Overview
Tour overview
This Vietnam holiday package runs from south to north in 12 days: three nights in Saigon with the Cu Chi Tunnels and the Mekong Delta, three in Hoi An with a free day for the beach, then Hanoi, Ninh Binh and a night on Ha Long Bay. Two domestic flights are in the price, so each long hop takes a little over an hour instead of a day on the road. You fly into Saigon and home from Hanoi, so no day is spent going back the way you came.
You choose the start date, and the trip is arranged for your party of 1 to 4. Every airport transfer is by private car with a driver, and the Hanoi street food walk and the half-day Hanoi city tour are private to you. The other day tours (Cu Chi, the Mekong Delta, the Hoi An old town, Cam Thanh and Ninh Binh) run as small shared groups, and on Ha Long Bay you share the cruise boat with other passengers. For more than four travellers, contact us for a quote.
Prices are per person sharing a double or twin room, in US dollars, and stay the same per person for 2, 3 or 4 travellers. You choose one of three hotel classes, and the season is set by your departure date:
| Hotel class | Where you stay | Departures Oct to Apr | Departures May to Sep | Single room supplement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3-star | Prague Hotel, Serene Nature Hotel & Spa, Golden Rooster Hotel, Le Journey Premium Cruise (Deluxe cabin) | US$1,190 | US$1,090 | US$300 |
| 4-star | Alagon City Hotel & Spa (Premier Window room), Silk River Hoi An Retreat, Golden Legend Palace Hotel, Le Journey Premium Cruise (Deluxe cabin) | US$1,390 | US$1,290 | US$390 |
| 5-star | The Myst Dong Khoi, Palm Garden Beach Resort & Spa on Cua Dai Beach, Grand Vista Hanoi, Hera Grand Luxury Cruise (Junior Suite, ocean view) | US$1,890 | US$1,790 | US$590 |
October to April is the main travel season, so it costs more. For the weather in each region month by month, see our guide to the best time to visit Vietnam.
Map
Tour map
Tap the map to enlarge it. It stays one tap away in the corner while you read the days below.
Itinerary
Day by day itinerary
Day 1Arrival in Ho Chi Minh City and a free first evening in Saigon
A driver meets you at the arrivals exit of Tan Son Nhat Airport and takes you by private car into central Ho Chi Minh City, usually 30 to 45 minutes depending on traffic. Nothing else is booked today.
After a long-haul flight, most people rest, then walk out in the evening when the heat drops and the street stalls set up on the pavements.
Day 2Ho Chi Minh City and the Cu Chi Tunnels
A full day with a small group, split between the city and the Cu Chi Tunnels to the northwest. The tunnels were dug by hand and used by Viet Cong fighters during the American War, and a short section is open to visitors who want to go underground.
The rest of the day covers the main landmarks of central Saigon. The exact stops and timings are confirmed when you book.
Day 3Mekong Delta day trip to My Tho and Ben Tre, then Saigon street food by motorbike
The day starts with a small-group trip south into the Mekong Delta, around two hours by road. You visit My Tho on the main river and Ben Tre across from it, a province known for its coconut groves, with a local meal at midday.
Back in the city, the evening food tour goes out on motorbikes: you ride behind a local driver to street stalls and small family eateries in different parts of Saigon.
Day 4Fly to Da Nang, then Hoi An old town by boat and lantern light
A private car takes you to Tan Son Nhat for the morning flight to Da Nang, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Another driver meets you there for the 45-minute drive south to Hoi An.
At 3:00 PM the old town tour starts, in a small group of up to 12 with an English-speaking guide, picked up where you stay. You walk the old streets and their landmarks, take a boat on the Thu Bon River and set a paper lantern on the water after dark. The evening ends with a set-menu meal and you are dropped back around 7:30 PM.
Day 5Cam Thanh coconut village: market, basket boat and cooking class
A small-group half day (up to 12 guests, English-speaking guide) in Cam Thanh, a riverside village just outside Hoi An. You start at a local market, then ride a round bamboo basket boat through the water coconut forest before the cooking class, which ends with a seven-course meal.
