Mai Chau valley is a perfect place to experience Vietnam's village life in a remote setting. Mountain bikers will love this multi day bike tour from Hanoi for the variety of trails - from good single track paths to undulating rough jeep trails to some climbs that are rewarded with ultimate descents.
We had a wonderful time and would definitely do it again. The scenery was stunning, and we felt like we had a real Vietnam experience. Our guide Cuong was knowledgeable, friendly and accommodating. The food was very very good and all the home stays/hotels were comfortable.
It was absolutely fantastic. We enjoyed every minute of it and Peter (Trong) really made it for us. His knowledge, care, and organizing skills were outstanding. One of the best things we have ever done.
View more: ExcursionsEbike
Tours in: Vietnam
DestinationsVietnam
Tour MeetsAt your hotel in Hanoi
Fly in toNoi Bai International Airport (HAN)
Group Size2-16 riders
Water bottleSupport vehicleGuide(s)Meals (as indicated)Hotel pick upHotel drop offAccommodationBike and helmetSnacks and drinks
International flightsVisa feesAlcoholTips
Suitability: This trip is suitable for people who are fit, have off-road experience, and enjoy a mountain bike challenge in a beautiful environment. Of course, water, soft drinks and snacks are all included every day and SpiceRoads supplies a quality bike and helmet. The trip is fully supported by our air conditioned minibus.
Biking Conditions: We ride approximately 75 km, mostly on off road tracks, that vary from hard packed jeep roads to single-track. This is a moderately challenging mountain bike trip with climbs to stunning views and spectacular descents. Our guides are knowledgeable on the local area and customs, and they explain the history, culture, and local way-of-life each time we stop.
We start our bike tour through Northern Vietnam after an early pick up from your hotel and a drive to Poom Coong village just before lunch time. A short warm up on our mountain bikes through some White Tai villages should build up your appetite for a home cooked lunch at a local traditional house. After lunch we’ll 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 lush rice paddies. Unique to this area are fan palms, grown specifically to use for roofing. We’ll pass hot springs, cycle across suspension bridges and follow the contours around beautiful terraced rice fields. On arriving in Buoc 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 home stay at Buoc village.
Homestay
Lunch, Dinner
Ride 30kmToday’s ride is more remote and challenging, though there is plenty of opportunity to stop, rest and admire the views. After breakfast, we enjoy relatively easy biking on rolling terrain for the first 7 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 Thai village house, a welcome relief from the heat - before tackling the last few kilometers to the top of the pass. Cruise a final 11 km downhill to Mai Chau. The tracks will vary from hard packed dirt roads to single track, with a few challenging rocky sections thrown in for variety. For those needing more challenging biking it will be possible to cycle further.
Mai Chau Valley ViewBreakfast, Lunch, DinnerRide 30kmAfter breakfast, and perhaps a quick walk up to a temple, we pick up our bikes and cycle back on the scenic route to Mai Chau, past green rice paddies and local villages, meeting the friendly local villagers. Arrive back in Lac village in time for lunch in a local home stay. We’ll have some time to explore the village, perhaps to do some shopping of the local handmade textiles. Transfer 2 hours to Hanoi, arriving late afternoon. Those looking to extend their stay can explore Vietnam’s Nha Trang coastal area, the picturesque Mua Caves in Ninh Binh, or even explore one of the many neighboring countries in southeast asia.
Breakfast, LunchRide 20kmDisclaimer: The adventure cycling tours we operate often go beyond the beaten track, and the countries where we ride are not always predictable. Due to these reasons, it is occasionally necessary to reroute or update itineraries. Our guarantee is that we will not change a trip unless for safety or to improve it. Our listed hotels are always accurate at the time of writing, but should we have to change any hotel, it will always be for a similar or better one.
The bikes you will be riding are well-known makes of Hybrid or Mountain bikes (depending on the tour) with lightweight alloy frames, 24- to 27-speed gearing, v-brakes and Shimano components and front suspension.
