7-Day Southern Vietnam Cycling Tour: Cat Tien National Park, Da Lat, Mui Ne & Can Gio

Take an early morning boat ride along the tranquil Dong Nai River, a serene and immersive way to experience the region’s remarkable biodiversity. Glide past lush, forested riverbanks while spotting playful macaques, elusive civets, swimming snakes, and dozens of rare and colorful bird species in their natural habitat. After the approximately one-hour cruise, return to the hotel for a refreshing breakfast before embarking on a scenic half-day bicycle ride through the enchanting Cat Tien National Park.

Along the way, admire towering ancient trees and discover the region’s rich and diverse flora and fauna. Pedal along picturesque riverside trails before venturing deeper into the pristine sub–Nam Cat Tien forest toward Dak Lua, where an extraordinary ecosystem of semi-evergreen and seasonally flooded evergreen forests awaits. Continue your journey with a visit to the fascinating Cat Tien Archaeological Site and its insightful museum, offering a deeper cultural perspective on the area’s heritage. Following lunch, unwind during a scenic transfer to the charming highland city of Dalat and check in at your comfortable hotel.

Da Lat was developed as a hill station by the French in the early 1900s. The first wooden hotel was built in 1907, and many reminders of its colonial heritage can still be seen today. Now a famous tourist destination, Da Lat is also one of the agricultural hubs of Vietnam’s Central Highlands. Markets across the country are filled with local specialties from Da Lat, such as strawberries, cauliflowers, and artichokes. These fresh products are widely available in cafés, street food stalls, and specialty shops throughout the town—more so than anywhere else in Vietnam.

Spend a full day exploring the city. Visit the former residence of the last emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty—known as the Summer Palace of Bao Dai—where you can enjoy its airy atmosphere and panoramic views of the city. Continue to the Crazy House, an architectural masterpiece resembling a giant tree, featuring imaginative sculptural elements inspired by nature, including animals, mushrooms, spider webs, and caves.

The journey continues to the Valley of Love, XQ Historical Village (XQ Headquarters), and the XQ Hand Embroidery Workshop, where you can admire exquisite traditional craftsmanship.

After lunch, take a scenic ride on the old train through farmland and greenhouses to Trai Mat village. Here, you will experience local life and visit the stunning Linh Phuoc Pagoda. Finally, return to your hotel and enjoy a leisurely evening exploring Da Lat on foot.

After a leisurely breakfast, we begin with a transfer to a rural village for an unforgettable ride. The hilly landscape offers stunning views, and the pleasant weather is perfect for getting off the beaten track. With a selection of carefully chosen routes, you can ride at your preferred level—easy, moderate, or challenging—or opt for smooth back roads that wind past greenhouses, flower farms, coffee plantations, pine forests, and lush rural villages.

We then cycle downhill along quiet asphalt back roads toward Ta Nung and Nam Ban, passing valleys, vegetable plantations, and greenhouses along the way. After descending about 25 km, we stop at a cricket farm and visit a local family producing traditional weasel coffee. From there, we continue over gentle hills toward Elephant Waterfall.

The ride continues with a few small climbs, leading us through more greenhouses and farmlands to Ta Nung village and onward to Nam Ban. Along the way, we pause again at local homes to experience cricket farming and weasel coffee production. Afterwards, we cycle to Linh An Pagoda, then follow peaceful country back roads that wind through small villages and tranquil vegetable farms. It’s a wonderful opportunity to observe rural life before arriving in Lam Ha, where we stop for lunch.

In the afternoon, we continue biking along scenic trails down to Pongour Waterfall—often referred to as “the greatest waterfall of the South.” Here, you’ll have time to relax, swim, listen to birdsong, and take in the breathtaking natural surroundings. Finally, we transfer to Di Linh and check in the hotel.

Mui Ne is home to hidden emerald-blue beaches lined with curved coastlines. Here, you’ll find excellent dining, a wide range of accommodations along the coast, exciting water activities, and plenty of entertainment for visitors. Mui Ne Beach has long been considered the “Hawaii” of Vietnam. The shoreline is shallow and gently sloping, the water is clean and blue, and the sun shines year-round. The sand dunes—red, yellow, and white—have inspired countless artistic photographs and paintings. Beyond the beaches and dunes, you can explore beautiful landscapes such as the Fairy Stream and the Poshanu Cham Towers.

After breakfast, we enjoy fresh Vietnamese coffee while taking in the peaceful lake scenery before checking out. The second day’s ride takes us through rolling coffee plantations, gradually warming us up for the climb ahead. Along the way, we are rewarded with stunning mountain views and tranquil valleys. We continue cycling through lush jungle valleys, passing small ethnic villages and quiet hillsides. Then we ascend Gia Bac Pass along winding roads through dense jungle, offering breathtaking views and glimpses of village life. The final stretch features gentle descents over rolling hills, passing fertile farms and occasionally following calm rivers.

In the afternoon, we continue biking along open countryside roads, cycling past cashew plantations and lotus lakes, and tackling a few gentle hills on the way to the White Sand Dunes. We take a break for coffee and spend time exploring the dunes before continuing along coastal roads toward the Red Sand Dunes in Mui Ne. This is a perfect opportunity to enjoy the sunset and capture stunning photos. Finally, we transfer to the hotel.

After an early breakfast, we check out and take a 30-minute transfer through Phan Thiet City. We unload the bikes and follow small country roads on the outskirts of town. The ride takes us through quiet villages, with a stop at the former military airport of the South Vietnamese Army before 1975.

We continue exploring the homeland of dragon fruit, cycling past vast fields where locals grow dragon fruit and rice. The route leads through small hamlets toward the coast and on to Ke Gia Lighthouse

After lunch, we hop on the support vehicles for a transfer to Vung Tau City, check in the hotel, spend the rest of the day by sandy beach.

Following breakfast, we take a high-speed ferry across the Gulf of Ganh Rai to Can Gio Town. Along the way, we enjoy panoramic views of the sunrise and the vast ocean landscape. Upon arrival, we continue by shuttle to Monkey Island, where we stroll through the park and immerse ourselves in nature, surrounded by playful monkeys. We also visit the Rung Sat Museum before heading onward to Dan Xay Bridge.

From there, we board a private canoe and cruise through the Can Gio mangrove forest—the “green lung” of Ho Chi Minh City. As we glide along the waterways, we take in the rich river scenery, from lush water palms along the banks to the mysterious mangrove swamps.

We then arrive at the Vam Sat Ecotourism site, where a delicious lunch awaits. Afterward, we venture deeper into the jungle, observing thousands of bats hanging from the trees, spotting monkeys in their natural habitat, and enjoying activities such as crab fishing and birdwatching for both local and migratory species.

Finally, we return by boat and transfer by vehicle back to Ho Chi Minh City.