Name: Vietnam Discovery
Brand: Intrepid Travel
SKU: TVRN
Price: 976 USD
Availability: LimitedAvailability
Rating: 4.8 (12 reviews)

Overview

Highlights

After spending time admiring Hoi An’s World Heritage-listed ancient town, hop on a bike and pedal beside rice fields and through small villages on a guided bicycle tour of the surrounding countryside.
Spend two days on Cat Ba Island relaxing on tiny beaches, hiking through verdant jungle and kayaking around karst-studded Lan Ha Bay. It’s just like Halong, but with fewer tourists!
Cruise around the backwater canals of the Mekong Delta – the ‘rice bowl’ of Vietnam – and discover rural life and local interactions along the shores with your small group.
Explore the 36 streets of Hanoi’s Old Quarter, as well as the Dong Xuan Market and Hoan Kiem Lake, taking in the unique mixture of French Colonial and Buddhist architecture.
This trip is big on connecting with the real Vietnam, and with two included homestays – one in Da Bac and one on the Mekong Delta – you can immerse yourself in everyday life.

What's this trip about?

Trace Vietnam’s eastern coastline on this 15-day adventure, tackling the country from south to north and discovering the many wonders that lie along the way. From the modern chaos of Ho Chi Minh City all the way up to old-world Hanoi, you'll experience tumultuous history, colonial charm, vibrant colours, delicious food and inspiring scenery on your adventure. Take a boat cruise along the Mekong Delta, tour the backstreets of Hoi An with a local, enjoy a rural homestay in Da Bac and explore the beautiful karsts of Lan Ha Bay.

Itinerary focusOff the Beaten Path

Group sizeSmall Group - 24 max

Age rangeOperator does not provide

Flights and transportAll internal ground transport included

Start CityHo Chi Minh City

End CityHanoi

Travel Themes

Trip includes

Mekong Delta - Boat Cruise, Lunch and Homestay
Hoi An - Old Town walking tour
Hoi An - Countryside bicycle hire
Hanoi - Old Quarter Walking Tour
Da Bac - Homestay and activities
Da Bac - Sung Cave hike
Da Bac - Sung village to Da Bia hike
Da Bac - Hoa Binh Reservoir Cruise
Da Bia - Muong Tribe Lunch
Hanoi - Vun Art center visit
Cat Ba Island - Kayaking
Cat Ba Island - Boat trip on Lan Ha Bay
Cat Ba Island - Lan Ha Bay Lunch

Itinerary

Day 1 Ho Chi Minh City

Xin chao! Welcome to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm today. As you won’t be spending much time in Ho Chi Minh City, we recommend arriving a few days early to see more of this fascinating city. See the ancient pagodas and...

Day 2 Mekong Delta

This morning, head away from the city and make your way to the province of Ben Tre, where you’ll get on a boat to tour the canals of the Mekong Delta. This fertile area is famous for its abundance of fruit, flower and rice crops, and is known as the ‘rice bowl’ of Vie...

Day 3 Mekong Delta – Ho Chi Minh City – Overnight Train

Rise early to the sounds of the river coming alive, and enjoy a simple breakfast before boarding the boat back down the delta and catching a bus back to Ho Chi Minh City. Enjoy some free time in Ho Chi Minh City this afternoon, perhaps with a visit to the War Remnants...

Day 4 Hoi An

Arrive in Danang by train and travel by minibus for approximately 1 hour to Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage Centre that continues to undergo restoration work today. It was a major trading port with the West from the 17th century. Today, parts of Hoi An look exactly as...

Day 5 Hoi An

Wake up for a free morning to do as you please. It’s a great opportunity to take a trip out to the My Son temples – a World Heritage-listed site constructed between the 4th and 14th centuries that reflects the rich cultural traditions of the Cham civilisation. In the ...

Day 6 Hoi An

You’ve got another day to explore this historic haven. Perhaps book in your final tailoring fitting this morning to make sure the threads you’re getting made fit like a glove, or hire a bike for a lazy ride out to the South China Sea to relax on An Bang or Cua Dai bea...

