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Family Adventure and Discovery

Vietnam is a country of outstanding natural beauty, with many small peaceful villages and friendly people yielding plenty of beautiful sights to see and lots of exciting things to do. This 14-day family adventure in Vietnam is designed with focuses on families with children which enables each and every member of the family to have both fun-filled and educational experiences from north to south Vietnam. You visit busy Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh cities, scenic Halong Bay, authentic local life in the Red River Delta and Mekong Deltas, and the intricate networks of the Cu Chi Tunnels. You will also have great opportunities to interact with the friendly Vietnamese, and of course enjoy some great food and much more!
  • Roger Family _DSC3354
  • tour 6 - day 11 - by hoan kiem lake
  • tour 6 - day 11 - water puppet show
  • tour 6 - day 14 - vietnamese people (1)
  • tour 6 day 12 - halong bay traditional junk
  • Kayaking in Ha Long Bay
  • tour 6 - day 13 - visit fishing village
  • tour 6 day 13 - tai chi on the boat
  • tour 6 - day 5 - hoi an ancient town (1)
  • tour 6 - day 6 - hoi an eco tour
  • tour 6 day 4 - visit cu chi tunnels
  • touro 6 - day 1 - saigon post office
  • tour 6 - day 3 - rowing boat

TRIP OVERVIEW

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Destinations: Hanoi - Hoi An - Cu Chi - Ho Chi Minh City - Mekong Delta - Vung Tau
Starts in/Finishes in: Hanoi/Vung Tau
Highlights:

  • See the uniquely northern Vietnamese water puppet performance
  • Sample delicious street foods prepared by the locals
  • Spend a night cruising and kayaking Halong Bay aboard a traditional Junk
  • Visit the sights of UNESCO World Heritage-listed Hoi An on foot
  • Get closer to poorer communities in the outskirt of Hoi An and have both fun-filled and educational experiences
  • Visit Cu Chi Tunnels to discover the amazing network of underground tunnels built by the Viet Cong
  • Sample colorful floating markets and cruise among local barges full of fruits and vegetables in Mekong Delta

 

Duration: 14 days

Travel Style: Family Vacations , Featured Tours
Suitable: Culture seekers, Families with teens, Families with small children

TRIP IN DETAILS

When you arrive at Noi Bai International airport in Hanoi, you’ll be welcome by one of our representative and transferred to your hotel in the downtown. The remainder of the day will be your own.

Meals:
Accommodation: Hotel
Transportation: Private vehicle

This city tour of Hanoi takes in essential sites which will commence from your hotel lobby at 08.30 am. In the morning, you’ll visit the Ho Chi Minh Complex including the Mausoleum, his former stilt-house residence, the Presidential Palace and the Ho Chi Minh Museum; The Temple of Literature – Vietnam’s first university dating back to 1070.

After lunch at a local Vietnamese restaurant, you’ll continue visiting the Museum of Ethnology, widely acknowledged as the best in the country, containing an extensive display of life-size structures dedicated to Vietnam’s 54 ethnic minority peoples; a cyclo ride for 1 hour touring through the narrow, chaotic streets of the Old Quarter – a must for any visitor to Hanoi! The day finishes with a traditional performance of the famous Vietnamese water puppets.

Note: the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is closed all day on Monday and Fridays, as well as from 15th June to 15th August (approx.) for annual conservation.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel
Transportation: Private vehicle

After breakfast, a two hour road trip through picturesque countryside and agricultural land will take you to Hoa Lu. On arrival, your guide will lead you through this ancient complex which formed the capital city of Vietnam under both the Dinh and Le Dynasties between 968 and 1009 AD. King Dinh Tien Hoang chose this mountain location as the water systems fed from the mountains were perfect for both agriculture and defense. Enjoy the sight of palaces, pagodas, tombs and pavilions built by different dynasties and visit the Dinh and Le Temples, the two remaining architectures of Hoa Lu. From there, hop on your bike for a 10km gentle ride through some of the most stunning landscapes in the countryside. Bike on picturesque back roads, through rice fields and along streams before stopping for lunch at a local restaurant near Tam Coc. In the afternoon, take a three hour sampan ride along the waterways of Tam Coc. Known locally as the ‘Halong Bay of the land,’ this winding river way is dotted with gorgeous limestone karsts with endless photo opportunities. You will also visit Bich Dong Pagoda comprising three pagodas located at different levels on a green mountain and the setting of the French film ‘Indochine’.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel
Transportation: Private vehicle, Boat

After breakfast, continue your family holiday package to Vietnam with 2-day cruise in Halong Bay. You’ll leave for Halong Bay with a refreshment break en route. Meet the crew upon boarding the traditional wooden junk, then relax and enjoy lunch while the boat heads towards the secluded islands. Visit ancient limestone caves and go sea kayaking and swimming if the weather permits. Return to the junk refreshed and invigorated and relax on deck with a drink to watch the sunset. Enjoy a freshly prepared seafood dinner under the stars.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Overnight Cruises
Transportation: Private vehicle, Boat

Enjoy an early morning swim (if weather permits) followed by breakfast. The tour then visit one of the famous caves in the middle of the bay before cruising back to the main harbor for a 3,5-4 hour drive back to Hanoi. At 18.00, you will be picked up by driver to Hanoi Train Station for an overnight train journey to Danang. Overnight on the train.

