Day 1: Overnight train to Laocai.

Transfer from your hotel in Hanoi to Hanoi Railway station will be arranged by yourself. Take the night train for Laocai. Train??? Departure at ???. Overnight on board train.

Day 2: Arrive Laocai early this morning. Travel to Sapa. Full day cycling in Sapa (B,L,D).

Arrive Laocai early this morning. You will be greeted by Lotussia local team and transferred uphill to Sapa.

Breakfast will be provided in a local restaurant in town.

Enjoy a day biking through the Sapa valley. Bike to Sa Seng and then onto Hang. Then bike fast on high elevation for an hour before descend along a narrow single dirt track to the heart of Muong Hoa Valley. Get to the center of Hau Thao Commune in mid afternoon. You will be picked up by our car for a 20 minutes road transfer back to Sapa.

Day 3: Continue biking Sapa – Laocai (B,L,D).

Begin the ride directly from Sapa and straight away flying along on a 6 kilometer stretch of single-track which gets through villages and paddy fields. Then a quiet country lane leads to Lao Cai City. This is a long and challenging day with around 8 hours on the trail. Dinner and overnight in Laocai.

Day 4: Continue biking Laocai – Bac Ha (B,L,D).

After breakfast, load all the bikes onto support vehicles for a 45-minute transfer to the small village of Phong Nien. The riding begins on a good hard pack track along the side of a quiet road. The afternoon ride featured with a tough alpine switchback road that climbs 1000 meters over 17 kilometers, before a final 5 kilometer descent into the highland market town of Bac Ha. Check in the Sao Mai Hotel and the rest of the afternoon is at leisure.

Day 5: Continue biking. Bac Ha – Can Cau – Si Ma Cai (B,L,D).

Breakfast and then bike straightly from Bac Ha. Then bike to Can Cau village. Lunch break in a Flower H’mong homes.
In the afternoon, we will bike to Quan Than San then Si Mai Cai. Dinner and overnight in a simple hotel in Simakai.

Day 6: Biking to Muong Khuong. Travel to Lao Cai station. Overnight train back to Hanoi (B,L,D).

Biking along a newly build tarmac which runs along a branch of the Chay River for 52km with three ascending and descending. Arriving to Muong Khuong Town in mid afternoon, load bikes on supporting van and transfer 55km to Lao Cai. Freshen up, relax and dinner before boarding the night train for Hanoi. Train ??? Departure at ??? (to be advised). Overnight on the train.

Day 7: Arrive Hanoi early this morning.

Arrive in Hanoi early this morning. The end of Lotussia Travel services.

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Day 1: Arrive in Chau Doc, Vietnam (D)

Arrive in Chau Doc in the afternoon, you will be met up with our guide and driver and transferred to hotel. Chau Doc, nestling at the foot of Sam Mountain on the Cambodian border, has a real frontier town feel to it. This busy little riverine town has large Cham, Khmer and ethnic Chinese communities and the distinctive architectural styles of each community can be seen in their places of worship around the town.

The rest day is your leisure.

Overnight in Chau Doc.

Day 2: Bike the Mekong Delta l Chau Doc – Long Xuyen – Can Tho (B,L,D)

Today we will spend the whole day biking the Mekong Delta.

Wake up early to enjoy boating to explore fishing village. Chau Doc is home to the Cham and Khmer cultures, floating farmhouses and the Islamic Chancel Cham minority settlement.

After breakfast, our guide will take you out for a fantastic boat cruise to Cham Village, where around 4000 Muslim people living in the area. Cham village where the people are Muslim and speak Malaysian which is kind of unusual for Vietnam. These people live in houses on the land but because of the flood water in the rainy season, they have to build them on stilts 3 metres high.

After Cham Village we move on to fishing village, where the local residents make a living from farming fish in cages under their houses. These catfish are far too expensive for the locals to eat and so are all exported, mostly to the USA. Even the houses are all floating they are still on the electricity grid as the girl at the front of boat found out.

Enjoy a short hike up to Sam Mountain to take a panoramic view over the Cambodian border. Transfer to Can Tho via Long Xuyen and Thot Not, where we visit Nature Reserve at Thot Not Bird Sanctuary.

Enjoy boating through the park to witness the beauty of flocks of White Stork birds returning to nest at sunset. Your viewing platform provides a wide view of this daily spectacle of nature.

Continue driving to Can Tho, where we spend our night.

Day 3: Continue cycling the Mekong Delta l Can Tho- Saigon (B,L)

Wake up in the early morning to enjoy interesting boating to visit the most vibrant and bustling floating market of Cai Rang, where hundreds of boats of all sizes gather around for trading of their agricultural products. We will see a lively and colorful market on a large bend of the river.

