Itinerary in brief

Biking Distance: 90km

DAY 1: Hue - A Luoi

 Start at hotel at 8 and ride for 70km along Highway 49 to A Luoi. On the way you drop in at Binh Dien, and Bastogne Military Bases to see how the American built a strategic series of bases along this route to protect Hue against Vietcong’s attacks during the Vietnam War. Listen to your guide for an aspect of the Vietnam War in this area.
All the time you face the challenge of the steep slope of the road. Enjoy the fantastic mountainous sights along the road, the rolling green hills, the crystal-clear streams running hemmed in between magnificent hillsides, a bridge perching on the rugged banks of a small brook winding through scattered big rocks. On arriving at A Luoi, stop for lunch at a local restaurant. Afterwards you ride on for 20km to visit A Shau airbase of the US marines to learn how the local people still experience hardship caused by the aftermath of the war. Shuttle back to A Luoi town. O/n A Luoi Guest House.

DAY 2:A Luoi - Hue

Start at 8 in the morning shuttle to visit Ap Bia Mountain, 937m high, dubbed by the GI’s as Hamburger Hill to suggest that those involved in the battle here between US GI’s and South Vietnam Army, and North Vietnam Army(NVA) were chopped up by bombardment and shelling. The battle took place in 1969 and cost all sides involved heavy casualties. This battle caused a lot of protests in the US against the war.
Shuttle back to Hue. .

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Itinerary in brief

Biking distance: 50km

Start at hotel at 8 and shuttle along Highway One to La Son Crossroads. Get on your bike to face the challenge of 40km uphill riding. Enjoy the mountainous landscape on both sides of the road. You take a look at the Katu people going about their daily life: women and children having their baths in the babbling streams, carrying their firewood on their back baskets, patiently tilling their rocky gardens..
You may stop for a talk with them. Arriving at the Nam Dong District town at 12. Stop for lunch with the typical foods of the Katu group. There’s an open option for an ethnic dance performed by the local youth. After lunch you ride to visit a waterfall, and possibly enjoy a cool bath here. Ride on to Thuong Long Commune, visit a typical Katu family and have interactions with them, to be surprised how they are satisfied with what basic means they are having. Shuttle back to Hue. .

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Itinerary in brief

Beware! This trip is a must, but is reserved for fellow adventurers with an unquenchable love of ecological beauty, and an equal desire to mingle and share time with locals. In four days you will get acquainted with the Dao culture and meet a few green farmers who decided to veer away from the standard agricultural practices. Hiking, biking, boating, bathing... there are too many to list here. Some travelers have gone there and decided to never return... you might meet them along your way..

Day 1: Hanoi – Ngoi Tu: Meet the Dao apprentices

Meals: lunch and dinner | Accommodation: ecolodge

7.00: Depart from your Hotel, heading north. We arrive at Ngoi Tu village a bit before lunch and take a short walk through small paths bordered by palm trees and bamboo forests to reach the banks of the Thac Ba lake. A warm welcome awaits us from our hosts at the La Vie Vu Linh ecolodge.

Arrival at LaVieVuLinh for lunch.
In the afternoon, cruise on the lake to learn how to paddle the boats in the Dao way (row with the feet!).

Day 2: Ngoi Tu - its lush forest and medicinal plants

Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner | Accommodation: ecolodge

Full-day trek to the mountains of Muoi Yen.

    discover the local plants with our Dao expert guide in medicinal plants
    pick up the wild banana flower and other culinary plants
    pick up also medicinal plants to prepare ethnic baths later
    Dao ethnic picnic in the jungle

Back home, cooking class with the plants you brought back and relaxing time with ethnic bath.

Day 3: Full Day Trek

Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner | Accommodation: ecolodge

Full-day trek discovering the lake by traditional boats

    meet the local fishermen, who will explain and show you their way of fishing
    prepare nets to catch fish and keep-net for shrimps
    walk around the lakeside villages
    pick up the fishes and shrimps as you come back (for a ‘shrimps apero’).

Day 4: Full Day Trek

Meals: breakfast and lunch | Accommodation: ecolodge

Full-day in the rice fields and in the village, meeting the inhabitants of the region.

    participate to agricultural activities according to the season (plowing with a buffalo, hoeing, transplanting, harvesting the rice, fish farming and breeding far animals)
    discover the traditional crafts (weaving, basket and keep-net making…)

Back home, possibility to have a weaving and embroidery class (2 hours) : optional (+ 20 USD / pers.).

Day 5: Vu Linh - Hanoi

Breakfast, and good-bye LaVieVuLinh.

Way to Dong Luong, a charming Kinh traditional village, where the Red, Black and ‘Lo’ rivers cross each other:

    meet the last  ‘saigneurs’ of lacquer and meal with them
    visit a small familial tea factory
    visit rubber and lacquer trees plantations

Return to Hanoi around 6 PM.

Included

• Accommodation in in private room (double or twin sharing)
• Meals as specified in the program
• Travel in an appropriate air-conditioned vehicle with an experienced driver
• Campfire breakfast and farm exploration on the last day
• The services of an experienced English-speaking guide
• All entrance fees
• VAT and other taxes

Not included

• Hotel in Hanoi
• International flight tickets and airport tax.
• Visas
• Beverages, gratuities and personal expenses.
• Camera fees (if any)
• Insurance
• Surcharge of peak season.

