Cycling Vietnam: Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi — Self-Launched

Fly into Tan Son Nhat International Airport and take a Grab taxi or the bus (Route 109, ~£0.50) to your hostel in the Pham Ngu Lao backpacker district. Spend your first evening exploring the area, grab a bowl of pho and a cold Bia Saigon on Bui Vien Walking Street. Ben Thanh Market and Notre Dame Cathedral are a short walk away for a first taste of the city.

🚌Grab taxi or Airport Bus Route 109 from Tan Son Nhat (~£0.50–£3)

🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Pham Ngu Lao (e.g. The Common Room Project or similar) — ~£12–16/night

• →Arrive and check in to a hostel in Pham Ngu Lao district
• →Walk to Ben Thanh Market and Notre Dame Cathedral
• →Explore Bui Vien Walking Street for street food and local beer

Hire a bicycle for the day from a local bike rental shop near Pham Ngu Lao (~£5/day for a basic mountain bike). Take a local bus or a shared minibus to the outskirts of the city, then ride to the Cu Chi Tunnels. Book a tunnel entry ticket directly at the gate (~£4) or via GetYourGuide. Crawl through the narrow wartime tunnel network used by Viet Cong guerrillas. Return to Ho Chi Minh City in the afternoon and spend the evening at the War Remnants Museum (~£2) or the Reunification Palace (~£2).

🚌Local bus or shared minibus to Cu Chi outskirts (~£1–2 each way)

🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Pham Ngu Lao — ~£12–16/night

• →Rent a bicycle from a local shop (~£5/day)
• →Visit Cu Chi Tunnels — book direct at gate or via GetYourGuide (~£4 entry)
• →War Remnants Museum or Reunification Palace on return (~£2 each)

Take an early bus from Ho Chi Minh City's Mien Dong bus station toward the coast. Disembark at a suitable point along the route to cycle (~54 km) through tropical fruit and rubber plantations and a small fishing village before rejoining the bus to Mui Ne (~3 hours). Arrive at Mui Ne's white-sand beach for sunset. The Sinh Tourist or Phuong Trang (FUTA) bus companies run reliable services. Mui Ne is famous for its red and white sand dunes — perfect to explore at dusk.

🚌FUTA/Sinh Tourist bus from Ho Chi Minh City to Mui Ne (~£4–6, ~5 hours total with cycling stop)

🛏Budget guesthouse or resort in Mui Ne (e.g. Mui Ne Hills Budget Hotel or similar) — ~£14–20/night

• →Cycle ~54 km through plantations and fishing villages
• →Visit Mui Ne's red and white sand dunes at sunset
• →Stroll Mui Ne fishing village

Head out early by bus toward Dalat, disembarking to cycle (~57 km) through coffee and tea plantations, flower gardens and pine forests as the altitude rises. Rejoin the bus for the steep final climb into Dalat. The FUTA bus company runs a direct Mui Ne–Dalat service (~£4). Once known as 'Le Petit Paris', Dalat is a charming highland town with a cool climate. Spend the evening exploring the Dalat Night Market and sampling local strawberry wine.

🚌FUTA bus Mui Ne to Dalat (~£4, ~4 hours including cycling section)

🛏Budget hotel or guesthouse in Dalat (e.g. Dreams Hotel Dalat or similar) — ~£12–18/night

• →Cycle ~57 km through coffee, tea and flower plantations
• →Explore Dalat Night Market
• →Try local specialities: strawberry wine, avocado ice cream, banh mi

Enjoy a thrilling mostly-downhill ride (~90 km) through Bidoup Nui Ba National Park's pine forests, paddy fields and ethnic minority villages, descending nearly 1,500m to the coast. Lock up your bike in Nha Trang and take a local bus (~90 min) to the ferry pier at Dam Mon, then a short boat transfer to Whale Island Resort (Van Phong Bay). Book the resort directly at whaleislandresort.com — they offer bungalows for independent travellers. Settle in and enjoy a beach sunset.

