Tailor-made Vietnam local life trip

Your Vietnam travel experience begins on arrival in Hanoi, where your guide and driver meet you at the airport for a private transfer to your hotel in the charming Old Quarter.

The remainder of the day is at leisure, allowing time to rest, recover from jet lag, and gently ease into the rhythm of Vietnam.

Discover the highlights of Hanoi with a journey through its history and traditions. Visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, admire the lotus-shaped One Pillar Pagoda, and explore the Temple of Literature for insight into Vietnam’s scholarly past.

In the afternoon, learn about the country’s diverse cultures at the Museum of Ethnology, stroll the Old Quarter’s famed 36 streets, and conclude with a traditional water puppet performance that brings rural life and national legends to life.

Escape Hanoi’s bustle on a Ba Vi eco tour to a Muong ethnic village. Begin with a welcome drink in Moc Village, then cycle around five kilometers through rice fields and visit the local market to see how villagers trade their produce.

Join Mrs Chin for a hands-on Hanoi cooking class, preparing dishes such as bun cha and fresh spring rolls.

After lunch, continue to a 30-year-old tea plantation in Ri Village, where you help harvest premium leaves and meet the owner, Mr Duoc, who shares his personal story and passion for tea.

Begin with breakfast at your hotel, then enjoy a scenic drive to Ha Long City with a short stop along the way. This highlight of your Vietnam itinerary continues as you board your overnight cruise around noon, receive a warm welcome, and enjoy lunch while sailing among thousands of limestone islands.

Afternoon activities vary by cruise and may include cave visits, kayaking, swimming, or simply relaxing on deck. As evening falls, the boat anchors amid dramatic karst formations for dinner and a peaceful overnight stay in Ha Long Bay.

Rise early on Ha Long Bay to watch the sunrise, followed by breakfast in the dining room. Join a gentle Tai Chi session on the sun deck to awaken body and mind, then explore a limestone cave filled with dramatic stalactites and stalagmites.

Return to the boat for a leisurely brunch as the cruise sails back to the harbor. Transfer to Hanoi and continue onward to Hoi An.

Stroll through Hoi An’s ancient streets and explore merchant houses that blend Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese influences. Visit the 400-year-old Japanese Covered Bridge and the Chaozhou Chinese Assembly Hall, then wander lively markets where silk can be tailored into garments within days.

Conclude with a one-hour boat journey along the Thu Bon River, passing fishing boats and riverside villages, before returning to your hotel.

Explore Hoi An’s peaceful countryside by traditional buffalo cart, passing rice paddies, shrimp ponds, and vegetable farms with wonderful photo opportunities along the way.

Continue by local riverboat on the Hoi An River, where you can try casting traditional fishing nets and learn to paddle Vietnam’s iconic round basket boats. Enjoy light seafood and a refreshing drink as you cruise back toward town.

Fly from Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh City, one of the best places to visit in Vietnam, and immerse yourself in its lively markets, riverside neighborhoods, and iconic street food scene.

In the afternoon, enjoy a tailored city highlights tour blending modern energy with historic charm, including Notre Dame Cathedral, the Central Post Office, the former Presidential Palace, and the War Remnants Museum.

Pause for Saigon street coffee as your guide shares a brief language lesson and local insights before returning to your hotel.

Travel from Saigon to Ben Tre in the Mekong Delta. By motorboat, visit Cai Be floating market, then glide through narrow canals by rowing boat and cross wider stretches of the Mekong past fish farms and riverside villages to An Binh Island.

Enjoy lunch at Ut Trinh Homestay, followed by an orchard stroll, tea, and live traditional music.

Continue with visits to local workshops producing rice paper, coconut candy, and puffed rice, then cycle village lanes past schools, churches, and pagodas. Watch traditional brick making at riverside kilns before finishing in Vinh Long City and returning to Ho Chi Minh City.

Savor a healthy breakfast on the final morning of your tailored Vietnam trip. After checking out, wander colorful local markets to browse handcrafted souvenirs, sample street food, and enjoy one last taste of authentic local life.

When the time comes, a private driver will transfer you to the airport for your flight home.