Biking the Mekong Delta: Cycle Touring From Vietnam to Cambodia
From the moment we started riding through Ho Chi Minh's (Saigon) wild busy streets, we knew we had to absolutely send it straight into the cycle touring deep-end to enjoy Vietnam by bike. Our route took us through the Mekong Delta and we pieced it together on the fly. Here are the thoughts, maps and logistics of our trip.
From the moment we landed in Ho Chi Minh, we discovered that Vietnam operates on various levels of chaos. Three days later we set out for the Mekong Delta. Armed with bits of information from various blogs and tour sites (most of which were out of date, unfortunately), we were officially on our first cycle touring trip together. We had high hopes for seeking out the quieter side of the country in the Mekong Delta. In retrospect, there were a few fleeting moments of tranquility but the Delta is a buzzing place in itself. The major roads were loud, dusty and full of giant trucks so we used the "Walking" option on Google Maps and added in small towns for lunch breaks.
Here's an approximate map of our route to the coast:
leg 1 - Ho Chi Minh City to My Tho
Out of the big city and into the countryside. The smog quickly cleared and the tangled streams of scooters and trucks loosened. After turning off of the main highway we faced our newest challenge, cycling in the direct sun and humidity. It was tough in the blaring mid-morning heat but we found shelter in roadside coffee stops and street markets. The traffic was thick once more when we arrived in what was once the quiet gate to the Mekong Delta: My Tho. We stayed in a basic Airbnb called "Kim's Place". Nothing to write home about when it comes to the actual apartment but the host and her friend were unbelievably kind. They provided us with loads of fresh water, fruit and even took us out to dinner!
We passed dozens of fruit orchards on our way out of the busy city and into My Tho.
leg 2 - my tho to Tra Vinh
Headed for Ben Tre, we crossed our first major bridge and faced some more loud traffic. We discovered that adding smaller towns into our google maps plan was our golden ticket to peace and jungle. We managed to move most of our travel from roads to sidewalk-width paths through what I'm guessing is suburban Mekong Delta. Lots of stray dogs, smiling children and thatched roofs. Very cool! When we arrived in Tra Vinh we tracked down an average budget hotel near downtown called the Gia Hoa. The property had a safe place for our bikes, cold showers and A/C: enough for us!
Leg 2 took us through some obscure back roads. Exploring the true Mekong.
Leg 3 tra vinh to Soc Trang
We did quite a bit of island hopping today. The ferries here are basic barges that are constantly running to keep traffic moving. We're officially in the heart of the Delta with very little, if any, English spoken. We're starting to get used to the constant look of shock and amazement from the locals as we ride by. Apparently it's both strange and hilarious that two "Westerners" would be traveling by bike rather than scooter through this region. A fun, if not tricky new element of our journey was the introduction of small bridges. They are all shapes and sizes, some are quite steep! I've written more about them in my blog post specifically about Cycle Touring in Vietnam.
One of the more rider friendly bridges between Trah Vinh and Soc Trang
Leg 4 Soc Trang to Vi Than
Soc Trang was by far our most favourite stop in the Mekong Delta. It's a provincial capital with many Communist symbols. We took a rest and working day here as the hotel was great and the vegetarian options, plentiful. The hotel was called the Khách Sạn Khánh Hưng. We couldn't find much if anything about this town but it was worth the gamble. Pretty much full luxury compared to anything up to this point.
We even managed a sunset visit to a local pagoda, famous for it's resident fruit bats. After a day of recovery we set out for Vi Than. The roads leaving town were charming, lined with bougainvillea and palm trees. Such a peaceful treat. The mood changed when we discovered that Google's delightful walking directions took us on a path that was yet to be built or under serious construction. After quite a bit of bike lugging and careful shuffling we made it back to a busy main road. From there it was a race to beat the heat as we rode from smoothie stand to market to smoothie stand trying to stay cool in 40+ degree heat.
Pagoda in Soc Trang, home to a protected population of bats.
leg 5 - Vi Thanh to Rach Gia
The Lotus Hotel in Vi Thanh was terribly underwhelming after the oasis of luxury in Soc Trang. But again, we were thrilled to be out of the heat and into cold showers so we couldn't complain (too much). But as the sun came up, once more we set out on our bikes for the next big mission. Today we were pushing hard to get to the coast. About 40k from our finish point we happened to meet a friendly young family that invited us into their home for lunch. We had one of those heart-warming, wonderful memory-generating afternoons that neither Dan or I will ever forget.
Vi and her family cooked up the Mekong Delta specialty: sour soup with fresh fish.
Leg 6:
In the coastal town of Rach Gia we stayed in the Palace Hotel which was close to the ferry and a great place to regroup after a serious amount of cycling. We took a lightning fast ferry boat called the Superdong (yes, I’m serious) out to Phu Quoc island. The ride from the ferry was sweltering and tough but on the other end, a little slice of paradise: Bamboo Cottages.
Relaxin'
Change in scenery
The freshies
Leg 7:
After a few days of rest and much needed time in the shade, we set out for Ha Tien, a brightly coloured town on the mainland. We stayed near the market and once again found more tasty vegetarian places near by our hotel, Khách Sạn Hải Phượng.
From Ha Tien we cycled along the border, our final leg in Vietnam, to Chao Doc. It was a fairly straight road for the entire 97 k which played with our minds a bit.
The final leg - Chao doc to phnom phen
To ease border crossings and maximize our time in each country we opted to join a tourist boat up to Phnom Penh. Luckily when we arrived, exhausted in Chao Doc the evening before, the staff of the khách sạn Trung nguyễn hotel spoke excellent English. We we're fed, booked on a boat and sleeping before 8PM. The next morning, thinking our boat would be more of a utility-style transport, we we’re presently surprised to see the Mekong Delta from a different (comfortable) perspective with a light meal service and friendly german tourists. Icing on the Mekong Delta cake.
