Thanks to the tropical climate, the long coast and the gigantic range of mountains, Vietnam is blessed with numerous varieties of culinary offerings and consequently maintains its reputation as one of the healthiest cuisines in the world that still packs a punch with delicious, fresh and fiery flavours.

Vietnamese food relies on fresh fish, vegetables, rice and a myriad of verdant herbs and spices; lemongrass, ginger, basil and lime all play an important role in the cuisine. The Chinese and French influence is felt throughout the country where you are just as likely to be offered a banh mi (stuffed baguette) as you are a hot steaming bowl of pho (noodle soup).

Each dish is prepared with the Asian principle of Wu Xing in mind (the five elements); meaning that the perfect combination of spicy, sour, bitter, salty and sweet is the ultimate aim. Be sure to also seek out the national beverages; Vietnamese coffee is served iced and sweet with condensed milk, a real sugar and caffeine hit, and beer hoi (local beer, brewed daily) is served on most street corners in the north out of large plastic jugs that are perfect for sharing.

Food is cheap in Vietnam and you can generally avoid the spicier food if you wish. Western food is readily available almost everywhere.

Vegetarians are well catered for but please inform us before departure of any special dietary requests. Please note that in South East Asia the availability of certain specialised products for restricted diets, eg gluten-free or dairy-free, is minimal or non-existent and we strongly recommend you bring these specialised dietary items from home.

You may find it beneficial to bring ‘cycling snacks’ with you from home if you have high-energy bars or gels that you like to use during a ride.

For those who wish to contribute, a kitty is normally arranged – fresh fruit, nuts, biscuits and local snacks are all provided from the snacking kitty along with homemade lemonade if the season is right.

Climb into cooler air as you approach Dalat hill station, riding through coffee farms, tea estates and flower greenhouses set against rolling pine hills. The changing light and temperature lend the route a refreshing highland character.

In town, echoes of the French era live on in French-colonial villas and tree-lined avenues—hints of why Dalat was once nicknamed Le Petit Paris. The contrast from the lowlands makes this ride culturally and scenically distinctive.

Enjoy a long, flowing descent through Bidoup Ba National Park, where rare pine forests give way to terraces of rice and river valleys. The road winds past stilt houses and fields, with the air cooling and warming as elevations shift.

The route skirts villages of the central highlands’ ethnic communities and opens to coastal plains, tracing Vietnam’s dramatic topography in a single ride. It’s a day for confident handling, sweeping views and quiet, rural scenes.

Board a local boat to cruise the island-dotted bay around Whale Island, stopping to snorkel above coral gardens where clownfish dart between anemones. Calm, clear shallows and easy entries make this a relaxed, salt-air morning.

Savour a seafood lunch on board as you glide past a fishing village and glimpse the revered Whale Temple from the water—an emblem of coastal beliefs that whales safeguard seafarers. Sun on deck, swim ladders and unhurried time complete the mood.

Trace the shoreline from Vung Ro Bay along quiet roads skirting lagoons, dunes and headlands. The ride carries sea breezes and the steady rhythm of waves, with photogenic harbours and curving bays unfolding ahead.

Pause to frame fleets of painted fishing boats and the tranquil expanse of O Loan Lagoon, then continue inland through rice fields and small market towns. This is Vietnam’s coast at eye level—intimate, hardworking and endlessly scenic.

Explore the UNESCO-listed Hoi An Ancient Town on a guided walk through lantern-lit lanes, timber merchant houses and riverside quays. Artisans’ workshops and tea-scented courtyards reveal the city’s mercantile soul.

Cross the iconic Japanese Covered Bridge and step into richly decorated Chinese assembly halls. Stories of silk, ceramics and spice trade illuminate how this small port became a cosmopolitan crossroads of Vietnamese, Japanese and Chinese influences.

Tackle Vietnam’s legendary Hai Van Pass—the “Pass of the Ocean Clouds”—on a rewarding climb of graceful switchbacks. The gradient is steady, the scenery theatrical and the summit breeze pure exhilaration.

Savour vast views over Da Nang Bay and Lang Co Lagoon before a sweeping descent to the coast. This classic road ride blends physical challenge with cinematic landscapes, a highlight for cyclists and photographers alike.

Join a guided visit to Hue’s Imperial Citadel, passing through fortified gates into audience halls, gardens and the remains of the Forbidden Purple City. Paintwork, pavilions and dragon motifs evoke Nguyen-dynasty grandeur.

Board a boat to drift the Perfume River toward Thien Mu Pagoda and the serene royal tombs—often Tu Duc or Minh Mang—set amid lotus ponds and frangipani. Historical narratives and placid river scenes pair beautifully on this cultural day.

Set sail on a traditional junk-style boat to cruise Ha Long Bay, weaving between limestone pillars, hidden coves and floating villages. Lounge on the top deck as emerald water glints below.

Weather permitting, sea kayaking lets you slip beneath towering cliffs and into tranquil inlets. Back on board, enjoy fresh seafood as the limestone karsts glow in afternoon light—an evocative finale to your coastal journey.

Step ashore to explore Me Cung Cave, following a maze of cool chambers adorned with stalactites and rippled limestone. Torches reveal textures shaped by millennia of dripping water and mineral bloom.

Emerge to a natural balcony with sweeping views of jade water and scattered islets, ideal to pause for photos and reflection. A gentle sail among rocky towers completes a quietly atmospheric chapter of Ha Long Bay.

Journey from Hoi An to the My Son Sanctuary, a forested valley of Cham brick towers and Hindu iconography dating from the 4th to 13th centuries. Your guide deciphers Shiva, linga and apsara motifs amid jungle-framed ruins.

Learn how history and conflict marked the site, yet spiritual resonance endures in the remaining sanctuaries. This optional experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Visit the Marble Mountains, five limestone outcrops honeycombed with grottoes and Buddhist shrines, and climb to viewpoints over beaches and surf. Incense curls in cool caverns as sunlight filters through openings.

Continue to Da Nang’s Cham Sculpture Museum to admire sandstone masterpieces from the Champa Kingdom. This optional experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Attend a traditional Hanoi water puppet theatre show, where lacquered puppets skim a water stage to live dàn b?u and drum rhythms. Vignettes of rice-farming life and village legends unfold with wit and colour.

This centuries-old northern art form offers a charming window onto the Red River Delta’s heritage. This optional experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Meet your fellow travellers and meet your Tour Director over a convivial group welcome dinner in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City. Share first impressions while tasting southern favourites—fresh herb-laced rolls, tangy dipping sauces and clay-pot flavours—paired with local beers or iced coffee.

Your leader offers an insider briefing on customs, road etiquette and the journey ahead, helping the group connect and settle into Vietnam’s high-energy rhythm. Expect warm hospitality, lively conversation and the vibrant street-side aromas Saigon is famed for.

Pedal quiet roads beyond the city to crawl through the Cu Chi war tunnels, an extraordinary underground world once used as Viet Cong sanctuaries. Navigate widened sections to feel the tight proportions, then surface to examine camouflaged trapdoors and cratered ground.

Hear how this 149mi (240km) network helped resist superior firepower through ingenuity and endurance. Stark exhibits and first-hand accounts frame a powerful visit that illuminates Vietnam’s recent past with context and care.

Cycle Vietnam’s rural lanes past tropical fruit orchards, rubber plantations and small fishing hamlets, greeting farmers and schoolchildren along the way. The ride flows over gentle terrain, with roadside stalls perfumed by jackfruit and herbs.

Roll toward the white sands and rust-gold dunes of Mui Ne, where sea breezes carry the scent of salt and casuarina. This varied stage showcases everyday southern life, ending at a tranquil stretch of coastline perfect for an evening stroll.