Vietnam is an easy and wonderful place to pedal.  It’s energetic, beautiful, and has a powerful history.  Citywise, I liked both Hanoi and Saigon, though they are very different.  Hanoi is laid back and cosmopolitan, while Saigon is more of the chaotic whirlpool that Asian cities can be.  More broadly, the attraction of the north is that it’s rugged and hilly.  The attraction of the south is that the riverways and ferry travel around the Mekong delta are culturally interesting.

A substantial part of any cycling tour is the serendipity that originates in not having a plan and simply getting lost.  But here are some notes on tidbits that are worth doing.