getting there and away
The tour starts in Hanoi on Saturday. We appreciate that people join Red Spokes tours from all over the world and therefore no matter what time you arrive at the airport Red Spokes will pick you up so that you and your luggage can be transferred to your hotel. Please bear in mind that if you arrive before midday you may have to wait for your room to be made available. If you decide to arrive before this date Red Spokes can assist you in booking your accommodation and will organise a free transfer to your hotel. Our holiday price does not include your international flights.
The tour ends in Vientiane on Friday and if you are flying home on this day your transfer to the airport is included in the price with Red Spokes. If you decide to stay beyond the last day of the tour Red Spokes can help you organise extra accommodation and transfers to the airport if needed.
We do offer a free travel service to help find and book flights through our designated travel agent who are ATOL holders. They will send you confirmation of your flights and your tickets. Flight bookings are subject to their booking conditions. If flying from the UK Singapore Airways appear to be the favoured airline by our customers. Check out www.expedia.com or www.opodo.co.uk for an idea of times and prices.
You must be in possession of a valid passport and visa. Passport must be valid for at least 6 months after date of arrival or 1 month after expiration of visa. Visa application forms for UK residents can be obtained by clicking here
If you would prefer to pay an agent to get your visa, we would suggest using Travcour (UK) Ltd. They have been in the visa business for 25 years & offer our customers a £5 discount on all visas purchased.
insurance and vaccinations
It is a condition of joining our trips that you must be adequately insured.
All persons are expected to arrange their own insurance. Polices should cover any potential risks involved in a mountain cycling holiday. We ask for copy of your policy to be sent in with your completed booking form.
Snowcard Insurance Services specialize in all mountain sports holidays including mountain biking. Their policies include emergency medical and repatriation expenses as well as mountain rescue. They are also able to insure personal belongings including equipment as well as travel cover for cancellation, delay and missed departure. Follow the link below to obtain full information and a quote: www.snowcard.co.uk
Plan ahead for your vaccinations, some of them require more than one injection you should seek medical advice at least six weeks before travel. No vaccinations are currently required for the tour, but the following are recommended: Hepatitis A, Typhoid, Diphtheria, Polio and Tetanus. If you have recently travelled in a Yellow Fever affected part of the world, proof of an inoculation is required. Expert advice on medication should be sought.
cycling support and grading
All of the time you will have the security of a back-up vehicle; either a truck or (and) a bus. The vehicle will carry our entire luggage (we transport your main baggage by support vehicle from each overnight stop to the next) and yourself if you want. The back up van will be with us throughout the day stopping around every 15 miles. Our leaders carry a good tool kit and will help to fix any bike problems so all you normally need to carry is a daypack, for your camera etc, however, we cannot guarantee that we will be equipped for all repairs, so you must ensure that your bike is in good working order before the tour. If in doubt, have it fully serviced by a bike shop before you travel.
equipment and bike stuff
bikes for this trip need to be:
Tough as bikes can take a battering and low geared (such as a 22-tooth granny cog on the front crank driving an 11-32/34 block on the back). Comfort is important, as there are some long days, so make sure your saddle and riding position are appropriate.
A mountain bike is a good option. Front suspension will help with the washboard tracks and potholes, but it is not essential. If you have flat bars, fitting bar ends will give you a different hand position and help with the climbs. The trip can be done on a traditional touring bikes, but it is important to ensure it has got strong enough wheels, sufficiently wide tyres (37mm is about the minimum) and low enough gearing. It’s worth investing in a pair of 36 spoke, hand-built wheels, using a good quality rim (e.g. Sun Rhyno, Mavic or Rigida).
tyres
The route is a mixture of poorly maintained tarmac and very rough gravel tracks. The best tyre for the job is probably the Schwalbe Marathon XR. It’s very tough and hardwearing and has a decent tread for the gravel without being too knobbly for tarmac.
spares
We would advise the following: a multi-tool, tyre levers, pump, 2 spare inner tube, spare spokes of the correct length to fit your wheels – check with a bike shop, brake pads, a few spare links for your chain, spares for any unique or high-tech items on your bike, e.g. fluid and bleed kit for hydraulic brakes.
