Cycling Vietnam’s Central Coast: 10-Day Tour

We start our tour with a morning pickup from your hotel in Hue. Please be ready to ride! You will meet your friendly guide, who will introduce you to your trusty two-wheeled companions for the week! We are off for a spin through this atmospheric city and its surroundings, where monuments of the last dynasty of Vietnam surprise us as we wind our way through tree-lined lanes and elevated roads in the fertile rice paddies.

We’ll visit the grandiose tomb of a famous emperor (truly a palace for the afterlife), cross the beautiful Perfume River by small ferry, explore the 17th-century Thien Mu Pagoda at its majestic vantage point over the river, and then arrive at the Forbidden City of the Nguyen dynasty, a moated palace that played a crucial role from the rise of the Nguyen dynasty, to the French colonial era, to the Tet offensive.

After lunch, we’ll check into our hotel, take some free time to relax, or head out for a walk in this engaging riverfront city, with its many parks, gardens, and grandiose tombs of emperors nearby.

Meals: Lunch, dinner
Cycling: 26 km / 16.1 miles
Elevation: +105 m (+344 ft), -105 m (-344 ft)
Accommodation: Emm Hotel

This morning, we’ll check out of our hotel in Hue and take a 15-minute drive to the outskirts of town. We rendezvous with our bikes and pedal along canals and rivers into the estuary of the Perfume River, a more isolated region of farming and fishing villages. We then arrive at the uncanny “Ghost City,” made up of huge, remarkably ornate mausoleums to ancestors, many of which are funded with money sent home by Vietnamese expatriates living abroad. The artistry of the mausoleums makes for a striking contrast with the rural landscape of rice fields, woods, and wetlands.

The ride continues through this serene countryside and culminates by the shores of Vietnam’s largest lagoon, where locals raise an abundance of oysters and fish. After taking in this dramatic view, we transfer the final 40 km / 25 miles to Lang Co Beach Resort for lunch. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy the resort, head to the spa, or relax at the beach.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Cycling: 64 km / 39.8 miles
Elevation: +281 m (+922 ft), -266 m (-873 ft)
Accommodation: Lang Co Beach Resort

Our ride begins straight out of the resort this morning, with a fun spin around another peaceful lagoon. This brings us to the day’s challenge: the iconic Hai Van Pass, where we will climb to 480 m / 1,575 ft above sea level over a distance of 10 km / 6.2 miles. It yields superb views over Da Nang Bay, well worth the ride. We then enjoy the downhill to the modern, dynamic city of Danang, our destination for lunch.

In the afternoon, we wind down with a relaxing and very scenic ride to Hoi An, winding through Da Nang’s neighborhoods passing the Marble Mountains, strange limestone columns that seem artificially placed into the flat landscape, and then into the riparian landscape of the countryside. We follow the Thu Bon River into the town of Hoi An, an important port of call for Chinese, Japanese, and Portuguese traders during the 17th and 18th centuries. The architecture reflects its cosmopolitan past, with over 844 UNESCO-protected historic structures forming the core of the town.

We will spend two nights here, giving us a chance to enjoy the sights and atmosphere of this energetic community which has retained its festiveness, vibrancy and entrepreneurial spirit.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Cycling: 62 km / 38.5 miles
Elevation: +899 m (+2,950 ft), -908 m (-2,979 ft)
Accommodation: La Charm Hoi An Hotel & Spa

On day 4, we’ll cycle directly from our hotel out of Hoi An on small village roads and then make our way up the Thu Bon River by roads and farm lanes. The ride is a fascinating immersion in the region’s ecosystem and surrounding agrarian economy, inextricably tied to the natural cycles of the tides, seasonal rains, and jungle flora.

Eventually, we arrive at My Son, ancient capital of the Cham civilization, a Hindu people who ruled this region until some 500 years ago. Although some of the temples were destroyed by American bombs, there are many remaining temples that convey the prosperity and artistry of the Champa kingdom. We will have lunch before visiting the site on foot.

In the afternoon, we transfer by van just over one hour back to Hoi An. Dinner is on your own tonight, so get adventurous and try the delicious Vietnamese food that Hoi An’s markets and riverside restaurants have to offer! Your guides will be happy to recommend some of their favorites.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Cycling: 55 km / 34.2 miles
Elevation: +432 m (+1,417 ft), -428 m (-1,404 ft)
Accommodation: La Charm Hoi An Hotel & Spa

In the morning, we leave Hoi An and cross the Cua Dai Bridge, which spans high above the Thu Bon River, with impressive views of the open ocean and the Cham Islands in the distance offshore. We have a pleasant ride on quiet rural riverside roads, with friendly local farmers, eventually reaching the village of Tam Thanh to enjoy the beach and a lunch of local seafood.

