Motorbike the Central Highlands (2 days / 1 night)

Itinerary

Day 1: Dalat to Lak Lake
Leave Dalat around 08:00am and enjoy a scenic ride through Dalat’s rich countryside weaving through winding valley roads passing coffee, tea, rice and vegetable plantations. Stop along the way at a silk worm farm, tapioca farm and a traditional M’nong village. Arrive late afternoon at Lak Lake, a picturesque fishing village surrounded by layers of mountains. Have your camera ready for sunset! Ride:  160km

Day 2: Lak Lake to Buon Ma Thuot
Cruise around the edge of the lake then head inland where the landscape is like a patchwork quilt of different shades of green rice fields. Pass villages and massive coffee plantations, visit various local industry such as brick factories. Stop off at stunning waterfalls before riding into Buon Ma Thuot – the historical town where the Viet Cong won the war in 1975. Ride:  120km

Prices

Private Tour Minimum 2	$AUD Per Person Solo Rider	$AUD Per Person Double with Guide
Per Person	210	260
Validity	31 December 2010	31 December 2010

Prices are in Australian dollars based upon the number of people travelling together. Price is land content only + subject to currency fluctuations. Credit Card payments incur an additional 3% surcharge. See Booking Conditions for more details. Prices beyond the validity available on request. Call 1300 43 10 69 or email us for a booking form.

Includes

• Motorbike rental (125cc)
• English speaking experienced motorbike guide
• Petrol + maintenance
• 1 night hotel/guesthouse accommodation
• Sightseeing, entrance fees and permission to villages

Excludes

• Airfares and departure taxes
• Travel insurance
• Visa, passport or vaccinations costs
• Meals and beverages
• Personal expenses such as laundry, telephone calls, bar charges, tips, optional activities

 

 

Motorbike Mountains to Coast (3 days / 2 nights)

Itinerary

Day 1: Dalat to Lak Lake
Leave Dalat around 08:00am and enjoy a scenic ride through Dalat’s rich countryside weaving through winding valley roads passing coffee, tea, rice and vegetable plantations. Stop along the way at a silk worm farm, tapioca farm and a traditional M’nong village. Arrive late afternoon at Lak Lake, a picturesque fishing village surrounded by layers of mountains. Have your camera ready for sunset! Ride:  160km

Day 2: Lak Lake to Buon Ma Thuot
Cruise around the edge of the lake then head inland where the landscape is like a patchwork quilt of different shades of green rice fields. Pass villages and massive coffee plantations, visit various local industry such as brick factories. Stop off at stunning waterfalls before riding into Buon Ma Thuot – the historical town where the Viet Cong won the war in 1975. Ride:  120km

Day 3: Buon Ma Thuot to Nha Trang
Make sure you are up early for a coffee hit as Buon Ma Thuot is the caffeine capital of Vietnam. Ride out to nearby waterfalls which also offer a good opportunity to walk through rainforest. Back on your motorbike and enjoy the 205km cruise down to the coastal town of Nha Trang for an afternoon swim in the turquoise waters of the South China sea. Ride:  205km

Prices

Private Tour Minimum 2	$AUD Per Person Solo Rider	$AUD Per Person Double with Guide
Per Person	295	370
Validity	31 December 2010	31 December 2010

Prices are in Australian dollars based upon the number of people travelling together. Price is land content only + subject to currency fluctuations. Credit Card payments incur an additional 3% surcharge. See Booking Conditions for more details. Prices beyond the validity available on request. Call 1300 43 10 69 or email us for a booking form.