You can also hire an electric bike (or an E-Bike) for the price listed in the tour pricing section. We have 2 sizes available: S = 155 cm - 170 cm and M = 171cm - 180 cm. The E-Bikes are GIANT brand with SHIMANO Alivio1,9 speed, disc brakes, and adjustable suspension fork.
Basic spares and tools are carried by the guide and on the support vehicle, though we cannot guarantee having spares for every conceivable problem. Carrying a basic tool kit, a spare tube and a pump while riding is recommended.
Wearing a helmet is required on all our biking adventures and is non negotiable. If you do not wear a helmet you will not be allowed to cycle. Your tour leader is trained in first aid and emergency rescue, but to a large degree you must be responsible for your own safety while riding. It is therefore compulsory that you take out travel insurance that will cover you for a mountain biking tour.
You will be led by a local English-speaking guide and if the group is 9 people or more we will add another guide to the tour. All our guides are well informed in the history, culture and religions of the area where you are biking and are skilled at passing that knowledge on to you. Your guide is also medically trained and an experienced cyclist, able to handle most minor repairs en route.
For 46 nationalities – including Australians, Canadians and Americans – an e-visa can be obtained.* This must be applied for and received before departure to Vietnam. To check for the E-visa and tourist fee for single entry and multiple entries please check the Visa fee. You must scan a copy of your photo and passport when applying and get your approval letter of your visa on arrival at international airport of Vietnam. To learn more click Visa process. The processing time is 1-3 working days (not include Saturday,Sunday and Vietnamese holiday).
Alternatively you can obtain a visa to Vietnam from the embassy worldwide. Here is the list of locations. You must specify your arrival date when applying for a visa and it is from this date that the 30 days will be calculated. When picking up your visa check to be sure the dates match your travel plans and that it is stamped directly into your passport as it will not be accepted if it is stapled in.
*For travellers on our Saigon to Bangkok or Saigon to Siem Reap trips, an eVisa is not applicable at the Vietnam exit point at Chau Doc. However, Visa On Arrival is available with an approval letter, which SpiceRoads can arrange at cost.
Recommended vaccinations are typhoid, polio, tetanus and hepatitis A. A certificate for Yellow Fever is required when arriving from an infected area within six days. Vietnam is a malarial area and you will need to take anti-malarial tablets. Please speak to your doctor for the most up to date information.
Weather in Vietnam is divided into 4 main regions - the far north, north, central and south.
The far north can get very cold in December and January while the dry season runs from October to late March and the wet season between April to September.
In Hanoi & the north, it is hot, wet and humid from May to October while November to April is cooler and dry.
Central Vietnam experiences hot, dry weather between January & August with temperatures ranging in the mid 30°C. High levels of rainfall are during September - November.
Southern Vietnam is dry and hot from November to April, and warm and wet between May & October, with the highest rainfall in June, July & August.
Meals are included as per the itinerary where B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner. Most meals are Vietnamese food and features noodles, rice curries and soups. Vietnamese cuisine is world famous and we make sure you sample as much variety as possible. Any special dietary requirements can also be catered for as well. Please let us know at the time of booking.
Keeping you completely hydrated is a job we take very seriously. Cold water, some energy-restoring local fruit, and soft drinks are included in the tour price while riding. Soft drinks and other beverages during meals are not included. Beer is freely available everywhere in Vietnam but is NOT included in the price.
SpiceRoads does not require you to pay a surcharge for traveling alone. We will arrange for you to share accommodation with another traveler of the same gender and if we can not match you up we will provide a single room at no extra charge. If you prefer not to share a single supplement is payable to guarantee your own room. The cost of the single supplement is listed above.
We recommend that you tuck away a few extra dollars, perhaps US$10, for incidentals. It is customary to tip local tour guides and drivers, however, the amount you give should be dependent on the level of service you receive. As a general guide, we suggest US$ 3-4 per person per day is appropriate.
