Vietnam N.W

redspokes’ North West Vietnam cycling holiday takes you riding through some of country's best cycling terrain. Our of-the-beaten track bike adventure sees virtually no tourists and avoids Vietnam's notorious highways. We cycle through a stunning landscape of amazing karst rock formations, stilted houses with thatched roofs and mountains nestled between limestone outcrops. Visit historic Dien Biên Phu where, in 1954, the Vietnamese defeated the French garrison, marking the end of the Indo China war. Ride the Tam Tron, Vietnam’s highest mountain pass at 1,900m with stunning views of Mt. Fan Si Pan, South East Asia's highest peak.

This region is home to the highest concentration of hill-tribe people in Vietnam. We visit H'mong, Tay, Dao and Xa Pho villages. Vietnam has the richest and most complex ethnic make-up in the whole of South East Asia; their markets and festivals add colour and character to the areas we cycle through. The French colonial rulers dubbed these minorities the "montagnards" meaning high-landers or mountain people. Despite decades of isolation from "outsiders" these traditional hill tribes show a warm, respectful curiosity to strangers.

Now is the perfect time to visit Vietnam; some areas opened to tourism in the late 1980s but it was only in the late 1990s that a lot of the red tape and travel restrictions were removed from Vietnam. Redspokes’ North West Vietnam cycling holiday offers challenging mountain biking and a wonderful opportunity to experience the traditional and varied lifestyles of the Vietnamese people.

Our 16 day Vietnam tour includes a 2 day visit to Ha Long Bay.

Following 2 weeks of adventure cycling a visit Ha Long bay is a relaxing, memorable way to end redspokes’ Vietnam cycling holiday.  Dubbed ‘the eighth wonder of the world’, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ha Long Bay (meaning Descending Dragon Bay) is an area of exceptional mystical beauty and biological interest.  The bay is a stunning sea scape featuring thousands of limestone karsts and isles topped by rain forest, rising out of emerald green seas. The evolution of the karst in the bay has occurred during 20 million years of tropical climate. Research has shown the presence of prehistoric humans, tens of thousands of years ago, but most of the islands are uninhabited and rich with numerous species of flora and fauna. Stay on board a wooden junk, modelled on traditional Vietnamese court sailing boats, cruise the bay with time to kayak swim and explore the area.