Dreaming of a family trip to Vietnam but not sure where to start? Let yourself be inspired by our carefully crafted family trip to Vietnam in 18 days, where breathtaking landscapes and rich historical, cultural, and architectural wonders await. With exciting, kid-friendly activities woven into the journey, we make sure every member of the family—young and old—enjoys an unforgettable holiday under the sun.
Arrive in Hanoi, the thousand-year-old capital of Vietnam. You will be welcomed by the local English-speaking guide, transferred to the hotel in the city centre (room available from 2:00 pm), and the day adjusted according to your arrival time. Leave for your first visit to the city centre to soak up the charm of the capital.
Cyclo in Hanoi Old Quarter
You will stop at the King Ly Thai To Square to discover the thousand-year-old history of the Vietnamese capital. Then, head to the nearby Hoan Kiem Lake with the Jade Mountain Temple and Turtle Islet right in the heart of Hanoi.
Continue your adventure to the Old Quarter of 36 guild streets. Take a walk or cycle tour through streets of crafts named after the goods produced and sold there. Stop at Ma May Street to visit an old “Tube” house, a characteristic feature of traditional Hanoi architecture.
Overnight at the hotel.
Included: Transportation, Accommodation, English-speaking guide, Visit fees.
Today, you will discover some of the most remarkable cultural sites and historical monuments of Hanoi. Your adventure begins with the Temple of Literature, the symbol of feudal education and one of the emblems of Hanoi. Then, head to Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, where the former palace of the governor of Indochina, the mausoleum and the house of Ho Chi Minh located. You will also visit the Museum of Ethnography, which houses a collection of 25,000 ancient and contemporary objects that serve as witnesses to the history of local populations.
Hoan Kiem Lake – Temple of Literature – Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
In the evening, there will be a water puppet show, a characteristic of Vietnamese culture. After that, transfer to the train station for the night train to Lao Cai, the capital city of the northeastern mountains.
Night in a sleeper cabin.
Included: Transportation, Accommodation, English-speaking guide, Hanoi – Lao Cai night train ticket, Visit fees, Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.
You will arrive at the Lao Cai train station early in the morning, be welcomed by the local French-speaking guide, and transfer to a small hotel near the station for a shower and breakfast.
Drive to Bac Ha, a small and quiet village located about 100 km northeast of Sapa. Upon arrival, hike to discover mountains, hills, valleys, and ethnic hamlets in the area around Bac Ha. Walk through a fir forest to reach Ngai Phong Cho, a village populated by Flower Hmong and Phu La people. This village still contains mud houses.
Bac Ha, Lao Cai
If time permits, continue the hike to the village of Thai Giang Pho, called “Valley of Flowers,” and visit the very less touristy villages of Thai Giang Pho and Na Lo, populated by the Tay and Black Hmong minorities. Visit a local family who makes rice alcohol, a specialty of the region, to discover the local technique.
End the day by installation with a warm family of the Tay ethnic group.
In the evening, dinner is shared with the family, a special moment to discover their life as well as the customs of the Tay minorities.
Included: Transportation, Accommodation, English-speaking guide, Visit fees, Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Depending on the day, visit a weekly market for local minorities near Bac Ha. Meet the colorful ethnic minorities at the market, who come to exchange goods and news about their own community. After that, transfer to Sapa, the former French resort.
Cat Cat Village, Sapa
In the afternoon, visit the villages of Hang Da and Sa Seng. You will walk among the karst limestone rocks of Hang Da, passing through small hamlets and observing agricultural activities.
Continue your journey to Sa Seng, a long valley bordered by mountain ranges, crossing beautiful forests and rivers. Photo stops allow you to capture beautiful views of rice paddies, tomato and cabbage crops, and traditional houses.
Return to town at the end of the day and stay overnight at the hotel.
Included: Transportation, Accommodation, English-speaking guide, Visit fees, Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.
This is the day of hiking amidst beautiful exotic landscapes along the Muong Hoa valley. Visit the ethnic villages spread throughout the valley of Y Linh Ho and Lao Chai of the Black Hmong and Ta Van of the Dzay.
Meet local people working in the rice fields and learn about their work and daily life.
Y Linh Ho Village
You will stop several times along the way to see the famous rice terraces before harvest (towards the end of August, the rice terraces begin to ripen; the whole Muong Hoa valley changes color, from green to yellow, an extraordinary landscape only once a year, not to be missed!).
Return to Hanoi, overnight at the hotel.
Included: Transportation, Accommodation, English-speaking guide, Visit fees, Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.
Depart for Ninh Binh, a land of limestone rocks, sugar loaves, and rice fields flooded by rivers and lakes all year-round.
