Vietnam Tours

Our transport for the first half of today is a traditional cyclo, a three wheeled bicycle with a carriage at the front for the passenger to sit in, while the driver uses pedal power to power us along. A  This allows us to take in the sights, sounds and smells of Ho Chi Minh City without the barrier of a car window or the sound of an engine, very environmentally friendly.

Our journey takes us through Tao Dan Park to the War Remnants museum, originally opened in September 1975, the museum displays old military equipment and other related items from the Vietnam War. A  In the courtyard we will find some larger exhibits including a F5A fighter and a UH1-Huey helicopter.

From here we continue our journey past the Reunification Palace, previously referred to as the Presidential Palace, it is the sight of the official South Vietnamese surrender on April 30th, 1975.A  We will not go into the palace however our local guide will provide you with information and a chance to take come photographs.

Leaving our cyclos and cyclo drivers behind we walk to the Notre Dame Cathedral, built by the French during the colonial era. It and our next destination, the General Post Office, are fine examples of architecture from the colonial period. We meet our cyclos again and ride to the Saigon Opera House and City Hall, situated in the centre of Ho Chi Minh city where scenes from the movie "The Quiet American" were filmed, not far from the Opera House we will find the Continental Hotel where Graham Greene, amongst other famous journalists and writers, called home during their stays in Vietnam.

We leave our cyclos behind at the intersection of Ton That Dam St & Huynh Thuc Khang St and dive into a real local food market. Continuing we explore Antique shop street and shoe street. A  Our final visit for the day is the Ben Thanh market where your local guide will assist you in getting a taxi back to your hotel or alternatively you are free to continue exploring the area. Why not practice your bargaining skills in the Ben Thanh market. The markets original location was close to the Ben Nghe River and the old fort of Gia Dinh was where it derived its name (Ben meaning "pier" and Thanh meaning "Fort"). The market was destroyed in 1859 during the French invasion of Saigon. It was rebuilt and later moved to its present location in 1899.

At the end of the trip you are free to continue exploring the area or your guide will assist you in getting a taxi back to your hotel.

Ask about our great airfares

Climb aboard a bicycle to discover the sights, sounds and smells of the villages surrounding Hue. Set off early, escaping the city for the peaceful streams and verdant fields of the surrounding countryside. Ride past rice paddies and small villages to arrive at Thanh Toan, a small village that is home to a legendary market.  

Climb off your bike to explore the market stalls, stopping to chat with the locals and learn more about life in this part of Vietnam. Pay a visit to the Thanh Toan Agricultural Museum to discover more about the role of agriculture in local society. Spend time soaking up the atmosphere in town and perhaps call by the beautiful Thanh Toan covered bridge or just take it all in while enjoying a coffee at the village cafe.

Climb back on your bike to continue exploring the area, passing over small streams, riding through pretty villages and stopping to chat with locals fishing, farming ducks and going about everyday life. Pay a visit to a family to learn how they make rice wine and perhaps even visit a local kindergarten to meet the local kids.  

This biking tour will give you a unique insight into life in the Vietnamese countryside and by the time you pull back into Hue, you'll have worked up an appetite ready to feast on a delicious lunch.

Ask about our great airfares

We start our evening walking tour at Hanoi's largest covered market, Dong Xuan. Along the perimeter of the market, dozens of street hawkers sell a staggering variety of produce from live seafood to exotic fruits and spices. Your expert English-speaking local guide will give you an insight into the intricacies and traditions of Vietnamese food culture including details on ingredients and historical backgrounds of popular northern dishes. We eat as we go, trying seasonal fruits and sampling a tasty French-inspired snack from a street cart.

Walking through the maze of bustling streets that make up Hanoi's Old Quarter, we tempt our tastebuds with the famed Hanoi dish Banh Cuon at a local eatery. Watch in awe as the skilled chefs demonstrate for you how this tasty dish is put together. Continuing into the atmospheric heart of the Old Quarter, we wander past street stalls and quiet residential lanes where you can observe local life that has changed little since Hanoi was founded over 1000 years ago.

Our next two snack stops are at outdoor barbeque stalls. We sit down with the Hanoi locals and sample various meat, vegetable and bread specialties that are flame grilled over hot coals for extra flavour. It's then time for dessert as we venture down a small alley to join in the local tradition of feasting on fresh fruit served in a cup and smothered with crushed iced and condensed milk - this speciality is one not to be missed.

Your local guide will then take you to one of Hanoi's best kept secrets, a hidden cafe with stunning views over the picturesque Hoan Kiem Lake. This hard-to-find cafe is one of the few left in the city that still serves egg coffee, a scrumptious local delicacy that we will sample whilst admiring the hustle and bustle of the city centre below. Or, if coffee is not your style, a cold beer awaits. At the end of the trip you are free to continue exploring the area or your guide will assist you with directions or a taxi back to your hotel.

Ask about our great airfares

HIGHLIGHTS: Ho Chi Minh City - Nha Trang - Hoi An - Hue - Halong Bay/Bai Chai Harbour - Hanoi

From chaotic Ho Chi Minh City to charming Hoi An, the imperial capital of Hue, vibrant Hanoi and the stunning natural beauty of Halong Bay, this trip has something for everyone. Journey up the coast in this jam-packed introduction to the country's highlights and nightlife with other travellers your own age-so you can be sure to get down with others that'll keep up. Our CEOs will take you to the highlights on a shoestring and then let you loose so you can do what you really want.