Please ensure that your bike is in good working order before you leave on tour. If you are not the most mechanically minded we suggest that you get your bike looked at by a professional bike mechanic. We
particularly suggest looking and adjusting all wheel spokes, greasing all your bearings, checking your brakes/gears cable, tighten all nuts and bolts, check chain, quick release clamps, tires and put in new inner tubes and check wheel rims are not worn. In addition make sure the bike is well serviced and ride it with as much care and attention as possible.
clothing
Here’s our recommended kit list. It’s not rigid – feel free to vary it at as necessary too your specific needs.
Good quality waterproof jacket, warm hat (it can get cold in Sapa), sun hat, cycle gloves, mid-weight fleece top, long sleeved shirt, travel trousers, 2 wicking tee-shirts (synthetic or merino wool), cotton tee-shirt for around town, 2-3 pairs of underwear, 2-3 pairs of standard socks, cycling shoes, e.g. SPD's,, trekking shoes, flip-flops, flip flops / sandals.
Other suggested items are: a bike helmet, a pair of dark glasses (the sun can be very strong), a small day sack or pannier (assuming you have a rack to attach it to) to carry clothing, camera and valuables, a couple of spare passport photos, photocopies of key documents. e.g., passport (data and visa pages), travel insurance policy, airline tickets, camera, photos of your family and postcards of your town to show the locals.
baggage allowances and your bike....
Your bike must be carried as a part of your luggage allowance and, to this end, we do ask that you to make every effort to keep your total check-in baggage to an absolute minimum. The baggage allowance for most airlines for an economy-class ticket is 20kg per person; although a degree of flexibility is usually extended to groups and the check in staff may accept up to 26kg per person without imposing excess baggage charges. Your bike (in its cardboard box) will weigh 15 to 18kg. So, that means you will have a small allowance for clothing, etc. You should carry small heavy items in your day pack / pannier which you can take onto the plane as hand luggage.
what's included and what's not:
Accommodation will be in hotels, guest houses and a home stay for the duration of the tour. Our prices are based on sharing a twin room; single rooms are sometimes available at extra cost.
All food is provided on tour apart from the rest days in Sa Pa and Luang Prabang and lunches and dinners in Hanoi and Vientiane.
Spending money depends on your taste for souvenirs, drinks etc. We estimate that $360 will be more than enough to cover the 21 day tour. Locally payable airport tax is around £5. International tax is also £5.
Visa costs are, Laos £20, Vietnam £48.
Tipping is an accepted part of everyday life, and although it is always at your discretion, you will be expected to tip to reward service. $50 for the guide and team at the end of the tour is recommended.
further information
On all our tours the guides carry a medical kit. We do recommend that you bring your own first aid supplies which should include: a broad spectrum anti-biotic, antiseptic cream, throat lozenges, a cold medication, diarrhoea treatment, pain killers, plasters, insect repellent and re-hydration salts.
Vietnamese is the official language; English is generally favoured as a second. Chinese and Khmer and numerous other local languages are also spoken in places. Lao is the official language of Laos, English is the official business language of the Lao government.
Vietnamese New Dông (approx. VND 17,500 to $1).
Laos Kips
(approx. 8,000 to $1) The US Dollar is the most favoured foreign currency in both countries, we recommend taking some US Dollars. British currency can usually be changed in the larger cities. There is a charge for changing money in banks. ATM are widely availible in most towns in both countries.
Buddhism is the major religion in Laos and Vietnam. In the far northof Vietnam Hoa Hao and Cao Daism are among the indigenous religions along with groups that have animist beliefs. Ancestor worship is an important influence in Vietnamese culture. Other religions are Christianity and Islam.
recommended reading
Murphy, Dervla. (1999) One foot in Laos. Christopher Robbins, (1989). The Ravens: pilots of the secret war ofLaos. The most thrilling read of all the books on America’s secret war in Laos.
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