Arrive in Ninh Binh and visit Mua Cave, a breathtaking viewpoint nestled beneath a limestone mountain. This bell-shaped mountain will offer you a panoramic view of the Tam Coc region as you climb a white staircase of 486 stone steps to the summit.
Spectacular scenery of Tam Coc, Ninh Binh
Then, transfer to Tam Coc, often called the “Halong Bay on land,” is a stunning landscape of limestone karsts, serene rice paddies, and winding rivers best explored by boat. You will ride a bike to discover this fabulous region.
Afternoon boat trip on the Ngo Dong River to discover Tam Coc. This long river winds between rice paddies and sugar loaves and passes beneath three caves at the foot of limestone peaks.
Included: Transportation, Accommodation, English-speaking guide, Visit fees, Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.
Departure for Ha Long—the most beautiful bay in Vietnam and one of the most magical landscapes in Asia.
Upon arrival, board a traditional junk. Welcome by the crew, then depart for a magnificent cruise on the bay. You will admire the picturesque islands and islets with various shapes (sail, dog, rooster, incense…). Visit the splendid caves of Ha Long Bay, including Thien Canh Son, home to stalagmites and stalactites dating back thousands of years.
Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
Continue the cruise to Cap La, kayaking and swimming in the sublime waters of the bay (if weather permitting).
Late afternoon, relaxing on the upper deck of the junk.
Then, participate in a cooking demonstration on board, preparation of spring rolls or nems. Taste seafood linch and dinner.
The evening is on your own. you can do your personal rest and relaxation such as board games, night fishing.
Night on board.
Included: Transportation, Accommodation, English-speaking guide, Visit fees, Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Rise at dawn to enjoy a moment of unique splendor: the first rays of sunlight emerging from the thousands of sugar loaves of the bay, and participate in a Tai Chi session on the terrace.
Boat or kayak trip to discover the fishing village of Vung Vieng, possible meeting with local inhabitants.
Tai Chi Session in Ha Long Bay
Lunch on the junk, disembark, and return to Hanoi. When you come back to Hanoi, catch a flight to Hue, the ancient imperial city in the center of the country.
Overnight in Hue.
Included: Transportation, Accommodation, English-speaking guide, Hanoi – Hue flight ticket, Visit fees, Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.
Departure for a city tour of Hue. Start your adventure at the Imperial City, residence and workplace of the 13th Nguyen Kings for 143 years. Then, visit Minh Mang Mausoleum, the Emperor famous for having been the father of 142 children with 43 concubines.
Imperial City of Hue
You will also visit Phu Mong Village with garden houses, a constituent element of Hue’s imperial identity. Next, visit Thien Mu Pagoda, the most beautiful and most visited pagoda in Hue, or the very peaceful Tu Hieu Pagoda, where the tombs of eunuchs from the Nguyen Dynasty are located. Depending on the time of day, you may even see the monks praying.
In the late afternoon, come to Dong Ba market, the largest and oldest in Hue, which sells local specialties such as conical hats and tunic dresses.
Overnight at the hotel.
Included: Transportation, Accommodation, English-speaking guide, Visit fees, Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.
Departure by road to Hoi An, an ancient small town located 150 km south of Hue. Several stops are planned along the way. You will see the scenic view of long beaches that are not very touristy, such as Thuan An and Lang Co, and large lagoons where several types of fish farms exist for the local population. Especially, you will go by the Hai Van Pass, the highest pass in central Vietnam. You will also pass by picturesque roadside cemeteries called “Ghost Towns” containing clusters of tomb-castles carved in various Asian architectures. From afar, they appear like veritable luxurious cities.
Breathtaking view from Hai Van Pass
Arrive in Hoi An in the afternoon, check in, and stay overnight at the hotel.
Included: Transportation, Accommodation, English-speaking guide, Visit fees, Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.
This day is completely free for independent discovery of the old town of Hoi An. You will have opportunities to shop in the old quarter (lacquerware, handicrafts, etc.) and in particular to have clothes made to measure in the silk shops.
Romantic ride through Hoi An Ancient Town
If time permits, cycle to the surrounding countryside, where there are several traditional villages (vegetables, pottery, carpentry). Relax on the beautiful beaches of the East Sea (Cua Dai, An Bang, …) that are located near Hoi An.
Overnight at the hotel.
Included: Accommodation, Meals: Breakfast.
Fly to Ho Chi Minh City, the bustling southern city (formerly Saigon). Upon arrival, an orientation tour in the city center, “colonial Saigon”.