Day 1 Ho Chi Minh City
Arrive at any time.

Day 2 Ho Chi Minh City
Option to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels, War Remnants Museum, Colonial Quarter, or go shopping in Ben Thanh market. Overnight Train to Nha Trang.

Day 3-4 Nha Trang
Optional snorkelling boat trip, mud baths visit, motorbike tour of the area or just relax by the beach. Overnight train to Hoi An on Day 4.

Day 5-6 Hoi An
Opt to attend cooking class, visit My Son ruins, cycle to the beach, enjoy a river boat tour or explore the old town.

Day 7-8 Hue
Optional Citadel and Imperial Tombs tour, Perfume River boat trip or countryside motorbike tour. Overnight train to Hanoi on Day 8.

Day 9 Halong Bay/Bai Chai Harbour
Visit Halong Bay for a seafood lunch cruise and cave visit.

Day 10-11 Hanoi
Explore Hanoi with an orientation walk through the old quarter. Option to see Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum, the Temple of Literature and the Hoa Lo Prison or shop in the Old Quarter.

Day 12 Hanoi
Depart at any time.

Ask about our great airfares

HIGHLIGHTS: Hanoi - Hue - Hoi An €“ Nha Trang - Ho Chi Minh City

Surviving the overnight sleeper train:
- Make nice with the locals. Offer them a Pringle and they'll probably share their entire homemade banquet.
- Break out the noise-cancelling headphones because there's bound to be some snorers on board.
- Know at least one card game you can teach your new mates.

Ask about our great airfares

HIGHLIGHTS: Ho Chi Minh City - Phnom Penh - Siem Reap - Angkor - Bangkok

Never heard of Indochina? Don't stress it's just old school speak for Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand. You'll come for Angkor Wat but you'll stay for the pho/ amok/spring rolls (we could go on).

Ask about our great airfares

HIGHLIGHTS: Ho Chi Minh City - Dalat - Nha Trang - Hoi An - Hue - Hanoi

Slurp-worthy pho, sticky rice cakes, prawn pancakes wrapped in lettuce€¦ yes there's more to this country than the food but we're featuring the highlights here. Hungry yet?

Ask about our great airfares

HIGHLIGHTS: Ho Chi Minh City - Nha Trang - Hoi An - Hue - Halong Bay/Bai Chai Harbour - Hanoi

From chaotic Ho Chi Minh City to charming Hoi An, the imperial capital of Hue, vibrant Hanoi and the stunning natural beauty of Halong Bay, this trip has something for everyone.

Journey up the coast in this jam-packed introduction to the country's highlights and nightlife with other travellers your own age-so you can be sure to get down with others that'll keep up. Our CEOs will take you to the highlights on a shoestring and then let you loose so you can do what you really want.

Ask about our great airfares

HIGHLIGHTS: Ho Chi Minh City - Nha Trang - Hoi An - Hue - Halong Bay - Bai Chai Harbour - Hanoi

From chaotic Ho Chi Minh City to charming Hoi An, the imperial capital of Hue, vibrant Hanoi and the stunning natural beauty of Halong Bay, this trip has something for everyone. Journey up the coast in this jam-packed introduction to the country's highlights and nightlife with other travellers your own age-so you can be sure to get down with others that'll keep up. Our CEOs will take you to the highlights on a shoestring and then let you loose so you can do what you really want.

Ask about our great airfares

HIGHLIGHTS: Hanoi - Sapa - Halong Bay - Hue - Hoi An - Ho Chi Minh City - Mekong Delta

From the intensity of Ho Chi Minh City's streets to spectacular rice terraces, travel the length of Vietnam and savour its natural, cultural and historical delights. Meet the Hmong people and other minority villagers on a hilltribe excursion and sail into the photographic possibilities of beautiful Halong Bay. With the services of a CEO and your accommodation and transport taken care of, this trip offers great value as it introduces the region's main sights, providing plenty of flexibility so you can experience an adventure you'll never forget.

Day 1 Hanoi
Arrive at any time.

Day 2 Hanoi
Water puppets show. Options to visit Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum and stilt house, Hoa Lo Prison and the Temple of Literature. Overnight train to Sapa.

Day 3-5 Sapa
Hilltribe village visit, trek and homestay. Traditional meals with a local family. On Day 5, take a overnight train to Hanoi.

Day 6-7 Halong Bay
Halong Bay overnight cruise with included seafood meals. Visit caves or an island lookout. Overnight train to Hue on Day 7.

Day 8 Hue
Chance to explore Tien Mu Pagoda and the Royal Tombs. Optional tour of the countryside.

Day 9-11 Hoi An
Tour of the Citadel and Forbidden Purple City. Visit Hai Van Pass on the way to Hoi An. Options include a cooking class, shopping at the tailors, riverboat cruise, bike riding, beach time or My Son ruins.

Day 12 Ho Chi Minh City
Flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Option to take a cyclo tour of Ho Chi Minh City that will visit Reunification Palace, Opera House and Notre Dame.

Day 13 Mekong Delta
Mekong Delta visit, boat ride and visit to candy factories. Traditional homestay and dinner with a local Vietnamese family.

Day 14 Ho Chi Minh City
Option to visit War Remnants Museum, colonial quarter, Ben Thanh market.

Day 15 Ho Chi Minh City
Depart at any time.

Ask about our great airfares