Get on your bike!

Stunning scenery and ubiquitous hospitality means Vietnam is ideal for cycling tours either around the city or deep into the heart of the countryside.

Whether you want to head off to Bat Trang pottery village or Dong Ho folk painting village, explore Cat Ba National Park or discover Muong Hoa valley in Sapa – gliding around on two wheels (with no motor!) is a beautiful way to travel in tandem with the countryside while discovering Vietnam.

“These are places where you can find breathtaking landscapes as well as the typical lifestyles of northern countryside people,” explains Tu Thi Hang, the Director of Tropical Tours Company. “A biking tour not only offers attractive landscapes but also some spiritual value for you. You’ll have more understanding about the culture of Vietnam through discovering locals’ daily activities and habits.”

Each bike tour has a maximum number of 10 tourists and a minimum two, the larger the group, the lower the cost. And fear not, you don’t have to be Lance Armstrong to take on a tour as short trips are available (between 2-10 kilometres), while a support vehicle will accompany the group.

“Mountain bike tours in Vietnam usually feature mostly downhill and flat riding with the occasional uphill stint,” says General Manager of Handspan Travel Company, Michael Johnston. “Your support vehicle can help you up the difficult bits if you need a breather. Car travel in Vietnam can be as slow as cycling, so why not do something that is healthier and environmentally friendlier?”

Plenty of tourists would seem to agree. Steve Smith, a US tourist who returned to Hanoi last week after a tour to Halong Bay organised by Asia Pacific International Travel, went cycling around Cat Ba Island, from Viet Hai wharf to Viet Hai primitive forest, before trekking through the forest up the Navy Peak. He said he was “overwhelmed by the beauty” of Halong Bay and Cat Ba national park.

“The tour was wonderful and biking was an opportunity for me to explore the beauty of the landscape,” said Smith.

“Tourists can stop anywhere they like to meet locals, admire the view or take photos,” says Dieu Thuy, a tour organiser of Asia Pacific International Travel Co., Ltd.

Huong Giang, an Inbound Manager of Saigontourist, says cycling trips are also the perfect way for tourists to learn about the everyday lives of the locals they meet on the way.

“Although many tourists came to Vietnam for first time, they are eager to study about local people and culture,” says Giang.

“It’s a great way to smell the roses/rice/buffalo and to interact with the local people, especially the children who come out to greet you with “hello, hello” well in advance of you cruising past their houses,” agrees Johnston. “Plus, there’s never a shortage of helping hands when you stop to fix a flat tire or put your chain back on. So get out of the bus and on your bike!”

For those of you who just want to discover the city with bikes available for rent (VND30,000- VND50,000 per day) and tour companies can make up suggested itineraries.