Explore Ca Mau-Rach Gia- Ha Tien- Vietnam's south pole

Introduction

Cycling the Mekong Delta with Vietnam Backroads is an immersive, off-the-beaten-path journey through the rich and varied landscapes of southern Vietnam. Beginning in Bac Lieu and ending in the charming town of Sadec, this adventure leads riders through a vibrant mosaic of rice fields, mangrove forests, canal networks, and cultural heartlands.


Highlights of the route include a visit to the southernmost tip of Vietnam at Ca Mau Cape, the tranquil Cha La Bird Sanctuary, the coastal allure of Ha Tien, the spiritual atmosphere of Chau Doc, and the romantic heritage of Sadec, known for its colonial architecture and literary ties.


Cyclists engage closely with local life, pedaling along quiet village backroads, meeting locals, and spending nights in a curated blend of authentic homestays and boutique lodges. With the support of a luggage van and a route meticulously designed for depth and authenticity, Vietnam Backroads offers a meaningful alternative to fast-paced travel—an experience where every turn reveals the soul of the Mekong.

Destination
Duration
Tour code
VCT: MBT-9D - SGN
Travel style
Tour meets
Tour ends
Accommodation
3 - 4 star hotels
Single supplement
345.00$
Number Of cycling days
9 days
Ages to ride
16 years old
Average distance per day
45km
MTB Bike hire
$108
Total cycling distance
485km
E-Bike hire
$315.00
Small group
02
Large Group
14
Price in US$
USD $1793.00 1793.00
Price in VND
What's included
Private A/C vehicle takes up all cyclists, luggage
Truck to carry all bikes, helmets
All boat rides during the trip
All entrance fees, ferry tickets in countryside
B= Daily breakfast, L= 9 Lunches, D= 7 Dinners
Daily cold water, snacks, fresh fruits, facial tissues
8 nights, double room/ twin room
Pick up at/drop off at hotels
English speaking guide throughout the tour
What's not included
Personal travel insurance
Other personal expenses
Single supplement
Drinks are not included with any meal

After your pickup in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), we begin the day with a comfortable one-hour drive in an air-conditioned van or bus to the peaceful countryside town of Tan An. From here, your cycling adventure begins.


Morning Ride: cycle along scenic backroads through charming old villages, expansive rice paddies, and vibrant plantations of dragon fruit and vegetables. This route offers an immersive glimpse into the daily life and agricultural richness of the Mekong Delta. We’ll pause midday for a hearty local lunch in My Tho City.


Afternoon Ride: following lunch, we continue by vehicle to a rural village near Mo Cay, where the afternoon ride begins. Pedal along shaded footpaths under canopies of banana and coconut trees, passing through jungle-like plantations and quiet hamlets. The route is designed to highlight the beauty of the region while keeping you comfortable and shaded.


There will be regular rest stops every couple of hours at local villages to hydrate, relax, and interact with the friendly locals. The day concludes with a relaxing ferry ride across the river to Tra Vinh, giving you a chance to unwind and enjoy the peaceful waterways of the Mekong.

Bungalow Ven Song
L/D
25 - 55km
Flat- easy/ moderate
support vehicles
cold water, snacks, fruits

Today’s journey offers a deep cultural immersion into the diverse heritage of southern Vietnam. After a short morning transfer from your hotel in Tra Vinh, begin your cycling adventure on smooth concrete paths that wind through tranquil rural landscapes. This scenic route provides an intimate look into the everyday lives of the Khmer, Chinese, and Vietnamese communities, offering authentic, firsthand encounters with local traditions and activities.


Spend the morning cycling through the heart of the Khmer region, observing stilt houses, temple spires, and villagers engaged in daily routines. Continue riding toward Cau Quan, where you’ll stop to enjoy a relaxing lunch in this quiet town.


In the afternoon, transfer to Soc Trang to visit the Bat Pagoda (Chùa Dơi)—an atmospheric Buddhist temple renowned for its colorful architecture and the unique colony of fruit bats that roost in its trees. The serene ambiance and spiritual symbolism make this a memorable cultural stop.


After your visit, take a short transfer to a nearby countryside village. From here, enjoy a gentle bike ride through serene rural paths before arriving in Bac Lieu by late afternoon, where your day concludes.

Cosmo Stars Hotel Bac Lieu
B/L/D
28 - 55km
Flat- easy/ moderate
support vehicles
cold water, snacks, fruits

Ca Mau remains one of the lesser-known gems of Vietnam, offering an authentic and enriching experience for adventurous travelers. As one of the country’s most recently developed regions, it presents a rare opportunity to explore untouched landscapes and engage with locals—many of whom have only ever seen Westerners on television.


Today’s cycling journey leads us through an extraordinary mix of natural and rural scenes: vast salt fields, active shrimp farms, and simple thatch houses nestled along the forest edge. Our morning ride concludes in Ganh Hao, where we pause for a delicious local lunch.


In the afternoon, we delve deeper into life on the waterways—an essential part of daily living in this region. Due to the limitations of narrow and muddy country roads, residents rely heavily on long, slender composite boats powered by long-tail engines. These agile boats are perfect for navigating the shallow rivers and canals that crisscross the province.


