Vietnam Discovery

Intrepid Travel Premier
Has very high quality customer experiences and demonstrated commitment to responsible travel practices. read more
4.6 . Excellent
94%
Travel Style: Array Mixed
Physical Level: Walking or physical activity half to most of day - no carrying equipment. Easy
Lodging Level: 3 to 4 star western hotel equivalents. While not all lodging will be 'luxury' they will be quite comfortable by western standards. Basic (2*)
15 days
From: $ 1,164 $ 78 / day
Checking price

Overview

Highlights (Bullets)

  • 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.

Short Description

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.

Style Small group tour
Off the beaten track trips will stretch your comfort zone. They don't always feature tourist highlights, but dive deeper into local life and culture.
Itinerary Focus Off the Beaten Path
3 to 4 star western hotel equivalents. While not all lodging will be 'luxury' they will be quite comfortable by western standards.
Lodging Level Basic (2*)
Flight & Transport Inclusions All internal ground transport
Start City Ho Chi Minh City
End City Hanoi

Destinations

Vietnam

Attractions & Cities Visited

Hanoi Ho Chi Minh Hoi An Hue Mekong Delta

Activities & Interests

N/A

Age Requirement

15-99

No Single Supplement
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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 cathedrals near the former Presidential Palace, historic Dong Khoi Street, and the chaotic markets of Ben Thanh and Cholon (Chinatown).

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 Vietnam. During your boat ride you’ll visit some cottage industries along the river before heading to your guesthouse. Tonight's homestay, close to the delta and hosted by a Vietnamese family, will be one of the highlights of your trip, giving you a taste of community life as well as the chance to enjoy a traditional home-cooked meal.

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 Museum or Reunification Palace. If you haven’t already, head to Ben Thanh Market for some delicious street food, colourful shopping and even more colourful characters. This evening, board an overnight train bound for Danang. Trains are a common form of transport in Vietnam, so sit back and relax into this local experience.

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 they did more than a century ago. Your leader will take you on a sightseeing walk through the Old Town and visit some of the city's major attractions. A sightseeing pass is included in your tour so you can visit a selection of the major sights. Hoi An is also a shopping mecca, so head down to the markets and street stalls to browse paintings, woodwork, ceramics and lanterns. It’s also famous for its tailors who can make beautiful items to order, and with almost three full days here you have the chance to have some unique pieces whipped up.

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 afternoon, swap walking for cycling with a bike ride through the countryside near Hoi An. There's no better way to explore the peaceful area than on two wheels. You’ll see places few tourists get the chance to see among the green rice paddies and small creeks, which will give you a true insight into rural life in Vietnam.

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 beach. Hoi An is also known for its great food, so you could book yourself in for a cooking class to take some culinary secrets away with you. Most tours include a trip to the local food markets, and some take you on a short boat journey along the Thu Bon River. Let your local leader know what you're into and they will be able to recommend some activities to suit.

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 stop. Once in Hue, you’ll have a free afternoon to explore. Hue was once Vietnam’s imperial capital and has a curious mix of bustling streets and tranquil enclaves. Perhaps visit the Dong Ba Market, which sells everything imaginable and is a great place to spend some time. It’s important to know that Hue is renowned for its cuisine, with some delicious dishes originating from this region, including bun bo hue (Hue’s delicious take on pho), and banh khoai (a filled turmeric crepe). Time to give your tastebuds a workout.

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 rather take to the water, hop on a dragon boat cruise along the Perfume River and then visit Thien Mu Pagoda – the unofficial symbol of Hue. Here you’ll see an active Buddhist monastery dating back to 1601 and a car belonging to the monk who tragically set himself alight in public to protest against the treatment of Buddhists. You may also like to visit one of the royal tombs, that of Emperor Tu Duc, with its central lake set amid a grove of frangipani and pine trees. This evening, take another overnight train bound for Hanoi. The journey will take approximately 12 hours.

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 originally selling a specific type of product. Continue on to the Dong Xuan Market and Hoan Kiem Lake, making sure you check out the unique architecture along the way. Hanoi has a French provincial feel left over from colonial times, but it also has a Buddhist influence and striking modern buildings. The rest of the day is yours to explore Hanoi as you please. In the evening, why not get your group together and head out to a bustling night market for some local fare. Sitting on plastic stools and eating on the roadside is a rite of passage in Vietnam.

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 at your homestay then take an introductory walk around the village. After getting to know the village better, take a short trek (approximately two kilometres) to the alluring Sung Cave and visit a 100-year-old tea plantation. The trek has some steep and slippery sections so make sure you’ve packed suitable footwear for this activity. After a local handicraft workshop, return to your homestay accommodation for a nice hot shower and a delicious dinner.

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 a steady and relaxed pace. Keep an eye out for the monumental stone at the peak of Da Bia Mountain during the hike while you walk through local villages, meeting people from the Muong tribe. Stop for lunch at Da Bia before enjoying a scenic 1.5-hour boat cruise on Hoa Binh hydropower reservoir. Arrive at Thung Nai then board a bus transfer to Hanoi (approximately 2 hours), arriving at around 6 pm. This evening is free for you to explore this delightful city. Why not relax with a bia hoi (freshly brewed draught beer) at one of the microbars in the Old Quarter?

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 places, where limestone islands and caves rise from the emerald waters. You’ll have a free afternoon to explore at your own pace, so perhaps get active on a hike, or just enjoy a dip at one of the beaches. Have a relaxing evening on Cat Ba Island.

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 a net on the side of your kayak and help out the locals’ clean-up efforts. This initiative hopes to eliminate the rising amounts of plastic waste in the bay. Lan Ha and Halong Bay are on many travellers' bucket lists, and with two days in the area you’ll get to tick them off yours.

