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Road Cycling Hanoi to Hoi An
Duration
12 days
Site savings
$107
From
$3,443 USD
Wind through Vietnam’s fertile mountains, lush valleys, and scenic coastlines on this 12-day, 1,027-km cycling adventure along the historic Ho Chi Minh Highway. Pass tribal villages, ancient sites, and breathtaking landscapes as you uncover the cultural and historical richness of the region. From highland climbs to coastal flats, this journey will test your cycling endurance while immersing you in Vietnam’s warm hospitality, vibrant traditions, and unforgettable natural beauty.
- CategoryRoad Cycling
- TypeFully Guided
- Duration12 days
- Culture LevelAdventurous
- Skill Level4 - Advanced
- Activity Level4 - Challenging
- Elevation4 - Challenging
- TerrainMixed
- Distance638.1 miles
- Avg. Daily Distance70.8 miles
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Quick Stats
- Duration12 days
- Main DestinationHanoi
- Distance638.1 miles
- Avg. Daily Distance70.8 miles
- Elevation4 - Challenging
- TerrainMixed
Route Map (click to view larger image)
Itinerary Details
- Day 1Meet in Hanoi
Welcome to Hanoi—Vietnam’s capital and the cultural heart of the North! We recommend arriving a day or two early to soak up the city’s vibrant energy, where ancient heritage, French colonial charm, revolutionary history, and modern flair all converge. Take time to explore highlights like the Temple of Literature, Hoan Kiem Lake, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, and the bustling streets of the Old Quarter. On arrival day, you’ll meet the group at the tour hotel in the late afternoon for a trip briefing followed by a welcome dinner. If you need help arranging airport transfers or extra nights before the tour, just let us know!
- Le Jardin Hotel Haute Couture
- Dinner
- Day 2Hanoi - Mai Chau
You'll transfer about 1.5 hours from Hanoi to the eastern edge of Hoa Binh Province, where your cycling adventure begins. The ride starts on a gently rolling secondary road through peaceful countryside. After about 40 km, you’ll join a busier main road—your introduction to provincial traffic and Vietnam’s unofficial national soundtrack: honking! As you continue westward, the landscape transforms dramatically with limestone cliffs and mountain ridges rising ahead. After a lunch break, prepare for your first major challenge: a 10 km climb up the winding roads of Thung Khe Pass, offering sweeping views along the way. Your efforts are rewarded with a thrilling 10 km descent into the stunning Mai Chau Valley, where you'll arrive in a world of vibrant rice paddies and forested hills. Tonight, you’ll stay in a small hotel set among traditional stilt-house villages and enjoy a delicious dinner of local highland specialties.
- 57.2 miles
- 442.9 ft
4,527.6 ft
4,084.6 ft - Mai Chau Sunset Hotel
- Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Day 3Mai Chau - Ngoc Lac
After enjoying breakfast in your hotel’s traditional stilt house, you’ll cycle through the heart of rural life in the Mai Chau Valley. Depending on the season, early mornings are alive with farmers and their buffaloes tending the rice fields. At around 15 km, you’ll reach the banks of the gentle Song Ma River and follow its path for the next 45 km. The road winds through a narrow valley lined with terraced fields and forested hillsides. The terrain is mostly flat, with a few short but punchy climbs along the way. After stopping for lunch at a local restaurant, you’ll head south of the river into the lush countryside of Thanh Hoa Province. Two steady climbs of about 5 km each lead you into the market town of Ngoc Lac, where you’ll spend the night. Off the tourist trail, this quiet town offers a truly local experience.
- 60.3 miles
- -272.3 ft
3,090.6 ft
3,362.9 ft - Sky Hotel
- Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Day 4Ngoc Lac - Thai Hoa
Today, you’ll join the Ho Chi Minh Highway—a 2,000 km route built after the war to connect Hanoi to Saigon and develop Vietnam’s remote highlands. Over the next three days, you’ll ride some of its most scenic and peaceful sections, beginning with the journey to Thai Hoa. The highway winds through the foothills of the Truong Son Mountains, offering a steady rhythm of rolling ups and downs—perfect for smooth and fast-paced road biking. About halfway through, you’ll break for lunch at a roadside eatery before continuing past ever-changing views of farmland, forest, and mountains. Toward the end of the day, you’ll turn off the main road onto quieter lanes, arriving in Thai Hoa through its scenic backroads. Tonight, you’ll stay in a hotel beside the Hieu River and enjoy dinner with the friendly locals in this lively riverside town.
