Original
Explorer
Best of Vietnam
20 Days | The ultimate south to north adventure tour of Vietnam
4.9
Excellent
circle52 reviews
location_on 20 days
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Start
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
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Finish
Hanoi, Vietnam
tour
Trip Code
TVST
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Min Age
15
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Trip Size
1 - null
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Physical Rating
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Meals
17 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 3 dinners
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Transport
Boat, Overnight sleeper train, Private minibus, Taxi, Train
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Accommodation
Homestay (3 nights), Hotel (13 nights), Overnight boat (1 night), Overnight sleeper train (2 night)
From £2,069(20 days)
Trip Informations
Experience quintessential Vietnam on this comprehensive trip from south to north. Travel from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi and experience dynamic cities, tranquil backwaters, imperial ruins, faded colonial elegance and picture-perfect landscapes dotted with reminders of the past. Explore the narrow cobbled streets of Hoi An’s Old Town, encounter local tribes on a hike in the mountains of Da Bac and whizz through the back streets of Hue as you uncover the very best of Vietnam.
Why you’ll love this trip
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Experience local life during homestays in the Mekong Delta and Da Bac. Get to know local families, participate in their activities and enjoy a homestyle meal.
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Travel to both popular and lesser-known destinations in Vietnam, including tourist hotspots like Halong Bay and hidden gems such as Da Bac
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See Vietnam through an exciting mix of transport, including motorbike, sampan, junk-style boat, bus and train
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Visit the mind-boggling Phong Nha and Thien Duong Caves. These labyrinthine systems were used to shelter civilians during the Vietnam/American War
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Spend a day in Hue, touring the city's sights on a motorbike and eating lunch at a serene nunnery
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Relax in the turquoise waters at Nha Trang and discover local fisherman's life on a boat trip.
Is this trip right for you?
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During this trip, there will be several long days of travelling and you'll be sitting on a bus for many hours at a time. However, road trips often have the best views, and most private buses feature wi-fi
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We cover a lot of distance on this trip, including on overnight trains. Accommodation and amenities are shared and basic, but the experience of rubbing shoulders with the locals makes it all worthwhile. For more about what this experience is like, see our blog post here:
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This trip involves a lot of walking - on city walking tours, the hike in Da Bac and during included activities. While being on your feet can be a bit tiring, this is the best way to truly get under the skin of a place
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You'll be spending two nights with local families on this trip, where the accommodation is shared and basic. But this is a great opportunity to connect with the local people (and enjoy delicious home-cooked meals!). Read more about the experiences here:
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Vietnam has an incredibly diverse climate influenced by both tropical monsoons and its range of altitudes and latitudes. Temperatures can vary from a brisk 4°C (39°F) in the northern mountains during winter to a sweltering and humid 36°C (97°F) in Ho Chi Minh City during the middle of the dry season. Please check the weather for the time of year you're travelling in order to pack appropriate clothing - this page may be useful:
Itinerary
- DAY 1Day 1 • Ho Chi Minh City
- DAY 2Day 2 • Ho Chi Minh City
- DAY 3Day 3 • Mekong Delta Homestay
- DAY 4Day 4 • Ho Chi Minh City
- DAY 5Day 5 • Dalat
- DAY 6Day 6 • Dalat
- DAY 7Day 7 • Nha Trang
- DAY 8Day 8 • Nha Trang / Overnight train
- DAY 9Day 9 • Hoi An
- DAY 10Day 10 • Hoi An
- DAY 11Day 11 • Hue
- DAY 12Day 12 • Hue
- DAY 13Day 13 • Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park
- DAY 14Day 14 • Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park / Overnight train
- DAY 15Day 15 • Hanoi
- DAY 16Day 16 • Da Bac
- DAY 17Day 17 • Hanoi
