12-Day Motorbike Ride from Hanoi to Saigon on the Ho Chi Minh Trail

Around 9am you'll leave Hanoi along the dyke roads, which keep you clear of the traffic, then head west past farmland and paddy fields toward Mai Chau. Lunch is in Hoa Binh Province. In the afternoon you'll cross the scenic Thung Khe mountain pass and drop down into the Mai Chau valley. Dinner that evening comes with a local performance and rice wine, and you'll sleep in a traditional Thai stilt house.

The day opens with a scenic paved trail tracing the Ma river down to Cam Thuy, where you'll stop for lunch. From there the route joins the Ho Chi Minh Trail, now a modern highway, and carries you on through Tan Ky to Phong Nha. You'll reach your accommodation in time to check in for the night.

Following the Ho Chi Minh Highway to Pho Chau, you'll pause at the HCM Trail victory monument before riding on to Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park. The headline sight is Vietnam's largest cave, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site. Its 65 km of caves and underground rivers took shape more than 400 million years ago.

Highway 9 leads west today, climbing into the Truong Son foothills with stops at villages, natural springs and waterfalls en route. You'll take a boat to the UNESCO World Heritage Phong Nha site, where civilians sheltered during the war. Lunch follows, then a visit to Truong Son cemetery to pay respects to the soldiers buried there. The ride ends at Khe Sanh, a historic forward base close to the Laos border, where you'll arrive around 5pm with a free evening ahead.

Highway 1 takes you to Quang Tri town, where you'll see Long Hung Church and the Quang Tri Old Citadel, both part of the 1972 battlefield. A coastal stretch runs from Cua Viet Beach to Cua Tung Beach, followed by the Vinh Moc tunnels and the Demilitarised Zone. Lunch is at Doc Mieu Firebase, and the route then passes through Dong Ha town and its busy market before pressing on to Hue. There you can visit the Imperial Citadel, and a Royal Tomb too if time allows, closing with sunset over the Perfume River.

An easy ride around Hue fills the morning, taking in more royal tombs and historical sites. In the afternoon you'll follow the coastal road over the Hai Van Pass, with Lang Co beach and the ocean spread out below, and a coffee stop along the way. Before Hoi An you'll call at the Marble Mountains and roll in along the Da Nang coastline. Once you arrive, the rest of the time is yours to explore.

A ride of about 40 km southwest brings you to My Son, a UNESCO World Heritage Cham site tucked into a valley of green hills beneath Cat's Tooth Mountain. This was the capital of the ancient Cham civilization, and you'll walk among 70 well-preserved Hindu-like towers and temples that date from the 2nd century on. You'll be back at the hotel for lunch around noon, then spend the afternoon on foot in Hoi An's old quarters among the ancient houses, pagodas, temples and markets. The evening is free for the beach.

Once you've checked out, the road heads south to Cua Dai beach, crossing the Thu Bon river on backroads that wind through yellow sand dunes to Tam Ky. From there you'll trace the coastline through coconut country and rice fields, passing rural villages and mountains before reaching Quy Nhon for lunch. Quiet country roads then take you to My Lai village and its memorial to the 504 local residents killed in the massacre.

A short transfer of about 30 minutes takes you out to the suburbs of Quy Nhon, where the day's riding begins along the coast. The route runs beside a railway line through the hills to La Hai, your lunch stop. After a brief rest you'll ride straight on to Nha Trang and check in.

Pickup from the hotel is at 08h30, starting with the Institute of Oceanography, built by the French in the early 20th century and home to Vietnam's most diversified collection of oceanic creatures. At 10h00 you'll reach Bao Dai King's Villa, a hilltop retreat with fine views all around. The Yersin Museum follows at 11h00, telling the story of Doctor Yersin, a renowned physician who lived and died in Nha Trang. Lunch and a short break come at 12h00. From 14h30 you'll see Long Son Pagoda and the Ponagar Towers and browse Dam market, returning to the hotel by 17h00 with the rest of the day free.

Start with a morning swim in the sun, then it's time to leave Nha Trang for Mui Ne along the coastal road. You'll pass Ca Na Beach, one of Vietnam's popular beaches, stopping to swim and take photos before riding on to Mui Ne. After checking in, the rest of the day is yours to unwind at the hotel or on the sand.

With breakfast done and bags checked out, you'll leave Mui Ne and ride straight through to Saigon. Once you reach the hotel there and check in, it's time to say goodbye to the group.