Choose the morning session (8:20 AM to 12:20 PM) or the afternoon one (1:20 PM to 5:20 PM) when you book. The rest of the day is free.
Day 6A free day in Hoi An: An Bang Beach or the lanes by bicycle
No tours today. An Bang Beach is about 15 minutes away by taxi, with sunbeds and seafood places along the sand. You can also borrow a bicycle where you stay, when one is free, and ride the rice-field lanes around town.
If you would rather see more, My Son Sanctuary or Ba Na Hills can be added as a day trip at extra cost. Ask us when you book.
Day 7Fly to Hanoi and a private street food walk in the Old Quarter
A private car takes you to Da Nang Airport, about 45 minutes, for the flight north to Hanoi, around 1 hour 20 minutes. At Noi Bai a driver is waiting to take you into the Old Quarter, about 45 minutes on the expressway.
At 6:00 PM your own guide meets you for a street food walk through the Old Quarter, just your party, tasting the dishes Hanoi is known for at street stalls and small family kitchens.
Day 8Private half-day Hanoi city tour by car
A private half day in Hanoi with an English-speaking guide and a car with driver, so the distances between sights take no effort. The start time is flexible and agreed with you.
The afternoon is free. Hoan Kiem Lake and the Old Quarter streets are a short walk away.
Day 9Ninh Binh day trip: Hoa Lu, Tam Coc by boat and the Hang Mua viewpoint
A shared day trip to Ninh Binh, about two hours south of Hanoi, in a 9 to 11-seat luxury van with a guide. You start at Hoa Lu, the capital of Vietnam in the 10th century, then take a rowing boat along the river through the rice fields and limestone peaks of Tam Coc.
A short bicycle ride on village lanes follows, and the climb up Hang Mua, close to 500 stone steps, ends at a viewpoint over the whole Tam Coc valley. A set-menu meal is included at midday.
Day 10Limousine bus to Ha Long Bay and a night on Le Journey Premium Cruise
The cruise company's limousine bus, shared with other passengers, collects you in the Old Quarter between 7:30 and 8:45 AM for the drive east to Ha Long Bay, around two and a half hours on the expressway. You board Le Journey Premium Cruise, a 20-cabin boat, and settle into an ocean-view deluxe cabin.
Ha Long Bay has close to 1,600 limestone islands and islets and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994. In the afternoon you take a kayak out among them, then afternoon tea is served on board as the boat anchors for the night. Drinks are paid separately.
Day 11Morning on Ha Long Bay, a cooking class on board and back to Hanoi
You wake on the water. The crew runs a cooking class on board, then an early meal is served while the boat heads back to the pier.
The limousine bus brings you back to the Old Quarter around 3:00 to 3:30 PM. The rest of the day is free for your last evening in Hanoi.
Day 12Departure from Noi Bai Airport
A private car takes you from the Old Quarter to Noi Bai Airport, about 45 minutes, at a time set by your flight home.
Hotels
Where you sleep
Stays may change to similar ones depending on availability for your dates. We will let you know in advance. You can also upgrade to 5-star hotels.
Transport
Transport on this tour
Vehicle type depends on the size of your group.
