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Vietnam Express Southbound


Discover the essence of captivating Vietnam on this ten-day tour through backstreets, villages, cities and waterways. Trace the east coast on this fast-paced adventure and take in World Heritage-listed landscapes and towns, feel the buzz of bustling cities and fuel yourself with banh mi and condensed milk coffee. As lively as it is lovely, Vietnam can seem an intimidating place to travel, but your local leaders will guide you to the best street food (and tell you how to order it), introduce you to fishermen on the Mekong Delta and give you the inside scoop on the best tailors in Hoi An. This is an adventure full of life, colour and flavour that introduces you to the highlights of this fascinating nation.

10 days, from

$1,132

per person

GROUP SIZE

16 people max

ACTIVITY LEVEL

 
2
Trip code: TVSF
Style: Original
Theme: Explorer

Details

Countries Visited:  Vietnam
Accommodation: Hotel (7 nights), Overnight boat (1 night), Overnight sleeper train (1 night)
Transportation: Boat , Motorbike , Overnight sleeper train , Plane , Private Minibus , Taxi , Sampan , Tuk-tuk
Included Meals:

  • 8 breakfasts
  • 3 lunches
  • 2 dinners

Group size: Minimum 1, Max 16

  • Fall in love with Vietnam one bite at a time, from pho, slurped on a busy street corner to a vegetarian feast in a Buddhist nunnery.

  • Sail through Halong Bay's limestone karsts and island caves, visit a centre that turns the bay's discarded trash into treasures and spend the night checking out the stars on an overnight cruise.

  • Travel like a local on a motorbike tour, riding pillion and taking in the historical pagodas, bridges and villages of Hue.

  • Embrace a slower pace during a private boat tour of the Mekong Delta and meet local craftspeople in the villages that line the river's myriad waterways.

  • Wander through the remarkably well-preserved streets of Hoi An's Old Town on a guided tour, where elegant wooden buildings line the canals.

Itinerary

Show Full Itinerary

Day 1: Hanoi

Xin chao! Welcome to Hanoi! Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm and is followed by a group dinner at KOTO restaurant. This organisation is dedicated to developing the hospitality careers of disadvantaged youth.

If you arrive before your tour begins there’s plenty to see and do. Consider booking the Hanoi Morning Highlights Urban Adventure, a wide-ranging tour with a local expert guide. This optional tour visits the Temple of Literature, stops by a traditional tea house, and takes you through the Hoa Lo Prison Memorial before concluding at Hoan Kiem Lake. Or maybe take it at your own pace and wander the Old Quarter to admire the city’s French-colonial architecture.

Day 2: Halong Bay

Travel by private minibus to World Heritage-listed Halong Bay, which is dotted with sandy coves, grottoes and 1600 limestone islands formed over millennia by wind and water erosion (approximately 4 hours). Board a private boat and cruise the bay, exploring Surprise Cave and perhaps even enjoying a swim from Ti Top Island Beach during the warmer months. Access to Surprise Cave is via staircases. Once inside the cave the pathways are a little uneven and slippery. To end the day, spend an evening aboard the boat beneath the night sky. What better way to get to know your fellow travellers than an old school sleepover in an unforgettable location?

Day 3: Hanoi – Overnight train

Wake up on the waters of Halong Bay, and before you leave the memorable scenery behind, it’s time for one last stop. The Green Life Centre is committed to turning Halong Bay’s trash into treasure by collecting discarded items and skillfully turning them into beautiful handicrafts. Meet the team behind this important cause and learn how to transform rubbish into a useful and reusable bag. After your visit, return by bus to Hanoi (approximately 3.5 hours). Arrive late this afternoon and enjoy free time until tonight’s train voyage. Be sure to grab a bowl of pho while you’re in town and slurp down this local specialty made from broth, noodles and meat. Maybe chill by Hoan Kiem Lake until you board an overnight train to Hue this evening.

Day 4: Hue

Arrive in Hue at approximately 11 am and transfer to the hotel. Once the imperial capital of Vietnam, Hue holds the treasures of the country’s royal past. Enjoy free time in the morning to rest or explore. If you choose the latter (and who can blame you) the bustling Dong Ba Market is a great place to sample some of the specialties that once graced the Nguyen emperors' tables like banh khoai (royal rice cake). Reunite with the group to visit the war-damaged ruins of the Imperial Citadel, a sprawling city-within-a-city which contains the remains of temples, state houses and the emperor’s palace.

Day 5: Hue

See Hue like a local – from the back of a motorbike! Straddle the saddle and whiz around town with a local guide, taking in historic and contemporary sights along the way. Stop at Thanh Toan to see the 18th-century covered bridge and villagers shopping at their local market. Visit the 17th-century active Buddhist monastery of Thien Mu Pagoda and see the car that belonged to Thích Quang Duc, the monk who self-immolated in 1963 in protest against the treatment of Buddhists by the South Vietnamese regime. For lunch, savour a vegetarian feast in a nunnery. Finish at the lakeside royal tomb of Emperor Tu Duc before heading back to town.

Day 6: Hoi An

This morning travel by bus through coastal rice paddies and the spectacular Hai Van Pass (approximately 3 hours). After a photo stop en route, arrive into Hoi An. Recently declared a World Heritage site, Hoi An was a major international trading port during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Today, parts of the beautifully-preserved town retain the feel of centuries past. It's also a shopping mecca, famous for its plethora of tailors. On arrival your leader will take you on a sightseeing walk through the Old Town to visit a handful of the city's major attractions. You’ll also be given a sightseeing pass so you can further explore select attractions at your leisure.

Day 7: Hoi An

Today is a free day to explore Hoi An. Maybe browse the cobbled streets and art galleries or hire a bike and cycle through rice paddies out to Cua Dai Beach. Maybe browse for paintings, ceramics and colourful cloth lanterns in the town’s markets and preserved Chinese shophouses. If you’re craving a new look, you could pay a visit to one of the hundreds of tailors and get something special made. Hoi An is also known for its delicious regional food, so be sure to enjoy a meal at a riverside restaurant or perhaps partake in a cooking class.

Day 8: Ho Chi Minh City

Today take a short, early morning flight to Ho Chi Minh City (approximately 1.5 hours). Formerly known as Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City has a fascinating history and is arguably Vietnam’s capital of commerce and culture. After landing, take a sightseeing tour around the city by bus. Pass the Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral and the Opera House, then stop in at the War Remnants Museum to discover some of the sobering stories of the 20-year-long Vietnam/American War.

Day 9: Mekong Delta – Ho Chi Minh City

This morning head out on a day trip to explore the Mekong Delta. Board a private boat to Ben Tre to visit the coconut gardens and stop at a local home to sample tropical fruits and coconut jams. Afterwards, paddle in sampans (small rowing boats) past coconut trees along the Mekong Delta. Take a tuk-tuk tour around the villages and learn about rural life and the industry created around coconut products like brooms and coconut fibre mats. Eat lunch at a restaurant in the heart of the Delta, sampling regional specialties such as the famous elephant ear fish. Cruise the major waterways to Ben Tre boat pier, then return by bus to Ho Chi Minh City. This evening, perhaps head out to sample some local specialties as a final farewell with your fellow travellers and leader.

Day 10: Ho Chi Minh City

There are no activities included and you’re free to depart your accommodation at any time as long as you comply with check out time. If you would like to spend some more time in Ho Chi Minh City, we’re happy to organise additional accommodation (subject to availability). Ask your group leader or booking agent for more recommendations or help booking an Urban Adventure if you plan to stay.