- DAY 18Day 18 • Halong Bay
- DAY 19Day 19 • Hanoi
- DAY 20Day 20 • Hanoi
Inclusions
restaurant_menu Meals
17 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 3 dinners
airport_shuttle Transport
Boat, Overnight sleeper train, Private minibus, Taxi, Train
bed Accommodation
Homestay (3 nights), Hotel (13 nights), Overnight boat (1 night), Overnight sleeper train (2 night)
festival Activities
circleHo Chi Minh City - Cu Chi Tunnels
circleHo Chi Minh City - War Remnants Museum
circleHo Chi Minh City - City tour
circleMekong Delta - Sightseeing Tour
circleMekong Delta - Guesthouse Dinner
circleDalat - Garden visit
circleNha Trang - Nha Trang Bay Boat trip
circleNha Trang Bay - Island hopping, Fishing Villages & Snorkelling
circleHoi An - Old Town walking tour
circleHue - Imperial City entrance and guided visit
circleHue - Royal tomb of Emperor Tu Duc
circleHue - Highlights & back streets by motorbike
circleQuang Tri - Vinh Moc Tunnels
circleQuang Tri - Hien Luong Bridge
circlePhong Nha Ke-Bang NP - Thien Duong (Paradise Cave)
circlePhong Nha Ke-Bang National Park - Phong Nha Cave
circleHanoi - Ho Chi Minh Complex
circleHanoi - One Pillar Pagoda
circleHanoi - Old Quarter Walking Tour
circleDa Bac - Sung cave and village tour
circleDa Bac - Homestay Dinner
circleDa Bac - Homestay Lunch
circleHanoi - Vun Art center visit
circleDa Bac - Da Bia Lunch
circleDa Bac - Sung village to Da Bia hike
circleHanoi - Water puppet show
circleHalong Bay - Dinner on Boat
circleHalong Bay - Lunch on Boat
museum Optional activities
circleHo Chi Minh City - A O show - VND1050000
circleHoi An - Private Hoi An: Boat & Bike with Local Dinner Experience Urban Adventure - USD85
circleHoi An - Food Adventure Urban Adventure - USD44
circleHoi An - Private Hoi An: My Son Discovery - USD77
circleHanoi - Fine Arts Museum - VND30000
circleHanoi - Hoa Lo 'Hanoi Hilton' Prison - VND50000
circleHanoi - Temple of Literature - VND70000
circleHanoi - Women's Museum - VND30000
circleHanoi - Army Museum - VND20000
circleHanoi - Street Food Experience Urban Adventure - USD29
Dates and availability
Starting
Ending
Remaining
Prices From
Sunday Jul 13, 2025
Friday Aug 01, 2025
Trip size max: - 12 spaces left
£2,299£2,069
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Sunday Aug 17, 2025
Friday Sep 05, 2025
Trip size max: - 12 spaces left
£2,299£2,069
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Sunday Sep 21, 2025
Friday Oct 10, 2025
Trip size max: - 12 spaces left
£2,299£2,069
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Sunday Oct 19, 2025
Friday Nov 07, 2025
Trip size max: - 12 spaces left
£2,393
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Sunday Nov 09, 2025
Friday Nov 28, 2025
Trip size max: - 12 spaces left
£2,481
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Sunday Nov 23, 2025
Friday Dec 12, 2025
Trip size max: - 12 spaces left
£2,481
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Sunday Dec 07, 2025
Friday Dec 26, 2025
Trip size max: - 12 spaces left
£2,393
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Sunday Dec 28, 2025
Friday Jan 16, 2026
Trip size max: - 12 spaces left
£2,299
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Sunday Jan 04, 2026
Friday Jan 23, 2026
Trip size max: - 12 spaces left
£2,514
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Sunday Jan 18, 2026
Friday Feb 06, 2026
Trip size max: - 12 spaces left
£2,514
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Sunday Feb 01, 2026
Friday Feb 20, 2026
Trip size max: - 12 spaces left
£2,415
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Sunday Feb 15, 2026
Friday Mar 06, 2026
Trip size max: - 12 spaces left
£2,514
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Sunday Mar 01, 2026
Friday Mar 20, 2026
Trip size max: - 12 spaces left
£2,602
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Sunday Mar 08, 2026
Friday Mar 27, 2026
Trip size max: - 12 spaces left
£2,602
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Sunday Mar 22, 2026
Friday Apr 10, 2026
Trip size max: - 12 spaces left
£2,602
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Important notes
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1. Please provide your full name exactly as per passport at the time of booking (including any middle names listed on your passport) for train tickets. Fees may apply for amendments to details within 45 days of departure, and in some cases, you will be required to cover the cost of issuing new tickets.
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2. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement excludes days 3, 16 (homestays), days 8, 14 (overnight trains), and Days 18 (overnight boat) where you will be in shared accommodation and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
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