Exodus Cycling Vietnam Tour

• All breakfasts, 10 lunches, 1 dinner
• All accommodation
• All transport and listed activities
• Tour leader throughout
• Flights from London
• Arrival & departure transfers
• Local bike hire

• Take a cycling holiday through Vietnam’s most scenic landscapes
• Savour mouth-watering cuisine
• Crawl through the Cu Chi war tunnels
• Relax in charming Hoi An
• Cruise among the limestone formations of Halong Bay
• Overnight on a tropical island

Day 1: Depart London

Day 2: Arrive Saigon

Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), formerly known as Saigon, is an exciting and absorbing city where bicycles battle with lorries and temples stand defiantly alongside modern developments. Devastated by the Vietnam War, Saigon is now a bustling free market city where anything goes.

Day 3: Transfer out of the city; cycle to the Cu Chi tunnels.

This morning we drive out of the city, before riding to the Cu Chi Tunnels. This offers a great introduction to cycling in Vietnam and a chance to fine-tune the bikes. The tunnels were Viet Cong sanctuaries, used by the guerrillas as living quarters and escape routes. The network covers 3 levels and approximately 240km of tunnels. Some parts have been widened for tourists, but the tunnels were originally very narrow and it is still necessary to crawl on hands and knees.

Day 4: Drive towards the coast and cycle to Mui Ne

After an early breakfast we head out of Saigon by bus and then start cycling towards the coast. We hit the backroads and head through tropical fruit and rubber plantations also passing some small fishing villages as we make our way closer to the coast finishing our ride in time for lunch. We then transfer approx. 3 hours to Mui Ne, a tranquil white sand beach where we can witness our first sunset over the Eastern Sea

Day 5: Cycle to Dalat in the Central Highlands

We cycle towards Dalat; the route is undulating with occasional climbs. Along the way we pass coffee and tea plantations as well as flower gardens and pine forests as we reach higher altitude. We rejoin the bus before the road climbs steeply to the mountain town of Dalat. We spend approx 3.5 hours on the bus today.

Day 6: Cycle through Bidoup N.P.; to the coast and boat transfer to Whale Island

Today’s ride is predominantly undulating and approximately 30km downhill through pine forests and paddy fields as we descend nearly 1,500m travelling through the Bidoup Ba National Park. This area is home to rare pine forests as well as small villages inhabited by the ethnic minority people of the central highlands. Once we arrive at the coast, we head by bus (approx. 1.5 hours) to the coast near Nha Trang before boarding a boat to our tropical island retreat of Whale Island for the next two nights.

Day 7: Cruise around islands with seafood lunch and snorkelling.

Having a rest from the bikes today we get the opportunity to really relax and unwind. We will join a boat trip in the morning for a spot of snorkelling and swimming in the turquoise sea before a seafood lunch is served.

Day 8: Drive to beautiful Dai Lanh Beach; coastal ride to Quy Nhon

We set off early in the morning and ride to the beautiful fishing village of Dai Lanh. A short transfer out of town past the Po Nagar Cham towers brings us to a high point and from here today’s ride is predominantly flat. The beautiful beach at Dai Lanh is a perfect place to stop for a swim (if road conditions and time permit) and lunch before continuing by bus around the spectacular coastal cliff road towards the town of Tuy Hoa and on to Quy Nhon.

Day 9: Further coastal ride stopping en route at sand dunes; then transfer to Hoi An

Leaving Quy Nhon we travel through a new economic zone over the Thi Nai Peninsula and Nhon Hoi Bridge, the longest sea bridge in Vietnam. Getting off our bikes we will visit a market, where its not unusual to be pulled aside for a photo as this part of the country does not see many western tourists. The coast line features secluded bays, sand dunes and beaches with colourful fishing boats bobbing on the Eastern Sea.

Day 10: Sightseeing in Hoi An; free afternoon

This morning we take a guided walking tour of Hoi An to explore some of the structures of historical significance in the Old Town, including bridges, temples, wells and houses. Those less interested in architecture can cycle the 5km to the lovely Cua Dai beach or cycle to the Marble Mountains, which are 19km from town.

Day 11: Ride over the spectacular Hai Van Pass; cycle and drive on to Hue

Today we turn north again for the drive/cycle to Hue. The route traverses over the spectacular Hai Van Pass – the ‘Pass of the Ocean Clouds’. The views are stunning though those who prefer to avoid the 580m climb can always take a lift in the support vehicle. Once at the top it will all seem worth it as you plummet back to the ocean, then continue through small villages and timeless rural scenes to the outskirts of Hue, from where we transfer to our city centre hotel.

Day 12: Explore Hue and surroundings by bike and boat; overnight train to Hanoi

Hue is often claimed to be the cultural and historic centre of Vietnam and there is plenty to see. We take a guided tour of the city and surrounding tombs. The most memorable site is the citadel, with walls six miles in length: inside are the palaces and halls of the Mandarins, and the remains of the Forbidden Purple City, where only the emperor and his eunuchs and concubines were allowed. We then take a boat along the Perfume River to the elaborate tombs of the Nguyen emperors, who ruled Vietnam from Hue.

Day 13: Arrive Hanoi; drive to Halong Bay; board boat and cruise/kayak among spectacular limestone formations

We usually arrive in Hanoi in the early morning and stop for a local breakfast and a stretch of the legs, before we are met by our bus for an approximate 4 hour drive to Halong Bay. This is one of the most stunningly beautiful sights in South East Asia with around 3000 limestone peaks rising directly from the clear emerald sea. We cruise amongst this amazing karst scenery, stopping to kayak in the sea allowing us to get to places inaccessible by boat (weather permitting) and enjoy a seafood lunch on board.

Day 14: Return to Hanoi; city tour including the Temple of Literature, Hoa Lo Prison and the Old Quarter

Visit Me Cung cave and enjoy further time to cruise the many islands of Halong Bay. We then return to Hanoi late afternoon. This charming city contains many beautiful old buildings and the atmosphere is completely different from that in Saigon in the south, mainly due to the much more conservative nature of the North Vietnamese.

Day 15: Free morning; depart afternoon.

Day 16: Arrive in London

Moderate
You’ll need to be in good health and reasonably fit.

• 11 nights comfortable hotels, 1 night boat, 1 night sleeper train
• 9 days cycling (including 1 optional ride) with 90% vehicle support
• Roads nearly all good tarmac
• The route is flat with the exception of Dalat and the Hai Van Pass
• Group normally 5 to 18, plus local leaders

11 nights comfortable hotels, 1 night boat with twin share cabins, 1 night sleeper train, soft-bed berths. The accommodation on this trip is mostly in good quality hotels (mostly 3-4 star), and all nights are en-suite except the train.

Please note, prices listed are guide prices only and are based on 2 people sharing and don’t include any additional supplements. Holiday prices are fluid and dynamic and may be changed at a moment’s notice, prior to booking, at which point they are confirmed. Please call the team free on 0800 707 6229 for more departure dates available and a quote.