Rally Indochina 2014 starts in Hanoi, Vietnam and runs to Saigon on Vintage Ural motorbikes. The Rally largely follows sections of the historic Ho Chi Minh Trail. This highway is in great condition and offers excellent mountain riding along the Lao border. Rally Indochina includes no less than three different World Heritage sites: Phong Nha-Ke Bang national park, the former imperial capital at Hue and the historic trading port of Hoi An.

Ho Chi Minh Trail

Phong Nha national park covers a rugged, jungle-clad limestone plateau that is home to thousands of caves. One of the caves Son Doong, was recognized as the largest cave in the world when it was discovered in 2009. Rally Indochina includes visits to Phong Nha Cave by boat and to Paradise Cave on foot.

The Rally spends two nights in Hue, the royal capital of Vietnam from 1802 to 1945. After a trip down the Perfume River to visit the Blue Dragon center in the morning, Rally participants are free to visit the Imperial City, the royal tombs or simply lounge by the pool in a beautiful colonial-era hotel.

The Rally spends two nights in Hoi An, which for centuries was the most important trading port in Southeast Asia. Its old town is home to a mix of Chinese, Japanese, Dutch, French and local architecture, and its unique cuisine still reflects the port’s history as a meeting point of different cultures. In one day, you can sample traditional food, swim at the beach, relax in a cafe, have a suit tailored and sample some of the towns delicious fusion cuisine. The route passes through significant sites from the Vietnam War (or the American War as it’s known in Vietnam).

The best-possible accommodations are selected for the route, including a night in a White Thai stilt-house in the Mai Chau valley, basic local hotels in Phong Nha and Khe Sanh, four-star hotels in Hue and Hoi An and a five-star resort in Dong Hoi. The route has been chosen by bikers and for bikers, so the Rally is not simply about getting from A to B in the quickest time. The organizers have spent years finding the best motorcycling roads in Vietnam, with just the right mix of scenery, historic sites, highland and lowland villages, mountains and beaches.

The riding finishes on April 25 with a ride over the Hai Van pass, one of the best coastal scenic roads in the world. We leave the bikes at Phu Bai airport and fly south to Ho Chi Minh City (aka Saigon) for a few days of sightseeing in the former capital of South Vietnam before you fly home on April 27.

Rally Indochina is open to any adventurous souls who like the idea of helping victims of child trafficking. All of the money donated by Rally participants to the Blue Dragon Foundation goes directly to their campaign to end the trafficking of children.

Event Organizer: Rally Indochina and Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation

To see the full event details click here.

Author: Rob Dabney

Rob Dabney started a lifelong obsession with motorcycles at the age of 15 when he purchased his first bike – a 1982 Honda MB5. Through his 20’s and 30’s he competed in off-road desert races, including the Baja 250, 500 and 1000. Eventually, his proclivity for exploration led him to dual sport and adventure riding. Rob’s never-ending quest to discover what’s around the next bend has taken him on Adventures in Latin America, Africa, Europe, Asia, and throughout the American West. As a moto journalist, he enjoys inspiring others to seek adventure across horizons both near and far.