This 7-day mountain biking tour is arranged in the north western Vietnam taking to such places as Lao Cai, Sapa, Lai Chau, Muong Lay, Phong Tho, Binh Lu, Tam Duong, Dien Bien Phu, Tuan Giao, Son La, Moc Mai, Mai Chau, Hoa Binh province. Begin the tour with an overnight train trip from hanoi to Lao cai, and then uphill to Sapa. You start biking from Sapa to the Tram Ton, Heaven gate, then Binh Lu, Lai Chau. You mostly cycle on paved roads with many up and downhill ride. Sometimes you get off the main, paved roads taking small, single dirt track biking trails leading to remote hill tribe villages. Taking this 7-day mountain biking tour, you enjoy the beautiful scenery, the wild nature of the less travelled north western Vietnam. You meet up with lots of ethnic groups during your bicycle tours including the Tay, the Dzao , the Xa Pho, the H’mong…The tour is provded with experience English-speaking tour guide, support vehicle and good mountain bikes, trek bikes.

Itinerary:

Day 1: Hanoi - Sapa – Lai Chau (L,D).

Depart for Lai Chau.

Enjoy nice mountain view along the way. We first bike for about 3 hours up hill, with a stop over Silver waterfalls for relax and take photos before we conquer the highest mountain pass Oquiho. From there you can see stunning views of the surrounding mountains and the lush forests belonging to Hoang Lien National Park.

Continue traveling by car uphill to Heaven's Gate,  the highest stretch of road in Vietnam as well as the provincial border of Lao Cai and Lai Chau provinces. Here you will have the opportunity to view the magnificent scenery.

Lunch will be provided en route.

Stop en route to visit some villages of H’mong and “coins” Dao near BinhLu before we arrive in Lai Chau where we will spend the night.

Day 2: Lai Chau – Muong Lay (B,L,D).

Today we will cycle downhill to Chan Nua and up to Lai Chau.

We will have a couple of pretty big climbs and then follow the picturesque Nam Na river into Muang Say (aka "Old Lai Chau"). Some part of the road is bad, but we will have great view along the Nam Na river.

Lunch will be provided en route.

After lunch, we will have some rest before continue cycling towards Muong Lay. We will pass overther the scenic Da river from Hang Tom suspension bridge before arriving in Muong Lay townlet.

Check in to Muong Lay guesthouse for dinner and overnight.


Day 3: Muong Lay – Dien Bien Phu (B,L,D)

Following breakfast we will have a nice day with stop over the red H’mong village then cycle up to Mathiho pass.

Lunch en route.

In the late afternoon we arrive in Dien Bien town and check into our guesthouse for the night.

Overnight in Dien Bien Phu.


Day 4: Dien Bien Phu – Tuan Giao (B,L,D)

After breakfast we will cycle for the whole morning to visit some war sites such as the A1 hill, De Castries bunker, Dien Bien museum.

Lunch will be provided in a local restaurant in town.

After lunch we will have easy ride through many Thai villages before we arrive in Tuan Giao around late afternoon.

Overnight in Tuan Giao.

Day 5: Tuan Giao –Son La (B,L,D)

Leave Tuan Giao for Son La.

Son La is located in a scenic valley, inhabited by Thai, Muong and H'mong minority people. This area is historically important for its involvement in the Vietnamese struggle for independence from France during the first half the 20th century.

Challenge 20 km winding climb up hill and 15 km down hill. Nice landscape of green rice fields and karst valley. Light traffic, wandering water buffaloes, Thai and Hmong kids.

Overnight in Son La.


Day 6: Son La – Moc Chau – Mai Chau (B,L,D).

After breakfast, leaving Son La for Mai Chau.

Along the road we can stop the trip in Moc Chau for taking photos and enjoy the fresh air. The road passes beneath spectacular karst cliffs with the valley floor visible far below.

Arrive Mai Chau late afternoon. Check into a local stilt houser for dinner and overnight.


Day 7: Mai Chau – Hanoi (B,L).

