Vietnam Family Explorer

Join Hanoi Vietnam

Xin chao! Welcome to Hanoi, Vietnam. You are greeted by your driver at Noi Bai International Airport for your transfer to the hotel. Please look for the WORLD EXPEDITIONS welcome sign in the arrivals hall. You will have time to relax at your hotel and adjust to the pace of Hanoi. The capital of Vietnam is one of Asia’s most enchanting cities, full of culture, history and the engaging contradictions of a rapidly developing and deeply traditional society. This beautiful city is bustling with energy and will soon dispel even the slightest feeling of jetlag. In the late afternoon we will meet our guide at the hotel lobby for a trip briefing. Then we take a short transfer to a nice restaurant for our welcome dinner. This place specializes in North Vietnam ethnic gastronomy; enjoy a set of delicious dishes in a relaxed atmosphere.Drive: 45mins, 35kmOvernight: Skylark Hotel or similar

Explore Vietnam's capital, Hanoi

Our day begins with breakfast at the hotel and we dedicate our morning to visiting the essentials of Hanoi. We begin with an orientation walk around some of the 36-corporations streets of the Old Quarter. This bustling heart of Hanoi has been a commercial centre since King Ly Thai To built his palace there in the 11th century. Skilled craftsmen started to migrate and artisan guilds were formed on the famous "36 Streets". Previously, each street carried the name of the item produced and sold there, and many still have the same names. This is a place you must see to experience Hanoi, where you will find shopping and cultural/historical sites all wrapped into one. From the Old Quarter we transfer to the Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s oldest university (opened in 1070), which is now a temple dedicated to Confucius. For lunch, we suggest that you walk to a nearby street food shop. There are several options, our favourite would be the Bun Cha flame-grilled pork meat served with sticky rice noodles. In the afternoon, we continue with the garden of the Presidential Palace, also the place of the one-pillar pagoda and the house on stilts where Ho Chi Minh lived. We enjoy a water puppet show before returning to the hotel in afternoon. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure. Note: The total walking distance is flexible but should be 3-4km in total. Many of Hanoi’s museums are closed on Mondays.Overnight: Skylark Hotel or similar

Ha Long Bay Cruise

We enjoy breakfast at the hotel before heading out to Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On arrival we will join our traditional ‘junk’ sailing boat and head out into the Gulf of Tonkin amongst the huge limestone outcrops and emerald waters. We will spend the rest of the day cruising in our boat around the myriad of tiny islands and exploring the many grottoes created by the wind and the waves. While on board we will have a fresh seafood lunch followed by a swim and exploring one of the limestone caves in this area. Dinner thjis evening is served o deck.Note: Cruise itinerary and schedule are subject to change due to weather, tide levels and operating conditions. Swimming or kayaking excursions may be cancelled due to poor weather. Unused services are not subject to a refund.Drive: 2½hrs, 160kmOvernight: Cruise boat cabins

Train to Hoi An

Today we continue to cruise to visit more sightseeing and spots in Ha Long Bay. We will reach the pier around noontime and transfer back to Hanoi. Stop en route in Bac Ninh to visit Dong Ho Village, famous for its long-preserved art of making simple yet unique traditional woodblock print pictures. Visit a studio in village, where you can watch the procedure of carving and printing these paintings, and learn about the local folk tales they represent. We will stop in a supermarket for you to purchase beverages and food for your following dinner and breakfast on the train. We continue on to the train station and embark on an overnight ride to Danang. Train departs between 19.00 and 20.00 and arrives at around midday the next day. Drive: 3½ hrs, 185kmOvernight: Air-conditioned 4-berth train cabin.

