Vietnam 360°: from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City
The trip in a nutshell
Multi-destination trip
This trip starts in Hanoi and ends in Ho Chi Minh City!
If you want to discover South-East Asia, Vietnam is the place to start! The nature is beautiful and diverse, cities are crowded and hectic just like you imagine any city in Asia should be and people are the most smiling and welcoming ever!
We start our group trip in the capital in Hanoi and then head off to explore the north, with the rice fields of Pu Luong, the pagodas in Ninh Binh and the magical Halong Bay. We continue our journey by traveling south, first reaching Hue and Hoi An by train (the local one!), then arriving in Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta. A journey from North to South, discovering one of the most fascinating countries ever. Ready to enjoy every single moment of this incredible adventure?
Trip type
360º - it's our great classic that allows you to discover the destination in all its aspects. We recommend packing a backpack rather than a suitcase as there will be lots of moving around.
Physical rating
LOW - this itinerary is easy-going and any extra sports or activities are entirely optional.
Entry requirements
Please visit your country's official government website to find out the necessary requirements for entering the country of destination.
Arrival and departure
This trip begins in Hanoi and ends Ho Chi Minh City. Aim to arrive on the first day by 5pm - on the last day you are free to leave whenever!
What's included
12 nights accommodation in shared bedrooms or alternative solution (excl. night train)
- All breakfasts
- Private minivan with driver from day 2 to day 7
Must See: cruise tour with overnight accommodation in Ha Long Bay, considered one of the most beautiful natural landscapes in Vietnam
- Full board on day 6
Night train with bunk accommodation on day 7
Domestic flight from Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh City on day 11
Local Experience: characteristic evening food tour by scooter through the streets of Ho Chi Minh City on day 11
A boat tour to discover the legendary Mekong Delta
- Travel Coordinator services
Free cancellation with 100% refund up to 31 days before departure
Itinerary
Welcome to Vietnam!
Check-in: our adventure begins in Hanoi
Roundtrip flights or transportation to reach the destination are not included in the package, so you can decide from where and when you want to leave! This gives you complete freedom of choice to adjust your travel itinerary to your needs. The trip starts in Hanoi and ends in Ho Chi Minh City, so book your flights accordingly.
Ready to start this trip the best way possible? We’re talking about food, obviously. Tonight we’ll have our first dinner together and we’ll get the chance to have a first taste of the local cuisine - maybe some pho, how does that sound?
Included: overnight stay, breakfast
Money Pot: any admission fees, local transport
Not included: airport transfer, food and drinks
Mai Chau Valley
Our adventure begins
We rise with the sun so we can start this adventure right: our minivan is ready to take us north. The drive will be pretty long (it’s 4 hours), so we should get comfortable and enjoy the ride - and the view! We finally arrive in Mai Chau and start our tour of the valley by visiting the small villages of Lac and Pom Coong, where the Thai population lives.
Mai Chau Valley
Mai Chau is a valley that stands between the Red River and the mountains of the north. It offers some of the most beautiful natural views in Vietnam and it’s only 170 km from Hanoi. It still maintains its authenticity - here life is simple, rural, and people follow the rhythm of the natural world, that is grand and welcoming at the same time. Everyday rituals are old and important, passed on from generation to generation. Green hills are covered with rice fields as far as the eye can see. As soon as we arrive, it will be clear to all of us why we are here: to witness the real, authentic Vietnam.
Included: overnight stay, breakfast, private minivan with driver, local guide
Money Pot: any admission fees, local transport
Not included: food and drinks
Trekking in the Pu Luong Nature Reserve
Trekking in the rice fields
Today we get to the Pu Luong Nature Reserve and there we’ll start our trekking through the rice fields. Pu Luong is a magical valley - we’ll hike the small trails that go through the fields and the vegetation until we reach the scenic village of Kho Muong. Make sure you have your camera at hand, you’ll be taking quite a lot of pictures! We continue our trekking through the valley, with the view changing at every corner. We’ll see roads crossing green fields, small villages, little ponds and gentle rivers, hills and mighty mountains, finally arriving in Pu Luong village in the late afternoon.
Included: overnight stay, breakfast, private minivan with driver, local guide
Money Pot: any admission fees, local transport
Not included: food and drinks
On our way to Ninh Binh
On the road
We travel from Pu Luong to Ninh Binh and when we arrive we’ll have some free time to do some exploring of the area. We’ll be able to rent bikes and see what Ninh Bihn has to offer...ready for one of the most fascinating places in Vietnam?
