Original
Explorer
Vietnam Express Southbound
5
Excellent
2193 reviews
10 days
Start
Hanoi, Vietnam
Finish
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Trip Code
TVSF
Min Age
15
Trip Size
1 - 16
Physical Rating
Meals
8 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 2 dinners
Transport
Boat, Motorbike, Overnight sleeper train, Plane, Private Minibus, Taxi, Sampan, Tuk-tuk
Accommodation
Hotel (7 nights), Overnight boat (1 night), Overnight sleeper train (1 night)
From £858(10 days)
Trip Informations
Why you’ll love this trip
Fall in love with Vietnam one bite at a time – slurp a bowl of pho on a busy street corner, crunch into a breakfast Bahn mi and sit down to a vegetarian feast in a Buddhist nunnery.
Sail through Ha Long Bay's Heritage-listed limestone karsts and island caves, visit a centre that turns the bay's discarded trash into treasures and spend the night checking out the stars on an overnight cruise.
Travel like a local on a motorbike tour, riding pillion and taking in the historical pagodas, bridges and villages of Hue.
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 myriad waterways.
Wander through the remarkably well-preserved streets of Hoi An's Old Town on a guided tour, where elegant wooden buildings line the canals.
Is this trip right for you?
To see as much as possible, this trip involves some long journeys, including by overnight train where the amenities are shared and basic. For more about what this experience is like, see our blog post here: https://www.tuuur.com/adventures/what-to-expect-on-an-overnight-train-in-vietnam/ https://www.tuuur.com/adventures/what-to-expect-on-an-overnight-train-in-vietnam/ (https://www.tuuur.com/adventures/what-to-expect-on-an-overnight-train-in-vietnam/)
The motorbike tour of Hue has been assessed for safety and is closely monitored (helmets are provided). However, alternative transport can be arranged for those who would prefer not to travel by motorbike.
Depending on where you come from, the weather in Vietnam might be hotter and more humid than what you are used to. Please consider your suitability for the season you wish to travel in. Check out https://www.tuuur.com/vietnam/weather-in-vietnam for more info. https://www.tuuur.com/vietnam/weather-in-vietnam (https://www.tuuur.com/vietnam/weather-in-vietnam)
Itinerary also runs in reverse, from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi. Enter trip code TVSQ on our website for details.
This trip is a great way to see a lot of Vietnam in a relatively short period of time. If you would like a longer tour in Vietnam, maybe check out Best of Vietnam (TVST). You may also want to check out our South East Asia Loop (TTSVC), or our Best of Vietnam & Cambodia (TVSKC) if you have longer time to explore in the region.
Itinerary
Discover the karst-studded bays, bustling cities and bicycle-powered food carts of Vietnam
Uncover all the good bits of Vietnam on this ten-day adventure through backstreets, villages, cities and waterways, all with a local leader by your side. Trace the east coast and visit UNESCO World Heritage-listed landscapes while you fuel yourself with banh mi and condensed milk coffee. Try some authentic street food, wave to fishermen on the Mekong Delta and get the inside scoop on the best tailors of Hoi An. Take a motorbike through the ancient streets of Hue and spend a night on Halong Bay. This is an adventure full of life, colour and flavour that introduces you to the highlights of a fascinating nation with a small group of likeminded travellers.
Inclusions
Meals
8 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 2 dinners
Transport
Boat, Motorbike, Overnight sleeper train, Plane, Private Minibus, Taxi, Sampan, Tuk-tuk
Accommodation
Hotel (7 nights), Overnight boat (1 night), Overnight sleeper train (1 night)
Included activities
Hanoi - KOTO dinner
Halong Bay - Overnight Boat Cruise
Halong Bay - Cave entry
Halong Bay - The Green Life Visit
Hue - Imperial City entrance and guided visit
Hue - Royal tomb of Emperor Tu Duc
Hue - Highlights & back streets tour by motorbike
Hue - Thien Mu Pagoda
Hue - Vegetarian Lunch at Pagoda
Hoi An - Old Town walking tour
Ho Chi Minh City - War Remnants Museum
Ho Chi Minh City - City tour
Mekong Delta - Mekong Delta Day Trip & Village Tuk-Tuk Tour
Mekong Delta - Lunch
Optional activities
Hanoi - Women's Museum - VND30000
Hanoi - Museum of Ethnology - VND40000
Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh Complex - VND80000
Hanoi - Hanoi Street Food Experience Urban Adventure - USD39
Hanoi - Ninh Binh Mini Adventure (TVAN) - USD355
Hiking in Sapa (TVAG) - USD432
Halong Bay - Kayaking Tour - VND250000
Hoi An - Food Adventure Urban Adventure - USD39
Hoi An - Private Hoi An: My Son Discovery - USD73
Ho Chi Minh City - Reunification Palace - VND40000
Ho Chi Minh City - A O show - VND1050000
Ho Chi Minh City - Saigon Street Food by Night Urban Adventure - USD29
Ho Chi Minh City - Cu Chi Tunnel Experience Urban Adventure - USD39
Dates and availability
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Important notes
1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement excludes Day 2 (Overnight boat) and Day 3 (Sleeper train) where you will be in shared accommodation and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information. Day use rooms are also excluded.
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.
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 (2135)
5 stars
2072
4 stars
56
3 stars
3
2 stars
4
Tracel
Oct 05, 2025
This is our 2nd Intrepid tour. The itinerary was interesting, informative, fun and well organised. The included activities were excellent and having regular free time was great. We are looking forward to doing another Intrepid tour in the future.
Jaynie
Oct 05, 2025
Intrepid tour Vietnam Express North to South was wonderful. I learned so much about this amazing country and her people whilst having the best fun along the way. This is eco tourism at its best. Would highly recommend Intrepid.
Hannah
Oct 04, 2025
I had the best experience, our group had so much fun and we visited so many places off the beaten track. Most importantly was our tour leader, he was the best, above and beyond!
Brenda
Oct 04, 2025
This is the first tour I have participated in after travelling for 30 years over 40 countries and it was truly an amazing experience. So much more than I expected. The guide Thao was the best. The activities were so well paced with still enough time to run off on a few individual side adventures or just laze by the pool. The transfers and accodaywas so beautiful. Also the structure of each day was cleverly thought out and no time was ever wasted. Action packed all the way. So much variety and connections made with local people. I would recommend Intrepid to anyone of any age.
Nathalie
Oct 04, 2025
What a fabulous adventure in Vietnam! The food is amazing , the locals are welcoming and the sites we visited were the most important . I learned so much about the culture, the past and the wars. Vietnam is so rich in history ! Our guide was very knowledgeable and he took good care of us!
Phil
Oct 03, 2025
My tour was great fun, very educational, was well organised and we saw and learnt a little that we would nit have learnt otherwise.
Leanne
Oct 02, 2025
This trip was fantastic - lots of learning about the history of Vietnam. The sights were great absolutely enjoyed the extras including biking around the rice paddies. Tuyen was the best guide you could ask for - what heshared about the culture makes me smile even writing this. “Thank you please “
Rose
Oct 02, 2025
This is a perfect introduction to Vietnam! Just stay a few more days at the start in Hanoi and you’ll be all set!
HECTOR
Oct 02, 2025
Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all - what an amazing trip Thank You Intrepid & Mr Cong
Laura
Oct 02, 2025
An amazing way to experience Vietnam! The itinerary was well-paced, with a great mix of culture, history and local life. Highlights included a motorbike tour in Hue and exploring Hoi An. Our guide, Ha, was excellent, knowledgeable, organised and fun. Highly recommend this Intrepid trip for a memorable, authentic adventure.
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