Bicycling Central Vietnam – Hue to HoiAn

Bicycling Around Hue

Biking through Viet Nam’s central coastal provinces on back roads is an interesting way to explore beautiful landscapes and traditional life during the summer holidays.
It’s a fascinating and enjoyable tour program, which allows tourists to free themselves from crowds and traffic and wind through the villages along more isolated routes.

“We want to create a trip that highlights the natural landscapes of Viet Nam. Foreign tourists can take their time and really experience country life, since they can stop as often as they like on the quiet back roads,” said Ngo Quang Nam, manager of Viet Nam Cycling.

“Tourists feel more carefree on cycling vacations because they don’t have to worry about traffic, which is nerve wrecking for other foreigners who try to drive,” Nam said.

He designed the routes for the tours, and said that a trip from Hue to Hoi An would take at least five days with different stages. He suggested that a team of 15 travelers was a comfortable number.

Starting point

Nam has selected King Khai Dinh Tomb and Duc Son Pagoda near the Huong River as the departure points for the bike tour.

Wheeling and dealing: Cycling has become a favorite for foreign tourists. – Photos Courtesy of Viet Nam Cycling Vacation

Travelers can stop to snap photos of farmers planting vegetables near Huong Canh Village.
After visiting Thien Mu Pagoda, tourists will cruise on the Huong River and tour the royal palaces. A lunch in Hue will help the group refresh themselves after a 30km ride in the morning.

“We also have a van and a truck to carry passengers and bicycles if they need help. If someone on the team is exhausted from biking, they can get in the van,” Nam explained.

The travel agent said he sometimes guides the tours as well.

In the afternoon, the cyclists travel 20km from the Hue suburbs along the Nhu Y River and wind through Thanh Thuy Village, the most-visited fishing village in the area.

The second day from Hue to Lang Co will be a coastal trip as riders cycle along pristine beach of Thuan An, home to fishermen and dotted with aquaculture centers.

Fresh seafood will be on the menu for lunch in Lang Co Town, and tourists will be invited to join in the cooking and preparation with their hosts.

“It’s very interesting because tourists are excited by new cuisine that they have never seen before. Yet they also feel like they are at home,” said tour guide Nguyen Van Quan.

A night stay in the beach town will ease a full day of riding, before they take on the next challenge.

The third day will test their skills and power as they cross the 24km Hai Van mountain pass that links Hue and Da Nang.

The climb is made worth it by the sweeping vistas at the top, where riders can gaze down at a train snaking past the foot of the mountain.

During the 30-minute break on the top of the mountain, tourists can touch clouds and breath fresh air for an unforgettable experience.

Nam O Village in the suburbs of Da Nang will be the second stop for lunch.

Travelers will keep riding from Da Nang to Hoi An where they will spend the night.

The fourth and fifth days of the tour are left open for travelers to explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hoi An.

“We arrange a 50-km route for each individual group, depending on their desires and fitness level. Hoi An is the most popular destination for domestic and foreign visitors because of its historic architecture and culture,” Quan explained.

He said the cycling agency also organized routes in other provinces such as Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Nha Trang and the Mekong Delta region.

The Last Blacksmith
on Blacksmith Street (Pho Lo Ren)

When you travel to Vietnam take the opportunity to visit
the traditional trade / craft streets and villages that are found in and around Hanoi.

This video shows what the monsoon brings to the

Central Vietnam Weather Report in November.

November is my time to travel to Vietnam, but I do get a bit wet when I visit HoiAn.

People ask me how I can visit HoiAn in such weather.

My reply:  “It keeps the riff-raff out.”

Here’s a good quality video (Part 2) of Hoi An from the view of a Vietnam traveler.

Part 1 Yesterday

Here’s a good quality video (Part 1) of Hoi An from the view of a Vietnam traveler.

See Part 2 tomorrow.

