EXOTIC VIETNAM MOTORCYCLE TOUR ON HO CHI MINH TRAIL – 15 DAYS

In the morning we start our motorbike tour by leaving Hanoi on dyke roads to avoid the heavy traffic around 9 am, we ride our motorcycles west to Mai Chau, an area of beautiful landscape and home to the Thai ethnic minority.

We will ride on Highway 6 passing extensive farming lands comprising a sea of paddy fields split by tree-lined roads punctuated by limestone karst scenery.

After a light lunch in Hoa Binh Province, we cross Thung Khe, one of the most beautiful mountain passes in North Vietnam then descent to the mountain valley settlement of Mai Chau. After dinner, we join performance, where you can dance and share a range of special liquors (rice wine) with the locals. Overnight in a house-on-stilts of the Thai people.

Summary:
Distance: 160 km
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Home-stay

Say goodbye to the villagers we then head south on a beautiful winding road which follow the banks of the Ma River. After some hours riding on an undulating quiet road we join the new Ho Chi Minh Highway. This newly carved route leads us due south, through a remote back country, not far from the Laos border.

Lunch will be on the way with local foods. In the afternoon we cut eastward towards the coast and stay overnight in the peaceful city of Vinh, which is close to where Ho Chi Minh was born. Dinner in local restaurant and overnight in hotel.

Summary
Distance:  268 km
Accommodation: Hotel in Vinh City
Meals:   Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner 

This morning we head inland towards the Laos border after 40min riding we can reach the birthplace of Ho Chi Minh in Kim Lien Village. The place is truly a shrine to the Vietnamese and visited by few westerners. 

After paying respects to Uncle Ho, we head to the HCM Highway via Thanh Chuong District.  You cross the Lam River on the Ro Bridge and then drive primarily on the beautiful new highway of Ho Chi Minh.  Lunch break in Pho Chau Town, a tiny town about 40km from Thanh Chuong.

After lunch, we continue on the quiet highway to Dong Loc Intersection, (main junction for supply lines during the war) which is widely regarded in Vietnamese eyes as the beginning of Ho Chi Minh Trail. We then pass through remote back country, close to the border , as the scenery steadily becomes dominated by karst limestone rock formations. We will reach our overnight spot, Huong Khe Town, around 5pm. Dinner in local restaurant and overnight in a mini hotel. 

Summary
Distance:  160 km
Accommodation: Hotel in Huong Khe Town
Meals:   Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today’s motor ride is on a very quiet section of the new highway. En route, you will come to Khe Ve Intersection and Pheo – the very first branch of the Ho Chi Minh Trail into Laos. Continuing on from Pheo, we will arrive in Phong Nha around noon. After lunch in local restaurant, we board a dragon boat to explore the famous Nature World Heritage Site of Phong Nha cave.

After the exploration of Phong Nga, we ride 30km eastward to the coastal town of Dong Hoi, our today’s overnight spot. Dinner and overnight in hotel.

Summary
Distance:  210 km
Accommodation: Hotel in Dong Hoi Town
Meals:   Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today’s motor ride is also on the new, quiet highway.  Along the way, we will have a short stop at Truong Son National Cemetery to pay respect to the soldiers who fought and died on the trail during the American War. After here we head to Dong Ha Town passing Ben Tat Bridge, built by the VC over the Ben Hai River. 

Arriving in Dong Ha, we will check into the hotel, and have some lunch.  In the afternoon, we drive to the mystic Vinh Moc Tunnel and the famous DMZ, Doc Mieu fire base and the historic Hien Luong Bridge.
Dinner and overnight in Dong Ha.

Summary
Distance:  176 km in the morning & 80 km in the afternoon
Accommodation: Hotel in Dong Ha Town
Meals:   Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Continuing our motorbike tour west on Highway 9, we will climb into the Truong Son foothills. About 16km from Khe Sanh is the Dakrong Bridge and the road turns winding and narrow. A bit further, we will come to Huang Hoa, once known as Khe Sanh Base, which was established as a forward base by General Westmoreland near Laos to secure Highway 9.  About 3km from Khe Sanh is Ta Con Airbase.

Lunch in Khe Sanh and then head out across the famous Dakrong River Bridge on Rte. 14  Near the town of Ta Rut, we will stop for a visit with the Pa Co people and a walk through their village. 
From Ta Rut, you head over scenic Pe Ke Pass and then down to A Luoi for the night. 
Dinner in local restaurant and overnight in a simple guest house.

Summary
Distance:  200 km
Accommodation: Guesthouse in A Luoi
Meals:   Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today’s riding is the best riding of the whole route. For the first 110 km, we cross one of the longest and most stunning pass on new and quiet road, through the stunning scenery of primitive forests backed by the imposing Truong Son mountain range. There are also two long tunnels and very little traffic. The next 68 km from Hien to Thanh My are on a good road with some gentle climbs. Lunch on the way in local restaurant. The last 40km of the day are on an older, bumpier road all the way from Ai Nghia to the charming ancient town of Hoian. Dinner and overnight in Hoian.

Summary
Distance:  240 km
Accommodation: Hotel in Hoian Town
Meals:   Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Hoi An, nestled on the banks of the Thu Bon River.  Before the river silted up, Hoi An was one of the most important trading ports in Southeast Asia, and a center for East-West exchange and trade. The rooftops of Hoian retain a magical old world Oriental feel and are a favorite subject for Vietnamese artists.  In the early 1980s Hoian’s ancient quarters and historical monuments came under the protection and restoration efforts of UNESCO and the Polish government. 

Those who wish can ride up to Danang Beach, where US marines first landed, otherwise enjoy a free day to explore Hoi An by foot or by motorbike taxi. With fine wining and dining (including a range of Hoi An specialties), impressive architecture, fantastic tailoring, endless shopping, and a glorious beach, there is no shortage of activities to indulge in.

Summary
Accommodation:  Hotel in Hoian Town
Meals:   Breakfast

Time to hit the road again!  We leave Hoi An in the morning and head to My Son, 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 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.  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.  We can spend the day visiting the highlights of Dalat – its gardens, cathedral, waterfalls, market, Valley of Love, convent, university and key pagodas. Overnight in Da Lat.

Summary
Accommodation: Hotel in Dalat
Meals:   Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Motorcycle down on road 20, we ride to Cat Tien National Park. This forest area used to be the headquarter of Vietnamese army during the war. The park suffered historically during the Vietnam War when it was extensively sprayed with herbicides like the defoliant Agent Orange. To this day these areas have extensive bamboo and grassland cover and trees have not yet grown back.

Summary
Distance:  190 km
Accommodation: Hotel or homestay in Nam Cat Tien
Meals:   Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner 

This is not so long but is a big day as traffic is very crazy when we enter Saigon (HCM City). We ride straight to the train station where we end the ride. If you need information about places to stay and/or to eat, our guide will be able to recommend some.

Summary
Distance: 160 km
Accommodation: Not included
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

End of services

* Note on client safety:
We reserve the right to deviate from this itinerary for any reasons, including road and weather conditions, frequency of visits to a village, or for any other factor which may influence client safety.