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Vietnam tour
(Under construction.)
Cycling: October 21 - November 3 2007
Post-cycling: November 4-9, 2007
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SUN |
MON |
TUE |
WED |
THU |
FRI |
SAT |
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20
depart SEA |
October
2007 |
21
SAIGON |
22
LOC AN |
23
PHAN THIET |
24
DALAT |
25
DALAT |
26
BMT |
27
NHA TRANG |
28
NHA TRANG |
29
QUI NHON |
30
QUANG NGAI |
31
HOI AN |
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1
HOI AN |
2
HUE |
3
HANOI |
November
2007 |
4
HANOI |
5
HALONG BAY |
6
HANOI |
7
HANOI |
8
HANOI |
9
BK TO SEA |
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Click on thumbs below to see photos or videos. So far, I have
posted photos only for Days 8, 10, and 11. The most spectacular
photos are those from Day 10 (October 30), when big floods got
on our way.
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Day 1: HO CHI MINH CITY
(SAIGON)
Sunday
21 October 2007
Arrived in Ho Chi Minh City at 9:50 (after an exhausting 20-hour trip
Seattle-Taipei-HCMC). No time to rest. After introductions at 14:30, we
drove (about 30 minutes) to the
Phuong Nam resort where we tested our
rental bikes, followed by a trip briefing and welcome
dinner. Rainy afternoon but that didn't deter some to
take a dip in the pool.
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Day 2: Saigon
– LOC AN BEACH
Monday
22 October 2007
Cycling section: 60
km / 37 mi
We drove out of town for about
1 hour. We
started cycling on a quiet
road to Loc An Beach, passing rubber, cashew nut and
black pepper plantations. We stayed
on the Loc An resort, built on the banks of the Ray
River. We used a hotel punt (long narrow flat-bottomed
boat) to cross the river to the ocean beach.
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Day 3: Loc
An to MUI NE, (near PHAN THIET, pop. 169,000)
Tuesday 23 October 2007
101 km / 63 mi
(Loc An to La Gi: 55 km / 33
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. We drove through busy Phan
Thiet to our overnight stay at the beachfront Doi Su
resort . |
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Day 4: Mui Ne to
DALAT (pop. 130,000)
Wednesday
24 October 2007
164 km/102.5miles
(Mui Ne to picnic lunch:
57 km / 35 miles)
(Mui Ne to start of climb 79 km / 49 miles)
(Mui Ne to Ta In 118 km / 74 miles)
After a short coastal ride we headed inland to some very
scenic and isolated country. As we climbed to the Central
Highlands we passed through the lands of the K’Ho ethnic
minority. We had a picnic lunch in a K’Ho village
with its thatched stilt houses. The road carried very
little traffic until the junction with QL (hwy) 20 at Ta
In; we drove this busy road, over Prenn Pass to
Dalat. |
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Day 5: DALAT.
Rest day
Thursday
25 October 2007
Dalat, at 1,475 meters
above sea level, is a temperate region dotted with lakes
and waterfalls and surrounded by evergreen forests. Once
known as “Little Paris”, this used to be 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 visited 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 was free for you to explore. Under
heavy rain, I visited the market and walked around Xuan
Huong Lake. I thought of taking the cable-car to the
Zen Pagoda but the rain discouraged me. Surprisingly
cold temperature. |
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Day 6: Dalat to
BUON MA THOUT (pop187,000)
Friday
26 October 2007
199 km/ 124 miles
Cycling section: to Lien Son: 75 km / 47 miles
We drove out of Dalat to start cycling on a very
attractive road through hills and broad valleys. We
headed for Lien Son, the summer palace of the late
Emperor, with its sweeping views of Ho Lak (lake) and
the surrounding countryside. We also stopped at an
ethnic village, with its long houses, and rode on
working elephants over the waters of the lake. |
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Day 7: Buon Ma
Thout to NHA TRANG (pop. 315,000)
Saturday
27 October 2007
184 km / 115 miles
Cycling section: 50 km / 37 miles
We started the day with a flat ride through the
highlands and finish with a steep and scenic descent
back down to the coast. We cycled through the
mountainous areas and long houses of the Edeh and M’Nong
people (the two main ethnic groups in the Central
Highlands). We drove the last section on hwy 1 to Nha
Trang, Vietnam's most famous seaside resort. Just before
getting to the waterfront, we visited the Po Ngar Cham
Towers, built by the Cham people to honor Yang Ino Po
Ngar, mother of the kingdom. At night, we had a
Vietnamese BBQ dinner with mini charcoal grills on our
table -- arguably the best meal of our trip. |
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Day 8: NHA TRANG Rest day
Sunday
28 October 2007
Boat trip to the
islands. We made a stop at the Oceanographic Institute
and Tri Nguyen Aquarium, visited a fishing village, and
were rowed ashore in Vietnamese round boats. On the boat
again, with a stop where some went swimming and snorkeling.
We then had lunch at bamboo restaurant on an offshore island.
