Highlights of Vietnam

Highlights of Vietnam

10 Days Starting in Hanoi and ending in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

Visiting: Vietnam

Tour operator:

Exodus Adventure Travels

Tour code:

ALD

Guide Type:

Fully Guided

Group size:

4 - 16

Physical rating:

Easy & Moderate

Age range:

16-99

Special diets catered:

Please inform Exodus of specific dietary requirements

Tour operated in:

English
From: $2100 $1680 Operator discount: -$420 -20%

NB: Prices correct on 25-Nov-2024 but subject to change.

Tour Overview

This highlight-packed trip encapsulates the magic of Vietnam: the conservative north, imperial cities, majestic coastlines, idyllic countryside, sky-scraping mountains, and the effervescent life of Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta. Along the way, we see an outgoing culture, where so much happens in the streets: eating, washing, socialising, buying, selling and impromptu games. This intriguing parade of Vietnamese daily life may leave us with our strongest memories, as much as the superb landscapes and amazing cuisine.

Highlights

  • Explore the underground rivers and caves of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park

  • Take a boat trip around the limestone peaks of Ha Long Bay

  • Discover the Imperial Citadel and Thien Mu Pagoda in Hue

  • Experience the historic trading town of Hoi An

  • Visit the Vinh Moc war tunnels

  • Explore the Mekong Delta by boat

  • Try the world-renowned national cuisine

Itinerary

Expand All

Day 1 : Start Hanoi

Meals Included: Dinner

Depending on your arrival time, you might like to start exploring this fascinating city by strolling the broad tree-lined avenues dating from the French period. There is a faded colonial charm where baguettes and good coffee are sold from doorways of grand buildings from a past era. There is a welcome briefing this evening with your leader followed by a welcome dinner at KOTO, a social enterprise that trains and employs underprivileged young people. The delicious food provides a fitting welcome to Vietnam and a chance to bond with your group.



Accommodation: Babylon Grand Hotel & Spa (or similar)

Day 2 : To Ha Long Bay; Cruise Among Limestone Formations; Overnight On Traditional Junk Boat

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today, we visit an icon of Vietnam: Ha Long Bay, a World Heritage site where some 3,000 limestone peaks break through emerald waters to create a mystical, magical landscape. To get there, we rise early for the approximately four-hour drive and, upon arrival, board a traditional junk sailing boat, which is also our home for tonight.



After launching, enjoy a seafood lunch on deck and drift among the forested pinnacles. We also stop at a beach where we can hike up to a viewpoint (it’s quite steep but the vistas are worth it), plus there’s time for a swim in a small sectioned-off area. Additionally, an optional kayaking trip (extra cost) may be available depending on weather conditions.



Back on board, pull up a chair on the top deck and watch the sunset together, perhaps with a cold drink from the bar. When it’s time for bed, we have the comforts of twin-share cabins with private bathrooms.



Accommodation: Overnight boat

Day 3 : Transfer Back To Hanoi; Overnight Train To Dong Hoi

Meals Included: Breakfast

We continue to cruise around Ha Long Bay this morning before returning to port. We then drive back to Hanoi where we have a bit of free time to explore. You might like to join the local people by pulling up a plastic stool and sampling one of the many street food offerings; the bun cha (barbecued pork with rice noodles and fresh herbs) is particularly good. Late afternoon, we transfer to the train station to board our overnight train to Dong Hoi, 310mi (500km) south of Hanoi.



Accommodation: Overnight train

Day 4 : Discover The Caves Of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Arriving at Dong Hoi at sunrise, we take a short transfer to our hotel to freshen up and have breakfast.



We then journey (approximately one hour) to Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park. Designated a World Heritage site in 2003, it is home to the oldest karst mountains in Asia, plus hundreds of cave systems and spectacular underground rivers.



We first visit Phong Nha cave by boat. After, we stop for lunch before discovering the Thien Duong cave, known locally as Paradise Cave. This was only discovered in 2005 by scientists from the British Cave Research Association with the help of a local man who had heard the mountains ‘whistling’ while farming.



In the afternoon, we return to our hotel in Dong Hoi, where we have time to relax and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.



Accommodation: Sam Quang Binh Hotel (or similar)

Day 5 : To Hue Via The War Tunnels Of Vinh Moc

Meals Included: Breakfast

For early risers, there is an optional visit to the Dong Hoi Fish Market, where buyers and sellers haggle over baskets brimming with the latest catch.



We then journey to Hue after breakfast, stopping en route at the Vinh Moc war tunnels. Less well-known than the Cu Chi tunnels in the south, these were predominantly used as bomb shelters during the Vietnam War. Village life carried on underground: children went to school, hospitals were established and films were even played using power from a generator.



We next stop at the Hien Luong Bridge which crosses the Ben Hai River, which formed part of the border between North and South Vietnam from 1954 until reunification in 1975. We arrive in Hue mid-afternoon with free time before an optional group dinner.



