Day 1: Arrive Hanoi
Greeting at Noibai airport and transfer to your hotel. Start a walking tour to discover the 1000 year old Old Quarter in the heart of Hanoi. Accommodation in Hanoi. (D)
Day 2: Hanoi
Today we have a biking tour to explore ancient villages in Red river delta which are not affected by the world outside and modern developments: bamboo scenes, rice and maize fields, silent, simple life, natural and hospitable local farmers. Lunch at a local house. This is a good chance to make contact with the local, even take part in local people’s farm work if it is harvest time (May and End of Sep). Drive back Hanoi in the late afternoon. (B, L).
Day 3: Hanoi - Mai chau
Morning drive about 40km out of Ha Noi to Hoa binh mountainous province, home to Muong and Thai minorities. Set up the bikes and start riding on the beautiful and traffic-free back roads and through the villages and sugar-cane fields. Meet the local people and farmers along the way, and occasionally make conversations with the pupils on their bikes going home from school. Picnic lunch on the way.
Heading up to Maichau, enjoy the scenery and learn about the Thai people's life and culture. Overnight in Mai Chau. (B,L,D)
Biking distance: 20 to 40km, intermediate biking
Day 4: Mai Chau - Hanoi
After breakfast, drive up to higher mountain, Set up the bikes and ride down hill, make contact with ethnic people on the way, take pictures of wonderful scenery surrounding mountains. Enjoy a picnic lunch, then return to Hanoi (3.5 hour). (B,L)
Biking distance: 20 to 30km, intermediate biking
Day 5: Hanoi - Halong
Depart at 8am for a 3.5 hour drive through the picturesque countryside to Ha Long Bay. Upon arrival embark on a Deluxe Junk . Welcome drink is offered by the friendly and professional captain and his crew. Lunch is prepared by a celebrated local chef while the boat is gliding lazily across the unbelievably calm sea, with thousands of precipitous limestone peaks jutting dramatically out of the water. Explore the bay and visit its floating villages by tender or kayak, take part in fish catching with local fishmen, or swim and relax on one of the bay’s secluded beaches. Accommodation on board. (B,L,D)
Day 6: Halong - Hanoi - Hoian
A new day dawns bringing the pleasures of the early morning and a sunrise at sea. After breakfast, continue exploring the fantastically-shaped islets, visit floating houses and picturesque fishing village and pearl farms. An early lunch is served before disembarking the boat at noon. Drive to Noi Bai airport and depart for a one hour flight to Da Nang - Hoi an, the charming ancient town, famous as the 17th century trading port of Fai Fo, with its fascinating mix of Chinese, Japanese and French architecture. Overnight in Hoi An. (B,L)
Day 7: Hoian
Hoi An appearson ancient South East Asia maps as one of the major trading ports from 15th to 17th century. It is a lovely ancient town withnarrow streets lined with buildings representing a mix of architectural styles, some of which are not seen anywhere else in Vietnam today.
Today, start early to visit the waterfront fish market and Hoi An Central Market to see how local people prepare for the market day. Leisure cycling tour of this historic town and visit some of the highlights, including the Temples of Phuc Kien and Quang Dong, and the 16th century Japanese Covered Bridge. Visit a local home and watch them make their famous silk lanterns. You can learn to make your own lantern to bring home. Accommodation in Hoian. (B,L)
Biking distance: 15 to 20km, easy biking
Day 8: Hoi an
Continue cycling to the countryside of Hoi An to visit Tra Que a village, popular for its great herb farms located 15 km from Hoi An. Join the local farmers transplanting herbs and making herb bundles. Lunch in the village will be prepared by the lady of the house with special village recipe using the herb bundles in a pork and fresh shrimp dish. After lunch, continue cycling along the quiet roads to Cam Thanh and Cam Kim villages through the rice and fish farms, until we reach the Cua Dai beach for a sunset view and relax. Accommodation in Hoian. (B,L,D)
Biking distance: 20 to 30km, easy biking
Day 9: Hoian - Hue
Today we will cycle along the coast from Hoi An to Hue with stops at the Marble Mountain, offering a hike up to see a nice complex of cave pagoda and temples, and the Cham Museum where artifacts and sculptures from the Cham civilization are kept. The biggest challenge of the whole trip is over Hai Van Pass - "Pass of the High Clouds" - Vietnam's geographical border between the north and south. A great view of the fantastic coastline will unfold before us as we travel along side beautiful white sandy beaches, deep blue waters, past endless green rice paddies and rolling hills covered in trees. Accommodation in Hue (B,L,D)
Biking distance: 60 to 80km, intermediate biking
Day 10: Hue
Tour the symbol of Hue, the 19th century Royal Citadel and learn the story of Vietnam’s royal past under the Nguyen Dynasty. Explore the moated ruins of the Forbidden Purple City. Cycle through the small villages in the countryside or Hue, stopping on the way to visit families that make Vietnamese traditional conical hat and an incense making village. In the late afternoon free at leisure or exploration of the bustling Dong Ba Market. Accommodation in Hue (B,L)
Biking distance: 20 to 30km, easy biking
Day 11: Hue - Saigon
After breakfast, optional visit to a popular lacquer artist and learn about Vietnamese traditional lacquer art, before driving to the airport for a one hour flight to Saigon. After hotel check in, start exploring this exciting and vibrant city with a short visit to Ben Thanh market for a panorama of the fresh foods that go into making Vietnam's fabulous cuisine, followed by the city's most famous examples of French Colonial architecture, including the Central Post Office and Notre Dame Cathedral. Accommodation in Ho Chi Minh City. (B,L)
Day 12: Saigon - Can Tho
Drive to My Tho for a boat trip down the bustling branches of the Mekong and into the tranquil canals. Sightseeing on island: visit to a traditional mekong delta house & kitchen, have seasonal fruit taste with tea and honey, see local rice wine brewery, wine testing, paddling small sampan along arroyos. After lunch in a local family's home, leisure cycling on small dirt roads and the various little bridges through the peaceful villages and farms. Afterwards, local ferry crossing and onto Can Tho, the heart city of the Mekong Delta. Accommodation in Can Tho (B,L,D)
Biking distance: 20 to 30km, easy biking
Day 13: Can Tho - Saigon
Morning boat trip to CaiRang Floating Market and up a quiet canal for more cruise on winding arroyos. Then bike the backcountry roads 2 hrs to enjoy the beautiful Delta scenery and meet the locals (many on bicycles too). After lunch we head back to Saigon. (B, L)
Biking distance: 20 to 30km, easy biking
Day 14: Saigon - Depart
After breakfast, free at leisure for your last-minute shopping. Tranfser to the airport for your flight home with the memories of a life time.
"Hen Gap Lai" Goodbye and see you again! |