Our ride continues at a relaxed pace, following narrow paths that wind through mangrove forests and alongside irrigation systems. Along the way, we encounter local farmers fishing from the banks of rivers and canals, and we pass modest roadside shelters built for ducks, cows, and buffaloes. These unique rural scenes offer plenty of photo opportunities.


We conclude our ride on the outskirts of Ca Mau City, where we board an air-conditioned van or bus for the short transfer into the city center.

Muong Thanh Ca Mau
B/L/D
30 - 75km
Flat- easy/ moderate
support vehicles
cold water, snacks, fruits

Begin your day early with a visit to the famous Ca Mau Floating Market, where vibrant scenes unfold as locals trade goods directly from boat to boat. You'll travel by shuttle to the dock and embark on a leisurely boat ride, taking in the bustling morning commerce on the water—a true reflection of the Mekong Delta’s riverine culture.


After this authentic experience, return to the hotel for breakfast. Soon after, a short 30-minute shuttle ride will take you out of the city and into the serene countryside. Here, you'll hop on your bike and begin a scenic ride through wetlands and expansive mangrove fields. Pedal past remote villages and lush vegetable gardens, and at times, find yourself playfully racing alongside long-tailed boats gliding through the winding rivers.


This scenic cycling day offers a chance to admire the rustic beauty of Vietnam's south pole, passing by traditional thatched houses and crossing old farming canals. These homes, constructed from local materials like bamboo, mangrove, cajuput  and palm leaves, reflect a lifestyle deeply connected to nature. You'll witness a way of life rooted in self-sufficiency, community, and sustainable living, far removed from the hustle of modern cities.


As we arrive at the Cha La Bird Sanctuary, embark on a tranquil boat ride through the sanctuary's winding waterways, guided by knowledgeable locals who offer insights into the area's ecology and birdlife. The sanctuary's rich mangrove ecosystem features key plant species such as phoenix paludosa, nypa fruticans, bruguiera parviflora, and excoecaria agallocha, which offer vital nesting and foraging habitats for a wide variety of waterbirds. Among the notable bird species found here are cormorants, and herons, egrets, and so on. After lunch in small town, we'll return to Ca Mau, spend the rest by pool.

Muonng Thanh Luxury Ca Mau
B/L/D
25km+
Rural paths
Support vehicles
Cold water, snacks, fruits

Today promises another unforgettable adventure as we journey through some of the most scenic and culturally rich trails in the Mekong Delta. Along peaceful riverside paths, we’ll encounter some of the friendliest local farmers, engaging in lighthearted chats and even non-verbal exchanges at bustling riverside markets. As we cycle, we’ll pass traditional stilt houses, timber factories, and the lush mangrove forests of U Minh.


Our route includes numerous stops in charming villages where Vietnamese, Chinese, and Khmer communities live in harmony, cultivating their land. The river remains central to daily life here—expect to see a variety of boats, from cargo barges and water taxis to nimble family vessels powered by long-tailed engines, crisscrossing in every direction.


After a delicious lunch at a local restaurant, we continue our countryside adventure toward Tac Cau. The route includes several ferry crossings, adding to the authentic rural experience. We then follow the picturesque coastal road to arrive at the peaceful Rach Gia City, where you’ll unwind after a day filled with discovery and connection.

Saigon Rach Gia
B/L/D
30 - 70km
Flat- easy/ moderate
support vehicles
cold water, snacks, fruits

Depart at 7:30 am from the hotel, and we travel 30 minutes in the vehicle to a rural township. We cycle to explore the stunning coast of Cay Duong Bay. We ride down the beach, witness first-hand, and experience the life of locals living in seaside villages in the Mekong Delta. There are some tiny mountains, some undulating routes in part, and the last part near Hon Chong but flat in the long distance in the middle position.


Stop at small towns on irrigation canals down to the sea, and visit small fishing villages along the trails. There is plenty more to see on the bay of Cay Duong, but the water is not blue, and there is no sandy beach at all. We have a chance to visit Khmer hamlets, visit colorful Khmer temples. Have a picnic lunch in a small town, and enjoy our fantastic ride to Hon Chong. Hon Chong has a few rock pinnacles, limestone karsts, and caves with colorful pagodas. It's a great place to break for coffee and enjoy the scenery before 1 hour transfer to Ha Tien.

Ha Tien Xua Event & Resort
B/L/D
30 - 55km
Flat- easy/ moderate
support vehicles
cold water, snacks, fruits

You will be picked up at the hotel in Ha Tien town, and have a short transfer to a rural village. We first ride on small roads across rice paddy fields, along rivers, and the Cambodian border. This is a chance you can observe the life of both Vietnamese and Cambodians along the way with many breaks. Then we enjoy the back road, past small mountains to Ba Chu Killing field, and learn about the War between Vietnam and Khmer Ruge in 1978.


