Discover the magic of Vietnam on this 12-day adventure packed with culture, cuisine, and connection. Begin with a serene sail on a traditional junk boat through Halong Bay’s limestone karsts, then head south to explore the vibrant streets of Hue and the charm of Hoi An. Roll up your sleeves and craft your own noodles alongside expert hosts at a local social enterprise. Continue to the bustling energy of Saigon and delve into the lush waterways of the Mekong Delta, where you’ll spend two unforgettable nights at a community guesthouse, learning from your welcoming local hosts and exploring the delta by boat and on foot. With plenty of adventure and just the right amount of downtime, this trip will leave you inspired and recharged.
Travel Style
Classic
Service Level
Standard
Physical Grading
3 - Average
What's Included
Your G for Good Moment: Oodles of Noodles, Hoi An
Your Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group
Your Discover Moment: Hoi An
Your Local Living Moment: Cai Thia Mekong River Visit, Mekong Delta. Free time in Hanoi. Halong Bay caves entrance. Halong Bay boat cruise with seafood lunch and dinner. Thien Mu Pagoda Visit. Imperial Citadel and Royal Tombs. Free time in Hoi An. Oodles of Noodles experience. Cu Chi Tunnels guided tour. Free time in Ho Chi Minh City. Ben Tre Mekong River cycle. Cai Thia rice paper and cooking demonstration. Pottery Brick Village cycle. Free time in Mekong River Delta. Cai Rang Floating Market. Internal flight. All transport between destinations and to/from included activities.
What are the main highlights of this trip?
Sail on a junk boat through Halong Bay, shop in romantic Hoi An, squeeze through the Cu Chi tunnels, experience local living in the Mekong River Delta, visit floating markets.
How large will the group be?
Max 16, Avg 12.
What meals are included in this trip?
9 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 3 dinners
What are the modes of transportation on my trip?
Train, air-conditioned bus, boat, plane, cycling, walking,
Is there an extra cost for travelling solo?
We believe solo travellers should not have to pay more to travel so our group trips are designed for shared accommodation and do not involve a single supplement. Single travellers joining group trips are paired in twin or multi-share accommodation with someone of the same sex for the duration of the trip. Some of our Independent trips are designed differently and solo travellers on these itineraries must pay the single trip price.
Where will we stay during the trip?
Hotels (7 nts), sleeper train (1 nt), local guesthouse (2 nts).
Itinerary
Hanoi
Arrive at any time. There are no planned activities today until an evening welcome meeting. After the meeting, opt for dinner out with the group.
Hanoi/Ha Long
Enjoy a Ha Long Bay cruise on a junk boat with visits to a cave and an island lookout. Savour a seafood lunch and dinner. Drive to Bai Chay harbour, the jumping off point for Ha Long Bay. Thousands of islands with intricate cave systems rise dramatically from the waters. Sail past limestone karst mountains in the junk boat and stop to visit some of the islands and caves.
In the evening, devour a seafood dinner, then opt to enjoy a drink on deck under the stars.
Ha Long/Huế
Enjoy breakfast and lunch on board before sailing back to the port and return to Hanoi. Enjoy some time in the city before an overnight train to Hue. Interested in local cuisine? Opt to pre-book the "Hanoi Foodie Culture Tour" activity on the checkout page to include this optional on your tour.
Huế
Pull into Hue early in the morning and dive right into the city, starting with a guided tour of the Imperial Citadel, Royal Tomb and Tien Mu Pagoda. The rest of the day, you are free to explore the city how you'd like. Arrive early to Hue, once the imperial capital of Vietnam. Start the day with a visit to the Tien Mu Pagoda followed by a visit to the tomb of one of Vietnam’s former emperors. After, opt for a vegetarian lunch at a local nunnery.
While in the city, try some local Hue specialties such as banh khoai (Hue savoury pancakes), and banh bot loc boc tom thit (thin rice paper filled with meat and shrimp). Wash it all down with a Hue beer.
Opt to pre-book the "Hue Motorbike Tour" activity on the checkout page ahead of time, to include this optional on your tour.
Huế/Hoi An
Drive the Hai Van pass. Take advantage of Hoi An's many options over the 2.5 days in town. Opt for a cooking class, riverboat trip, bike ride, beach time, tailor visit or My Son ruins. Cross the Hai Van Pass (weather permitting), with fantastic views in all directions, before arriving to Hoi An in the afternoon.
With three nights here, there's plenty of time to explore all this charming town has to offer.
Hoi An
Explore all Hoi An has to offer. Dive into the culture, hang out on the beach or get clothes tailor-made in one of the many shops around town. Enjoy a noodle making demonstration and lunch at Oodles of Noodles, a G Adventures-supported project.
Hoi An
Spend a free day exploring all Hoi An has to offer.
Hoi An/Ho Chi Minh City
Fly from Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh City with free time to explore this hectic and amazing city. Drive to Da Nang for the flight to Ho Chi Minh City, once the capital of South Vietnam and the country’s commercial centre. Start exploring the small alleys and busy streets, keeping an eye out for laquerware shops and delicious local food stalls.
Ho Chi Minh City
Enjoy a guided tour of the Cu Chi Tunnels and learn more about the Vietnam War. Use free time in the afternoon to explore sprawling Ho Chi Minh City. With some free time in the city, opt to visit the Thien Hau and Giac Vien pagodas and stroll through the immense Ben Thanh Market. Also well worth a visit are the Reunification Palace (the residence of South Vietnam presidents before 1975), the city's Chinese quarter of Cholon, and the War Remnants Museum.
Ho Chi Minh City/Mekong River
Travel to the beautiful Mekong River Delta, south of Ho Chi Minh City, and experience the local way of living. Visit two of the main regions of the Delta, Ben Tre and Cai Thia. Cruise through the river in a traditional sampan boat, bike along the waterways and spend time with the family at your local guesthouse preparing a dinner of spring rolls and Banh Xeo before a lantern lit evening performance by the local villagers.
Mekong River
Depart your homestay after breakfast and visit the community riverside market. From there, board a boat to arrive to the Pottery Brick Village, known as the Red Kingdom, and explore by bicycle. Then drive to the last region we'll visit on the Mekong Delta called Can Tho. Enjoy a free afternoon at leisure to explore the area. Opt to do some bird watching or visit the local town.
Mekong River/Ho Chi Minh City
Wake up to watch the sun rise over one of the most unique parts of life on the Mekong River, Cai Rang Floating Market. Explore by land and boat before driving back to Ho Chi Minh City. Your tour finishes upon arrival to the city.
Is travel insurance required for my trip?
Travel insurance is compulsory in order to participate on any of our trips. When travelling on a group trip, you will not be permitted to join the group until evidence of travel insurance has been sighted by your leader, who will take note of your insurance details. When selecting a travel insurance policy we require that at a minimum you are covered for medical expenses including emergency evacuation and repatriation. A minimum coverage of USD200,000 is required. We strongly recommend that the policy also covers personal liability, cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage and personal effects. Some tours include adventure activities that require extra coverage (e.g. crampon use); please review your itinerary and make sure that you are covered for all included activities. If you have credit card insurance we require proof of purchase of the trip (a receipt of credit card statement) with a credit card in your name. Contact your bank for details of their participating insurer, the level of coverage and emergency contact telephone number.
Terms, conditions and restrictions apply; pricing, availability, and other details subject to change and/ or apply to US or Canadian residents. Please confirm details and booking information with your travel advisor.