Meals: Breakfast, Brunch
Accommodation: Overnight Train
Transportation: Private vehicle, Boat, Overnight Train

At 10:31 a.m., your guide and driver will meet you at Danang station and transfer you to hotel. Afternoon, you’ll start a walking tour with numerous places of interest: the 400-year old Japanese Covered Bridge, the Phuc Kien Assembly Halls, a museum and the colorful local market. Following the narrow lanes, you walk along tiny streets with houses influenced by Chinese, Japanese, French and European architectures.

After your walking tour, your time will be at leisure to wander around or go shopping. Your lunch will be at a local restaurant. The remainder of the day will be your own.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel
Transportation: Private vehicle

A free day of leisure in Hoi An.

Note: There are various optional activities for your free time in Hoi An such as a half day tour by Vespa and enjoy street food; a half day getting closer to farming and fishing communities with lunch on the boat; a day trip to Cu Lao Cham Island for swimming and snorkeling. These are few options and can be arranged at extra cost.

Alternatives for Day 7 in Hoi An:

Option 1: Vespa Street Foot Tour (Private Tour)
You might consider to do a street food adventure by Vespa with your guide [at extra cost]. In the morning, your guide will be met at your hotel and start the street food adventure by riding your bicycle to Tan An Central Market. Visit the bustling food hall where you can see a huge array of home-cooked street foods. Stroll around the market, learn how local people purchase the essential ingredients for their daily meals and buy some for dishes which will be prepared afterward at a local home. Continue cycle to a local family where they make the famous White Rose dumpling and see how the dish, which is being sold in every restaurant and food stall in Hoi An, is made at home. Head to another local family making ‘Mi Quang’ noodle and learn the process in making the well-known noodle dish originating from the central region. Another short ride will take you to another local home in the peaceful and beautiful countryside. Refresh with a cool drink. You will then prepare the ingredients for your dishes and start the hands-on on food experience with the local family. Sample the foods prepared by the local family and your own-prepared foods. Bidding farewell to the host family and cycle back to your hotel. If you take this option, the remainder of the afternoon will be your own!
Option 2: Cu Lao Cham Island ½ Day (Join In)
8:00: local tour guide pick up you at the hotel’s lobby, you will be transferred  to  Cua  Dai  harbour  to  register  with  the  Border  Police before heading to the islands. when Arriving in the island, your guide will  take  you  to  the  showroom  where  the  history,  map,  objects  are displayed. visiting Au Thuyen where the local boats are hidden in big storms, walking along the rice field to the over-100-years-old temple of Hai Tang.9:50 –11:00: back to the boat for snorkeling for half an hour at Xep beach. Here you can swim, see the forest of nice coral under the sea, then go to Chong beach for lunch and relax14:00: back to Cua Dai estuary where out vehicle will take you back to Hoi An
Option 3: Farming & Fishing Life (Join In)
This trip provides you with a close-up and intimate exposure to both the local farming and fishing communities.  Accompanied by your local tour guide, you commence the day with a scenic drive to Hoi An, then a gentle cycling along country roads witnessing local Vietnamese rural life first hand, discovering all manner of photo opportunities – coming and visiting a beautiful organic vegetable village, watering and planting vegetable, hoeing a soil with local farmer, riding a water buffalo in a rice paddy field; seeing ducks swimming along the rice farm or farmers tending their crops. The photo opportunities are endless.
You will also experience the friendliness of the local people greeting you en-route. Later you will board a boat for a river cruise to meet and engage with local fishermen and enjoy a hands-on experience of traditional net fishing. You will also experience paddling the unique Vietnamese bamboo basket boat while the waterways of coconut palm paradise. This tour provides you with a cultural window into the ways of life of both our farming and fishing communities.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel
Transportation:

Free morning at leisure. Afternoon flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Upon arrival, pick up and transfer to your hotel in the city centre.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel
Transportation: Private vehicle, Plane

An 1,5 hour drive will take you to the Cu Chi Tunnels where you will visit the amazing network of underground tunnels was used during the Vietnam War by the Viet Cong. This huge construction was a habitation for villagers in the war time. With 3 levels of depth, it was never discovered by the US during the Vietnam War despite its proximity to Saigon. Visit the fighting tunnel system with your local guide. After lunch [at your own cost], return to Ho Chi Minh City.
Embark on a guided city tour starting with the War Remnants Museum – a real eye-opener to a part of Vietnam’s proud history, followed by the Reunification Palace, the former Presidential Palace for the president of the South of Vietnam, the Notre Dame Cathedral and Old Post office to get good shots for our memory of the big, modern city of Vietnam.

