Backpacking
17 Days / 1 Country
Departure city: Hanoi, Vietnam
End city: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Immerse into Vietnamese culture between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City as you explore ancient pagodas, tombs and tunnels along the way. Indulge your tastebuds with a home-cooked meal and ride through the countryside on bike and motorcycle tours.
Vietnamese Meal with Local Family in Hanoi
Departure Time: 5:00 pm, 5:30 pm, 6:00 pm, 6:30 pm, 7:00 pm, 7:30 pm, 8:00 pm, 8:30 pm
Duration: 3 hrs
Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, is a bustling city waiting to be explored. It is home to ancient sites, peaceful parks, busy marketplaces and more. Enjoy the amazing scenery through the eyes of a local as you’ll get more than a delicious meal in this experience! Meet a real Vietnamese host family and dine in their own house, you’ll experience the daily local food. What to expect? Think gourd and shrimp soup, fried fish with fish sauce or caramel pork with a healthy side of steamed vegetables and so much more! All our hosts can personalise their menu to meet your preferences, what are you waiting for?
TOUR INCLUDES:
Halong Bay Party Cruise from Hanoi
Departure Time: 8:00 am, 8:30 am
Duration: 2 days
Hanoi Old Quarter accommodation pick-up and transfer to Halong Bay
Today you will be picked up from your hotel in the Hanoi Old Quarter between 8:00 - 8:30 am depending on the location of your hotel. Please be ready and waiting in the lobby from 8:00 am. Take a scenic 3.5-hour bus ride through rural Vietnam en route to Halong Bay arriving at the marina at around noon. Take a quick ferry to your Party Cruise to get settled into your cabin and then have a traditional Vietnamese lunch on board as you set sail into the calm waters and stunning scenery of Halong Bay. Pass by several unique islets in the form of different animals and objects; Duck Islet, Swan Islet, Fighting Cocks Islet, Incense Burner Islet and Stone Dog Islet. After lunch goes for 2hr kayaking trip through a tunnel to get off the beaten path and discover Halong Bay's, Frog Pond. The rest of the afternoon is yours to enjoy. Jump off the boat into emerald waters, go for a swim, and try out the "water trampoline," the outdoor jacuzzi, or some volleyball until dinner is served around 7 pm. Eat your fill because the next item on the agenda is partying with a live DJ until the sun comes up!
CRUISE INCLUDES:
NOT INCLUDED:
See Halong Bay and return to the Hanoi Old Quarter
Wake up this morning to the peaceful atmosphere on the bay with the gentle waves and cheerful seabirds singing their morning songs as the sun rises over the horizon. Have breakfast at 8:00 am and enjoy the breathtaking scenery of Halong Bay in the morning.
Check out of your cabin and pay your bill as your ship cruises back to the pier. Enjoy a Vietnamese cooking demonstration and your last traditional Vietnamese meal on board before arriving back at the pier. Relax on your return bus ride back to Hanoi watching the rural scenery pass by. Upon arrival, you will be dropped off at your hotel in the Hanoi Old Quarter where your trip will come to an end around 5 - 5:30 pm.
Enjoy a free day in Hanoi to explore on your own.
Hanoi to Hue Type:
Bus (Overnight)
Times: 6:00 pm
Duration: 13 hours
Transfer from Hanoi to Hue. Please make your own way to the bus station to catch your bus to Hue.