Your Ho Chi Minh City tour begins at Ben Thanh Market, the symbol of the city. Then, head to Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office (built to the plans of Gustave Eiffel). Next, come by the Headquarters of the People’s Committee of HCMC, the former Central Town Hall, the most beautiful colonial building in the city.
Notre Dame Cathedral
In the afternoon, visit the “traditional city” with its must-sees, including the Museum of Traditional Medicine of Vietnam, a treasure trove of documents, objects, and instruments of a wide variety related to local medicine. Discover traditional Vietnamese medicine, more than 3,000 years old.
Conclude your day with a visit to Cho Lon Chinatown with the Temple of the Celestial Lady Thien Hau.
Overnight at the hotel.
Included: Transportation, Accommodation, English-speaking guide, Visit fees, Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.
Depart HCMC for the Mekong Delta, a territory half land, half water in the far south of the country (rising from the high plateau of Tibet on the Himalayan ranges, the Mekong is one of the longest rivers in the world and crosses several countries in Southeast Asia before dividing into two large branches and flowing into the sea in Vietnamese territory).
Mekong River
Arrival in Ben Tre, the large town located in the heart of the northern branches of the river. Boat trip on the rivers to reach Nhon Thanh, a small rural region still not very touristy, famous for its coconut trade and the manufacture of coconut products: coconuts, coconut thread, coconut activated carbon… Stop at the brickyards to discover the stages of brickmaking. Enjoy the local fruits and honey tea in the garden.
A 10th Loi (motorized bicycle) ride on the verdant island abundantly covered with coconut plantations. The route, away from mass tourism, takes you along small paths, under the shade of coconut trees, which offer a particularly poetic landscape. Stop at farms to observe the production of coconut candy and mats.
Continue with a ride in a small rowboat through the arroyos surrounded by water palms to immerse yourself in the daily life of the delta.
In the afternoon, drive to Giong Trom through coconut plantations and multitudes of canals linked to the great Mekong. You will stay at a charming lodge located on the banks of the Ham Luong River. Free time to relax in a peaceful setting with the opportunity to watch the sunset. In the evening, participate in the preparation of Banh Xeo, followed by dinner with your creations.
Overnight at the lodge.
Included: Transportation, Accommodation, English-speaking guide, Visit fees, Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
After enjoying a peaceful breakfast, set off on a bike ride through coconut country, along small shaded paths to Oc island. Known as the largest island on the Ham Luong River, Oc Island offers stunning scenery, including lush fruit gardens, rows of green coconut trees, and the tranquil lifestyle of the southerners. This tour will allow you to explore the daily lives of local people and their craft activities, with a visit to a small local market and a coconut shelling factory.
Ham Luong River
Back at the lodge, enjoy some free time to rest and relax by the pool before checking out at noon.
In the afternoon, return to Ho Chi Minh City.
Overnight at the hotel.
Included: Transportation, Accommodation, English-speaking guide, Visit fees, Meals: Breakfast.
After breakfast, depart for Mui Ne—a place known for its many beautiful white sand beaches lined with coconut trees and orange sand dunes.
Check in at the hotel on the eastern seaboard, overnight in Mui Ne.
Included: Transportation, Accommodation, Meals: Breakfast.
Start your morning early with a trip to the White Sand Dunes to catch the sunrise—rent an ATV or hop on a jeep tour for added fun. On the way back, stop at the Red Sand Dunes for photos and sand sliding.
Jeep tour in Mui Ne
In the afternoon, explore the scenic Fairy Stream and visit the Mui Ne Fishing Village to observe local life and colorful boats.
End the day with sunset drinks at a beachfront bar and a fresh seafood dinner accompanied by live music.
Included: Transportation, Accommodation, English-speaking guide, Visit fees, Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.
Start your second day in Mui Ne with a relaxing breakfast. Then, take part in an exciting kitesurfing session on the beach. Kite surfing in Mui Ne offers ideal wind conditions and a stunning beachfront.
Po Shanu Cham Towers, Mui Ne
Later, visit the historic Po Shanu Cham Towers, where you can enjoy panoramic views of the coastline and learn about the region’s ancient Cham heritage. Before heading out, explore a nearby local market to pick up souvenirs or snacks, wrapping up your short but memorable stay in Mui Ne.
Included: Transportation, Accommodation, English-speaking guide, Visit fees, Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.
Free morning for your rest in Mui Ne. In the afternoon, return by road to Ho Chi Minh City, then transfer to the airport for the return flight.
End of service, and see you on the next holiday!
Included: Transportation and Breakfast at the hotel.
– There may be cancellation fees charged by suppliers (hotels, airlines, boats, trains…) once these bookings are made and paid. These fee shall by paid by travelers.
– These are maximum cancellation fees to be flexible applied:
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