- 66.5 miles
- 32.8 ft
3,556.4 ft
3,523.6 ft - Thai Hoa Riverside Hotel
- Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Day 5Thai Hoa - Pho Chau
Leaving Thai Hoa, you’ll start the day riding along peaceful secondary roads that wind through wide-open countryside. After 43 km, you’ll rejoin the Ho Chi Minh Highway at a historic landmark—the “Kilometer Zero” marker of the legendary Ho Chi Minh Trail. From here, you’re cycling along a route steeped in history. Once cloaked in dense jungle, this area served as a crucial launch point for northern forces during the war. Today, it’s transformed into fertile farmland bordered by green, rolling hills. As you follow the highway through this serene landscape, your ride ends with a gentle descent into Pho Chau district, where a quiet hotel awaits. Cool off with a refreshing swim in the pool before gathering for dinner.
- 80.8 miles
- -105 ft
3,484.3 ft
3,589.2 ft - Minh Tuh Hotel
- Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Day 6Pho Chau - Phong Nha
Gear up for the longest ride of the tour—and one of the most breathtaking. Today, you’ll make your way toward the edge of Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its vast cave systems, underground rivers, and dramatic limestone formations. Starting from Pho Chau, you’ll cover the first 75 km quickly along a flat, straight stretch of the Ho Chi Minh Highway. Then, the road begins to climb, winding through jungle-clad hills and rugged limestone karsts. At around the 140 km mark, you’ll face the day’s toughest ascent—a 5 km climb to the top of a mountain pass. But the payoff is worth it: a rewarding descent followed by a relaxing 35 km ride through the tranquil plains of the Son River. You’ll finish the day at a scenic lakeside resort, where you can rest your legs and recharge during a well-earned two-night stay.
- 116.2 miles
- -9.8 ft
5,744.8 ft
5,754.6 ft - Phong Nha Lake House Resort
- Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Day 7Phong Nha Exploration
This morning, you’ll give your legs a break from cycling—but not from adventure—as you explore the extraordinary cave systems of Phong Nha. Your day begins with a short transfer to Paradise Cave, where a 400-step climb leads you to its entrance. The cave stretches an incredible 31 km, with one kilometer open for visitors. You’ll walk along a well-lit wooden pathway, surrounded by towering rock formations shaped by thousands of years of water erosion.
After resurfacing, you’ll head to the river for a boat cruise along the peaceful Son River to Phong Nha Cave. The cave entrance still bears the marks of wartime bombings, a reminder of when it served as a supply depot and hospital during the Vietnam War. Once inside, the boat’s engine is cut, and you’ll drift silently into an enormous chamber filled with stalactites and stalagmites that glisten like melting candle wax.
Following the return cruise, you’ll stop for lunch before heading back to the resort. The rest of the afternoon is yours—unwind by the pool, paddle on the lake, or indulge in a well-deserved massage.- Phong Nha Lake House
- Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Day 8Phong Nha - Vinh Moc
Today, you’re back on the bike as you leave the Ho Chi Minh Highway behind and begin heading south toward the coast of the South China Sea. The day starts with a scenic 30 km ride along rural roads leading to the mouth of the Song Dinh River, where you’ll cross a wooden bridge surrounded by vibrant fishing villages. From there, you’ll follow the shoreline of Nhat Le Beach into the bustling port city of Dong Hoi, where you’ll stop for lunch and take in the dramatic change in scenery—from lush highlands to sandy coast.
