Northern Vietnam Discovery: Cycling Through Inland Villages and Valleys
Explore Northern Vietnam’s inland villages and valleys on an eight-day privately guided cycling tour that starts and ends in Hanoi. Cycle between 20-54km each day on moderate trails and unwind in local guesthouses and homestays. Highlights include the Mộc Châu plateau, Song Da Lake, Pù Luông Nature Reserve, and the picturesque rice paddies of Mai Hịch Valley. This exceptional cycling adventure in inland Vietnam, away from the usual tourist spots, culminates with a waterfall visit and a lunch stop on the Hồ Chí Minh Road.
To enhance your Vietnam journey, we offer fantastic optional excursions at the end of the trip.
- Bhutan Tours
- Borneo
- Cambodia
- China
- Halong Bay Cruises
- India
- Indonesia
- Japan
- Laos
- Malaysia
- Myanmar
- Nepal
- North Korea
- Philippines
- Singapore
- South Korea
- Sri Lanka
- Taiwan
- Thailand
- Tibet
- Vietnam
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Highlights
- Day 1: Arrive in Hanoi, stay in a lively area just outside the old quarter. Introduction to Vietnam and potential sightseeing.
- Day 2: Explore Hanoi at your own pace, or opt for a guided walking tour.
- Day 3: Head to Sơn La mountain range, experience Hmong culture, and stay in a Hmong homestay.
- Day 4: Cycle downhill to Song Da Lake, passing a hidden waterfall, and stay at a lakeside resort.
- Day 5: Morning relax by the lake, short bike ride to Mai Châu Valley to visit White Thai villages.
- Day 6: Cycle to Pù Luông Nature Reserve, where landscapes turn mountainous.
- Day 7: Leisurely ride to a guesthouse surrounded by streams and waterfalls at the reserve.
- Day 8: Travel to Lương Nội, return to Hanoi by bus, stop for lunch along Hồ Chí Minh Road.
- Day 9: Free day before heading to the airport for your flight home or onward journey.
Whats Included:
- All accommodation
- Support provided by an air-conditioned van.
- Experienced cycling guide included.
- Mountain bikes (Cannondale, Trek) with water cage and helmet.
- Lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant during the tour.
- Water, fruit and snacks provided.
- Private boat trips and ferry rides included.
Itinerary idea in detail
If you don't like cycling tours, you can opt to travel by car.
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1
Upon your arrival at Hanoi airport, your driver and guide will meet you and take you to your hotel in the lively capital. The hotel, situated just outside the old quarter, is in a bustling area with many local food options and charming coffee shops. Trúc Bạch Lake, famous for its stunning sunsets, is nearby.
Check-in time is usually at 14:00, but you can arrange for an early check-in with an extra charge. Depending on your arrival time, your cycling guide can take you for a short walk to the lake in the morning or afternoon for a coffee or beer. They will also introduce you to Vietnam and discuss the upcoming plans.
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2
You have a full day at your leisure to explore the city on your own. Discover its diverse districts, unique architecture, parks, lakes, and bustling street life. If you prefer a guided experience for your initial exploration in the capital, a tour guide is available as an optional walking tour.
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3
Meet your guide at 8:00 AM in the hotel lobby. You’ll leave Hanoi by bus and head to the Sơn La mountain range in the west. The journey lasts about four hours, taking you from Hanoi to the heights of Hòa Bình Province and the small village of Hang Kia, situated at 1,300 meters above sea level.
Enjoy lunch at a local homestay and experience Hmong hospitality firsthand while the crew prepares the bikes. Today’s ride is a short one to the slopes of Mộc Châu plateau, following small roads and pathways through rocky landscapes in the heart of the Hmong communities. You’ll spend the night at a Hmong homestay.
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4
Today’s ride goes downhill from Mộc Châu plateau to Song Da Lake. You’ll cover about 54km, starting on a main road before switching to a quieter road built by the French during colonial times. Lunch is at a local homestay, and in the afternoon, the day ends at a resort on Song Da Lake. Just before reaching the resort, there’s a hidden waterfall where you can swim.
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5
Spend a relaxed morning enjoying a swim and breakfast with a view. Today’s bike ride is short, giving you the afternoon to explore at your own pace.
Start your 30km ride at 10:00 AM, going uphill on the main road and then downhill to Mai Châu Valley. Pass through Mai Châu town and head to a quiet valley where the White Thai people live. They are farmers who grow rice and vegetables, creating a beautiful green landscape from March to October.
Your accommodation is a traditional wooden guesthouse with a restaurant below and a common area inside the house. You’ll arrive by lunchtime and can choose to bike or hike in the afternoon, exploring villages, rice fields, and gardens along small roads and paths.
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6
Start your day with breakfast, then head on a 35km journey to the heart of Pù Luông Nature Reserve. Leave the valley and bike towards the Laos border for about 15km until you reach Pù Luông Nature Reserve. From there, the landscapes become more mountainous. The last few kilometers are downhill to a resort nestled on the reserve’s slopes. In the afternoon, you can relax by taking a swim in the pool or visit a nearby village.
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7
This morning’s ride is short and gentle, taking you to the eastern section of the nature reserve where a guesthouse awaits between two flowing streams, surrounded by waterfalls and natural pools. The accommodation is communal in shared spaces.
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8
Today’s journey takes you to a secluded nature reserve along a lesser-known road. Start early on a 45km ride through countryside nestled between the Nam Ma River and the Tam Điệp mountain range. Upon reaching Lương Nội, a quaint hamlet, return to Hanoi by bus. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant along the historic Hồ Chí Minh Road before heading back to Hanoi by bus. Anticipate arriving in the late afternoon.