Included: overnight stay, breakfast, private minivan with driver, local guide
Money Pot: bike rental, any admission fees, local transport
Not included: food and drinks
Exploring Ninh Binh: from Hoa Lu to Bai Dinh pagoda
Time is precious… the choice is ours
Today we have many different places we can go to and visit - and it’s up to us to choose which ones! We can reach the Tam Coc Caves and explore them by boat. This is for sure one of the best excursions here, plus the mystical Bich Dong pagoda isn’t too far away: win-win! If we’re not in the mood for the caves, we can explore the Bai Dinh pagoda, which is both the most famous place for Buddhist pilgrims to reach and the biggest pagoda of the whole of Vietnam. Or we can visit Hoa Lu, the old capital, an interesting place both historically and culturally, surrounded by mountains and many temples, such as Dinh Tien Hoang.
Included: overnight stay, breakfast, private minivan with driver, local guide
Money Pot: bike rental, any admission fees, local transport
Not included: food and drinks
Ha Long Bay
A natural wonder
Rise and shine dear travellers, new adventure awaits! Today we arrive in Halong Bay. This bay, both magical and mystical, has more than 2.000 tiny islands covered with lush vegetation. Around lunchtime, we board on a traditional boat that will be our home for the night. We start our sail by visiting Sung Sot Cave, also known as the Cave of Surprises: here we can land and hike the 150 steps that bring us to a wonderful view of the bay from above. We continue sailing through Halong Bay and we enjoy this unique place as long as the sun is up: let’s hope it’s a clear sky because sunsets here are magical. After dinner on board, we sail through the (hopefully) starry night, enjoying the silence and stillness of the bay.
Included: overnight stay, breakfast, transport, boat cruise in Ha Long Bay, lunch, dinner
Money Pot: any admission fees
Not included: other food and drinks
Back to Hanoi
Hanoi
Today we suggest to wake up early...the sunrise in Halong Bay is as magical as the sunset. Plus, we could have some time to practice some yoga and meditation on the deck! We get back to Hanoi with our private minivan and then we have some free time to discover the oldest neighbourhood of the capital. In the afternoon, we can visit some pagodas, such as Tran Quoc, or ancient temples, like the Literature one that became the first National University of Vietnam. During our strolling, why not try some street food?
A night on the train
After all these days in our minivan, it’s time to go back to the real WeRoad vibe: tonight we’ll have a very local experience! In the evening we board a night train that will allow us to travel for almost 600 km without even noticing. In South-East Asia, night trains are the preferred transportation when it comes to long distances - so it’s a highlight we simply couldn’t miss!
Included: private minivan with driver, night train, breakfast
Money Pot: any admission fees
Not included: food and drinks
Hue: the old royal capital of Vietnam and Purple Forbidden City
An ancient culture
A stop in Hue is mandatory: here there are royal palaces, pagodas and royal tombs. The old royal capital of Vietnam is way different than the modern Hanoi, so loud and hectic: Hue is quiet and calm and the rhythms are peaceful and slow. It seems like things are the same as centuries ago and nothing ever changed.Must see here are the Purple Forbidden City, the Emperors’ Mausoleums, Museum of Royal Arts, the pagoda of the Heavenly Lady and Bach Ma Monastery, that are all part of the UNESCO cultural heritage. It's the history of Vietnam at its best!
Included: overnight stay, breakfast
Money pot: any admission fees, local transport
Not included: food and drinks
Hoi An
Food, lanterns and beaches
We reach Hoi An, one of the most beautiful cities in Vietnam. We can have a stroll around Old Town and get lost in the local Lantern Market, where we can also find some souvenirs to bring home with us. Here the most special time is the nighttime when the lanterns are lit and create an evocative atmosphere. We’ll try local food or even better, maybe take a Vietnamese cooking class! Hoi An is a coastal city, meaning... beach time! And since we’ll be here for two days, we have enough time to enjoy the Vietnamese sea. We could even reach the near Cu Lao Cham island and have an amazing one-day trip. How does that sound?
Included: overnight stay, breakfast,
Money Pot: any admission fees, local transport
Not included: food and drinks
Ho Chi Minh City
The big city of the south
Wake up… the flight to Ho Chi Minh City awaits us! Ho Chi Minh is a cultural city that can feel a bit chaotic at times. It is also the hub of commerce and modern life, waiting to be discovered! We will visit the Reunification Palace, the Jade Emperor Pagoda, filled with statues of deities; the Notre Dame Cathedral (under renovation) and, for those who wish, the War Remnants Museum which embodies the representation of the saddest period experienced by this country. After the walking tour we can get on the boat and take a ride along the Saigon river to admire the sunset or enjoy an aperitif at one of the futuristic Skybars.
Evening food tour
And then… all ready for our evening scooter food tour through the streets of Ho Chi Minh City! We will taste the typical Vietnamese street-food directly from the street vendors while darting through the streets, ready to celebrate together this wonderful adventure!
