7-Day Adventure Vietnam Motorbike Tour from Da Nang to Saigon

After breakfast in local restaurant, we continue riding north on Highway 14 today on a bit of a bumpy section of the road to Kon Tum.

Today is really a day to visit different minority villages. We will ride over Lo Xo Pass, making lots of stops along the way to meet De and Trieng minorities, who live along the Dak Po Ko river. Along the river are many amazing hanging bridges, built by the local people to cross to the opposite shore. Lunch will be in Tan Canh, and we can visit a village of Se Dang, before driving on to Kon Tum.

Along the way, we also pass one of the key towns and battle sites of the Vietnam War – Dak To and outpost Charlie. In Kon Tum we can visit the Catholic church and the orphanage, based behind the Catholic Church in town and run by a group of French nuns. If time permits, you can also visit a beautiful Bahnar village near town. 

Overnight in Kon Tum at the Dac Bla Hotel.

Summary

Distance: 190 km

Accommodation: Hotel in Kon Tum

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The new Ho Chi Minh Highway was built on the old trail, but from Kon Tum to Daklak, the historic HCM trail (Highway 14C), runs parallel to Highway 14 linking Kon Tum, Pleiku, and Buon Me Thuot.

We will continue riding Highway 14 today, finding that traffic is busier than usual. Lunch will be in Pleiku. From here, we ride along the Tun River and up over a pass. Along the way are coffee plantations and the stilt houses of the Central Highland’s largest ethnic group, the Gia Rai. Eventually, we will cross the Nha Rong pass down into Buon Me Thuot, the provincial capital of Dac Lac Province, and the site of the last battle of the Vietnam war in March 1975.

At night we can stop by the beer parlors or sample the local coffee grown in the region. It is far and away the best coffee in Vietnam and worth bringing home. Overnight at the Thang Loi Hotel.

Summary

Distance: 240 km

Accommodation: Hotel in Buon Ma Thuot

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning, we take a motor ride to Lak Lake on Rte. 27, a small paved road with poor surfacing and quite busy. Here we can have a break for refreshment and troll around the by the lake. There are said to be about 31 different ethnic groups in Dac Lac, each with their own traditional dress and customs. Some of the villages are known for elephant hunting and taming, some for weaving and other arts.

After lunch in Lak Lake, we continue on to Da Lat. The road is narrow, winding, but not busy. We have three passes to cross – Krong No, Chuoi, and Phu Son. The drive itself is quite beautiful and lined with dense forests. Late in the afternoon, we will arrive in the hill town of Da Lat. Overnight in Dalat.

Summary

Distance: 200 km

Accommodation: Hotel in Da Lat

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Leaving the hotel in the morning on the steel horse far away from the city, we take a detour out of Dalat City, skirting along the twisty mountain roads where you’ll enjoy the epic motorcycle roads with charming landscape and isolated villages, stop in the village to visit and learn how they are doing business with all special thing in Dalat as flowers, vegetables, fruits…

We continue our day by turning on the locals’ off-road ride that leads us to West of Dalat- Lang Biang Mountain.  This road is really challenging your driving skills as we traverse through the muddy tracks, narrow paths, sharp descents and ascents.

We get to the waterfall where you’ll admire its natural beauty and the fresh streams below. It’s just perfect to cool your body off after several hours of riding. Our tasty lunch will be prepared next to the waterfall. The feeling of being in nature with the sounds of waterfall, birds or wild animals is incomparable…

Our afternoon ride is no less interesting and adventurous as we ride through lush green coniferous-pine forests with long climbs, a wooden bridge over the river. We take delight in the magnificent landscape from the peak of the mountain. We resume back on our bike and ride to the remote villages of hill tribes where you’ll explore their unique culture and natural hospitality.

Summary

Distance: 100 km

Accommodation: Hotel in Da Lat

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Motorcycle down on road 20, we ride to Cat Tien National Park. This forest area used to be the headquarter of Vietnamese army during the war. The park suffered historically during the Vietnam War when it was extensively sprayed with herbicides like the defoliant Agent Orange. To this day these areas have extensive bamboo and grassland cover and trees have not yet grown back.

Summary

Distance: 190 km

Accommodation: Hotel in Da Lat

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This is not so long but is a big day as traffic is very crazy when we enter Saigon (HCM City). We ride straight to the train station where we end the ride. If you need information about places to stay and/or to eat, our guide will be able to recommend some.

Summary

Distance: 160 km

Accommodation: Not included

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch