Vietnam Beach Holiday

You will meet your Incredible Asia Journeys guide at Hanoi’s Noi Bai Airport. They will take you to your hotel in the city’s Old Quarter for your check-in (check-in is from 14:00).

Get settled into the pace of central Hanoi before heading to Hoan Kiem Lake to enjoy a Water Puppet Show – an amazing and entertaining part of Vietnamese folk tradition. Dinner will follow this at a local restaurant as we welcome you formally onto the Vietnam Beach Holiday – 14 Day Tour.

Dinner is the only included meal today; please make your own arrangements for the other meals. You will stay overnight in Hanoi.

Water Puppet Show: As an ancient folk tradition that started in the rice paddies to entertain farmers after the harvest, Vietnamese water puppetry grew immensely in popularity and is now one of the most comprehensive displays of the country’s treasured farming culture. In Hanoi, the Water Puppet Show takes place at the Thang Long Water Puppet theatre beside the city’s central Hoan Kiem Lake.

Enjoy the first breakfast at your hotel before our guide comes to collect you at 08:00 to begin your Hanoi City Tour.

We will begin at the historic Ba Dinh Square, where Ho Chi Minh delivered his declaration of independence from France, and now the resting place for his body in the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. French influence can still be seen at the vivid Presidential Palace, matched by Asian architecture at Ho Chi Minh’s Stilt House, a reverential place for the Vietnamese people. We finish at Ba Dinh Square with a visit to the One Pillar Pagoda, a unique piece of architecture lying in green surroundings.

We rest for lunch and continue onto the beautiful Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s first university and one dedicated to the teachings of Confucius. The Museum of Ethnology will provide us with a fantastic account of the 54 ethnic groups living around the country through excellent displays and full-scale replicas of individual groups’ humble accommodation. A leisurely end to the Hanoi City Tour comes from the seat of a cyclo, a colonial method of transportation that lets you see the magnificence of Hanoi’s Old Quarter at a languid pace. After being cycled around the Old Quarter’s 36 ancient streets, we will finish the tour at about 16:00 and allow the rest of the afternoon and evening as your free time.

After breakfast at the hotel, our guide will collect you at 08:00 to take you to twice UNESCO-recognised Halong Bay, requiring a 3.5-hour drive along the alluring sights of the Red River Delta. Once we have arrived and embarked on the cruise ship, we will sit down to a glorious lunch, watching the first of the resplendent bay’s limestone rocks gliding silently past the window.

Take some time to enjoy the cruise throughout the afternoon from your cabin or the top deck. We will begin a kayaking excursion in the mid-afternoon. This is a fun and simple way to get within touching distance of Halong Bay’s astounding beauty, and the experienced cruise guide will make sure you are well-equipped to enjoy it fully and safely. We return to the cruise after this to learn the secrets of Vietnamese cuisine through an informative cooking class. An exquisite dinner will lull us into a romantic evening, with the ambient soundtrack of Halong Bay at night echoing around us. Stay overnight in Halong Bay.

A Tai Chi class starts the day early on the top deck of the cruise, giving you a chance to greet the natural beauty of Halong Bay in a meditative way. Breakfast will follow this in the dining room downstairs.

Our first stop today is to Sung Sot Cave, a remarkable geological feature in Halong Bay, illuminated with colourful lighting that accentuates its beauty. We stop at a fishing village after this to learn how the locals have adapted to a life on the sea and in the shadows of towering limestone karsts.

On our way back to the pier, you will check out of your cabin and sit down for lunch before disembarking at about 12:00 pm. We head back to Hanoi for you to collect any belongings left before your Halong Bay cruise and then proceed to the airport for your flight to Da Nang.

You will wave goodbye to the guide and rendezvous with the Incredible Asia Journeys driver upon arriving in Da Nang. We will take the transfer to gorgeous Hoi An and settle you into your hotel. Whatever is left of the afternoon and evening is to be enjoyed as free time. You could take this opportunity to get your first glimpse into some beach time on the Vietnam Beach Holiday – 14 Day Tour, with a trip to Cua Dai or An Bang, two of Hoi An’s premier white-sand beaches looking out into the East Vietnam Sea.

Our guide will arrive with bicycles at 08:00, after your breakfast, to embark on the Tra Que Village Half Day Tour. This is one of the more popular day trips from Hoi An that takes you around the rural fringes of the town, along quaint paths flanked by rolling green rice paddies and the encapsulation of the idyllic Vietnamese farming scene.