After breakfast, we have a cycling trip about 15km out of Mai Chau is up Thung Nhuoi pass, then we go 17km down to Man Duc and two more gentle hill to Doc Cun.

We take a small route to Bai Chao onto Luong Son. Our bus pick us up and travel back to Hanoi.

You will be dropped off at your hotel in Hanoi. The end of Lotussia Travel service.


Contact Lotussia Travel for more details

This 7-day mountain biking tour is arranged in the north western Vietnam taking to such places as Lao Cai, Sapa, Lai Chau, Muong Lay, Phong Tho, Binh Lu, Tam Duong, Tuan Giao, Son La, Moc Mai, Mai Chau, Hoa Binh province. Begin the tour with a car transfer out of Hanoi to Mai Chau where you start cycling on paved roads towards Son La. You mostly cycle on paved roads with many up and downhill ride. Sometimes you get off the main, paved roads taking small, single dirt track biking trails leading to remote hill tribe villages. Taking this 7-day mountain biking tour, you enjoy the beautiful scenery, the wild nature of the less travelled north western Vietnam. You meet up with lots of ethnic groups during your bicycle tours including the Tay, the Dzao , the Xa Pho, the H’mong…The tour is provded with experience English-speaking tour guide, support vehicle and good mountain bikes, trek bikes.

Itinerary:

Day 1: Hanoi to Son La

8:00: You will be met up with Lotussia Travel team and transferred to Son La. The drive will take you through different minority villages as we climb onto a higher plateau. We pass through coffee and tea plantations before arriving Son La in the late afternoon. Son La was once the site of a French penal colony where radicals and revolutionaries were incarcerated during French rule. The prison was destroyed by American war planes during the Vietnam War (or as the Vietnamese sensibly call it the American war) except for a lone peach tree planted by an inmate in the 1940s. Since then the prison has partially rebuilt and a museum opened.

Check in hotel for overnight.

Day 2: Cycling Son La to Tuan Giao

The bicycle tour begins with a 5km riding up to the beautiful surrounding countryside. We bike through a patchwork of rice fields and plum orchards. The scenery makes up for the hard work as the rolling land erupts into stunning karst rock outcrops bristling with trees. The land is home to the Black Thai. The women can be glimpsed working the fields in brightly colored dresses and hats, the children riding water buffalo and the men speeding along on noisy motor cycles. We finish the day with a thrilling 11km decent before we reach the town of Tuan Giao.

Day 3: Bike Tuan Giao to Lai Chau

Once out of Tuan Giao the road deteriorates as we take a spectacular back road to Lai Chau. We cycle past rice fields and bananas plantations as we pass through small minority villages of Red Hmong and Kho Mu. There are two hard climbs today the first starts after 50km with a 5km ascent but the second, and most challenging comes at the end of this stunning day, with an 8km strength-sapping climb. All this hard work is easily forgotten as we finish the day with a stunning descend of 18km on a winding road into this lush valley of Lai Chau.

Day 4: Biking Lai Chau to Tam Duong

After we leave Lai Chau we cross the Hang Tom suspension bridge and follow the Na River passing through spectacular gorges and Black Dao villages. The Dao worship spirits and ritually sacrifice pigs and chickens. The women clothes are covered with intricate weaving and silver colored beads and coins. It is said the wealth a women can be judged by the weight of the coins she carries. We finish this long day with a 15km ascent followed by a gentle 10km ride down to Tam Duong.

Day 5: Cycle Tam Duong to Sapa

Today we cycle up to the Tram Ton Pass (1,900m; 6,230 ft) the highest mountain pass in Vietnam, on our way to Sa Pa. We start with a relatively easy 7km ride before we hit the first of two major climbs. A 8km tough ride sets us up for the 26km monster climb later in the day. As we start the second climb we slowly start to witness the beauty of Mt. Fan Si Pan, South East Asia’s highest peak. Often hidden with a veil of moving mist and fog, we will hopefully get a glimpse of its lofty peaks.

