MEKONG DELTA ON WHEEL

Cycling in the Mekong Delta lets you see a part of Vietnam that is quite unique. This area is known as the "bread bowl" of Vietnam and boasts flat and lush scenery, quite unlike any thing else you will see in Vietnam. The rich soil makes the Mekong Delta a fruitful production area for rice coconut, sugar cane, all manner of fruits and vegetables.

The adventure starts with a ride from Cai Lay to Cai Be on the quiet back roads, lunching on an island before staying with a local family. We enjoy boat journeys as well as riding by orchards and seeing Vietnamese life by the river. Day three takes us through the Khmer area and we see much evidence of this with the architecture and the many Khmer people who populate this area. The last day we take in the Phong Dien floating market and many of the cottage industries before we head back to Saigon in the afternoon.

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

Two of  trip covers a little over 170- 400 kilometers on well surfaced roads. The daily distances are not too long and the terrain is gentle so this trip suitable for most people, but it's advisable to have a modicum of fitness to enjoy the riding! Fast cyclists can ride at their own pace, as detailed directions are available from the tour leader. Our route is designed to take us off the main roads as much as possible

Itinerary

7days Mekong delta cycling

Day 1	SaiGon - MyTho - BenTre - TraVinh (L,D) (+- 80km ) Driving to  LongAn, start cycling through rice fields and dragon fruit orchards. Lunch  in MyTho town. Pass ferry and keep on country road to enter the town. A wonderful day with picturesque ferry crossings over Mekong River branches and islands. Overnight in TraVinh.
Day 2	TraVinh - CanTho. (B,L,D) (+-95km) Morning cycling around this town, then warm up by 8km to BaOm pond, see old trees and Khmer pagoda nearby the pond. At TraOn small town by the mekong river, we take a ferry crossing and keep on 18km to BinhMinh, crossing ferry to Cantho for overnight. Overnight in CanTho
Day 3	CanTho - RachGia (B,L,D) (+-110 km) Morning take  boat trip to Cai Rang floating market, then we have a longer cruise on a quiet country road to take in the magnificent scenery and get close to the locals as they go about their daily routine. Late afternoon take ferry crossing on to RachGia. Overnight in RachGia.
Day 4	RachGia - HaTien (B,L,D) (+-92km) Ride a long the west coast to this vibrant border town. We turn off main road for ride to HonChong beach area, visit  ChuaHang cave and the Father & Son islet. Keep on to HaTien town. Overnight in HaTien.
Day 5	HaTien - ChauDoc (B,L,D) (+-100km) Cycle along VinhTe border canal to TriTon,  followed by a ride up the sacred Sam Mountain with its panoramic view over the vast plains of the Mekong Delta and far into Cambodia. Overnight  in ChauDoc
Day 6	ChauDoc - CaoLanh - CaiBe (B,L,D) (+-160km) Rising early  through an amazing riverside market and through floating villages with tons of fish farmed in cages underneath water. We have  ferries and local road to ThuanGiang and ChoMoi before heading onto Cao Lanh. Riding through the rural area of DongThap  pass many immense rice fields along canals & rivers, keep riding to CaiBe for the night. Overnight in homestay in CaiBe
Day 7	CaiBe - SaiGon (B,L) (+-80km) Morning boat cruise to explore the local floating market. Short riding around Caibe town. Lunch & shower. Afternoon transfer to SaiGon. End of tour.

Tour overview

Tour Cost	5 days tour Group Size  2  4-6 7-10 Price /person 650 USD  600USD 520 USD  7 days tour Group Size  2                       4-6 7-10 Price /person 790 USD  6800USD 620 USD Note: Prices are based per person, double occupancy, with a separate cost for solo travelers. If you are traveling in a group but prefer single accommodations, a single supplement fee applies. Triple accommodations are not available in many of the destinations we visit.
Best Time to go	Year around
WHAT'S INCLUDED	English speaking local guide Accommodations in hotels in Saigon, home stays and  local hotel around trip as mention Meals as noted: B= breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner Cold drink as water, coffee, tea, energy drink by nutritional gel, juice  for cycling tour. Airport transfers Sightseeing and activities as noted in the itinerary Ground transportation with 100% vehicle standby. Additional guides where necessary Entrance fees and permits Basic medical
WHAT NOT	International airfare; meals not noted on itinerary; Vietnam visa; insurance other than basic medical ; optional tipping to leader, guides and local staff; excess baggage charges; international airport taxes; cost of medical immunizations; items of a personal nature (alcoholic beverages, laundry, etc.).
Bike Hire	USD 50
	Gears checklist
Total Distance	250 km
Number of cycling days	3full days and 2 half-days
Average Daily Distance:	55km
Off Road	0%
Max. Altitude	100 metres
Road Surface	This tour follows a mixture of well-surfaced roads
Support	One or two 16-seat air-conditioned buses converted to take bikes and bikers.
Group Size	Minimum 2. Maximum 16.
Staff	All groups will be lead by a Vietnamese cycling guide plus drivers and assistants for all groups.
Accommodation	We have 4 nights in 3 star hotels, 1 night in 2 star, one night home stay , all rooms have a/c and private facilities as a minimum and we always choose hotels with charm and character whenever possible.
Food	All meals are included except for the breakfast on Day 1 and dinner on Day 4.  Break every 15- 20 km ( 10 miles)  for tea break with water, coffee ,tea, juice, bread, tuna fish  , banana, apple... including
Biking Grade	Moderate
Scenery