Hanoi Countryside Bike Tour: Long Bien Bridge, Bonsai & Co Loa

Summary

Cycle Hanoi’s Red River banks cross Long Bien Bridge meet bonsai artisans

You’ll pedal quiet roads beyond Hanoi, cross Long Bien Bridge with local chatter in your ears, sip tea with bonsai gardeners, and try egg coffee after lunch. Expect muddy shoes and honest smiles — this half-day bike tour lets you feel both city edges and rural calm in one ride.

What’s the experience like?

The first sound that stuck with me was the clatter of bikes on the old iron ribs of Long Bien Bridge — it’s louder than you’d think, kind of echoing under your wheels. Our guide, Minh, grinned at my nervous face and said something about “the heartbeat of Hanoi.” I didn’t expect to see so many farmers below, tiny dots moving between green patches by the Red River. The city feels close but also far away up there.

We coasted down into the countryside and suddenly everything changed — the air smelled like wet earth and a little bit of smoke from someone burning leaves. Minh waved at a woman selling sugarcane juice in plastic cups near a lotus lake; we stopped for a drink (it’s cold and sweet, almost grassy). At one point he took us to a family’s bonsai garden — the owner showed us how he trims roots with these tiny scissors. He laughed when I tried to say “bonsai” in Vietnamese. I probably butchered it but he just smiled and poured more tea.

The cycling itself wasn’t hard, mostly flat dirt roads past vegetable plots and kids waving from doorways. We rolled through a wet market where a woman handed me a slice of jackfruit without asking — sticky fingers for the next kilometer. Later at Co Loa Citadel, Minh told stories about ancient kings fighting invaders here; I couldn’t picture battles in such quiet fields but maybe that’s just how history fades. Lunch was simple rice and pork at some roadside place (good though), then egg coffee in a tiny cup that tasted like dessert and caffeine had a baby.

I still think about that bridge sometimes — how it rattled under us, how everyone seemed to know each other along these backroads. If you’re looking for a day trip from Hanoi that isn’t all temples or traffic, this bicycle tour is something different. Not perfect or fancy but real — you know?

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Half-day bicycle tour in Hanoi countryside

• Meet guide at hotel lobby
• Pick bicycles and safety briefing
• Cross Long Bien Bridge
• Cycle along Red River banks
• Visit local bonsai family
• Explore local wet market
• Break at lotus lake with drinks
• Cycle through rural villages
• Visit Co Loa Ancient Citadel
• Lunch at local restaurant
• Try traditional Egg Coffee

Top questions

How long is the Hanoi countryside bike tour?

The tour lasts about half a day, starting at either 8:00AM or 1:00PM.

Is hotel pickup included for this bike tour?

Yes, your guide will pick you up from your hotel lobby before the tour starts.

What are the main stops on this Hanoi bicycle tour?

You’ll visit Long Bien Bridge, local bonsai gardens, wet markets, lotus lake, Co Loa Ancient Citadel, and Hoi Phu village.

Do I need to be an experienced cyclist?

No—most roads are flat and suitable for all fitness levels; beginners can join easily.

Is lunch provided during the bike tour?

Yes—a traditional lunch is included at a local restaurant along the route.

Can children join this Hanoi countryside bicycle trip?

Yes—children are welcome but must be accompanied by an adult; infant seats are available if needed.

Will we meet locals during the tour?

Yes—you’ll visit families making bonsai trees and see broom makers at work in Hoi Phu village.

What drinks are included on this bicycle tour?

Bottled water is provided throughout; you’ll also have tea with locals and try egg coffee after lunch.

What’s included

Your half-day includes hotel pickup in Hanoi, use of bicycles sized to fit you comfortably, bottled water along the way plus stops for sugarcane juice or other local drinks. There’s a traditional lunch at a local spot followed by Vietnamese egg coffee or tea before heading back into town together with your guide.