🚌Local bus Nha Trang area to Dam Mon pier (~£2), boat transfer to Whale Island (~£3–5)

🛏Whale Island Resort bungalow (book direct at whaleislandresort.com) — ~£30–45/night

• →Cycle ~90 km downhill through Bidoup Nui Ba National Park
• →Spot ethnic minority villages in the central highlands
• →Ferry transfer to Whale Island — book direct with the resort

A well-earned rest day. Join the resort's morning boat trip for snorkelling, sea swimming and a seafood lunch (~£15–20 including lunch, bookable directly with the resort). Pass a small fishing village and the Whale Temple island. In the afternoon, take a walk around the island to the viewpoint for 360-degree coastal panoramas. Alternatively, simply nap in a hammock — you've earned it.

🚌No transport needed — day on the island

🛏Whale Island Resort bungalow — ~£30–45/night

• →Morning snorkelling and boat trip with seafood lunch (~£15–20, book with resort)
• →Walk to island viewpoint for 360-degree coastal views
• →Relax on the beach or kayak in the bay

Take the boat back to the mainland and catch a local bus to Vung Ro Bay, where you begin the longest ride of the trip (~102 km) along Vietnam's stunning coastline through Tuy Hoa and O Loan Lagoon to Chi Thanh and La Hai. Stop for a local pho lunch midway. From La Hai, take a local bus (~1 hour, ~£1) to Quy Nhon — a relaxed coastal city rarely overrun with tourists. Check in and refuel with fresh seafood at the beachfront.

🚌Ferry back to mainland (~£3–5), local bus to Vung Ro (~£2), local bus La Hai to Quy Nhon (~£1)

🛏Budget hotel in Quy Nhon (e.g. Seagull Hotel or similar) — ~£12–18/night

• →Cycle ~102 km along the central Vietnamese coast
• →Visit O Loan Lagoon with its oyster farms and fishing boats
• →Fresh seafood dinner in Quy Nhon

Cycle (~50 km) north from Quy Nhon across the Thi Nai peninsula over the Nhon Hoi Bridge — the longest sea bridge in Vietnam — past secluded bays, sand dunes and colourful fishing boats. Stop at a local market for a street food lunch. From Phu Ly, board the FUTA bus to Hoi An (~4 hours, ~£6). Arrive in Hoi An's lantern-lit Ancient Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Evening wander along the Thu Bon River.

🚌FUTA bus Quy Nhon to Hoi An/Da Nang (~£6, ~4 hours)

🛏Guesthouse in or near Hoi An Old Town (e.g. Hoi An Backpackers or similar) — ~£12–18/night

• →Cycle ~50 km across Nhon Hoi sea bridge and past coastal dunes
• →Stop at local market for street food lunch
• →Evening wander through Hoi An Ancient Town lantern quarter

Buy a combined Old Town ticket (~£4) to access Hoi An's key heritage sites: the Japanese Covered Bridge, Chinese Assembly Halls, merchant houses and ancient wells. Alternatively, rent a bicycle (~£2/day) and ride 5 km to Cua Dai beach or 19 km to the Marble Mountains (entry ~£2). In the afternoon, visit a local tailor — Hoi An is famous for custom-made clothing at excellent prices (allow 24 hours for tailoring). In the evening, take a lantern-making class or a cooking class through GetYourGuide or directly with local providers (~£15–20).

🚌Bicycle rental for the day (~£2)

🛏Guesthouse in or near Hoi An Old Town — ~£12–18/night

• →Hoi An Old Town combined entry ticket (~£4) — Japanese Bridge, Assembly Halls, merchant houses
• →Rent a bicycle and ride to Cua Dai Beach or Marble Mountains
• →Optional: tailoring, lantern-making or cooking class (~£15–20 via GetYourGuide)

This is the highlight of the cycling trip. Take a local bus or Grab to the southern foot of the Hai Van Pass, then cycle the legendary 21 km climb (~580m elevation gain) over the Pass of the Ocean Clouds — rewarded with spectacular views of Da Nang Bay and the coastline. Descend the northern side and continue through rural villages and coastal scenery (~81 km total). From the outskirts of Hue, take a Grab or local bus (~£1–2) into the city centre. Freshen up, then explore Hue's riverside by evening.