Sa Pa is an old French hill station perched in the Hoang Lien Son Mountains near the Chinese border. Its position gives it some of the best vantage points to savour the surrounding mountain peaks.

Day 6: Sapa – Laocai – Hanoi.

Enjoy a half day walking to visit hill tribe villages before you take the night train trip to travel back to Hanoi. You will commence your short journey by driving south toward Muong Hoa valley. You will then start your walk by descending into the valley, which is the largest rice paddy terraced among Sapa area.
The  guide  can  provide  you  interesting  information  about  rice.  If  you  visit  the  valley  sometime  in between May and October, you will be able to observe and experience how the local do planting and
harvesting, one of the most important activities in the daily life. The walk takes you from Lao Chai
village  of  Black  Hmong minority  to  Ta  Van  village  of  Giay minority  including  a  visit  to  the  local
Catholic Church. After visiting Ta Van the car will return you to Sapa.

Have quick shower in a mini/standard hotel before taking the overnight train to Hanoi. Overnight on the train.

Day 7: Arrive Hanoi train station. Departure.

Arrive Hanoi early this morning. You will be picked up by our car and transferred to Hanoi airport for onward flight. Trip ends.

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The 7-day cycling tour is arranged in the north eastern Vietnam taking to such travel destinations as Ba Be National park, Bac Kan province, Na Hang, Tuyen Quang province, Bac Me, Cao Bang, Quan Ba, Yen Minh, Meo Vac, Dong Van, Ha Giang province. Begin your cycling adventure with a car transfer from Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital, driving uphill to Bac Kan province where you will make the first stop in Ba Be National. Start cycling on paved roads leading to the park before checking into a local stilt house for overnight. The next day, cycling is more challenging as you bike up and downhill; You also take off-roads biking trails to visit remote hilltribe villages on the way; Meeting up with local friendly people including the Tay, the Dzao, the Nung offers a real life experience. The other highlights of this 7-day biking tour is the Dong Van and Meo Vac markets. If you arrive in Dong Van or Meo Vac on Saturday, you have the opportunity to visit the local market is only open on Sunday morning. These are the biggest markets in the area. The mountain biking tour is provided with experienced English-speaking tour guide, support vehicle, mountain bikes. The best time to travel this itinerary is the dry season starting from October until April.

 

 Itinerary:

Day 1: Cycle Hanoi – Ba Be Lake.
You will be met up with Lotussia Travel team at your hotel in Hanoi one day prior to the departure for a short briefing about the trip and cycling in Vietnam.

The adventure journey begins as we depart the town and pass through the undulating terrain of tea plantation and the many villages linked to the road which is the main artery of trade between the northeastern region and the capital city. This is our first glimpse of rural Vietnam and sets the tone for the days ahead. Depending on road and traffic conditions our drive will leave us with a mid to late afternoon we start cycle 32km from Pho Thong to Ba Be Lake arrival in Ba Be lakes. After checking into hotel we will have free time to walk around or simply to relax on the lake. Overnight in Ba Be.

Day 2: Bike Ba Be National park – Na Hang - Bac Me.

Enjoy a morning boat cruise with our bike to the Ba Be waterfalls and then we move 2 km along a narrow track to another boat pier for an hour cruise through a portion of the new reservoir, then we start a cycling adventure along a beautiful paved road to Bac Me. Overnight in Bac Me.

Day 3: Cycling Bac Me – Quan Ba.

We cycle today on good paved road along Gam river and then good road but steep uphill to Quan Ba Heaven Gates. Arrive Ha Giang around late afternoon. Overnight in Ha Giang.

Day 4: Biking Quan Ba – Yen Minh.

Today, we will soon be enjoying the wonderful sightseeing of this vast limestone mountain range and perpendicular walls of rock, which brings one a feeling of adventure whilst being lost in a magic land, passing the Heaven Gate, meeting some minority people along the way, then onto Quan Ba town for our lunch. In the afternoon, we continue our bicycle ride to Yen Minh. We will be hitting the Heaven - a more beautiful place, here we are surrounded by many rocks of all shapes and sizes, chances to see and even visit the traditional houses of the hill tribes here. Arrival in Yen Minh town. Check in hotel/guest house for dinner and overnight.

