Cycling Vietnam

Thanks to the tropical climate, the long coast and the gigantic range of mountains, Vietnam is blessed with numerous varieties of culinary offerings and consequently maintains its reputation as one of the healthiest cuisines in the world that still packs a punch with delicious, fresh and fiery flavours. Vietnamese food relies on fresh fish, vegetables, rice and a myriad of verdant herbs and spices; lemongrass, ginger, basil and lime all play an important role in the cuisine. The Chinese and French influence is felt throughout the country where you are just as likely to be offered a banh mi (stuffed baguette) as you are a hot steaming bowl of pho (noodle soup). Each dish is prepared with the Asian principle of Wu Xing in mind (the five elements); meaning that the perfect combination of spicy, sour, bitter, salty and sweet is the ultimate aim. Be sure to also seek out the national beverages; Vietnamese coffee is served iced and sweet with condensed milk, a real sugar and caffeine hit, and beer hoi (local beer, brewed daily) is served on most street corners in the north out of large plastic jugs that are perfect for sharing. Food is cheap in Vietnam and you can generally avoid the spicier food if you wish. Western food is readily available almost everywhere. Vegetarians are well catered for but please inform us before departure of any special dietary requests. Please note that in South East Asia the availability of certain specialised products for restricted diets, eg gluten-free or dairy-free, is minimal or non-existent and we strongly recommend you bring these specialised dietary items from home. You may find it beneficial to bring ‘cycling snacks’ with you from home if you have high-energy bars or gels that you like to use during a ride. For those who wish to contribute, a kitty is normally arranged – fresh fruit, nuts, biscuits and local snacks are all provided from the snacking kitty along with homemade lemonade if the season is right.

The weather will be hot and humid throughout with temperatures during the day usually 28C-34C (82F-93F). It is only a little cooler at night. There is quite a range of seasons between the north and the south: the south up to Hue has a distinct dry season between December to April and then a rainy season from May to November when it tends to come in short heavy bursts with bright sunshine in between. Hanoi is cool in autumn, and even gets chilly between November and February (with drizzly rain).

There is no ideal time to visit Vietnam; it is quite pleasant at any time of year, though due to the shape of the country it is unlikely the weather will ever be perfect for the entire duration of any trip.

Please be aware that the boat trip on Ha Long Bay can be subject to short-notice change if certain adverse weather conditions develop during your trip. These could occur all year round, but especially in monsoon season (from October to April). Boat trips on Ha Long Bay are governed by the local authorities who are authorised to make appropriate safety decisions. If your Ha Long Bay trip is affected by adverse weather, this could either result in a reduced excursion on Ha Long Bay for your group, or less likely, the need to re-arrange the itinerary if it is not possible at all to go out on Ha Long Bay. While this is not a frequent occurrence, our local team and leaders are well equipped to handle such situations and have long offered appropriate options to groups in the instances where this may occur.

If you go to Cambodia for the Angkor Wat extension, the weather will be hot and humid all year round. The dry season is late October to May and the monsoon is normally between May and October; though there is an obvious transitional time between those settled periods.

The dry season is as it sounds, with hot days and generally clear skies, though you can expect the odd shower. The monsoon is characterised by short, sharp bursts of rain and is generally overcast all day though this does not detract from the enjoyment of the place; you just need to take an umbrella or buy a cheap local poncho.

This trip is rated Activity Level 3 (Moderate) and classified Road. For more information on our trip gradings please visit our Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip please do not hesitate to contact us.

Nine days of cycling (including one optional ride)

Average 43mi (70km) per day

90 percent vehicle support

Terrain and route: Road surfaces are mostly well paved. The route is generally flat with some undulation with the exception of Dalat and the Hai Van Pass. Vietnam can be very hot and humid, which can make cycling more demanding at times, but rests and water are readily available. You should be comfortable riding in traffic during parts of the itinerary.

This is a busy trip that involves early departures from hotels on cycling days; anyone not wanting to cycle all day can use the support vehicle.

Please be advised, that on any of the cycling days, if your leader feels the itinerary is running behind schedule and has concerns about arriving at the hotel at an appropriate time, they may ask some or all members of the group to finish their riding for the day and transfer to the support vehicle. This will ensure the group still arrives on schedule around the approximate expected arrival times communicated to the group in your daily briefings with your leader.

E-cigarettes and vapes: These are banned in Vietnam with strict penalties, including large fines and imprisonment – we strongly recommend you do not bring these with you.