12 days of riding on vintage russian 125cc bikes from the north Vietnamese border with China winding south almost 2000 kms to Hoi An. This has to go down as the best holiday ever. Vietnam never failed to amaze us on a daily basis. The route selected by our tour guide ensured we saw and experienced vietnamese life from tiny mountainous villages to bustling market towns and vibrant cities. Accommodation varied from an overnight sleeper train with our bikes onboard to a mix of luxury hotels and more basic hotels when there was no other choice. 3 nights were in Vietnamese homestays which for me was one of the many highlights. Every homestay was in the most beautiful of locations with endless views of the greenest rice fields and distant mountain ranges. All 3 were stilt houses with comfy beds after 7 or 8 hours on the bike. The tour also proved to be a history lesson in the Vietnam war with visits to the De Militarised Zone, Khe Sahn US airbase, the tunnel system at Vinh Moc, a former north Vietnamese army airstrip and a boat trip through a system of caves that was used as a natural air raid shelter. Our tour guide Tony was from the UK and spoke fluent vietnamese. He was a mine of information and never tired of our non stop questions. At the end of every day he was there to share a couple of drinks and the days highlights anf funny moments of which there were many! In sumary Vietnam and Explore Indchina bike tours were truly amazing. The country, the people, the food, the bikes, the company, the sites sounds smells, even the weather was kind to us. This was my first trip to Vietnam but will be the first of many. Explore indochina will also be seeing me again as they couldn’t have done it better. Do yourself a favour and book yourself and your mates on a tour.