🚌Grab/local bus to foot of Hai Van Pass (~£2–4), Grab/local bus into Hue centre (~£1–2)

🛏Budget hotel in Hue city centre (e.g. Hue Serene Palace Hotel or similar) — ~£12–18/night

• →Cycle the Hai Van Pass (~21 km climb, 580m elevation) — one of Vietnam's iconic rides
• →Descend through Da Nang Bay views and rural coastal villages
• →Evening stroll along Hue's Perfume River

Rent a bicycle (~£2/day) and ride the short loop (~17 km) to Hue's Imperial Citadel — entry ~£5 — to explore the palaces, halls of the Mandarins and the ruins of the Forbidden Purple City. Then join a shared dragon boat tour along the Perfume River to the ornate Thien Mu Pagoda and Nguyen Dynasty royal tombs (~£5–8, bookable locally or via GetYourGuide). In the evening, board the Reunification Express overnight train to Hanoi (SE3/SE5, book via baolau.com or 12go.asia — soft sleeper ~£18–22). A fantastic way to travel.

🚌Bicycle rental (~£2), dragon boat (~£5–8), Reunification Express train Hue–Hanoi (~£18–22 soft sleeper)

🛏Overnight train — soft sleeper berth (~£18–22)

• →Cycle to Hue Imperial Citadel and Forbidden Purple City (~£5 entry)
• →Shared dragon boat on the Perfume River to royal tombs (~£5–8, book locally or GetYourGuide)
• →Board overnight Reunification Express train to Hanoi (~£18–22 soft sleeper via baolau.com)

Arrive into Hanoi's Ga Hang Co station early morning. Drop luggage at your hostel and freshen up. Take a pre-booked 2-day/1-night Ha Long Bay cruise departing around midday — dozens of reputable operators run day-trip buses from Hanoi's Old Quarter (book via GetYourGuide, Klook, or directly with operators like Handspan or Indochina Junk). Budget boats include meals, kayaking and a cave visit for ~£60–80 per person. Cruise among the 1,600+ limestone karsts, kayak into hidden lagoons and enjoy dinner on deck.

🚌Bus transfer Hanoi to Ha Long Bay pier included in most cruise packages (~3.5 hours)

🛏Overnight junk boat on Ha Long Bay (included in cruise package)

• →Arrive Hanoi by overnight train — drop bags at hostel
• →Board Ha Long Bay 2-day/1-night cruise from Hanoi (~£60–80 incl. meals, kayaking, caves — book via GetYourGuide or Klook)
• →Kayak through limestone karst formations and hidden lagoons
• →Dinner and sunset on the bay

Wake up to mist rising over the karsts. Visit Me Cung Cave (Labyrinth Cave) — one of Ha Long's most spectacular — included in most cruise packages. Continue kayaking or take a swim before the boat heads back to the pier. The bus returns you to Hanoi's Old Quarter by late afternoon. Spend the evening exploring Hoan Kiem Lake and the vibrant streets of the Old Quarter — grab a bia hoi (draught beer, ~£0.30 a glass) at a street corner.

🚌Bus return Hanoi from Ha Long pier included in cruise package

🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Hanoi Old Quarter (e.g. Hanoi Backpackers Hostel or similar) — ~£10–16/night

• →Visit Me Cung (Labyrinth) Cave — included in cruise package
• →Morning kayaking and swimming in Ha Long Bay
• →Evening around Hoan Kiem Lake and Hanoi Old Quarter — try bia hoi (~£0.30/glass)

Your final morning in Hanoi. Rise early for the changing of the guard at Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (~free), then visit the Temple of Literature (~£1.50) and browse the silk shops of the Old Quarter. Grab a final Vietnamese iced coffee and a banh mi from a street stall before heading to Noi Bai International Airport. Take the 86 express bus (~£1) or a Grab taxi (~£6–8) to the airport.

🚌Bus 86 or Grab taxi to Noi Bai Airport (~£1–8)

🛏N/A — departure day

• →Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and One Pillar Pagoda (free/nominal entry)
• →Temple of Literature (~£1.50)
• →Final street food: banh mi, bun cha and Vietnamese iced coffee
• →Airport transfer: Bus 86 (~£1) or Grab (~£6–8)