Vietnam Family Holiday 16 Days

Hello! Welcome to Vietnam.

When you arrive at Hanoi Airport, your driver will greet you and your family, holding a welcome signboard with your names, and transport you directly to your hotel in the Old Quarter.

We want you to take it easy and get used to your new place, so we’ve set aside this afternoon for that. Let’s explore Hanoi with your style.

Overnight in Hanoi

Hanoi Jeep Tour will take you up from your Old Quarter hotel.  Upon arrival at your hotel lobby or safety briefing location, our guide and driver will greet you and begin our adventure.

Hanoi Jeep trip begins with a visit to the Hanoi Opera House, Vietnam’s largest theater and a historical and architectural monument where many important events have taken place.  We show you the REAL HANOI through a day in the life in the maze of backstreets, tiny lanes, local homes, schools, odd marketplaces, and black markets, where locals live, work, and play.  Some travel businesses show you only the good and encourage you to avoid the nasty and unusual.

 Hanoi Jeep Tours shows you the good, bad, and odd of your trips.  We see the typical tourist spots as the tip of the iceberg, with most of our destinations concealed in the unknown.

 On the second leg of our Hanoi Jeep trip, we visit must-see spots in our wonderful city.  We will pass past Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the Vietnamese Mecca, where his body was kept after he died, so he might find peace in seeing Vietnam united.  After that, we take you down Thanh Nien Street, one of Hanoi’s most beautiful streets, between two lakes.  Banana Island, the hidden charm of Hanoi, is only 3.4 km from the center but has a completely distinct landscape from the modern city.  You can tour their farm, view local dwellings, talk to locals about their lifestyle, eat their organic tropical fruits, and taste green tea.  We next drive you to the calm and beautiful outskirt villages around West Lake and Truc Bach Lake to demonstrate the contrast in lifestyle between the city center and the outskirt.  Van Nien Pagoda, a 1000-year-old Buddhist pagoda in Hanoi, is our next stop.

 Hoang Hoa Tham, Hanoi’s most beautiful bonsai street, will wow you with its fresh green trees and colorful blossoms during the third portion of our Jeep tour.  Our Jeep will take you through Hanoi’s backstreets and little lanes to witness a hidden tranquility – a B52 American plane shot down by Vietnamese people – and a busy city with hundreds of skyscrapers in the new portions.  It’s more than a ride—you’ll learn about Hanoi before, now, and then, then we’ll visit Train Street, Hanoi’s most famous landmark.

 After driving through the Thang Long citadel and french quarter, you’ll witness lovely French road style before arriving at Train Street, where you may walk around, take pictures, and enjoy a cup of egg coffee. If you’re lucky, you might see a train

 On the final leg of the Hanoi Jeep trip, you’ll visit authentic restaurants, cafes, and food booths to sample family heirloom and secret recipe foods, local delicacies, and specialties.

Overnight in Hanoi

Meals: Breakfast, lunch

Morning

Just as the local custom of Tai Chi gently eases you into your day, so does the practice itself.  Take a morning class with a “Local Specialist” aboard a junk boat while taking in the breathtaking scenery.  There are peaceful beaches in Halong Bay perfect for an early morning dip, and if you’re in the mood for some adventure, you can rent kayaks and paddle through the Dark and Bright Caves, taking in the glistening stone walls as you go.

While cruising back to port, you can enjoy a complete breakfast buffet after checking out of the accommodation.  You will return to Hanoi by disembarking at around noon.

Afternoon
Arrive at your hotel in Hanoi where you spend the remainder of the afternoon and evening at your leisure.

Overnight in Hanoi
Meals: Breakfst, lunch

Morning

 Your excursion begins with a pickup from your hotel in Hanoi’s Old Quarter and travels to Pu Luong Nature Reserve.  Take a stop midway through the drive and appreciate the gorgeous village views along the way.

Afternoon

Afternoon leisurely hikes, transfer to Ban Cong and begin a 2.5-kilometre walk. Seek out the massive water wheels, a fascinating creation of Vietnam’s highland ethnic communities.  Arrive at Chieu Lau Dam and start on a bamboo rafting trip.  Paddle your raft upstream with locals and have fun. The raft lands on the opposite side of the river.  Continue on another 2km hike past rice fields and communities, completing a circular trail.

Evening: Culinary discovery and recreation.  Dinner begins at 7:00 p.m., followed by free time to unwind.

Overnight in Pu Luong

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Start the day with a delicious breakfast.  Prepared by 9:00 to begin on a wonderful ride with a local twist, blending into the jungles and conquering Pu Luong’s largest cave and waterfall.  Begin with an exhilarating trip to Kho Muong village, then ride via Bang village, take a forest ride, and admire one of Pu Luong’s most beautiful rice fields.

 Upon arrival in Kho Muong hamlet, a secluded Thai community, your rider will show you around to get a feel for local life and explore Bat Cave, Pu Luong’s largest cave.  Continue your trek to Hieu Village. Take a short, relaxing walk to a spectacular waterfall situated within the Pu Luong Nature Reserve.  You will enjoy a delicious lunch surrounded by the sounds of nature.

