An
ideal cycling route avoids crowded highways and intense
climbs and sticks to peaceful village roads shaded
by trees, green fields and orchards.
A bike tour through the
western and northern sections of Vietnam gives tourists
a glimpse of life in rural areas including the ethnic
people in the Central Highlands. While crossing the
Cu Mong or Hai Van passes, tourists are able to stop
roadside to contemplate the sunrise or sunset and
admire the beautiful view on one side lies giant mountains,
while on the other are picturesque beaches.
Tour participants are
not required to bike for the entire trip; participants
ride a maximum of 50 kilometres a day. Cars, canoes,
and boats cover the distance not traveled on bike.
To ensure the health and safety of riders, professional
medics often accompany the tour.
Of Saigontourist’s bike
tours, its trip to the western portion of Southern
Vietnam is its most popular.
The tour departs from
Ho Chi Minh City and stops first in Long An Province.
Tourists then travel by car to Tan An District to
visit the Cao Dai Holy See. Following the religious
site, the tour rides 20 kilometres. along the Bao
Dinh Canal to My Tho. On the way to My Tho, tourists
stop by orchards to enjoy fresh coconut juice and
fruit.
Next, tourists visit the
Vinh Trang Pagoda, which was built in the early 19th
century and houses a collection of bronze statues
carved in the Mekong Delta. The tour then travels
to the port to visit Thoi Son Islet in Tien Giang
Province by canoe.
On the second day of the
journey, the tour heads to Ben Tre Province. The group
travels leisurely through village roads to view the
landscape, get fresh air roadside and speak with locals.
Tourists can visit the village market and green fields
to see firsthand the cultivation technique of the
farmers and life in the country.
On the third day, tourists
visit Cai Mon District to see a number of activities
of the local people including fishing, cooking, leisure
and sport. Tourists take part in a home-stay at the
home of a Cai Mon resident and eat ca loc nuong
trui dish (grilled snakehead fish), taste local
rice wine and listen to don ca tai tu (amateur
southern folk music).
The following day, tourists
travel by ferry to visit the center of Vinh Long Province
and continue to ride through Long Ho village for 20
kilometres. to Ba Can to visit the village of the
Khmer people and a market specializing in tofu.
The journey continues to Can Tho
Province for tourists to visit the floating markets
of Phong Dien and Cai Rang. Tourists then ride for
20 kilometres. to Bang Lang Park. The tour concludes
with a car ride back to Ho Chi Minh City the following
day.(SGT) 29 Oct 2007
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