Accommodation: Park View Hotel (or similar)

Day 6 : Hue City Tour; Transfer To Hoi An

Meals Included: Breakfast

It is said that Hue is the cultural and historical centre of Vietnam, and there is plenty to see. The most outstanding sight is the Imperial Citadel, which has walls 6mi (9.5km) long; inside are the palaces and halls of the Mandarins, and the remains of the Forbidden Purple City, where only the emperor, his eunuchs and concubines were allowed. The Forbidden Purple City was almost totally destroyed during the Vietnam War's Tet Offensive, but the foliage-covered ruins are still atmospheric and the gaping bomb holes reveal the destruction wreaked upon the country.



This morning, we visit the Imperial Citadel and the Thien Mu Pagoda. The pagoda was a centre for anti-government protest in the early 1960s and houses the Austin car that transported monk Thich Quang Duc to Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) in 1963 where he burned himself in protest against the president. The photograph of his self-immolation was printed in newspapers around the world.



After lunch, we leave for Hoi An via the spectacular Hai Van Pass, 12mi (19km) of road winds up and over the fortress of mountains providing breath-taking views of the coast.



Accommodation: Hoi An Sincerity Hotel & Spa (or similar)

Day 7 : Walking Tour Of Hoi An; Free Time To Explore The Market

Meals Included: Breakfast

This morning includes a walking tour of Hoi An, the original European trading port in Vietnam dating to the mid-16th century. It is now a living museum with attractive wooden merchant's houses and pagoda-style temples with Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and European architectural influences. It is also a marvellous place to wander around and enjoy the thriving riverside market and shops selling silk clothes.



This afternoon is free. One popular option is to jump on a bike for a ride through the countryside past local markets, schools and villages before continuing to Cua Dai beach (3mi/5km).



Accommodation: Hoi An Sincerity Hotel & Spa (or similar)

Day 8 : Fly To Ho Chi Minh City; Visit Main Sites

Meals Included: Breakfast

We drive to Da Nang and then fly to Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon), an exciting and absorbing city where scooters pack the streets and temples stand by modern developments. Devastated by the Vietnam War, it is now a bustling free-market city where anything goes. We include a visit to the Ben Thanh Market, Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral and War Remnants Museum. The museum has an interesting photographic record of the Vietnam/American War but some images are very graphic.



Accommodation: Huong Sen Hotel (or similar)

Day Trip To Mekong Delta

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Journeying out of the city, we head to the lush countryside that is the Mekong Delta for a day tour. Known as the rice bowl of Vietnam, this region produces most of the country’s fruit, sugarcane and coconuts. We take a boat along the many tributaries and stop to see cottage industries along the way. We journey by sampan, a traditional low-riding wooden boat still used by the local people as the main form of transport. After sampling some of the local produce, we return to Ho Chi Minh City where our groups typically enjoy a farewell dinner.



Accommodation: Huong Sen Hotel (or similar)

Day 10 : End Ho Chi Minh City

Meals Included: Breakfast

Our Vietnam exploration ends today after breakfast. However, if you’re not quite ready for the adventure to stop, speak to your sales representative about our extension to Angkor in Cambodia, probably the standout archaeological site in Southeast Asia.

What's Included

  • All breakfasts, three lunches and two dinners

  • All accommodation

  • All transport and listed activities

  • Tour leader throughout

  • Free arrival and departure transfers for everyone

What's Not Included

  • Travel insurance

  • Single accommodation (available on request)

  • Visas or vaccinations

Accommodation

Spend seven nights in hotels and one night on a traditional junk boat cruising Ha Long Bay. The accommodation typically used is on the day-to-day itinerary. However, below are a few of the notable accommodations on this trip. 



Ha Long Bay: Traditional junk boat (night 2) 







Board a traditional junk boat to cruise among the magnificent limestone karsts of Ha Long Bay. Each of the twin-share cabins has air conditioning and a window out to sea, while the boat has a rooftop deck with chairs – this is where most of our groups tend to gather for views over the bay. There’s also a dining room with glass windows so we can continue to admire this extraordinary landscape during lunch and dinner. 



To Dong Hoi: Sleeper train (night 3) 



Our sleeper train takes us to Dong Hoi after Ha Long Bay – an essential part of the tour, linking two special destinations without flying or a lengthy coach trip. However, trains in Vietnam are not luxurious and it’s best to come prepared to enhance your experience – we’ve found extra warm layers to combat the air conditioning and ear plugs can provide a little more comfort! We stay in mixed-gender soft-bed berths, usually four passengers per berth. The trains here are safe but, as with any trip, we recommend you keep valuables with you. Snacks are normally offered on board and most trains have Western-style facilities, but some are equipped with squat toilets. 



Worth knowing 



Single supplements are available (on request) for seven nights of the trip (hotel nights). Please advise your sales representatives at the time of booking if you would like to request a single supplement. 

Food

All breakfasts, three lunches and two dinners are included.



Thanks to the tropical climate, the long coast and the gigantic range of mountains, Vietnam is blessed with a variety of culinary offerings and consequently maintains a reputation as one of the healthiest cuisines in the world that still packs a punch.



Vietnamese food relies on fresh fish, vegetables, rice and a myriad of verdant herbs and spices; lemongrass, ginger, basil and lime all play an important role. The Chinese and French influence is felt throughout the country where you are just as likely to be offered a banh mi (stuffed baguette) as you are a hot bowl of pho (noodle soup).



