Vietnam Tailor-Made Tours

Xin chao! Welcome to Vietnam. You will be met on arrival and transferred from the airport to your centrally located hotel. After time to freshen up, your local guide will meet you at your accommodation, welcoming you to Vietnam over a complimentary refreshment and briefing you on the exciting days ahead. Now’s the time to ask any initial questions or if you need help with recommendations, your guide will be more than happy to assist. Afterwards head out for a welcome meal at KOTO, located a stone’s throw away from one of Hanoi's most popular tourist destinations, the Temple of Literature. KOTO is an excellent establishment and long-time friend of Intrepid which lives by the philosophy of 'know one, teach one'. It supports underprivileged local youth by giving them a chance at making a career in hospitality.

Inclusions

• Arrival transfer
• Welcome dinner

Optional Activities

• Army Museum - VND40,000
• Women's Museum - VND40,000

Embark on a half-day city tour of town. You will visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Museum, and the tranquil Temple of Literature – an oasis of calm in the heart of town. End the city tour with an introduction to Vietnamese contemporary art and its history at the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum. Enjoy your amazing lunch of Hanoi speciality, Bun Cha – charcoal grilled pork pie – among the lively vibes of Hanoi markets. The rest of the day is free to explore where your interest takes you, until an included walking tour around the Old Quarter. You'll see the well-organised chaos and taste many interesting weird and wonderful foods (with a focus on the wonderful). If you are a vegetarian, your guide will definitely try to source for the alternative.

Inclusions

• Ho Chi Minh complex: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, HCM House on Stilt and Museum
• Temple of Literature
• Bun Cha traditional lunch
• Walking tour of Old Quarter
• Street food tasting at night

After breakfast transfer to the spectacular World Heritage-listed site of Halong Bay (approximately 4 hours). The bay is a breath-taking secluded harbour with some 2,000 limestone islands jutting out of the waters of the Bac Bo Gulf. Board your boat and cruise among the dramatic limestone peaks. There's an opportunity to swim in the famous Vietnam East Sea and explore caves filled with stunning stalactites and stalagmites. Spend two peaceful nights on board, beneath a sky alive with stars. Your comfortable sailing junk has twin-share cabins, air-conditioning and private facilities. There's also a dining room and bar to enjoy lunch, dinner and breakfast.

Inclusions

• Overnight boat cruise

Return to Hanoi (approximately 3.5 hours), with the rest of the day to explore as you wish. You may like to visit the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum once you're back in the city. This Museum plays a crucial role in maintaining and promoting the cultural heritage of Vietnam’s ethnic communities. Your tour guide could assist you in making reservations for the optional AO Show (Vietnamese Bamboo Circuit and folksong music) or instead enjoy a singing session at a traditional club house. Tonight, why not enjoy dinner in one of the many wonderful restaurants in the Old Quarter.

Optional Activities

• AO Show - VND682,000
• Hat Xam folksong singing at Dao Nguyen Cac Club House - VND 3,449,000 per person (based on two people participating)

This morning you will take a short flight to Hue, the hub of Vietnam’s historic past and home to its royal treasures. Check into your accommodation located close to the Perfume River, then enjoy some free time to rest or explore. Later, take a guided visit to the war-damaged ruins of the Hue Imperial Citadel complex, which once contained temples, state houses and the emperor’s palace. Follow this up with a short and relaxing cruise on the Perfume River to Thien Mu pagoda, the heart of Buddhism in Hue. Afterwards, the bustling Dong Ba Market is a great place to sample some of the local foods that once graced the Nguyen emperors' tables, and to just spend some time living the local life. Tonight you will enjoy a home-cooked meal, the perfect chance to learn more of the fascinating flavours of the local Hue residents – with many of the dishes heavily influenced by the royal family.

Inclusions

• Citadel visit and orientation tour
• Perfume River boat cruise
• Locally prepared meal

Spend a relaxing morning exploring the delightful garden villages of Hue, known for their serenity, immense grapefruit gardens, and centuries-old homes. You'll meet a friendly local family, learn about their daily life and history, enjoy a leisurely bike ride around a peaceful village, and try your hand at making Banh Hue (Hue cake) for lunch.

