Northern Vietnam Mountain Cycling Tour
About this tour
Siam Bike Tours would like to take you to the Vietnamese Yunnan highlands, the “roof of Indochina”. The northern border region of Vietnam has become an insider tip for cycling enthusiasts due to the greatly improved quality of its roads. Breathtaking pass roads lead past mountain ranges up to 3,000 m high and through large, lush rainforests.
We meet in Hanoi, the oldest of the still existing capitals of Southeast Asia with its old town in the French colonial flair. From there we take the van north to the starting point of our tour near Lao Cai on the border with China. In eight fascinating stages on winding paths back to Hanoi we experience the beauty of the region in all its diversity. Although some of the climbs to be mastered are many kilometers long, they can be described as moderate due to their incline and uniformity. It is a sporty, demanding tour for lovers of exceptionally beautiful mountain passes.
Following the philosophy of Siam Bike Tour, we always choose the best possible, locally available accommodation on the stages. While it is mostly luxurious and cozy hotels or resorts, in more remote locations it will occasionally be simpler hotels or guest houses. Vietnamese cuisine is widely known to be very tasty and wholesome. In larger towns, French and colonial dishes are also available as options. For this tour we cooperate with an experienced and excellent local tour company.
11 days | 10 nights | 8 stages from 35 to 126 km | Total 683 km | Total ascent 11,000 m | Rest day in Mai Chau
Tour Package: 85,000 THB
Tour Package incl. Single Supplement: 99,000 THB
STARTS IN Hanoi
ARRIVE AT
Nội Bài Intl Airport (HAN)
ENDS IN Hanoi
DEPART FROM
Nội Bài Int Airport (HAN)
TOTAL CYCLING DISTANCE
683 KM
DISTANCE PER DAY
35 - 126 KM
Tour Highlights
- Hanoi, the oldest capital of Southeast Asia with a colonial old town
- Tour on paths steeped in history
- Breathtaking mountain roads and panoramas
- Ethnic minority tribal areas
- Mostly luxurious and very beautiful hotels and resorts
- Culinary and traditional delicacies
- Almost all meals are included
- Unique Siam Bike Tours – Full Service
Included
Not Included
Day 1 | Arrival in Hanoi
D included
Upon arrival at the hotel, there will be time to explore Hanoi’s Old Quarter before we meet for an aperitif in the late afternoon. At dinner together we get to know our guides and learn everything there is to know about our host country and our tour. If you need help building your bikes, we will be on hand for that.
Day 2 | 1st Stage: Hanoi to Sapa Lodge
35 km| 1,100 m | B / L / D included
Our adventure in the northwest mountains begins with a transfer from your hotel in Hanoi to just shy of the border town of Lao Cai. Here it’s out of the bus and onto the bikes for the 35 km climb up to your lodge accommodation. We’ll arrive in time to enjoy the area, farmed by the Hmong, Dao and other minorities for centuries.
Day 3 | 2nd Stage: Sapa Loop
106 km | 2,500 m ascent | B / L / D included
We’ll say goodbye to your remote lodge, transfer into Sapa town for a quick coffee stop, then get into the day’s loop starting with almost 30 km of downhill. A bit further on, in Lao Cai, we will do a photostop at the border bridge to China. Then it’s on to discover some of the gorgeous back country with no shortage of climbing on the way home. Tonight we’ll enjoy the bustle of Sapa town, with Hmong-inspired cuisine.
Day 4 | 3rd Stage: Sapa to Than Uyen
96 km | 1,400 m | B / L / D included
Today starts with a mostly gentle climb out of Sapa town to the top of the famed O Quy Ho Pass. Then it’s a screaming 20 km descent and a gently undulating ride to Than Uyen, where we find our lodgings for the night at the District Guesthouse. This humble institution is usually only frequented by traveling cadres, and will give you a taste of what it was like in the good old days of Central Planning and ration cards. We’ll find some cold beer and chicken glass noodle soup on the street for dinner tonight and perhaps check out the local market.
