Vietnam Trail Riding 16 days

Join us in 16 days of discovering Vietnam by riding from Hanoi to Saigon along the legendary Ho Chi Minh Trail, which passes through many wonderful sites on the way.

16 days 15 nights

Vietnam

Motorbiking Tours

Attractions

Ha Noi - Mai Chau - Hue - Ninh Binh - Hoi An - Kon Tum - Dak Lak - Da Lat - Sai Gon

Duration

16 days 15 nights

Code

MTB5

Overview

16 days discover Vietnam by riding from Hanoi to Saigon along the legendary Ho Chi Minh Trail, which was the supply line used by North Vietnam to link north and South Vietnam during the American War. Besides incredible driving, deep in the Vietnamese countryside, this ride takes us pass through the lovely valley of Mai Chau, marvelous cave of Phong Nha, Khe Sanh battle site and DMZ, the charming ancient trading town of Hoian, We also take time to ride and visit the beautiful area of the center highland : Kun Tum, Buon Me Thuot, Dalat. The riding trip will be ended in Saigon city.

Highlights:

Discover the graceful, atmosphere and exotic capital city Hanoi – thousand year of culture
Riding from Hanoi to Saigon along the legendary Ho Chi Minh Trail,
Visit villages and stay in stilt house of the Thai people in Mia Chau
Take boat trip on Son River to the famed caves at Phong Nha, the park not only has beautiful limestone formations, grotto caves and forest, but also contains the largest primeval forest in Vietnam and the biggest limestone mountain range on the planet.
Visit the Vinh Moc tunnel, the famous Hien Luong Bridge (former demarcation line between North and South Vietnam, the Truong Son Cemetery and finally Khe Sanh (former US Marine base).
Visit the World Heritage sites: the Imperial Citadel, which was largely destroyed during the Tet Offensive in 1968. Hoian ancient town is World Heritage site of Hoi An was one of the most important trading ports in Southeast Asia.
Ride follow the historic Ho Chi Minh trail to the Centre highland: Kon Tum, Plei Ku, Dalat.
Have chance to see the famous underground network Cu Chi
Explore some French colonial structures, pagodas & fascinating bustle market in Ho Chi Minh

Itinerary

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Arriving in Hanoi, pick up and transfer to hotel. The rest of day is free to wash up and rest. In the evening we will attend the famous Water Puppet Show, with its introduction to Vietnamese history and mythology. Welcome dinner with local delights. Overnight at the hotel in Hanoi.

After breakfast we will begin our city tour of Hanoi. At first, we visit to Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, and the “Uncle Ho” house. After that we head to the unique one pillar Pagoda, which date from one thousand year ago. Continue to the Hanoi’s famous Temple of Literature, the first university of Vietnam founded in 1070. After lunch in local restaurant, heading to the Old Quarter for a relaxing cyclo tour through the ancient part of Hanoi. Perhaps the most interesting area you will visit is the Old Quarter. Here many tiny streets join to sell a huge diversity of products. In the old days, each street bore the name of the product sold – “Shoe Street,” “Noodle Street,” and the like. Overnight at the hotel in Hanoi.

In the morning we take our motorbike to the Ho Chi Minh Trail Museum on the outskirts of Hanoi. The museum is a great place to learn about the historic trail which we will ride on. After the visit to the museum we will jump on our motorbike and spend sometime to get familiar with the bikes. Now, let’s begin our adventure. We will ride on Highway 6 passing extensive farming lands comprising a sea of paddy fields split by tree-lined roads punctuated by limestone karts scenery. After a light lunch in Hoa Binh Town, the capital of Hoa Binh Province, we cross two short mountain passes then descent to the mountain valley settlement of Mai Chau. Dinner and overnight in a stilt house of the Thai people.

Morning after breakfast, say goodbye to the villagers we then head south on a beautiful winding road which follow the banks of the Ma River until Cam Thuy town where we stop for lunch. Hit the Ho Chi Minh trail. Lunch will be on the way with local foods. In the afternoon we continue our riding on undulating quiet road toward Tan Ky. Diner and overnight in Tan Ky.

Morning ride on Ho Chi Minh Highway until Pho Chau where we stop to visit the Ho Chi Minh Trail victory monument which is in fact the real starting point of our Ho Chi Minh Trail ride. Ride all the way to Phong Nha - Ke Bang, the biggest and also the most beautiful cave in Vietnam and Indochina and is now a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Phong Nha.

