Basix
Explorer
Rail
Vietnam Discovery
15 days • 4.9
5
Excellent
101 reviews
15 days
Start
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Finish
Hanoi, Vietnam
Trip Code
TVRN
Min Age
15
Trip Size
1 - 16
Physical Rating
Meals
2 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 2 dinners
Transport
Boat, Overnight sleeper train, Private minibus, Taxi, Train
Accommodation
Guesthouse (1 night), Homestay (1 night), Hotel (10 nights), Overnight sleeper train (2 nights)
From £945(15 days)
Trip Informations
Why you’ll love this trip
After spending time admiring Hoi An’s UNESCO World Heritage-listed ancient town, hop on a bike and pedal beside rice fields and through small villages on a guided bicycle tour of the surrounding countryside.
Spend two days on Cat Ba Island relaxing on tiny beaches, hiking through verdant jungle and kayaking around karst-studded Lan Ha Bay. It’s just like Ha Long, but with fewer tourists!
Cruise around the backwater canals of the Mekong Delta – the ‘rice bowl’ of Vietnam – and discover rural life and local interactions along the shores with your small group.
Explore the 36 streets of Hanoi’s Old Quarter, as well as the Dong Xuan Market and Hoan Kiem Lake, taking in the unique mixture of French and Buddhist architecture.
Bliss out on an immersive homestay in the National Park of Pu Luong – wake up to the serenity of quiet, terraced rice paddy fields, trek the local land to take in the scenery and meet some local tribes to learn about their culture.
By travelling on this trip, you’ll learn about our Tuuur Foundation partner, Save Vietnam's Wildlife. Donations help them provide support for endangered wildlife and protect critical animal habitats in Vietnam. Tuuur will double your impact by dollar-matching all post-trip donations made to The Tuuur Foundation.
Is this trip right for you?
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.
You'll be spending two nights with local families on this trip. While during these homestays the accommodation is shared and basic, this is a great opportunity to connect with the local people (and enjoy delicious home-cooked meals!).
Your visit to Hoi An includes a bicycle tour of the surrounding countryside. The ride isn’t strenuous, but you will need a basic level of fitness to take part.
Lots of time allocated for optional activities means freedom, flexibility and unexpected delights, but it does require a level of independence. Be sure to budget a little extra for your chosen activities, with plenty of suggestions from your leader of course!
Itinerary
Hanoi backstreets, Pu Luong villages, Hoi An’s Old Town and Cat Ba kayaking
Trace Vietnam’s eastern coastline on this 15-day adventure, seeing the country from south to north and discovering the many natural and heritage wonders along the way. From the modern chaos of Ho Chi Minh City all the way up to old-world Hanoi, you'll experience tumultuous history, architectural charm, vibrant colours, delicious food and inspiring scenery on your adventure. Take a boat cruise along the Mekong Delta, tour the backstreets of Hoi An with a local, enjoy a rural homestay in Pu Luong and explore the beautiful karsts of Lan Ha Bay.
Inclusions
Meals
2 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 2 dinners
Transport
Boat, Overnight sleeper train, Private minibus, Taxi, Train
Accommodation
Guesthouse (1 night), Homestay (1 night), Hotel (10 nights), Overnight sleeper train (2 nights)
Included activities
Mekong Delta - Boat Cruise, Lunch and Homestay
Hoi An - Old Town walking tour
Hoi An - Countryside bicycle hire
Hanoi - Old Quarter Walking Tour
Hanoi - Vun Art center visit
Pu Luong - Homestay and Village Walk
Cat Ba Island - Kayaking
Cat Ba Island - Boat trip on Lan Ha Bay
Cat Ba Island - Lan Ha Bay Lunch
Optional activities
Ho Chi Minh City - Cu Chi Tunnel Experience Urban Adventure - USD39
Ho Chi Minh City - Reunification Palace - VND40000
Ho Chi Minh City - War Remnants Museum - VND40000
Hoi An - Food Adventure Urban Adventure - USD39
Hoi An - Private Hoi An: My Son Discovery - USD73
Hoi An - Cooking class - USD33
Hue - Imperial City Full Day Tour - USD69
Hue - Thien Mu Pagoda - Free
Hue - Emperor Tu Duc's Tomb - VND150000
Hue - Highlights & back streets by motorbike (without lunch) - USD23
Hue - Highlights & back streets by motorbike (with lunch) - USD28
Hanoi - Army Museum - VND20000
Hanoi - Women's Museum - VND30000
Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh Complex - VND80000
Hanoi - Fine Arts Museum - VND30000
Hanoi - Street Food Experience Urban Adventure - USD29
Hanoi - Temple of Literature - VND70000
Hanoi - Hoa Lo 'Hanoi Hilton' Prison - VND50000
Hanoi - Museum of Ethnology - VND40000
Dates and availability
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Important notes
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.
2. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement excludes days 3, 8 (overnight trains), day 2 (guesthouse), and Days 10 (homestay) where you will be in shared accommodation and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
Reviews (100)
5 stars
90
4 stars
10
Taylor
Mar 25, 2025
Our guide was spectacular and the trip was a fantastic snapshot of Vietnam. Would recommend to any of our friends.
Jedidiah
Mar 20, 2025
This trip was great with a well thought out itinerary which felt like the perfect time at each stop. The activities and food was all great and our leader Nhan was excellent, we will all miss her!
Taylor
Mar 20, 2025
What a great way to get a snapshot of such a beautiful country. I loved being along for the ride!
stuart
Feb 28, 2025
A simply outstanding trip I found the guide to be very helpful and could not do enough for you would travel with these people anytime
Angela
Feb 22, 2025
My Vietnam tour was fantastic. It gave me the re-charge I needed and I learned so much about this beautiful country. It was organized and ended up being way more than I expected.
Laura
Feb 22, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed my Intrepid trip Vietnam Discovery. Our guide was an excellent source of information regarding life and culture in Vietnam. Through the activities, travel and accommodation we enjoyed life with the local people. The discovery trip left me wanting to return even before I departed.
Judy
Feb 20, 2025
Great value trip overall. Well organised with an excellent tour leader Sanh. Accomodation is basic as expected, and sometimes can be mixed in quality. Overnight trains are surprisingly tolerable. Cat Ba cruise was fantastic despite poor weather. Homestead experiences were phenomenal. Great cycle tour with our guide in Hoi An as well. Would recommend this for someone who would like ease of someone else organising transport between each location, but also flexibility in the free days too.
Kathleen
Feb 20, 2025
When looking for a Vietnam experience Intrepid provided the opportunity that was dynamic and inclusive of many aspects of a beautiful and welcoming country. The choice of cities and countryside stays throughout the trip helped provide an experience of a lifetime.
Roberto
Feb 04, 2025
This company has a lot of experiences creating amazing memories. You gained a customer with excellent guides, interesting places and tasteful gastronomy.
Gina
Jan 16, 2025
Our leader NHAN- Jay, made our Vietnam Intrepid tour absolutely amazing! He made us feel safe and prepared for all of our wonderful experiences. He arranged EVERYTHING for us and we were able to relax knowing he would take care of us. He educated us on the history and culture of Vietnam and I came away with so much knowledge while also having so much fun! Our tour group became a family and we had an Amazing holiday- because of Jay! 🥰
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