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for the Vietnam Grand Tour

VIETNAM GRAND TOUR
Detailed Itinerary

MEETING DAY / DAY ONE
Hanoi

Meals: D

Lodging: Galaxy Hotel
Address: 1 Phan Dinh Phung St, Hanoi
Phone: (84) 4 3828 2888
web: www.galaxyhotel.com.vn

Facilities: Restaurant, bar, coffee shop, health centre, laundry service, hairdryers.

Features: A 3-star hotel, located in an ancient street in the heart of Hanoi.

You will be met at Hanoi Airport. (Please notify us of your arrival details and look for the driver with the Pedaltours sign). Today is designed to allow you settle in and relax after your journey. The Old Quarter, with its narrow streets where trades people can be seen working on the pavement, is well worth exploring. The Water Puppet show is also highly recommended – it is best to prebook on arrival in Hanoi.

DAY TWO
Hanoi to Hue

DAY THREE
Hue to Hoi An (pop.76,000) 142 km / 89 mi

CYCLING:
Morning ride: 40 km / 25 mi
Afternoon ride: 21 km / 13 mi over Hai Van Pass or 66 km / 41 mi to Hoi An
Loc An to La Gi: 55 km / 33 mi

DAY FOUR
Hoi An - rest day

DAY FIVE
Hoi An to Quang Ngai (pop.108,000): 118km / 74 mi

CYCLING:
Morning ride: 41 km / 25 mi
Afternoon ride: 31 km / 19 mi

We leave Hoi An on a delightful little road into the countryside where we will sample a slice of rural Vietnamese life. Approaching Quang Ngai we take another lovely side road, passing a fishing village and a lively local market. The route includes twelve km of unsealed road; it is quite rideable but the support vehicle will never be far away. The ride finishes at My Lai; you may wish to visit the memorial site.

DAY SIX
Quang Ngai to Qui Nhon (pop. 260,000): 178 km / 111 mi

CYCLING:
80 km / 50 mi

DAY SEVEN
Qui Nhon to Nha Trang (pop. 315,000): 241 km

CYCLING:
Dieu to Tri to Chi Thanh: 73 km / 45 mi
Tuy Hoa to Ca Pass: 40 km / 25 mi

DAY EIGHT
Nha Trang - Rest day

DAY NINE
Nha Trang to Buon Ma Thout (pop. 187,000): 184 km / 115 mi

CYCLING:
50 km / 37 mi (or further if you wish)

DAY TEN
Buon Ma Thout to Dalat (pop.130,000): 199 km/ 124 mi

CYCLING:
Buon Ma Thout to Lien Son: 75 km / 47 mi
An uphill but good cycling day

DAY ELEVEN
Dalat - rest day

Da Lat, at 1,475 metres above sea level, is a temperate region dotted with lakes and waterfalls and surrounded by evergreen forests. Once known as "Little Paris", this was once a French hill station. The surrounding hills provide South Vietnam with the more temperately grown flowers and fruit and vegetables such as strawberries, carrots and apples.

In the morning we visit a silk embroidery village, the "Crazy House", with its weird architecture, and the Art Deco summer palace built for former emperor Bao Dai in 1933. The afternoon is free for you to explore: Dalat is an excellent area to explore by foot or cycle. You may wish to cycle around Xuan Huong Lake, or take the cable-car to the Zen Pagoda. A half day tour to an ethnic village is an optional extra – please ask your guide to arrange this.

DAY TWELVE
Dalat to Mui Ne (near Phan Tiet, pop. 169,000): 164 km / 103 mi

CYCLING:
Ta In to Mui Ne: 118 km / 74 mi (mostly downhill)
Picnic lunch to Mui Ne: 57 km / 35 mi

DAY THIRTEEN
Mui Ne to Loc An: 101 km / 63 mi

CYCLING:
Mui Ne to Loc An: 101 km / 63 mi

Quiet roads take us to the coastal desert reserve at Phuoc Buu. Lunch will be at La Gi. In the afternoon there will be more coastal riding as we cycle beside large sand dunes and plantations of the bizarre looking Dragon fruit.

DAY FOURTEEN
Loc An to Ho Chi Minh City

CYCLING:
60 km / 37 mi

We cycle by rubber, cashew nut and black pepper plantations. On reaching a road-side temple we load up to avoid the busy highway into Ho Chi Minh City.

There is the option of not cycling today in order to spend more time in Saigon.

DAY FIFTEEN
Ho Chi Minh City

Pricing

The following are estimated tour costs per rider, in US dollars:

10-11 cyclists: $2,895
12-15 cyclists: $2,795
16-20 cyclists: $2,615

These prices represent a discount of up to 16% on Pedaltours' standard trips.

