Vietnam Trail Marathon

Welcome to Vietnam Trail Marathon! VTM takes place in Moc Chau, an area famed for stunning blossom-filled orchards, beautiful wild nature, tea plantations and extremely welcoming locals.

VTM is part of the Vietnam Trail Series, established in 2013 with the nation’s first ultra race, VMM.

The VTM routes are the result of countless days of research, deep into the hills. The course covers a huge variety of trails and landscapes, taking runners to wild areas rarely visited by anyone but locals. 

A highlight of VTM is running through the area’s famous orchards filled with stunning white and pink blossoms.   

Share trails with local farmers, horses, donkeys, buffalo, wild pigs and more. Run Vietnam Trail Marathon and discover hidden trails, venturing way beyond the usual paths.

70km – Ultra Marathon
You will start in darkness with your headlamps on for a 3km run out of Moc Chau town to your first challenge – a steep, narrow farmer’s track taking you up into the hills.This testing 300m climb will see the first selection of the faster uphill participants.

At the top a beautiful narrow trail leads between peach blossom orchards and tiny ethnic minority villages. You will not find these settlements named on Google maps and there is no road system connecting them. In January the trees will be full of white and pink blossom and the ground will be carpeted in wild flowers.

After 8km of runnable rolling terrain and a section of ancient jungle you will emerge into a broad valley from which there is only one way out the other side – a very sharp climb to test your legs! Your reward at the top will be grand views back across the valley and into the next which you will then descend into.

The following section of the course is largely very runnable with plenty of trail variety and undulation before you join back up with the 42km and finally the 21km and 10km runners for and head into the area’s famous tea plantations. The VTM finish line is located right in the centre of the stunning rows of tea surrounded by hills.

Here the 42km runners will turn off and you will continue deeper into remote territory. A slither of trail cuts along the valley side to a tiny village which is home to a big family of very inquisitive goats. On our research trip the sole villager here told us we were the first people not from the local area he had seen – this is truly remote running!

42km – Full Marathon
After a fast 3km of downhill from Moc Chau town you will face your first challenge – a steep, narrow farmer’s track taking you up into the hills.This testing 300m climb will create the first selection of the faster uphill participants.

At the top a beautiful narrow trail leads between peach blossom orchards and tiny ethnic minority villages. You will not find these settlements named on Google maps and there is no road system connecting them. In January the trees will be full of white and pink blossom and the ground will be carpeted in wild flowers.

After 8km of runnable rolling terrain and a section of ancient jungle you will emerge into a broad valley from which there is only one way out the other side – a very sharp climb to test your legs! Your reward at the top will be grand views back across the valley and into the next which you will then descend into.

Next you leave the 70km course and head onto the 42km only section crossing a series of remote hills. After running through a broad valley you will link back up with your 70km counterparts and run into the area’s famous tea plantations. The VTM finish line is located right in the centre of the stunning rows of tea surrounded by hills.

21km – Half Marathon
After a fast 3km of downhill from Moc Chau town you will face your first challenge – a steep, narrow farmer’s track taking you up into the hills. This testing 300m climb will create the first selection of the faster uphill participants.

At the top a beautiful narrow trail leads between peach blossom orchards and tiny ethnic minority villages. You will not find these settlements named on Google maps and there is no road system connecting them. In January the trees will be full of white and pink blossom and the ground will be carpeted in wild flowers.

Soon you will turn onto the 21km only section heading into a wide valley where you can expect to share the trails with kids herding cattle. You will run through the Na Ka valley, famous for its endless peach blossom trees surrounded by mountain peaks.

Finally you will meet back up with the 42km and 70km runners and race to the area’s famous tea plantations. The VTM finish line is located right in the centre of the stunning rows of tea surrounded by hills which will create the perfect finish line photo!

10km – Trail Run
Your race begins at the Na Ka valley, one of the most stunning peach blossom valleys of Moc Chau.

You will run right through the peach blossom orchards which will be in full flower in the middle of January while the ground beneath them will be carpeted in wild flowers.

After racing through Na Ka you will climb into the next valley and pass by a small ethnic minority village before linking up with the 21 – 70km runners to race to the area’s famous tea plantations.

The VTM finish line is located right in the centre of the stunning rows of tea surrounded by hills which will create the perfect finish line photo!