After lunch, you will continue by heading to Chinatown with walking tour through back streets of China town near Cho Lon to view the local daily life. Stop off for a visit of Thien Hau temple, which was built in the early 19th Century dedicated to Thien Hau, the goddess of seafarers. We delve deeper into Chinatown visiting the amazing Cholon and Binh Tay Market (or Ben Thanh market) for an insight into where locals shop. Then you’ll be back to hotel at around 17:00.

Alternative for the evening in Ho Chi Minh City: Food Tour by Vespa Scooter
At 18:00, you’ll be picked up at hotel for Vespa tour [join-in]. Your first stop is to Café zoom to “watch the world goes by” (quoted by The Lonely Planet) and enjoy cocktail and appetizer (inclusive) before adventuring into favorite local eating spot. You’ll experience the nightlife of Saigon the way locals do, all from the back of a vintage Vespa scooter. Then the tour will continue to a hidden Vietnamese-style coffee shop to have a taste of Vietnamese music (live) as a local. After this the tour will bring you to a Mall (Diamond Plaza or Birdie Buddies Kids Club at Crescent Mall) to enjoy some games before returning to your hotel. Your overnight stay will be in Ho Chi Minh City.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel
Transportation: Private vehicle

This morning you will leave Ho Chi Minh City for Vinh Long in the Mekong Delta. Upon arrival, visit Vinh Long market in town where you will walk through the market to see local produce are on sales including, seafood, tropical fruits, vegetable. Embark on a private boat for cruising to visit brick-kilns where you can see how the local people create beautiful potteries from clay. Visit a nursery garden and meet with a famous farmer or his son who is very successful in Vietnam agriculture. He will invite you to sample seasonable fruits from his garden & homemade local vodka. Then take a rowing sampan along small creeks before cruising to your homestay on An Binh Island for a traditional music show. Next up is cycling along village paths to see the local farms, houses, real life and the ancestral ways of picking up fruits in Mekong Delta. Return to your homestay where you can join hand and help the host to prepare and cook some dishes for dinner. Enjoy diner and taster a cup of local rice vodka if you want to.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Homestay
Transportation: Private vehicle, Boat

This morning your boat will take you to Cai Be colorful floating market where you will cruise among local barges full of fruits and vegetables. An optional stop can be made at local workshops to see how to make rice paper, coconut candy and pop-rice, pop-corn …Visit other handicraft villages before returning by road to your hotel in Ho Chi Minh City. The remainder of the day will be your own.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel
Transportation: Private vehicle, Boat

This morning, a 2,5 hour drive will take you to Ho Tram Resort & Spa in Vung Tau. The remainder of the day will be your own!

Located along the coastal road of Ba Ria, Vung Tau Province, Ho Tram Beach Resort & Spa is the ideal get-away from the hustle and bustle of Ho Chi Minh City. A mere two-hour leisurely drive from Saigon, Ho Tram Beach Resort & Spa showcases authentic Vietnamese architecture, set against a backdrop of blue seas, clear skies and rich garden landscapes. Using only the highest quality of indigenous materials, the Ho Tram Beach Resort & Spa allows the guests to experience the local culture and enjoy international standards of services.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Resort
Transportation: Private vehicle

The day will be your own to spend as your wish!

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Resort
Transportation:

Your time will be your own until being picked up to Tan Son Nhat airport in Ho Chi Minh City for your departure flight. Farewell from Vietnam!

