Overview
- Terrain: asphalt
- Bike: rental
- Mileage: 1060 kilometers / 658.6 miles
- Daily rides: 151 kilometers / 94 miles
- Meals: all breakfasts, lunches, and evening meals
Enjoy the cultural interaction and sightseeing opportunities on the Misty Highland tour. This is a great opportunity to be intoxicated by the friendliness of the Vietnamese people.
This seven-day adventure through the central highlands and beyond is sure to leave a lasting impression. You will be immersed in all that Vietnam has to offer. You will be exposed to the French colonial influences that have now become integral to the Vietnamese society. The seven-day tour has many beautiful places and historic sights to visit. With the hospitality of the Vietnamese people and the English-speaking guides, this tour will provide many lasting memories.
Itinerary
Pre-tour day: Nha Trang
You will be picked up at the airport and be taken to your accommodation. There will be some time for sightseeing, wander around the town, maybe even visit the beach for a quick swim. A welcome dinner is supplied in the evening, along with a comprehensive briefing of the journey, along with a map. This is also a great time to meet the other riders.
Day 1: Nha Trang to Phan Rang (120 kilometers / 74.5 miles)
You will leave Nha Trang and the chaos of the morning traffic of this bustling seaside resort town. You will travel along the coastal beach roads towards Phan Rang and maybe stop at one of the beautiful little beaches where you can relax and even take a dip. This is a great day for you to be acquainted with the bikes and riding in Vietnam. The guides will make this a pleasant and safe experience as you follow their lead.
Lunch will be a special picnic treat or, if the weather does not agree, then at one of the restaurants on the cove. You will then continue to Phan Rang where you will finish the first day with a cold drink and then swap some stories over dinner. The resort villa accommodation is located along the famous Ninh Chu beach.
Day 2: Phan Rang to Da Lat (120 kilometers / 74.5 miles)
You will travel via some main and secondary roads that are a load of fun. First, you will stop at the Cham Towers, the ruins that date back to the earliest times in this part of the world. A visit to Cham village, the oldest pottery village in South East Asia will follow. Then it is down through valleys that are seldom visited by foreign travelers. Take part in the coconut bridge challenge and possibly be rewarded with a bottle of local wine.
After lunch at one of the small towns, you will head towards the mountain resort of Da Lat, considered the honeymoon capital of Vietnam. First, though, you will enjoy a quick trip to the waterfalls that lay a little south of your destination. Then, you can just relax near the lake at a sidewalk café and watch the world go by. If you have enough energy, take time to visit the night markets that take over the center of the town or if you have time, watch the local K’ho traditional Music and Dance festival.
Day 3: Da Lat to Lak Lake (180 kilometers / 112 miles)
You will go on to Lak Lake, taking the scenic way. The largest natural body of water in the central highlands, the XR’s will revel in the mix of roads that lead to this natural beauty and calm of this locality. You will arrive early, leaving plenty of time to wind down and wander around this small town or maybe even feed the local elephants. If you are up early enough, then enjoy a visit to the local markets.
Vietnam is filled with ethnic minorities and hill tribes that have inhabited the area for many centuries and the area around Lak Lake are no different.
Day 4: Lak Lake to Buon Me Thuot (100 kilometers / 62 miles)
The destination for today is Buon Ma Thuot, not too far from the Cambodian border. Buon Ma Thuot is the capital of Dak Lak Province, with more winding roads, more valleys, and more fun. Lunch will be a picnic at the spectacular Dray Nur Falls, wander to the nearby village or, for the brave, consider a dip at the bubbling base of the falls. This is truly an oasis to visit.
Upon arrival at Buon Ma Thuot, mingle with the locals, the people are friendly, the coffee is great, and a stop here is well worth it to get off the beaten track. Try your hand at making noodle Pho and Drum.
Day 5: Buon Me Thuot to Kom Tum (240 kilometers / 149 miles)
Kom Tum is today's destination. Kon Tum is the capital city of Kon Tum Province in Vietnam, with close proximity to the borders of Laos and Cambodia. You will experience a mix of roads winding through towns and valleys. Interact with the locals as you will make some stops at minority villages and enjoy a picnic lunch across a rickety suspension bridge.
Watch as the locals calmly ride across, often two up or carrying astonishing loads along the suspension bridge that scares visitors just trying to walk on it. You will enjoy different visits to the tea, coffee, cacao, and pepper plantations. A must visit is the orphanage behind the old wooden church.
Day 6: Kon Tum to Kham Duc (180 kilometers / 111 miles)
You will leave Kon Tum and ride the famous Ho Chi Minh Road. This was part of the system that troops used during the years of the American conflict in the late sixties and early seventies of the last century. Today it is a concrete highway that twists and turns its way through jungles and mountains.
Be ready for fun on this curved paradise as it drops into the jungle valleys and rises to the mountain ridges. There is not much traffic but remain alert. You will take time to visit and gift local Sedang kids on the Ho Chi Minh trail.
Day 7: Kham Duc to Hoi An (175 kilometers / 109 miles)
This is a reasonably long day with some fun riding. You will ride to the coast along Highway 49, a road that wanders through a landscape dotted with spice trees and fruit farms. As you approach the town of Danang (famous for its China Beach and setting for the Robin Williams movie Good Morning Vietnam), you will experience the fun of riding the Hai Van Pass of Top Gear fame.
This pass once divided the different kingdoms of old Vietnam and the views at the top will definitely warrant a quick break for a cold drink. The ride will finish at Hoi An with a farewell lunch, a time to reminisce about the last week and all that it offered. If you are not in a hurry, Hoi An is a great place to stay for a few more days to relax a little bit more, enjoy some shopping, and visit some of the local landmarks.
Take time to visit the world heritage listed old town and at night, its famous Lantern Street. You will enjoy dinner by the lake while sipping a drink or two and this will complete your journey to this wonderful country.
Skill levels required for this tour:
Intermediate:
- Can ride for 3 - 4 hours
- Average riding experience
- Little assistance required
- Comfortable with extreme curves and leans
- Average experience with unsurfaced roads
- Steep ascents and descents
Advanced:
- Can ride for 5 - 6 hours
- Extensive riding experience
- Assistance on demand (if required)
- Experienced with riding a variety of motorcycles
- Comfortable with any terrain and weather conditions