The official national currency is the Vietnam dong (d), but the US dollar is widely accepted in tourist centers. However, in smaller towns and villages the dong is preferred. ATMs are available in all major tourist destinations and big cities. Vietcombank has the best network with a single withdrawal limit of 2,000,000d (about US$125). Most major currencies can be exchanged at leading banks in Vietnam, but the US dollar is preferred away from the tourist centers. Changing US$100 will make you an instant millionaire! You cannot legally take the dong out of Vietnam but you can reconvert reasonable amounts of it into US dollars on departure.
If this is the tour for you here's what you need to do to confirm your place: Read our Booking Conditions
From the tour page click the 'Book Now' link. All departures for this tour will appear, just select the date you'd like to travel. There is a minimum number of participants (usually 2) required to enable the trip to go ahead. Once the minimum number is reached, the trip status will change from 'Available' to 'Guaranteed to Depart'. Once a trip is guaranteed to depart you are free to book your flights and make other travel arrangements. If you are unsure about the trip status, please email us or call our office. For the next steps you'll need to know the names of the people traveling and have either a Visa or a MasterCard. If you wish you can also provide extra details such as passport numbers, height, or you can add that later by logging into Manage My Trip (we'll set up an account for you automatically if you don't already have one). However, if you wish to get a children's discount, please do fill out the date of birth of the riders. If you are having any problems, please send us an email, or give us a call (+66 2 381 7490) and one of our travel specialists will assist you with your booking.
When booking your tour, you'll be required to pay a deposit to guarantee your place. For tours priced US$ 2,000 and lower, the deposit amount is US$ 200 per tour, per rider. For tours priced US$ 2,001 and above, the deposit amount is US$ 500 per tour, per rider. For tours priced US$ 500 and below, full payment is required upon booking.
Read more about booking and paying for your trip here.
All SpiceRoads trips require proof of travel insurance when booking your holiday. Besides covering you during your trip, travel insurance will also enable you to claim any fees that you have paid to us, including your deposit, if you have to cancel your trip
Tours priced below US$ 500 require full payment at the time of booking. For tours priced US$ 500 and above, full payment must be paid 45 days before the departure date with fees for any bicycle rental(s), single supplement(s) and extra hotel nights. Our confirmation will include personal details you provided us (including your flight information), visa application advice, a packing suggestion list and a detailed tour itinerary. It will also include a checklist to ensure you get everything ready for your holiday.
On the rare occasions when we, SpiceRoads, must cancel a trip, all payments received to date will be 100% refunded, which constitutes full settlement. There will be absolutely no deductions. If you, the client, must cancel your reservation, your cancellation fee will be determined according to when you cancel. For full details, please read our cancellation policy.
For those who have been on several long tours with us we reward customer loyalty by offering repeat customers a special discount off the tour price (excludes single supplement and bike rental). If this is your fourth scheduled tour or more you will receive a 5% discount. If this is your eighth scheduled tour or more we will extend a 10% discount. The discount will be reflected in your online booking, but please contact us if any questions. Loyalty discounts can not be used in conjunction with any other offer. Note: Only tours of 7 days or more will be applicable for loyalty discount.
International flights, to and from the start and finish points are not included in the tour price. Once your tour is Guaranteed to Depart you can book your flight. Please contact us for advice before arranging flights for the best arrival and departure times. We would only cancel a trip for an extreme circumstance, but in that case, where we cancel your trip, we cannot be liable for losses incurred relating to any flight booking you have made. Please claim any losses from your travel insurance that you acquired when you booked your holiday.
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The information in this document is given in good faith, and covers the average range of conditions likely to be found on this trip. Please note that the itinerary is subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances, however, we will always do our best to adhere to this original itinerary
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Mai Chau offers gorgeous scenery, a beautiful valley surrounded by mountains and a great look at rural Vietnam life in the rice fields, outstanding food and the ride is not too strenuous.