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Itinerary in brief

Day 1: Thay pagoda and handicraft villages (bike 35km)

Begin the Vietnam bike tour from Hanoi, a 30km-drive brings you to the 15th century Thay Pagoda, famous for its fantastic collection of carved wooden Buddha statues. After exploring the pagoda, bike through sweeping rice paddies, stopping at a traditional So noodle-making village. Peddle on through other villages, experiencing daily life deep in northern Vietnam's countryside and learning about the local traditions. Enjoy a picnic lunch before taking a leisurely walk beneath an avenue of betel nut trees to Chuong village, where villagers still produce one of Vietnam's most enduring symbols  the conical palm-leaf hat. After shuttling back to Hanoi spend the late afternoon sightseeing around Hoan Kiem Lake, whose waters are said to hide a sacred and indeed magical golden turtle. Spend your first night in Hanoi.

Day 2: Nam Hong - Lim Town (bike 40km)

After traveling by shuttle to Dong Anh, a suburban district of Hanoi, bike through the Nam Hong flower village and on through other villages that grow bonsai trees. Spin through a colorful patchwork of green paddy fields, vegetable plots and flower fields en route to the ancient citadel of Co Loa, a large complex of temples and ruined earth fortifications that date back to the third century B.C. From the citadel ride to Thiet Ung village, famous for its intricate wooden statues, and visit the 200-year-old home of a prize-winning master carver. A quaint brick road leads to Dong Ky, another wood carving village, this one specializing in furniture. Peddle along a river dyke to Lim town, stopping to visit a beautiful village temple that perches above a lotus-covered pond. Travel by shuttle to Ha Giang and enjoy a home-cooked meal followed by a performance of traditional Quan Ho folk songs performed by local artists clad in colorful 1930s-style dresses. Shuttle back to Hotel and spend the night.

Day 3: Lim Town- Ha Long (kayak 5-7km)

Depart Lim Town for Ha Long with many photo opportunities en route: rice paddies, water buffaloes, farmers in the fields. Arrive at Ha Long Bay around noon and board our traditional wooden junk, then dine on fresh-caught seafood. After lunch, explore one of the largest caves in the bay, Sung Sot (Surprise Cave). Return to the boat for instruction on kayaking techniques and safety procedures, then follow your guide to explore three sea caverns. Back on the boat take the time to photograph the sun slipping behind the bay's myriad islands, then join your fellow travelers for dinner. If you wish, take a night-time paddle through the moonlit bay, then retire to your cabin to be lulled to sleep by the soft lapping of the waves.

Day 4: Ha Long Bay (kayak 5-7km)

Kayak through the biggest floating fishing village in Ha Long Bay, making stops at the floating primary school and at various floating houses to discover the locals' unique way of life. After lunch, a two-hour paddle brings you to the Three Lagoons, which you enter via a sea cavern. Next stop is Ba Men Temple, where local fishermen make offerings to the Whale God. Return to the junk and cruise to Three Peach Island, an ideal spot for a swim. Back on board, travel to Titop Island, where the boat will anchor overnight. Enjoy dinner on board and relax.
Day 5: Ha Long - Hanoi (kayak 5-7 km)

Enjoy the sunrise and an onboard breakfast as you cruise back to Duck Rock, from where you paddle to Incense Burner Island and explore a cave. Back on board the junk, enjoy the magnificent scenery as you cruise back towards the harbor. Following lunch in Ha Long City, drive back to Hanoi and bid the group farewell.

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Itinerary in brief

This Vietnam bike tour just north of  Ha Noi, Duong Lam is a small village that has somehow managed to escape the winds of change sweeping through the country. A journey to Duong Lam village is a trip to trace back the origin of Vietnam’s culture and Vietnam’s traditions. This is also the great chance to explore architecture of ancient houses while wander along its narrow alleyways, visit temples dedicated to the two kings who were born there, and most interesting of all, chat with locals living in the ancient houses.

Itinerary:

Met up at your hotel at 08.00am and travel west of Hanoi to Duong Lam village, a purely agricultural village of the Northern Red River delta where still preserve many hundred-year-old houses. It will be your unique experience as you walk along tiny ancient alleys. Arrive in Duong Lam village after for about two hours, visit Mong Phu temple, the only hamlet whose original village entrance gate remains intact. Have some talks with the locals in their ancient houses where your lunch will be provided (optional).

After lunch, take the bike and start cycling to the Mia Pagoda (other hamlet in Duong Lam village). The pagoda is built in 15th century containing 287 statues of different sizes. Bike then to Ngo Quyen temple and Phung Hung temple. These are two places are dedicated to Ngo Quyen and Phung Hung, the two National Heroes of Vietnam. Cycle back to Duong Lam village and return to your hotel in Hanoi. End trip

Best Time to go: Year a round
Number of cycling days: full days  pick up 06h45 to 07h30 , drop off at 17h00 to 18h00 at your hotel
Road Surface: This tour follows a mix of asphalt roads, broken roads.
Support: One 16 - seat air - conditioned transit vans converted to take bikes and bikers.
Group Size: Minimum 1. Maximum 10.
Staff: Vietnamese cycling guide and drivers and assistants.
Accommodation:  No accommodation .
Food: Picnic lunch on village, water, tea, juice
Biking Grade: Easy cycling
Scenery: *****

WHAT'S INCLUDED
* English speaking local cycling guide
* Meals as mention with picnic lunch ( tuna or chicken sandwich + apple+ banana )
* Cold drink with cola, water when you cycling.
* Sightseeing and activities as noted in the itinerary
* Ground transportation and 100% vehicle stand by.
* Additional guides where necessary
* Entrance fees and permits
* Basic medical
* Mountain Bike (Trek, Giant and BMW Bike)

Contact Lotussia Travel for more information and Book this tour.