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Vietnam – Guided Central Coast Highlights Bicycle Tour

(2 Reviews)

7 Nights / 8 Days
Difficulty: Fit 3 out of 5
Supported Road Cycling Tour
Year Round Availability
45 km/Day
Bike Choices & Details
We recommend booking 3-6 months in advance

“The trip was wonderful and exceeded all expectations”

Vietnam Privately Guided Bike Tour of the Central Coast:
Grab your bike and get ready to explore the beauty of North and Central Vietnam from cities to the countryside, with numerous UNESCO World Heritage Sites! Your journey starts in Hanoi, the 1000-year-old capital of Vietnam then continues through the Hanoi countryside, where the mountains and the rice fields form splendid trekking and cycling routes. The next stop is the famous Halong Bay, where some 1900 islands and islets create a spectacular marine landscape of limestone pillars, which serve as an idyllic place to enjoy kayaking and swimming. Then fly to the center of Vietnam, home to Hue, the former imperial capital of the country, and Hoi An, the charming UNESCO World Heritage Site. Avoiding the hustle and bustle of touristy sites, you will cycle in the serene countryside, where you will discover remote sanctuaries and gorgeous beaches. A journey overflowing with cultural and natural explorations awaits you.

What is privately guided travel and how is it different than group tours?

Vietnam Bike Tour Arrival & Departure Locations

Tour begins in Hanoi and finishes in Hoi An. Airport transfers to/from Hanoi Airport are included.

Price Includes

Accommodation in the category chosen or similar (subject to availability)
Meals as mentioned in the program B,L,D (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
All local boat rental and bicycle rentals as mentioned in the program
Cruise in Ha Long Bay on a non-private junk (Vietnamese boat)
Transfer from and to the airports by private vehicle with A/C
All transportation by private vehicle with A/C
All entrance fees and sightseeing as mentioned in the program
Local English speaking guide(s) in Vietnam
All tips for bellboys, drivers, mechanics, vendors, boat rowers
Snacks, mineral waters, and soft drinks throughout the cycling days
Support vehicle during cycling days
Mechanic for a group size of 3 persons plus
Snack & plenty of water, bikes, and helmets are provided and included in the quotation
Tips for other services (driver, mechanic, hotel porter, pre-arranged restaurants, boat cruise in Halong) are included (tour guide tips not included)

Not Included:

Meals and drinks not mentioned in the program
International flights and in-country flights
Visa fees upon arrival in Vietnam
Tips for guides are excluded-tipping guideline provided
Travel Insurance is required

Vietnam Bike Tour Lodging

Included Standard Lodging:

Hanoi: Soleil Hotel*** Deluxe room
Halong: Orchid Trendy 20 Cabins Deluxe Balcony
Hue: Villa Hue *** in Royal Superior room
Hoi An: Mulberry Collection Silk Eco Hotel in Superior City room

Upgraded Lodging:

Hanoi: La Siesta Premium Hange Be *** in Executive room
Halong: Orchid Trendy 20 Cabins Deluxe Balcony
Hue: Eldora Hotel **** in Deluxe Panorama View room
Hoi An: Hoi An Central Boutique Hotel & Spa **** in Deluxe room

About: Lodging is available in either Standard or Upgraded category, subject to availability.

Optional Add-Ons

Extra Nights in Vietnam
Trip Extension to Siem Reap, Cambodia
Travel Insurance is Required
Fast Track Visa Services
Flights Danang-Hanoi or Saigon

Guides & Local Support

Local Expert: One of our local Vietnamese guides will accompany all rides and help with transfers throughout this trip. Kien is just one of our locals who may take your trip: “Xin Chao”, my name is Kien. I have been guiding tourists in Vietnam since 2005 even though I started my career as an English teacher. Guiding has offered me a lot of opportunities to meet different people and to broaden my mind. I love my country, especially her spectacular nature and rich cultural features.”

Tour Highlights Vietnam Central Coast Bike Tour

Rural cycling with local markets, farms, pagodas, and temples
Incredible historic sites that date back to the Fourth Century
Tiny villages connected by dirt paths and country roads
Local experiences around culture, food, and day-to-day living
Cruise tour and overnight in Halong Bay, with seafood & fishing
Numerous UNESCO World Heritage Sites tick all of the boxes!

Need to Know:

Short and longer riding options available, and moderate level cycling is on paved surfaces.
All rides are supported by a local specialist to help navigate and show highlights.
This trip is supported/guided but functions similarly to a self-guided trip.
Minimum 2 persons for any date, rates decrease with more participants.

Photos from Vietnam

Itinerary - Private Guided Vietnam Bike Tour

Day 1Hanoi Arrival

Upon your arrival in French colonial Hanoi, your guide will welcome you at the airport and then transfer to your hotel for check in. After settling into hotel room, you will have a bike fitting and logistics talk before going through the Old Quarter by walking tour. Discover the bustling streets of the “Quarter of the 36 guilds’’ – a place of unique charm and endless activity: artisans, tinsmiths, jewelers, calligraphers, carpenters, leather or rattan goods, people selling fans, lacquer ware, silk, mats, paper, pipes and so much more. Then, take a stroll around Sword Lake and stop to visit the beautiful Ngoc Son Temple on an island in the middle of the lake, accessed via a red wooden bridge. In the evening, enjoy a welcome dinner at a nice local restaurant where you will begin your exploration of the culinary delicacies of Vietnam, and have a trip orientation and talk about how to bike in Vietnam with your guide.

