Spellbinding Vietnam Motorbike Tour from Hanoi to Saigon via Central Highlands – 15 Days

Today we start Vietnam Motorbike tour to Ta Xua on countryside road with a stop in Long Coc Tea Hill or Thanh Son Tea Hill to learn about the special drinking culture.

Conquering the top peak of Ta Xua would be the favorite activity for adventure lovers. The shortest peak of Ta Xua mountain, and also the most well known is the Dinosaur Spine. This peak is about 2400m above sea level, making it the easiest one to conquer among the three. From afar, Ta Xua Mountain has the look of a resting dinosaur, so the trail leading to the peak is called Dinosaur’s Spine for this reason.

Distance: 220 km, ~6 hours riding

Meals: Lunch, Dinner

Ourmotorbike tour continue with small roads that lead into the mountains around Mai Chau so we’ll take the chance to ride out to isolated H’mong, Dao and Thai villages. We will take on the challenge of an old road built by the French army and spend the afternoon exploring nearby villages. It is very relaxing motorbike tour with the ride to Kho Muong village  Pu Luong Nature Reserve. You might like take a swim at Hieu Waterfall and . Overnight in Pu Luong eco where you can enjoy the infinitity pool overlooking the vast mountain range.

Distance: Distance: 195 km, ~6 hours riding

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight in Pu Luong

Our Vietnam motorbike ride continue on a small, spectacular and paved trail along the Ma river until Cam Thuy town where we stop for lunch. Hit the Ho Chi Minh trail (now a newly built highway) all the way to Tan Ky town where we spend the night in a hotel. Finish a long day motorcycle ride in Vietnam.

Distance: Distance: 291 km, ~9 hours riding

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Continue Vietnam motorcycle ride on Ho Chi Minh Highway until Pho Chau where we stop to visit the HCM Trail victory monument which is in fact the real starting point of our HCM Trail ride.

Ho Chi Minh motorcycle ride to Phong Nha – Ke Bang, the biggest and also the most beautiful cave in Vietnam and Indochina and is now a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site. The karst formation of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park has evolved since the Paleozoic (some 400 million years ago) and so is the oldest major karst area in Asia.

Subject to massive tectonic changes, the park’s karst landscape is extremely complex with many geographic features of considerable significance. The vast area, extending to the border of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, contains spectacular formations including 65 km of caves and underground rivers. Today is enjoyable Vietnam motorbike tours.

Distance: Distance: 280 km, ~8 hours riding

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Our Vietnam motorbike touring continue with boating and exploring World Heritage site of Phong Nha where local civilians and military sheltered from incessant bombing during wartime. Then we motorcycle ride down to the coastal town of Dong Hoi, which was heavily shelled by US warships during the war. At a hotel over looking the beach, we can take in some sunbathing by the beach. Enjoy the peaceful life in this area after long Ho Chi Minh Trail motorcycle tour.  Overnight in Dong Hoi.

Distance: Distance: 60 km, ~2 hours riding

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today our Vietnam motorbike tour will strike south through foothills which were once sprayed heavily by Agent Orange towards the former DMZ. There is still much evidence of bombing on the mountain sides and from time to time we will see remnants of the original Trail. We take in the Vinh Moc tunnel, the famous Hien Luong Bridge (former demarcation line between North and South Vietnam, the Truong Son Cemetery and finally Khe Sanh (former US Marine base).We had a great centre Vietnam motorcycle tour today. Overnight in Khe Sanh.

Distance: Distance: 200 km, ~6 hours riding

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

In the morning we continue our Ho Chi Minh Trail motorbike tour head south over the Da Krong Bridge (built by the Cubans in 1973) into the infamous A Shau valley, an area of intense wartime activity. Passing Hamburger Hill and mountains still barren due to the extended effects of Agent Orange, we arrive at A Luoi, where there are many Bru Van hill tribe people. Then, cruising through green back country down the steep Me Oi Pass, we continue on to the beautiful city of Hue which lies along the banks of the Perfume River. It is joyful motorcycle tours in centre Vietnam. Overnight in Hue.

Distance: Distance: 180 km, ~7 hours riding

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We continue Vietnam motorbike tour with the Forbidden Citadel in the morning by car. Join the National Highway 1 and head up the Hai Van Pass (Cloudy Pass) before the World Heritage site of Hoi An, a major trading centre in SE Asia in the 16th and 17th centuries. Today we have a great Vietnam motorbike tour on mountain pass. Overnight in Hoi An.

Distance: Distance: 145 km, ~5 hours riding

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today we have whole morning to explore the old town of Hoi An. Afternoon at the Cua Dai beach, about 6km from the old town.

The former harbour town of the Champa people at the estuary of the Thu Bon river was an important Vietnamese trading centre in the 16th and 17th centuries, where Chinese from various provinces as well as Japanese, Dutch and Indians settled down. During this period of the China trade, the town was called Hai Pho (Seaside Town) in Vietnamese. During the French colonial period (1883 – 1945), it was called Faifo. Originally Hai Pho was a divided town, because across the “Japanese Bridge”, it used to be the Japanese settlement (16th – 17th century). The bridge (Chua Cau) is a unique covered structure built by the Japanese, the only known covered bridge with a Buddhist pagoda attached to one side.

The town is known to the French and Spanish as Faifo, and by similar names in Portuguese and Dutch. A number of theories have been put forth as to the origin of this name. Some scholars have suggested that it comes from the word “Hai pho” meaning “sea town”, while others have said that it seems more likely to simply be a shortening of Hoi An pho, “the town of Hoi An”, to “Hoi pho” which became “Faifo”.

