Vietnam Bike Tour: A Two-Week Cycling and Motorcycle Adventure With Kristin Meyer

Rarely can you see ancient history and modern city life mix together in such a unique combination, like that of Hanoi. Incense filled the air around Tran Quoc Pagoda and Quan Thanh Temple as the group explored moss-covered stone courtyards. Colors popped off the walls along Phung Hung street's art murals, leading straight toward the bright paper crafts on Hang Ma street.

Hopping on traditional three-wheeled cyclos, drivers pedaled the group around the green waters of Hoan Kiem Lake before crossing the red wooden bridge into Ngoc Son temple. Built entirely on a small island, this historical site honors a 13th-century military general who famously defeated invading Mongol fleets. Inside the main hall, visitors can see the massive, preserved remains of a legendary giant softshell turtle that once lived in the lake below. If you want to get a direct look at how local myths tie straight into real Vietnamese history, you will get the chance to see it at Ngoc Son Temple.

Trading walking shoes for mountain bikes the very next morning, the group finally hit the trails for their first active day. This easy warm-up ride followed the flat dirt paths of the countryside right outside Hanoi. The local guide team led the riders past green banana farms and hot brick kilns, keeping everyone far away from the regular tourist traffic.

The Truly Voyage team is never far behind, a support van is always in the area, packed with cold bottled water, and spare tires. You will ride these exact same flat paths, dodging stray farm dogs and passing by local farmers tending to their vegetable crops. After days of walking and flying, getting a taste of the fresh countryside air as everyone explored on bikes felt like a massive reward.

The group squeezed onto small plastic stools right on the sidewalk, sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with residents. Local vendors quickly handed them massive bowls of grilled pork and cold rice noodles, known locally as Bun Cha. Smoke from street-side charcoal grills filled the air while the guides explained exactly how to mix the fresh mint and noodles into the warm fish sauce broth. If you want to experience the unfiltered taste of daily city life after a long day of biking, not many things can compare to Hanoi street eating while hungry.

Bun Cha is a staple dish unique to Vietnam, first appearing in the early 20th century. Unlike southern Vietnamese noodle dishes that toss all ingredients into one large bowl, traditional northern Bun Cha keeps the charcoal-grilled pork patties, cold rice vermicelli noodles, and fresh herbs separated on the table. The signature flavor comes from the dipping broth, which vendors make by mixing warm fish sauce, pickled green papaya slices, rice vinegar, and sugar to perfectly balance salty and sweet flavors.

The local government established this protected green zone in 1986, and it now covers more than half of the entire island. It operates as a recognized UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve because it packs several different environments into one location, including tropical forests, offshore coral reefs, and wet mangrove swamps. The park actively protects over 1,500 types of plants and hundreds of animal species, serving as a major conservation hub in the Gulf of Tonkin.

Lan Ha Bay features around 400 limestone islands and karsts. Unlike its neighbor, Ha Long Bay, almost all the islands in Lan Ha are covered in thick green vegetation. The area is also home to the critically endangered Cat Ba Langur, a small monkey species with only a few dozen individuals left in the wild.

Moving inland toward Ninh Binh, the landscape shifted to ancient capital territory. History comes alive here, and Truly Voyage made sure the group felt the story behind every stop. Strolling through the old stone gates of Hoa Lu, the travelers learned about royal dynasties from over a thousand years ago.

Hoa Lu served as the capital of Vietnam during the 10th and 11th centuries under the Dinh and Le dynasties. The ancient kings specifically chose this location because the steep limestone mountains and winding rivers created a natural stone fortress. This rugged landscape made the city nearly impossible for foreign armies to attack. Today, two main temples stand on the site to honor the old rulers, built directly over the original royal palace grounds.

Like the two sides of the same coin, King Khai Dinh's tomb introduced a fresh view and experience of Vietnam Imperial History, where black concrete walls and sparkling glass mosaics showcased clear French influence.

King Khai Dinh built a completely different resting place between 1920 and 1931. Khai Dinh worked closely with the French colonial government, and his tomb shows a clear mix of Asian and European building styles. Instead of wood and natural lakes, he used modern French concrete and wrought iron, building the dark structure straight up the side of a steep hill. Inside the main hall, artists smashed imported glass bottles and ceramic plates to create huge, colorful mosaics on the walls. To pay for these expensive imported materials, the king raised taxes on local peasant farmers by 30 percent, making him highly unpopular with his own people.

Adrenaline reached a high point when pedal power gave way to gas throttles on the open road from Hue to Hoi An. Helmets strapped tight, our local driver crew matched each rider to a well-maintained Honda motorcycle. Exhaust notes hummed in a unified line past the white sands of Lang Co Beach and the clear mountain pools at Dream Stream. Then came the ultimate bucket-list challenge: the legendary 21-kilometer climb up the Hai Van Pass. Bikes leaned into tight mountain curves as engine roars bounced off rock walls, with sheer drop-offs opening into sweeping ocean views below. At the windy summit, standing beside concrete wartime bunkers, Kristin and her friends celebrated with high-fives and victory shouts. While a support van safely transported all heavy luggage down below, the riders glided past My Khe beach and Marble Mountain straight into Hoi An.

The final day packed non-stop action into every hour. Roars of laughter echoed through the Cam Thanh coconut forest as local boaters spun the group wildly in round bamboo basket craft. Hands-on fun continued in Tra Que village, where everyone learned to roll fresh rice paper and stretch paper over bamboo lantern frames.