In the
afternoon, some of us went to the football (soccer)
stadium to watch a Vietnam - Thailand under-21 game.
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Day 9: Nha Trang to QUI NHON (pop. 260,000)
Monday
29 October 2007
241 km / 150 miles
(Nha Trang to Dai Lanh: 83 km / 52 miles)
We drove out of town before cycling along the coastal road to Dai Lanh for
lunch by the beach. We had time for a swim before
continuing to Tuy Hoa. The area around Tuy Hoa is the
rice bowl of the province; we passed many rice
fields, shrimp farms and coconut palms. We drove
the final part to Qui Nhon. Huge storm during the night;
heavy rain. |
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Day
10: Qui Nhon to QUANG NGAI (pop.108,000)
Tuesday 30 October 2007
178
km / 111 miles
(Cycling section: 60 km/ 38 miles)
Floods everywhere with over
flown rivers and bridges under water. The support vans
could not cross and had to take another route. We walked
our bicycles through flooded bridges with waist-high
waters. At some points, the current was so strong and
the water so high that we had to rent boats from local
people to get us and our bicycles to the other side.
Cycled on a back road through several little villages
and flooded fields. On reaching the hwy we drove to Quang
Ngai, on the way passing the small town of Sa Huynh, a
pleasant fishing backwater perched on a broad curve of
palm fringed, golden sand. Speckled with blue fishing
boats, sleepy Sa Huynh is a convenient and relaxing
place to rest en route to points north.
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Day
11: Quang Ngai to HOI AN (pop.76,000)
Wednesday 31 October 2007
118km /
74 miles
(Backroad section: 38 km / 24 miles)
We sampled a
slice of rural Vietnamese life as we took a side
road out of Quang Ngai. On the way we stopped at
My Lai, where we visited the massacre
memorial site. We cycled through a fishing
village and a lively local market. We then found flooded
roads and bridges again. The route included
twelve km of unsealed, muddy road. The
day finished on a little road into the historic town of Hoi An,
which was also flooded. Our hotel was surrounded by
water so we had to take a boat to reach it. Then,
another boat and motorcycle ride to get to our
restaurant and back to our hotel.
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Day
12: HOI AN. Rest Day
Thursday 1 November 2007
A day at leisure to
explore this delightful town (dating back to 200BC) with
its street side cafes, artists and markets. Explore the
historic architecture of Japanese and French origin,
take in the morning concert of traditional music or take
a gentle ride (c.10km return) to fabulous Hoi An beach.
There is much to see and do. (There are wonderful pastry
shops in the old town) |
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Day
13: Hoi An to HUE: (pop.286,000)
Friday 2 November 2007
142 km /
89 miles
(Hoi An to Lang Co Beach: 75 km / 47 miles)
In the
morning we visit a marble factory and view the exquisite
workmanship. We will also visit China Beach where
American servicemen went for their R&R during the
Vietnam /American War. Leaving Danang we start cycling
on a flat road by the beach before tacking Hai Van Pass.
The road carries little traffic now that there is a
tunnel – not open to cyclists. The views are outstanding
and well worth the effort. (The support vehicle is there
of course should you prefer to drive) After a fabulous
descent we have lunch by Lang Co Beach, with the option
of a swim, before driving the final section. This will
allow time to see a little of historic Hue and the
citadel. Dinner tonight is a wonderful and very
memorable traditional “Royal Feast” where we will be
entertained with traditional music. |
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Day
14: HUE & HANOI
Saturday 3 November 2007
Hue is steeped in 3,000 years of
history and is a great place to explore by cycle. The
city is built on the banks of the Perfume River. Early
morning we will have time to briefly explore the Citadel
by cycle. We return to the hotel to say our farewells
before we transfer you to the airport for outbound
flights, for those who are departing this morning.
END OF CYCLING TOUR
Depart Hue flight VN244 at 1350, arrive Hanoi at 1500.
You will be met at the airport and transferred to your
hotel. |
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Day
15: HANOI
Sunday 4 November 2007
After breakfast there is a
half day city tour 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. The
afternoon is free to shop and explore Hanoi’s old
quarter. |
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Day
16: HALONG BAY
Monday 5 November 2007
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. 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 |
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Day
17: HALONG BAY & HANOI
Tuesday 6 November 2007
In the morning you
will enjoy stops at various grottoes and caves. Lunch is
served on board before returning to shore and our
journey back to Hanoi. This evening you will enjoy a
farewell dinner at a local restaurant. Lodging: B,L, D
Thien Thai Hotel, 45 Nguyen TroungTo Str; Ba Dinh
District, Hanoi Phone: 84.4.7164 126 Fax: 84.4.7164 917
Email: thienthai@fptvn Facilities: Licensed restaurant,
bar, lounge, laundry, hotel doctor Features: Central
location, adjacent to the old town. |
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Day
18: HANOI
Wednesday 7 November 2007 |
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Day
19: HANOI
Thursday 8 November 2007 |
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Day
20: HANOI - TAIPEI - SEATTLE
Friday 9 November 2007 |
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