Boat trip back to town for breakfast in the hotel. Our shuttle will bring us our of town and cross Can Tho ferry, we get off at Binh Minh, where we start to cycle on dirt road passing through local villages My Thanh, My Hoa, Tan Phu 2, Hoa Binh, Phu Hoa. Along the way we ride past through orchards and canals of peaceful countryside of Vietnam.

Our cycling finish at Vinh Long then we hop in bus and transfer the rest legs to Saigon. The end of Lotussia Travel service.

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Day 1: Overnight train to Laocai.

You will be met up with Lotussia Travel guide at your hotel in Hanoi and transferred to Hanoi train station where you will take a night train for Laocai. Train??? Departure at ??? (To be advised). Overnight on board train.

Day : Arrive Laocai. Travel to Sapa. Start cycling Sapa – Lai Chau (L,D).

Arrive Laocai early this morning. You will be greeted by Lotussia local team and transferred uphill to Sapa.

Breakfast will be provided in a local restaurant in town.
After breakfast, you will be transferred by our support vehicle towards Lai Chau province. Enjoy nice mountain view along the way.

We first bike for about 3 hours uphill, with a stop over the Silver waterfalls for relax and take photos before we conquer the highest mountain pass Oquiho. From there you can see stunning views of the surrounding mountains and the lush forests belonging to Hoang Lien National Park.

Continue traveling by car uphill to Heaven’s Gate,  the highest stretch of road in Vietnam as well as the provincial border of Lao Cai and Lai Chau provinces. Here you will have the opportunity to view the magnificent scenery.

Lunch will be provided en route.

Stop en route to visit some villages of H’mong and Dao near BinhLu before we arrive in Lai Chau where we will spend the night.

Day 3: Continue biking Lai Chau – Muong Lay (B,L,D).

Today we will cycle downhill to Chan Nua and up to Lai Chau.

We will have a couple of pretty big climbs and then follow the picturesque Nam Na river into Muang Say (aka “Old Lai Chau”). Some part of the road is bad, but we will have great view along the Nam Na river.

Lunch will be provided en route.

After lunch, we will have some rest before continue cycling towards Muong Lay. We will pass over the scenic Da river from Hang Tom suspension bridge before arriving in Muong Lay townlet.

Check in to Muong Lay guesthouse for dinner and overnight.

Day 4: Continue biking Muong Lay – Dien Bien Phu (B,L,D)

Following breakfast we will have a nice day with stop over the red H’mong village then cycle up to Mathiho pass.

Lunch will be provided en route.

In the late afternoon we arrive in Dien Bien town and check into our guesthouse for the night.

Overnight in Dien Bien Phu.

Day 5: Bike Dien Bien Phu – Tuan Giao (B,L,D)

After breakfast we will cycle for the whole morning to visit some war sites such as the A1 hill, De Castries bunker, Dien Bien museum.

Lunch will be provided in a local restaurant in town.

After lunch we will have easy ride through many Thai villages before we arrive in Tuan Giao around late afternoon.

Overnight in Tuan Giao.

Day 6: Cycle Tuan Giao – Son La (B,L,D)

After breakfast, we will leave Tuan Giao, continue our cycling adventure towards Son La province.

Son La is located in a scenic valley, inhabited by Thai, Muong and H’mong minority people. This area is historically important for its involvement in the Vietnamese struggle for independence from France during the first half the 20th century.

Challenge 20 km winding climb uphill and 15 km downhill. Enjoy nice landscape of green rice fields and karst valley. Light traffic, wandering water buffaloes, Thai and Hmong kids.

Overnight in Son La.

Day 7: Bike Son La – Moc Chau – Mai Chau (B,L,D).

After breakfast, leaving Son La for Mai Chau.

Along the road we can stop the trip in Moc Chau for taking photos and enjoy the fresh air. The road passes beneath spectacular karst cliffs with the valley floor visible far below.

Arrive Mai Chau late afternoon. Check into a local stilt houser for dinner and overnight.

Day 8: Mai Chau day walking tour (B,L,D).

We leave the village for a full day walking around.

We will pass many different Thai hamlets, through rice fields, hill sides…Stop sometimes to visit local houses and talk with local people. And one of the highlights on this walk is to experience the everyday life and culture white Thai people and stay in their traditional house on stilts as honored guests.

We will return to the village around late afternoon.

Have a short break before having dinner and assist to the Thai traditional Music and Dance show, is performed by the village young girls and boys. Although they are not professional artistes, they will give you an unique experience of their culture life.

Overnight in a stilt house.

Day 9: Mai Chau – Hanoi (B,L).

After breakfast, we have a cycling trip about 15km out of Mai Chau is up Thung Nhuoi pass, then we go 17km down to Man Duc and two more gentle hill to Doc Cun.

We take a small route to Bai Chao onto Luong Son. Our bus pick us up and travel back to Hanoi.

You will be dropped off at your hotel in Hanoi. The end of Lotussia Travel service.

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Day 1: Overnight train to Laocai.

20:00 (To be confirmed): You will be met up by Lotussia Travel guide, driver at your hotel in Hanoi. Transfer to Hanoi Railways station for overnight train to Laocai.

Train ??? Departure at 21:15 (to be confirmed).

Overnight on board train.

Day 2: Arrive Laocai. Travel to Sapa. Cycle Sapa (B,L).

Arrive early this morning at Laocai Railways Station at 5:30. You will be greeted by Lotussia local team and transferred to Sapa.

Breakfast will be provided in a local restaurant in town.

You head out from Sapa by going downhill to the villages. The ride takes you into one of the most beautiful valleys of the area. From Lao Chai you turn in a dirt trail, which sneaks through rice paddy terraces and villages, home to different hill tribes such as Black Hmong, Giay. You will have time to stop by a local house as well as enjoy excellent views over huge rice paddy terraces. You will later arrive in Tavan, where the car returns you to Sapa.

Day 3: Bike Sapa – Lai Chau (B,L,D)

8:30: Drive uphill towards Tram Ton. It’s a tough climb out of Sa Pa to Heaven’s gate, so your support vehicle will transfer you out to a starting point at the ‘Silver Waterfall’. Then it’s a 3Km climb up the highest mountain pass in Indochina where you’ll stop to marvel at the spectacular view of Hoang Lien mountains before free-wheeling  down 26km to Binh Lu Junction.

Heading off the main road, its 20kms of sometimes rocky road to Lai Chau, a charming little tea town where you’ll spend the night in a local guesthouse.

Day 4: Continue cycling Lai Chau, Tam Duong (B,L,D).

After breakfast, your support vehicle will transfer you up a steep mountain pass to the starting point where you’ll glide down 20kms to Lai Chau through valleys where the old growth forest, tea plantations and verdant rice paddies surround you during your ride.

After lunch in Than Uyen, you’ll have a wonderful afternoon as you explore some single track trails to visit local minority villages, including the interesting Lu people with their distinctively black teeth.

Arrive back in Lai Chau for dinner and overnight in the local guesthouse.

Day 5: Biking Lai Chau – Laocai. Overnight train back to Hanoi (B,L).

After breakfast, ride 40kms around the other side of the stunning Muong Kim valley with time for lots of stops to take pictures of the local hill tribe people and the stunning scenery there.

Arrive in Van Ban for a late lunch then hop on the minivan to drive back to Lao Cai.. Train ??? Departure at ??? (to be advised).

Overnight on board train.

Day 6: Arrive Hanoi early this morning. End.

Arrive Hanoi early this morning. Get into your hotel in town by yourselves.

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Day 1: Hanoi city tour by bike (B,L).

After breakfast, enjoy a half day tour of Vietnam’s capital, Hanoi. The tour includes such highlights as the Ho Chi Minh complex, the Temple of Literature, Ngoc Son temple. Walking around the Old Quarter.

In the afternoon, our biking guide will take you to our bike store, where you will test the bike with your selected frame size. You can also put your gear on the bike for your convenience. Please arrange stuff for 4 night trip in your backpacks/bags, the rest of your stuff can be stored in hotel.

Day 2: Drive Hanoi – Mai Chau. Start cycling Mai Chau valley (B,L,D).

After breakfast, you will be transferred to Hoa Binh province (to our biking start point) where you start cycling on the back road. It s nice and peaceful countryside view.

Arriving in Cun hill, you will be picked up by your vehicle and transferred to a local restaurant for lunch.

After lunch, you will be taken to Ba Kan village for second bike ride of the day. The afternoon ride is through the village of the Muong people in the vallage floor and along the Da river reservoir, it s back road with view of the village and water.

Late of the day, we arrive in Village of the Thai People, where we have dinner prepared by local Thai family and overnight on the stilt house and explore the local culture.

Day 3: Continue cycling Mai Chau – Pu Luong Nature Reserve (B,L,D)

Pu Luong Nature Reserve is situated in Quan Hoa and Ba Thuoc districts of Thanh Hoa Province, North Central Coast region of Vietnam. The reserve is located along two parallel mountain ridges, that run from north-west to south-east, and are divided by a central valley, which contains several human settlements and a large agricultural land area, therefore, is not included within the nature reserve. Pu Luong is endowed with great biodiversity, its flora and fauna is closely associsted with the Cuc Phuong National Park 25 km south-east.

After Breakfast and farewel to the host, we cycle to Pu Luong Nature Reserve. We cycle on a dirt road through local Thai and Muong villges. Stops may be made en route for you to take picture and to visit local homes. Then Go on cycling on the Road 15 C untill we will get to a Thai village where we have lunch.

Afternoon is free for walking around this village. Diner and overnight in a local stilt house.