Hoi An was the third stop of my Vietnam trip after Dalat and Saigon. Hoi An is an old riverside town, and a major tourist destination in Vietnam. It was a booming port in the 1600s, but after the 1800′s it was an insignificant backwater. This was in a way a boon, because many of the old buildings have been preserved, Hoi An was almost untouched during the Vietnam War because of it’s unimportance.

I was able to see the New Moon Festival, one of Hoi An’s main attractions. I also got a few suits made, which is another thing Hoi An is famous for. In spite of the fact that Hoi An is crawling with tourists, the people still have a small town charm that is missing in Hanoi or Saigon. With it’s lovely riverfront, great beaches, and good shopping, I would recommend Hoi An as an essential stop in anyone’s Vietnam vacation.

Electric Bus Tour of Hanoi’s Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake Area

Part 1

Green Tourism Bus ride Part 1/4 in Hanoi Old… by SebastienAngulo

Part 2

Green Tourism Bus ride Part 2/4 in Hanoi Old… by SebastienAngulo

Part 3

Green Tourism Bus ride Part 3/4 in Hanoi Old… by SebastienAngulo

Part 4

Green Tourism Bus ride Part 4/4 in Hanoi Old… by SebastienAngulo

Xe Om is the only way to travel in most places in Vietnam. I always travel with a carry-on size bag and a day pack. No problem carrying this load on almost any motorbike. Many Vietnam tour guides use Xe Om in their business. My favorite are the “Easy Riders” in Dalat – ask for Te Te and Wingman. Vietnamese of all ages ride Xe Om, all tourists should try it, even for a couple of kilometers. There are a lot of independent motorbike riders that explore Vietnam on their own. The Hanoi-Saigon (Saigon – Hanoi) are very popular. Xe Om Rule!

I’VE TAKE THIS RIDE TO THE SAIGON AIRPORT 8 OR 9 TIMES.

(THIS FELLOW HAD GOOD TRAFFIC CONDITIONS)

Sapa – A Vietnam Traveler’s Mountain Destination

Sapa - Grazing Water Buffalo

Sapa is an ideal destination for almost any Vietnam traveler.  If you’re looking to escape from the summer heat, you could do worse than hop on an overnight train from Hanoi to Sapa via Lao Cai train station. Today, it’s a popular destination for numerous Vietnam travelers – after all, it was created as a hill station by the French in the 19th century.

You will not be disappointed.  Sapa lies about 1,600 meters above sea level and is pleasantly refreshing in summer compared to the coastal lowlands.  You can see the terraced rice paddies from the edge of town or from the window of your hotel room.  You’ll also have a fantastic view of the forest covered Hoang Lien Son Mountains.

Arrange for a guide in advance or search out a local ethnic guide if you feel the need.   Rent a motorbike and visit the Giay people’s village in Ta Van Commune, which nestles in the hills some 10km from Sapa town center along a tree-lined winding road.

Hiring a local guide will allow you to to learn some of the customs of the local minority tribes.  Several of the minority villages you could visit are  Cat Cat, Sin Chai, Ta Van Giay and Lao Chai.  You’ll find these minority villages nested into the sides of mountains by the side of a stream.Home Stays -  experience the daily life of mountain minority tribes.

The “home stay” experience provides travelers a look into the daily life of the minority peoples.  Home stay hosts provide traditional meals consisting of locally grown fruits, vegetables, and free-range cattle and poultry.

In response to the emerging popularity of “home stays” among foreign travelers, a number of houses have added second floors to provide a “private” area to stay when not interacting with their hosts.

Some of the older homes have “resident” wild swallows that have built nests for generations.  Home owners take pride in their feathered guests, often pointing the bird families out to guests.

Another attraction welcomed by some Vietnam travelers:  Some villages offer a break from the busy “marketing” in the streets of larger towns and cities of Vietnam.  Just a quiet day or two in an out of the way mountain village.

