Want to experience Vietnam's village life in a remote setting? Learn how to cook sticky rice in bamboo? Get your hands dirty planting rice? Forget the babysitter and bring the kids along for 5 days of exploring and learning on this family friendly bike tour in Vietnam!
There are no scheduled departures for this trip. But please send us an inquiry telling us when you'd like to go, how many people are in your group, and we'll get back to you shortly.
We had a very wonderful time as a family on this trip, a lovely way to see a beautiful country and a great sense of achievement all round. The SpiceRoads team were great!
A great holiday for children and adults. Lovely guides, good quality cycles and interesting activities.
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 drinksAccident insurance
International flightsDomestic flightsVisa feesAlcoholTips
We ride a total of 162 kilometres through spectacular limestone mountain scenery, bright green rice fields, and charming villages. The roads are a mixture of good asphalt, small rural trails, and dirt roads– all perfect for a family of cyclists. Each day there will be additional activities to learn about Vietnam, immersing yourself hands on in the culture. A highlight will be an afternoon with monkeys, gibbons, civets, and pangolins! The first two nights we stay in a village at a homestay. We sleep in a stilt bamboo house in an open dormitory-style room with shared facilities. There is the option to upgrade to a hotel with a pool. Please contact us for the cost.
Suitability: This trip is designed and suitable for families with children of any age. We have included many activities for an action-packed holiday. The tour is suitable for anyone with minimal biking experience and wants to discover Vietnam's rich history and culture by bicycle.
Biking Conditions: You can expect a gentle ride each day. The cycling is leisurely with plenty of stops to rest or take photos. We cycle on a variety of terrain, from tarmac to concrete paths to dirt roads. There are a few small hills, but there will always be the option to jump in the support vehicle. Cycle as much or as little as you like.
Our guide will pick you up at your Hanoi hotel to start our 4 hour drive to Mai Chau, a rural town southeast of Hanoi where we start our family bike tour. The scenery is dotted with limestone karsts and ethnic highlanders of White Thai, Hmong, and Zao living in the small villages that we pass along the way. We stop at the top of a pass for a panoramic view of stunning Mai Chau Valley so you can get an overview of where we will be cycling. We check into our lodging, have lunch, and then it's time to start our bike trip pedaling on small paths, past green rice paddies and local stilt houses, and of course meeting friendly local villagers along the way. Taking a break at Hoa Ban Plus, a weaving centre and living complex for disabled women, gives us a chance to see the traditional handicraft of weaving in action, and we can even give it a try. You'll leave with a new appreciation for fabric after seeing how complicated it is to make. Tonight, we stay in the lively town of Mai Chau.
Mai Chau Sunset Hotel
Lunch, Dinner
Ride 22kmAfter breakfast, we ride up to the hills along a dirt road frequently used by local villagers. As we climb, the valley views open up to boundless, spectacular scenery. A steep 2 km climb is rewarded with a 10 km downhill through rustic villages and lush terrain to the White Thai village of Buoc. We can take a short walk around and learn about local village life, visit a few households, and see where families cook and sleep. We help with preparing lunch by making “Com Lam”, traditional sticky rice in bamboo. After these local delights, we enjoy an afternoon of cycling, swimming or the many other activities in this beautiful valley.
Maison de BuocBreakfast, Lunch, DinnerRide 35kmWe drive 90 minutes drive to Cho Lo where we then get on the bikes. A flat bike ride on country roads follows where we'll have to watch out for chickens crossing the road and give right of way to water buffaloes! For lunch, a bowl of Pho, an authentic Vietnamese noodle soup, will hydrate and fill us. Be sure to add in the greens, herbs, spicy pastes, and a squeeze of lime to make the soup taste to your liking. A short transfer takes us uphill to Cuc Phuong National Park in Ninh Binh Province, the oldest national park in Vietnam and its most significant biodiversity site. Then it’s time to get wild! A guided tour of a rescue centre where monkeys and gibbons are being rehabilitated to return to the jungle will show you how many species there are in the jungle. After seeing the antics of the monkeys it's a short walk to the Carnivore and Pangolin Education Centre, where we'll learn about and see civets and the unusual pangolin with their protective armour of scales and long tongues for capturing ants and termites. The rescued animals are in well-designed, spacious enclosures, and the centre offers interactive displays to understand the threats to wildlife and learn about conservation. A fun and educational afternoon with wildlife!
Vedana Ninh BinhBreakfast, Lunch, DinnerRide 35kmA feast for the senses today, from the sight of the towering karsts to the sound of the river to the taste of our self-cooked dinner. Cycling from our guesthouse, we go downhill before riding along a dyke that provides a flat and safe ride, to the town of Hoa Lu. An ancient capital of the Dinh and Le Dynasties, we step back in time and visit a 17th century temple built in the shape of a Chinese character. After lunch, we change from bikes to boats and relax and enjoy the amazing mountains that dominate most of the region. We are rowed through a cave by local sampan rowers who use their feet to oar and enter a green and fertile land. Back on land, we head to our resort amidst rice fields. Another hands on meal as we assist in the preparation, learning the best technique to roll fresh spring rolls, and then feast on our creations.