Tombs & Pagoda Day Trip
Departure Time: 7:30 am
Duration: 9 hrs
We will pick you up at your hostel around 7:00 am to start off our exciting day early. We first bring you to the impressive Khai Dinh Tomb. Khai Dinh was an important Vietnamese emperor who ascended the throne in 1916 and died in 1925. Then we will watch a performance of the fascinating martial art called Vo Kinhy Van An. We continue to the Tu Duc Tomb which was completed in 1867. Walk around the extensive gardens filled with huge stone temples and structures, rivers and a reflection lake imagining what splendid life was lived here by the faithful Tu Duc court. Our final pit stop before lunch is visiting a village where incense making and conical hat making has become their speciality. For lunch, we will have a delicious buffet of Vietnamese, Asian and Western dishes. After lunch, at about 1:30 pm, we will continue with the tour to the Citadel of Hue, which was built by the emperor Gia Long in 1804. It’s also known in Vietnamese as the Forbidden Purple City, a term similar to the Forbidden City of Beijing. Our next stop is the Thien Mu Pagoda, which is Vietnam’s tallest pagoda. It has an iconic status in Hue and it is known as the unofficial symbol of the former imperial capital. The way back to Hue will be on a boat down the beautiful Perfume River, where you will see local fishermen and traditional villages. Our journey ends upon arrival at the Toa Kham pier.
TOUR INCLUDES:
Hue to Hoi An
Type: Public Bus
Times: 8:00 am, 1:15 pm
Duration: 4 hours
Transfer from Hue to Hoi An. Please make your own way to the bus station to catch your bus to Hoi An.
Hoi An Bicycle Day Trip
Departure Time: 8:00 am
Duration: 5 hrs
This morning you will be picked up at your accommodation to go pick out a bike before heading out on your unforgettable day tour to Cam Kim island. We will cross the Thu Bon river along with plenty of locals heading to school or to the central market. Here we will make a stop in the Kim Bong carpentry village and take a look at the fishing boat builders on the riverbank. Here there are several families famous for generations of boatmaking and carpentry. They also contributed in building Hoi An's beautiful wooden houses for Chinese and Japanese traders that make the town such a charming destination today. Leaving the town, we will cycle past a scenic rice field and small river branches where you can see large fishing nets hanging over the water. We will visit a family on a small local island to see the most common local occupation: weaving sleeping mats, a tradition hundreds of years old. Finally, we will cycle through the tranquil countryside to another family's house for a homemade local lunch. After a great meal with even better company, we will cycle back to town. After returning your bike you will be dropped off at your hostel in the afternoon.
TOUR INCLUDES:
Hoi An to Nha Trang
Type: Public Bus (Overnight)
Times: 6:15 pm
Transfer from Hoi An to Nha Trang.
Snorkelling Day Trip
Departure Time: 8.30 am
Duration: 8 hrs
We will pick you up and then it’s a short ride to the harbour, where we will take the boat to Mun Island (Ebony Island). Here, we will stop for one hour of leisurely snorkelling, swimming and sunbathing. The snorkelling equipment is provided free of charge and you will see abundant marine wildlife and stunning coral reefs. At about 11:00 am we will continue to Mot Island where you will enjoy excellent fresh cuisine for lunch. After lunch, we will enjoy the floating bar with complimentary red wine and fruit. At around 2:30 pm, we make our way to Tam Island. Here, you can relax and sunbathe or choose to do the optional water sports activities such as jet ski, catamaran, wave killer and canoe. Then you can also visit a fishing village where you can see the villagers at work catching cuttlefish, shrimp, flower crabs. At 4:30 pm we make our way back to the harbour and then we will bring you back to your hotel
TOUR INCLUDES:
Nha Trang to Dalat
Type: Public Bus
Times: 8:15 am, 1:00 pm
Duration: 4 hours
Transfer from Nha Trang to Dalat. Please make your own way to the bus station to catch your bus to Dalat.
Countryside Motorcycle Adventure
Departure Time: 8:30 am
Duration: 8 hrs
Take an exciting motorcycle tour around Dalat with an English speaking driver/guide. Ride on the back of a motorcycle to admire the beauty of this region filled with natural wonders such as lakes, waterfalls, lush green forests and floral gardens. Take a break at the Truc Lam meditation centre and see the beautiful Paradise lake, Elephant waterfall and Linh An pagoda. Immerse yourself in the local way of life at a Chicken minority village (K' ho people) and learn about the local industry as we stop by a vegetable farm, a mushroom farm, a coffee farm and a silk factory. Arrive back at Dalat around 4:00 pm.
