Premium Vietnam in Depth
Trip Code: TVPV
Why we love it
Visit a centuries-old pottery village in Hoi An. During this Exclusive Experience, you’ll learn about this ancient art form and meet the artisans who keep traditional techniques alive., Experience the beauty of UNESCO World Heritage site Ha Long Bay from the comfort of a traditional style junk boat – your Feature Stay accommodation. Enjoy a candlelit dinner on deck while soaking in the landscape., Sit down to a soul-stirring Exclusive Experience – a Hat Xam performance in Hoi An. This ancient musical art form, which dates back over 700 years to the Tran Dynasty, is rarely seen today., Explore a local market with an expert local chef in Hue, then visit his home to learn how to transform fresh ingredients into delicious Vietnamese dishes during a cooking class., Uncover Vietnam's history during a visit to the Cu Chi tunnels in Ho Chi Minh City, a stroll through the historic streets of Hoi An and a walking tour of northern city Hanoi, where the echoes of the country’s turbulent 20th century can still be felt.
Is this trip right for me?
In 2025, Tet (Lunar New Year) will run from the 28th January to the 3rd of February. This is a fascinating and rewarding time to see the country, however you do need to be prepared for some businesses to be closed, tourist sites to be very busy and for transport to be packed as many Vietnamese are travelling around the country. Please consider your travel arrangements carefully before booking travel for this period.
Important information
1. A complimentary airport arrival transfer is included; valid if you are arriving on Day 1 or if you have booked pre-tour accommodation through us. You must provide your flight details to your booking agent at least 14 days prior to travel.
2. A single supplement is available if you'd prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement excludes Day 13 (boat) where you will be in shared accommodation, and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
3. This trip includes domestic flights. The luggage allowance is 20kg for check in luggage and 7kg for carry on.
4. Full name exactly as per passport required at the time of booking (including any middle names listed on the passport), for internal flights. Ticketing fees may apply for amendments to details within 45 days of departure, and in some cases you will be required to cover the cost of issuing a new ticket.
5. Local authorities only permit a limited number of boats to stay overnight in Halong Bay. To ensure all travellers can be accommodated on board available boats, on rare occasions you may stay on a larger boat and share your boat with another group. Otherwise, we may swap the activities and destinations of Days 12 and 13 to provide you the best possible experience. The route taken and inclusions on board will remain the same.
What to bring/pack
What you need to bring will vary according to the trip style you have chosen, the countries you are visiting and when you are travelling. We recommend you pack as lightly as possible, ensuring that you are able to carry and lift your own luggage and walk with it for short distances or up or down a flight of stairs. Help will be on hand in most locations, but there may be times you need to handle your own luggage, for example in airports and train stations.
A lockable suitcase with wheels is ideal for this trip. It is recommended that you keep your main luggage weight around 15kg and certainly no more than 20kg. A small or medium-sized backpack (45-50 litres) is another good option.
You'll also need a day pack/bag to carry water, camera, jacket, etc. when you’re exploring during the day.
Below is a link to our ultimate packing list, a guide to get you started:, https://www.intrepidtravel.com/packing-list, LOCAL DRESS:
When packing be aware that dress standards are conservative throughout Asia, especially outside major cities. To respect this and for your own comfort, we strongly recommend modest clothing. This means clothing that covers your shoulders and knees. Loose, lightweight, long clothing is both respectful and cool in the predominantly hot Asian climate. In many rural areas in Asia women will need to wear modest clothing even to swim. Singlets, tank tops and topless sun bathing are all unacceptable. When visiting religious sites men often need to wear long trousers and women a long skirt or sarong., WATER BOTTLE:
This trip includes one or more sections in a private vehicle with a water dispenser. We encourage all our travellers to bring a refillable water bottle on your trip to help reduce the use of disposable plastic bottles.
Physical rating
Joining your group
Alagon Saigon Hotel & Spa, 291 Ly Tu Trong, Phuong Ben Thanh, Quan 1, Ho Chi Minh, Ho Chi Minh City, VIETNAM, Phone: +84 2838282888
Alternate Joining Point
Joining instructions
Please make sure that you provide your flight details no later than 14 days before departure to book your arrival transfer with us.
For your confirmed arrival transfer, you’ll be met outside Ho Chi Minh Airport by a transfer representative holding an Intrepid sign. In case of flight cancellations, changes, if you experience severe delays at immigration, baggage collection or customs, or if you are not able to find the driver, please contact our local office on the number in the ‘Problems and emergency contact information’ section.
Finishing your trip
Signature by M Village, 84 P. Thợ Nhuộm, Trần Hưng Đạo, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội 100000, Vietnam, Hanoi, VIETNAM, Phone: +84 818 999 200
Alternate Finish Point
For trips departing on the following dates
use this finish point.
25 Feb 2025 (TVPV250225)
01 Jan 2026 (TVPV260101)
03 Jan 2026 (TVPV260103)
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15 Jan 2026 (TVPV260115)
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31 Dec 2026 (TVPV261231)
Le Jardin Hotel Haute Couture Hanoi Hotel
105
Nguyen Truong To Street
Ba Dinh Dist
Hanoi
VIETNAM
Phone: +84 2466682299
Fax: +84 2439275525
For trips departing on the following dates
use this finish point.