Tam Coc Rice Field ResortBreakfast, Lunch, DinnerRide 30kmA change of pace as we get our hands dirty! Cycling away from the karsts, we follow numerous rivers as they reach toward the coast. The scenery changes to flat plains as we cycle into the delta, a guaranteed flat ride. We take a break at Phat Diem Stone Cathedral, which has a unique blend of eastern and western architecture illustrated by its pagoda-styled roofs. We transfer to Quang Phu, a village where the main industry is incense production. Make your own incense sticks, which are very important to daily life in Vietnam! Then it's time to head back to Hanoi for your onward travel. Those looking to extend their trip in Vietnam can head to the beautiful beaches at Nha Trang, discover the Cu Chi Tunnels bordering Ho Chi Minh City, or explore one of the many neighboring countries in Southeast Asia.
Breakfast, LunchRide 40kmDisclaimer: 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.
Bike hire is included in the tour. Child bikes and tag-along bikes (for ages 5-11, max. weight: 38 kg/85 lb) are available. Adults must be experienced riders to pull a tag-along and preferably have experience with tag-alongs. The bikes 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.
We also have E-Bikes available for hire, but they are limited in number & size - please send an email to us to check on availability.
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.
Please carefully fill out the form and check the information you have entered. Even minor spelling errors will render the visa invalid and your entry to Vietnam will be denied.
For peace of mind, we suggest applying for your e-visa as early as possible, and no later than 2 weeks before your expected arrival in Vietnam. While processing time is generally no more than 1-3 working days (not including weekends and Vietnamese holidays), it is wise to give yourself some buffer time in case there are any issues.
If you are joining a multi-country trip beginning in Vietnam, please be sure to select the correct exit point from the list below:
“Saigon to Bangkok” and “Saigon to Siem Reap”: Song Tien Landport
“Road Biking from Saigon to Angkor”: Moc Bai Landport
“Remote Vietnam and Laos”: Na Meo Landport
“Hanoi to Luang Prabang”: Tay Trang Landport
If your SpiceRoads trip will end in Vietnam, please choose your point of exit as the airport, port or land border through which you have arranged to leave Vietnam.
Visa on Arrival
If you are joining "Cultural Road from Hoi An to Angkor Wat" or "Road Biking from Saigon to Angkor", e-visas are not permitted for the exit through the land borders we cross during the tour. Before the tour, our sales team will collect your passport and flight information from you, and we will provide you with the Visa on Arrival letter within 10 business days.
When you arrive in Vietnam, you will need to present the following at the Visa on Arrival counter:
Your Visa on Arrival will be processed quickly, and you may then proceed to immigration to enter Vietnam.
Please ensure that you update our sales team if your passport or flight details change before the tour, as mismatched information will result in entry to Vietnam being denied. Changes to this information when a Visa on Arrival letter has already been issued will result in a charge for a new letter to be processed.
See here for recommendations and detailed 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. We will send you a tipping guideline before the tour begins.
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:
Just complete our online booking form or send your booking details offline (email or post), and we will confirm your participation. No deposit is needed to confirm your place on a SpiceRoads tour.
You are advised to read our Booking Conditions in full before you make your payment and should you require further clarifications of any of the conditions below, please email us or call our office.
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 the trip status is ‘Limited’ will mean we have only a small number of spaces available for booking. If you are unsure about the trip status, please email us or call our office.
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. For the next steps, you'll need to know the names of the people travelling. If you wish you can also provide extra details such as passport numbers, height (for bike hire), 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). Our system will contact you from time to time to fill in the missing information, as it will be required before departure. However, if the trip that you are booking offers a child discount, you will have to fill out the date of birth of each rider (so we can calculate the appropriate discount).
If you are having any problems please send us an email, or give us a call (+66 026 3295) and one of our travel specialists will assist you with your booking.
Just call us or send an email indicating which trip you want to join and we will happily send you a list of questions and process your booking for you.
We do not require a deposit or full payment to book a place for you on a tour.
The balance of the tour’s cost (final invoice) will need to be paid 60 days before the departure date with fees for any bicycle rental(s), single supplement(s) and extra hotel nights.
In the case where a booking is made when there are less than 60 days until the tour departure date, the tour’s cost should be paid in full within 72 hours of receiving an invoice from SpiceRoads. Payment can be made by credit card using our online payment gateway or by bank transfer. When making payment online you will need to confirm that you have read these booking conditions during the "checkout" process, which equates to agreeing to the terms of services and stipulations as indicated in this document.
In all cases, tour fees need to be paid “in full” before participation in a tour. No person(s) will be allowed to join a tour without fully settling their invoice and receiving a confirmation number from SpiceRoads.
The exception can be made for last-minute miscellaneous fees that can be paid locally (visas, additional local hotel bookings, etc.) can be settled on the day of arrival.
If the tour is cancelled or postponed by SpiceRoads because we didn't make the trip numbers and the tour can’t run, we will make a full cash refund (by bank transfer or on your credit card).
If the tour is cancelled for any other reason, including due to Covid related travel restrictions, we will give you a full credit (with no deductions for admin or any other small-print item) to use on any SpiceRoads tour with no time limit. (Exceptions being flights, special permits and other non-refundable items and these will be advised when booking the trip).
Before paying for your tour, you can cancel your booking with no charge and up until 40 days before departure, you can change your booking to another travel date or move your booking onto another SpiceRoads tour with no charges.
If you need to cancel after you have made full payment, please see our cancellation policy.
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
youtube.com/user/spiceroads
instagram.com/spiceroads
We completed the North Vietnam Family Explorer, was a fantastic trip supported by wonderful tour leaders. The riding was perfect for our family of 5 aged between 7 and 49 who are not regular riders. Riding was the best way to truly experience a country. Would thoroughly recommend.