We then transfer about 1h45m and spend the afternoon at My Lai, where we have a climb on foot to an old temple to visit the memorial and museum at this site of one of the worst massacres of the American War. Guides will share the perspectives of the Vietnamese who lived through that traumatic period, and explain the continued fallout from the war down to the present day.

Later on, we’ll transfer about 30 minutes to our hotel, the peaceful and comfortable Cocoland River Beach Resort & Spa, where the Phuoc Giang River meets the sea near Quang Ngai. This is the perfect place to relax and reflect on the day’s explorations.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Cycling: 56 km / 34.8 miles
Elevation: +450 m (+1,476 ft), -444 m (-1,457 ft)
Accommodation: Cocoland River Beach Resort and Spa

This morning, we will transfer by van for 2.5 hours to arrive at ideal cycling roads further south. We will hop on our bikes and begin a diverse ride through rolling coastline, rice paddy fields, salt making flats, fishing villages, and a series of small passes (less than 70 m / 230 ft of elevation gain each) that form natural gateways to isolated beach communities. Our destination is Quy Nhon, an American port and supply center during the Vietnam War and refuge for thousands of Vietnamese fleeing the vicious bombing of the countryside, and now a prosperous mid-size hub for the agriculture and fisheries of Binh Duong Province.

We’ll end today’s beautiful bike ride beside a large river estuary with a view to the Quy Nhon skyline and take a brief transfer to our hotel in the city center. Enjoy a walk on the city’s bustling side streets and along the waterfront promenade before a well-earned dinner at one of your guide’s favorite restaurants!

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Cycling: 68 km / 42.2 miles
Elevation: +465 m (+1,526 ft), -473 m (-1,552 ft)
Accommodation: Anya Hotel

We transfer 45 minutes out of the city of Quy Nhon to a panoramic inland road along the floor of the Ky Lo River valley. The terrain is green and gently rolling, with beautiful views of the highland foothills as we pass through a mix of tribal and Viet villages on this smooth, gently sloping road. Potbellied pigs, chickens, and barefoot children trot across your trail, and we pass over rushing streams where the locals cast their fishing lines.

Leaving the valley after about 50 km / 31 miles, we wind our way on quiet trails along a lagoon surrounded by farmland with energetic market villages along the way, ending with an impressive section along the coast as we enter the coastal city of Tuy Hoa past a series of modern sculptures on its newly-beautified waterfront. Your stylish hotel is within walking distance of the sea and the city core, giving you a chance to experience another of Central Vietnam’s lesser-known but rising cities.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Cycling: 90 km / 56 miles
Elevation: +530 m (+1,739 ft), -563 m (-1,847 ft)
Accommodation: APEC Mandala Phu Yen

Today is the last cycling day, and it may be the most memorable. We ride from our hotel, and after the first 20 km / 12.4 miles, the scenery becomes very beautiful with looming mountains and a network of lush rice paddies across the valley. Prepare for a brutal hill today as we cycle to Vung Ro Bay and up the challenging Ca Pass. We are rewarded with jungle and bay views and stop for pictures at Vung Ro Bay before pushing through the last 3 km / 1.9 miles and to the top of Ca Pass (10% grade).

We’ll make our way to Dai Lanh Beach, where we’ll stop for refreshments and a swim for those who don’t mind getting their bike shorts wet, then transfer to Dam Mon. We may have the option to bike to Dam Mon if the traffic and dust conditions allow. The scenery here is like a moonscape and unlike anything else we have seen on the tour. Here, we’ll swap bikes for boats and head to Whale Island for some well-deserved R&R. The boat journey will take about 10 minutes and we will stay at the secluded Whale Island resort for two nights.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Cycling: 58 km / 36 miles
Elevation: +635 m (+2,083 ft), -633 m (-2,077 ft)
Accommodation: Whale Island Resort

A close connection to nature is the central guiding principle of Whale Island, which takes its name from the tradition of whale worship of the indigenous people here. The resulting experience is utterly unique and unforgettable. This 900-hectare island is pristine and uninhabited apart from the resort, making it a sanctuary for the many forms of life: colorful flowers, exotic birds, shimmering schools of fish, and of course whales and whale sharks if we are lucky!

The day is yours to enjoy this paradise as you wish. Snorkel to explore its famed coral reefs, take a kayak or catamaran out into the bay, or venture out onto the island’s trails on foot. Soak in the views from the bar and terrace or kick back on a deck chair with a good book. We will gather tonight for our final dinner of the trip, a feast of local specialties where we can celebrate and reflect on the myriad impressions of our amazing journey along Vietnam’s Central Coast!

Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Accommodation: Whale Island Resort

On day 10, we’ll transfer back to the mainland. Our included transfer will take you to Nha Trang or down to Cam Ranh Airport for domestic or international connections.

Meals: Breakfast