Cycling in Vietnam travel guide
To make the most of your time, many Vietnam cycling vacations include a night on the train between Hanoi in the north and Hue in the center, helping you cover some serious ground. The train is the famous ‘Reunification Express’, which was a symbol of healing between North Vietnam and South Vietnam after 20 years of conflict. We see cycling tours in Vietnam as unifying in themselves. Escaping the tourism merry-go-round, they take you into rural areas, such as fishing villages around Nha Trang or small farming communities in the Central Highlands. You’ll meet traders in riverside markets along the Mekong Delta, artisans in their workshops, and local cyclists on the dedicated lanes in Ho Chi Minh, on well-organised trips that run as smoothly as a well-greased gear change.
Read our Vietnam cycling travel guide to find out more.
Read our Vietnam cycling travel guide to find out more.
Best time to go
Vietnam not only offers a fine variety of landscapes but wonderfully varied weather. Cycling vacations take place all year round, and our partners will provide you with reliable packing tips – particularly useful if your trip will take you the length of the country when you’ll experience different climates.
Vietnam’s humid south is warm year-round, but the warm May-November monsoon season brings brief, heavy showers. These don’t disrupt travel much, except around the Mekong where there can be flooding. Central Vietnam is cooler between October and April, while the north is warmer between October and December. March is boiling, with May, June and September turning the heat down to a simmer. Whenever you go, assume you’ll be riding in temperatures between 28-34°C and you won’t be far wrong. So pack lightweight, well-ventilated clothing and plenty of suncream.
Vietnam’s humid south is warm year-round, but the warm May-November monsoon season brings brief, heavy showers. These don’t disrupt travel much, except around the Mekong where there can be flooding. Central Vietnam is cooler between October and April, while the north is warmer between October and December. March is boiling, with May, June and September turning the heat down to a simmer. Whenever you go, assume you’ll be riding in temperatures between 28-34°C and you won’t be far wrong. So pack lightweight, well-ventilated clothing and plenty of suncream.
Ho Chi Minh Weather Chart
MIN °C
MAX °C
RAIN (mm)
JAN
21
31
15
FEB
22
32
8
MAR
23
33
23
APR
24
34
63
MAY
25
33
183
JUN
24
32
261
JUL
24
31
257
AUG
24
31
249
SEP
24
31
270
OCT
23
31
255
NOV
23
31
156
DEC
22
31
65
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Vietnam cycling travel advice
Brett Seychell from our leading Vietnam cycling vacation partner, Social Cycles, shares some advice:
Discovering Vietnamese culture
“The Mekong Delta is a labyrinth of canals and rivers, twisting and turning through remote villages to enjoy on your bike. It's an incredible variety of terrain and a photogenic paradise. Ride the journey, not the destination. Want to dive deeper than museums and monuments? Engage with local experts and discuss local issues in the world of social impact within Vietnam. Scratching the surface has never been so rewarding.”
What to eat
“Eat everything. Food is what makes Vietnam so incredible and the best food is from the street. Forget fancy restaurants trying their take on what the street delivers. Go to the local traditional experts, get down low on those tiny red chairs and indulge!”
When to go
“Different times of year bring with them different experiences. The rainy season brings beautiful green landscapes, the dry season brings slightly cooler weather, but more tourists. It's always a good time to go, just adjust your expectations accordingly.”
Danh Nguyen, on how to barter: “In Vietnam any problem can be solved by being happy and smiling. So on the first day I always teach the group ‘oi choi oi!’, which is like ‘Oh my God!’ Whenever they go to buy something, I tell my group – you don’t ask for a discount but you just say ‘oi choi oi’ – ‘oh my God, too expensive!’ And you look happy, smiling and they can give you a good price!”
Andy Ross shares some fitness advice:
"Do as much training as possible beforehand as the fitter you are the more you can relax during the trip and properly appreciate the experience and where you are cycling. That said, always avoid the temptation to be competitive on the trip. Someone will always be the slowest rider and it really doesn’t matter if that is you. A good cycling vacation will have always been designed to allow enough time for most people to complete the rides each day."
"Do as much training as possible beforehand as the fitter you are the more you can relax during the trip and properly appreciate the experience and where you are cycling. That said, always avoid the temptation to be competitive on the trip. Someone will always be the slowest rider and it really doesn’t matter if that is you. A good cycling vacation will have always been designed to allow enough time for most people to complete the rides each day."
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