Ho Chi Minh Trail Motorcycle Tour from Hanoi to Saigon – 21 days

We will welcome you to a tour in Hanoi. Many may join us just a few hours after landing in Vietnam from their home country. So it’s our tradition that we will all join a cozy welcome dinner hosted by Vietnam Motorbike Tour Club on the first day to welcome tour participants. This is a chance for us to warm up and get to know each other before the exciting trip. Our tour guide will brief you about the motorbike tour via the Ho Chi Minh trail in 21 days, delivering some basic information, rules, and tips to ensure our journey is safe, smooth, and memorable.

So this tour will cover all three regions of Vietnam, from the north to the central and south. Traveling by motorbike takes us 21 days, so participants are encouraged not to bring too much luggage unless you book a car for your journey. Make sure you have good sleep and energy before starting the trip.

We will spend the second day exploring Hanoi city, the capital of Vietnam. Ancient yet fast-paced, tranquil yet bustling, chaotic yet ordered, this city never fails to amaze visitors. History, culture, and street food are the three things that travelers ‘must’ explore while they are in Hanoi. Take a walk around Hoan Kiem lake to mingle in the lively atmosphere with locals jogging, doing taichi, yoga, or dancing, or just feel the freshness and tranquility of Hanoi in the early morning. Then drop by a local eatery to have pho, ‘the national dish’ and culture of Hanoi. Sipping on coffee while watching life is also a leisurely way to feel Hanoi’s life.

During the day, our tour guide takes travelers to visit some popular attractions to explore the history and culture of this millennial-year-old city. We discover the hectic yet charming Old quarter with busy streets, ancient sites, and tranquil old pagodas and temples; visit the Temple of Literature, a symbol of the local education and keen learning spirit of Vietnamese people; see others, including Hoan Kiem lake area, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, West Lake and some museums.

Mai Chau is about 180km away from Hanoi. We will on both paved and off-the-beaten paths following this route: Nguyen Trai – Quang Trung – Ba La – Chuc Son – Xuan Mai – Luong Son – Ky Son – Hoa Binh – Cao Phong – Tan Lac – Thung Khe Pass – Mai Chau. After breakfast in Hanoi, we leave the city to ride on the highway, then start off-road routes, passing through many streams, corn and sugarcane fields, oranges gardens, and splendid lakes nearby mountain ranges.

After having lunch, we take bikers to some more off-road tracks. Before we get to the Mai Chau valley, our motorbike crew leads travelers to ride along Ba Khan lake to enjoy its great view. Ba Khan has a beauty so astounding that it is dubbed Ha Long Bay in the mountainous area. After making it to Mai Chau, we have a quick break and visit Lac village, now home to nearly 30 stilt house homestays offering spacious and cozy accommodations. Stilt houses in the village are high, large, and clean with well-preserved old architecture features. Though these homestays offer only basic facilities, tourists will have the chance to experience the local lifestyle.

Summary:

Distance: 180 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Homestay

After having a hearty breakfast prepared by our host, we start the fourth day of our Vietnam motorbike tour by driving on some small tracks to explore the scenic Mai Chau valley. We then head up to drive through Pu Luong nature reserve, an ideal place for us to experience some more challenging yet fun off-road routes in some villages like Ban Hieu, Pho Doan, and Cong. After that, we will stop in Pu Luong and other tourist attractions to take nice shots of rice terraced and mountain views.

We then go along the Ma river, continue our trip and get to Vinh city at noon. Tourists can explore the city on their own in the afternoon. Some of our recommendations include walking on the beach, visiting busy fishing markets, and exploring the historical sites. While you are in Vinh city, you should also try local food. Some of the must-try dishes here include eel porridge or eel noodle soup. Spend the night in this city.

Summary:

Distance: 268 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel

Before leaving Vinh city, try to wake up early and walk to some nearby beaches to marvel at the mesmerizing display of first light illuminating the sky. Cua Lo, Cua Hoi, and Cua Hien are ideal places for perfect shots of sunrise – while waiting for the sun to crack out of the cloud, relax on the beach, watch the world wake up, and hear the waves caressing the shoreline.

After capturing the picture-postcard scenery, we head to National Highway Number 46, driving for about 15 km before we reach Sen village, the hometown of President Ho Chi Minh (affectionately known as Uncle Ho). Our tour guide will tell stories related to the historical site and the life of the revered president. His family’s house is a Vietnamese family in rural areas at the time – made of wood with a thatched roof, a green garden, and bamboo bushes.

After visiting this historical site, we continue our 21-day Vietnam motorbike tour to Dong Loc junction in Can Loc district of Ha Tinh province. We then drive to Highway 15 before getting to Huong Khe town at about 5 pm. We have dinner at a local eatery and spend overnight at a small hotel.

Summary:

Distance: 160 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel

After having breakfast in Huong Khe, we quickly arrive at Phong Nha through Highway 15. Today is one of the most interesting rides on this tour – a long ride, but the fulfilling experience when driving on a historical track and challenging route is worth it.

From Huong Khe in Ha Tinh province, we head straight to Phong Nha in the neighboring Quang Binh province. Phong Nha is home to the famous Phong Nha-Ke Bang national park, which harbors some of the most ancient karst mountains in Asia, which were formed 400 million years ago. This World Heritage Site is a heaven on earth for cave enthusiasts with hundreds of cave systems and spectacular underground rivers.

Other than the caves, which highlight a trip to this area, above-ground sightseeing destinations and activities like forest trekking, rural mountain biking, or war history places are also a rewarding experience if we have enough time. After having a quick visit to the Phong Nha area, we head to the coastal town of Dong Hoi and spend the night here.

Summary:

Distance: 210 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Homestay

Dong Hoi is a coastal town in Quang Binh province where there is a plethora of choices for sightseeing. Its center was built along the banks of the Nhat Le river, where monuments, parks, and squares are all for you to explore. Here are the tourist attractions in the area on both sides of Nhat Le River for you to visit:

Tam Toa Church: built-in 1886 and located in Dong Hoi city’s center. This church was bombed 48 times during wartime, and only its bell tower survived.

Nhat Le Beach: offers peaceful and poetic scenery. Being viewed as the symbol of Dong Hoi, this beach is now surrounded by many hotels and resorts.

After having lunch on Cua Tung beach, our Vietnam motorbike tour crew visits the Road 9 National Martyrs’ Cemetery, the resting place of more than ten thousand soldiers who died for the country’s independence.

We finish the 7th day in the late afternoon, having dinner and staying overnight in a local homestay.

Summary:

Distance: 176 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Homestay

Our fifth day in Quang Tri province, the most heavily bombed part of Vietnam during wartime, will be full of historical sites and a favorite for history tourists. From Khe Sanh, we head to Quang Tri district-level town, visiting Long Hung Church and Quang Tri Old Citadel, located on the bank of Thach Han river and was the site where fierce battles of the war against the US took place. This was the tomb of tens of thousands of heroic Vietnamese soldiers who sacrificed their youth and lives for the peace of the country, who were willing to die so their country could live.

In the afternoon, the ride takes travelers past Cua Viet Beach and Cua Tung Beach, with excellent and quiet coastlines. We then visit the Vinh Moc tunnel, explore the Demilitarized Zone, which runs along the Ben Hai river and have lunch at noon. From the Ho Chi Minh trail, we head to Dong Ha, a town completely flattened during the war against the US and now a place where visitors can visit the mine action visitor center and Quang Tri museum and experience a string of riverside seafood restaurants.

Before getting to Hue city, we have the chance to pass by A Luoi, a beautiful rural district with many majestic and poetry sceneries that will make any biker fall for it. We make it to our hotel in the late afternoon. If you want to save time visiting Hue, we can skip some historical sites in Quang Tri and drive straight from Quang Tri to Hue. Street food and visits to the royal tombs and citadels are a must while you are in the former imperial capital of Vietnam.

Summary:

Distance: 200 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Bidding farewell to the ancient charming Hue city, we depart to the beautiful old town of Hoi An. Today’s route is one of the most scenic in our 21-day Hanoi to Saigon motorbike tour. From Hue, we take some back roads and single track to get to Thuan An beach, one of the gorgeous beaches in Hue, drive along the windy coastal road, then along with the stunning postcard picture of Tam Giang Lagoon, the biggest one in central Vietnam. We stop here to explore the vast lagoon, take pictures and have lunch with fresh seafood.

In the afternoon, we drive to Hoi An via Hai Van Pass, which offers a breathtaking view over the sea from above. From the pass with the smooth and curving road, we look over the breathtaking sea with blue water well-blended with the clear, bright, and blue sky. The view over the sea is one of its kind and looks like a surreal painting. We arrive at the charming ancient town of Hoi An when the last luminous ray of sunlight dances on the Thu Bon river.

Summary:

Distance: 240 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Guesthouse

When it comes to ancient towns in Vietnam, no place can beat Hoi An. Once the old harbor town of Champa people, this beautiful little town was located at the estuary of Thu Bon and quite close to the sea. It was a busy harbor and trade hub of Vietnam and Southeast Asia during the 16th and 17th centuries. The melting pot history of Hoi An has been well reflected in its architecture – from shophouses and temples to French colonial buildings and Vietnamese tube houses or the symbolic Japanese bridge with its beautiful pagoda, which was built in the early 17th century by Japanese business people and has been well-preserved until today. Besides historical sites, pagodas, and temples, street food is also a big part of Hoi An, and your trip seems incomplete without trying some local dishes.

In the evening, you can enjoy some coffee near the bank of Thu Bon river, tune in to the traditional music performance and discover the magnificence of Hoi An by night with the beautiful and sparkling lanterns.

After nearly ten days on two wheels, it’s best to spend a lazy day on the beach. Besides Hoi An’s historical and cultural attractions, this town is also really well-known for its long and picturesque beaches. Immerse yourself in the blue sea or sunbathe on the sandy beach and enjoy the cool salty breeze from Cua Dai Beach.

In the afternoon, we can ride bicycles to nearby rural villages through open paddy fields – Thanh Ha pottery village, Cam Thanh coconut village, Tra Que herb growing village, and Kim Bong carpentry village.

We spend the morning discovering My Son’s sanctuary, head back to Thu Bon river, and have lunch in Dong Phu. From here, we can take the off-road route, drive on single tracks in rubber forest or strike through rural villages. We then head to Kham Duc (also known as Phuoc Son town) and spend the night here.

Summary:

Distance: 200 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel

We follow Highway 14 to travel from Kham Duc to Kon Tum, which is 190km away. As we are traveling on this route, we will notice the significantly changing landscape, from coastal roads to rubber forests and vast coffee farms where we can stop to take a picture and enjoy coffee.

We can also visit the wooden church in Kontum, nestled amid the evergreen forest. If we come in the blooming season, we will see colorful flowers en route to the church. Today we spend the night in a local homestay in a rustic village of the Ede ethnic group.

Summary:

Distance: 190 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Homestay 

After having breakfast in Kon Tum, we head to Pleiku city, home to rubber forests and a large coffee and pepper plantations, cross the Ia Drang valley and then gear up to Buon Me Thuot. This city used to be a severe battlefield in the American war. This city is now well-known for its production of coffee in Vietnam. On tour today, we cross many vast coffee farms extending to the horizon. Here we can enjoy the cool and fresh atmosphere and feel the sunlight of this central highlands region while sipping on coffee.

With magnificent views and some challenging off-road routes, the ride in the central highlands is one of the unforgettable experiences of our lifetime. We stop and spend the night in Buon Me Thuot, a young and developed city in the central highlands region of Vietnam.

Summary:

Distance: 240 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel 

In the morning, we have a fun motorbike trip from Buon Me Thuot city to Lak lake, well-known as the largest freshwater lake in Dak Lak province and the second largest in Vietnam (after Ba Be Lake in Bac Kan province in the north). Surrounding the lake are large mountains covered by primitive forests. Jun village, home to M’nong ethnic people, situated nearby the lake, is worth a visit. There are also historical structures such as the Bao Dai emperor and the traditional long house of the M’Nong people for tourists to discover. As the ride today is not too long compared to previous days, we take some single-track and off-road routes whose roads are covered with mud, making this a challenging yet fun experience.

Summary:

Distance: 150 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Homestay

On the sixteenth day of the tour throughout Vietnam, we will wake up early to visit Lak Lake before hitting the road and getting to Da Lat at noon. We will spend the rest of the day exploring this romantic city. Located in the central highlands region of Vietnam, Da Lat has many nice things to offer: scenic pine forests, romantic misty landscape, various types of beautiful flowers, unique pink grass, tasty wine, and coffee, ancient church.

With the year-round cool climate and the sacred landscape, this once a summer hideout for French officials during the colonial time has many nicknames for its surreal beauty – ‘Little Paris’, ‘the city of eternal spring’ or ‘the city of love’. Visitors will fall for this place on their very first visit. For those who want to bring the mesmerizing memories of this land back home, our tip is to get to mountaintops in the late afternoon or early morning of the next day to take postcard-perfect shots of sunrise or sunrise.

Summary:

Distance: 170 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel

We have a hearty breakfast with hot coffee before bidding farewell to Da Lat to drive to Mui Ne. Today’s route will be one of the best in our 21-day tour from the north to the south of Vietnam, taking you from the misty and dreamy highlands region past the gorgeous waterfall, indigenous villages, and spectacular mountain ranges to the salty breezy beaches of Mui Ne. From Da Lat, we travel along Lien Khuong highway to Luong Son – Dai Ninh in Highway 28B, then go along the ĐT716 road and finally get to Mui Ne, Phan Thiet City.

Summary:

Distance: 156km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel

Our road trip has both tough days with challenging and fun routes and relaxing days for bikers to refresh themselves a regain energy. We will spend the 18th day relaxing and swimming on some of the most beautiful beaches in central Vietnam.

Mui Ne is a famous beach resort town in the coastal city of Phan Thiet (Binh Thuan province). Owning beautiful beaches with palm lines and steady wind conditions, Mui Ne has become a top destination on the tourism map of southern Vietnam. Here we can try various activities: windsurfing, kitesurfing, and sailing.

Biking up and down hills of the white dunes, riding a sled at reading dunes, visiting fishing villages, or simply watching sunrises and sunsets on the main beach, fishing village, or atop white or red dunes are must-dos while you are in the beautiful city of Phan Thiet.

We wake up early, have breakfast, and then drive from Mui Ne to Sai Gon. Today’s route is a long journey passing through busy roads and streets with more trucks and vehicles. From Mui Ne, we follow Vo Nguyen Giap and Nguyen Thong, heading to National Highway 1A in Xuan An. We then travel along the National Highway 1A to Long Thanh – Dau Giay / DTT 01 to Mai Chi Tho Street in An Phu, Ho Chi Minh. We then steer toward Hanoi Highway / Saigon Bridge. We get to the hotel at 4 pm before the rush hour in Ho Chi Minh City.

Summary:

Distance: 219 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel

In Sai Gon, we visit Cu Chi tunnels, part of a large war museum. With over 120 km of underground tunnels with trap doors, living rooms, kitchens, storage rooms, hospitals, and command centers, this site offers visitors a close look at the underground life of Vietnamese soldiers in wartime. After visiting the tunnel complex and having lunch, we return to Sai Gon through some single tracks past rubber and coffee gardens in rustic villages.

We explore the dynamic Ho Chi Minh City in the afternoon. This city boasts historical sites, ancient churches, busy markets, and old temples and pagodas. Must-see destinations include Ben Thanh Market, Notre-Dame Cathedral, center post office, reunification palace, opera house, war remnants museum, and pedestrian Nguyen Hue street.

Summary:

Distance: 28km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel

On this last day of our 21-day motorbike tour throughout Vietnam, we can have a short food tour, taste, enjoy, and have an incredible food experience in Ho Chi Minh City before leaving Vietnam.

We hope our longest tour covering from north to south of Vietnam will leave you with a long-lasting impression, and the memories of Vietnam’s diverse landscape, exciting travel activities, fun riding experience, tasty food, and hospitable people all over the country will be lingering on your mind and inspire you to explore more of Vietnam.

END OF TOUR