Day 5 | 4th Stage: Than Uyen to Mu Cang Chai
80 km | 1,500 m | B / L / D included
Today’s ride mainly consists of a long gradual climb. We will ride through a beautiful gorge and past tiny Thai minority villages until we hit the Khau Pha Pass. We’ll turn off on this pass however and make our way along beautiful backroads to a simple yet very nice backcountry lodge complete with awesome rice terrace views. Our friendly hosts will serve us great Vietnamese food.
Day 6 | 5th Stage: Mu Cang Chai to Nghia Lo
80 km | 1,200 m | B / L / D included
Another stunning day awaits us. We head back onto the Khau Pha Pass, a contender for the most picturesque part of our route. We’ll find some lunch on the way down before we complete the rest of the mostly downhill route to Nghia Lo. This town is a stopping point for Hanoites on the road and features a few creature comforts. We’ll seek out some honest frontier food and the awesome Bigken minikegs that seem to be all the rage in this friendly town.
Day 7 | 6th Stage: Nghia Lo to Mai Chau
126 km | 1,750 m | | B / L / D included
Today’s route takes us on an undulating back country road through a series of very pretty villages and over a small, but challenging pass. We will then cross a lake on a ferry and do another shorter 6 km climb averaging 5% out of the Do River valley. From here we jump in the van like the real pros and let the driver take us to our destination.
If you still feel like it, you can tackle the last climb to Moc Chau and cover another 700 meters in altitude over 20 km. The town of Mai Chau is home to an ethnic minority group of Thai migrants. Tonight we’ll be rewarded for our efforts with a stay in luxury at a lodge complete with a pool.
Day 8 | Rest Day in Mai Chau and Surrounds
B / L / D included
After yesterday’s challenging ride, we’ll enjoy some downtime in beautiful Mai Chau today, making the most of our hotel’s facilities including pool and massage. To this we can add some gentle trekking or mountain biking into the stunning nearby countryside, dotted with Thai minority villages.
Day 9 | 7th Stage: Mai Chau to Hanoi + Transfer
100 km | 1,200 m | B / L / D included
We leave Mai Chau via a quiet back road that follows a river framed by limestone cliffs and glimpses of distant mountains. After enjoying the views we’ll find lunch on the road, and then continue to a convenient point outside Hanoi, where we’ll get on the buses to relax and avoid riding in the Hanoi traffic. Tonight we’ll celebrate with a big meal – this can be something Western for those now hankering for some comfort food.
Day 10 | 8th Stage: Hanoi to Hanoi
80 km | 350 m | B / L / D included
Not a must, but a nice option: on our last day, we do a nice epilogue ride to a smaller mountain overlooking Hanoi.
Afterwards there is still plenty of time to spend at your leisure in Hanoi. Walk the city’s markets and discover street-food; experience Hanoi’s rich artistic heritage, from pre-colonial architecture and artefacts through Socialist Realism to contemporary art-spaces.
We will meet back up in the evening for one last meal together.
Day 11 | Hanoi
B incl.
After breakfast, we may help you arrange your transfer back to the airport. There is also an option to extend your stay. Additional nights at the hotel may be booked through us.
All of our cycling tours will be arranged into small groups and guided by an experienced tour guide. Our bike tours are suitable for any enthusiastic cyclist in reasonable shape.
The group will determine the riding speed on any stage; faster riders may go ahead together, regrouping at selected refreshment stops with the others. During our tours it is mandatory to wear a helmet.
The Thai currency is the baht. ATM’s, which are abundant, are the easiest ways to get Thai baht. Have a supply of US dollars in cash on hand, just in case your card doesn’t work. Banks or the rarer private money changers offer the best foreign-exchange rates. Credit cards are accepted in big cities and resort hotels but you’ll need baht for family-run guesthouses or restaurants.
We recommend that you visit a travel medical doctor and ask about the following vaccinations: typhoid, polio, tetanus and hepatitis A. A certificate for Yellow Fever is required when arriving from an infected area within six days.
