Original
Explorer
Vietnam Express Northbound
4.9
Excellent
circle681 reviews
location_on 10 days
location_on
Start
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
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Finish
Hanoi, Vietnam
tour
Trip Code
TVSQ
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Min Age
15
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Trip Size
1 - 16
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Physical Rating
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Meals
8 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 2 dinners
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Transport
Boat, Overnight sleeper train, Plane, Private minibus, Taxi, Motorbike, Sampan, Tuk-tuk
bed
Accommodation
Hotel (7 nights), Overnight boat (1 night), Overnight sleeper train (1 night)
From £813(10 days)
Trip Informations
Why you’ll love this trip
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Zoom about the city of Hue on the back of a motorbike and see all the ancient sites with a handy local guide – now this is travelling like a local.
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Walk through the UNESCO World Heritage-listed town of ancient Hoi An and maybe grab a new suit from one of the world-famous tailor shops here.
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Spend an unforgettable night on a traditional junk boat in Ha Long Bay – one of Vietnam’s most remarkable natural wonders and a UNESCO World Heritage site – and maybe go kayaking between the karsts for a different perspective.
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Embrace a slower pace during a private boat tour of the Mekong Delta and meet local craftspeople in the villages that line the river's waterways.
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Sample local food wherever you go, including a seafood dinner on Ha Long Bay, vegetarian lunch at a Buddhist nunnery, coconut candy in the Mekong Delta and a final dinner at KOTO restaurant (not to mention the street food).
Is this trip right for you?
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You'll 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 tuuur.com/adventures/what-to-expect-on-an-overnight.
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The sightseeing tour by motorbike in Hue is great fun with bikes driven safely by professionals (and helmets provided), but alternative transport can be arranged for those who would prefer not to travel by motorbike.
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Depending on where you come from, the weather in Vietnam might be hotter and more humid than what you are used to.
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This itinerary also runs in reverse direction, from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, see trip code TVSF on the website.
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You may also want to check out the Best of Cambodia & Vietnam (TKSKC) if you have a longer time to explore the region.
Itinerary
Discover the sights and bites of Vietnam’s backstreets from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi
Go behind the scenes of Vietnam’s hotspots with this ten-day small-group adventure. From the fast-paced hub of Ho Chi Minh City to the charming capital of Hanoi, you’ll see naturally beautiful landscapes and history-soaked monuments, tucking into all the deliciously local cuisine in between. Traverse the country from South to North like a local and paddle through the waterways of the Mekong Delta, explore villages in a tuk-tuk, cruise through the World Heritage-listed waters of Ha Long Bay, wander the car-free streets of Hoi An on foot and discover the imperial icons of Hue from the back of a motorbike. With the guidance of your expert local leader, you’ll discover secrets to this Southeast Asian gem that you simply won’t find in a guidebook.
- DAY 1Day 1 • Ho Chi Minh City
- DAY 2Day 2 • Mekong Delta - Ho Chi Minh City
- DAY 3Day 3 • Hoi An
- DAY 4Day 4 • Hoi An
- DAY 5Day 5 • Hue
- DAY 6Day 6 • Hue - Overnight Train
- DAY 7Day 7 • Hanoi
- DAY 8Day 8 • Halong Bay
- DAY 9Day 9 • Hanoi
- DAY 10Day 10 • Hanoi
Inclusions
restaurant_menu Meals
8 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 2 dinners
airport_shuttle Transport
Boat, Overnight sleeper train, Plane, Private minibus, Taxi, Motorbike, Sampan, Tuk-tuk
bed Accommodation
Hotel (7 nights), Overnight boat (1 night), Overnight sleeper train (1 night)
festival Included activities
circleMekong Delta - Mekong Delta Day Trip & Village Tuk-Tuk Tour
circleMekong Delta - Lunch
circleHoi An - Old Town walking tour
circleHue - Imperial City entrance and guided visit
circleHue - Royal tomb of Emperor Tu Duc
circleHue - Highlights & back streets tour by motorbike
circleHue - Vegetarian Lunch at Pagoda
circleHue - Thien Mu Pagoda
circleHanoi - Temple of Literature
circleHanoi - One Pillar Pagoda & HCM stilt house
circleHanoi - Old Quarter Walking Tour
circleHalong Bay - Overnight Boat Cruise
circleHalong Bay - Cave entry
circleHanoi - KOTO dinner
circleHalong Bay - The Green Life Visit
museum Optional activities
circleHoi An - Food Adventure Urban Adventure - USD39
circleHoi An - Private Bike, Boat and Dinner Experience - USD69
circleHalong Bay - Kayaking Tour - VND250000
circleHanoi - Street Food Experience Urban Adventure - USD29
circleHanoi - Hoa Lo 'Hanoi Hilton' Prison - VND50000
circleHanoi - Fine Arts Museum - VND30000
circleHanoi - Ninh Binh Mini Adventure (TVAN) - USD355
circleHiking in Sapa (TVAG) - USD432
Dates and availability
Starting
Ending
Remaining
Prices From
Sunday Oct 26, 2025
Tuesday Nov 04, 2025
Trip size max: 16 - Sold Out
Tuesday Oct 28, 2025
Thursday Nov 06, 2025
Trip size max: 16 - Sold Out
Friday Oct 31, 2025
Sunday Nov 09, 2025
Trip size max: 16 - 7 spaces left
£1,161£1,044
