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I’m no Lance Armstrong. In fact, the idea of spending a whole day on a bike in Vietnam filled me with dread – surely there was an easier way? After lots of gentle persuasion by my travelling companions and words of encouragement from fellow travellers who had experienced the tours for themselves and loved every minute – I was saddling up.
The major selling point of the bike tour that I was about to embark on was that I would be able to get up close and personal with the people, the places, the sights and sounds of the country. People enjoying Vietnam holidays are increasingly opting for these tours for exactly that reason.
There is a range of tours available in all areas so it is a matter of chatting to the employees to see which tour suits you best. The bikes are surprisingly new and you can choose a tour that suits your ability. So as not to exert myself too much (I was on holiday!) I chose the one-day cycling tour of Dalat in the scenic central highlands.
During the 1890′s, French explorers in the area decided to create a resort centre in the beautiful highlands region. The surrounding mountains, fertile paddy fields and natural waterfalls made it a truly spectacular place to build a new city. The French colonial influence is ever apparent as you cycle around and the wide avenues and tree-lined streets are reminiscent of the French capital. Dalat has two nicknames: The City of Thousands of Pine Trees, for obvious reasons and The City of Eternal Spring because of its practically year round mist covered valleys.
Our ride was going to be 50km which alarmed me at first until I was informed by our smiling guide that the majority of it was downhill! It mattered very little because as soon as we set off and I realised that the theory that you never forget how to ride a bike is absolutely true, I became completely distracted by the scenery.
We cycled through pine forests and past plush green paddy fields where smiling workers would raise their faces to us from under their conical hats to wave in greeting. The guide would regularly stop us to point out the tree marigolds and the hydrangeas which help keep the areas flower industry booming. The area is home to numerous farms and coffee plantations so there was always something to look at.
The highlight of the tour took us to The Crazy House, a tree-house style hotel owned by the architect daughter of the ex-President of Vietnam. The quirky architectural marvel is worth exploring and if you wish you can stay overnight in one of the themed bedrooms.
The tour also includes visits to King Bao Dai’s Summer Palace, Lam Ty Ni Pagoda, The Dalat Flower Garden, the Valley of Life and a brief cycle around the city’s Xuan Huong Lake.
I can safely say that my cycling tour around the area was one of the highlights of the trip. It’s very well hopping in and out of an air-conditioned mini bus to move between sites but being on a bike allows you to really see the area, take in the scenery and be close to the friendly people who make Vietnam so enchanting.