Includes

• Motorbike rental (125cc)
• English speaking experienced motorbike guide
• Petrol + maintenance
• 2 nights hotel/guesthouse accommodation
• Sightseeing, entrance fees and permission to villages

Excludes

• Airfares and departure taxes
• Travel insurance
• Visa, passport or vaccinations costs
• Meals and beverages
• Personal expenses such as laundry, telephone calls, bar charges, tips, optional activities

 

Motorbike Ho Chi Minh Trail
(5 days / 4 nights)

Itinerary

Day 1: Dalat to Lak Lake
Leave Dalat around 08:00am and enjoy a scenic ride through Dalat’s rich countryside weaving through winding valley roads passing coffee, tea, rice and vegetable plantations. Stop along the way at a silk worm farm, tapioca farm and a traditional M’nong village. Arrive late afternoon at Lak Lake, a picturesque fishing village surrounded by layers of mountains. Have your camera ready for sunset!
Ride:  160km

Day 2: Lak Lake to Buon Ma Thuot
Cruise around the edge of the lake then head inland where the landscape is like a patchwork quilt of different shades of green rice fields. Pass villages and massive coffee plantations, visit various local industry such as brick factories. Stop off at stunning waterfalls before riding into Buon Ma Thuot – the historical town where the Viet Cong won the war in 1975.
Ride:  120km

Day 3: Buon Ma Thuot to Kon Tum via Pleiku
Today we head well off the tourist track into the Central Highlands. This stretch was where some of the heaviest fighting occurred during the American War, which is evident when you see baron stretches of land, the result of Agent Orange. Kon Tom is full of character with wide tree lined streets, hill tribe statue and a beautiful French wooden church. In the surrounding neighbourhoods you find hill tribe villages where the local ‘Bahnar’ people welcome tourists. Kon Tom is the gateway to the Ho Chi Minh Trail, and like elsewhere in the Highlands, Kon Tum saw its fair share of combat during the American War.
Ride:  235km

Day 4: Kon Tum to Phuoc Son (Ho Chi Minh Trail)
For the next two days we ride a section of the Ho Chi Minh Trail, a legendary route that formed a major supply link for the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong during the war. Supplies and troops headed inland from the coast along inhospitable jungle paths crossing in and out of neighbouring Laos to eventually end up in Saigon. Thousands of troops were lost to malaria and American bombs. We stay in basic accommodation in Phuoc Son.
Ride:  165km

Day 5: Phu Oc Son to Hoi An (Ho Chi Minh Trail)
Still following the Ho Chi Minh Trail, north east along Highway 14, this exceptionally beautiful track is an excellent winding road along the edge of steep mountains. Sit back, relax and enjoy this ride until you reach the coast and the UNESCO World Heritage town of Hoi An.
Ride:  95km

Prices

Private Tour	$AUD Per Person Solo Rider Min 2 people	$AUD Per Person Double with Guide Min 2 people	$AUD Per Person Solo Rider For solo travellers
Per Person	465	595	995
Validity	31 December 2010	31 December 2010	31 December 2010

Prices are in Australian dollars based upon the number of people travelling together. Price is land content only + subject to currency fluctuations. Credit Card payments incur an additional 3% surcharge. See Booking Conditions for more details. Prices beyond the validity available on request. Call 1300 43 10 69 or email us for a booking form.

 

Includes

• Motorbike rental (125cc)
• English speaking experienced motorbike guide
• Petrol + maintenance
• 4 night hotel/guesthouse accommodation
• Sightseeing, entrance fees and permission to villages

Excludes

• Airfares and departure taxes
• Travel insurance
• Visa, passport or vaccinations costs
• Meals and beverages
• Personal expenses such as laundry, telephone calls, bar charges, tips, optional activities

 

Trip grade

MODERATE: If you are seeking fun and adventure and you like active travel, this is for you. A mixture of long and shorter activity days of four to five hours duration. A good level of fitness is required.

Trip notes

Accommodation
You stay in Vietnamese family run guesthouses and hotels with 2 and 3 star standards. With your own private facilities, the rooms are clean and comfortable and some come with internet and cable TV. All are in good locations, close to restaurants.

Meals
Meals are not included in the tour. However, your motorbike guide will show you the best restaurants to eat at so you can experience the delicious local cuisine. The food is definitely one of the highlights on these trips. Budget around AUD$3 - $4 per meal.

Motorbike guides
Local English speaking experienced motorbike guides support your sightseeing and motorbike activities. They all undergo several years training and are monitored by a board to ensure their customer feedback is second to none. These guys offer a safe experience, love their job and have a wealth of knowledge and history of the Central Highlands.

