Ho Chi Minh Trail – Cross County Motorcycle Tour from Hanoi to Saigon – 15 days

We gather in Hanoi’s center at around 9:00 am and then ride our motorcycles in the west direction to get to Mai Chau, a mountainous area with a beautiful landscape and home to the Thai ethnic minority. We drive from Hanoi’s center to Highway 6, crossing by a sea of rice paddy fields and limestone karst on two sides of the tree-lined road.

After having lunch in Hoa Binh province, we cross Thung Khe, among the most scenic mountain passes in northern Vietnam, and then descend to Mai Chau, which is well set in an idyllic valley and surrounded by hills. After dinner at the homestay, we enjoy a folk music performance and are invited to dance and sing with local artists—overnight in the house-on-stilt homestay of the Thai people.

Summary:

Distance: 170 km

Meals: Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Homestay

After the first wonderful day, our motorcycle team drives around the tranquil rural villages and then follows the off-road route with poetic views that overlooks the Ma River. We then stop for lunch in Cam Thuy town. From this point on, our motorbike team can join the legendary Ho Chi Minh trail. We head to Tan Ky town, where we stay overnight. Tan Ky is a small town situated on a Ho Chi Minh trail section. Far away from the major cities, this is an ideal place for you to explore the local life of indigenous people here.

We wake up in the little town of Tan Ky, have breakfast, and then have a ride on the trail to Pho Chau and visit the Ho Chi Minh trail victory monument. Unlike the northern Vietnam motorbike tours, this route through the Ho Chi Minh trail will enable bikers to explore many historical relics. We then continue our ride to Phong Nha-Ke Bang national park, home to some of the most ancient karst mountains in Asia, which were formed 400 million years ago. This World Heritage Site is a heaven on earth for cave enthusiasts with hundreds of cave systems and spectacular underground rivers.

Other than the caves, which highlight a trip to this area, above-ground sightseeing destinations and activities like forest trekking, rural mountain biking, or war history places are also rewarding experiences. We stay overnight in Khe Sanh and prepare for the next day of the 15-day motorbike tour on the Ho Chi Minh trail.

From Phong Nha, the Ho Chi Minh Trail is divided into two branches, one on the east side and the other on the west side, meaning bikers can choose from two routes. With rich and diverse experience, BM Travel Co., Ltd recommends bikers choose the western branch of the Ho Chi Minh trail, which offers tourists a scenic view of majestic mountain ranges and primitive forests.

This route can also visit the former US marine base with tunnels, airbases, and some war museums. This is the best part of the Ho Chi Minh trail for tourists exploring historical sites. The route also crosses the Phong Nha National Park – Ke Bang. This route has very light traffic. During more than 200 km ride, you see very few vehicles. We have dinner and stay overnight in Khe Sanh.

On the 5th day, our motorcycle crew will ride from the west to the east along the 17th parallel, which was the boundary between the North and the South of Vietnam during wartime. We stop at some historical sites to learn more about the history and the fierce battles between Vietnam and America, such as Hien Luong Bridge, Vinh Moc tunnel.

Vinh Moc tunnel is one of the highlights of this area. Constructed in a strategic location in Quang Tri province, this tunnel complex functioned as a bomb shelter for the local people of Vinh Linh district, who offered great support for the army. Some parts of the tunnel are 30m deep. It was used from the mid-1960s till 1972 exactly as a house with rooms and facilities, around 60 families lived and 17 children were born here. Our motorbike team then continues our ride along highway No.1 from Quang Tri to Hue. We get to Hue at about 4:30 pm, have a quick nap in the hotel, and explore Hue at night.

The former imperial capital city of Hue has many things to do, see and eat, so make sure you wake up early to make the best of your time here. Coming to one of Vietnam’s most historical and poetic cities, you shouldn’t miss a trip to the royal tombs of ancient emperors, royal citadel, ornate temples and pagoda, iconic bridges, and pedestrian street, and make sure you treat yourself to good street food here. After sightseeing and enjoying the food culture here, we ride on the National Highway 1 from Hue to Hoi An.

Vietnam motorbike tour club team leads you through Hai Van pass (Cloudy pass), which offers the most stunning view on earth. From the pass with the smooth, curving road, we look over the breathtaking sea with blue water well-blended with the clear, bright, and blue sky. The view over the sea is one of its kind and looks like a surreal painting. The 30-minute ride takes us to the charming ancient town of Hoi An as the last luminous ray of sunlight dances on the Thu Bon river. This is one of the most famous attractions in central Vietnam and was an important trading harbor in the 16th and 17th centuries.

