Cycling the Central Coast of Vietnam

What's Included

Meeting and pickup

Itinerary

Day 1
HUE 25+KM CYCLING
1 stop
1
Hue
Pick you up at your hotel in Hue. Start the bike ride from hotel to sightseeings in Hue. Hue was the seat of the thirteen Nguyen Emperors from 1802 to 1945. It is one of Vietnam's cultural, religious and educational centers and was recently designated an UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the afternoon, cycle a ‘back roads’ loop of Hue through lush countryside on a mix of footpaths and quiet country lanes. Visit the Imperial Citadel at your leisure. After exploring the ruins of this grand monument to the emperors, ride the backstreets, along the banks of the Perfume River to Thien Mu Pagoda. Continue to the Minh Mang mausoleum and loop back across the river to Hue via the funerary monument to Khai Dinh. Overnight in Hue.
8 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 2
HUE - HOI AN 80+KM CYCLING
2 stops
2
Hue
Drive by bus 18km out of Hue to the coast. Begin riding off the beaten track for 40km along a picturesque, narrow peninsular road from Thuan An Beach to Vinh Loc. Hop on a local ferry to cross the estuary of the Perfume River before joining Highway 1. From here, transfer or cycle the first of the day’s three hill climbs. After the first two (moderate) climbs of 2-3km each, cruise down to balmy Lang Co Beach for a rest/swim and lunch before tackling the final hill of the day – the Hai Van Pass, or ‘Pass of Ocean Clouds’. With a new tunnel through the mountain diverting highway traffic, the 11km of this leg will be natural and quiet. The gradient is moderately challenging and the views breathtaking!
8 hours • Admission ticket free
3
Hoi An
Transfer the rest of the way to Hoi An, a delightful old trading town and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Check in Hoi An.
4 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 3
HOI AN – MY SON 40KM CYCLING
2 stops
4
My Son Sanctuary
We’ll transfer out of town to avoid the highway before cycling along the country roads along the Song Tranh River to My Son. We’ll grab a bite to eat before heading out to explore the site. My Son was the ancient centre of the Cham civilization, and remnants of this culture dating back as far as the 4th Century can still be found here. Descendents of the Cham people still live in Vietnam and neighboring Cambodia as well as Thailand. Champa towers are classic examples of their architecture and there are quite a few which survive throughout the region.
4 hours • Admission ticket not included
5
Hoi An
We’ll head back to Hoi An via the van in the afternoon. Evenings in Hoi An are possibly some of the most beautiful in the whole country, especially on a full moon, as shop fronts light up with colorful, traditional lanterns as you enjoy a stroll down the promenade and the Thu Bon River laps lazily at the shore. One of the unique aspects of this town is the fact that motorized vehicles are banned in the centre throughout most of the day, making for a quiet and relaxing ambiance as you peruse the myriad shops and restaurants. We'll spend the second night in Hoi An.
5 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 4
HOI AN – TAM KY 50KM CYCLING
2 stops
6
Hoi An
After an early breakfast, we transfer by van for about an hour out of Hoian to the trailhead. We start the ride on a 5km long, pleasant road that then starts rolling into a rural area. We will cycle through rice paddy fields, fruit tree gardens, Casuarina and pine forests which sheltering most of our ride from the heat today. Picnic lunch is taken along the way.
5 hours • Admission ticket free
7
After lunch, continue our bike ride to Tam Ky. Check in your hotel and have a short rest before heading out for dinner at a local restaurant.
5 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 5
TAM KY - QUANG NGAI 70KM CYCLING
2 stops
8
We depart early as we follow the coast road past rural, rice-farming villages. One of the historic sites we pass is Chu Lai. While now built up and industrial, Chu Lai was home to a US Marine Corps base during the war although all that remains of this are some concrete structures and a runway. In the late afternoon we'll come face-to-face with one of the biggest tragedies of the Vietnam/America War – the My Lai Massacre. In 1968, American soldiers stormed the little hamlets of Quang Ngai Province in the area around Son My and killed just over 504 villagers in a sad moment of history. Today, a memorial stands at My Lai, including a recreation of that fateful March day. Lunch is served enroute.
5 hours • Admission ticket free
9
In the afternoon, we continue biking along quiet country roads then transfer for an hour from Quang Ngai city to Sa Huynh beach, where we'll stay overnight.
5 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 6
QUANG NGAI - QUY NHON 80KM+ CYCLING
3 stops
10
We wake up early and keep following the coastal road, riding south. After making good inroads in the morning, we'll lunch at Sa Huynh, a popular beach side dining spot, and also a good spot for a cooling dip in the ocean. You'll spot the distinctive salt evaporation pools and might get a whiff of the pungent local fish sauce known as “nuoc mam”. Sa Huynh is also the name of an ancient culture which inhabited this area and much of southern Vietnam over a thousand years ago, and there is a famous archeological site nearby.
5 hours • Admission ticket free
11
We'll do some afternoon cycling in the tropical countryside, past tree-canopied rice farms and lush green fields and paddies. We'll stop off at a Cham tower – built by the Champa civilization who ruled the southern Vietnamese area for over a millennium up until the early 1800s. Descendents of this culture, the Cham people, still live in Vietnam and neighboring Cambodia as well as Thailand. Champa towers are classic examples of their architecture and there are quite a few which survive throughout the region.
4 hours • Admission ticket free
12
From there, we'll take our bus to the hotel where we'll spend the night in Quy Nhon.
1 hour • Admission ticket free
Day 7
QUY NHON - TUY HOA 70KM CYCLING
2 stops
13
where we start biking with the view of gorgeous forests and hills. The biking is through undulating terrain past beautiful villages and mountain views.
3 hours • Admission ticket free
14
After lunch, continue riding towards the main highway and then transfer to Tuy Hoa.
3 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 8
TUY HOA - NHA TRANG 70+KM CYCLING
2 stops
15
Another good day at the saddle. Ride past a network of lush rice fields which blanket the valley. Admire the ocean view around the Vung Ro bay before meeting the pass which is a natural border between the provinces. Descend down to stunning Dai Lanh beach and take a break for a swim and lunch. After lunch, continue riding along the coast and then turn on to the Hon Gom peninsular road for the final leg. This is our last day of riding along the Vietnamese coast and it’s a long ride. Enjoy it to the fullest.
5 hours • Admission ticket free
16
Before arriving at Nha Trang, visit the famous Ponagar Cham Towers, built between the 7th and 12th centuries and still actively used for worship. Later take a transfer to Nha Trang and settle into your chosen Nha Trang hotel. Spend days at leisure in Nha Trang’s popular beachside cafes, restaurants, and bars where the fresh seafood is definitely worth a try, or take a boat trip to nearby coral islands. End of services and welcome back.
5 minutes • Admission ticket free

Additional info

• Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
• Not recommended for pregnant travelers
• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness

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