Dragon's Tail Ride from Dalat to Hoi An

Overview

Dragon's Tail - Cycling From Dalat to Hoian

(Dalat - Lak Lake - Buon Me Thuot - Pleiku - Kontum - Quang Ngai - Hoi An)

Overview

The Dragon’s Tail Cycling Tour is the ultimate journey through Vietnam’s Central Highlands – a mix of culture, history, and adventure that ends at the magical town of Hoi An.
The Dragon’s Tail Cycling Tour takes you on a 6-day adventure from the Central Highlands hill station of Da Lat to the UNESCO World Heritage town of Hoi An, following the legendary Ho Chi Minh Trail. This ride features a mix of long descents, rolling hills, tribal villages, waterfalls, lush jungle valleys, and historic sites. It is one of the most diverse and rewarding cycling routes in Vietnam, offering both cultural immersion and breathtaking landscapes.
This itinerary can also be reversed, starting from Hoi An and heading south to Da Lat.

Highlights

  • 🚴 6 days of cycling from the Central Highlands to the coast
  • 🌲 Landscapes: pine forest, coffee plantations, tribal villages, river valleys, jungle, and coastline
  • 🐘 Visit Elephant Waterfall and traditional silk factory
  • 🌊 Discover Dray Sap & Dray Nur waterfalls near Buon Me Thuot
  • 🛕 Explore ethnic minority villages and historic Kon Tum Cathedral
  • 🕊️ Visit the My Lai War Memorial near Quang Ngai
  • 🏙️ Finish in Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage trading port
  • 🚐 Support vehicle throughout for luggage, meals, and rider transfers

Itinerary

Day 1 – Da Lat → Lak Lake (150 km)

  • Start cycling directly from Da Lat hotel.
  • Ride through vegetable farms, coffee plantations, and enjoy a 12 km downhill to Tanung village.
  • Stop at Elephant Waterfall and visit a local silk factory.
  • Continue with rolling hills, tropical rainforest, and minority villages.
  • Vehicle transfer for sections before arriving at tranquil Lak Lake.
  • Overnight stay.
  • Ride distance: ~80 km (customizable).

Day 2 – Lak Lake → Buon Me Thuot (50 km)

  • Ride along Lak Lake to Jun Village (Ede ethnic group).
  • Boat crossing and visit to Krong Ana River, Dray Sap & Dray Nur waterfalls.
  • Afternoon arrival in Buon Me Thuot, the “Coffee Capital of Vietnam.”
  • Explore town or museum at leisure.
  • Ride distance: ~50 km.

Day 3 – Buon Me Thuot → Pleiku (180 km)

  • Start riding from the hotel, then onto backroads past coffee and rubber plantations.
  • Stop at Buon Ho town, finish ride and have picnic lunch.
  • Vehicle transfer (~2 hrs) to Pleiku, a bustling highland market town.
  • Ride distance: ~60 km.

Day 4 – Pleiku → Kontum (200 km)

  • Easy ride today with a stop at Sea Lake near Pleiku.
  • Rolling terrain through villages and forests to Kontum by the Dakla River.
  • Afternoon visit: Kontum Cathedral, Mr. Rong’s house, local orphanage, Bahnar stilt villages.
  • Ride distance: ~60 km.

Day 5 – Kontum → Quang Ngai (160 km)

  • Transfer by bus out of Kontum, then cycle down from the highlands toward the coast.
  • One of the trip’s most spectacular rides with untouched tribal villages, jungle scenery, and thrilling downhills.
  • Afternoon transfer to Quang Ngai town.
  • Ride distance: ~80 km (customizable).

Day 6 – Quang Ngai → Hoi An (180 km)

  • Morning ride to My Lai Massacre Memorial & Museum for a guided visit.
  • Continue cycling along backroads through rural villages rarely visited by tourists.
  • End at Highway 1, then transfer (~2.5 hrs) to Hoi An.
  • Afternoon arrival in Hoi An – a charming riverside trading town with mixed Chinese, Japanese, and European heritage.
  • Ride distance: ~40 km.

Information

At a Glance Overview
Minimum Participants: 2
Depart From: 109 Nguyen Van Troi Street, or we will pick you up at your hotel
End At: Your hotel in Hoi An
Start Time: 7:00 am
Finish Time: 3:00 pm approximately on Day 6
Duration: 6 days
Departure Days: Daily
Activities: Cycling, sightseeing
Adventure Grade: 8 - Medium
Transportation: Air conditioned Mini bus
Meals: Fruit snacks, purified drinking water, picnic lunches, hot meals in local restaurants with mostly Vietnamese food (rice, vegetables, meat). Please note one day in advance if you have any special dietary requirements.
What to Bring: Hat, sunscreen, repellent, camera, rain jacket and comfortable shoes for biking and walking
What's Included: English speaking guide, all necessary forest and tourist permits, first aid kit, mountain bike, helmet and gloves, vehicle and driver, all activities listed above, hotel accomodation for 5 nights, drinking water throughout the trip and all meals except fo
What's Not: Soft drinks, hard alcohol and beer. Individual international medical insurance (should be purchased before arrival in Vietnam)

Route Map


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