TOUR INCLUDES:
Dalat to Ho Chi Minh City
Type: Public Bus
Times: 8:00 am, 9:30 pm
Duration: 8 hours
Transfer from Dalat to Ho Chi Minh City. Please make your own way to the bus station to catch your bus to Ho Chi Minh City.
Ho Chi Minh Street Food Experience By Scooter
Departure Time: 1:30 pm, 6:00 pm
Duration: 4 hrs
During this exciting tour, we will try really tasty Vietnamese dishes at 6 local places that are locals' favourite areas throughout 4 hours. You will have a chance to see decorated colourful streets on the back of a scooter, wander around 5 lively and sparkling districts, and enjoy a fresh atmosphere. Our first stop will be The Venerable Thich Quang Duc Monument, a memorial to the monk who set himself on fire to protest the persecution of Buddhists in Vietnam. Then, we will continue to Ho Thi Ky Flower Market, which is the place that supplies fresh and beautiful flowers at quite a low price in Ho Chi Minh City such as chrysanthemum, marigold, gerbera, auspicious flower to orchid, rose, sunflower and so on. Flowers are from Dalat, Hanoi and other countries such as Japan, Italy and China. Not only blossoms but also garment tools and materials are also sold there. After this, we will drive through District 10, a part of Chinatown with many small alleys where we will learn more about the colourful city at night. We will also stop for you to take pictures and give an explanation about this place. Finally, if you want to learn about the "snack culture" of Saigon, then we will definitely have to visit Xom Chieu market (also known as Market 200). The dishes' taste remains unchanged throughout the year and especially the price does not change either on weekdays or holidays.
Please note that all food and drinks will be included in the price.
Mekong Delta Highlights Adventure
Departure Time: 8:30 am
Duration: 2 days
Mekong River Boat Tour
Start your day with an 8:30 am pick-up from your centrally located hotel in Ho Chi Minh City. Then head to the city of My Tho by bus. During the 1.5-hour bus drive to My Tho, learn about the cultures of the local people and enjoy the nice scenery of green rice fields. Visit Vinh Trang pagoda, the biggest pagoda in Mekong Delta. Continue to My Tho and take a boat trip along the Mekong River. During the cruise, see fish cages and floating houses on the river. The boat will take you to a small canal, where you can escape the busy town. The cruise through the coconut trees lined canal will take you to a coconut island in Ben Tre. Disembark, walk around the village and visit a local family to enjoy tropical fruit, taste honey tea, honey wine and listen to Vietnamese traditional music, performed by the villagers.
Continue walking on the village’s road to a coconut candy shop to learn how to make candy and see some handicrafts made from coconut trees. Take a walk through the village and discover many kinds of fruits, flowers, trees, and local houses. Take your time and take nice photos while enjoying the natural scenery. Then, head to a local restaurant and enjoy a local Vietnamese lunch under the tree shade. After lunch, have free time to walk or bike around the village, then travel by ferry and bus to Can Tho, the heart of Mekong Delta.
TOUR INCLUDES:
Cai Răng Floating Market
Enjoy a 6:30 am breakfast and then take a leisurely boat trip to explore the picturesque tributaries of the Lower Mekong river. Afterwards, proceed to visit the Cai Răng floating market, which is the liveliest in the whole region. Take in the beautiful scenery and the daily activities of the locals who live along the Mekong canals.
Next, you will roam through the village, see fruit gardens and visit a rice husking mill and a noodle-making shop. Then, head back to the riverside for lunch before travelling back to Ho Chi Minh where you will arrive at around 5:00 pm.
Today is a free day for you to explore Ho Chi Minh City on your own. End of services.
This is our suggested itinerary with the recommended number of days needed for your trip. Travel passes are flexible and you can decide how long to stay in each destination.
Terms and conditions apply. Subject to change and availability. Prices are per person twin share and subject to currency fluctuation. (ba)