You can return to Hanoi by returning to the Lao Cai train station and then getting aboard a night train.  If you have time on your itinerary you can take the loop west to Dien Bien Phu and then south and east back to Hanoi via tour bus … Or if you’re really adventurous – a motorbike.

Hoian to Nha Trang – Sleeper Bus from Hell

So we took the sleeper bus which were really excited about. The bus had nearly flat beds on a lower bunk and upper bunk. We thought it was hilarious, these things are built for small Asian people not anyone who is over 6ft tall. As the Westerners squeezed themselves in (Teej has loads of room). Our roomies were a couple of Italian lads, a crazy Dutch couple and underneath us a French family. A local guy got on and told TJ she was in his bed but he got it wrong and realized he had to sleep next to the Dutch couple behind us (cozy). We had blankets on most of the chairs. We set off and it soon became clear that we had a driver with road rage and he loved the sound of his horn and for the next 14 hours he beeped and overtook mopeds, only o stop and pick up more locals people and boxes of things which were stored in front of the toilet which was sellotaped shut for the duration.

HERE’S A BRIEF VIDEO OF WHAT YOUR WHOLE TRIP COULD BE LIKE.

Note the honking horn – sweet dreams.

The bus stopped at midnight and we were told we had to get off and stretch our legs. This is when we stumbled upon the snake and starfish jars which we thought were pickled things you could buy to eat, in fact it was a wine which we later found out is supposed to help rheumatism (however you spell it). Beer was 35d (well expensive compared to the 9d we were paying), suppose that is service stations for you, all over.

Carried on with the journey from hell and I’m not sure we got any sleep as the bus started bounding. TJ was clinging on for dear life to the bedside handles. Pulled into Nha Trang expecting a beach resort in the morning, not many people got off, us and a German girl and a Belgium lad. The rest went to Mui Ne beach.

Interested in a holiday in Vietnam?

Have a look at the great deals on offer now!

Found the backpacker hostel which we had booked and just from walking down the street we decided we would do 1 night and not 2 so they hotel kept oiur deposit of 5gbp (so we lost the price of a dinner with a few beers).As it was early and we had a broken night of sleep we went to have breakfast and invited a guy called Casper along who had also just checked in and was on his own. Had breakfast at Guava which was lunch- massive portions, reminded us of Bills Produce Store in Brighton and a big mug of coffee. They bar played funky lounge music – Nightmare on Wax etc and was quite a difference to previous places. They also did a lot of projects for charity to help the poor.

Had a wander around Nha Trang and the beach was OK, very popular with the locals. Decided to sleep under a palm and got slightly burnt. Went to the top of the Sheraton and took some photos, nice hotel! Had dinner back at Guava (creatures of habit) and had our own little table BBQ with marinated ostrich and vegetables. Way too much food for for 7.50 with a few beers- cheap as chips.

via Nha Trang, Vietnam | TJ & Russ RTW | STA Travel Blogs.

Resort introduces hang-glider flights in Nha Trang.

8/18/2011

Hon Tam Resort in the central coastal town of Nha Trang has launched a new service – flying tourists on two motorized hang-gliders to enjoy a panoramic view of the bay.  Similar to para-gliders, these rides offer an exciting ride for adventurous Vietnam travelers.

The motorized hang-gliders fly at a height of 150 meters high, giving visitors the opportunity to get a birds-eye view of the entire Nha Trang Bay, according to service provider.

Each flight, lasting 15 minutes, costs VND600,000 (US$28.84) per person are piloted by experienced motorized hang-glider  pilots.

The kite flight is an exclusive service offered by Hon Tam Resorts in cooperation from Mai Linh Express Corporation.

NO VIDEO AVAILABLE, BUT HERE’S A SIMILAR RIDE IN THE UNITED EMIRATES!

IT’S AT A MUCH HIGHER ALTITUDE.

HAVE FUN!

via Vietnam latest news – Thanh Nien Daily | Resort introduces kite-flights in Vietnam central coast.