Fact Sheets & Video - Ho Chi Minh City

There are over 82 million people in Vietnam and with a fairly basic road system, driving can be a difficult way to get around. Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City is the classic cycling route through Vietnam and while it can be tough going, it can also be a most rewarding travel experience.

The trip departs from Hanoi, the modern capital of Vietnam, and boards the Reunification Express Train to Hue, the ancient Vietnamese capital. The cycling part of the journey begins here, bound for Ho Chi Minh City. Hue makes for an easy ride along the picturesque Perfume River past the temples, tombs and pagodas of the Nguyen Dynasty.

After Hue, the journey leaves the quiet roads, for the busy highway to Hoi An. This is classic Vietnam, the rice paddy fields and the friendly Vietnamese peasants.

After a challenging ride along Highway 1, Hoi An is a welcome break and is worth spending at least a day in this vibrant town, influenced by its history as a cosmopolitan seaport. Today, Hoi An is most famous for its high quality silk and its high speed tailors who tailor-make garments for shoppers within a matter of hours.

After some pretty challenging riding through remote villages, tropical forests and quiet roads, the next stop is Dalat. Considered a cultural hotspot, the town is still heavily influenced by its French provincial history, with the local cafes serving the best coffee in Vietnam.

It also has jaw-dropping sites; from the opulent King Bao Dai's Summer Palace to the weird and wonderful Crazy House, a truly unusual guest house. Like every self-respecting Vietnamese town, there are the local markets and the colourful local characters who run the stalls.

The World Expedition Tours' motto is 'why eat at a restaurant, when the best food in town is sold in the street?'

Dalat is the last stop before reaching the final destination of Ho Chi Minh City. It's cycling mayhem here but the locals are used to it and this is where the journey reaches its conclusion, after 1760kms.

Further Information:

Thai Airways International - Fly return to Hanoi from $1125 ex west coast, $1170 ex east coast.

Prices correct at 18/5/07. Prices include taxes, subject to fluctuation. Conditions apply.

World Expeditions - 15 day cycle tour Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City from $2390 a person. Includes bike hire, vehicle support, accommodation, transfers, guide & most meals. Call 1300 720 000. Prices correct at 18/5/07. Based on twin share.Subject to fluctuation. Conditions apply.