Vietnam tour, grand adventure
| country: | Vietnam |
| location: | Mekong Delta, North Vietnam, South Vietnam, Hill Tribes |
| departures: | 2008: 8 Oct, 22 Oct, 5 Nov, 19 Nov, 3 Dec, 17 Dec, 31 Dec |
| price: | From £1445 (22 days) - £1750 (27 days) excluding flights. Single supplement available. We can arrange flights from the UK. |
read 1 travellers review
the amazing things you'll be doing
This 22 or 27-day trip truly encompasses Vietnam. Start in Hanoi, with the option of exploring the hilltribes of Sapa, before journeying down the country's beautiful coast to Central and Southern Vietnam, ending your experience in the Mekong Delta near the Cambodian border.
Highlights include:
Overnight on Halong Bay junk Reunification Express Spectacular mountains and ethnic minorities Sapa extension (optional 5 days)
Accommodation is in hotels/guest houses, a boat, an ecolodge hotel and an Ancient House. Transport is by boat, modern air-conditioned vehicles and overnight sleeper train (basic, 4 berth shared). Our maximum group size is 15 people. Price includes breakfast, some lunches/dinners, tour leader and English speaking guide.
Highlights include:
Accommodation is in hotels/guest houses, a boat, an ecolodge hotel and an Ancient House. Transport is by boat, modern air-conditioned vehicles and overnight sleeper train (basic, 4 berth shared). Our maximum group size is 15 people. Price includes breakfast, some lunches/dinners, tour leader and English speaking guide.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Hanoi. Arrive and transfer to your hotel. This evening meet your tour leader and the rest of your group for a welcome drink and a tour briefing. |
| Day 2-3: | Halong Bay. We take a boat journey through the 3000 limestone islands dotted with caves and grottoes. As we have the boat to ourselves there is time for exploring the bay, swimming and relaxing. Experience the magic of falling asleep on board a boat in this beautiful part of the world. The following day we return to the mainland. |
| Day 4: | Hanoi. Experience the rich cultural and artistic traditions of Vietnam’s capital. We explore the Old Quarter, visit Ho Chi Minh’s former residence, One Pillar Pagoda and the Temple of Literature, then stop by the infamous Hanoi Hilton prison. See a unique performance of water puppetry, a traditional art form dating back to the 11th century and explore Hanoi at your own pace. |
| Day 5-6: | Hilltribe Villages & Hanoi. We start with a visit to the excellent Ethnology Museum and then, travelling west, we reach the remote mountains around Mai Chau and enjoy the traditional hospitality of the Muong and White Tai minority people, staying overnight in a village. The following day see the wonderful scenery of Mai Chau, visit villages and absorb Vietnam’s rural lifestyle before continuing on to Ninh Binh. |
| Day 7-8: | Tam Coc, Vinh & Phong Nha Caves. Enjoy a sampan ride through beautiful Tam Coc, ‘Halong Bay on land’. We then head south and visit Hoang Tru, the birthplace of Ho Chi Minh, before continuing to the spectacular Phong Nha Caves, another World Heritage sight. Stop overnight at a new resort on the central coast. |
| Day 9-11: | Hue, China Beach & Hoi An. Hue is Vietnam’s former imperial capital and a charming town. We see remnants of Hue’s imperial past at the imposing former royal residence, continue on to the 16th century Thien Mu Pagoda, cruise the Perfume River and visit the impressive tomb of Emperor Tu Duc. Travelling across spectacular Hai Van Pass, we arrive in Danang and visit the fascinating Cham Museum before travelling further south to the famous China Beach and the temples and caves of Marble Mountains. Arriving in Hoi An, we take time to relax and explore the delightful narrow streets, unique architecture and sample the special local cuisine. We also become a ‘Hoi An local’ for a day as we visit interact with local families in a nearby village. |
| Day 12-13: | Nha Trang. After travelling by daytime train through lush rice fields and past spectacular coastal scenery, we arrive in Nha Trang. Spend a day cruising amongst tropical islands through turquoise waters, enjoying swimming, snorkelling and seafood, with time to relax or explore the town. |
| Day 14-16: | Dalat. Leaving Nha Trang, we ascend Ngoan Muc Pass to the Central Highlands and Dalat, a quaint hillstation surrounded by pine forests and French villas. We see Vietnam’s most colourful market, meet some unusual local artists and cycle or walk to the picturesque lake. There is free time to enjoy the refreshing climate and atmosphere of the area before driving to Saigon. |