South East Asia by Bike - Seven Things to Love or Leave Behind in Vietnam
On our first cycle touring trip, a couple of things left a profound impression on us. We now have hundreds of memories of Vietnam. Some we love and some better left in the Mekong Delta. Here are the top seven:
On our first cycle touring trip, a couple of things left a profound impression on us. We now have hundreds of memories of Vietnam. Some we love and some better left in the Mekong Delta. Here are the top seven:
LOVE: Unbelievable Generosity.
Although we knew only a few phrases in Vietnamese, the locals were both curious and kind whenever we chatted with them. On one occasion a young woman and her family invited us into their house for lunch. Google Translate and wild hand gestures being our only form of communication, it was so incredibly special:
Dan posing with our new friends, the children of a kind family that invited us in to their home for lunch.
DIDN'T LOVE: The Excessive Plastic.
There is a serious problem with the amount of plastic in the region. Garbage clusters around houses, riverbanks and markets. It’s sobering. It's hard not to feel like we were contributing to the problem. Because of the lack of clean drinking water we started off buying water bottles, sealed with plastic at all of our meals. What we soon discovered is most restaurants and street food vendors use water from giant water dispensers. Bringing our bike bottles everywhere helped cut down on our waste big time.
Not everything in Vietnam is Instagram-Perfect.
LOVE: The overwhelming smell of tropical flowers.
Plumeria, Bougainvillea and Jasmine to name a few.
MIXED LOVE: Sketchy bridges.
Taking our bikes on Google’s “Walking Routes” meant weaving our way through jungle, on sidewalk-width paths of concrete, dirt or stones. While I can’t complain about the cycle touring equivalent of singletrack, some bridges rivalled that of Vancouver’s North Shore. Throw in some fairly murky water and the chance of crocodiles and you better believe I pedalled my heart out to reach the other side of every nutty bridge in our path.
DIDN'T LOVE: Traffic.
There is actually order in the madness of traffic in Vietnam. There's a system to navigating the sea of scooters, trucks and cruiser bikes in each town. Traffic may slow to a walking pace, but it almost never stops - it’s actually quite efficient. When we dive into the flow, our biking pace is often similar to scooters. It’s manageable, but requires ninja-like focus.
LOVE: Hello Tennis.
It appears that almost everyone in the Mekong Delta is astonished that we chose to ride bikes versus scooters through the region. As we passed rice paddies, freeways, cities and village streets, everyone shouts hello when they see us coming. It’s a cheerful welcome but sometimes a funny scenario plays out. When we return “hellos” back, most people pause unsure of what to do next then serve us up with another “hello”. Thus, “Hello Tennis” was born. On longer stretches of road, we might play 3 or 4 rounds before breaking into laughter on both sides.
Everyone loves a good game of Hello Tennis in the Mekong Delta
MIXED LOVE: The Meal Dance.
Ordering food is a bit of a luck of the draw. We look at Vietnamese menus and point to what we think might be veggies or fish. Even in the plentiful amount of vegan restaurants (which we adore), we’re never really sure what style dish we’re going to get. If you know me personally, you’ll know I’m pretty serious about my nutrition (check out my post about Gluten Free/Veggie Cooking in New Zealand), but here I have to be a bit more fluid with my choices. The reality is that nearly everything has been delicious, so as long as it’s pescatarian, I’m stoked. My favourite? The sour fish soup, a speciality of the Mekong region.
We're looking forward to more exotic beauty and excitement as we leave the Mekong Delta and into Cambodia.
Trading in the Fat Wheels: Six Must Haves for Your First Cycle Tour Weekend
Trading in the Fat Wheels: 6 Must Haves for Your First Cycle Tour Weekend
Recently, four brave, bike-loving friends of mine assembled to join me on a weekend cycle touring trip. We set out at first light from Whistler, BC on a Saturday morning and returned 3 days later after 3 ferry crossings, 480 kilometers of coastal roads and some staggering elevation gain/loss. For most of us, we preferred our views from the crest of loam-clad trails, but the call of adventure and draw of spending all day on a bike (no matter what bike it was) prevailed.
Best. Decision. Ever.
So, if you’ve caught the bug to explore, here are my 5 must haves for your first weekend cycle trip:
- Take what you can pack in a Bike Frame Bag & Handle Bar Bag: The lighter your bike the longer you can ride (added weight = more fatigue). We opted to stay in hostels and only took what we could fit
- Chamois Butter: This little gem is a standalone. Even if it sounds weird, buy it. Lather it on every morning. You’ll thank me. Mind the menthol – the cool minty fresh feeling isn’t for everyone.
- Electronics: Bring all the necessary cables to keep your phone, camera and GPS watch charged and a single wall mount so you can switch back and forth when on ferries or at the hostel/hotel.
- Change of clothes: Yes, one change of clothes. To keep it light I packed flip flops, loose comfortable pants & top plus a light weight jacket for those ferry rides and road side snack breaks.
- Split the effort: If you’re going with multiple riders (and you should, it’s more fun!), split up tools, spare tubes between the group. This way you’re traveling light and still have enough to support each other between any emergency bike shop stops.
- Food & Water: I found that two bottles kept me hydrated between food stops. Bring electrolyte tabs as they take up less space than powder and stock up on gels/blocks/bars at the beginning of each day. In rural areas you may not have a chance to grab those short burst energy snacks. No food means no fuel.
