Cycle Touring in Vietnam

Vietnam

Cycling Vietnam

Vietnam is a country which has a lot to offer cycle tourists. From the high mountains of the north to the flat lands of the south, there is a wide variety of terrain and scenery. The roads are generally good quality, accommodation is plentiful and there is a lot of cultural interest throughout the country.

Although the positives outweigh the negatives, there are also a few drawbacks. In this page we look at the main areas for riding, what to expect from cycling in Vietnam, and how to get the most out of a cycling tour in this intense country!

Or click here to find out all about my latest tour in North Vietnam.

📖 Vietnam Cycling Overview

North Vietnam: Hanoi to Mai Chau
Central Vietnam

📖 Practical Information

Roads & Traffic
Transport & Logistics
Food & Accommodation
Safety

Vietnam can be split roughly into four sections from a cycling perspective. In the far north around Sa Pa and Ha Giang you will find the high mountains and the most challenging routes, as well as probably the most spectacular scenery.

A little further south, closer to Hanoi, you can find very scenic routes, both on the coast and inland. These are hilly at times, but not as demanding as the high mountains further north. Some of these areas are inhabited by minority ethnic groups such as the Hmong and Thai, offering an insight into the cultural diversity of Vietnam.

In Central Vietnam there is a lot of cultural interest, including UNESCO listed sites such as Hue, Hoi An and My Son. The riding here is generally quite flat or rolling, with the odd climb, including the famous Hai Van Pass.

The far south is split between the hilly highlands of Dalat - home to many of Vietnam's coffee plantations, and the Mekong Delta, which is almost completely flat.

Karst Limestone Peaks around Ninh Binh

The far north of Vietnam is the most appealing region for cyclists who like to challenge themselves. Situated either side of the Red River are two excellent mountainous areas for cycling - centered respectively on Sa Pa and Ha Giang.

The Ha Giang loop, to the east of the Red River, is a well established circuit which begins in the town of Ha Giang. The spine of the route follows the QL4C to Bao Lam, and then returns to Ha Giang on the QL34 road, but there are many optional detours you can take along the way. mountain scenery.

This is a challenging route with long climbs and descents and the weather can vary from very hot in the high season, to cold and even snowy in the middle of winter. There are no really large towns on the route, so you will typically be staying in homestays or other small accommodation.

In recent years the route has become very popular with cycle tourists Most of the information you will find online about it will be from the perspective of motorbikes; the experience is broadly the same on bicycles, except that you will tend to go a lot slower! In order to fully explore the area and enjoy the route, it is probably best to allocate at least 5 or 6 days riding; compared with three for motorbikes. In recent years many companies in Hanoi have started to offer a 3, 4 or 5 day tour on motorbike to the region which has led to it becoming pretty crowded and loud in peak season.

Northern Vietnam

My most recent trip to Vietnam, in December 2024, was a short tour in the north of the country. Starting in Hanoi, I headed south to Ninh Binh and then west into the mountains around Mai Chau.

It was easy to find very quiet roads

I had planned to ride much further, going north through the mountains to Sa Pa and on to China. However, the very heavy air pollution both in the cities and the countryside led me to cut it short. Despite that, I actually enjoyed it! It was a great trip with a lot of cultural interest and fantastic scenery.

Check out the links below for much more detailed information on this trip:

Cycling Hanoi to Mai Chau Overview

Part 1 - Hanoi to Ninh Binh

Part 2 - Ninh Binh to Mai Chau

Central Vietnam

My first trip to Vietnam was to the central part of the country, around the cities of Da Nang and Hoi An. I didn't bring my own bike, but rented a hybrid and did a series of circular rides around the two cities.

The riding here was enjoyable, particularly visiting some of the historic sites in the area, but overall it was a bit too flat for my tastes.

Roads & Traffic

One of the best things about cycling in Vietnam are the roads. There is a huge network of good, quality paved roads through most of the country.

In addition, there are loads of concreted minor roads which are fine for riding even on a road bike - these are particularly common in rice fields and other agricultural areas. Gravel trails and dirt roads do not seem to be as abundant as in China or Thailand, but can still be found, particularly in the mountains of the north.

In mountainous areas, the principal roads typically have gentle gradients (less than 8%) and lots of hairpin bends. Once you leave these and get onto more minor climbs then all bets are off, and some roads can get pretty steep!

Concrete back roads through the rice fields

In cities, Vietnam's roads have long been the focus of social media videos, where people show how to cross a road, simply by walking out into busy traffic. Riding in built up areas does look incredibly chaotic and dangerous; but once you are actually riding on the road, it feels surprisingly calm and comfortable.

Cyclists can ride in the swarm of motorbikes - just focus on what is ahead of you and watch out for cars turning across your lane - other than that it's pretty straight forward. In big cities like Da Nang and Hanoi, I actually found it safer to just use the main roads rather than try to plot a course along narrow back streets.