When it comes to ancient towns in Vietnam, no place can beat Hoi An. Once the old harbor town of Champa people, this beautiful little town was located at the estuary of Thu Bon and quite close to the sea. It was a busy harbor and trade hub of Vietnam and Southeast Asia during the 16th and 17th centuries. Many Chinese, Japanese, and Western people came to do business and settle down in Hoi An at the time.

The melting pot history of Hoi An is well reflected in its architecture – from shophouses and temples to French colonial buildings and Vietnamese tube houses or the symbolic Japanese bridge with its beautiful pagoda, which was built in the early 17th century by Japanese businesspeople. The pagoda is among the few structures of Japanese architecture in Vietnam’s history. With its rich values, Hoi An town was recognized as a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1999 and is well preserved. Nowadays, street food is also a big part of Hoi An, and your trip seems to be incomplete without trying some local dishes.

Besides Hoi An’s historical and cultural attractions, this town is also really well-known for its long and picturesque beaches. In the afternoon, we can ride a motorbike to the Cua Dai beach or rent a bike to cycle from Hoi An to the windy paddy fields in nearby rural villages. In the evening, you can enjoy some coffee near the bank of Thu Bon river, tune in to the traditional music performance and discover the magnificence of Hoi An by night with the beautiful and sparkling lanterns.

From Hoi An, our Vietnam motorbike team heads to Phuoc Son (also known as Kham Duc). We strike through the Lo Xo pass and ride through many tribe villages of the Ba Na ethnic minority, scattered sparsely throughout the hills and remote mountains. Our Vietnam motorbike crew continues to ride until we reach the area near the border with Laos PDR, then takes a turn to Kon Tum and spend the night here.

Today’s ride is one of the highlights of the Vietnam motorbike tour route as we head to the central highlands region. We pass by Pleiku city, cross the Ia Drang valley and then gear up to Buon Me Thuot, the city which used to be a severe battlefield in the American war. This city is well-known for its production of coffee in Vietnam. On tour today, we cross many vast coffee farms extending to the horizon. Here we can enjoy the cool and fresh atmosphere and feel the sunlight of this central highlands region while sipping on coffee.

From Buon Me Thuot, we ride through the easy and paved roads, head down to the coast, and follow highway 1 to the north of Nha Trang. You need to hold your breaths not to be shocked by what nature offers you: the magnificent cliffs gently tapped by ocean waves day and night, the long sandy beaches, and the coral reefs under the crystal clear water. You enjoy your evening by discovering this coastal city at night and trying some really good seafood.

Nha Trang offers many things to do, see and experience: beautiful beaches, pristine offshore islands, exciting diving sites, historical sites, and busy city life. You will have an incredible and soaring experience while taking a cable car ride over Hon Tre Island and the nature reserves of Hon Mun and Tam island to get a spectacular aerial view of the beach, islands, and wilderness.

Tourists should try other destinations, including Tri Nguyen Aquarium, Po Nagar Cham Tower, Chong Promontory, and the Institute of Oceanography. Scuba diving and cycling are also must-do activities here. Seafood in Nha Trang is also well-known for its freshness, abundance, and affordable price, so don’t forget to treat yourself to a nice seafood feast here.

From Nha Trang, we have a 170km ride to Da Lat, a highlands city well-known for its climate, scenic landscape, coffee, red wine, and flowers. With the year-round cool climate and the sacred landscape, this was once a summer hideout for French officials during the colonial time and dubbed ‘Little Paris’, ‘the city of eternal spring’ or ‘the city of love’. This city will make visitors fall for it on their very first visit.

Located in the central highlands region of Vietnam, Da Lat has many to offer tourists: scenic pine forests, romantic misty landscape, various types of beautiful flowers, unique pink grass, tasty wine, and coffee as well ancient buildings and churches with French architecture. We will spend one full day exploring the endless charms of this city.

From Da Lat, we follow road No.20 to Cat Tien national park, some 150 km from Ho Chi Minh City. Visiting the park is one of the highlights of this trip, and we stop at a few spots to take beautiful pictures. This is truly a heaven for nature lovers and those who love outdoor activities. It would be hard to get bored in this national park with a diverse range of activities on offer for tourists. The best time to explore the park is from December to May. During this time, low rainfall and dry path make it easy and comfortable for us to explore the park’s wonder.

From Cat Tien national park, we ride a motorbike to Ho Chi Minh City, a fast-paced and dynamic city known as the economic hub of Vietnam. We head to the train station and park the motorbike here, ending our fantastic 15-day Hanoi to Saigon Motorbike Tour on Ho Chi Minh Trail. We hope that the two-week trip gives participants a better sense and knowledge of Vietnam and leaves them with the last memories of the places we have been to.

END OF TOUR