| Day 17-18: | Saigon & Cu Chi. We walk through the bustling streets of Saigon, visiting the markets, pagodas, museums and landmarks such as the former Presidential Palace and Chinatown. We also explore the amazing Communist guerrilla tunnel system at Cu Chi. |
| Day 19-22: | Mekong Delta. We travel deep into the Mekong Delta, exploring the narrow waterways by boat, visiting floating markets, local farmhouses and fruit orchards en route. We stroll through the colourful streets of Can Tho and Chau Doc and walk up Sam Mountain for superb views over the Delta and neighbouring Cambodia before returning to Saigon. On our last night we sample Saigon’s superb cuisine and bid farewell to our fellow travellers. Your journey ends with your airport transfer. |
| Optional extension: | Sapa hilltribes. This 5 day extension features at the beginning of the trip. After a day in Hanoi to relax we travel by overnight train to to Sapa and experience the diversity of Vietnam’s ethnic minority people. We see Sapa and Bac Ha’s amazing markets and spend a night at an ‘ecolodge’ surrounded by stunning mountain scenery. We also walk through friendly villages of the Red Dzao people. Return to Hanoi by overnight train on day 5, arriving early the following morning. |
travellers' tales
It was all exciting to be fair, but the highlights were probably the many boat trips - Nah Trang and Halong bay. Also the Mekong Delta, Hue and Hoi An were amazing places to visit. I loved the contrast between Hanoi and Saigon (both awesome cities). (more)
small group adventure holiday
These small group journeys have a maximum of 15 like-minded travellers which ensures that all travellers have an amazing overall experience with the destination and that they enjoy the flexibility that comes with the small group dynamic. On this trip you will stay at boutique accommodation with character. Our numbers are discreet enough for us to interact with local families in their homes and meet people in markets, bazaars and temples – something that’s just not possible when you arrive as part of a large tour group. Along with our unique combination of Western tour leader and local English-speaking guide this will ensure an unforgettable travel experience.how this holiday makes a difference
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We believe that travel should entail an exchange of knowledge and perspectives, a sharing of wealth, and a genuine appreciation of Vietnam’s beautiful natural environments. This philosophy underpins the heart and soul of our style of travel. We recognise that poorly planned itineraries or poorly informed tourists contribute less to cross-cultural understanding and less to the livelihoods of local people. Our most comprehensive Vietnam journey combines remote areas and minority villages with the country’s popular highlights.
 In the lesser visited NW we stay overnight at an ecolodge, the only one of its kind, where solar technology is supplied to every lodge, local people are employed and local products used to bring economic benefits to the local community. In Hanoi there is the opportunity to visit Koto’s (know one, teach one) – a not-for-profit restaurant and vocational training centre staffed by disadvantaged young people – to try their infamous Koto smoothie. In Mai Chau we enjoy the hospitality of the Muong and White Tai minority people staying overnight in a traditional family house. Our offices also finance the Loretto Foundation in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), which assists disadvantaged, poor and disabled children through education. On this journey our local guides are trained to share their knowledge of cultural and other local issues in a balanced, informative way; in this journey alone you are likely to meet four local guides from different provinces in Vietnam. They share real experiences from their own lives and insights into their family life, influences and beliefs, thus providing our travellers with a deeper understanding of the places they visit. This is what motivates our guides, not shopping commissions. Our offices in Saigon and Hanoi are staffed with local people wherever possible and we have a long term aim of filling management roles with competent local staff. This presence in Vietnam means we are much better able to control the content, the actions of our suppliers, and the style of our small group journey. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |