Cycling Vietnam

Another exciting adventure with [the tour operator]. Our trip was at the end of April/beginning of May and it was very hot !!!! I'm told June/July is even hotter. Phew !!!! Despite this I loved every minute of it. It was a very busy trip but extremely well organized. I very much liked the additional drink stops as it was so very hot. Home made chilled lime was just the thing. I also very much liked Lam pre-booking the meals and us all going together. He found some wonderful places and we had delicious fresh food. There just isn't time to find somewhere yourself. This really worked well. We were lucky to be with a super group of people. Everyone happy and smiling and enjoying every moment..................well................except a few of the group who did get a bit sore. Please do get yourself some chamois butter and padded pants. It works a treat. It worked well having all the cycling in the beginning. The train was much better than I had expected and I slept like a log !!! Whale Island and Halong Bay were real treats and I would have loved more time there. But, overall, the trip was perfect for timing as it kept us within the 15 day Visa limit and we saw and did so much. Despite being informed in writing by [the tour operator] that our big holdalls/suitcase stays with us all the time......this was not the case. You do need to have a rucksack or flat pack bag big enough for the one and two night stays (Whale Island and Halong Bay). In fact......it works very well to just take small luggage. Much easier to do once you get your head around it. I found the cycling easy compared with other trips I've done but I do feel it is right to be called a Level 3. Everyone cycles slightly differently and there is always a bit of a mix of abilities........which makes for a good group cycle I think.
What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
I loved feeling at one with the rural landscape and the villages............although it was exciting to see the hustle and bustle of the cities too.........especially with all their motor scooters. I love their driving system and felt very comfortable when cycling amidst it.
What did you think of your group leader?
Lam. Well......what can I say.......such a lovely young man and always happy and smiling. He is the most organized leader I have come across but at no time did you feel you were being organized. He and his crew looked after us extremely well. He anticipated everything and made us feel special. Not always easy to do when you have one group after another after another. I do hope he wins Leader of the Year. He deserves it.
Do you have any advice for potential travelers?
Do go. It's such fun..............and what an experience !!

We have just returned from the Cycle Vietnam holiday and had a wonderful time. We were slightly apprehensive having never done a group holiday or cycling holiday before, and I was worried that we might not be able to keep up. However, the tour was so well planned and organized that we were fine. The tour is graded a 3, and that felt right to us. It was challenging at times to us as recreational, 50 something cyclists, but not impossible. Our group consisted of 12 people - two couples, 4 lone men and 4 lone women, and that worked really well. We all got on and had a great time together. Our tour leader, Son, was incredible. He ensured we all had a good time and kept reminding us that we were on holiday and there to enjoy ourselves. He also arranged stops for us in little out-of-the-way places, which we would never have seen otherwise. The heat was gruelling - high 30s but with humidity it felt like low 40s. Someone in our group was from Puerto Rico and he found it too hot, so it wasn't just us Brits! The support truck and bus were there is you needed it - some people chose to only cycle in the morning and get on the bus for the afternoons, and that was fine. The only time I had to give up was on a 10km climb where the heat got to me after 8kms. I was picked up by the support truck which was always there if needed. Also, although the bus usually met us every 20kms with water and fresh lemon juice, on very hot uphills the stops were 10kms apart and at one point 5kms. Cycling through the small hill villages is incredible, all the children shout out to you and some of them want to touch you. Everyone was amazingly friendly. Our only regret is that it was often quite difficult to stop to take photos. As well as the cycling itself, we got to go snorkeling on Whale Island which was lovely. There is no air conditioning in Whale Island so be prepared for hot nights there. However it was stunning. Snorkels and flippers are provided but my husband took his own snorkel and mask. The trip to Halong Bay was also incredible, staying out on the boat overnight under a full moon took some beating. Our group had the boat to ourselves, and the staff on board couldn't have been more helpful. They also made great cocktails! I hadn't realized before we got there that you're not allowed to swim there, which I was a bit disappointed about until I saw the size of the jellyfish and then was relieved! We kayaked in the bay which was really good fun.
What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
It was all amazing but for me, the ability to cycle in areas we would never have gone to on a bus or car trip was so special, coupled with the friendliness of the people
What did you think of your group leader?
Son was incredible, as were the support team. He spent time encouraging us, telling us the history of Vietnam, negotiating for us with local people, and showing us the hidden side of Vietnam. He was also brilliant about sorting out things like getting our laundry done locally rather than using the hotel laundry, and arranging for us to order pizza delivered to the train for the overnight journey
Do you have any advice for potential travelers?
Be prepared for the humidity. It hadn't occurred to me that on non-cycling days we might get through 3 changes of clothes in a few hours! Don't eat the food on the overnight train. As well as it not looking very appetising you have to go to the dining car which is the only place on the train where smoking is allowed. It's not pleasant!
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I would thoroughly recommend this trip if you are a competent cyclist, you don't have to be amazing but you probably do need to have a fair level of fitness.

This has to be a trip of a lifetime. Cycling through a country that is unspoiled, dramatic countryside, mountains, lakes, coast, busy, manic towns and cities where the traffic stops for no-one. It is a country like no other and needs to be experienced to be believed. Be prepared to never come up for air. The people are so friendly and helpful and the food so delicious. Our group bonded well which made for the trip and our support team looked after us well.
What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Visiting Whale Island and being blown away by its remoteness and uniqueness Cycling up the Hai Van Pass. Cycling 30km down a mountain pass where the temperature ranged from feeling like being in a fridge to feeling like being in a sauna. Finally, Halong Bay Cruise. Cycling through the craziness and mayhem of towns and cities but being expertly guided through safely.
What did you think of your group leader?
Tong was good fun, very knowledgeable and knew his stuff. He was also very fit and cracked the whip every day. He was also very motivating and inspirational and kept us on our toes. He also looked after our health and safety implicitly.
Do you have any advice for potential travelers?
Be prepared for long days in the saddle, intense heat and to get very sweaty. Please try and get fit before you travel as it would be a shame to miss even 1 hour of cycling. The scenery is so varied, the towns are manically busy so be prepared for some hairy moments but the guides ensure you are safely taken through the craziness of it all. It has to be seen to be believed.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
You will not be disappointed with this trip if you go with eyes wide open. It certainly exceeded my expectations. I didn’t expect the cycling to be so difficult and I am a fit person so it helps to even do some cycling before you go. Be prepared to see a lot of rubbish as the country doesn’t seem to have got its head around recycling yet and it’s a shame to see the countryside and coastal areas littered with rubbish. However, that is a minor criticism in what is a beautiful country. My memories will live with me forever from this trip.