All nationalities require a passport for entry into Thailand. Please ensure your passport is valid for at least 6 months beyond the duration of your stay in the country. If staying less than 30 days then a visa in advance is not required by European, North American, Australian and many other nationalities. You will need to show proof of an onward flight out of Thailand to be eligible for the visa on arrival. This is strictly enforced.
Thailand generally has a tropical climate with fairly high humidity. The North and Central region have a tropical climate with fairly high humidity. Northeast Thailand has a humid hot and dry weather alternatively with medium rain while the coastal areas of the east are humid and hot with intermittent rain. The South of Thailand has a tropical climate with fairly high humidity. There are three seasons: from March to June it is hot and dry, with temperatures between 27˚C/80 F and 40˚C/104 F, with night temperatures in the 20s. The rainy season is from July to October, but temperatures are slightly lower, because of the effect of the rain. During this time it will not rain continuously, but in sharp bursts, and the sun can come out quickly. The cooler season is from October to February, with average temperatures between 20˚C/68 F and 30˚C/86 F
Completion of Contract
A contract is being completed between you and Siam Bike Tours (SBT) by inscribing yourself. The terms of the business of SBT are the basis of this contract. The person inscribing will be held responsible for the liability of all person inscribed by him.
Services
Our services are being described within the present website. Any special requests or side agreements will only be part of the contract if confirmed unconditionally by SBT in written form.
Payment
Upon receiving SBT’s booking confirmation, you will have to make a down payment of 25% of the amount due. The rest has to be paid 6 weeks ahead of the starting date of your trip. If the payment has not been made on time, SBT may deny the booked services and claim processing fees.
Withdrawal by Traveller
The traveler’s withdrawal will take effect after a written withdrawal declaration has come in at SBT. The following cancellation fees will be charged:
- 90 days before starting the tour: Admin expenses (Bank fees, any costs caused by cancellation)
- 60 to 89 days before starting the tour: Deposit paid
- 45 to 59 days before starting the tour: 50% of tour price
- 15 to 44 days before starting the tour: 70% of tour price
- 0 to 14 days before starting the tour: 100% of tour price
Change of Reservation
There is no legal right to make changes with respect to the date of the journey and the destination after concluding the contract. If changes of reservation are possible and Siam Bike Tours agrees to them, the following cancellation fees will be charged. You have to alert us to this change in writing.
- 59 to 45 days before departure: THB 10,000
- 15 to 44 days before departure: THB 15,000
SBT reserves the right to change the catalog of services and prices/rates before your booking. If this is the case, SBT will duly inform you before the completion of the contract. Any increase in prices and rates may be necessary for the cost of transport or the hotel rates increase, or if the currency exchange rate is modified.
Minimum Number of Participants
All offered trips will take place at a minimum number of 4 participants. If this number is not reached, SBT may cancel the trip until 14 days before its starting date.
Cancellation
SBT is entitled to cancel the trip if by your acts or omissions you are creating a justifiable cause. In this case, SBT will refund the traveling price paid. You are starting a trip but cannot finish it. If due to any reason you abandon a trip ahead of time, no refund can be made.
Changes of Programme, Failure of Service
If during the trip a change of program has to be made (e.g. due to weather conditions) that affects a considerable part of the planned trip, SBT will refund the possible difference between the agreed travel price and this of the services adduced.
Force Majeure
Any events of force majeure such as riots, catastrophes, epidemics, etc. may cause SBT to cancel the trip. In such a case SBT will inform you as soon as possible.
Travel Cancellation Insurance
A travel cancellation insurance is not included in SBT’s tours. Such an insurance may be contracted with any travel insurance company.
Liability
SBT is liable within the limits of its obligation to exercise diligence for all specified services. The traveler takes part in the trip at his own risk. Particularly, the traveler is responsible for his state of health, his road behavior, the observance of the traffic regulations and all other local regulations regarding traffic. In no case, SBT may be held liable for any physical or material damages, that the traveler may suffer or cause by practicing cycling, even when riding in an SBT’s group or with a guide.
Court of Jurisdiction
The Court of Jurisdiction is in Thailand.