Day 5: Continue cycling Yen Minh – Meo Vac – Dong Van.

After breakfast, we leave Yen Minh to Meo Vac. The scenic route climbs over a pass, and then we descend down to Meo Vac valley, a beautiful valley situated very close to Chinese border. Have lunch in Meo Vac then we take time to climb over the Ma Pi Leng Pass where we can enjoy beautiful mountain ranges and the the Nho Que river. We keep hitting the zigzag roads to Dong Van, visiting these remote areas, we will witness how hard the locals struggle with their environment for survival and development. We will stay in town to get the chances to visit the ancient streets with old houses of the H'mong made of clay bricks and tile roofs, built centuries ago. Sleep in Dong Van town.

Day 6: Continue biking Dong Van – Yen Minh – Ha Giang.

A leisurely bike from Dong Van along another narrow paved road via Sung La Village, Pho Bang ancient town and then bike back to Yen Minh, this day will make your itinerary a good pace. We will visit the infamous Vuong Palace, a H´mong family of high rank during French colonial rule - this palace attracts keen interest from architecturally minded visitors due to its mixed style of European and Chinese architecture. Transfer from Yen Minh to Ha Giang to Ha Giang for the night.

Day 7: Ha Giang – Hanoi.

Enjoy a full day drive from Ha Giang to Hanoi. You may have the opportunity to have some short cycle on the way before the trip ends in Hanoi.

Contact Lotussia Travel for more details

The 4-day cycling tour is an easy bicycle tour Lotussia Travel customizes in the mekong Delta area. The cycling tour takes you to such places of the Vietnam Mekong Delta as Cai Be, Vinh Long, Tra Vinh, Can Tho. You bike through back roads, local farming villages, fruit gardens and markets on the road side. Start your family cycling adventure from Ho Chi Minh city (Saigon) and biking on the back roads of the Mekong Delta area to experience the local life. This cycling tour is an easy itinerary since you cycle on flat roads and this can be ideal for small group tours, holidays with kids. Opportunity to visit floating markets and spend the night at local home (homestay).

 Itinerary:

Day 1: Ho Chi Minh City – Cai Be.

Meet up with Lotussia Travel guide at your hotel in Saigon. Transfer with bikes to Tan An. Get off and pick up bikes and enjoy the relatively easy ride on the beautiful countryside track passing through local rice paddies and orchards to Cai Be. Stop for lunch at a local food shop before we continue onto our local home stay run by a lovely retired couple, Mr and Mrs Ba. They live in a typical Mekong Delta Vietnamese house, with airy rooms and outdoor kitchen. The rest of the afternoon is free to bike the dirt paths surrounding the home stay. Dinner will be prepared by the home stay hosts. 

Day 2: Cai Be – Vinh Long – Tra Vinh.

We leave the island after breakfast and enjoy a boat journey to explore floating Cai Be market out to one of the Mekong Islands. Bike along narrow country lanes, easy dirt tracks and trails. This is biking at its most glorious-through tiny orchards, witness colourful life along the riverside, pedal past picturesque delta homes, pause to chat with welcoming villagers, clack across innumerable wooden bridges. Cross a narrow canal on a local sampan, before finishing at the main ferry for a refreshing boat trip across the expansive Co Chien River. Ride a final few km to the very pretty Khmer town of Tra Vinh. There will be plenty of time to explore side tracks and trails as the cycling distance today is not far. This gives a great first impression of the ‘heart of the Mekong’. Overnight in local hotel in Tra Vinh.

Day 3: Tra Vinh – Can Tho.

We have a special ride today as much of the area is populated by Khmer people. The regional architecture is interesting and there are many Khmer temples to stop and admire en route. Cycle as much or as little as is preferred; the road is peaceful, narrow and very pretty all the way to Can Tho! Pedal to Ba Om Pond with its magnificent lotus flowers, and observe local women having their future predicted in the small temple nearby. En route, stop to visit a local Buddhist Temple School if possible. Arrive finally at Can Tho, the Mekong’s largest town located at the confluence of the Can Tho and Hau Giang rivers. Overnight in Saigon Can Tho hotel.

