On this Ho Chi Minh bicycle tour, your road bike takes you up mountain passes, along glistening rivers, and through jagged valleys. It’s the beauty of Vietnam's landscape that will make you happy to be riding on the newly-built Ho Chi Minh Highway. Of course, other sites on this historic road will make you pause and contemplate the past, but let the scenery wash over you as you explore this remote area of Vietnam.

The wide, smooth undulating highway with little traffic is a cyclist’s dream. Led by a local and English-speaking guide, we experience authentic Vietnam on our route of 922 km through farms, orchards, tribal villages set amongst spectacular scenery. Along the way, explore one of Vietnam’s most spectacular caves, war sites, and the ancient royal seat of Hue.

Once a small track used only by locals and ponies, the Ho Chi Minh Trail expanded into an elaborate system of mountain and jungle trails to roads for vehicles to transport troops, millions of tons of foodstuff, weapons, and other essentials during the war. This web of trails ran for 2,000 km, roughly parallel to the Vietnam/Laos border, along the Truong Son Mountains. Today, the many paths criss-cross the Ho Chi Minh Highway, a well-made, paved road that cuts through some spectacular landscapes. This unique bike tour in Vietnam takes you through the most scenic northern to central section, ending in Hue.

Bikes

Because some people can't imagine going on a trip without their own beloved bicycle, we do not provide them as part of this tour. However, you can hire bikes locally for the price listed in the tour pricing section.

If you bring your own bike, please make sure it is a road bike in good mechanical order.

Bike Repairs

Basic spares and tools are carried by the guide and on the support vehicle, though we cannot guarantee having spares for every conceivable problem. Carrying a basic tool kit, a spare tube and a pump while riding is recommended.

Safety

Wearing a helmet is required on all our biking adventures and is non negotiable. If you do not wear a helmet you will not be allowed to cycle. Your tour leader is trained in first aid and emergency rescue, but to a large degree you must be responsible for your own safety while riding. It is therefore compulsory that you take out travel insurance that will cover you for a mountain biking tour.

Guides

You will be led by a local English-speaking guide and if the group is 9 people or more we will add another guide to the tour. All our guides are well informed in the history, culture and religions of the area where you are biking and are skilled at passing that knowledge on to you. Your guide is also medically trained and an experienced cyclist, able to handle most minor repairs en route.

Passports and Visas

Vietnam e-Visa is available to 80 nationalities. Please check this link to determine if your country is on the list. To apply for an e-visa please visit the official government website here and follow the required steps and make payment. You can apply for a single entry visa up to 30 days. Multiple entry e-visas are not currently available. For peace of mind, we suggest applying for your e-visa as early as possible, and no later than 2 weeks before your expected arrival in Vietnam. While processing time is generally no more than 1-3 working days (not including weekends and Vietnamese holidays), it is wise to give yourself some buffer time in case there are any issues.

If your nationality is not on the list for e-visa eligibility, or you need options for longer stays or multiple entries, then you may consider Visa on Arrival. The process for this is more complicated than e-visa and requires the acquisition of a visa letter prior to arrival. Please see here for a detailed overview.

If you are joining our "Saigon to Bangkok" or "Saigon to Siem Reap" tour, when you are applying for your e-visa, please select Song Tien Landport as the exit point. This refers to the river crossing at Chao Doc.

Health

Recommended vaccinations are typhoid, polio, tetanus and hepatitis A. A certificate for Yellow Fever is required when arriving from an infected area within six days. Vietnam is a malarial area and you will need to take anti-malarial tablets. Please speak to your doctor for the most up to date information.

Weather

Weather in Vietnam is divided into 4 main regions - the far north, north, central and south.

The far north can get very cold in December and January while the dry season runs from October to late March and the wet season between April to September.

In Hanoi & the north, it is hot, wet and humid from May to October while November to April is cooler and dry.

Central Vietnam experiences hot, dry weather between January & August with temperatures ranging in the mid 30°C. High levels of rainfall are during September - November.

Southern Vietnam is dry and hot from November to April, and warm and wet between May & October, with the highest rainfall in June, July & August.

Food

Meals are included as per the itinerary where B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner. Most meals are Vietnamese food and features noodles, rice curries and soups. Vietnamese cuisine is world famous and we make sure you sample as much variety as possible. Any special dietary requirements can also be catered for as well. Please let us know at the time of booking.

Drink

Keeping you completely hydrated is a job we take very seriously. Cold water, some energy-restoring local fruit, and soft drinks are included in the tour price while riding. Soft drinks and other beverages during meals are not included. Beer is freely available everywhere in Vietnam but is NOT included in the price.

Solo Travelers

SpiceRoads does not require you to pay a surcharge for traveling alone. We will arrange for you to share accommodation with another traveler of the same gender and if we can not match you up we will provide a single room at no extra charge. If you prefer not to share a single supplement is payable to guarantee your own room. The cost of the single supplement is listed above.

Extra Expenses

We recommend that you tuck away a few extra dollars, perhaps US$10, for incidentals. It is customary to tip local tour guides and drivers, however, the amount you give should be dependent on the level of service you receive. As a general guide, we suggest US$ 3-4 per person per day is appropriate.

Money

The official national currency is the Vietnam dong (d), but the US dollar is widely accepted in tourist centers. However, in smaller towns and villages the dong is preferred. ATMs are available in all major tourist destinations and big cities. Vietcombank has the best network with a single withdrawal limit of 2,000,000d (about US$125). Most major currencies can be exchanged at leading banks in Vietnam, but the US dollar is preferred away from the tourist centers. Changing US$100 will make you an instant millionaire! You cannot legally take the dong out of Vietnam but you can reconvert reasonable amounts of it into US dollars on departure.