Also seek out the national drinks: Vietnamese coffee is served iced and sweet with condensed milk, and beer hoi (local beer, brewed daily) is served on most street corners in the north out of large plastic jugs that are perfect for sharing.



Food is cheap in Vietnam and you can generally avoid the spicier food if you wish. Western food is readily available almost everywhere.



Vegetarian food is widely available; however, the offering will be fairly similar in most places. Please advise at time of booking if you have any dietary requirements.

Check out our Q&As

  • Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?

    Yes

  • Are children permitted to take part in the tour?

    16+ age people can go on this tour.

  • What is the maximum group size?

    16

  • Are airport transfers included in this tour?

    Arrival & departure transfers

  • What is the standard of the hotels on this tour?

    Standard hotels

  • What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?

    If you wish to make any changes to your booking, particularly if you need to alter any flights booked through us, please let us know as soon as possible. There is a booking or flight amendment fee of £40 per change and flight amendments often incur extra airline costs depending on the changes to be made and if the ticket has been issued or not.

  • How long has the tour company been trading?

    Exodus has been trading since 1974

  • What documents will I receive before I travel?

    Your final joining instructions and flight details, if booked with us, will then be sent out 2 to 3 weeks before departure. If you would like a hard copy posted, or if you require these any earlier, please contact the customer operations team. We advise that if you are booking connecting travel before receiving these, please ensure you leave plenty of time.

  • Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?

    Travellers are welcome to opt to share a room with a tour member of the same gender for no additional charge. If you'd like your own room, we can request a single supplement so that you will have your own room throughout.

  • Can I join the tour once it has departed?

    You are welcome to meet the group after the tour has departed however there is no reduction in rate for joining a tour after the departure date.

Reviews from travellers on this tour

Highlights of Vietnam

An excellent all round fantastic experience. Great value for money, excellent group leader, and a perfectly balanced programme.

Amazing 10 days

This is a busy trip but gives you the highlights of this beautiful country. We went to the cities and the countryside. We enjoyed some fabulous food and the people were really friendly.

Brilliant holiday... let by a brilliant tour leader/guide

This was my first holiday ever to the East, beyond Europe. Vietnam is a truly amazing country and having been back two weeks now, I still can't believe I was there. From start to finish of the tour, it was an amazing holiday and experience and one I will never forget, as one as hopefully one day I would like to repeat. The tour is full-on... early starts, long days and always lots to see and do (north to south in 10 days with sights). There was not a lot of free time to yourself and only when we were in Hoi An or on the last day in Ho Chi Minh City before the night flight home, did we manage to get any real chance to do any shopping, but I wouldn't have changed a thing. A perfect holiday left by a perfect guide.

Fun, Fast, Exhilarating, Exhausting and wouldn't change a thing

The most jam packed 10 days of my life. But also the most enjoyable. Every day brought something new. It's fast and furious so be prepared for moving to somewhere new virtually everyday day. Having said that it's a truly enthralling trip. Every destination is different providing you with a ton of different unforgettable experiences.

Highlights of Vietnam

This trip provided an insight into Vietnamese life in the past and present. The experiences were varied such as visits to sites of natural beauty as well as historical and social settings. Our guide was very informative and professional, providing the group with both factual and personal narratives. The trip and our guide introduced us to venues and experiences that we would not have had access to, had we visited on our own.

Awesome

A very busy trip that gave us a taste of so many parts of Vietnam and an opportunity to understand about the culture and food in the north and south. A good mixture of history, sightseeing and a variety of travel modes. Hotels were of a high standard and the customer service from people who served us in all of the accommodation, on buses and in restaurants was first class. As tourists we were welcomed with open arms. We enjoyed the energy and optimism of Vietnam and the sense of humour and pride in the country

Fantastic!

Having recently returned from a 15-day adventure to Vietnam I cannot praise Exodus enough for their meticulous organisation, jam-packed itinerary and knowledgeable and friendly guides. Everything went smoothly thanks to the organisation of the staff at the UK HQ and also the guides who met us at each location we visited. The guides took their time to show us the "real Vietnam" and teach us about Vietnamese culture and life. We took a private tour, travelling from North to South and were met at each destination by our Exodus guides; we did not need to worry about anything as everything was covered and as a result we saw and did so much more than would have been possible if we had organised the trip ourselves.

Fantastic trip

Fascinating trip using many forms of transport (overnight train is fun!). Diverse places and friendly people.

A whistlestop tour of Vietnam

This is a busy tour taking in the main sights of Vietnam. Be prepared for planes, trains and automobiles (and boats!).

A Lot to See in a Short Amount of Time

I felt that we really did see Vietnam top to bottom. There was a lot to cover in 10 days and the trip could really be extended. It was helpful to get to Hanoi a couple of days earlier and I previously went to Ho Chi Min City. The caves are the best part of the trip. You really can't go wrong with it, if your goal is to see Vietnam.

Read all 14 reviews

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Sunday - Tuesday

Dec 22, 2024 - Dec 31, 2024
$2100 $1680

Operator discount: -$420

Prices last published on 24-Nov-2024

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