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation:
Transportation: Private vehicle

PRICE GUIDE & NOTES

From: US$ per person for a private tour of minimum 4 guests traveling together
Valid till October 31, 2025

Meals: 13 Breakfasts, 7 Lunches, 2 Dinners, 1 Brunch
Transportation: Private vehicle, Boat, Overnight Train, Plane
Accommodation: 13 Nights

WHAT'S INCLUDED

  • All pick-ups and transfers by private vehicles with experienced drivers and shared shuttle bus for round trip transfers between Hanoi & Halong Bay.
  • Accommodation in chosen hotels – Twin/Double share (your family will stay in two rooms) & home stay in the Mekong Delta
  • 1 night on a traditional wooden junk on Halong Bay.
  • One-way train ticket Hanoi – Danang (private soft 4 berth cabin with airconditioned on SE1 train)
  • Domestic flight tickets Danang – Ho Chi Minh City (economy class by Vietnam Airlines, inclusive of domestic airport taxes)
  • Experienced English speaking local guides (we often use 3 local guides for Vietnam, one covers the north and centre Vietnam and another guide will cover southern Vietnam)
  • Private boat cruise in the Mekong Delta
  • Meals as indicated in the programme
  • All entrance fee as mentioned in the programme
  • 1 hour cyclo ride & First class water puppet tickets
  • All VAT and other government taxes

WHAT'S EXCLUDED

  • Entry visa to Vietnam
  • International flights and airport taxes
  • Travel Insurances
  • Drinks, tips and other personal expenses or services not mentioned on the program
  • Bank transfer fees

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Aweasome Testimonials

MEET OUR HAPPY TRAVELERS

A dream trip with my father

I had three weeks in Vietnam and Cambodia last year. I travelled with my father (70 years old) and Tuan put the best itinerary for us. We had the chance to have Spanish speakers guides everywhere so my dad could have a full experience of what this two beautiful countries have to offer. I will be forever grateful for this wonderful experience! Thank you Tuan!

Ms JOHANNA

Spain

December 26, 2017

We loved absolutely everything!

We loved absolutely everything! I’m in serious danger of superlative overload here but the truth is, Tuan of Absolute Asia Travel created an outstanding trip. Our brief was to spend 7 weeks exploring Indochina, focussing on culture, history, food, geography, ecology and meeting and getting to know local people.

Tuan phoned us several times to discuss our ideas (which were really quite vague!) and then put together a programme that went above and beyond all our expectations. We had so many wonderful adventures, met so many wonderful people and had so many memorable experiences, I could write a book!

Tuan got it absolutely right; the content, pace, variety, accommodation and all for a price that makes our friends and family gasp in disbelief. Our guides were all exceptional; incredibly knowledgeable, intelligent, enthusiastic people who are passionate about their countries and keen to share their intimate knowledge honestly and objectively. They were a joy to be with. The trip was our gift to each other to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary. And we celebrated in some style!

Tuan had briefed our hotels and excursion leaders and we were thoroughly feted and pampered. Our actual anniversary date was truly magical! We were rowed at sunset in a bamboo basket boat up a river, between banks of jungle. We alighted and were escorted down a path lined with flickering torches to our very own bamboo pavilion, floating like a boat in the rice paddy. Our very own chef and waitress were waiting for us and served us a fabulous feast while the darkness deepened and the crickets sang. Impossibly romantic!! During the 7 weeks, we travelled overnight by train, had 6 domestic flights, 3 international flights, stayed in 14 different hotels, enjoyed 1 homestay, and 1 cruise in the stunning Halong Bay. We cycled, we trekked, we snorkled, we kayaked, had numerous boat trips and many sightseeing tours. We have travelled through mountains, emerald with rice terraces, through jungles, and the mighty Mekong delta.

We have lazed on white sand beaches and swam in turquoise waters. We have explored coral reefs and floating villages. We have stayed in exotic, bustling, chaotic cities and peaceful villages. We have been awed by natural beauty and by the incredible grandeur of Angkor Wat and princely palaces.

We have eaten wonderful street food and had sumptuous fine dining in the Garden House in Hue. We have shopped in the most colourful, exciting street markets. And everywhere there have been lovely smiling, happy people, only a generation away from the unimaginable horrors of the Vietnam War and the Killing Fields of the Kh’mer Rouge – a distressing but necessary part of our experience.

Tuan’s organisation has been so good that it has all flowed seamlessly and everything happened as planned and with immaculate timing. Just fabulous!

CHERYL & ROGER FARRELL

United Kingdom

October 25, 2017

Peace of mind

Best part of our trip were the tours organized and peace of mind we had. All the hotels were very nice and the staff very professional. The tours organized were not the typical tourist destinations so we did not have to face large crowds. Coffee and food were our favorite things about the Vietnamese culture.
We really enjoyed the food in Vietnam. Our favorite destinations were Hoi An and An Bang beach. We had a very nice day with our guide at the Mekong Delta visiting the various family farms and businesses. We also really enjoyed our hike at Bach Ma national park.
There was nothing we would consider bad. The city Hanoi was a bit boring for us and we felt we wasted a day over there as there was not much activities to do. However I think that is because we enjoy sport activities more.

Ms RANA HAJJAR

United States

February 18, 2019

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