Motorcycling along Ho Chi Minh trail is a legend of motorcycling tours in Vietnam. This trail offers beautiful scenery plus the traffic not heavy by locals. The motorcycling adventure was first introduced by Active Travel Asia in 2006 and still has kept its record as the most loved riding trail across Vietnam. Till this summer of 2016, ActiveTravel ASIA decided to add a ride down to Mui Ne beach after our inspection. The spectacular winding road from Highland Central to the coastline absolutely stuns all motor riders with no doubt.
A quick look into the original programs
Originally, since 2006, we started launched the tour “Motorcycling Ho Chi Minh trail – Complete challenge” in 14 days, that started from Hanoi and ended in Ho Chi Minh City. This program was not only the extension of “Motorcycling Ho Chi Minh Trail – Half challenge” but leading you, our motor lovers, to a series of different visiting sites. That ensures none of our tour routes being overlapped completely by the others.
This overland Vietnam motor-biking tour took advantage of nature features as well as historical aspects then created an enjoyable trip. You would depart from Hanoi before wheeling along twisting mountainous trails of the marvelous Mai Chau valley and stopover at the famous Quang Binh province with well-known Phong Nha National park where the biggest and third largest caves over the world marked their names, Son Doong and Hang En caves.
Quang Binh is the place where your experience is transparent between nature and history. This is the first province of DMZ with Truong son cemetery, Dong Ha before the famed names of Ben Hai bridge, Dong Loc interjunction to be called in Ha Tinh province and finally Khe Sanh battlefield. We end up the historical ride in the ever-charming Hoi an.
The last part is Highland Central of Vietnam that merges the beauty of vast coffee plantations with the historical stories of the most aggressive battlefield during wartime in the 1960s – 1970s. The hot destinations await you are Kon Tum, Buon Ma Thuot, and Dalat before ending up in Sai gon or Ho Chi Minh City since 1976.
Winding routes from Central Highland to the beach, Mui Ne added
The newly added part of this Vietnam motor tour is a ride from Dalat to Phan Thiet (Mui Ne beach) that leads to one (01) extra day at the beach prior to the last ride to Sai gon. Mui Ne is so famous for its semi-dessert colorful sand dunes and crystal clear sea that makes Mui Ne the absolutely desirable destination, especially after a long ride over the mountainous area. We applied the changes as the pilot operation in April 2016, Thomas and his squad were our very first riders enjoyed the new update (see the photos of his journey here https://www.facebook.com/Active.Travel/photos/tab=album&album_id=10154310469699406). That looked really awesome.
To sum up, our “Ride Ho Chi Minh Trail – Complete Challenge” new version now lasts for 15 days, motorcycling across Vietnam from North to South on the Honda Future Neo 110CC by default. This is the typical motorbike – semi-automatic bikes – of Vietnam, where motorbikes are very much nominated. Bigger and dirt bikes are always available and the program can be customized for longer and harder experiences, too. The upgraded options (surcharges applied) are Yamaha XTZ 125C, Honda XR 250CC, and Suzuki DRZ 400 CC, of which Yamaha XTZ 125CC is most picked.
The price is 1560US$ per person without Support truck with briefing as follows:
Day 1: Arrival in Hanoi
Day 2: Hanoi – Mai Chau
Day 3: Mai Chau – Tan Ky (Nghe An)
Day 4: Tan Ky – Phong Nha National park
Day 5: Phong Nha – Hue, former citadel
Day 6: Hue – Hoi An
Day 7: Free time in Hoi An – a day off
Day 8: Hoi An – Phuoc Son
Day 9: Phuoc Son – Kon Tum
Day 10: Kon Tum – Buon Me Thuot
Day 11: Buon Ma Thuot – Lak Lake – Dalat
Day 12: Da Lat touring around
Day 13: Da Lat – Mui Ne
Day 14: Mui Ne – Sai Gon
Day 15: Saigon – Departure
The detailed program of the new version “Ride Ho Chi Minh trail – Complete Challenge” with day by day activities, riding routes are posted here. http://www.activetravel.asia/ride-ho-chi-minh-trail-complete-challenge-t355.html
The inclusion of the Ride along Ho Chi Minh trail is:
• Semi-automatic gear Honda 125 CC
• Best Rated Hotel Accommodations
• Unlimited Mileage
• Helmets for the driver and passenger
• Daily breakfast
• Other meals plan Day 1: Dinner/ Day 2: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner/ Day 3-6: Breakfast, Lunch/ Day 7: Breakfast/ Day 8-14: Breakfast, Lunch/ Day 15: Breakfast.
• Homestay permission
• Professional English speaking motorcycling tour guide
• Water & Snacks on driving days
• First-aid kit
• National Park and other Entrance Fees
• Preparation and Orientation
• All taxes, fees, and environmental surcharges