Day 4: Continue biking Pu Luong Nature Reserve –  Tam Coc (B,L,D)

After breakfast, we leave the village biking on a dirt roads with fews up and downhill rides. We then pedal on the Ho Chi Minh trails. It s an easy ride today with scenic highway. When we get to the left turn, we will get the transfer to Tam Coc.

Dinner and overnight in Tam Coc at hotel.

Day 5: Tam Coc boat trip. Return Hanoi (B,L)

After breakfast, we get on board for a 2hr boat ride on the Ngo Dong river, Tam Coc to enjoy the “ Halong bay on land” and go through 3 caves. The boat row finish after 1,5hrs then we continue to cycle through countryside villages, rice fields to Hoa Lu ancient capital, Van Long and back road til we readh the Highway 1 where we finish cycling and get transferred to Hanoi. Upon arrival, you will be dropped off at your hotel in Hanoi (own arrangements). The end of Lotussia Travel service.

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7:00 a.m you will be met with Lotussia Travel team at your hotel in Hanoi. After a short briefing about the day tour and the biking trail, you will be transferred out of Hanoi city center. After about one hour drive, you will arrive in a countryside village where you will have the opportunity to do gardening with local farmers. The local farmers grow different type of vegetable and orchards which include cauliflower, cabbage, tomato, green peas, Chinese peas, corn, oranges, pomelo, papaya and more.

Join with local farmers to work on the farm. Depending on the season your works might involve with raking, sowing, watering greens, picking greens and other gardening activities.

This morning is ended with a lunch in a local house and you will enjoy local dishes, seasonal vegetable, fruits and Vietnamese green tea.

In the afternoon you will visit the Thay Pagoda – a complex of temples, communal houses and pagoda nestled at the foot of a large limestone cliff formation, characteristic of the area. Built in the 11th century during the reign of King Ly Nhan Tong, Thay Pagoda consists of three sections: the outer part for offerings and ceremonies, the middle part for worship of Buddha and the inner part for worship of the monk Tu Dao Hanh, the master after whom the pagoda is named.

In front of the pagoda is a small stage built on stilt in the middle of Long Tri Pond. It is the place where water puppet performances are held during festivals from the fifth until the seventh days of the third lunar month.

We then proceed to Tay Phuong Pagoda which is situated on the top of Buffalo Mountain. This pagoda could be the most beautiful pagoda in Northern Vietnam with an ancient architecture, impressive wooden statues of Buddha and Arhats.

After visiting the Tay Phuong pagoda, you will be transferred back to your hotel in Hanoi. The end of our services.

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This 5-day tour includes such highlights as Mai Chau village bicycle tour, single track biking to Cun Pheo village, Mai Chau valley, countryside cycle in Tam Coc, cycling from Tam Coc to Hoa Lu ancient capital. We use support vehicle and professional mountain bikes, trek bikes offering a huge flexibility on cycling places and time. The 5-day biking tour is suitable for both professional cyclist and family travel.

Day 1: Arrive Hanoi. Pickup airport & transfer to hotel.

Upon arrival at Noi Bai airport in Hanoi via flight ???, you will be greeted by Lotussia Travel guide, driver then escorted to your hotel in town.

Enjoy a short cyclo excursion through the bustling old quarter streets named after the specific goods once offered for sales at these places.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 2: Hanoi – Mai Chau valley – Poom Cong village – Van village (B,L,D)

Depart Hanoi early for Mai Chau arriving at Poom Coong village around lunch time. Take a warm up ride around villages and enjoy home cooked lunch at local home.

After lunch cycle to the Tai village of Cun Pheo on a mix of good single track paths and undulating rough jeep trails. The views are stunning as the ride passes through many villages and across rice paddies. Pass hot springs, cycle across suspension bridges and follow the contours round beautiful terraced rice fields. On arriving in Cun Pheo village the rest of the afternoon is at leisure to wander by foot or explore the village trails further by bike.

Dinner and overnight in local village homestay at Van Village.

Day 3: Mai Chau valley – Tam Coc (B,L)

A contrasting and more challenging ride today, though there is plenty of opportunity to stop, rest and admire the views. After breakfast enjoy relatively easy biking on undulating terrain for the first seven km then the trail begins to climb uphill – steep in parts, undulating in others. Rise above the valley and look down on small hamlets, feel and hear the forest surroundings as the trail snakes up and along the mountainside. Stop for a siesta in a Tai village house, a welcome relief from the heat – before tackling the last few km to the top of the pass. Cruise a final eleven km downhill all the way back to Mai Chau around lunch time, enjoy lunch at local house in Lac Village, then our shuttle will bring us out of Mai Chau to the HW6 Junction, branch off left at Muong Khen and continue to ride on undulating roads twist through mountain and forest. We end our cycling day at Lac Son and transfer our weary legs to Tam Coc, where we spend our night.