Morning walking to the pier where we take a boat trip on Son River to the famed caves at Phong Nha. The park not only has beautiful limestone formations, grotto caves and forest, but also contains the largest primeval forest in Vietnam and the biggest limestone mountain range on the planet. Then we drive down to the coastal town of Dong Hoi, which was heavily shelled by US warships during the war. At a hotel over looking the beach, we can take in some sunbathing by the beach. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Dong Hoi.

We strike south through foothills which were once sprayed heavily by Agent Orange towards the former DMZ. There is still much evidence of bombing on the mountain sides and from time to time we will see remnants of the original Trail. We take in the Vinh Moc tunnel, the famous Hien Luong Bridge (former demarcation line between North and South Vietnam, the Truong Son Cemetery and finally Khe Sanh (former US Marine base). Overnight at the hotel in Khe Sanh.

In the morning we head south over the Da Krong Bridge built by the Cubans in 1973 into the infamous A Shau valley, an area of intense wartime activity. Passing Hamburger Hill and mountains still barren due to the extended effects of Agent Orange, we arrive at A Luoi, where there are many Bru Van hill tribe people. Then, cruising through green back country down the steep Me Oi Pass, we continue on to the beautiful city of Hue which lies along the banks of the Perfume River. Overnight at the hotel in Hue.

Morning visit the remains of the Imperial Citadel, which was largely destroyed during the Tet Offensive in 1968. Lunch and afternoon join the National Highway 1 and head up the Hai Van Pass (Cloudy Pass) before the World Heritage site of Hoi An, a major trading centre in SE Asia in the 16th and 17th centuries. Dinner in local restaurant. Overnight at the hotel in Hoi An

Hoi An, nestled on the banks of the Thu Bon River. Before the river silted up, Hoi An was one of the most important trading ports in Southeast Asia, and a center for East-West exchange and trade. The rooftops of Hoian retain a magical old world Oriental feel and are a favorite subject for Vietnamese artists. In the early 1980s Hogan’s ancient quarters and historical monuments came under the protection and restoration efforts of UNESCO and the Polish government. You will spend the day visiting the town of Hoian on your own. Overnight at the hotel in Hoian.

We strike back up to the mountains, rejoining the trail at Phuoc Son also known as Kham Duc. From there we head up the towering Lo So Pass, passing through remote areas thinly populated by peoples of the Ba Na ethnicity. Edging close to the border with Laos, where a number of Trail arteries crossed over in Laos, we continue on to Kon Tum. Dinner and overnight in Kon Tum.

The new Ho Chi Minh Highway was built on the old trail, but from Kon Tum to Daklak, the historic HCM trail (Highway 14C), runs parallel to Highway 14 linking Kon Tum, Pleiku, and Buon Me Thuot. We will continue riding Highway 14 today, finding that traffic is busier than usual. Lunch will be in Pleiku. From here, we ride along the Tun River and up over a pass. Along the way are coffee plantations and the stilt houses of the Central Highland’s largest ethnic group, the Gia Rai. Eventually, we will cross the Nha Rong pass down into Buon Me Thuot, the provincial capital of Dac Lac Province, and the site of the last battle of the Vietnam war in March 1975. Dinner and overnight in Buon Me Thuot.

This morning, we ride to Lak Lake on road 27, a small paved road with poor surfacing and quite busy. Here we can have a break for refreshment and troll around the by the lake. There are said to be about 31 different ethnic groups in Dac Lac, each with their own traditional dress and customs. Some of the villages are known for elephant hunting and taming, some for weaving and other arts. After lunch in Lak Lake, we continue on to Da Lat. The road is narrow, winding, but not busy. We have three passes to cross – Krong No, Chuoi, and Phu Son. The drive itself is quite beautiful and lined with dense forests. Late in the afternoon, we will arrive in the hill town of Da Lat. Dinner in the local restaurant and overnight at the hotel in Dalat.

Today we continue our bike head to Saigon since the road is so very crowded and busy! On the way, we will stop for lunch in Bao Loc, where we can also see the impressive Dambri Waterfall. In the afternoon, we will finally arrive in Ho Chi Minh City. The rest of the day is free to relax or wander on your own. Dinner in local restaurant and overnight at the restaurant in Saigon.

Our day begins with riding to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels, one of the few remaining monuments to the Vietnam War. Beneath the ground lie 200 km of tunnels, dug by hand and inhabited by the forces of the Viet Cong during the conflict, which ended in 1975. From Cu Chi, we will return to Ho Chi Minh City. Here, we can stop at Cho Lon, the Chinese market. Tonight you will have a farewell dinner in the good restaurant. Overnight at the hotel in Saigon.