Cycle Tour Vietnam’s Beautiful Highlands & Beaches
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An unforgettable bike tour that takes you through the charming highlands and coffee plantations of central Vietnam, before pedaling your way along the sparkling coast by picturesque fishing villages with curious and friendly locals. Traversing the country from Dalat to the ancient trade town of Hoi An, explore the central region of Vietnam on a cycle tour that's packed with unique cultural experiences, stunning scenery and delicious local food – This is an active adventure you'll be talking about for years to come.
Overview
Take in the majestic highland town of Dalat from your bike, see the misty pine forest and then descend to the coast where life in the fishing villages goes on as it has for generations. Ride the picturesque coastline all the way to the UNESCO World Heritage Heritage-listed town of Hoi An and experience a side of Vietnam unknown to most travelers. All of this active fun is packed into a seven day cycling holiday with minimal time in the car.
A short flight takes us to Dalat where we check out the colonial-era architecture as well as more modern additions. After enjoying cycling through the temperate highlands, we descend to the subtropical environment of the coast, where we ride through the farming and fishing towns to Hoi An.
The Vietnamese coastline is made up of a picturesque variety of windy roads around headlands and sand dunes where colorful fishing boats bob at their moorings. Finish your ride in the world heritage listed town of Hoi An, full of historical significance, amazing food, and a lovely beach- the perfect reward for your active adventure.
Apart from a couple of days that are just a touch short of 100km, the riding is achievable for anyone who cycles regularly as a commuter or recreationally on weekends. Most of the roads are paved back roads with minimal traffic. We encounter only a couple of dirt roads and these are not hard riding at all. There are often sea breezes to keep the temperature down a little. There are a few other small hills, but we always return to sea level, so the up is a nice trade-off for the down.
* If you are thinking of joining us in Vietnam check out our optional guided tour extensions below in Saigon (pre-trip) and Ha Long Bay (post-trip) so you can enjoy even more Grasshopper time.
390 Km riding. This tour is rated 'Moderate' for difficulty. Apart from a couple of days that are just a touch short of 100km, the riding is achievable for anyone who rides regularly as a commuter or recreationally on the weekends. Most of the roads are paved back roads with minimal traffic. We encounter only a couple of dirt roads and these are not hard riding at all. There are often sea breezes to keep the temperature down a little. There are a few other small hills, but we always return to sea level, so the up is a nice trade-off for the down.
Pedal-assist E-bikes are an available option on this tour for an extra $210.
Highlights
Explore the mystical town of Dalat by bike as you pedal past waterfalls and through the pine forest shrouded in mist.
Visit local village industries such as mat weaving and rice paper making for a cultural experience.
Pedal through small fishing villages filled with fresh fish markets and friendly locals before taking a boat to Hoi An.
Enjoy the fresh flavors of Vietnamese cuisine along the way, including tasty fish straight from the sea.
Day to Day
We start off with a morning flight from Saigon to Dalat. After lunch and a briefing, we take to our bikes to explore. Dalat is a town full of character, and a great place to start our adventure. This hilltown was popular with the French during colonial times due to the climate but has since become even more well-known among middle-class Saigon folk who head for the romantic cool of the hills. The area is also known for some of the best coffee in Asia, a great way to fuel the day’s ride. We’ll start with an exploration of Dalat, cycling on sealed roads and unsealed trails through beautiful pine forests, flower gardens and coffee plantations.
Today we are in for a great ride as we pedal our way from the highlands to the sea. Enjoy cycling both ascents and descents along quiet secondary roads that eventually lead all the way to sea level. We drive some of the distance to ensure we arrive in Nha Trang with time to spare for lounging on the beach or perhaps sampling excellent craft beer at local brew pubs that have popped up.
It's a day off the bikes today to rest our legs, with the morning free to explore Nha Trang, relax by the pool or along the beach, or to try your hand at one of the many activities along the waterfront.
After lunch, we board the train for a fun, easy-going journey by rail up the coast. This is a much more relaxed way to travel than by road. Make sure you look out the window to catch the beaches, villages, rice fields and mountains we pass slowly by! Most of the other passengers are Vietnamese and the buffet car is a good place to strike up some conversations with the locals. We arrive in Quy Nhon in the early evening, transfer to our hotel and then enjoy dinner in town.
The coastal section of the cycling journey begins today as we leave Quy Nhon on a quiet back road along a sand dune peninsula with great views back over the bay and the mountains. We see lots of coast today as we undulate along the well-made road with friendly villagers waving and cheering us on as we pedal by. We take a short drive at the end of the day to get us into the tiny village of Tam Quan.
A varied and highly enjoyable day lies ahead of us. We spend the morning riding along the coast, then head inland to take in an array of new scenery.
We’ll pedal down some quiet roads, then ride along a railway road and pass farmers tending to rice fields and looking after water buffalo. Our home for the night is Quang Ngai, a small city of little note. Even so, the comfortable hotel, nice river view and a swimming pool make Quang Ngai a pleasant place to stay.
We start today with a visit to one of Vietnam's more sobering sites, the My Lai Massacre Memorial. It was here that the tragic massacre occurred that, once exposed, caused a turning point in American public opinion to the American-Vietnam war. Back on your bike again we'll weave our way through the coastal villages. If the local artisans are working today we'll stop to visit a bamboo basket workshop, this is a traditional form of industry that is now much harder to find in cities, but here in the village, the skills are still very much in use. We enjoy a lunch of the freshest seafood possible and stay in the town of Tam Ky.
Today will be a highlight of your cycling on this tour. First, we’ll park our bikes at the hero mother statue for an insight into the past. The hero mother in question was a lady who lost 11 sons, her husband and her grandson to the American-Vietnam conflict. This story underscores the terrible losses suffered by all people involved in the war. From here, we ride dirt roads through sleepy fishing villages with friendly faces popping out to say hello. Duck and chicken farms are also present through today, so we can stop and learn a little about this particular means of income generation. We then take a boat ride to reach Hoi An, a fitting way to enter this ancient port town and to conclude our adventure.
Dates & Price
EARLY RIDER PRIZE: Be in the first 4 to book a departure and get 5% OFF the tour price*
*Not applicable with guaranteed, private, or self-guided tours, other discounts, trip credit, or special offers
WHAT MAKES US STAND OUT
GRASSHOPPER STYLE
At Grasshopper, we enjoy not only providing a fun cycling experience for our guests, but also an authentic exploration of a specific area that gets you off the beaten path to visit small villages and their generations-old industries, beautiful natural spots, and plenty of historical must-sees. This way, you’re guaranteed a look at the Vietnam only locals know, and will leave your cycling holiday with countless precious memories.