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Tuesday Nov 04, 2025
Thursday Nov 13, 2025
Trip size max: 16 - 5 spaces left
£1,249£1,186
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Friday Nov 07, 2025
Sunday Nov 16, 2025
Trip size max: 16 - 3 spaces left
£1,205
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Sunday Nov 09, 2025
Tuesday Nov 18, 2025
Trip size max: 16 - 3 spaces left
£1,287
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Tuesday Nov 11, 2025
Thursday Nov 20, 2025
Trip size max: 16 - 16 spaces left
£1,161
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Friday Nov 14, 2025
Sunday Nov 23, 2025
Trip size max: 16 - 7 spaces left
£1,177£1,059
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Sunday Nov 16, 2025
Tuesday Nov 25, 2025
Trip size max: 16 - 2 spaces left
£1,293
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Tuesday Nov 18, 2025
Thursday Nov 27, 2025
Trip size max: 16 - 1 space left
£1,161
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Wednesday Nov 19, 2025
Friday Nov 28, 2025
Trip size max: 16 - 4 spaces left
£1,287
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Friday Nov 21, 2025
Sunday Nov 30, 2025
Trip size max: 16 - 3 spaces left
£1,106£1,050
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Sunday Nov 23, 2025
Tuesday Dec 02, 2025
Trip size max: 16 - 4 spaces left
£1,293
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Tuesday Nov 25, 2025
Thursday Dec 04, 2025
Trip size max: 16 - 16 spaces left
£1,205£1,084
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Friday Nov 28, 2025
Sunday Dec 07, 2025
Trip size max: 16 - 6 spaces left
£1,210£1,089
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Important notes
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1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement exclude Day 6 (Sleeper Train) and Day 8 (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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Rooms booked only for day use are also excluded.
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2. Please provide your full name exactly as per passport at the time of booking (including any middle names listed on your passport) for train and flight 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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3. This trip includes a domestic flight. Checked luggage allowance is a maximum of 20 kilograms, plus up to 7 kilograms carry on luggage. Any excess luggage charges will need to be paid directly to the airline at check-in.
Reviews (672)
5 stars
633
4 stars
32
3 stars
6
2 stars
1
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Stephen
Oct 11, 2025
Our Intrepid tour from south to north Vietnam was an outstanding experience. The itinerary beautifully combined culture, history, and landscapes. The group dynamics were excellent, and our leader, Cong, was knowledgeable, organised, and great fun. I highly recommend travelling with Intrepid — a well-run, authentic, and unforgettable way to experience Vietnam.
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Kate
Oct 07, 2025
If you want to experience the best of Vietnam in just 10 days, this is the perfect trip. There’s so much to see and do, the tour leaders are incredibly knowledgeable, and the groups are fantastic — truly a must-do adventure of a lifetime!
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Maura
Oct 07, 2025
I was a little unsure about booking this tour as I’m in my sixty’s and thought I might be too old. Well let me just say that age is not a barrier and we had sooo much fun!! LOVED IT!
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Julie
Oct 06, 2025
September 2025
Vietnam Northbound Express
Our leader, Thanh, was superb. We had to pivot due to a typhoon during our trip by canceling the motorbike tour and double the time on the train, but Thanh managed to fit in a couple of sights at a later time. Everyone was flexible and friendly and welcomed the “surprises”.
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Jim
Oct 06, 2025
Intrepid once again came through with all it promised. I have a much better understanding of Vietnam, it’s culture, it’s people, and it’s history. I would recommend this trip to everyone.
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Ian
Oct 06, 2025
The Intrepid Express Northbound tour is an ideal entree to Vietnam for people of all ages who are reasonably fit and have a sense of fun. A well planned itinerary combined with a great guide and a willing group was everything we hoped for and is what we had . I could not recommend it highly enough.
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hannah
Oct 05, 2025
This was the best trip I have been on. We got to see so many things in such a short period, everything was so well organised and our trip leader (Bon) was so knowledgeable, helpful and kind. I would recommend this trip to everyone and would definitely do it again!
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Ross
Oct 05, 2025
Our guide, Bon, was absolutely fantastic. Nothing was too much to make sure everyone on the trip had the best possible time.
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catriona
Sep 30, 2025
Very impressed with my first trip with Intrepid and our great tour leader Sanh. So many highlights, the homestay dinner, lanterns, boats and cycling in Hoi An, visits to local crafts and all with an erical and environmental focus. As a group we had great fun lots of laughs and have made enduring friendships. Top notch food and a great variety of transport. Overnight train was a hoot!
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Sarah
Sep 27, 2025
Intrepid made exploring a country easy and accessible. Trip is organised for you, lots of activities yet down time as well to rest.
Took the stress out of organising