Quintessential Central Vietnam World Heritage Motorbike Tour Loop – 6 Days

Itinerary:

Highlights of the tour

* Ethnic minority villages
* Hai Van pass
* Local cuisine
* Old-growth rainforest
* Mountain waterfalls
* Ho Chi Minh Trail
* Hamburger Hill
* Khe Sanh combat base
* Khe Sanh museum
* Crossing the 17th parallel
* Historic Vinh Moc tunnels
* World Heritage sites
* Phong Nha National Park

Rider rating:
Inexperienced riders to sit on the back
Moderately experienced to drive yourself
Experienced riders

Tour rating:
easy day (last day)
long days
all paved road

DAY 1: HOI AN MOTORBIKE TOUR TO HUE (THE COAST ROAD)

We drive the coast road along My Khe Beach, stopping for drinks by the beach before heading up and over the Hai Van Pass, the highest point on Highway 1. We ride on big open windy roads where traffic is rare, enjoying some of the most scenic landscapes in Vietnam.

We stop at Lang Co beach for a seafood lunch and continue along the coast through small fishing communities before arriving in the historic capital of Hue. Dinner is a unique experience dining on the famous specialties of Hue cuisine.
(Accommodation: Hotel
(Meals: Lunch, Dinner)

DAY 2: HUE MOTORBIKE TOUR TO PHONG NHA (TUNNELS AND TRAILS)

After an early start, we take small country roads up the coast. Crossing the former border between North and South Vietnam at the 17th parallel, we arrive at the Vinh Moc tunnels, where an entire village went underground in the 1960s to survive the bombing. After exploring the tunnels, we head to a local beach where you can cool off with a swim followed by lunch. We then head away from the coast on the eastern branch of the Ho Chi Minh Highway to Phong Nha-Khe Bang national park.
Tonight’s accommodation is in a newly built family-run farm-stay retreat where you can talk freely to the locals about their wartime experiences.
(Accommodation: hotel)
(Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

DAY 3: PHONG NHA ADVENTURE

Awake to the sounds of rural Vietnam. With a day free to explore Phong Nha national park, we take a morning boat ride into the magnificent Phong Nha limestone cave, the second-longest wet limestone caves in the world, followed by a local lunch and an afternoon of tubing, kayaking or trekking through this amazing old-growth rainforest.

(Accommodation: hotel)
(Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

DAY 4: PHONG NHA MOTORBIKE TOUR TO KHE SANH (HO CHI MINH TRAIL)

Today’s ride is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Obtaining special military permission, we are able to drive the remote western branch of the Ho Chi Minh Highway through majestic limestone karst and spectacular old-growth jungle. Be amazed at the tenacity of the Vietnamese people during the US war, as this road follows the original HCM Trail through some of the most rugged terrain on Earth.
Arriving in Khe Sanh, we visit the site of the former marine combat base, capping off an amazing day of riding and history.
(Accommodation: hotel)
(Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

DAY 5: KHE SANH MOTORBIKE TOUR TO PRAO VIA A LUOI (HILL TRIBE COUNTRY)

Leaving Khe Sanh early, we cross the Cuban-built Da Krong bridge, where the stilt houses of hill tribes still line the road. After climbing up to the A Shau valley, where Colin Powell was injured by a punji stick during the war. After a picnic lunch at the foothills of Hamburger Hill, we continue along one of the more remote stretches of the HCM Highway to the ethnic minority town of Prao. A local dinner is an experience in itself.(Accommodation: Small hotel/guesthouse)
(Meals:  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

DAY 6: PRAO MOTORBIKE TOUR TO HOI AN

We take a small road out of Prao, passing ethnic tribes and stopping to swim and explore the villages as we descend from the mountains.
Once in the delta, we follow our famous country laneway route into Hoi An, completing our six-day loop of central Vietnam.
(Meals:  Breakfast, Lunch)

Optional Abseiling at Marble Mountain on day 6:
We walk up Marble Mountain into the rappelling area, which takes about 10 to 15 minutes.
The first rappel is a short walk from the practice area and enjoys a fantastic view of the ocean. This 22-meter line has great exposure, fantastic scenery and makes you feel like you are much higher than you actually are.
Then we do our final rappel; a monster 50-meter drop into a gaping hole so deep and dark that you can’t see the bottom. This fantastic cave rappel drops right out of the jungle down into a temple chamber. Get ready for a full-on Tomb Raider experience