Day 4: Tam Coc – Hoa Lu – Hanoi (B,L)

The area around Tam Toc is famed for its spectacular karst scenery. The soaring limestone mountains jut straight out of the paddy fields are wonderful. We begin our day with a peaceful cruise by local sampan to explore the picturesque Tam Coc (dry Halong Bay), the canal running through three caves. Return to hotel for check out and start cycling on quiet country lanes which twist through mountains leading to Hoa Lu. We stop to visit to the ancient city of Hoa Lu since 9th century, where the remarkable remnants are King Dinh and Le Temple. After lunch we drive back to Hanoi.

In the evening, attend to the water puppet show, one of famous Vietnamese traditional art.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 5: Departure (B)

Breakfast at hotel. Then stay free at leisure until transfer to Noibai airport for onward flight back home. Flight ???. End of Lotussia Travel service.

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Mai Chau is located in Hoa Binh province, approximately 135 km from Hanoi, the Vietnam’s capital and 60 km from Hoa Binh town. The journey takes about three and a half hour drive from Hanoi.

Coming to Mai Chau Vietnam is to come and visit the two village Lac and Poom Coong are both inhabited by the White Thai people. The Mai Chau valley is surrounded by beautiful stilt houses villages scatting on the hill sides. Most of travelers come to Mai Chau Vietnam in search of a real life experience. They usually spend a night in a local stilt house of the Thai people in Lac and Poom Coong village. They will share the house with family, have dinner with the host.

Spend the afternoon cycling by green rice fields, and local Thai hamlets. The scenery is not grandiose with immense terraced fields and rain forests. But Mai Chau is a very quiet, peaceful and friendly place. And Mai Chau is worth for a two or three day bicycle journey. If you don’t have much time, you can still enjoy a half day cycling around Lac and Poom Coong village (Mai Chau Vietnam). If you have much more time, several days to spend on cycling in this area, you can book a two-day, three-day, four-day cycling tour, or even longer.

Booking a cycling guided tour is highly recommended when you travel to Mai Chau, especially when you arrange an off-the-beaten track biking tour. You will cycle from one village to another, and a local biking guide knows the trail. The local biking tour guide also knows the local culture. He will tell you what you should do and should not during the cycling trip.

There are not as many ethnic groups as you can meet in Sapa or other areas in northern Vietnam such as Ha Giang province, Yen Bai province, Lai Chau province…. But Mai Chau Vietnam is really a very good place for easy cycling tours which do not have lots of up and downhill ride. Cycling tours to Mai Chau are recommended for family travel or those ride on flat roads.

Mai Chau Vietnam cycling is good for both active travelers and family holidays. Some optional off-road ride, riding on single tracks can be suggested on the spot. Therefore, if you travel with your kids, try to ask your biking guide to pedal on the most suitable trails that can be done by everyone.

Sample Vietnam cycling tours can be found at Vietnam Cycling Tours or Lotussia Travel multisport trips

If you look for a bicycle hire service in Hanoi, then you have just found the right place. Lotussia Travel is a Hanoi based tour operator offering both bicycle tours and bike hire service.

We have all bicycles for your travel needs including mountain bicycles for mountain biking, road bicycles, classic push-bikes for easy bicycle touring, countryside cycle, family cycling travel and also small bicycles for kids as well.

The cost of our bicycle hire ranges from USD 5.00 up to USD 15.00 depending the bicycle type, travel days and the number of bicycle you will need. Please contact us for details.

We don’t recommend you hiring the most expensive bicycles – the best bicycle in our store. But we recommend you choosing the most suitable bicycles based on your needs and budget.

If you look for short, fun bicycle trip, we provide day bicycle tours in and around Hanoi. These short bicycle trips are customized in the way you will experience the other life of the Hanoian people. Most of the one-day cycling tours are arranged around Hanoi city center. You will be transferred by our support vehicle to the site where you will enjoy biking. Booking these trips, classic road bicycles or one-speed push-bikes are recommended. Using classic road bicycles will save money. The cost of hiring these bicycles is lower than the mountain bicycles. Besides, there is no need to bring the bicycles from Hanoi. This also helps you to save money as well. The most typical bicycle tours we us these bikes are: the one day bicycle tour to Tam Coc, Duong Lam one day tour, overnight trip to Ninh Binh, two-day tour to Mai Chau…

Mountain bicycle are advised for long bicycle ride. You should rent mountain bicycle when you book long cycling tour or when you cycle in mountainous areas. If you have your own bicycles, then the bicycle hire fees will be deducted from the tour cost. Please contact our team for the bicycle availability and the most updated bicycle hire cost.

The best biking trails for cycling from Hanoi to Luang Prabang, Laos is the north-west Vietnam. After a visit to Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, you can take the overnight train, usually departs at 21:00 pm in Hanoi and arrive around 5:00 am the following day.

Upon your arrival at Laocai train station it is possible for you to start the bike tour from Laocai. You will cycle uphill to Sapa. Sapa is the hilltribe capital of North Vietnam. There are a variety of minority people in this area and they all come to Sapa to the market.