Evening

Culinary discovery and recreation.  For those interested, there is an extra cooking session where you may learn the secrets of Vietnamese cuisine.  Enjoy a fantastic dinner before moving on to enjoy the evening at your leisure.

Overnight in Pu Luong

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Morning

Enjoy breakfast and get ready for the day’s activities.  Take a leisurely stroll down the valley to Don village, which is known as the epicenter of Pu Luong.  This location has a pleasant path that leads through extensive terraced farms. As you continue your stroll, you will come to Uoi Hamlet.  We guarantee that this landscape will be a visual joy, possibly filling up your phone’s memory card with its magnificence.

Descend the hill to Lan Village, also known as the “Kingdom of Thai People in Pu Luong” and home to approximately 100 Thai families.  You can choose between a leisurely bicycle ride (optional) and a leisurely stroll around.  Here, you’ll see cold streams, beautiful farmlands, ducks happily paddling in ponds, and nice residents going about their business.

You will be able to watch their daily activities, which are characterized by simplicity and humility, with a particular emphasis on traditional brocade sewing. 

After that, come back to accommodation, check out of your room by 11:30, and eat lunch. Prepare to take the bus back to Hanoi.

Overnight in Pu Luong

Meals: Breakfast, lunch

Morning

Depart for Ninh Binh after picking up from your hotel in the Old Quarter area. Take a brief break for relaxing & restroom at a stopover, perhaps 15 – 20 minutes.

 Arrive at Hoa Lu, the ancient capital of Vietnam in the 10th century, and explore the King’s temples.  Our native guide will lead you to a deeper understanding of the Vietnamese past.

A brief bike ride with a tour guide: Hop on a bike and begin pedaling to see the lovely landscape and limestone mountains along a special path. Should you not want to ride, you are welcome to walk around the village or relax at a nearby café.

Buffet lunch at a nearby restaurant; goat meat meals are the local specialty.

Afternoon

Spend approximately 1h40 to 2 hours exploring the center of natural heritage on a Sampan boat (4 people per boat), rowed by a local.  Discover the incredible subterranean tunnel network and pass through holy temples linked to stories in the past of Trang An. Return to the limousine bus and depart for Mua Cave.  Nearly five hundred stairs will take you to the summit of Lying Dragon Mountain, where you will have a fantastic panoramic view of Tam Coc.

 Drive back to Hanoi from Ninh Binh.

Overnight in Hanoi

Meals: Breakfast, lunch

Enjoy your last day in Hanoi before checking out of your hotel and flying to Hue.  The driver will pick you up at the hotel and transport you to Hue.  Another will meet you at Hue Airport and transport you to your hotel in Hue.

Overnight in Hue

Meals: Breakfast, lunch

Morning

To pick you up, the guide will come to your hotel and meet you there.  You are going to go on a tour of Hue for one day in order to gain more knowledge about this stunning city.  If you want to see the Thien Mu Pagoda, also known as the Heaven Fairy Lady Pagoda, which is the oldest pagoda in Hue City, you should take a dragon boat to go there.  It will be a wonderful way to begin the journey to take the boat ride to the pagoda in the morning.  When you breathe in the clean air of the Perfume River, you will feel extremely good.  Come and see The Citadel.  Imperial City was previously inhabited by the Nguyen Dynasty, which was Vietnam’s final royal family.  Once you have finished seeing the Citadel, our vehicle will transport you to the Dong Ba market, which is the busiest market in Hue and features a wide variety of cuisines and items.  In this location, you may observe how individuals in the neighborhood buy and sell items.  This is also an opportunity to get presents for your loved ones and close friends.  For lunch, we went to a restaurant in the neighborhood that specialized in Vietnamese and Asian cuisine.

The afternoon

You should go to the Khai Dinh Tomb, which is a combination of Western and Eastern architectural styles.  A brief visit to the Minh Mang Tomb, which is widely regarded as the most stunning of all the Royal Tombs in Vietnam.  Known for its architecture that blends in perfectly with the natural surroundings, it is a popular destination.  You will take the driver straight to the airport to get the flight to Hanoi after you have had a wonderful day.

Overnight in Hue

Meals: Breakfast, lunch

Our private car will take you up from your hotel or homestay in Hue’s city center and begin the Hue to Ba Na highlands private car trip.

Along the way from Hue to Golden Bridge, our driver will gladly stop at some natural landscapes for you to take a short break at Hai Van Pass (Ocean and Cloud Pass); Lap An Lagoon, which has spectacular views of the fishing village, oyster farms, small fishing boats, and Lang Co Bay.

After around 3 hours of travel, we will arrive at Sunworld Ba Na Hills. You will take a cable car to a height of 1,500 metres above sea level.  From here, you can see the stunning Golden Bridge, Love Flower Garden, Debay Wine Cellar, and Linh Ung Pagoda.

After a short cable car ride, you will arrive at the French Village, a massive complex of a miniature model of EUROPE on the hills, complete with churches, castles, restaurants, pubs, and mansions.

You can have lunch at one of the local restaurants.  If you have children, you must visit Ba Na Hills Fantasy Park.  At the world’s third-largest amusement park, they can enjoy thousands of free games as well as 6D or 5D movies.

 If you enjoy panoramic vistas and a holy atmosphere, Nui Chua Mountain, at an elevation of 1,500 meters, is the spot for you.  Conquering the peak of the Ba Na Mountains and admiring the breathtaking panoramic views as well as the sacred shrines is an unforgettable experience.

After all, you’ll be taking a cable car down, and our driver will pick you up and drop you off at your accommodation in Hoi An.

Overnight in Hoi An

Meals: Breakfast, lunch

Morning

It would be great if we could get a close-up and personal look at the local fishing and cooking groups.  As soon as you are picked up from your hotel in Hoi An, you will begin your journey to the neighborhood market, where you will shop for the ingredients you will need for the day.  In order to prepare for the culinary lesson that will take place later, you need follow the guide and head to the village of Cam Thanh to purchase organic veggies.  On the other hand, before we start this session, let’s go on our boat and go on a river tour. During this trip, we will get the opportunity to interact with local fishermen and have a firsthand experience of traditional net fishing.  As you navigate the canals of the coconut palm paradise, you will also have the opportunity to paddle the one-of-a-kind bamboo basket boat that is traditional to Vietnam.  By taking this tour, you will have the opportunity to gain a cultural perspective on the ways of life of both our farming and fishing communities.

You will then be able to enroll in a cooking lesson, during which you will learn how to prepare dishes such as deep-fried spring rolls, papaya salad with shrimp crackers, pork or fish cooked in a clay pot with steamed rice, and Banh Xeo, which is a rice pancake topped with fresh salad combined with seasonal fruit for dessert.  It is now time for lunch.

Overnight in Hoi An

Meals: Breakfast, lunch

Have breakfast at your hotel. After check-out, transfer to Da Nang airport for the flight to Ho Chi Minh. Rest of the day is your leisure time to discover the city on your own.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh

Meals: B

Morning

After breakfast, the guide will drive you from HCM City to Ben Tre Town in the Mekong Delta, known for its rice fields, rivers, and scenery.  The ‘rice bowl’ of Vietnam produces most of its fruit, rice, sugar cane, and coconuts.

Ben Tre is a pretty tiny hamlet in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta region.  We’ll take a boat excursion down the Mekong River to see a brick factory.  This is a unique opportunity to watch the centuries-old brick-making process.

 Then we’ll visit a coconut field to learn about local life and observe the coconut-producing process firsthand.  You will discover how coconut products are manufactured.  You’ll also have the opportunity to make sleeping mats alongside the locals.

 Following that, we’ll have a relaxing rowing boat ride through the region’s small coconut canals.  The tranquil waters are surrounded by beautiful foliage.

 Then, we’ll ride the bicycle around the small villages and scenic landscapes, which is an excellent chance to learn about the local culture and engage with the friendly residents.

 We’ll eat lunch at a local house and enjoy a delightful feast of traditional Vietnamese meals created with fresh, local ingredients.

Afternoon

We will head back Saigon and be back to the hotel

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh

Meals: Breakfast, lunch

The morning
Following breakfast, tour guide will meet you and bring you to Cu Chi, a tiny town northwest of Ho Chi Minh City famous for its network of deep tunnels that offered shelter and an efficient source of infiltration for the Viet Cong during the last years of the Vietnam War.

When you arrive, you will see a brief introductory film from the era before tunnel exploration, the most renowned battlefields in the world. Housed living quarters, storage chambers, makeshift hospitals, kitchens, etc. This concealed network of Viet Cong tunnels is thought to span to “hundreds of miles” overall length. Though originally somewhat limited, some areas have been enlarged for visitors and you have the chance to investigate portions of the system.

These tunnels will be hot and could be claustrophobic, therefore there is a choice if you like to see from above ground.

Sample some of the primary Viet Cong Soldiers’ cuisine alongside a cassava taste accompanied with sour tea. Following your visit of the Cu Chi Tunnels, return to the city with lunch at Ben Nay restaurant along the way.

Post-lunch
Visit a few of Ho Chi Minh City’s main attractions for the rest of the day. Your tour will be customized to fit you, but we especially suggest seeing the Notre Dame Cathedral, the beautiful City Hall (Hotel De Ville), the old Opera House, the historic Rex Hotel, the Central Post Office, famous for its architecture, and Ben Thanh Market, where merchants showcase a great variety of products and handicrafts, appealing to all tastes.

Later visit the Reunification Palace and the touching War Remnants Museum for an enlightening, albeit sad, look into Vietnam’s military history and tragic past.

Before ending the day in great style with a sundowner at the summit of the Bitexco Tower, the highest structure in Vietnam, go to the atmospheric Jade Emperor Pagoda.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City

Meals: Breakfast, lunch

Before traveling back to your home country or continuing on to your next destination, you have the opportunity to engage in some last-minute shopping in Ho Chi Minh City during this morning’s free time.

The end of the service.