley of rice field to Moc Chau where wooden houses on ground of Blue & Flowered H’mong located in small valleys and hidden among corn fields, plum and peach gardens and surrounded by mountains. On the way to Moc Chau, it is also a great chance for you to pass a remained rain forest part and enjoy the shade & cool air in the middle of a hot summer day. With many opened fresh green grass fields on hills along the way it also makes you cool down and enjoy the peaceful and quiet area. You should stop at a local restaurant to taste a very famous fresh local yogurt.

Overnight in Moc Chau

Day 05: Ride Moc Chau to Yen Chau (B, L, D)

Cycling Moc Chau- Yen Chau 60 km: Moc Chau is a famous place in the North for its tea plantations. Green of tea covers all hills, by looking at the plants you can recognize that many of them are 30- 40 years old. This area offers you a great chance to cycle around the tea plantation for both enjoying the scenary, fresh air and getting to know how hard to make a cup of tea. And we will end our day at Yen Chau, the area of fruit plants such as mangoes, longans, bananas… Yammy!

Overnight in Yen Chau.

Day 06: Ride Yen Chau to Son La (B, L, D)

Cycling Yen Chau- Son La 65 km: leaving this area after having some local fruit, visiting local market along the way and meeting some ethnic groups in their most beautiful traditional dresses such as Thai, H’mong, Muong, Dzao, cycling to Son La and visiting Son La prison built by French to understand more about French war and the hard time of Vietnamese people.

Overnight in Son La

Day 07: Son La, Rest Day (B)

Great. Sleeping in this morning. Walking around and reacting to local people to buy your own food. Having free time today.

Overnight in Son La

Day 08 Ride Son La to Tuan Giao (B, L, D)

Cycling Son La – Tuan Giao 90 km: we pass through a patchwork of rice fields and plum orchards. It is hard cycling day with up-and-down road, but you will feel

Overnight in Tuan Giao

Day 09: Ride Tuan Giao to Dien Bien Phu (B, L, D)

Cycling Tuan Giao – Dien Bien Phu 80 km: There is less traffic on this tar road, which gives you more opportunities to enjoy the nice scenery of rice fields dotted by water wheels. The area is habitated by White Thai and Kh’mu people in their charming clothes. We arrive in Dien Bien Phu quite late in the afternoon. Check in your cozy room, have shower and dinner.

Overnight in Dien Bien Phu

Day 10: Dien Bien Phu- Muong Lay (B, L, D)

Leaving Dien Bien city far behind and stepping straight back in time as we enter the world of rural Vietnam. We assemble our bikes and after lunch we cycle on a thin tar road, seldom used by vehicles, through rolling countryside filled with tropical trees, plantations and dotted with small villages. After 60 km we board our back up vehicles and drive to our destination is the village of Lai Chau, on the fringes of the Hmong tribal region.

Overnight in Lai Chau.

Day 11- Muong Lay- Tam Duong (B, L, D)

This morning we cycle from the door of the hotel straight onto single track routes which wind along through the fields and hillsides. After the single trail ride we load up for 40 km and start cycling again along the the Nam Na River to Pan Tan where we have lunch in a restaurant with a great scenic view..

A gutsy climb of 17 km awaits us after lunch followed by an awesome downhill enjoying the views of mountain ranges, lakes, rivers, jungle, and tiered paddy fields rising and falling as far as the eye can see. We’re also getting deeper into tribal lands and we’ll see Tay, H’Mong and Dzao tribal people in their villages and tending their crops.

A massage could be a nice reward for today’s workout

Overnight in Tam Duong.

Day 12: Tam Duong - Sapa (B, L, D)

Once again the day kicks off with single track riding through the villages and we expect to see more tribal people in colorful dress, living their lives the way they have for generation after generation.

Overnight in Sapa.

Day 13:  Sapa- Rest day (B)

This is your time for discovering the beauty of Sapa town, market, orchid garden by your own or little trekking to a near by village- Cat Cat of Black H’ Mong group

Overnight in Sapa.

Day 14: Sapa- Ban Khoang- Lao Cai. Night train (B, L, D)

Sapa - Ban Khoang (high country road) with just deep blue skies and fluffy white clouds, winding our way up higher and higher into the mountains. You will be cycling HIGH for half day at 1400-1600m then comes the big descend down to Lao Cai.

We then have shower and dinner before getting on the night train back to Hanoi.

Day 15: Depart Hanoi (B)

Early morning arrive at train station, transfer to Tamarind restaurant for breakfast. It is time for little shopping before leaving Hanoi for your flight home. Transfer to the airport (3 hrs before your departure flight)

Trip ends

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