Inclusions
What is included
- 11 nights with daily breakfast: 3 in Ho Chi Minh City, 3 in Hoi An, 4 in Hanoi and 1 on a Ha Long Bay cruise
- Two economy domestic flights, Ho Chi Minh City to Da Nang and Da Nang to Hanoi, each with 20 kg of checked baggage
- Private car with driver for every airport transfer in Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang and Hanoi
- Ho Chi Minh City and Cu Chi Tunnels full-day tour (small group)
- Mekong Delta day tour to My Tho and Ben Tre, with lunch (small group)
- Evening street food tour by motorbike in Ho Chi Minh City, with drivers
- Hoi An old town tour with a boat ride, lantern release and set-menu dinner (small group of up to 12, English-speaking guide, pickup and drop-off)
- Cam Thanh market visit, coconut forest, basket boat and cooking class with a seven-course meal (small group of up to 12, English-speaking guide)
- Private Hanoi street food walking tour from 6:00 PM
- Private half-day Hanoi city tour by car with an English-speaking guide
- Ninh Binh day tour in a shared 9 to 11-seat luxury van: Hoa Lu, Tam Coc boat ride, Hang Mua, cycling, entrance fees, guide and set-menu lunch
- Return limousine bus between Hanoi Old Quarter and Ha Long Bay
- Ha Long Bay cruise, 2 days and 1 night, on Le Journey Premium Cruise (Hera Grand Luxury Cruise with 5-star hotels): lunch, afternoon tea and dinner on day 1, breakfast and an early lunch on day 2, cooking class, kayaking, Wi-Fi and Ha Long Bay entrance fees
- International flights to Ho Chi Minh City and home from Hanoi
- Vietnam e-visa, if your passport needs one
- Travel insurance
- Tips for guides and drivers
- Drinks, including on the cruise
- Meals not listed in the itinerary
- Optional trips on the free day in Hoi An, such as My Son Sanctuary or Ba Na Hills
Good to know
Good to know
Before you go
- The tour starts at Tan Son Nhat Airport in Ho Chi Minh City and ends at Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi, so book your international ticket into Saigon and home from Hanoi.
- Most passports, Australian and South African included, need a Vietnam e-visa before you fly. Australians can find the steps in Vietnam visa for Australians. Your passport must be valid for at least six months after the trip ends.
- Domestic flight times are set when we issue the tickets. The day 4 flight to Da Nang leaves in the morning, so you reach Hoi An before the 3:00 PM old town tour.
- The Saigon street food tour is ridden on the back of a motorbike behind a local driver. If that worries you, tell us when you book.
- Pack comfortable shoes for the stone steps at Hang Mua, swimwear for An Bang Beach, and a light jacket for Hanoi and Ha Long Bay from December to February.
- The cruise may change its route or timing in bad weather, and drinks on board are paid separately.
- Departures over Christmas, New Year and Tet (Lunar New Year) may carry hotel and cruise surcharges. Our team tells you the amount before you confirm your booking.
Cancellation policy
If you cancel, we refund what you have paid minus a cancellation fee. The fee depends on how long before your arrival date you cancel:
- More than 60 days before: 10%
- 30 to 59 days before: 20%
- 15 to 29 days before: 40%
- 8 to 14 days before: 80%
- 7 days or less before, or no-show: 100%
The two domestic flight tickets are booked in your name once the tour is confirmed, and any airline charge for cancelling them is added to the fee above.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is included in this Vietnam holiday package?
Eleven nights with breakfast (ten in hotels, one on the Ha Long Bay cruise), both domestic flights with 20 kg of checked baggage, every airport transfer by private car, and the tours in the itinerary with the meals they list. International flights, your e-visa, travel insurance, tips and drinks are extra.
Do we travel on our own or with a group?
Both, depending on the day. Your transfers, the Hanoi street food walk and the Hanoi city tour are private to your party. The day tours around Saigon, the Mekong Delta, Hoi An, Cam Thanh and Ninh Binh join a small group, and the Ha Long Bay cruise is shared with other passengers.
Do I need a visa for Vietnam?
Most travellers do, including Australian and South African passport holders. The e-visa is the easiest way to get one: you apply online, and it is worth doing at least two weeks before you fly. The e-visa fee is not part of the tour price.
Why do departures from October to April cost more?
Those months are the main travel season, and hotels and cruise boats charge more for them. From May to September the same trip costs US$100 less per person in every hotel class. Christmas, New Year and Tet departures can carry extra surcharges, which we confirm before you book.
Can three or four of us book together?
Yes. With 3 or 4 travellers the price per person is the same as for 2, as long as you share rooms. Anyone who wants a room alone pays the single supplement: US$300 with 3-star hotels, US$390 with 4-star or US$590 with 5-star. For more than four people, contact us for a quote.
How fit do we need to be?
If you can walk for a few hours at an easy pace, you will be fine. The hardest part is Hang Mua in Ninh Binh, close to 500 stone steps up to the viewpoint. The Ninh Binh bike ride is short and on village lanes, and kayaking on Ha Long Bay is gentle paddling in sheltered water.
More tours
