Gifted with a staggering abundance of flavourful food, fascinating culture, untouched nature, and disarmingly friendly people, Vietnam has more than earned its reputation as one of the world’s most popular travel destinations. This fun-focused family trip packs as much of the good stuff into 12 days as humanly possible – including cruising Halong Bay, exploring the Imperial Citadel, museum visits, and even a boat trip to a floating market – yet still offers more than enough time to relax. Don’t forget to pack your smile; you’ll be needing it often here.
Day 1 Hanoi
Arrive at any time.
If you have time take a walk through Hanoi’s Old Quarter – a maze of streets, each one traditionally devoted to a different product or industry.
Arrival Day and Welcome Meeting
The adventure begins tonight. Feel free to explore before your welcome meeting, but make sure you’re back in time to meet the group. After introductions, your CEO will review the details of your tour.
Accommodation: Golden Silk Boutique Hotel (or similar)
Day 2 Hanoi
Enjoy a guided cyclo (cycle rickshaw) tour of the Old Quarter, let the driver navigate through the bustling streets and start taking some photos or just use the tour to help get familiar with the area, before seeing a Water Puppet Theatre performance. Choose to visit a museum or do some shopping.
Accommodation: Golden Silk Boutique Hotel (or similar) – breakfast included
Day 3 Hanoi/Ha Long
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle as you travel from Hanoi to Ha Long.
Arrive at Ha Long and cruise through majestic Ha Long Bay on a traditional wooden junk boat. Enjoy your time afloat eating fresh seafood, kayaking, and exploring Sung Sot cave. Spend a peaceful night anchored in the bay under the stars.
On rare occasion Halong Bay is closed to tourist vessels by the government authorities due to extreme weather conditions. Should this occur, an alternate activity will be provided.
Accommodation: Halong Bay Boat – breakfast, lunch, dinner included
Day 4 Ha Long/Huế
Continue on the cruise of Halong Bay to Man’s Head Island and Tortoise Island and visit Luon cave by small bamboo boat.
After an early lunch on board we head back to Hanoi with time for shopping or further sightseeing until the overnight train to Hue. Experience overnight travel like a local. Sit back and get some well-earned rest on the way to your next stop.
Accommodation: Overnight train
Day 5 Huế
We arrive in Hue mid-morning and take a tour of the Imperial Citadel which also contains the Forbidden Purple City.
The Citadel is a UNESCO World Heritage site. See the walled fortress and former palace, which has many palaces, gateways, courtyards, and gardens to explore. The Forbidden Purple City (modelled on China’s Forbidden City) inside the Citadel was once home to the imperial family and was significantly damaged during the Vietnam War.
Afterward, there is free time to explore the city. Consider visiting Tien Mu Pagoda, or exploring the countryside on a motorbike tour.
Accommodation: Asia Hotel (or similar) – includes breakfast
Day 6 Huế/Hoi An
This morning take a scenic drive to Hoi An, travelling over the Hai Van Pass. After arriving enjoy free time to explore the city.
Optional activities include cooking school, a riverboat trip, bike riding, the beach, visiting the tailors or My Son ruins.
Accommodation: Thanh Binh Riverside Hotel (or similar) – includes breakfast
Days 7–8 Hoi An
Enjoy a noodle making demonstration and lunch at Oodles of Noodles. Afterwards enjoy some free time to explore Hoi An.
Explore the pagodas, temples, tombs and more than 1,000 old houses of this historic city. If you’re in the market for a lantern, this is the place to shop or visit the nearby beaches.
Accommodation: Thanh Binh Riverside Hotel (similar) – includes breakfast and lunch
Day 9 Hoi An/Ho Chi Minh City
A short flight takes us to Ho Chi Minh City, the sprawling metropolis that once was the capital of South Vietnam and remains the country’s commercial centre.
Take a city tour on a cyclo (cycle rickshaw), a great way to absorb the sights, sounds, and smells of Ho Chi Minh City.
Accommodation: Continental Saigon Hotel (or similar) – includes breakfast
Day 10 Ho Chi Minh City/Mekong Delta
Take a boat trip along the Mekong Delta seeing small villages that show a different side of Vietnamese life. Be amazed at how the locals rely on the Mekong for everything!
We spend the night in a small village in the delta, a great chance to interact with the locals and to enjoy a traditional southern Vietnamese dinner.
Accommodation: Local Living in a Mekong Homestay – includes breakfast and dinner
Day 11 Mekong Delta/Ho Chi Minh City
Return to Ho Chi Minh City for a free afternoon to explore this city.
There are plenty of war-related spots to visit including the Reunification Palace (where the tank that ended the Vietnam War sits), the War Remnants Museum, Ho-Chi-Minh Museum and the Cu Chi Tunnels.
For shopping, head to Dong Kohi Street and Pham Ngu Lao Street, or if you’re tired of walking, take a
Accommodation: Continental Saigon Hotel (or similar) – includes breakfast
Day 12 Ho Chi Minh City
Departure day, depart at any time.
