Highlights
- Kick off the trip with an easy, warm-up ride around Da Lat
- Cycle from the highlands to the coast in time for an afternoon swim
- Take a train north to Quy Nhon and mingle with locals
- Explore markets, craftsmen, and historical sites along the way
- Enjoy small hotels and fresh seafood in various coastal towns
Brief Itinerary
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive in Ho Chi Minh City & Fly to Da Lat | Da Lat |
| Day 2 | Cycle to Nha Trang | Nha Trang |
| Day 3 | Train to Quy Nhon | Quy Nhon |
| Day 4 | Cycle to Tam Quan | Tam Quan |
| Day 5 | Cycle to Quang Ngai | Quang Ngai |
| Day 6 | Cycle to Tam Ky | Tam Ky |
| Day 7 | Cycle to Hoi An, Depart |
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Ho Chi Minh City & Fly to Da Lat
Welcome to Vietnam! Upon arrival in Ho Chi Minh City, you'll connect to a domestic flight to Da Lat where you'll be transferred to your hotel in town. After lunch and a briefing from your guide, each person in the group will receive a mountain bike to use during the upcoming trip. Then, it's time for a warm-up afternoon ride around town.
The character of Da Lat is still very much intact. It was a popular place with the French during colonial times due to the climate but has since become even more popular among middle-class Ho Chi Minh folk, who head here in droves to cool off in the beautiful highlands. The area is also known to have some of the best coffee in Asia. During this exploration ride around Da Lat, you'll cycle on a mix of paved roads and trails for views of pine forests, flower gardens, and coffee plantations.
Cycling Distance: 15.5 miles (25 km)
Day 2: Cycle to Nha Trang
After breakfast at your hotel, you and your group are in for a great ride as you cycle from the highlands all the way to the ocean. The challenging journey has both ascents and descents and eventually ends at sea level along peaceful backroads.
You'll also drive some of the distance to ensure you arrive in Nha Trang with enough free time to hit the beach and perhaps visit one of the brewpubs that have recently popped up, serving excellent craft beer.
Cycling distance: 46.6 miles (75 km)
Day 3: Train to Quy Nhon
Today you'll take a break from cycling in order to enjoy some free time in Nha Trang. You can either relax by the pool or head to the beach and throw down a towel. Better yet, try your hand at one of the many water activities along the waterfront.
After lunch, you'll board the train for a fun, slow-moving journey by rail that heads north along the coast. This is a much more relaxed way to travel than by road and the scenery includes a mix of beaches, villages, rice fields, and mountains. In other words, keep your camera close. Most of the other passengers you'll be riding with on the train will be Vietnamese and the buffet car is a good place to eat some awesome food and strike up some conversations with the locals.
You'll arrive in Quy Nhon in the early evening, transfer to your hotel, and then enjoy dinner in town.
Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip.
Day 4: Cycle to Tam Quan
The coastal section of this cycling adventure begins today as you leave Quy Nhon. In fact, the route meanders along a quiet back road on a sand dune peninsula with great views over the bay and up the mountains. You'll then see a great deal of coast as you undulate along the well-made road with friendly villagers waving and cheering you on.
At the end of the day, your group will take a short drive to get to the tiny village of Tam Quan where you'll having dinner and spend the night.
Cycling distance: 46.6 miles (75 km)
Day 5: Cycle to Quang Ngai
Today, you'll spend the morning riding along the coast before turning inland to see a new variety of terrain. This route encounters lush green hillsides as you cross several rivers on small wooden bridges and pass farmers tending to their rice fields and water buffalo.
Your home for the night will be the small city of Quang Ngai. Here you'll stay at a comfortable hotel with a pleasant river view and an abundance of food and cold drinks—a refreshing way to end the day.
Cycling distance: 52.8 miles (85 km)
Day 6: Cycle to Tam Ky
Get ready for an epic ride! But first, the day starts with a visit to one of Vietnam's more sobering sites: My Lai Massacre Memorial. It was here that a tragic event involving innocent civilians occurred in 1968, which became a turning point in the American-Vietnam war.
From here, you'll continue cycling along the coast while stopping to visit a rice paper maker and a mat weaver. Both are traditional forms of village industry that are becoming less common in cities; here in the countryside, the skills are very much alive. Once you arrive in Tam Ky, you'll dine on fresh seafood and stay the evening.
Cycling distance: 60 miles (96 km)
Day 7: Cycle to Hoi An & Depart
Today starts with a visit to a fresh market selling fish straight from the South China Sea. The vendors will be more than happy to pose for a photo—a real novelty in this authentic, off-the-beaten-path destination.
Next, continue riding along dirt roads through sleepy fishing villages with friendly faces popping out to say hello. You'll then take a boat ride to reach UNESCO-listed Hoi An. This is an intriguing, photogenic old town located a short distance from a beautiful beach where you can sit, relax, and sip a coconut to reward yourself.
Hoi An marks the end of your cycling journey! What happens next is up to you. Spend a few days in Hoi An, keep on traveling through Vietnam, or make your way back to Ho Chi Minh City for your return trip home. Have a safe journey!
Cycling distance: 34 miles (55 km)
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