After we visit the memorial in the village, your guide will lead you riding on hilly trails to Tra Su national reserve forest. It is also a bird sanctuary. You will have a boat rowed and motorized boat through the woods as propelled sampan boat and trekking into cajuput trees. These wetlands attract many birds, including storks, egrets, cormorants, peafowl, and water cocks. We will have lunch at a nice restaurant in the forest. Then we go to Chau Doc in our private vehicle.

Sam Mountain Lodge ****
B/L
25 - 70km
Flat- easy/ moderate
support vehicles
cold water, snacks, fruits

After breakfast, we'll start with a motorboat excursion—spending over an hour exploring a unique floating village. Here, you’ll gain firsthand insight into local life, including how catfish are raised in river-based enclosures and how families live entirely aboard their modest boats.


Following the boat trip, enjoy a leisurely cycling experience along the winding banks of the Mekong River. Pedal through peaceful villages on quiet, scenic paths lined with vegetable gardens, rice paddies, and tranquil fishing spots. Along the way, we’ll visit the historically significant Gieng Islet, home to a striking French colonial-era monastery—believed to be among the first colonial buildings established during the French arrival in Indochina.


As we continue, you’ll pass charming stilt houses and traditional riverside communities before reaching a local ferry crossing. The remainder of the ride offers smooth, easy pedaling along concrete river paths, with stops at bustling local markets and lush mango orchards. After the cycling tour, we transfer by private vehicle to your hotel for check-in and relaxation.

Mango Trails Homestay
B/L/D
25 - 55km
Support vehicles
Cold water, snacks, fruits

After breakfast, we check out and begin the day with a short 10-minute vehicle transfer to our starting point. From there, your guide will lead you along a scenic cycling route through peaceful villages nestled along rivers and canals. You'll ride past lush mango orchards, share a local ferry with residents, and continue exploring the picturesque rural landscape on your way to Sa Dec's famous flower village.


We'll stop for lunch at the historic home of Mr. Huynh Thuy Le in Sa Dec town, the real-life inspiration behind the central character in Marguerite Duras’s autobiographical novel L’Amant. This beautifully preserved house is considered a cultural highlight of the city.


After lunch, we take a ferry across the upper Mekong River and continue cycling along tranquil back roads to Xeo Quyt, where we'll explore a former Viet Cong base hidden in the cajuput forest — a unique historical site of the Mekong Delta.


The day concludes with a 2.5-hour transfer via expressway back to Ho Chi Minh City. Tour Ends!

B/L
31km+
Rural paths
support vehicles
cold water, snacks, fruits
Bike Info
Customized Trek Bikes - Deore M4100. 1*10s , all sizes: S-M-L-XL
Long trips; Mekong Delta to central provinces
Rockshox suspension
Shimano Deore M4100. 1 x 10 speed
E-bike Ego Movement - Swiss E-Mobility. Size L
Long trips: Mekong Delta to central provinces
Shimano Deore M6000. 1 x 10s
Bafang mid drive motor
Ego Movement Hybrid E-Bikes. Size XL
Long trips: Mekong Delta to central provinces
Bafang M500 mid drive motor
G.1 Suspension Seatpost
GIANT FATHOM E-Bike + 1 PRO. Size: S, M
Long trips; Mekong Delta to central provinces
Yamaha mid drive motor
Shimano Alivio groupset 1 x 9 speed

Dates

Duration
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Duration
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Booked 02

Hello Tam,

I enjoyed the cycling tour very much. We had no issues with the bicycles, the gears changed smoothly, the brakes worked well and they seemed to be well aligned and maintained. Overall the bicycles were very comfortable and handled the paths and trails well.

We enjoyed the sights and foods of the Mekong delta. The first few days the scenery seemed quite repetitive if there is a way to provide a bit more variety and variation that may be more enjoyable. We did very much appreciate the flexibility of our tour and it was great to be able to do the morning cycling routes and after lunch transfer to the hotel and then Mr Dat would take us on a walking tour in the evening before dinner. That was a great way to experience more of the culture and we got to eat more street food. We very much like being able to eat like the locals. Our driver was very nice and helpful and we felt safe on the rides. Our guide was fantastic and very knowledgeable, patient and happy to provide the flexibility to our tour. We did find the afternoon cycles a bit too hot for us as we are not used to the heat of the region. The mornings were fine and it was nice to be able to relax in the afternoons at the hotel.

Although we weren't able to do the homestay we appreciated the alteration to the tour and got to see the coastal area and even got to take a swim in the ocean. Another suggestion for when the homestay isn't available might be to have 2 nights in one stop and perhaps some other sort of cultural event, that might give cyclists an option to have a day off the bike and either do their own thing or have some other option of activity. But what we did was fine as well. We really like the food and Dat would try and find us new things to try throughout the tour. A food and cycling tour might be something to advertise this as or an idea for other tours as well.

I really don't have anything else to add that is negative. The tour was well organized and we will highly recommend your company for any of our friends or relatives who would like a cycling holiday in Vietnam. If we decide to have a holiday in Vietnam again in the future we will definitely consider trying another of your tours. 23 - 31 Mar 2023

Thanks
Sincerely,
Diane

Mr & Mrs Moham… 08 Apr 2023
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Explore Ca Mau-Rach Gia- Ha Tien- Vietnam's south pole