Upon your arrival in Sapa town, you may want to have a short rest in a hotel for quick shower, and then breakfast.  Then cycling about 16 kilometres uphill to the Vietnam highest pass at 2000 meters above sea level where you see beautiful Silver Waterfall and Tram Ton heaven gate then it is downhill for around 26 kilometres on the road described as the most beautiful one in Vietnam with breathtaking scenery all the way to Binh Lu. In the late afternoon you will arrive in Tam Duong.

The next day, you will continue cycling through Tam Duong plain which is covered in shark’s teeth-like limestone karst. We will have the opportunity to visit different ethnic groups on the ways such as  the Red Hmong, Kho Mu, Mang and Dao ethnic minorities. They are settled there longtime ago and still retain their traditional culture and habits.

You continue your cycling adventure biking downhill to Chan Nua then to Lai Chau. You will have a couple pretty big climbs before following the picturesque Nam Na river riding into Lai Chau.

In 1954, the French Garrison at Dien Bien Phu was pinned down when the Vietnamese were able to do something thought impossible….carry heavy artillery into the mountains. When you ride in this area you will wonder yourself how they ever did it. The siege at Dien Bien Phu ended in a French surrender and marked the end of French Indochina. Little known is the fact that the US had developed a plan to aid the French by using tactical nuclear weapons at Dien Bien Phu.

After a day visiting Dien Bien Phu by bicycle, you will cross the border traveling to Laos.
You will arrive in Muang Khua is located on the banks of the Nam OU river. This area is the less populated in Laos.

A night will be spent here before you continue your bicycle trip towards the Laos capital, Luang Prabang.
This is a scenic lightly traveled road to bustling Odomxai.

The following day is a tough climbing day at the start and then rolling hills with magnificent scenery.

You will arrive the historic and enchanting city of Luang Prabang. You will cycle along the banks of the Mekong before entering the city proper.

—> Contact us for further information about tour departure and cost.

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7:00 am you will be met up with Lotussia Travel guide at your hotel in Hanoi (please inform us your hotel name upon your confirmation). After a short briefing about the bike, gears and the biking trail, you will be transferred by our support vehicle to the other side of the Red River.

You will be dropped off at the Duong riverside where you will begin your day adventure. You will cycle along the dyke, pass by rice fields and rural villages.

You will keep cycling until you reach the Viet Place Thanh Chuong in Soc Son.  This is a private residence of the Vietnamese artist, Thanh Chuong. The residence/museum is open in 2001 on an area wide 10.000m2. This is a cultural and traditional ancient house with thousands of artifacts, antiques from the Dinh – Ly – Tran – Le dynasty … are arranged in a cultural space – special spiritual identity.

Visiting the residence/museum will help you know more Vietnamese culture. Lunch will be provided in a local restaurant or in the house, depending on the availability.

In the afternoon, we continue our cycle to Soc Son Temple, which was built from around 980 Le dynasty restored thirteen times, but It still keep  the traditional architectural style. The temple is located on a spacious land with beautiful scenery between the immense trees and a clear space. You may want to climb up to the top of the mountain where is located the biggest Buddha statue. Buddha Statue weight 20 tons of bronze and height 8,4m.

After visiting the site, you will be picked up again by Lotussia vehicle and transferred back to Hanoi. The end of Lotussia Travel service.

—> Contact us for further information about tour departure and cost.

—> More Vietnam bicycle tours.

7:00 am you will be met up with Lotussia Travel guide at your hotel in Hanoi (please inform us your hotel name). After a short briefing about the bike, gears and the biking trail, you will begin your adventure by pedaling from your hotel to the other side of the Red River (for those who are not familiar with cycling in the city where the traffic is quite busy, we recommend booking a support vehicle. The extra charge will be advised by your Lotussia Travel consultant when you book the tour).

After about a half hour, you will leave the Hanoi busy town behind. You cycle across the Long Bien Bridge,  the first steel bridge spanning the Red River in Hanoi, built by the French (1899-1902) and named for Doumer, read as though-love (the name of Governor Paul Doumer Indochina).

Once you are on the other side of the town, you will cycle along the dyke, going into the rural area of Hanoi.

Visiting an ancient village that is located by the Red river will help you know further the real life of Vietnamese people. You may want to visit a master of martial who practices Vietnamese Kungfu for years or a retired person who has lots of beautiful Bonsai.

Then take a ferry crossiing the Duong river. You will arrive in the area where people live of agriculture. You cycle from villages to villages, through rice fields and pass by smiling faces. You will arrive Co Loa citadel around noon. This old fortress attracts many foreign tourists for its historical and cultural value. It would be interesting for tourist to find that this Citadel is not only built in a large scale, but also took a very long time to construct. Especially, it has also been the source of various relics of the Dong Son culture of the Bronze Age. This would be a precious chance for tourists to explore such large site and its potential beauty. This spiral-shaped complex will take you to the mysterious ancient Vietnam thousands of years ago.