After lunch, you’ll ride through flat coastal plains on quiet backroads. The final 25 km are especially memorable, with part of the route hugging a concrete beach road that offers sweeping views over the Gulf of Tonkin. In a few sandy stretches, you may need to hop off and push your bike, but the coastal scenery makes it worthwhile. You’ll finish the day in the seaside village of Vinh Moc, perched on a rocky headland. Later in the afternoon, you’ll visit the Vinh Moc Tunnels—an extensive underground network built during the Vietnam War to shelter villagers from relentless bombings. As you explore the narrow passageways and living quarters, you’ll gain a powerful glimpse into the resilience of those who once lived here.- 82.6 miles
- -62.3 ft
2,139.1 ft
2,201.4 ft - Hotel Eo Bien Xanh
- Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Day 9Vinh Moc - Hue
Leaving Vinh Moc, you’ll cross a picturesque bridge spanning an estuary that flows into the Gulf of Tonkin, then ride 16 km along a scenic coastal road. Another bridge takes you over the mouth of the Song Thach Han River before the route turns inland, passing through a more populated stretch of Vietnam’s central coast. At the 60 km mark, you’ll reach Tam Giang Lagoon—part of the largest lagoon system in Southeast Asia. Riding along its eastern edge, you’ll take in views of calm, brackish waters dotted with floating gardens, aquaculture ponds, and fishing villages.
At around 80 km, you’ll cross the Tam Giang Bridge and follow the Perfume River into Hue. Today’s ride is the flattest of the tour, allowing you to cover ground efficiently and arrive in Hue by early afternoon. This gives you time to explore the UNESCO-listed Imperial City—a vast, walled citadel that once served as the political, religious, and cultural centre of the Nguyen Dynasty, Vietnam’s last royal rulers. If time permits, you may also choose to visit one of the elaborate royal tombs just outside the city (optional, entrance fee not included). With plenty of great restaurants in Hue, dinner tonight is up to you.- 59 miles
- -6.6 ft
1,017.1 ft
1,023.6 ft - Emm Hotel Hue
- Breakfast and Lunch
- Day 10Hue - Lang Co
Navigating out of Hue’s lively streets, you’ll head east toward the coast. The first 40 km can be busy, as you follow a main road south through vibrant communities nestled between lagoons and the sea. Soon, you’ll veer onto quieter backroads for a visit to An Bang Cemetery—known as the “City of Ghosts.” This is one of Vietnam’s largest and most surreal cemeteries, filled with rows of colorful, elaborately decorated mausoleums that stretch out across the sandy terrain. You’ll take your time riding through the soft paths, soaking in the haunting beauty of this remarkable site.
From there, you’ll rejoin the main route, which soon runs alongside the tranquil wetlands and mangrove forests of Cau Hai Lagoon—a peaceful contrast to the morning’s bustle. The final 30 km take you along a mix of secondary and main roads before arriving at Lang Co Beach, a stunning coastal strip with powdery white sand and crystal-clear waters. You’ll have the rest of the afternoon free to relax and enjoy the comforts of the seaside resort where you’ll spend the night.- 60.9 miles
- 19.7 ft
1,738.8 ft
1,719.2 ft - Lang Co Beach Resort
- Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Day 11Lang Co - Hoi An
From Lang Co, your day begins with a scenic 15 km loop around the tranquil Lap An Lagoon, framed by misty mountains and speckled with oyster farms. Then it’s time for one of Vietnam’s most iconic rides—the Hai Van Pass. Over 10 thrilling kilometers of winding road, you’ll climb nearly 500 meters on smooth tarmac, with sweeping views of the South China Sea and jungle-covered slopes unfolding beside you.
At the summit, take a well-earned break before descending the pass—a fast and fun 10 km ride into the bustling city of Da Nang. As you navigate the bay-hugging road to your lunch stop, expect a lively mix of city traffic and ocean views. After lunch, the ride continues along the coastline, passing the Marble Mountains and stretching toward the final highlight of your journey—Hoi An.
A gem of a town and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hoi An enchants with its blend of Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, and French architecture. Once a vibrant trading port, today it’s a cultural treasure. This evening, celebrate your incredible cycling adventure with a well-deserved farewell dinner.- 54.7 miles
- -13.1 ft
3,074.1 ft
3,087.3 ft - La Charm Hoi An Hotel & Spa
- Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Day 12Hoi An Departure