In 1999, the old town was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) as a well-preserved example of a Southeast Asian trading port of the 15th to 19th centuries, whose buildings display a unique blend of local and foreign influences.

Today, Hoi An is still a small city, but it attracts a fair number of tourists, also being a well established place on the backpacker trail. Many visit for the numerous art and craft shops and tailors, who produce made-to-measure clothes for a fraction of the western price. Today is relaxing Vietnam motorbike tours.

Distance: 170km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Time to hit the road again!  We leave Hoi An in the morning and head to My Son Sanctuary, a world heritage site that is the Cham version of Angkor Wat.

Most of the temples are dedicated to the Hindu god, Shiva, considered by the Cham as the founder and protector of their dynasties.

From My Son, we will continue along the highway, busy at first, until the road shifts and becomes smaller, although paved.  Then the drive becomes challenging, but a lot of fun and progress is far slower.

We will continue riding along the river, but the road itself, new and not very busy, climbs up along a very steep valley with the river rushing below. The river below is dotted with unique rock formations and there are waterfalls along the way. Lunch will be in Dong Phu.

Leaving Dong Phu, eventually, we will come to the town of Kham Duc or Phuoc Son. Overnight in Kham Duc Hotel.

Summary :

Distance:  200 km

Accommodation: Hotel in Kham Duc

Meals:   Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast in local restaurant we continue riding north on Highway 14 today on a bit of a bumpy section of the road to Kon Tum.

Today is really a day to visit different minority villages. We will ride over Lo Xo Pass, making lots of stops along the way to meet De and Trieng minorities, who live along the Dak Po Ko river. Along the river are many amazing hanging bridges, built by the local people to cross to the opposite shore.  Lunch will be in Tan Canh, and we can visit a village of Se Dang, before driving on to Kon Tum.

Along the way, we also pass one of the key towns and battle sites of the Vietnam War – Dak To and outpost Charlie.

In Kon Tum we can visit the Catholic church and the orphanage, based behind the Catholic Church in town and run by a group of French nuns. If time permits, you can also visit a beautiful Bahnar village near town.

Overnight in Kon Tum at the Dac Bla Hotel.

Summary :

Distance:  190 km

Accommodation: Hotel in Kon Tum

Meals:   Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The new Ho Chi Minh Highway was built on the old trail, but from Kon Tum to Daklak, the historic HCM trail (Highway 14C), runs parallel to Highway 14 linking Kon Tum, Pleiku, and Buon Me Thuot.

We will continue riding Highway 14 today, finding that traffic is busier than usual. Lunch will be in Pleiku.  From here, we ride along the Tun River and up over a pass.  Along the way are coffee plantations and the stilt houses of the Central Highland’s largest ethnic group, the Gia Rai. Eventually, we will cross the Nha Rong pass down into Buon Me Thuot, the provincial capital of Dac Lac Province, and the site of the last battle of the Vietnam war in March 1975.

At night we can stop by the beer parlors or sample the local coffee grown in the region.  It is far and away the best coffee in Vietnam and worth bringing home. Overnight at the Thang Loi Hotel.

Summary :

Distance:  240 km

Accommodation: Hotel in Buon Ma Thuot

Meals:   Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning, we take a motor ride to Lak Lake on Rte. 27, a small paved road with poor surfacing and quite busy.  Here we can have a break for refreshment and troll around the by the lake. There are said to be about 31 different ethnic groups in Dac Lac, each with their own traditional dress and customs.  Some of the villages are known for elephant hunting and taming, some for weaving and other arts.

After lunch in Lak Lake, we continue on to Da Lat.  The road is narrow, winding, but not busy.  We have three passes to cross – Krong No, Chuoi,  and Phu Son. The drive itself is quite beautiful and lined with dense forests.  Late in the afternoon, we will arrive in the hill town of Da Lat. 

Love Valley – Dalat

Overnight in Dalat.

Summary :

Distance:  200 km

Accommodation: Hotel in Da Lat

Meals:   Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Dalat is known as “The City of Love” and is a favorite holiday resort for Vietnamese as well as the French. With evergreen forests, waterfalls, beautiful lakes, the country’s best flower gardens, and delicious fresh produce, Dalat has always provided a welcome respite from the heat of the lowlands. Today we enjoy a drive through the charming pine hill to the summer residence of Vietnam’s last Emperor Bao Dai.

He was forced to abdicate in 1945, shortly after the end of the World War II. This mansion displays a lovely collection of Vietnam treasures. We follow it with a trip to the sacred Lam Ty Ni Pagoda and the Hang Nga Guesthouse. This construction is well known as the Crazy House because of its bizarre architecture.

The lively central market and the old rail station are also visited before we travel by roads passing through the undulating terrains to the picturesque coastal town of Mui Ne. En route we stop at Ca Na beach to see friendly fishermen using fishing nets to catch fish or communicate with the locals to understand more about their life

Check-in at hotel in Mui Ne and then free time to view the Sunset on the sea

O/N in Mui Ne

Summary :

230 km motors riding (5 hours)

Beach Relaxation

Accommodation: Hotel in Mui Ne

Meals:   Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Morning, breakfast & check out then you will be at leisure on the beach for a while. After that, we will ride to visit to Duc Thanh School – the first school built in Central Vietnam where the national Hero “Ho Chi Minh” used to be a teacher there, then visit Chua Ong Pagoda. A stop to explore the central market before continues drive to Van Thuy Tu – a temple where fishermen in Phan Thiet believe and worship their God of the Sea.

We then have a lunch at a local restaurant before riding back to Saigon. End of the trip

Activities:

230 Km of riding (5 hours)

Swimming & sight seeing

Meals:   Breakfast, Lunch