Cycling Vietnam - Premium Adventure

Discover Vietnam from south to north by bike, while staying in handpicked premium accommodation

Awaken your senses as you ride from lively Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, in the south to the alluring capital of Hanoi in the north. Cycle on paved roads through colourful fishing villages, folding rice terraces and jungle-cloaked mountains on this expertly guided two-week premium cycling adventure. White sandy beaches also await, with time to unwind and recharge on a tropical island at the tranquil MerPerle Hon Tam Resort. Continue to the ancient trading port of Hoi An, home to temples and unique architecture, and delve into the peacefulness of rural Vietnam before ascending the thrilling Hai Van Pass, riding along twisting coastal roads that lead to remarkable views before finally experiencing the limestone cliffs of Ha Long Bay as you enjoy sunset drinks on a traditional yet luxurious boat.

People, Places & Planet

We work hard to create trips that improve life for the people and places we visit, and look after the planet we explore. Find out more about our sustainable travel ethos and practice here, and find out about the work of the Exodus Travels Foundation here.

Some sustainable travel highlights of this trip include:

People

How this trip helps improve life for local communities.

• The use of a local guide and cycling support team means our customers will be well informed about local traditions, and cultural and social sensitivities.
• This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally owned hotels and restaurants, the emphasis on eating locally produced food and support of other local enterprise.
• There is the option to see a traditional folk dancing or water puppet show in Ho Chi Minh City. This encourages local customs to continue and creates employment opportunities.
• In Hoi An, we also stop by a shop called Reaching Out, which sells gifts handmade by artisans with disabilities – helping them to develop their talent and independence.
• In Hanoi, we include a farewell dinner at KOTO (Know One, Teach One), an NGO that provides a two-year course in hospitality, English and life skills training to groups of 16 to 22-year-olds from disadvantaged backgrounds. Students also receive accommodation, food, medical check-ups and treatment while they train. Many of the 400-plus graduates have gone on to continue developing their careers at KOTO restaurants or have gained employment elsewhere with their training so this is a great initiative to support.

Places

How this trip helps protect and conserve local landscapes and nature.

• Read about our commitment to nature protection and restoration here, including our rewilding commitment for every customer who travels.
• By travelling in a small group, led by a local guide, we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment. On this trip, some parts of the itinerary stay in smaller towns using accommodation outside of busy cities.
• Our trips adhere to ABTA’s industry-leading animal welfare guidelines to ensure the best possible practices with regard to working animals and wildlife viewing. Our animal welfare policy can be found here.
  
• We work with our partners on the ground to proactively eliminate or reduce waste, for example eliminating all single-use plastic water bottles and instead providing refills for re-usable bottles.

• During our time in the Ha Long Bay area, we visit the Ha Long Women's Association in Hon Gai township. The association is a local sustainable initiative that is committed to cleaning up waste in Ha Long Bay and upcyling any waste where possible into items of value.  Our visit helps support the women who are involved and to help ensure the contiuation of this conservation initiative.
• We provide clients with a reusable tote bag at the start of the tour (made in Hanoi), offering an alternative to single-use plastic bags and a souvenir to take home.

 Planet

How we seek to keep the carbon footprint of this trip low.

• Read about our climate action here, including our carbon reduction and compensation commitments.
• We choose to travel on the overnight train from Hue to Hanoi as opposed to taking an internal flight.
• Accommodation and restaurants in the itinerary use locally-sourced food which has not been transported long distances.
• Vegetarian and vegan options are available at majority of accommodation and restaurants.

 Tips for sustainable travel on this trip

• Leave no trace: We do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish behind in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, we’d ask you to consider bringing recyclable materials home with you.
• Plastic waste reduction: Please bring your own re-usable water bottle on this trip; filtered water will be provided where tap water is not drinkable.
• Cultural respect:
  • Please remember that you will be expected to cover your legs and arms (to the elbow) during visits to temples and sacred sites so packing a sarong or other suitable clothing is recommended. Also remember to remove hats when visiting a sacred site.
  • Do not rest your chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice as this symbolises the burning of incense (which is usually reserved for times of mourning).
  • One should not show the soles of their feet or touch someone’s head, both are considered disrespectful.