Day 7 Hue

Bid farewell to Hoi An this morning and make your way to Hue. The drive in a private vehicle will take around 5 hours. You’ll be travelling on the incredible Hai Van Pass, through lush mountains and past scenic lookouts, and there’ll be some good places for a photo st...

Day 8 Hue – Overnight Train

Enjoy a free day in Hue. Perhaps visit the Imperial Citadel which includes the Forbidden Purple City that was almost totally destroyed during the Vietnam War. The gaping holes left by bombs give you an idea of how much destruction occurred in this country. If you'd ra...

Day 9 Hanoi

Arrive in Hanoi at about 5 am and transfer to your hotel. Once you’ve dropped off your bags and freshened up, embark on a walking tour of Vietnam’s charming capital. Explore the 36 streets of Hanoi’s Old Quarter – locally known as this because of each street originall...

Day 10 Da Bac

Leave Hanoi after breakfast around 8 am and make the drive to Sung Village (approximately 4 hours). There are around 70 families living at Sung Village and the majority are Dzao ‘Tien’ people. Farming and forest plantations are their main source of income. Enjoy lunch...

Day 11 Hanoi

This morning, take the opportunity to encounter more of the Vietnamese highlands on a 10-kilometre (6.2 mi) trek from Sung Village to Da Bia. Trek along well-worn buffalo tracks before gradually inclining. There are some serious steps to climb, but the walk will be at...

Day 12 Cat Ba Island

This morning you'll travel by bus and ferry to beautiful Cat Ba Island before midday. There's no time to waste, so begin exploring the stunning waters of Lan Ha Bay around Cat Ba. Located in the greater Halong Bay area, Lan Ha Bay is one of Vietnam’s most scenic place...

Day 13 Cat Ba Island

This morning, head out on the water from Cat Ba and continue exploring the limestone karst scenery. Take a boat around Lan Ha Bay with an included lunch while you cruise, then get up close and personal with this striking landscape by kayak. There’s the option to have ...

Day 14 Hanoi

Rise and shine! Perhaps start your morning with a refreshing swim or a Vietnamese coffee (or both). Make sure you soak up as much sun and sand as possible, because this afternoon it's back to Hanoi by ferry and bus. Tonight you may want to head out for an optional dinner with your fellow travellers, sharing some memories and laughs over a local meal and beer.

Day 15 Hanoi

There are no activities planned for today and you’re able to depart the accommodation at any time after check-out. With so much to see and do in Hanoi, we recommend that you spend an extra day or two here, and we’ll be happy to organise additional accommodation (subject to availability).

Dates & Availability

Price from

$976

Price per day

$65

Vietnam Discovery Reviews & Ratings

4.8/5 Excellent

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L

Lucy

Sep 2015

Vietnam Discoveryby Intrepid Travel

I had a fantastic time on the

I had a fantastic time on the tour! I learned a great deal about Vietnam and experienced things that I will remember for the rest of my life. Travelling with our gui...

C

Christine

Sep 2015

Vietnam Discoveryby Intrepid Travel

Some of the returns to cities for

Some of the returns to cities for one night created long minibus drives that seemed unnecessary - eg before going over the border to Cambodia , we would of liked two...

L

Lewis

Sep 2015

Vietnam Discoveryby Intrepid Travel

Excellent tour with an excellent tour guide.

V

Veronika

Sep 2015

Vietnam Discoveryby Intrepid Travel

Your guide was well organized and the

Your guide was well organized and the trip was very varied.

T

TRACEY

Sep 2015

Vietnam Discoveryby Intrepid Travel

This was our first Intrepid experience.

This was our first Intrepid experience. We were impressed by the professionalism and trip content, including optional extras. Certainly met if not exceeded our exp...

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Tour Operator

Intrepid Travel

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Details

Accommodation:

Guesthouse (1 night),Homestay (1 night),Hotel (10 nights),Overnight sleeper train (2 nights)

Flights & transport:

Boat,Overnight sleeper train,Private minibus,Taxi,Train

Group size:

Small Group - 24 max

Maximum number of people in group:

16

Trip Excludes:

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Highlights

What's this trip about?

Travel Themes

Trip includes

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I had a fantastic time on the

Some of the returns to cities for

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Your guide was well organized and the

This was our first Intrepid experience.

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