Meals: dinner
Highlights: orientation, explore Hanoi, welcome dinner
Overnight: Hanoi

Day 2Cycling Escape to Hanoi Surroundings

This morning, you will be picked up at your hotel in the morning and travel to the other side of the Red river where you will start your cycling escape. You will come to the Long Bien district and ride along the less busy back roads of a Hanoi suburb and then into the countryside. Along the way, you will discover various peaceful villages, still less developed and well-preserved, such as the ceramic village of Bat Trang, the new ceramic museum and Phung Cong flower and bonsai village. The tour will see and visit a mix of historical and modern sites, such as the Chu Dong Tu temple. After lunch you will travel back in your vehicle to Hanoi where you will arrive at around 3pm.

Meals: breakfast, lunch
Distance: 35 km / 22 miles, ~4 hrs; mostly paved flat roads
Overnight: Hanoi

Day 3Hanoi - Ha Long Bay

In the morning, you will travel to Hai Long city and arrive around noon. From there, you will embark on a cruise in the must-see Halong Bay. This world-famous bay is one of the most beautiful landscapes in Vietnam, with its giant rock islets covered in lush vegetation overlooking the waters. Halong Bay includes some 1,900 islands and islets of rocky peaks, often uninhabited and unvisited. This scene creates a spectacular marine landscape, which earned its UNESCO World Heritage status in 1994. You will be served lunch and dinner aboard with excellent, freshly caught seafood from the bay. At the end of the day, you will have the chance to enjoy a night fishing session on the boat!

Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Highlights: cruise tour in Halong Bay, UNESCO site, seafood & fishing
Overnight: Halong Bay Junk

Day 4Halong – Hanoi – Hue

Wake up early in the morning to enjoy the aquamarine waters of the bay at its best! After breakfast and an early swim (if weather permits,) we continue cruising to visit an isolated beach and floating village. Disembark and head back to Hanoi Airport for an evening flight to Hue City, the former capital of Vietnam and also known as a UNESCO Heritage Site of Centre Vietnam. Upon arrival you will be welcomed by local guide and transferred to your hotel for check in.

Meals: breakfast
Highlights: harbor cruise, Hue City UNESCO site
Overnight: Hue

Day 5Cycling in Hue

In the morning your guide will meet you at your hotel and a short briefing will be given. The tour will start by cycling to the Imperial Citadel. Following a tour of the Citadel, you will pedal towards Phu Mong Village, a former Mandarin village with ancient and charming architecture. Then you will continue the ride in the cool shade towards an ancient garden house called Xuan Vien Tieu Cung. Here, you will be welcomed by a local family and share a cup of green tea, along with fresh fruit from the garden. After saying good bye to your host you will continue your journey to Thien Mu pagoda.

Next, you will cross the river with a local ferry before continuing cycling towards Thuy Bieu Village. Here, you can admire the quiet and superb landscape of Hue: rice fields, fruit trees and vegetable gardens. You will then arrive at your lunch place, which is a very nice house. In the afternoon you will follow and admire the marvelous Perfume River. After the descent, you go through a village where you can learn about making incense and traditional hats. Moving on, you will pedal until arriving at Tu Duc Tomb. After the visit of the Tomb, you will cycle to the Lagoon to enjoy a tour at the fishing village, see the fishing farm and enjoying a sunset on a local restaurant. After this experience you will be transferred back to your hotel.

Meals: breakfast, lunch
Distance: 45 km / 28 miles – mostly flat; paved and dirt roads
Highlights: Imperial Citadel, garden house visit, pagoda, Tu Doc Tomb
Overnight: Hue

Day 6Hue – Laguna Lang Co – Hoi An

Today you will begin cycling along the village road from Ngoc Anh to the village of Vinh Ve and Chuon Lagoon, which is part of the famous Tam Giang Lagoon. This old village attracts visitors with its beauty of traditional architecture, old pavilions, complex designs and intricate carvings of dragons. Rural paths and the river take visitors through golden paddy fields, which extend to the Chuon Lagoon. Take a break at the local coffee shop and enjoy the picturesque view! Continue heading to Tu Hien Beach, where your route finishes, via village paths, enjoying the tranquil landscapes and the freshest air. After lunch, your last ride is to Phuoc Tuong. Here you will be transferred by car to Hoi An via the scenic road and the Hai Van Pass.