As we cycle, we will stop to take pictures and chat with local farmers before arriving at Ba Le Market, where we see the daily local market scene play out in front of us. Passing picturesque cemeteries and schools, we arrive at the water coconut forest of Bay Mau. During the war, Bay Mau was a thick jungle where soldiers could find refuge, but nowadays it is the site of an open fishing village called Van Lang, to which we will head and met our smiling host, who will welcome us into his family home with a traditional green tea. 

After some time relaxing in the cool gardens of the long-standing house, we will head to the river to learn how to ride the unique, circular basket boats with the help of local fishermen.

We return to our host and help him and his family to cook for lunch. We will assist in the making of regional delights such as Tam Huu (spring rolls), Banh Xeo (crispy pancakes) and ca Nuong La Chuoi (grilled fish in banana leaf), before sitting down for a local dining experience in the excellent company.

After lunch, we will relax and then take the cycle back to Hoi An. Arriving at about 14:00, you will still have the afternoon and evening in which to enjoy your free time. Perhaps you could take today to shop for cheap tailored goods, which Hoi An has become known for since the decline of its port activity. Shopping earlier in your trip will give the tailors more time to create your ultimate clothing, which you can collect on any of the next three days that we will spend in Hoi An.

This is the first of two free days in Hoi An, so rise late and enjoy a relaxed breakfast. Your free time today can be spent in whatever way you wish. 

A full day can be spent on Cua Dai or An Bang beaches, or to avoid the crowds, you could take a full day tour to the glorious Cham Islands, lying 15km off the coast of Hoi An and delivering every possible concept of a beautiful island life in full. This UNESCO Biosphere Reserve features quiet white-sand beaches, coral-rich waters and swaying palm trees providing the background to it all. A full-day tour of the Cham Islands will take you to a few different beaches as well as some snorkelling sites and beautiful pagodas.

Alternatively, you could get a real feel for Hoi An by buying a sightseeing ticket and exploring some of the 21 official attractions that lie in the centre of the Ancient Town. You will gain an understanding of Hoi An’s long and colourful history through the many assembly halls, local residences, communal houses and ornate pagodas steeped in historic value. Delve into some of Hoi An’s most beloved foods for dinner, such as Cao Lau and Banh Xeo, before exploring the colorful merchandise on offer at the weekend night market.

Rise at a time that suits you for your second free day in Hoi An. 

Today, perhaps you would like to get a better understanding of Vietnamese history with a visit to My Son Sanctuary, a complex of historical ruins dedicated to Hindu gods and built by the civilisation of Champa, lying 35km southwest of Hoi An in thick jungle. A My Son Sanctuary half day tour will accompany your walk around these ruins, built between the 4th and 13th centuries, with the specialised services of a guide, who will explain the interesting history of the Champa Kingdom and their beliefs, all in the shadows of some beautiful and truly ancient architecture.

The port city of Da Nang lies just 30km north of Hoi An and provides an excellent alternative day trip. Dramatic, natural beauty abounds around Da Nang and can be seen best on a Mountains of Da Nang Day Trip from Hoi An, visiting the Marble Mountains, Son Tra Peninsula and the world-renowned Hai Van Pass. My Khe Beach, stretching up the entire east coast of Da Nang, is also a beautiful spot to relax, with a view to the city behind, Son Tra Mountains to the side and the East Vietnam Sea in front.

Eat breakfast at the hotel and prepare for your flight to Nha Trang, one of Vietnam’s best beach destinations. We will transfer to Da Nang airport to take the flight, after which you will meet your driver and proceed with them to the hotel, where you will check in (check-in is from 14:00).

The rest of the day is spent as free time. The temptation to spend all of it on Nha Trang’s gorgeous beach will be strong. You could give into this and sunbathe on soft, golden sands, or you could explore the attractions of the town and see what makes this such an unmissable stop on any southern Vietnam tour.

Enjoy a breakfast at your own pace as you make plans for the first free day in Nha Trang.

You could refresh from your previous day’s excursions with a visit to any of the natural mud baths and hot springs that are dotted around the thermal city. Many services around Nha Trang offer full packages in the nutrient-rich baths, giving you a chance to melt any lingering stresses away. 

If it is a more active time that you are looking for, then you could consider going to Vinpearl Island, reachable by a cable car from the mainland and offering many excellent facilities such as a waterpark, safari and an incredibly scenic golf course. Dam Market in the centre of Nha Trang also offers much in the way of activity, containing three storeys of merchandise spanning from food and clothing to jewellery and souvenirs.

Take breakfast at your hotel before you prepare yourself for your second free day in Nha Trang. 