Lantern Making & Cooking Class

Enjoy the wonderful views over the Hai Van pass and the Lang Co bay to end the railway journey. You are greeted upon your arrival at Da Nang train station and driven to your hotel in Hoi An. Enjoy some time to relax and refresh before heading out in the afternoon to join a lantern making class. You will learn how to make one of the famous Vietnamese lantern from start to finish. The craftsman will show you how to decorate and instruct you in making your own lantern. Discover your inner skill and keep your handiwork as a souvenir of this beautiful Hoi An. Next is a fun and interesting tour cooking experience with a local chef. We visit the market and purchase necessary ingredients while the chef points out the different herbs and spices that shape Vietnamese food’s flavors. We then transfer by boat to a beautiful villa set on the banks on Thu Bon River. Enjoy a hands-on cooking lesson and culinary experience then dine on the courses you’ve prepared. Overnight: Thuy Duong 3 Hotel or similar

Rural Cycling & Mangrove Forest Kayaking

Get ready to hop on your bicycle and cycle to the countryside around Hoi An. The picturesque cycling route is highlighted with rice fields, local garden and markets. Stop as often as you wish for taking photographs or some easy chats with locals. There’s also time for a visit to a local family who are making sleeping mats in traditional way or a local carving workshops nearby. You will then meet your guide to explore the Cam Thanh coco palm forest either by kayak or SUP (Stand-Up-Paddle). The kayak adventure lets you lose yourself in a Nipa palm forest, a unique and scenic mangrove ecosystem, as well as observe the local life along the waterways where fishermen still cast their nets. The area is a unique mangrove ecosystem to Hoi An and the scenery is spectacular. The Coco palm forest provides the locals with products such as fish, shells and Nipa leaves which are commonly used as a roofing material for local homes. Arrive at boat pier around noon. Cool down with some local snack before getting back to hotel at around 12:30AM. The rest of day is at leisureCycling: ~10km easy/flat and kayaking 2hrs gentleOvernight: Thuy Duong 3 Hotel or similar

A day at leisure in Hoi An

The entire day is free at leisure to explore Hoi An ancient town, one of the most appealing towns in Southeast Asia. Witness the fusion of Chinese and Japanese architecture with traditional Vietnamese aspects in homes, restaurants, buildings and bridges. Or you could simply relax on the white sand of An Bang beach. Overnight: Thuy Duong 3 Hotel or similar

Fly to Ho Chi Minh

This morning is free time to be spent at your leisure. We will then transfer to the Da Nang Airport for an afternoon flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Formerly known as Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City is the largest city of Vietnam. It is the bustling and dynamic economic capital and the cultural trendsetter of the country, yet within the teeming metropolis you will find the timeless traditions and beauty of an ancient culture. Overnight: Muong Thanh Sài Gon Centre Hotel or similar

Ben Tre and the Mekong Delta

This morning we depart for Ben Tre in the Mekong Delta, famous for coconut production. Upon arrival, we set out on a boat trip on narrow channels winding through coconut forest. We will stop at brick and coconut processing workshops to see how locals make bricks by hand and learn how to make different products from coconuts as well. Hop on a local xe lôi for a ride to your homestay. After lunch, cycle on village roads through local hamlets, rice fields and coconut groves. We can stop at any places which interest you, to have a closer look at local life and culture. You'll then arrive at Mr. Sau Khanh’s house, whose ambition is to collect antiques. His collection varies from ancient and valuable ceramics, pottery pieces like bowls, dishes and vases, to ceiling lights, sculptures and Buddha statues. Chat with him and try out the local skill of climbing coconut trees. Overnight: Ba Danh homestay

Local Markets & Rural Crafts

After breakfast take a traditional sampan (rowed boat) to visit a lively local market. Your guide will explain the various exotic looking produce and their uses before continuing with a walk to a local family who weave mats in the traditional manner. Learn about their craft handed down through generations and you can even try your hand at making one yourself. We bid our farewells to the family then return to the pier and drive back to Ho Chi Minh City. Once we arrive back in the city, you can enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure.Drive: 2½hrs, 120kmOvernight: Muong Thanh Sài Gon Centre Hotel or similar

Discover the Cu Chi Tunnels

We depart Ho Chi Minh City and make our first stop en route to visit a family producing rice paper. After learning about this age old tradition, we continue on and reach the Cu Chi Tunnels mid-morning. After an introductory video, viewing various mantraps, the remains of an American tank and numerous bomb craters, you will spend the next hour exploring the maze of tunnels to see how the Viet Cong survived in this underground network. We return to the city about midday. The rest of the day is free time, to be spent at your leisure.Drive: 2½hrs, 70kmOvernight: Muong Thanh Sài Gon Centre Hotel or similar

Trip concludes in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

The day is free at your leisure until your transfer to Tan Son Nhat International Airport for your departure flight. We wish you a pleasant onward journey.