Visa

Vietnam

Travellers from the UK normally do not need a visa to enter Vietnam for visits up to 15 days, while US citizens normally do need a visa to enter. Visa requirements for EU citizens vary by country.

Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/asia/vietnam
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/vietnam
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/vietnam
• USA:  www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Vietnam.html

Vaccination

Vietnam

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to speak to your doctor or travel clinic about vaccinations for hepatitis A, tetanus, typhoid, cholera, hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, rabies and tuberculosis. The risk of malaria is slight, but you may want to consult your doctor or travel clinic for further advice.

Similarly, dengue and zika, both viral diseases spread by mosquitoes, are known risks in Vietnam. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available, so we strongly recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Eating and Drinking

All breakfasts, nine lunches and seven dinners are included.

Thanks to the tropical climate, the long coast and the gigantic range of mountains, Vietnam is blessed with a large variety of culinary offerings – maintaining a reputation as one of the healthiest, most delicious cuisines in the world.

Vietnamese food relies on fresh fish, vegetables, rice and a myriad of verdant herbs and spices; lemongrass, ginger, basil and lime all play an important role in the cuisine. The Chinese and French influence is felt throughout the country, where you are just as likely to be offered banh mi (stuffed baguette) as you are a steaming bowl of pho (noodle soup).

Each dish is prepared with the Asian principle of Wu Xing (five elements) in mind; meaning the perfect combination of spicy, sour, bitter, salty and sweet is the aim. Be sure to also seek out the national beverages. Vietnamese coffee is served iced and sweet with condensed milk, a real sugar and caffeine hit, and beer hoi (local beer, brewed daily) is served on most street corners in the north out of large plastic jugs perfect for sharing.

Food is cheap and you can generally avoid the spicier dishes if you wish. Western food is readily available almost everywhere.

Vegetarians are well catered for but please inform us before departure of any special dietary requests.

Please note that in Southeast Asia the availability of certain specialised products for restricted diets (eg gluten-free or dairy-free) is minimal or non-existent and we strongly recommend you bring these specialised dietary items from home.

You may find it beneficial to bring some cycling snacks with you from home if you have energy bars or gels you like to use during a ride.

For those who wish to contribute, a kitty is normally arranged – fresh fruit, nuts, biscuits and local snacks are all provided from the snacking kitty along with homemade lemonade if the season is right.

Weather

The weather will be hot and humid throughout with daytime temperatures usually between 28C and 34C (82F and 93F). It is only a little cooler at nights.

There is quite a range of seasons between the north and south: the south up to Hue has a distinct dry season between December to April and then a rainy season from May to November when it tends to come in short, heavy bursts with bright sunshine in between. Hanoi is cool in autumn, and even gets chilly between November and February (with a drizzly rain).

There is no ideal time to visit Vietnam, it is quite pleasant year-round; however, due to the shape of the country, it is unlikely the weather will ever be perfect for the entire duration of any trip.

The Ha Long Bay boat trip can be subject to change at short notice if certain adverse weather conditions develop. These could occur year-round, but especially in monsoon season (October to April). Ha Long Bay boat trips are governed by local authorities who are authorised to make appropriate safety decisions. If your Ha Long Bay trip is affected by adverse weather, this could either result in a reduced excursion on Ha Long Bay for your group or (less likely) the need to re-arrange the itinerary if it is not possible to go out on Ha Long Bay. While this is not a frequent occurrence, our local team and leaders are well equipped to handle such situations and have long offered appropriate options to groups in the instances where this may occur.

Is this trip for you?

This Premium Adventure is rated Activity Level 3 (Moderate) and classified Road.

• Nine days of cycling (including one optional ride)
• Average 43mi (70km) per day with 90 percent vehicle support

Terrain and route: The roads are mostly well-paved and the route is generally flat (with some undulation) except for Dalat and the Hai Van Pass. Vietnam can be very hot and humid, which can make cycling more demanding, but rests and water are readily available. You should be comfortable riding in traffic.

This is a busy trip with early departures on cycling days; anyone not wanting to cycle all day can use the support vehicle.

Please note, if your leader feels the itinerary is running behind schedule on cycling days and has concerns about arriving at the hotel on time, they may ask some or all members of the group to finish their riding for the day and transfer to the support vehicle. This will ensure the group still arrives on schedule around the approximate expected arrival times communicated to the group in your daily briefings with your leader.

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.