From the bustling streets of Hanoi to the karst limestone mountains that tower above lush green rice paddies, this on-road motorcycle tour in Vietnam traverses some of the most beautiful landscapes in Vietnam.
Riding some of the best motorcycling roads in the country, you’ll explore tribal villages, the infamous Ho Chi Minh Trail and stunning coastal routes and mountain passes. You’ll visit war tunnels & museums, travel through a UNESCO World Heritage Site and take a boat trip deep into the world’s largest cave before finishing with a glorious ride over Hai Van Pass.
At a Glance
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Vietnam
01 May - 09 May 2023
9 Days/8 Nights + International Travel Time
6 Days
Hotels, Guesthouse, Resort, Homestay
Honda CRF250L
Moderate
200km
1300km
Moderate
R 53 445.00 per person sharing - based on a minimum of 8 participants
(single room supplement = R 4200.00)
Pillion riders pay 25% less than the riders' cost
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100% paved
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Suitable for all bikers
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Very suitable for riders with a pillion
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Three meals are included as indicated each day
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Experience an authentic homestay
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Enjoy a variety of Vietnamese cuisine and Western style picnics provided by the support crew
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Stay at a beachfront resort
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Take a boat trip to the World’s largest cave at Phong Nha National Park – a UNESCO World Heritage Site
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Visit Ho Chi Minh Trail Museum and ride parts of the infamous route
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Visit the underground tunnels at Vinh Moc
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Stay in the bustling ‘Old Quarter’ of Hanoi
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Finish in Hoi An City – an ancient trading port
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival at Noi Bai International Airport
Meet and greet at Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport and transferred to a luxury hotel, ideally located in the Old Quarter of the city. Relax by the pool or take some time to explore the bustling streets before meeting with the group in the afternoon for a trip briefing.
In the evening we’ll go out for an excellent welcome meal at an authentic Vietnamese restaurant. If you weren’t in love with Vietnamese food before, you will be now!
Accommodation: 5* Hotel Meal Plan: Dinner
Day 2: Hanoi to Pú Luông Nature Reserve
Suitably rested, we’ll be collected from our hotel after breakfast and taken to the workshop where the bikes await. After meeting the local team it’s time to hit the road!
The first riding day of this on-road motorcycle tour in Vietnam kicks off with a 45km stretch of main road that takes us away from the city. We then branch off onto smaller roads that snake through picturesque hills and villages that will feel a world away from the city chaos that we left behind this morning!
We meet the Black River (much more beautiful than it sounds!), stop at numerous viewpoints and witness colourful hill tribe culture as we near our destination of Pu Luong valley.
Tonight we will stay with local families in their stilted houses, surrounded by terraced rice fields and the relaxing sounds of snorting pigs, cow bells and ducks. This is the real Vietnam right here and you can look forward to more of that incredible Vietnamese food – our host puts together one hell of a feast!
Accommodation: Homestay Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Distance: 160 kilometers
Day 3: Pú Luông Nature Reserve to Vinh
Wake up to the sound of the village coming to life, as the locals walk their buffalo to the fields and the kids march off to school.
This is our longest riding day and we saddle up after breakfast and hit the road, heading southwest, riding alongside the Nam Ma River and stopping at a bamboo chopstick factory and small riverside villages en route.
Accommodation: Hotel Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Distance: 360 kilometers
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Day 4: Vinh to Phong Nha National Park
As we’re now venturing onto parts of the Ho Chi Minh Trail, it’s only right that we stop at the Ho Chi Minh Trail museum on the way out of town. You’ve read the books and seen the films, but there’s nothing quite like learning about the ‘American War’ from the point of view of Vietnamese locals.
The landscapes today offer some of the most stunning views in all of northern Vietnam, with karst limestone mountains towering above the green rice fields. The riding too is phenomenal, with twisting mountain passes that lead us down towards our destination of Phong Nha National Park – a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Phong Nha National Park is home to the World’s largest cave, where civilians and military took shelter from the bombings of the war. The best way to explore this monster cave is by water, so we’ll take a boat trip deep inside before finishing the day at our hotel.
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Accommodation: Hotel Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Distance: 150 kilometers
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Day 5: Phong Nha National Park to Khe Sanh
It’s a fantastic ride today as we pass through the spectacular green scenery of Ke Bang National Park. We pass by a number of significant wartime points of interest, including overgrown remnants of the original Ho Chi Minh Trail that brushes alongside the border of neighbouring Laos.
As we near our destination of Khe Sanh, we’ll stop at a former US marine base that underwent a famous siege in the prelude to the Tet Offensive in 1968 – one of the largest military campaigns of the Vietnam War.
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Accommodation: Guesthouse Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Distance: 220 kilometers
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Day 6: Khe Sanh to Hue
Today we cross the country, from close to the Laos border in the west all the way to the east coast. We stop at Vinh Moc Tunnels, where hundreds of locals lived during the war beneath the ground.
We follow the coastal roads south, riding alongside rice paddies and sand dunes down to our destination of Hue, the former imperial capital.
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Accommodation: 4* Resort Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Distance: 128 kilometers
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Day 7: Hue – non riding day
Hue is a great place to spend a couple of nights and explore the local area! You can spend your morning exploring the city, visiting the forbidden palace and the elaborate tombs in the countryside that were built by former Kings. We’re staying in an excellent resort tonight, so an afternoon by the pool or on the beach is not a bad way to recharge the batteries before a final day on the bike tomorrow.
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Accommodation: 4* Resort Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Day 8: Hue to Hôi An
It’s the final day of riding on this road riding motorcycle tour of Vietnam, and boy, is it a good one! We’ll leave the resort and continue south on stunning coastal roads, passing over the incredible Hai Van Pass, stopping at a viewpoint for some stunning views across the South China Sea. This is the area where the famous Top Gear trio did some of their best filming, so it’s no surprise that this is one of the best riding roads in Vietnam!
We’ll enjoy a final lunch on the beach before arriving in the ancient trading port of Hoi An and celebratory beers by the hotel pool.
In the evening we’ll enjoy a farewell dinner for a final feast of that exceptional Vietnamese food.
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Accommodation: 5* Resort Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Distance: 150 kilometers
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Day 9: Departure Hôi An Da Nang International Airport
Saying our farewells, we’ll arrange a taxi to take you to Da Nang international airport so you can catch your flight home. Bon voyage!
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Meal Plan: Breakfast
Included:
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Airport pick-up and drop-off
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Boat trip to the World’s largest cave
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Bike & Fuel
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Accommodation
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Support vehicle
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Entrance Fees / Crossing fees
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Professional experienced English speaking guide and full-time mechanic
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Meals
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Basic spares, Tools and First aid kit
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Rainforest and Wildlife Conservation
Excluded:
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International Flights
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Visas and Vaccinations
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Driver / guide gratuities
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3rd Party Motorcycle Insurance
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Motorcycle damages
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Drinks & laundry
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Any other items of a personal nature
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Personal travel & medical insurance
We love talking about riding. Almost as much as we love riding ourselves. Situated in the Western Cape, there are so many places to explore, and what good is living in such a beautiful country if we don't go out and see it? Procrastinating adventure only leads to a half-empty book and we want to stuff our story with every piece of excitement we can find!