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9
You have a free day until a driver will pick you up to go to the airport for your flight home or any optional extension you have planned.
What to expect
You will stay in a mix of small, locally-owned hotels and traditional homestays on this tour. These places were chosen carefully for their great location, friendly staff, tasty local food, and commitment to responsible tourism. At the homestays, you'll have dormitory-style rooms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Having a road and an exciting journey ahead calls for a reliable bike to truly enjoy the experience. While our fleet predominantly includes the bikes listed below for this tour, there are instances where we may offer a different yet similar quality bike due to height or availability restrictions.
Entry visas
International airport departure taxes
Any meals not listed in the itinerary
Drinks, other than water on activity days
Personal expenses (laundry, telephone, drinks, tip…)
Travel insurance
All other services not listed in ‘inclusive’
We'll help plan your trip based on you like and want to do. We know a lot about the place you're gomg. so we can give you good advice. WIIether you're into history, food, or culture, ue'll make sure your trip is just right for you. With us. your travel will be easy and fun!
We carefully choose our expert guides and travel concierges to make sure you have an authentic experience. They're passionate about their work and will bring your destination to life with care and enthusiasm.
We design our luxury trips with responsible travel principles in mind. This means we prioritize experiences that benefit both you and the planet.
It is easy to customize your Highlights of Vietnam tours with us
What our clients say about us
Eriberto P
16 March 2024 ★★★★★We did a 10 day private tour of Thailand with Amazing Bike Tours (ABT), including a couple of days of biking in Chiang Mai and a day in Phuket. ABT put together a great mix of biking and classic tours at a reasonable price. They responded quickly to emails and were very easy to deal with. The whole trip was fantastic, from the boat trips to James Bond Island to staying overnight in Bangkok and other towns. Our guide, Tom, was not only knowledgeable but also really friendly - he even became our unofficial photographer and shared all his photos with us. I definitely recommend ABT if you're planning a trip to Asia.
Jeremy
28 April 2024 ★★★★★We had a fabulous time on the cycling tour from Bangkok to Chiang Mai and Phuket with Amazing Bike Tours company. Our tour guides TOM in Bangkok and Chiang Mai were fantastic, and I want to thank TUK in Phuket for taking such good care of me. This experience will always be special to me.
Steven
23 April 2024 ★★★★★I booked Cycle Thailand to Cambodia in 2023. Stephen at Amazing Bike Tours was excellent, very helpful, responsive and knowledgeable. In particular, our local tour guide Tom was outstanding. He was essential to connecting with local village people, visit remote villages, and explore exotic food. Can't wait for my next adventure
Naad
16 April 2024 ★★★★★We had a great time biking through the Mekong Delta and Angkor Wat. Bob was a fantasic tour guide who took us through Angkor Wat and showed us a different side of the delta in his own way. We visited temples and a floating market many delicious snacks. It was really fun ! A great tour !
Alex Boshoff
19 April 2024 ★★★★★Our Thailand Vietnam Bike Tour was very well managed. The teams took great care of us, they support van was always available when needed. The food was excellent. We loved all the restaurent. The accommodations were great, offering a variety of options from resorts to boutique hotels to city hotels, all of which were comfortable. Biking on and off-road was enjoyable. The people in both countries are warm, welcoming & kind. The experience in the Mekong Delta was fantasic. We definitely recommend this trip.
Tavelshab
6 May 2024 ★★★★★We had a great time biking through the Mekong Delta and Angkor Wat. Bob was a fantasic tour guide who took us through Angkor Wat and showed us a different side of the delta in his own way. We visited temples and a floating market many delicious snacks. It was really fun ! A great tour !
Scott
5 May 2024 ★★★★★We spent 12 days with Amazing Bike Tours from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh via Battambang. Our tour was perfectly tailored to our route and physical condition and on the last day, we were safely transported to our beach accommodation in Sihanoukville. The organization was flawless from start to finish. The accommodation was also comfortable, allowing us to rest well after eventful days. The tour provided great value for money. The experiences were unique and could fill two vacation reports! The bikes were perfectly adjusted to our needs, with well-maintained gears and brakes. If there was a minor issue, the guide promptly addressed it. The minivan support was modern and very comfortable. The driver was excellent and we felt safe! Besides the visual impressions, we learned a lot about the country and its people.
Kyle
18 January 2024 ★★★★★We had a custom and private 3-day bike tour in the Mekong Delta with Loc, our expert bike tour guide who organized, coordinated, and led three days of fantastic bike touring. Our tour of the the Mekong Delta included Cai Lay, Cai Be, Can Tho, and My Tho, before catching a luxury Mekong River cruise up to Cambodia. Loc was a great guide who really helped us appreciate the culture of the untouched tourist areas of the delta where we met fantastic people and toured through incredible villages, markets, Khmer temple, and even a local school. Loc did an excellent job of pacing the bike ride to our activity level and we enjoyed some great lunches at some local residences, even picking up some rat at a local market we toured and having it expertly prepared at a local home. Our best, most authentic Vietnamese meals were enjoyed on this biking tour. We had a van w/driver following us throughout the bike rides to ensure we had plenty of water and picked us up when we were ready to be done for the day. Loc also gave us a tour of Saigon as well as the underground Vietnam war tunnels at Cu Chi. I can't say enough about the biking tours and Loc was just a fantastic guide. We hated to say good-bye as we continued our tour of Southeast Asia but will always cherish the bike tour we had with Loc in Vietnam.