Introducing our newest Vietnam bike tour: Road Cycling Hanoi to Hoi An! Over 12 days, you’ll cover 1,000 kilometers, ascend and descend 8,500 meters, enjoy one rest day, and experience a whole lot of Vietnam! If you're an avid road cyclist seeking your next challenge while exploring both Vietnam’s iconic sights and hidden gems, this tour is perfect for you. In this blog post, we break down what you can expect, stage by stage. The tour is now open for bookings for 2025 departures—head to the website to sign up!
Stage 1: Valleys of the North
It all begins in Hanoi, Vietnam’s vibrant capital city infused with ancient heritage, a French colonial legacy, a revolutionary spirit and modern cosmopolitanism. If this is your first time in Hanoi, we suggest you arrive a day or two in advance to explore and get acclimated. On Day 1 we convene at our elegant tour hotel in the West Lake district, Le Jardin Hotel Haute Couture, for a meet & greet and welcome dinner. Make sure you are well-trained and rested, because the next morning we hit the ground running (well, pedaling!) with a 92 km ride into the valleys west of Hanoi. The feat of the day is tackling the 10 km climb up the Thung Khe Pass, also known as “White Rock Pass”, with its limestone powder dusted slopes, epic views, and winding mountain roads. The reward? A fabulous descent into the heart of the Mai Chau Valley, a world of rice fields and dense clusters of ethnic hill tribe villages with distinctive stilt houses. We stay at a small, local hotel in one such village, where we’re treated to a homemade highland dinner featuring fresh, seasonal ingredients. On Day 3 we transition from Mai Chau to the valley of the gently-flowing Song Ma River, flanked by terraced fields and forested hillsides. The narrow valley eventually opens up to the expansive, lush countryside of Thanh Hoa Province where we spend the night in the small town of Ngoc Lac. This is the first in a string of towns where we overnight along the Ho Chi Minh Highway, setting the stage for the next chapter of our road biking journey.
Stage 2: The Ho Chi Minh Highway
Those familiar with the history of the Vietnam-America War know about the Ho Chi Minh Trail. This crucial supply route of the North Vietnamese forces, active from the early 1960s until 1975, wove through dense jungles and rugged mountains in the borderlands of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. In the decades following the end of the war and Vietnam’s reunification, a highway was built along a similar route but extending much further – nearly 2,000 kilometers of continuous pavement from Hanoi in the north to Saigon in the south. This modern roadway, known as the “Ho Chi Minh Highway,” was constructed not only to enhance mobility within the country but also to foster development in remote highland regions. Over three days, we hit the pavement of this legendary highway along one of its most scenic stretches in the foothills of the Truong Son Mountains. The undulating terrain creates a natural rhythm of climbs and descents, while the smooth tarmac enables a fun and fast-paced road biking journey. Each day ramps up the kilometers, culminating in a final, epic push of nearly 200 km and a challenging pass to reach the edge of Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park.
Each day is also filled with local encounters and insights into life in Vietnam. For those with an interest in the Vietnam-America War, a highlight is the 'Kilometer Zero' marker of the historic Ho Chi Minh Trail, located 45 km south of Thai Hoa. From here to our endpoint at Phong Nha, we ride on hallowed ground for the Vietnamese — once dense jungle where northern forces launched pivotal offensives against the U.S-backed South. Today, the region is a peaceful agrarian hinterland. Though, as part of the fast-moving Vietnamese economy, riding on paved surfaces means regularly sharing the road with trucks, cars and motorbikes. We have chosen one of the least busy sections of the highway but traffic can be unpredictable and, especially near the towns, unavoidable. At times, we switch to parallel secondary roads to avoid busier stretches.
Riding this remote highway means embracing a few more realities that, depending on your outlook, can also be highlights of the tour. The lunches are at roadside eateries popular with truckers and motorists on journeys of their own while dinners are enjoyed in town restaurants alongside locals. Accommodations are basic yet comfortable, offering clean rooms, hot water, and AC. Beds may be firmer than you're used to, and English-speaking staff are rare. Breakfasts are simple — bread, eggs, fruit, or a bowl of pho, which many Vietnamese enjoy as their morning meal. All to say: to get the most out of this stage of the tour, prepare to go local!
Stage 3: Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park
By Day 7 even the most seasoned of road cyclists will be ready to give their legs a rest. The timing is perfect as we have reached the perimeter of Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to some of the world's most impressive caves, underground rivers, and limestone formations. We start by transferring to Paradise Cave, where we climb 400 steps to reach the chamber entrance. The cave extends a staggering 31 km, with one kilometer accessible to visitors. We walk along a well-maintained, well-lit wooden walkway, marveling at the majestic rock formations sculpted by millennia of water erosion. After re-emerging outside, we head to a boat pier for a cruise along the Son River to Phong Nha Cave. The entrance bears scars from heavy bombing during the Vietnam-America War, when the cave was used to store supplies and serve as a hospital. Once inside, the boat’s engine is turned off, and we are gently rowed into a massive, mystical chamber adorned with stalactites and stalagmites that resemble slowly melting candle wax. After the boat returns us to the pier, we enjoy lunch before heading back to the resort. The afternoon is yours to relax at our base: the lovely Phong Nha Lake House Resort. Chill by the pool, paddle in the lake, or treat yourself to a massage.
Stage 4: The Central Coast
With our legs recovered, we’re ready for the final stage of the tour: four days cycling along the stunning coastline of Central Vietnam. Compared to the previous stage, the road conditions are more varied, with a mix of well-paved roads, some rougher secondary routes, and the occasional rattling bridge or sandy path! But it’s all worth it for the sensory experiences which await. We pass through colorful fishing villages, ride along Southeast Asia’s largest network of coastal lagoons, explore a “City of Ghosts”, and arrive at white-sandy beaches. The riding is mostly flat, with one iconic exception: the Hai Van Pass. Conquering this 10 km, nearly 500-meter ascent is a rite of passage for cyclists in Vietnam! The smooth, winding road reveals breathtaking views of the blue South China Sea and lush headlands. Though many roads we cycle on are peaceful, the central coast is a densely populated area, so expect some traffic, particularly near Hue and Da Nang.
The destinations where we spend our final four nights also couldn’t be more diverse! First, we visit the seaside village of Vinh Moc, where we tour an intricate network of underground tunnels dug during the Vietnam-American War for shelter from air raids. Next is Hue, where we explore the UNESCO-listed Imperial City, a sprawling complex that once served as the political, cultural, and religious heart of the Nguyen Dynasty. Then, we head to Lang Co, renowned for it's pristine sands and clear waters, where we relax at a beach resort. Finally, we arrive in Hoi An, Vietnam’s beloved UNESCO World Heritage-listed town, known for its well-preserved architecture influenced by Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, and French cultures.
In Vinh Moc, we stay in a local-style guesthouse, while in Hue, Lang Co, and Hoi An, we enjoy stays in character-rich tourist hotels complete with pools and breakfast spreads worth waking up early for! Meals become more varied, with delicious seafood and regional specialties on offer. In Hue, you'll have a free night to explore the city's dining options, and our farewell dinner in Hoi An’s charming old town is the perfect way to end the tour.
Head to our tour page to learn more about this thrilling road cycling adventure and join us on one of our scheduled group departures available throughout 2025: Road Cycling Hanoi to Hoi An.