Included: overnight stay, breakfast, domestic flight and evening food tour by scooter
Money Pot: any admission fees, local transport
Not included: Other food and drinks
Mekong Delta
To the Mekong Delta
Time to go further south - we’ll spend our last day (so sad!) in Vietnam sailing through the placid waters of the Mekong Delta. This is one of the most characteristic places of this country, with floating markets and boats everywhere with merchants that will try to sell you anything. How they know where to go and sail without getting lost… still one of the greatest Vietnamese secrets!
Included: overnight stay, breakfast, boat excursion on the Mekong Delta, lunch
Money Pot: any admission fees, local transport
Not included: other food and drinks
Goodbye Vietnam
Check-out and goodbye
Check-out and goodbye – until your next WeRoad adventure!
Please note: make sure you book your return flight from Ho Chi Minh City where the trip ends.
Not included: airport transfer, food and drinks
End of services. The itinerary may undergo some variations that differ from what is stated above. These variations may not be predictable nor depend on WeRoad’s will, i.e. climate conditions, national holidays, strikes, etc.






The travel coordinators
Our travel coordinators are chosen because they are people like you. Not only are they the best travel buddy you could hope for, but they're trained professionals guaranteed to show you a travel experience like never before
Info to know
Staff
Our trips are led by a Travel Coordinator who has been specifically trained by us to lead group travels to ensure you have the best time. A WhatsApp group with all travel participants will be created two weeks prior to departure by your Travel Coordinator.
Luggage
Backpacks are mandatory to allow easy transfers - we recommend a 45L backpack for our trips.
Visas
Please note that if you hold a Swiss, Czech or Polish passport, we will provide you with the confirmation form from our local partner to access the country without a visa. Get in touch with us at [email protected].
FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions
Round-trip flights are not included in any of our trips because we like to give you autonomy and flexibility: you can choose the airline you want to fly with, the departure airport that suits you best, and how many and which stops you want to make.
Since flights are not included, you also have more flexibility with your travel dates: if possible, you can arrive at your destination a few days earlier or return home a bit later – or even continue independently to a nearby destination!
This is the question of all questions, and here’s the answer, broken down into points!
The Money Pot is a common fund collected in local currency from all tour participants and managed by your Travel Coordinator.
It is used to streamline paymentsfor extra activities, goods and services that the whole group decides to do and to guarantee flexibility in choosing activities and excursions at the destination in line with the mood of the group.
It is typically collected on the first day of the trip in local currency, although at times, the Travel Coordinator may ask for it to be paid before departure.
You’ll find the amount of the money pot on the website under the section ‘What’s included in the money pot’ – how do you get there? Look for ‘What’s included’, scroll down to ‘Money pot? Click here’, and you’ll find the details.
The amount varies depending on the destination chosen.
It is used exclusively for group expenses that ALL participants decide to take part in.
It is estimated based on the experiences of other groups but can vary depending on the needs of the group itself. As such, the Travel Coordinator may need to increase the amount during the trip.
If not all of the money pot is used, the difference will be returned to all participants at the end of the trip in equal amounts.
The Money Pot also covers the Travel Coordinator’s share of the activities included in the money pot, except for those activities that are free for the Travel Coordinator.
If you pay in advance part of the money pot before the trip for certain non-refundable optional activities, unfortunately, the amount cannot be refunded in case of trip cancellation.
We offer several payment methods to meet all needs:
1. Credit or debit card from Visa, Mastercard, or American Express.
2. Installment payments for certain countries only
If you choose the deposit and balance option, you can pay the balance from your MyWeRoad Personal Area via bank transfer.
Anyone who books a WeRoad trip has the option to cancel or modify the trip – including both the dates and the destination – free of charge up to 31 days before departure. In case of cancellation, you will receive a 100% refund of the WeRoad trip price. If you make a change, a price adjustment will be applied to the new trip chosen – meaning, if the new trip is cheaper, we will refund the difference; if it’s more expensive, you will need to pay the difference.
If you’ve purchased the Flexible Cancellation Option (which you can add in the first step of the booking process), you can request a cancellation or trip change until 8 days before departure. In case of cancellation, you’ll receive a 100% refund of the WeRoad trip price, minus the cost of the Flexible Cancellation option.
How to request a cancellation or change to your trip? Send us an email at [email protected] or a WhatsApp on +447716573700. Please share the booking reference for the trip you want to cancel or change, and, in case of a change, the new trip you would like to join.
In general, we always choose local accommodations, avoiding large hotel chains, because we love to experience the culture of the place and, whenever possible, contribute to the local economy. Typically, our accommodations are hotels, apartments, guesthouses, and hostels run by local entrepreneurs, with the same standard maintained across all trips in the same destination.