Lunch will be provided in a local restaurant or picnic lunch can be arranged.

In the afternoon, it is possible for you to cycle for some more kilometer before being picked up by our vehicle and transferred back to your hotel in Hanoi. The end of Lotussia Travel service.

—> Contact us for further information about tour departure and cost.

—> More Vietnam bicycle tours.

7:00 am you will be met up with Lotussia Travel guide at your hotel in Hanoi (please advise your hotel name). After a short briefing about the bike, gears and the biking trail, you will begin your adventure by pedaling from your hotel (for those who are not familiar with cycling in the city where the traffic is quite busy, we recommend booking a support vehicle. The extra charge will be advised by your Lotussia Travel consultant when you book the tour).

After about a half hour, you will cycle through the most busy area of the town, arriving Long Bien Bridge,  the first steel bridge spanning the Red River in Hanoi, built by the French (1899-1902) and named for Doumer, read as though-love (the name of Governor Paul Doumer Indochina).

After crossing the bridge, you arrive the other side of the Red River. You will cycle along the dyke, and through corn fields, Hanoi rural villages.

After about three hour cycle, you will arrive Bat Trang pottery village. Located on the dykes of the Red River, Bat Trang is popular for being an ancient pottery handicrafts village. Most of the pottery kilns in the village still produce goods in the traditional way, which is similar to the ancient way dating back 700 years.

You will see the ancient art of ceramic making at a workshop or you can learn and try to make a clay product in one of many of the families producing these fine works of art.

After discovering the handicraft village, you continue cycling east towards the charming village of Van Giang where you will have lunch in a traditional house.

After lunch, enjoy a cup of green tea as take part in traditional music performance (Quan Ho, Trau Van & Ca Tru Folk Song) at yard.

Enjoy some more cycle if you like before being picked up by Lotussia and transferred back to Hanoi. Trip ends.

—> Contact us for more information about tour cost and departure.

—> More Vietnam bicycle tours.

I had done my research before sign-ing up for a four day and three night cycling tour in Lao Cai province with Lotussia Travel. My friends thought I was mad, cycling around one of the most mountains parts of northern Vietnam. But, the trip is well planned, so you’re never on your own. But I didn’t tell my friends that – I liked to think they pictured me huff-ing and puffing on my father’s rickety old Peugeot up and down the hills under a blazing hot sun.

However, not even riders in the Tour de France go solo – everyone needs a team, and a car, and a medic! My friend and I meet our team from Lotussia Travel at lao Cai station after taking the overnight train from Hanoi.

First things first, we head for a big hearty breakfast. With a long day of rid-ing we need to “feed the engine”. Afterwards, we drive to Hai Phong town, 20km from Lao Cai railways station, where we will set off on two wheels.

Our destination from there is Coc Ly, a cycle of 18km or so. The land-scapes are stunning with rolling mountain ranges, wild forests and the yellow Chay River slowly meandering through the valleys below. We stop at Coc Ly market and it’s bustling with hill tribes who come from all over the area to buy or sell goods, or simply eat, drink and have fun.

Here you can buy handicrafts or simply hang out and people watch as members of flowers H’mong, Phu La and dao Tuyen hill tribes wander past in colourful costumes. The atmosphere is lively and everyone is smiling. Nearby, I see a photography studio and a dentist’s clinic filled with boys and girls – signs of the times we live in.

After an hour exploring the market, we cycle to the nearby village of Sa Koun Ho inhabited by both members of flower h’mong and Black Dao eth-nic minorities. Next we embark on a motor – boat cruise along the Chay river. This is exciting boat cruise winding us through breathtaking, out – of – this – world – scenery where the mountains grow out of the water, presenting us with hidden mysteries, including beautiful caves and grottos. There’s an added sense of poignancy as we travel around as I am informed that the market and the area around will be submerged by a manmade lake created for Coc Ly hydroelectricity plain in future.

We disembark at Trung Do village which is home to members of Tay hill tribe. We are picked up by car and then transferred to a local restaurant for lunch. Before you start to accuse us of not cycling very much on our so – calls cycling tour, we hop back into the sad-dle after lunch, and this time we’re going up a hill! Our destination is Bac ha town. The road from Coc Ly to Bac Ha is in good shape but the uphill segment is tough going. But we push on, inspired by our awe- inspiring surroundings and the thought of dinner!

We eat at a Tay family’s house and after a day of cycling, we devour our dinner. There is nothing more delicious on earth than o hot meal for o hungry soul! Grilled chicken and purple sticky- rice, stir- fried bamboo shoot with buffalo meat, and boiled wild vegetables with a wonderful dipping sause – everything hits the spot.