Motorbikes + helmets
You ride on 125CC motorbikes that have been adjusted to accommodate a second passenger and luggage. Helmets are also provided. This is the guide’s bike and they lovingly maintain their machines.

Transporting your luggage
Your back pack or luggage is strapped to a rack at the back of the bike. They are covered in plastic for waterproofing. For a comfortable ride, take as little as possible.

What to bring
As little as possible…Your luggage should include: closed in shoes, light weight long pants or jeans, shirt + t-shirt, warm clothes for the bike and at night, raincoat, hat, sunglasses, sun block, insect repellent, flashlight, essential toiletries, water bottle, camera, spare batteries, pen + paper, original passport and personal medication.

Note on client safety
We reserve the right to deviate from this itinerary for any reason, including road and weather conditions, frequency of visits to a village or for any other factor that may impact client safety.

Your group + share accommodation
Prices are based upon twin share accommodation. A single traveller pays the single supplement price for sole use of a room. If you are travelling in a group of three and are happy to share a triple room and a triple room is available, you will not be charged the single supplement price. For groups of five or seven people, the single traveller pays the single supplement price if a triple room is not available or you do not want to share. The number of single rooms and triple rooms available may be limited – so book early to avoid disappointment.

Tipping guidelines
It is customary to express a personal thank you to your guide and driver at the end of your trip, especially if he or she has provided you with excellent service. As a guideline only, we suggest tipping around AUD$4-$5 per day for the guide and AUD$2-$3 per day for the driver. You can pay this in local currency or US dollars. Of course whether you tip and how much is always at your discretion.

Vietnam visa

Most visitors to Vietnam need a visa to enter the country. Inner Journey Expeditions offers a Vietnam visa on arrival service where you obtain an entry visa stamp on arrival at HCMC, Hanoi or Danang International Airports. We arrange a Vietnam visa approval letter which you present with a valid passport, passport photo and your visa stamp fee to the Personnel of Vietnamese Immigration. This service is inexpensive, easy to arrange, only takes four working days and is all done on email - no need to mail your passport.

For more details, CLICK HERE.

Climate
Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta in the South are hot all year round with average day time temperatures at 30 degrees Celsius. The hottest period is from March to May with average temperatures of 35 degree Celsius. The wet season runs from May to November where it down pours for an hour or so in the afternoon. Hanoi and Northern Vietnam experience four seasons. Summer from May to October can be hot and wet with regular downpours and occasional typhoons. July to August is the hottest months with temperatures reaching 33 degrees Celsius. Winter runs from November to April with cold and humid conditions. December and January can be particularly cold with temperatures ranging between 10 – 20 degrees Celsius.

Health issues

Good medical advice usually recommends vaccinations in advance of travel to Vietnam. We suggest you consult with your doctor to discuss health care needs specific to your holiday.

Insurance
You must have comprehensive travel insurance to travel with us. Insurance should include cover for personal accident and medical expenses, evacuation and repatriation, baggage loss and cancellation or curtailment of your holiday. Your trip notes + vouchers will not be issued until you confirm possession of appropriate insurance. Better be safe than sorry!

 

Pre + post tour arrangements
We can arrange additional hotel nights at the beginning or the end of your tour or if you are interested in doing additional touring we can organise a private tour to cater to your interests and time frame. Check out the IJE website for more details.

Handy travel tips + travelling responsibly
For more information on how you can participate in sustainable tourism go to Handy Travel Tips. To help plan your trip go to Vietnam Visa + Travel Guide.

What next

To reserve a place on this trip, contact us now and we will send you a booking form. To guarantee your booking you must email the first section of the booking form to us and pay your non-refundable deposit of 30% of total tour cost. The balance of payment is due 50 days prior to departure. Once your booking is confirmed and you have paid in full, you will receive your tour voucher and detailed itinerary for this tour.

BOOK NOW!

> CLICK HERE + request a booking form

> Get in touch with us via EMAIL

> Live in Australia call 1300 43 10 69

> Find out more about our other trips at www.IJE.com.au

> About Inner Journey Expeditions