For our Collection trips, which are our premium category, the accommodations are always 4 or 5-star or carefully selected boutique hotels.
The list of accommodations for your trip will be shared with you by your Travel Coordinator between 5 and 3 days before departure, along with other useful details for your adventure!
If you're wondering why WeRoad trips have a money pot, we’re assuming you already know what it is. If not, or if you have any doubts, we invite you to read all the information here!
Let’s quickly recap: The Money Pot is a common fund collected in local currency from all tour participants and managed by your Travel Coordinator. It’s used to speed up payments for extra activities, goods and services that the whole group decides to do and to guarantee flexibility in choosing activities and excursions at the destination in line with the mood of the group.
But let’s get to the point: why the money pot? First of all: it gives us a lot of flexibility. In all WeRoad trips you will have a bunch of Must See/Must Do activities already included - these are experiences, places or activities that simply cannot be missed! Any extra activities is decided by the group, why? Because each group is unique and may have particular wants or desires and the Money Pot allows each group to customise their trip to make it perfect for their requirements!
It also helps us speed up payments – imagine being in the subway in New York City, one by one purchasing the ticket...a nightmare right? Thanks to the Money Pot, the Travel Coordinator can simply purchase the tickets for everyone making the entire processes smoother! Any leftover money will be returned at the end of the trip and split equally amongst all participants.
In some destinations, buying goods or services on site is more economical as you are able to negotiate the price - places like Morocco, or South East Asia, bargaining is part of the culture. As such, our Travel Coordinators will be able to secure the best deal for all participants.
The amount of the money pot is specified in each trip – look for this button
which will take you to a detailed breakdown for each trip, like this:
WeRoad is not authorised to provide this information due to privacy reasons.
However, there is a solution - you can connect with your travel buddies by joining our Facebook group. Look for a post related to your trip, or ask the group admins for help in connecting with your future travel companions!
If a Travel Coordinator has already been assigned to the trip you're interested in, you can easily find their introduction post in the group via the website: in the tour list, click on 'Ask the coordinator', or in the trip details page, in the coordinator section, click on 'Ask [coordinator's name] for information on this trip in our Facebook group'. For both cases, see the screenshots below!
Tour List
Trip details page
In all our groups, the Travel Coordinator and participants speak English – knowing how to speak and understand English is therefore a fundamental requirement to participate in our trips.
On average the groups are made up of 6-15 people, with a minimum of 3/4 participants and a maximum of 15.
All our travellers are in theirs 20s, 30s and 40s. If you're very curios to know the age range of the group for a tour you're interested in, you can contact us by WhatsApp at +447716573700
Regarding the male-female ratio, this is not guaranteed and varies trip by trip.
The WeRoad Travel Coordinator is an experienced and skilled traveller and will be the perfect companion for your trip. They will be available for any eventuality and will manage all the logistical aspects of the itinerary (transports, timings, accommodations, meeting points, etc.), so you can enjoy the trip without any worries!
You will have the chance to get to know them when the WhatsApp group is created approximately 2 weeks before departure - this will be the moment to ask any pre-departure questions and get to know the rest of the group! If the trip you are interested in already has a Travel Coordinator assigned, you can contact them before booking – their details will be specified in the schedule or on the trip page, or you can search for their name here. After booking, you will find their contact details in your Personal Area, under ‘Bookings and Trips’ > ‘Your Upcoming Trips’ > ‘Trip Details’.
Yes, in all our trips you will share a room with other same-sex travellers, and the bathroom will either be private or shared only with fellow participants of the trip. The rooms we select can be doubles, triples, quadruples, or multi-bed (up to 8 people in exceptional cases), depending on the destination and availability.
There are never dorms with people outside the WeRoad group, except in certain cases for local experiences, which are specifically mentioned in the itinerary or communicated before booking. These typically involve specific nights in unique accommodations like tents, homestays, or camping, offering a more adventurous travel experience in exchange for some comfort.
During the booking process, you can also choose to opt for a mixed room: in this case, if needed, only those who have agreed to this option may share a room with travellers of a different sex. If you are booking for multiple people together and select this option, the room will not be exclusive to your group but may be shared with other travellers in the group.
When you set off on a WeRoad trip, you’re officially a WeRoader – and as we often say, 'Once a WeRoader, always a WeRoader'. This means that once you’re part of the community, a little piece of WeRoad will always stay with you, even if you no longer travel with us.
But you’re not just a WeRoader during your trips, far from it! The community is alive and active all year round: you can stay in touch by following and interacting on our social media channels, like the Facebook group or the Instagram profile. We can also meet up for a dinner or a trek together at one of the events organised by our coordinators around the world!