Meet at the group hotel in the Old Quarter of Hanoi. A group transfer from Hanoi Airport is provided. We will aim to do the bike fitting before lunch and then, in the afternoon, we will head out with our guide on a walking tour of the Old Quarter. The Old Quarter, a maze of 35 streets, is essentially the original pre-20th century Hanoi. The names of the streets tell a fascinating story about the history of the city, prior to the modern age each street was named for the particular trade for which it was (and sometimes still is) known; look out for Hang Gai (Silk Street) and Hang Bac (Silver Street). We'll also make a stop at Hoan Kiem Lake (Lake of the Restored Sword), the epicentre of old Hanoi. We will also stop at a shop where we can learn about traditional medicine and at an authentic Hanoian house, where we can enjoy a cup of local tea. Afterwards we head to a local restaurant where we can enjoy a welcome dinner to celebrate the start of our holiday. Our first chance to sample the deliciously fragrant Vietnamese cuisine and test out our chopstick skills!

After breakfast, we will board the support vehicle for the drive out of the city, heading north. We will drive for two hours and then we'll pull over and unload the bikes for the start of our cycling adventure on quiet roads. This first day of cycling will take us across the alluvial plain of the Red River Delta with distant views of the Tam Dao chain of limestone mountains that are such a distinctive feature of northern Vietnam. The landscape soon starts to become more impressive, with lowland rice fields bordered here and there by banana trees, palm trees and cassava and tea plantations. We will stop off for lunch en-route and arrive in the regional capital of Tuyen Quang in the late afternoon. Free time at our hotel before going out to a local restaurant for dinner.

In the morning, we have a relatively short drive to Phuc An beside Thac Ba Lake, the largest body of freshwater in North Vietnam. In this area, the local Dao people make their living by farming and fishing and we will see many of their hamlets, the houses built on stilts and with thatched roofs. Our ride starts at the waterfall of Thac O Do and takes us on a variety of surfaced and unsurfaced roads and tracks amongst a patchwork of rice fields, bamboo groves, small ethnic villages, maize plantations and undulating streams, all surrounded by lush jungles. After a leisurely 3-hour ride we arrive in Tan Yen where we take lunch in a local restaurant. After lunch, we board the support vehicle and enjoy a scenic drive (2.5 hrs) to Ha Giang. Here, we will saddle up for a further hour's cycle out to the picturesque hamlet of Ha Thanh at the foot of the Tay Con Linh Mountain where we will stay as guests of the Tay people in a traditional wooden house on stilts.

Before setting off this morning we can take a walk around the village with its vegetable gardens, and small ponds devoted to fish and duck breeding. Then, after a short transfer to the small village of Banh Cuom, we set off on our bikes into the UNESCO-listed Dong Van Geopark with views across to the border with China. Our route at first undulates beneath Phu Ta Ca (Three Fairies) Mountain (2276m) the highest peak of Du Gia limestone massif. In the Tung Ba Valley, we meet the Tay and Flower Hmong people who seem to live a timeless existence in small hamlets shaded by groves of lataniers and dominated by forest-clad limestone crags. The landscape becomes even more dramatic as we enter the Song Mien Gorge on the northern side of Phu Ta Ca Mountain and stop for lunch beside an impressive waterfall. After lunch, we get back into the support vehicle and drive to Seo Lung, a White Hmong village. (There is the option to cycle the steep 5-kilometre, concrete road climb up to the village). Tonight we will be welcome guests in the home of Mr So, who is the former chief of the village. In the evening, he will join us and we can learn about the history of the village and White Hmong traditions.

After another early start, we set out on a minor road, traversing a valley lined with maize fields and Hmong hamlets. We will have the opportunity for a quick visit to the colourful produce market at Duong Thuong which takes place every Friday. Our route turns north at the ruins of an old French colonial period fort and we'll have time to check this out before continuing towards Mau Due Village with a breathtaking panoramic view over the northern slopes of the Can Ty Massif, featuring rice terraces and Dao hamlets, with the southern foothills of the Dong Van Geopark in the background. There's a lot of up and down on today's ride as we continue northwards through this dramatic limestone massif to the small village of Lung Phin which is famous for its very traditional hill tribe market. The market is held every 6 days on the lunar calendar and attracts Hmong and Dzao villagers from throughout the region. This is a suitable place for us to stop cycling and board our transport for the onward drive to Dong Van. Notable for its central square known as the 'French Quarter', a well-preserved collection of 100-year old colonial buildings, Dong Van is overlooked by a limestone peak topped by another French-era fortress. We overnight here in a local inn and the rest of the day is at leisure.

Today is Saturday and we have the option to pay an early visit (7am) to the nearby and authentic hill tribe market of Ma Le. Many different ethnic groups (Hmong, Dao, Lo Lo, Giay and Nung, each in their distinctive dress) bring their wares to the market, helping to preserve the lifestyle and traditions of the Dong Van Karst Plateau. Then, setting off on our bikes, we leave the Dong Van Valley via the pretty sensational Ma Pi Leng Pass (1500m), where the views extend over the deep valley of the beautiful, green Nho Que River towards the peaks that line the Chinese border. Descending from the pass on the aptly named 'happiness road' (opened in the 60s) we make several stops to enjoy the views of the patchwork of fields on the other side of the valley. At Meo Vac, we turn onto a smaller road that twists and turns its way down to Lung Pu beside the Nho Que River. This is the end of the ride today and after our picnic lunch we board small boats for an hour's cruise through a part of the spectacular gorge known as Tu San Alley. Disembarking at Bao Lam Dam, we transfer to Bao Lac and check in at our local inn accommodation.

We start out today beside the Gam River which flows out of China. The road twists and turns across the steep slopes of Xuang Truong district and crosses the challenging Khau Coc Cha Pass into a valley dotted with rice fields and Nung and Tay ethnic hamlets where time appears to have stood still. Approaching the northern slopes of the Thong Nong Mountains we once again let the support vehicle take the strain, transporting us to the top of the next pass, where we saddle up again and look forward to the descent. Our destination, Nam Ngu, lies in a beautiful valley overlooked by impressive limestone peaks covered in misty forest. Here we meet our Nung hosts and settle in at our homestay accommodation.

Cycling away from Nam Ngu through a landscape of limestone peaks covered by dense vegetation we reach the town of Nguyen Binh. From here we take the support vehicle for the steep climb up to the Lea Pass which is high on the slopes of Mount Pia Oac and close to the watershed of the Red River and Pearl River basins. Beyond the pass, it's back on the bikes for the amazing 26 kilometre descent to Phieng Diem, with Dao and Hmong hamlets on the heights, giving way as we descend to denser Tay habitation. We transfer the last part of the day's journey on a minor road into the Ba Be National Park and to Ba Be Lake, fed by three rivers and surrounded by high and jungle-clad limestone formations. We take a boat from the eastern pier to the Tay village of Coc Toc, located in a cove of the lake. On arrival, we settle in at a guesthouse run by a Tay family and look forward to a dinner of local specialties.

Completing our loop through northen Vietnam, we cycle southwards on a quiet road through a verdant landscape with many Tay hamlets, emerald green rice paddies and dense forest. Arrive at Phieng Lieng after just a couple of hours, we put our bikes away and board the support vehicle for the 4-hour drive back to Hanoi via Bac Kan. We soon find ourselves amongst the flooded rice fields of the lower delta and from Thai Nguyen where the road improves we make better time. Stopping off for lunch en-route, we arrive at our hotel in Hanoi in the late afternoon. Dinner in town and overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast, we set off on a two and a half hour drive to the Gulf of Tonkin through the colourful rice fields of the Red River Delta. Arriving at Bai Chay harbour around noon, we will be welcomed on board the Dragon's Pearl Junk and begin our cruise to Bai Tu Long Bay. Quieter, but no less spectacular than neighbour (Halong), Bai Tu Long is a revelation with its steep cliffs and half submerged limestone towers. We'll enjoy lunch on board as we explore hidden hidden lagoons and discover the fascinating floating houses of the bay's inhabitants. There's the opportunity to kayak and swim in the clear waters of the bay. Dropping anchor for the night in an isolated area, we can look forward to sampling the chef's fine cuisine in the peaceful atmosphere of this magnificent place, before settling down on the upper deck to admire the beauty of Bai Tu Long as the sun sets. Overnight on board.

Optional Tai Chi on the deck before breakfast, a great way to start the day as the South-east Asian sun rises. After breakfast, we'll take a rustic rowing-boat to visit a fishing village, an opportunity to discover the traditional culture and customs of the local fisherpeople. Later, we explore an impressive cave with thousands of stalactites and stalagmites. And, there's another opportunity to kayak and swim, before cruising slowly back to the pier around midday. From Bai Chay Harbour it will take us two and a half hours to retun to Hanoi and our hotel. After resting and freshening up. we can visit the Temple of Literature, a masterful representation of traditional architecture, dedicated to Confucius. If there's time, we can also visit the colourful 6th century Tran Quoc Pagoda located on the edge of Ho Tay (West Lake). This evening, we'll have a farewell dinner at a local restaurant.

Your holiday ends after breakfast. A single group transfer to Hanoi Airport is provided. If you would like to extend your stay in Hanoi additional hotel nights can be arranged, or you may want to consider adding an extension to visit neighbouring Cambodia and the magnificent temples at Angkor Wat. Contact the KE Office for details