Meals: breakfast, lunch
Distance: 65 km / 40 miles – light climbing +60m; mostly flat, paved roads
Highlights: Chuon Lagoon, Tu Hien Beach
Overnight: Hoi An

Day 7Cycle Hoi An

Today you start cycling by following the small paths that link the many small villages of the area, passing by multiple rice fields, shrimp ponds and the blue canal of Old Town. Walk your bicycle through tiny alleys, exploring the culture and lifestyle of Hoi An, just as a local would. Continue the ride to another small village, where you will be surrounded by tall areca trees that tower up into the sky. Here you will have time for a break and can try some delicious grilled seafood and coconut rice paper, offered to you in welcome at a local home. Take a ride through lush sedge fields to a mat weaving village and from there, the local ferry will return you to Ancient Town. Continue cycling to Tra Que Village – the charming little village that is famous for many kinds of vegetables, passing through rippling fields silhouetted by gently swaying coconut trees. Visit with a local host in Tra Que, then relax with a foot massage and enjoy a local meal. In the afternoon, you will return to the city by car or cycling (maximum 5 kilometers.) Rest at the hotel before heading back out for sightseeing in the old town of Hoi An. End your day with a delicious cocktail besides the beautiful canal.

Meals: breakfast, lunch
Distance: 35 km / 22 miles
Highlights: Old Town exploration, home visits, local experiences
Overnight: Hoi An

Day 8Hoi An – My Son – Danang & Departure

Today, set out on Hoi An’s characteristically narrow streets before reaching a small pier, where you’ll take a local ferry to cross the river. At your first stop, you will meet a local craftsman and get a closer look at the beautiful wooden furniture. After this visit and some more cycling, you will have the opportunity to stop in a local house and try your hand at rice paper making, a delightful, authentic experience that seems simple, but requires some talent! After you make and eat your delicious snack, continue on the main road for a few minutes before heading off the beaten tracks to completely immerse yourself in the rural countryside.

After the lunch break, you will visit the My Son sanctuary: the most important Cham archaeological site in central Vietnam. Dating back to the 4th up to the 13th centuries, the 70-building complex demonstrates that the Cham civilization was contemporary with and rather close to Khmer civilization, which makes My Son comparable to sites like Angkor in Cambodia, Borobudur in Indonesia, and Bagan in Myanmar. After exploring the sanctuary, you will travel directly to Danang airport for your departure flight.

We recommend pre-booking a flight from Danang and arranging a hotel for this night. Ask us for assistance.

Meals: breakfast, lunch
Distance: 45 km / 28 miles
Highlights: UNESCO-listed My Son

Map - Vietnam Central Coast Bike Tour

Dates & Rates

Dates: Plan your trip at a time that best fits your schedule! Pure Adventures tours have flexible start dates.

2024 Tour Rates: Per person, based on 2 participants (double occupancy)
High Season: Jan 10 – April 30, October 1 – December 20, 2024
Low Season: May 1 – September 30, 2024

Superior Three & Four-Star Hotels:

2 persons: from $2574 and $2542 USD/person
4 persons: from $2204 and $2170 USD/person
6 persons: from $1871 and $1837 USD/person
Single Supplements (when 2 or more travel but want single occupancy rooms): $444/$421USD

Upgraded First Class Lodging – Four & Five Star-Hotels:

2 persons: from $2687 and $2638 USD/person
4 persons: from $2320 and $2270 USD/person
6 persons: from $1988 and $1939 USD/person
Single Supplements (when 2 or more travel but want single occupancy rooms): $554/$517USD

Need to Know:

Above rates are not valid for the period of Christmas, New Year (normally from 20 Dec to
10 Jan), Chinese/ Vietnamese New Year, Independence Day (30 April), May Day,
National Day (02 Sep), and Songkran festival (13-16 April).
Rates are subject to hotel availability on your requested dates.

Hybrid/Mountain Bike Rental Included: Bike Rental Details Page

Internal Flights: Estimated at $125 Hanoi-Hui, subject to change and in addition to the above.

Express Fast Track Visa Services are available when paid in advance: $135/person for single entry.

What is privately guided travel and how is it different than group tours?

How do our tours compare to similar trips? You Get More! In our private guided format, you get much more than what most traditional tours offer, plus it’s a better experience! Our team has gone to great lengths to build and create exceptional tours all over the world, vacations that will give you lifelong memories. From the accommodations to the bikes to the routes themselves, we hold each component of our tours to a very high standard. We are dedicated to empowering people through travel!

Ready to book? Our well-traveled, knowledgeable, and dedicated team is standing by and eager to make your travel dreams come true. Call now at 800-960-2221 (USA/Canada 8 am-5 pm MST) +1-970-230-5896 or email us.

2 Reviews

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Anonymous Reviewer

Couple Traveller

The trip was wonderful and exceeded all expectations. We expected to be on our own with just a road map or GPS, but actually had a fully guided and supported private tour for the two of us. The hotels, meals, and activities all were first class. My only suggestions are: 1. Provide a guide to tipping the guides and divers. We had no idea of what was appropriate. 2. Prospective clients should be advised that although the biking is not strenuous, it is in very chaotic and heavy traffic and on narrow rough trails that require good biking and traffic skills. 3. Although the people are exceptionally friendly and the hotels and provided meals are first rate, it should be be made clear to prospective clients that the travel is in poor third world countries with pollution and third world problems. This is adventure travel, not leisure travel. 4. With the right frame of mind, this is the trip of a lifetime!

April 9, 2018

Leigh Lewis