Inclusions

• Hue gardens
• Bike ride
• Banh Hue baking experience

Optional Activities

• Royal tomb of Emperor Tu Duc - VND150,000
• Thanh Tan Hotspring Retreat - VND2,263,000 per person (based on two people participating)

This morning travel past coastal rice paddies and along the spectacular Hai Van Pass (approximately 3 hours) to Hoi An. Famous for its restored architecture, homemade silk, expert tailors and delicious noodles and seafood, the relaxed vibe and pedestrian streets make Hoi An a pleasure to walk around and discover. On the way there will be the chance to stop at the famous Lang Co beach. On arrival, check into your accommodation, before heading out on a walking tour with your local guide to explore the ancient town. Then, tired of Tiger, Larue, Huda and Saigon? Want to drink a more sophisticated beer with a local twist? Then you need to try one of Vietnam’s craft beers in Hoi An – and a tasting at a local brewery today is just the answer.

Inclusions

• Walking tour to the Ancient Town
• Local brewery beer tasting activity

Optional Activities

• Reaching out’s Traditional Vietnamese Tea Tasting - VND972,000 per person (based on two people participating)

You have plenty of time to explore Hoi An at your own pace – browse the town’s cobbled streets and art galleries, or hire a bike and cycle through rice paddies out to Cua Dai Beach. Shop for paintings, ceramics and colourful cloth lanterns in the town’s markets and preserved Chinese shop houses, or perhaps visit one of the hundreds of tailors in the city to get something special made. In the evening enjoy a lesson in the regional cuisine as you prepare some delicious dishes for dinner with a local chef.

Inclusions

• Cooking Class

Optional Activities

• My Son Cham tour (entrance fee, guide and transport included) - VND3,243,000 per person (based on two people participating)
• Champa culture talk and performance - VND2,526,000 per person (based on two people participating)

Today is a totally free day to explore the charming town at your own pace, but there are also a number of optional activities on offer that your guide can help you organise, from bikes rides to basket making. It's your last day in Hoi An, so make sure to do anything left on your list!

Optional Activities

• Countryside cycling tour to Tra Que village - VND1,494,000 per person (based on two people participating)
• Cam Thanh bamboo basket experience - VND1,793,000 per person (based on two people participating)

Today take a short morning flight to Ho Chi Minh City (approximately 1.5 hours). Formerly known as Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City has a fascinating history and is arguably Vietnam’s capital of commerce and culture. After landing, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Later, your guide will meet you and you'll head off on a sightseeing tour around the city like a local – from the seat of a cyclo! You will marvel at colonial architecture at the Notre Dame Cathedral, General Post Office and Reunification Palace. Hear the story of the monk Thich Quang Duc who set himself alight in 1963, in protest of the government's persecution of Buddhists, and then sit among the locals and enjoy Vietnamese coffee or iced tea at a local cafe. Later you'll experience dynamic Saigon by night. Enjoy a sunset cocktail at one of the nicest roof-top bars in the city, before heading to a unique restaurant for dinner with a local beer.

Inclusions

• City tour by cyclo (with lunch at Ben Thanh market in 2021 only)
• Saigon cocktail experience

Today is a free day to explore the city at your own pace. We recommend exploring the city’s restaurants and trying Ho Chi Minh City’s distinctive food. In contrast to the north of Vietnam, the cuisine here is spicier, sweeter and more varied. There are also plenty of street food stalls if you’d like to take a few bites of the local fare. Maybe head to Ben Thanh Market for some delicious flavours, colourful shopping and even more colourful characters.

Optional Activities

• Day trip to the Mekong Delta - VND5,209,120 per person (based on two people participating)
• Cu Chi Tunnels - VND4,645,000 per person (based on two people participating)
• Vintage Vespa ride experience - VND2,279,000 per person (based on two people participating)

After breakfast take a short flight to Phu Quoc island, which boasts idyllic beaches, romantic sunsets, evergreen forests, and a serene atmosphere. Off the coast of Cambodia in the Gulf of Thailand, it's the ideal place to kick back and relax after the last few days of bustling city life.

Today is free to do as much or as little as you like, to sit back, open up a book and soak up the tropical vibes, or to get a bit more active and explore the island. Over half the island is part of a national park featuring mountains, tropical jungle, hiking trails and more – and the white-sand beaches are simply unbeatable.

After breakfast, take the flight back to Ho Chi Minh City airport, where your Tailor-Made tour of Vietnam comes to an end.

Meals included: Breakfast