Day 4: Can Tho bike loop – Saigon.

Following breakfast, we spend the morning riding to Phong Dien floating market.  Weave through teeming early morning market bustle along the banks of an active riverfront. Ride on a narrow paved road to Phong Dien floating market. Absorb the sights of endless cottage industries, timber merchants, coconut shredders, small docks loading/unloading rice, tiny vibrant markets. Continue by bike on the narrow lane and loop round to the main road. Ride to O Mon or Binh Thuy.  Lunch in local restaurant in town.  Return to the hotel, check out and drive four hours back to your hotel in Saigon. Trip ends.

Contact Lotussia Travel for more details

The 3-day biking tour is customized for those travel to Vietnam from Phnom Penh, Cambodia. After crossing the Vietnam-Cambodia border gate in Phnom Penh, Chau Doc, you will begin your 3-day bicycl cycling towards Ho Chi Minh city (Saigon). You will bike through the Mekong Delta, pedaling Chau Doc, Long Xuyen, Can Tho. This is an easy bicycle tour since you cycle on flat paved roads and backroads in the Mekong Delta area. Bike through local hamlets, rice fields and experience the rural, aquatic life. Contact Lotussia Travel for more details.

Itinerary:

Day 1: Cambodia - Vietnam (Arrive in Chau Doc)

Arrive in Chau Doc in the afternoon, our biking guide and driver will meet you and transfer to hotel. Chau Doc, nestling at the foot of Sam Mountain on the Cambodian border, has a real frontier town feel to it. This busy little riverine town has large Cham, Khmer and ethnic Chinese communities and the distinctive architectural styles of each community can be seen in their places of worship around the town.

The rest day is your leisure. Overnight in Chau Doc.

 Day 2: Chau Doc - Long Xuyen - Can Tho (B,L,D)

Wake up early to enjoy boating to explore fishing village. Chau Doc is home to the Cham and Khmer cultures, floating farmhouses and the Islamic Chancel Cham minority settlement.

After breakfast, our guide will take you out for a fantastic boat cruise to Cham Village, where around 4000 Muslim people living in the area. Cham village where the people are Muslim and speak Malaysian which is kind of unusual for Vietnam. These people live in houses on the land but because of the flood water in the rainy season, they have to build them on stilts 3 metres high.

After Cham Village we move on to fishing village, where the local residents make a living from farming fish in cages under their houses. These catfish are far too expensive for the locals to eat and so are all exported, mostly to the USA. Even the houses are all floating they are still on the electricity grid as the girl at the front of boat found out.

Enjoy a short hike up to Sam Mountain to take a panoramic view over the Cambodian border. Transfer to Can Tho via Long Xuyen and Thot Not, where we visit Nature Reserve at Thot Not Bird Sanctuary.

Enjoy boating through the park to witness the beauty of flocks of White Stork birds returning to nest at sunset. Your viewing platform provides a wide view of this daily spectacle of nature.

Continue driving to Can Tho, where we spend our night.

Day 3: Can Tho- Saigon (B,L)

Wake up in the early morning to enjoy interesting boating to visit the most vibrant and bustling floating market of Cai Rang, where hundreds of boats of all sizes gather around for trading of their agricultural products. We will see a lively and colorful market on a large bend of the river.

Boat trip back to town for breakfast in the hotel. Our shuttle will bring us our of town and cross Can Tho ferry, we get off at Binh Minh, where we start to cycle on beautiful dirt road passing through local villages My Thanh, My Hoa, Tan Phu 2, Hoa Binh, Phu Hoa. Along the way we ride past through orchards and canals of peaceful countryside of Vietnam.

Our cycling finish at Vinh Long then we hop in bus and transfer the rest legs to Saigon. Trip ends.

Contact Lotussia Travel for more details.