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).

Availability

Checking price
Price From $ 1,164
Price Per Day: $ 78 per day
Checking price
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Jun-16-2023Jun-30-2023$ 1,3684 spots left Reserve
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Jun-14-2024Jun-28-2024$ 1,43016 spots left Reserve
Jun-21-2024Jul-05-2024$ 1,43016 spots left Reserve
Jul-01-2024Jul-15-2024$ 1,48516 spots left Reserve
Jul-05-2024Jul-19-2024$ 1,48516 spots left Reserve
Jul-12-2024Jul-26-2024$ 1,48516 spots left Reserve
Jul-16-2024Jul-30-2024$ 1,43016 spots left Reserve
Jul-19-2024Aug-02-2024$ 1,43016 spots left Reserve
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Aug-09-2024Aug-23-2024$ 1,43016 spots left Reserve
Aug-16-2024Aug-30-2024$ 1,43016 spots left Reserve
Aug-30-2024Sep-13-2024$ 1,43016 spots left Reserve
Sep-06-2024Sep-20-2024$ 1,43016 spots left Reserve
Sep-13-2024Sep-27-2024$ 1,43016 spots left Reserve
Sep-27-2024Oct-11-2024$ 1,48516 spots left Reserve
Oct-04-2024Oct-18-2024$ 1,48516 spots left Reserve
Oct-18-2024Nov-01-2024$ 1,48516 spots left Reserve
Nov-01-2024Nov-15-2024$ 1,54516 spots left Reserve
Nov-15-2024Nov-29-2024$ 1,54516 spots left Reserve
Nov-29-2024Dec-13-2024$ 1,54516 spots left Reserve
Dec-06-2024Dec-20-2024$ 1,48516 spots left Reserve
Dec-13-2024Dec-27-2024$ 1,48516 spots left Reserve
Dec-16-2024Dec-30-2024$ 1,54516 spots left Reserve
Dec-20-2024Jan-03-2025$ 1,54515 spots left Reserve
Dec-23-2024Jan-06-2025$ 1,54516 spots left Reserve
Dec-27-2024Jan-10-2025$ 1,54516 spots left Reserve
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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.

4,327 Intrepid Travel Travel Reviews & Ratings

94%
4.6 out of 5 (100+ reviews)
Excellent 3,267
Great 678
Average 136
Disappointing 71
Terrible 175
Value
4.6
Guide
4.6
Activities
4.6
Lodging
4.6
Transportation
4.6
Meals
4.6

Vietnam Discovery

The age limit has not been respected.

4.0
Details
Value4.0
Guide4.0
Activities4.0
Lodging4.0
Transportation4.0
Meals4.0
The age limit has not been respected. A woman was affected over 60 and physically impaired. She has the whole group stopped at city tours. All other tour members were very fit below 30 and physically.
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Knowledgeable leader. good hotels. varied itinerary

5.0
Details
Value5.0
Guide5.0
Activities5.0
Lodging5.0
Transportation5.0
Meals5.0
Knowledgeable leader. good hotels. varied itinerary

Vietnam is such an amazing country but

5.0
Details
Value5.0
Guide5.0
Activities5.0
Lodging5.0
Transportation5.0
Meals5.0
Vietnam is such an amazing country but having a local Vietnamese guide made our experience so much more authentic. Our guide was fantastic at helping us organise out free time to make the most of the trip and optional activities. I felt we saw a lot of the country in a short space of time which was great as it gave us so many experiences and new things to do/try/see.
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This was our first Intrepid experience.

5.0
Details
Value5.0
Guide5.0
Activities5.0
Lodging5.0
Transportation5.0
Meals5.0
This was our first Intrepid experience. We were impressed by the professionalism and trip content, including optional extras. Certainly met if not exceeded our expectations.
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The trip was great, I had a

5.0
Details
Value5.0
Guide5.0
Activities5.0
Lodging5.0
Transportation5.0
Meals5.0
The trip was great, I had a fantastic time. I will definitely recommend intrepid to my friends and family who want to travel._x000D_
_x000D_
I really enjoyed travelling with our tour guide, he was incredibly friendly and made the trip a great experience. This was the first time I have ever travelled with a tour guide, and I will definitely travel with one again in the future.
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I had a fantastic time on the

5.0
Details
Value5.0
Guide5.0
Activities5.0
Lodging5.0
Transportation5.0
Meals5.0
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 guide Truong Le was also extremely enjoyable! He was incredibly friendly and was a joy to travel with! He was always organised and professional which made me feel safe on the trip – this is one of the reasons why I would definitely travel with intrepid again! He gave us a great deal of local information and advice that we would not have got if we had been travelling by ourselves. _x000D_
_x000D_
Our tour guide helped us to have a deeper insight into Vietnam, I was extremely grateful for everything that he taught us. I have already recommended intrepid to many of my friends and family, and I am already planning my next trip!_x000D_
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Details

Flight & Transport Inclusions

All internal ground transport Boat,Overnight sleeper train,Private minibus,Taxi,Train

Group Size

Small Group - 24 max

Maximum Number of People in Group: 16

Accommodations

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

Guides

All group trips are accompanied by one of our group leaders. The aim of the group leader 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 leader however, due to the seasonality of travel, rare situations may arise where your leader is new to a particular region or training other group leaders. Your leader 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 leader can recommend a local guide service in most of the main destinations of your trip.

Age Notes :

Min. Age: 15

Max Age: 99

Additional Information

Finish point

  • Rising Dragon Hotel
  • 17 Nguyen Van To Street
  • Hoan Kiem
  • Hanoi
  • VIETNAM
  • Phone: +84 2439233889

Trip ID#:

intrepid-TVRN

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