13 Days Hanoi to Hoi An Cycling Tour along The Ho Chi Minh Trails

Hanoi Cycling To Hoi An along Ho Chi Minh Trails – 13 Days. As you follow the route once used by North Vietnamese soldiers on their way to war, you will travel through remote areas where Westerners are still a rarity. You will take in the beautiful limestone mountains of the Truong Son Mountain Range. Visit Dong Loc was a strategic road T-junction at the beginning of the Ho Chi Minh trails which was extensively bombed by American forces during the Vietnam War. Visit historical sites dating back to the 15th, the birthplace of Ho Chi Minh, and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Phong Nha National Park. For war buffs, it will be possible to visit the site of the US combat base at Khe Sanh, where one of the most famous battles of the war took place. This is a challenging adventure with basic accommodation but provides a unique insight into remote Vietnam.
TOUR ITINERARY

Day 1: Arrive in Hanoi (D)

Arrive at Hanoi airport and meet and transfer to Hanoi hotel for check-in and afternoon full trip briefing and bike fitting, including some time to explore the city and beer HOI ( Local beer bar for dinner ). Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 2: Hanoi – Mai Chau – Pu Luong (95km cycling) (B, L, D)

Head to Mai Chau before taking a ride on an old supply route of the Ho Chi Minh Trail, along a spectacular and undulating river valley towards Hoi Xuan and Pu Luong. Overnight in Pu Luong Nature Reserve homestay

Day 3: Pu Luong – Ngoc Lac (80km cycling) (B, L, D)

Leave Pu Luong behind and ride on a more undulating terrain route, with a tarmac all the way, to Ngoc Lac. Overnight in Ngoc Lac

Day 4: Ngoc Lac – Kim Lien – Vinh (80km cycling) (B, L, D)

Ride on the newly built two-lane Ho Chi Minh trails to Kim Lien the birthplace of President Ho Chi Minh, before driving out of the mountains to Vinh. Overnight in Vinh city – close to the beach.

Day 5: Vinh – Dong Loc – Huong Khe (85 km cycling) (B, L, D)

Cycling to visit Dong Loc was a strategic road T-junction at the beginning of the Ho Chi Minh trail which was extensively bombed by American forces during the Vietnam War. Drive back up onto the Ho Chi Minh Highway and cycle along the increasingly mountainous highways to Huong Khe. Overnight in Huong Khe.

Day 6: Huong Khe – Phong Nha (90km cycling) (B, L, D)

Ride from Huong Khe to Phong Nha, on the tranquil Ho Chi Minh Trail, with mountains rising and roads winding up, down, and along the hillsides. Overnight in Phong Nha

Day 7: Phong Nha – Camlo – Khe Sanh (80km cycling) (B, L, D)

Take smoother cycling on the Ho Chi Minh Trail to Cam Lo before transferring to Khe Sanh near the Laos border. The Battle of Khe Sanh began on January 21, 1968, when forces from the People’s Army of North Vietnam (PAVN) carried out a massive artillery bombardment on the U.S. Overnight in Khe Sanh.

Day 8: Khe Sanh – Aluoi (85km cycling) (B, L, D)

Ride through spectacular scenery to Khe Sanh combat base, and head to Aluoi along with the traffic-free but more undulating terrain of the southern part of the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Many areas and mountains in the A Luoi region became historically significant in the mid-late 1960s during the Vietnam War, such as the Battle of A Shau, the 5th Special Forces’ A Lưới Camp that was overrun in 1966. Overnight in Alumni.

Day 9: Aluoi – Hue (60km cycling) (B, L)

The ride cut across the trail to Hue, due to the bad roads south of Alumni. Hue is the capital of Thừa Thiên Huế Province in central Vietnam and was the capital of Đàng Trong from 1738 to 1775 and of Vietnam during the Nguyễn Dynasty from 1802 to 1945. The city served as the administrative capital for the Nguyễn dynasty and later functioned as the administrative capital of the protectorate of Annam during the French Indochina period. explore dinner on your own. Overnight in Hue

Day 10: Hue (no cycling) (B)

Rest day with a sightseeing trip within Hue: Forbidden Purple City/ Boat ride along the Perfume River to visit Thien Mu pagoda. Overnight in Hue.

Day 11: Hue – Hoi An (100km cycling) (B, L)

Cycling from the hotel to Thuan An beach and cycling to Phuc Tuong pass and loading bike to Lang Co beach for lunch and starting to ride climbing uphill to the Hai Van Pass (Pass of the mountain clouds), before taking an epic ride coast down to Danang and transfer to Hoi An. Overnight in Hoi An.

Day 12: Hoi An – My Son – Hoi An (35km cycling) (B, D)

Ride out of Hoi An town to My Son, on scenic country back roads passing paddy fields, villages, and through eucalyptus forest and lush jungle along the Song Tranh River. Transfer back to Hoian. Afternoon free to explore Hoian on your own. Farewell dinner with group and support team. Overnight in Hoi An.

Day 13: Hoi An – Danang (Departure) (B)

Free until transfer to Danang for onward flight. ( or you can stay in Hoian longer if you want ),End The Tour.