Today might be your last chance to feel the sand between your toes on the Vietnam Beach Holiday Tour, so maybe you would enjoy a look around some of the quieter beaches that comprise the outskirts of Nha Trang. Doc Let Beach lies about 45km to the north of the city, but its distance is also a prime asset, as this is a quiet stretch of white sand skirting the East Vietnam Sea, reaching to the mountains of the Dong Hai Peninsula to the north. If you are looking for a closer beach then Hon Chong, lying on the north side of the city, might be your answer.

For a fully inclusive time with no stress, you can join a full-day tour around some of Nha Trang’s beautiful islands, standing statuesquely in the ocean and containing a lot of hidden delights away from the mainland. These tours usually pick their guests up early in the morning and begin with a trip to Mieu Island and the unique aquarium found here. After this, Mun Island is the next stop, offering excellent scuba diving and snorkeling opportunities, rounded off on Mot Island with a visit to a fish farm, lunch and then relaxation on the beach. These tours can be done privately or as part of a group.

Breathe in the last of the seaside air over breakfast. The driver will collect you at a pre-arranged time for your transfer to Ho Chi Minh City. Once arrived at Tan Son Nhat airport, meet your final guide and take the drive into the downtown of this modern metropolis. Check into your hotel if possible (check-in is from 14:00) and take the rest of the day as free time.

From the central districts of Ho Chi Minh City, you have great access to its biggest charms and historical treasures. As we will visit many of these sites during the next day’s Saigon City Tour, feel free to relax into the pace of the bustling city with a coffee and an exploration of some of the southern cuisine, which differs a lot from the food of the north. Maybe take your chance to go shopping around Ho Chi Minh City’s many shopping malls and markets, such as the Vincom Center and Diamond Plaza, offering a mix of traditional products and ultra-modern conveniences. 

You could spend the evening at Nguyen Hue walking street, a 670-metre pedestrianised street running between the Town Hall and the Saigon River, flanked by cafes shops and musical water fountains.

Meet with the guide, after breakfast, at about 08:00. We will head to the Cu Chi Tunnels, about 60km to the northwest of Ho Chi Minh City and home a highly elaborate and effective tunnel-network for the Viet Cong. The 200km of winding, underground shafts were used to hide and heal troops, store weapons and plot the fall of Saigon. Our tour will allow us to climb into the enlarged tunnels and learn of the booby traps used to deter the American and South Vietnamese armies.

Following lunch at a local restaurant, we will head back to Ho Chi Minh City and begin the Saigon City Tour, starting at the Independence Palace, a fantastic place to visit for history buffs. A tank dramatically crashed through the gates in 1975, ending the long and bloody Vietnam War with a comprehensive victory for the North. Just beyond this is the War Remnants Museum, where private accounts of the war are retold and the biggest chapter of Vietnam’s recent history is summarised.

Along with these, we visit the Old Post Office and neighbouring Notre Dame Cathedral, as well as Cholon, the city’s vibrant Chinatown and Ben Thanh Market, where great deals on souvenirs can be found. We finish the tour at around 16:30 and drop you off at your hotel for another pleasant evening in Ho Chi Minh City.

Your driver will meet you at about 08:00, after you have finished your breakfast, to take you south of the city to the Mekong Delta. This evocative land has a pre-historic past and an attractively languid approach to life.

You will meet your local tour guide for the day at Ben Tre and jump onto a boat for an engine-powered cruise on the Mekong River. Floating on the wide expanse of the river, we spot houses and workshops along its banks, working to produce products from the humble and omnipresent coconut that covers this lush province. We carry on through smaller creeks to more remote villages where we can see examples of brick-firing and bamboo mat-weaving.

We will cycle or take a xe loi motorised rickshaw along the riverbanks, spotting idyllic scenes in the rice paddies, fruit orchards and vegetable gardens.

We stop at a restaurant beside the Mekong River to sample some of the excellent and freshly caught seafood in the region. After this, we take a rowboat around the small watery alleyways flanked by lush nipa palm and stretching coconut trees, creating a beautifully green scene with light filtering through from above.

We return to Ho Chi Minh City and you will spend the final night in Ho Chi Minh City.

Savour the last breakfast of this extended Vietnam holiday package at your hotel in Ho Chi Minh City. With plenty of time to spare until your flight, the driver will collect you and transfer you to Tan Son Nhat international airport, from where you will take your onward flight.

This signals the end of the Vietnam Beach Holiday - 14 Day Tour. It was a pleasure to have your company for two weeks during your stay in Vietnam. We sincerely hope that we have a chance to serve you again!