The Best Awesome Family Tour 12 Days

Day 01: Hanoi Arrival

Arrive at Noi Bai International Airport. You will be warmly welcomed by our guide and driver. Transfer to the hotel in about 35 minute drive. Check in and have a restful overnight stay at the hotel. If check-in is earlier in day time, then the rest of the day is at your own leisure.

Meal: None
Tour guide: English speaking guide

Day 02: Hanoi Cooking Class

In the morning, have some family fun and join a cooking class at a hospitality school for underprivileged children. Many of them were living on the streets of Hanoi and other cities, and their training will eventually help them work in some of Vietnam’s best hotels and restaurants. Next, explore the old quarter by cyclo, navigating its narrow streets and colourful markets the traditional way. Late in the afternoon, attend a water-puppetry performance – a sure-fire kid pleaser! The tradition dates to the 11th century, and many of the puppets are lacquered using a traditional Vietnamese painting technique. Enjoy the rest of the evening exploring Hanoi’s quaint alleys or head back to the hotel for some rest.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch

Tour guide: English Speaking tour guide

Day 03: Hanoi – Ninh Binh

This morning, our driver will pick you up at the hotel and transfer to Ninh Binh Province. Known lovingly as “Halong Bay on land”, this stunning province boasts similar limestone karst topography, but rather than rising out of the sea, the karst formations rise out of emerald rice paddy fields and winding rivers.

After a two and a half hour drive, arrive in Gia Vien District and swap your car for a bicycle. Then embark on a short cycling journey through paddy fields en-route to the nearby Van Long reservoir area. Along the way, stop at Mai Trung hamlet for an in-depth experience learning how locals here farm and tend to their rice. Follow the lead of your local host for seeding, putting down fertilizer, scooping water or harvesting, depending on the time of year.

Afterwards, cycle onward to a local family home, and get an up-close demonstration of traditional cooking using rice crackers or fried crab dishes. Then sit down with your local family hosts and enjoy these local specialties along with another Vietnamese favourite – rice wine! After lunch, challenge your hosts to a game of chess or kick back for a chat to learn about their lives here.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch

Tour guide: English Speaking tour guide

In the afternoon, reach Van Long wharf and set off on a short boat trip into the reservoir at Van Long Nature Reserve – the largest wetland in northern Vietnam. Float past poetic landscapes and rolling jungle hills that are perfect for photos, before heading back to Hanoi for arrival in the early evening.

Day 04: Hanoi – Halong Bay

After breakfast,  you will be transferred to Ha Long Bay and arrive the jetty around 11.30 p.m. Have lunch on cruise through the bay. Depends on which cruise you choose, the detailed itinerary will basically include a visit to the cave, kayaking,  swimming in crystal water. Dinner and overnight on the cruise.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Tour guide: English speaking guide on board

Day 05: Halong Bay – Hanoi Airport fly to Danang

Wake up on the bay to the sounds of waves, fresh air, and breeze. After breakfast, visit a beautiful limestone grotto then walk back to the boat for a final glimpse of Halong Bay while cruising back to the dock. The boat arrives at the harbor by 11.30 am. Your driver is waiting to take you back to Hanoi airport for your flight to Danang.

Up on arrive in Danang, our driver & guide will pick you up & take you to hotel in Hoi An for check in.

Special note: Cruise itineraries and schedules are subject to change without pre notice depending on the weather and operating conditions.

Meal: Brunch

Tour guide: English Speaking Guide

Day 06: Farmer to Fisherman in Hoi An Town

After breakfast, spend the rest of your day getting to know rural Vietnam. Start with a bike ride along green rice paddies to a nearby village where you will roll up your sleeves and help out the farmers. Head back to Hoi An and take a short river cruise to meet some fisherman for a hands-on lesson in net-fishing. Here you’ll gain a deep appreciation for how difficult (but amusing) it is to paddle bamboo basket boats.

Head back to your hotel early in the evening and either enjoy another night on the riverside promenade in Hoi An, or tuck in for an early night’s sleep.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch

Tour guide: English Speaking Guide

Day 07: Hoi An Cycling Tour

Rising early in the morning for another exciting day in rural Vietnam, hop on a bicycle for a picturesque half -day tour of the countryside surrounding Hoi An. Pass rows of serene rice paddy fields en-route to Cam Thanh Village, where you’ll get a taste of the local life there. Once a shelter for locals and soldiers during the war, the village is now famous for its thatched roof cottages, woven from water coconut leaves of the region. Spend some time with a local family and learn about the villagers’ way of life. Then, board a bamboo basket boat and learn how to catch crabs alongside local experts. Take a well-earned rest and savour the refreshing flavour of fresh coconut water before cycling on to Ha Linh lantern workshop. There, you’ll learn how to make these delicate creations in a hands-on master class, and take home your very own. Enjoy the charming scenery as you cycle back to Hoi An.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch

Tour guide: English Speaking Guide

Day 08: Hoi An Free Day

Spend the day exploring Hoi An at your own pace and do as much or as little as you choose. If the beach is not your thing then you might like to take part in a cooking class, or become ‘tomb raiders’ as you explore the ancient ruins of My Son on a day-tour. On your last evening in Hoi An, be sure to float lanterns along the river –it’s a local rite of passage that the whole family will be sure to enjoy!

Meal: Breakfast

Tour guide: None

Day 09: Hoi An – Danang – Ho Chi Minh City

This morning, our driver will pick you up at the hotel and transfer to airport for the morning flight to Saigon. On arrival, welcome by our guide and driver then drive to downtown and check into your hotel.

After freshening up, start at the magnificent Saigon Opera House –one of the city’s most iconic buildings. There you’ll see the unforgettable A O Show, which is a spectacular showcase of Vietnamese culture and performance art combining beautifully precise elements of both old and new. Featuring Vietnam’s most talented performance artists, traditional musicians and circus-like choreography, A O Show explores the lives of the Vietnamese people through its ensemble creations. Using props made of little more than bamboo and wood, performers recreate the peaceful serenity of the Vietnamese countryside, the ebb and flow of the coastal waves or the frenetic traffic in Hanoi and Saigon. It’s one of the most memorable experiences to be had in the city.

After the hour long show, take a short walk through the wide boulevards of central Saigon to Hoa Tuc Restaurant – a real culinary and architectural gem tucked away from the hustle and bustle of District 1. Renowned for its combination of contemporary Vietnamese cuisine and authentic French colonial architecture, Hoa Tuc is the perfect end to a memorable night in Saigon. Eat Al Fresco or within the elegantly white-washed walls of what was once an opium refinery. Afterwards transfer back to your hotel for a well-deserved snooze.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Tour guide: English speaking guide

Day 11: Ho Chi Minh City Tour

After breakfast, today we will get out and be surprised by the vibrancy of this industrious metropolis; tour the must-see sites including the Notre Dam Cathedral, Central Post Office, the torn past War Remnants Museum, Independence Palace and the aged old Ben Thanh Market; immerse yourself in the chaos of traffic and commercial activities of this fascinating city’s life and lights that never seem to stop. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch

Tour guide: English Speaking Guide

Day 11: Mekong Delta for a day to Ben Tre

After breakfast, we take a smooth ride to the southern Saigon and reach the land that is home to friendly Mekong farmers and fishermen. Walk across their lush orchards and sample a variety of seasonal tropical fruits; venture out in a small sampan and glide through the narrow canals and enjoy the tasty food of the Mekong offered by these hospitable locals. Transfer back to Saigon in the afternoon.

*The itinerary may vary depending on which Mekong program you choose.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Tour guide: English speaking guide

Day 12: Ho Chi Minh Departure

All things come to an end and, unfortunately, this is the end of your journey! Meet with your guide who will transfer you to the airport for your onward flight