Vietnam Lifestyle Biking Tour - 8 Days

Lifestyle from $3,429 NZD

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8 Days
  • 2012
  • 2013
  • Best time to travel: April-May / September-October
  • Availability Guide:
  • Current date selected
  • Plenty
  • Limited
  • Closed or too close to departure (Call Us for options)

Enjoy easygoing cycling and great accommodation on this diverse and cultural 8 day tour of Vietnam.

You'll see rice paddies, tiny fishing and mountain villages, and big cities. You'll kayak in idyllic HaLong Bay, check out a military cave site in CatBa, and ferry to a floating fishing town.

You'll stay in beautiful resorts and hotels, and in HaLong, a real highlight: 2 nights in a comfortable cabin in a boat on the bay.

Please Note: We also offer a 12 Day Lifestyle Biking tour, which continues to Hué, HoiAn and Saigon.

Hanoi to Hanoi

Hanoi
  • Lifestyle
  • Grade
  • Tour price subject to minimum numbers
  • USD365 single room surcharge
  • This tour is invoiced in USD

The biking is easy, with an average daily distance of less than 30 km. The tour is fully guided with an English-speaking guide, and a support van close at hand.

Easy Tours

Easy tours are specifically designed to allow you to experience a new activity and culture in a relaxed environment. If you’re after a peaceful holiday with a light introductory focus on one or more activities then easy torus are a great option. Routes chosen will be easy and often ridden entirely at your own pace, suitable for families.

Fitness required

An average level of fitness is required, exercising at least once a week prior to the tour.

Full Itinerary

DAY 1

Arrival Day: Hanoi

No cycling

Welcome to Vietnam! On your arrival at the airport you'll be picked up and transferred to your hotel in Hanoi (check in any time from 2 pm). Tonight you'll meet your other tour members and be treated to a traditional water puppet show (a pool of water forms the puppets' stage),and dinner at a local restaurant.

Meals: Dinner

DAY 2

Hanoi to Mai Chau

Cycling: 30 km

We leave the hotel bright and early at 8 am, drive west for about an hour and a half, and then hop on our bikes for the first time. You'll ride on a country road through rice paddies and small villages. There's time for a picnic along the way, and then we continue to Mai Chau, a beautiful valley filled with rice paddies and surrounded by limestone mountains. Dinner is at Mai Chau Lodge, where you'll stay for the next 2 nights.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 3

Mai Chau to Moc Chau to Mai Chau

Cycling: 60 km

After breakfast, an hour's drive to the Moc Chau plateau, where we'll stop at Hua Tat. From there we start a beautiful and leisurely mountainside ride along the old colonial road No. 6. It's 25 km to Moc Chau town, and the journey is at your own pace (usually about 3 hours). Then we arrive in a beautiful Thai village at the foot of a limestone mountain, where lunch is waiting. Next, we visit a tea factory and discover how best to make excellent local Vietnamese tea. We then ride on a quiet road through plum orchards, trading ‘hellos’ with locals, before cycling back to Mai Chau.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 4

Mai Chau to Hanoi

Cycling: 20 km

In the morning, you will cycle through tiny Thai mountain villages and along rice fields at the foot of the mountains, maybe chatting with the friendly locals. Their lifestyle is simple and serene. You may see people weaving brocade. We will visit one of the families on the way and enjoy a cup of tea. After a circuit of the village, it's back to Mai Chau for lunch. In the afternoon: a 4-hour drive back to Hanoi, where we'll stay in a hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 5

Hanoi to HaiPhong to CatBa

Cycling: 30 km

An action-packed travelling day today, with plenty of changes of scenery. After breakfast, we’ll drive 2 hours to Hai Phong City, Vietnam's 3rd largest, through the Red River Delta for an early morning ferry to Cai Vieng. From there, cycle past karst formations until Hien Hao village. We'll make a stop there and chat with local people about their daily life. After lunch, hop on your bike and head to Tran Chau fishing village, with its blend of coastal and jungle scenery. You'll stay overnight in the Cat Ba Sunrise Resort.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 6

CatBa to GiaLuan to HaLong

Cycling: 15 km

This morning we'll cycle into CatBa National Park (5 km from the entry) then trek to NguLam peak. We visit the underground labyrinth of the formerly secret bomb-proof hospital in Hospital Cave. Then we head to GiaLuan where your boat is waiting for a cruise in the mythical HaLong bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You'll have dinner and spend the night on a junk boat in one of 10 cabins with ensuite bathrooms.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 7

HaLong Bay kayaking

No cycling — but as much kayaking as you wish!

Have an early morning swim, or relax on the upper deck with a cup of tea or coffee, fresh fruit and cake. Soak up the beautiful HaLong Bay views of rocky islands rising from crystal-clear waters. At 8 am there's a brief paddling and safety introduction by our guide. Then, explore the bay by kayak at your own pace in peace and serenity, and head towards some hidden lagoons if tidal conditions permit. After lunch, we'll kayak to a lively floating village with floating houses, fish farms, and a primary school. We'll have dinner and stay another night on our beautiful boat.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 8

Departure Day: HaLong to Hanoi

No cycling

Today is our last day, and we will make the most of our time before our late afternoon flight. In the morning we'll have a light breakfast, then visit one of the nicest caves in HaLong bay. There'll be more time for swimming. We'll have some lunch and then head back to the harbour. Later, we'll take you by car to Hanoi airport.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Tour Inclusions and Exclusions:

Tour Includes:

  • Airport transfers days 1 and 8 only
  • Local English speaking tour guide
  • Transportation
  • Support vehicle
  • Accommodation (twin shared) with breakfast daily
  • Meals as mentioned
  • Bike rental
  • Drinking water
  • Boat trip including kayaking in Halong Bay
  • Entrance fees as per itinerary
  • Sightseeing as per itinerary

Tour Excludes:

  • International flights
  • Travel Insurance
  • Other meals
  • Tips
  • Drinks and personal expenses
  • International Airport Tax
  • Visas