Deposit: $500 per rider
Single occupancy surcharge: $725
Bike rental: $375

Note: All quotes (including pricing for add-on tours) are approximate for Nov. 2012 and are subject to change for reasons beyond our control. We have requested firm prices for 2012 from Vietnam, and expect only minimal increases, if any.

Trip Inclusions

• High-quality accomodations, as specified
• Airport transfers
• Airport pick-up
• Lycra cycling top
  
• 14 breakfasts, 10 lunches and 10 dinners (Note: Refer to B, L, D in the detailed itinerary)
• English-speaking local Vietnamese driver and guides
• Support vehicles to carry cycles & luggage (also tools and spares)
• Daily maps, with profiles (one per cyclist), plus Vietnam map
• Drink bottles (2)

Trip Exclusions

• Airfares and Airport taxes
  
• Alcohol
• Bicycle rental
• Laundry
• Sightseeing
• Additional Pedaltours cycle clothing will be available to purchase.

Optional Trip Extensions

We urge you to join us on a three-day pre-tour extension to Halong Bay (US $375 - $435), or a four-day post-tour adventure in Cambodia.

Northern Discovery - Hanoi to HaLong Bay

Drive up to beautiful Halong Bay and board a comfortable ship with private facilities for an overnight cruise around the 3,000 islands rising steeply from the sea. Enjoy a half-day kayaking the World Heritage Park site of Halong Bay! We urge you to spend a couple extra days in Hanoi after the trip. It's a very special city with many places of interest; ask us about extra room rentals.

Day One:

You will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. There will be time for a quick city tour to explore Hanoi's ancient quarter.

Meals: B
Loding: Thien Thai Hotel, 45 Nguyen TroungTo Str; Ba Dinh District, Hanoi
Phone: 84.4.37164 126 Fax: 84.4.37164 917 Email: thienthai@fptvn
Facilities: Licensed restaurant, bar, lounge, laundry, hotel doctor
Features: Central location, adjacent to the old town.

(May stay at similar hotel.)

Itinerary

Day Two : Halong Bay

Travel to Halong on the coast, a popular holiday resort for local people and also the departure point for your boat journey to Halong Bay World Heritage Park. En route we will stop at an embroidery factory and pottery.

Halong Bay is one of the most spectacular and romantic of all Vietnam's natural wonders. From the emerald waters 3,000 islands rise steeply to create a dramatic seascape. Said to be the "dragon descends into the sea." An overnight boat trip (with the option of sea-kayaking) through this magical land is included

Meals: B, L, D
Lodging: Overnight on support boat with en-suite cabins

Day Three : Hanoi

In the morning you will enjoy stops at various grottoes and caves. Brunch is served on board before returning to shore and our journey back to Hanoi.

This evening you will meet up with your fellow cyclists for the start of the main cycling tour.

You may wish to arrive in Hanoi early to visit some of Hanoi's historical sights: the beautiful Hoan Kiem lake, Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum and Ho Chi Minh's house, where he preferred to live simply. One Pillar Pagoda, a small but significant pagoda with a Buddhist representation of the world and the Temple of Literature, originally built in 1070. We are happy to reserve additional hotel accommodation for you.

Dates: 
3 days / 2 nights

Day 1: Transfer from the airport to your hotel in Hanoi. (B)
Day 2: Drive to Halong Bay, board boat (B, L, D)
Day 3: Finish boat trip, drive back to Hanoi. Join main tour (B)

Pricing:

Pricing will be on a sliding scale based on sign-up numbers - please contact Pedaltours for current prices.

Cambodia: Angkor Wat

Angkor is unique, a superb collection of fabulous temples, comprising the sacred skeleton of what was once the most powerful empire in South-east Asia. Between the 9th and 13th centuries the Khmer kings, who ruled from Angkor, used their vast wealth and huge labour force to create impressive temples to glorify both the kings and their capitals.

Accommodation is in a 4-star hotel, conveniently located in the heart of town.

NOTE: All nationalities require a visa, which can be obtained on arrival in Cambodia (approx. cost US $20 per person).

Itinerary

Day One : Siem Reap
Upon arrival you will be met by your English speaking tour guide.

Day Two : Angkor Wat
We arise early to view the spectacular sunrise with temples silhouetted against the sky. After an afternoon admiring the 'lost city' of Angkor we end the day with a superb view of the setting sun over Angkor Wat.

Day Three : Angkor Wat
Enjoy a second day exploring Angkor Wat and another spectacular sunset.

Day Four : Depart
We have time for a short cycle ride to Tonle Sap Lake to cruise past floating villages. Free time to check out the local markets before your departure.

Pricing will be on a sliding scale based on sign-up numbers - please contact Pedaltours for current prices.

Cancellations

If for any reason it is necessary to cancel a reservation, the following will apply: Cancellations more than six weeks before trip departure, loss of full deposit. Cancellations within six weeks of departure will result in forfeiture of full payment.