That night we fall asleep quickly on a mat in the corner of the stilt house after being provided with pillows, a thin blanket and a mosquito net. Not even the grunting of the local buffalos can disturb our sleep!

After breakfast, Lotussia Travel transfers us by car to Si Ma Cai. Upon arrival we start cycling upstream along the banks of the Chay river. The sky above Si ma Cai is clear and blue. With a cool breeze on my face I take a deep breath and bask in the glory of the seemingly endless mountain ranges around.

On the road I can see the roof- tops of hamlets down below in the green and yellow valleys and the terraced fields in harvest  season. The landscape is the most beautiful I have seen on my journey so far. Every now and then a young flower Mong woman appears with a beautiful smile that further lights up this bucolic paradise.

Si Ma Cai is not as frequented as Bac Ha or Sa pa, since it is nestled at the far a road near the border with China, but its just 40 kilometres from Bac Ha, and worth the trip.

The town is quiet and beautiful and the people here have a simple daily life. The streets and the market are rather deserted except on Sundays when the market drawn a crowd of Mong, La Chi, Phu La and Nung ethnic minorities in colourful costumes from the surrounding area.

After Si Ma Cai, we cycle to Me village and stop at the village bridge. We cross the river and start the most challenging ride yet – 19km uphill to Pha Long town, where we will have lunch (always a powerful motivating force in my mind). Along the road, we pass more breathtaking mountain peaks and quaint villages. Located 1,200 meters above sea level, Pha Long is a sleeping beauty in a thick green forest shrouded by white mist – it’s truly a fairtale setting. After lunch, the cycle is easier as we go downhill for another 19km. We arrive at Muong Khuong in late afternoon and check into a local guest house for the night. The guest house in an isolated town in the back of beyond but it is very clean and comfortable. There’s plenty of hot water, too; perfect to soak our tired bones.

The next morning we do our last hard slog – 13km to Cao Son market where we spend about an hour visiting the market, which is much smaller than Coc Ly or bac Ha market, but is very charming with a backdrop of pine trees forests and pretty villages.

Flowers H’mong, Tu Di, Tay, and Giay ethnic minorities come here to buy or sell local products. A stall run by flowers H’mong flogs corn wine and as guests we are treated to some exuber-ant local hospitality! After a tipple or two, head back towards Lao Cai where we will board the train for Ha Noi.

All in all, it’s a wonderful way to see the country, and an unforgettable tour that will live long in the memory. And don’t be afraid! Even if you’re not Lance Armstrong, there is plenty of assistance to make sure you get to the finishing line.

For more information about this tour, contact Lotussia Travel.

449 Au Co, Tay Ho, Hanoi

Tell: (04) 37101309

Email: sales at lotussiatravel.com

These mountain bike rules are designed to minimize our impact on our environment as well as promote friendly relationships between all trail users by creating a safe environment for us all. By following these rules we help ensure our access to trails in our local communities will continue and hopefully grow.

The way we ride today shapes mountain bike trail access tomorrow. Do your part to preserve and enhance our sport’s access and image by observing the following rules of the trail. These rules are recognized around the world as the standard code of conduct for mountain bikers.Our mission is to promote mountain bicycling that is environmentally sound and socially responsible.

1. Ride On Open Trails Only.

Respect trail and road closures – ask if uncertain; avoid trespassing on private land; obtain permits or other authorization as may be required. The way you ride will influence trail management decisions and policies.

2. Leave No Trace.

Be sensitive to the dirt beneath you. Recognize different types of soils and trail construction; practice low-impact cycling. Wet and muddy trails are more vulnerable to damage. When the trailbed is soft, consider other riding options. This also means staying on existing trails and not creating new ones. Don’t cut switchbacks. Be sure to pack out at least as much as you pack in.

3. Control Your Bicycle!

Inattention for even a second can cause problems. Obey all bicycle speed regulations and recommendations.

4. Always Yield Trail.

Let your fellow trail users know you’re coming. A friendly greeting or bell is considerate and works well; don’t startle others. Show your respect when passing by slowing to a walking pace or even stopping. Anticipate other trail users around corners or in blind spots. Yielding means slow down, establish communication, be prepared to stop if necessary and pass safely.

5. Never Scare Animals.

All animals are startled by an unannounced approach, a sudden movement, or a loud noise. This can be dangerous for you, others, and the animals. Give animals extra room and time to adjust to you. When passing horses use special care and follow directions from the horseback riders – ask if uncertain. Running cattle and disturbing wildlife is a serious offense. Leave gates as you found them, or as marked.

6. Plan Ahead.

Know your equipment, your ability, and the area in which you are riding — and prepare accordingly. Be self-sufficient at all times, keep your equipment in good repair, and carry necessary supplies for changes in weather or other conditions. A well-executed trip is a satisfaction to you and not a burden to others. Always wear a helmet and appropriate safety gear.