Drivers in Vietnam are pretty good towards cyclists and driving speeds are slow on anything but the main highways (which should be avoided out of town). Motorbikes tend to have good awareness of cyclists and larger vehicles typically leave enough space. Drivers will constantly beep their horn to let you know of their intention to overtake, which sounds annoying, but actually ends up being pretty reassuring and helpful!

One note of caution is that road traffic accidents rise considerably during the Tet Festival (usually celebrated the same time as Chinese New Year). Apparently this due in large part to a huge rise in the number of drunk drivers, so it may be best to stay off the roads during this period.

Transport & Logistics

Flying into Vietnam with a bike is pretty easy. If you are on a long haul flight then you will probably arrive to either Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. There are plenty of companies online which offer transfer services - I recommend booking one in advance so you can select a van (sometimes called a limousine) which can easily fit one or two bike boxes inside. I paid around $20 for a transfer in a 9 seater van from Hanoi airport to the Old Quarter on my last trip.

Trains in Vietnam generally accept bikes; however, the bike may not go on the same train as you. Vietnam's train network is not particularly extensive, but is quite useful for cycle tourists. The main line is between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), stopping at places such as Vinh and Hue along the route. There is also a line from Hanoi to Lao Cai, from which is close to both Sa Pa and Ha Giang. Finally, there is a line out to Halong - from where you can ride to the picturesque Cat Ba island.

My bike strapped to the roof of the bus

I have had some issues taking my bike on buses in Vietnam. Several companies around Hanoi told me it was not possible to carry bikes, and only one (Dut Thai) accepted and duly tied it to the roof.

This may have been an unlucky experience, because I have read elsewhere that cycle tourists were able to take buses with no problems. If you check the bus route that interests you on the Vexere Website, you can see which buses may accept bikes, but it's best to call to confirm in any case.

Food & Accommodation

Accommodation is generally cheap and plentiful throughout most of Vietnam, and generally there is no need to carry a tent with you. It shouldn't be difficult to book at very short notice even on weekends or festivals. If you go really off the beaten track, for example following the Ho Chi Minh trail along the Laos border, then hotels can be pretty few and far between in places. You may be able to find a homestay in most villages, but you might want to carry a lightweight tent with you for peace of mind.

Delicious Bun Cha in Hanoi

Food and water are easy to get. Vietnam is relatively densely populated and, even in rural areas, you will rarely be too far from a small store. Fresh fruit (dragon fruit, pineapple, passion fruit, bananas) is plentiful, as are various types of baguettes and pizzas. For more traditional cooked food, you can expect a lot of noodle soups (such as pho), as well as grilled meat and hot pots (lau).

Don't drink the tap water!

Safety

Vietnam is a safe country to travel around. Pickpocketing and scams can be an issue in larger cities and touristy areas, and you might get overcharged at some markets, but violent crime is very rare.

I found people to be very friendly and helpful, and English was reasonably widely spoken in the more tourist areas, so you should be able to resolve any problems or emergency situations quite easily.

I don't know enough about the level of medical care to comment.

Natural Dangers

Vietnam is not particularly dangerous in terms of its terrain. Obviously you shouldn't go wandering off by yourself deep into the jungle, but generally I found the maps to be accurate, the GPS to work and roads to be well constructed.

There are some highly venomous snakes, including cobras and kraits, but I only saw a couple of non-venomous ones. Because Vietnam is quite densely populated, I think most dangerous snakes that were brave enough to show their face during the day time have probably already been killed by wary locals.

There is malaria present in parts of the country, mostly around the border areas with Laos, and outbreaks of dengue fever do occur, including in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. I was also recommended to get vaccinated against Japanese Encephalitis, given that I would be going into rural areas.

As in much of the world, you will encounter a few stray dogs in Vietnam and rabies is not uncommon. However, I found the dogs here to be extremely placid and can't remember being chased half-heartedly more than a couple of times. I think dogs in Vietnam are so used to motorbikes, that they barely bat an eyelid at a passing bicycle.

The Weather

Vietnam is a tropical country, but the weather varies considerably across the country. In the south and central areas, the heat is the major concern - it can be extremely hot and humid throughout the year. If you are doing long rides it is important to consume a lot of water, as well as salty food or electrolytes.

In the mountains of the north, for example around Sa Pa and Ha Giang, it can be cold or wet. Plan on bringing a jacket and rain gear if you are touring here, particularly in the winter months.

Pollution

The air quality ended up being the biggest issue for me in North Vietnam. During the dry season (winter), Hanoi's air quality is among the worst in the world. I was hoping that the situation would be better in the countryside, but it was nearly as bad. The mix of pollution from traffic, factories and burning in the fields was quite oppressive and far from ideal for cycling.