There will be no refunds once a tour has commenced. We strongly recommend you take out travel, accident, medical, baggage and cancellation insurance. Medical Evacuation Insurance is compulsory in Vietnam. We advise against discounted airfares that carry restrictions.

Sign Up

To sign up, please go to our secure Pedaltours Bookings Page and choose "Cascade Vietnam" from the drop-down menu. Make sure to choose the correct dates. Alternatively, please phone us on 1 888 222-9187. We welcome inquiries on the toll-free number.

Weather notes

We have had several emails concerning the weather from Cascade members. We suggest visiting Weather Underground for current conditions in Vietnam and doing your own research on this topic. It will be slightly humid but nothing like Florida gets in the summer! We can state that November travel dates give us the very best chance of ideal cycling conditions. The weather for the 2007 trips was very good in late November and December; flooding is at a minimum at this time and the hot summer has not yet kicked in; it was downright pleasant for us! Please note that there is some chance of rain, especially in the first half of November, but it is difficult to predict exactly when the monsoon season will end.

We have received the following information on average November/December temperatures in the following Vietnam cities that we visit on the tour from the Vietnam Tour office:

Ho Chi Minh City: average 26 - 28 deg C (78 - 82 deg F). Early morning can get as low as 16 deg C (61 deg F)

Dalat: Average 18 deg C (64 deg F) (Max 20 deg C - 68 deg F)

Nha Trang and Hanoi: Average 22 deg C (71.6 deg F)

Also, there are very few insects to worry about. Most bugs can be found in the Mekong Delta, but we do not visit that area on this tour.

"The temperature and humidity can really range from day to day and even during the day. I've traveled to Vietnam quite a bit and, in general, I find it humid, although this time of year is less so than others. That's just my opinion. The weather really changes from the North to the South and in general is usually raining in one or the other. However, like most tropical places the rains are usually limited to a couple of hours. Vietnam is truly a great place to travel. I hope you and your fellow travelers get a chance to experience it".
Della, Seattle

"I went in November and it was great weather. Not muggy at all. When we hiked in the mountains, we did wear rain type jackets. When we visited the World Heritage site of Halong Bay some people wore t-shirts, it wasn't overly hot. Vietnam was a truly wonderful place to visit".
Rosa, Seattle

Flight Plan

Cascade Bicycle Club recommends Seattle travel consultants Elizabeth Holmes Travel for booking airfare. Elizabeth Holmes supplies services to tour operators and travel media entities including Rick Steve's Europe Through the Back Door, Rudy Maxa, the Savvy Traveller, Earthbound Expeditions and Tofino Expeditions. Most recently they were recommended in the National Geographic's Adventure Magazine.

Please Contact Sarah Ferris Scott at 206-547-8361 or visit www.elizabthholmes.com.

This website will introduce folks to current information and airfares. They can't begin to cover every city in the world, but hope the selection of destinations and fares will demonstrate why you should give them a call. Speaking of calling, you will notice that they are not "into" e-commerce. You have to call to get real quotes.

Travel Insurance

Any policy you purchase should, at the very least, cover trip cancellation, loss of baggage, accident/life coverage, travel delays, and non-refundable airline tickets. You must purchase insurance that covers emergency medical evacuation. Carriers for travel insurance include Travel Guard and Travelex. Search the web to find the best deal that suits your needs - read the fine print.

Testimonials from clients on 2011 Pedaltours tours to Vietnam

I especially liked the Saigon Morin in Hue (huge room with lots of character), the Vinh Hung Resort in Hoi An and the Novotel in Nha Trang. I really appreciated that the hotels on rest days were within easy walking distance of many attractions.

Guides were OUTSTANDING! One of the best support teams I have ever had on a bike trip. Nhan provided so much insight into the culture and history of Vietnam. He would often stop along the route and explain things – a wedding, a funeral, a rubber plantation etc. A staff member was at every turn – it was impossible to get lost.

I loved being greeted along the road by adorable, smiling children. I always felt safe and welcome in their country. It was fascinating to see so much every day – rice farms, shrimp farms, families on motor bikes, water buffalo, all kinds of animals. Riding elephants was a blast

- Jerri, Illinois USA

I had travelled with Pedaltours before – it was very good value – it was priced in a way that allowed me to sell it to 5 of my friends to get them to come along.

- Nancy, Illinois USA

We really enjoyed our Vietnam trip – it was the trip of a lifetime and we learned a lot about the country. We were very impressed with it and the people.

- Avril and Harry, Canada

I do like the personalized touch, always able to reach someone. Loved the way Binh stopped along the road, picked fruits to try, took us through markets and had us trying all kinds of things. Also liked the lunches where Vietnamese actually ate.

- Carol, Utah USA