The route runs north to south. You start in Hanoi with guided tours and a traditional cyclo ride, plus a water puppet show. From there the riding begins in earnest, through the green rice paddies and river valleys of the north, with stops at local markets in Cau Ngoi Thanh Toa and Hoi An.

Hue is the history stop. You tour the Imperial Citadel and the Forbidden Purple City, and see the tomb of Emperor Khai Dinh, before a dragon boat ride on the Perfume River. Further south the landscape changes — dramatic coastline, water-coconut palm forests, duck farms and fishing villages — and the tour finishes in the Mekong Delta before Saigon.

Food is part of the itinerary, not an afterthought. A hands-on class at the Red Bridge Cooking School has you cooking a traditional Vietnamese meal. Twenty-three meals are included: 10 breakfasts, 7 lunches and 6 dinners, with local wine or beer with the included dinners.

What separates this from a self-guided Vietnam ride is the backup. A dedicated team of local VBT | Country Walkers trip leaders and assistants ride with the group, a support vehicle is available throughout, luggage is moved between hotels, and your bike is kept in condition for you. A helmet and bike bag are provided, and Ride with GPS navigation is included.

Accommodation is described as exceptional boutique hotels. Entrance fees and special events listed in the itinerary are covered, and you get free branded gear. Daily mileage is deliberately modest — 6 to 29 miles over 1 to 4 hours — so there is time for the markets, the cooking class and the sightseeing rather than just the bike.

What's included

- 10 nights in boutique accommodations - 23 meals: 10 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 6 dinners - Local wine and/or beer with included dinners - Local VBT | Country Walkers trip leaders and assistants throughout - Support vehicle - Luggage transportation - Entrance fees and special events as noted in the itinerary - Helmet and bike bag for use on tour - Ride with GPS navigation - Free branded gear - Guided tours of Hanoi with a cyclo ride - Water puppet performance - Guided tour of Hue's Imperial Citadel and Forbidden Purple City - Dragon boat ride on the Perfume River - Cooking class at the Red Bridge Cooking School - Tour + Travel Package only: roundtrip airfare, airport pickup and drop-off, pre-tour hotel night in Hanoi, hospitality room for evening departures, 1 additional breakfast, city highlights information

What's not included

- Travel insurance - Personal expenses - Meals and drinks not listed - Tour Only: roundtrip airfare - Tour Only: airport pickup and drop-off - Tour Only: pre-tour hotel night in Hanoi - Tour Only: hospitality room for guests with evening departures - Tour Only: 1 additional breakfast - Tour Only: city highlights information