Real Vietnam

15 days
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Small Group Tour
From Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi, you’ll experience authentic Vietnam on this epic 15-day adventure from south to north. See how the locals live on the Mekong Delta, discover the rich history in Hoi An and taste some amazing food in Hue. Drift on the emerald waters around Cat Ba Island by boat and go for a snoop through some of Hanoi's many markets. Enjoy uniqu...
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$1,081
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Overview

Trip type
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Basic - 2 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Highlights

    • Bliss out on a luxurious homestay in the National Park of Pu Luong – wake up to the serenity of quiet, terraced rice paddy fields, trek the local land to take in the scenery and meet some local tribes to learn about their culture.
    • Jump on a bike and pedal around charming Hoi An – the best way to see the town and surrounding countryside. The food here is also delicious, so make sure you stop along the way to sample some!
    • See limestone karsts, blue-green waters, caves and jungle on Cat Ba Island – this place feels a lot like paradise, and you’ll be kayaking your way through its hidden bays.
    • Experience local life in the Mekong Delta – get to know the local families, participate in community-based activities and enjoy a traditional meal.
    • Tick Hanoi off your bucket list – walk the busy streets, try the famous banh mi and egg coffee and maybe even take a seat at a rooftop bar and order a pho cocktail. You'll have loads of free time to discover this place at your own pace, too!

What's this trip about?

    From Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi, you’ll experience authentic Vietnam on this epic 15-day adventure from south to north. See how the locals live on the Mekong Delta, discover the rich history in Hoi An and taste some amazing food in Hue. Drift on the emerald waters around Cat Ba Island by boat and go for a snoop through some of Hanoi's many markets. Enjoy unique homestays, explore national parks, eat your weight in fresh street eats and cycle through the countryside. This is the make-em-jealous, full-on, once-in-a-lifetime trip up the coast of Vietnam you've been waiting for.

Details

Itinerary focusClassic Highlights
Group sizeSmall Group - max of 16 people
Age range18 to 35 years
Flights and transportAll internal ground transport included
Start CityHo Chi Minh City
End CityHanoi

Travel Themes

  • 18 - 30's

Destinations

  • Asia
  • Vietnam

Attractions

  • Hanoi
  • Hoan Kiem Lake
  • Ho Chi Minh
  • Hoi An
  • Hue
  • Mekong Delta
  • Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park
  • Saigon

Activities

  • Culture

Trip includes

    • Mekong Delta - Homestay and Boat Cruise
    • Ho Chi Minh City - Orientation Walk
    • Hoi An - Old Town walking tour
    • Hoi An - Countryside bicycle tour
    • Hue - Home cooked dinner
    • Hue - Street food breakfast
    • Hanoi - Old Quarter & French Quarter Walking Tour
    • Hanoi - Banh Mi Lunch
    • Pu Luong - Homestay and Village Walk
    • Hanoi - Vun Art Visit
    • Cat Ba Island - Kayaking
    • Cat Ba Island - Boat trip on Lan Ha Bay

Popular Trips

Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1 Ho Chi Minh City

Xin chao! Welcome to Vietnam. Your adventure begins in Ho Chi Minh with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight. Formerly known as Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City is characterised by a vast array of sights and sounds and is a fascinating blend of old and new, East and West. The hu...

Day 2 Mekong Delta

Today, head down to the Mekong Delta and visit Ben Tre. The fertile delta is famous for its abundant harvests of tropical fruits and flowers as well as boating along the canals. When you arrive, board a private boat and cruise along the maze of waterways to visit some...

Day 3 Mekong Delta - Overnight Train

Rise early to the sounds of the delta coming alive and tuck into a simple breakfast before catching a bus back to Ho Chi Minh City. Enjoy some free time in Ho Chi Minh City to check out a few more sites or some tasty street food snacks. There will be a leader-led orie...

Day 4 Hoi An

Arrive in Danang in the early afternoon and travel by minibus to Hoi An. Recently declared a UNESCO World Heritage-listed site, Hoi An is beautifully restored and preserved. Today, parts of Hoi An look exactly as they did over a century ago. Among the feeling of decad...

Day 5 Hoi An

There's no better way to explore the peaceful countryside of Hoi An than by bike. For a true insight into country living in Vietnam, join your leader in cycling past green rice paddies, over small creeks and through rural villages. Later in the day, you may like to cy...

Day 6 Hue

Departing Hoi An, you’ll cross the dramatic Hai Van Pass this morning, with a quick stop and photo opportunity before continuing to Hue. As the former imperial capital of Vietnam, Hue holds the treasures of Vietnam's royal past and is a curious mix of bustling streets...

Day 7 Hue

You’ve got the whole day to explore Hue today. Head out with your group on a street food experience in the morning to pick up a delicious market breakfast and pass by all the local traders. Later, you may like to take a dragon boat cruise on the Perfume River and visi...

Day 8 Phong Nha

Jump on the bus and make your way to Quang Tri. If you’re keen, it’s just a small fee to visit the Hien Luong Bridge and Vinh Moc tunnels. Hien Luong Bridge separated the North from the South during the war. The tunnels at Vinh Moc are an expansive network of limeston...

Day 9 Phong Nha – Overnight Train

Enjoy a free day to explore Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park – at 400 million years old, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is the oldest karst mountain range in Asia. You might like to take a boat through Phong Nha Cave or check out the spectacular Paradise Cave. If cave...

Day 10 Hanoi

Arrive in Hanoi very early this morning and transfer to your hotel, leaving your luggage and setting out to discover the city. Hanoi is known for its beautiful lakes, shaded boulevards, public parks and thriving Old Quarter – an architectural museum with blocks of och...

Day 11 Pu Luong

Leave Hanoi this morning and travel to Pu Luong – one of the most beautiful sites in rural Vietnam with expansive rice paddy fields surrounded by the National Park. When you arrive, you’ll check in to your unique homestay accommodation, with rooms boasting views of th...

Day 12 Hanoi

This morning, enjoy a leisurely breakfast, then make your way back to Hanoi. Today, you’ll visit The Intrepid Foundation partner Vun Art – a local organisation empowering people with disabilities in Vietnam by providing job training and employment opportunities. See h...

Day 13 Cat Ba Island

Travel by bus and ferry to Cat Ba Island – the largest island in the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Ha Long Bay area. With thousands of limestone islands and formations scattered around, this is one of the quintessential Vietnamese scenes where bright green water is dot...

Day 14 Hanoi

Wake up to a natural paradise, and maybe start your morning with a refreshing swim. Ensure you soak up as much sun and sand as possible, as it's back to Hanoi later in the afternoon via ferry and bus. Being such a large city, Hanoi has so much to explore. This afterno...

Day 15 Hanoi

There are no activities planned for today, and you can depart the accommodation at any time. With so much to see and do in Hanoi, why not book an Urban Adventure. Hanoi Street Food Experience is a good pick – a 3-hour tour where you’ll get to sample some amazing eats ...

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Dates & Availability

Price From $772
Price per day$51
Last Updated: 6/4/2024
Departure Date
Finish Date
Base Price
Availability
07 Nov 2024
21 Nov 2024
$1,040
14 Nov 2024
28 Nov 2024
$1,040
28 Nov 2024
12 Dec 2024
$1,050
19 Dec 2024
02 Jan 2025
$1,040
26 Dec 2024
09 Jan 2025
$1,040

Check current availability, prices, specials & more.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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Tour Operator

Intrepid Travel

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The Intrepid Travel Experience

If you’re looking for adventure, you’ve come to the right place. For the past 25 years, we’ve been taking small groups of travelers on unforgettable trips around the world. What makes them unforgettable? Take a look for yourself and discover the Intrepid experience.

Our travelers have three styles of tour to choose from: Basix, Original and Comfort. Each has a different level of inclusions and accommodation, but all have unforgettable real life experiences as part of the package. Travellers can also choose themed trips, such as Family, Sailing or Food, to suit their interests.

Our group size has an average of just ten travellers, which allows us to get off the beaten track, use local accommodation and transport, and really get to know the culture. It also ensures we are contributing to the local economy; by choosing local suppliers we were able to keep AUD 60 million in local economies in 2012. We’re also working hard to reduce our carbon footprint and were the first in our sector to introduce carbon offset trips. This, along with our many corporate sustainability activities, has meant we’re one of the travel industry’s leaders in responsible travel.

Why Intrepid?

  •   Small groups - average of 10 people per trip
  •   Sustainability - pioneers for the industry
  •   Local leaders - authentic perspectives
  •   Local transport - get close and personal
  •   Local accommodation - experience real living
  •   Intrepid travelers - like-minded companions 

History

Intrepid Travel has come a long way since its beginnings in 1989. From two university friends, a typewriter and a kitchen desk, it is now a proud member of The Intrepid Group, taking over 100,000 travelers every year.

Intrepid Travel is part of The Intrepid Group of companies, alongside leading small group adventure companies Peregrine, Urban Adventures and PEAK DMC.

Despite growing into a global business with over 1,000 staff based all over the world and over 800 different trips across every continent, we’ve remained devoted to the same grassroots values and responsible travel philosophies that we had at the very beginning.

 

Values

On every trip we operate and in every interaction we have with a client, supplier or local, we live our core values everyday:

  • Integrity – Doing the right thing
  • Responsible – Think global, act local
  • Growth – Stakeholders in our own success
  • Innovation – Thriving on new ideas and embracing change
  • Fun – It’s engrained into who we are and what we do
  • Passion – We are inspired by the work we do and the trips we offer

 

Why we love this operator
They're highly committed to sustainable tourism and contribute to crucial initiatives like climate action, focusing on local cultures and more.
What they’re known for
Small group tours for all types of travelers at a range of different price points and trips to off-the-beaten-path destinations.

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Logistics

Accommodation

Guesthouse (1 nights),Homestay (2 nights),Hotel (9 nights),Overnight sleeper train (2 nights),

Transportation & Flights

Boat,Private minibus,Overnight sleeper train,

Transportation & flights

Boat,Private minibus,Overnight sleeper train
Guides
All group trips are accompanied by one of our group leader or local representative. The aim of the group leader or local representative is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. Intrepid endeavours to provide the services of an experienced group leader or local representative however, due to the seasonality of travel, rare situations may arise where your group leader or local representative is new to a particular region or training other group leader or local representative. Your group leader or local representative will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense, you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the places visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious, and social aspects. At Intrepid we aim to support local guides who have specialised knowledge of the regions we visit. If you are interested in delving deeper into the local culture at a specific site or location then your group leader or local representative can recommend a local guide service in most of the main destinations of your trip.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is compulsory on all our trips for those travelling internationally. We require that at a minimum you are covered for medical expenses including emergency repatriation. If you are travelling within your home country or region please confirm before travel that you are entitled to access the public medical system easily should an accident occur. We strongly recommend all travellers have a policy that also covers personal liability, cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage or personal effects. For international trips, you will not be permitted to join the group until evidence of travel insurance and the insurance company's 24-hour emergency contact number has been sighted by your group leader or local representative. If you have credit card insurance your group leader or local representative will require details of the participating insurer/underwriter, the level of coverage, policy number, and emergency contact number rather than the bank's name and your credit card details. Please contact your bank for these details prior to arriving in-country. For travellers who reside within the European Union, Switzerland or USA the requirement to purchase travel insurance cannot be compulsory. However the purchase of travel insurance is still highly recommended, and travellers from these regions who decline travel insurance when travelling outside of their home region must sign a Travel Insurance Waiver Form at the Group Meeting, recognizing personal responsibility for emergency medical and repatriation costs should they arise. For assistance with travel insurance or other services, please visit the link below: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/booking-resources/our-services
Visa requirements
PASSPORT You’ll need a valid passport to travel internationally and most countries require your passport to have a minimum of 6 months validity, so remember to check the expiry date. We need your passport information to get everything ready for your trip so it’s important that the information on your booking matches your passport exactly. Please take care to provide the correct details. We recommend carrying a copy of the photo page of your passport while travelling and leaving a copy at home with family or friends. VISAS & ENTRY REQUIREMENTS Many countries require a visa and obtaining the correct visa for your trip and any countries you may transit through is your responsibility. We recommend you check your visa requirements as soon as you have booked your trip. This will ensure you have time to prepare your documents and for your visa application to be processed. You can check the entry requirements for your nationality on your government's foreign travel advisories, consular websites or on our page here:  www.intrepidtravel.com/visa-entry-requirements ADDRESS FOR VIETNAM VISA APPLICATIONS If you require an address for your visa application please use: Intrepid Vietnam Ground Floor, Ladeco Building 266 Doi Can St Ba Dinh District, Hanoi Vietnam Ph +84 4 3715 0996
Health & Safety
Most national governments provide regularly updated foreign travel advice on safety issues involved with international travel. We recommend that you check your government's advice for their latest travel information before departure and ensure that your travel insurance covers you for all destinations and activities on your trip. Please refer to our website's safety page for links to major travel advisories and updates on safety issues affecting our trips here: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/travel-alerts We strongly recommend the use of a neck wallet or money belt while travelling, for the safe-keeping of your passport, flight tickets, cash and other valuable items. Leave your jewellery at home - you won't need it while travelling. Many of our hotels have safety deposit boxes, which is the most secure way of storing your valuables. A lock is recommended for securing your luggage. Your group leader or local representative will accompany you on all included activities, however, during your trip you'll have some free time to pursue your own interests or relax and take it easy. While your group leader or local representative will assist you with the available options in a given location, please note that any optional activities you undertake are not part of your Intrepid itinerary, and Intrepid makes no representations about the safety of the activity or the standard of the operators running them. Please use your own good judgement when selecting an activity in your free time. Please also note that your group leader or local representative has the authority to amend or cancel any part of the trip itinerary if it's deemed necessary due to safety concerns. Intrepid's operational safety policies can be viewed on our website at the link below. We recommend that you take a moment to read through this information before travelling, and would appreciate any feedback on how safety is being managed on our trips. https://www.intrepidtravel.com/safety-guidelines FIRE PRECAUTIONS: Please be aware that local laws governing tourism facilities in this region differ from those in your home country and not all the accommodation which we use has a fire exit, fire extinguishers or smoke alarms. SEAT BELTS: Please be aware that local laws governing transportation safety may differ from those in your home country and not all the transport which we use is able to provide seat belts. PETTY THEFT AND PERSONAL SAFETY: While travelling there is always the risk of pick-pocketing and petty theft, particularly in the more touristy cities. We recommend that you exercise caution when walking alone at night and encourage you to walk together and only on main, well-lit thoroughfares. Be particularly vigilant on public transport. Simple measures like carrying your day pack on your front, not hanging your bag over the back of your chair or on the floor and wearing a money belt will reduce any chance that your valuables should go missing. MOTORBIKE BAG SNATCHING: Be particularly aware of motorbike bag snatching, especially in the bigger cities.
Age Requirements
18 to 35 years
Additional Information

Finish point

  • Van Mieu 1 Hotel
  • 54B Quoc Tu Giam Street Dong Da Dist
  • Hanoi
  • VIETNAM
  • Phone: +84 2437474254
Trip ID
intrepid-TVYB

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