15 Feb 2025 (TVPV250215)
22 Feb 2025 (TVPV250222)
01 Mar 2025 (TVPV250301)
08 Mar 2025 (TVPV250308)
15 Mar 2025 (TVPV250315)
29 Mar 2025 (TVPV250329)
27 Sep 2025 (TVPV250927)
01 Nov 2025 (TVPV251101)
15 Nov 2025 (TVPV251115)
29 Nov 2025 (TVPV251129)
27 Dec 2025 (TVPV251227)
Luxe Paradise Premium
75 Phạm Hong Thai
Phuong Truc Bạch
Quan Ba Dình
Hanoi
100000
VIETNAM
For trips departing on the following dates
use this finish point.
25 Oct 2025 (TVPV251025)
THE ANN HANOI
38A Hang Chuoi Street
Hanoi
VIETNAM
Phone: +84 2438713838
Meals & dietary information
Breakfasts included: 14
Lunches included: 7
Dinners included: 4
While travelling with us you'll experience the vast array of wonderful food available in the world. Your group leader or local representative will be able to suggest restaurants to try during your trip. To give you the maximum flexibility in deciding where, what and with whom to eat, generally not all meals are included in the trip price. This also gives you more budgeting flexibility. As a rule, our groups tend to eat together to enable you to taste a larger variety of dishes and enjoy each other's company. If you have dietary requirements and/or food allergies, please let your booking agent know prior to departure.
INCLUDED BREAKFASTS:
At hotels you’ll often have a buffet with choices of Vietnamese and Western food. At homestays you will have more basic breakfasts of local foods, eggs, bread, jam, tea and coffee. Take away breakfasts for early starts may be very simple such as a piece of fruit and a bread roll.
DIETARY REQUIREMENTS:
Check out this guide to eating in Vietnam for vegan, vegetarian, gluten & peanut free travellers: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/adventures/vegan-vegetarian-gluten-free-vietnam/
FOOD ALLERGIES:
Travelling in South East Asia with a food allergy? We have some advice for you here: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/adventures/travelling-food-allergies-south-east-asia/
Climate & seasonal information
TET
25 January - 2 February 2025, 16 – 20 February 2026
Tet is Vietnam’s New Year festival which takes place in late January/early February based on the lunar calendar and is the most important celebration of the year. While this can be a fascinating time to be in Vietnam, you do need to be prepared for some businesses to be closed, tourist sites to be very busy and for transport to be packed as many Vietnamese are travelling around the country. Although we do our best to run trips during Tet as per the scheduled itinerary, it is likely that there will be some changes to transport, accommodation or order of destinations visited. Due to the high demand on tickets at this time, flights and overnight trains may on occasion need to be replaced with day buses. We will aim to communicate any known changes prior to your departure.
WEATHER IN VIETNAM
The most popular times to visit Vietnam are spring (February-April) and autumn (September-December) but because of the huge variations in latitude and altitude, there is no one best time to go to Vietnam. Temperatures vary from 4°C (39°F) in Sapa in winter to humid 36°C (97°F) days in Saigon in the middle of the dry season. The monsoons bring heavy rain to the south, and a cooler winter to the north. It’s a good destination all year.
WET SEASON
Flooding is common across Vietnam during rainy season (June-December) and could also lead to landslides. Typhoons are also common during this period. During these months there may be disruptions to transport and some activities or destinations may need to be changed as a result at short notice.
In case of emergency
While we always endeavour to provide the best possible holiday experience, due to the nature of travel and the areas we visit sometimes things can and do go wrong. Should any issue occur while you are on your trip, it is imperative that you discuss this with your group leader or local representative straight away so that they can do their best to rectify the problem and save any potential negative impact on the rest of your trip.
We recognise that there may be times when your group leader or local representative may not be able to resolve a situation to your satisfaction - if this is the case, please ask the group leader or local representative to speak to their direct manager.
You may also choose to provide details in your online feedback, which we ask you to complete within 30 days of the end of your trip. Please do be aware that it is very difficult for us to provide any practical help after the trip is completed, so informing us while still travelling will give us the opportunity to resolve the issue in real-time.
For general contact details please use the following page: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/contact-us
In case of a genuine crisis or emergency, you can reach our local office on the numbers below:
Intrepid local operator : Available for phone call on +84 90 311 7770
Accommodations
The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline only and may change. On some occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use a similar standard of accommodation.
Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available.
Transportation
VIETNAM FLIGHTS:
Please provide your exact name (including middle name) as per passport 45 days prior to your trip's departure date for flight tickets to be issued. Internal flights will be on the following safety audited airlines: Pacific Airlines, Vietjet or Vietnam Airlines.
UNACCOMPANIED FLIGHTS:
During peak travel times your group may be required to travel on different flights at different times of the day, and you may be unaccompanied on the internal flight. In this case you will be assisted by additional tour escorts on departure and arrival.