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Itinerary

Vietnam is a country that runs the length of a coastline, and ten days is exactly enough to feel it change under you. We will start in Hanoi, where the Old Quarter still works the way it has always worked, and we will walk it with someone who lives there. Then we will go out to Lan Ha Bay, the quieter arm of Ha Long, and sleep on a boat between the limestone islands. In Ninh Binh we will row down the Ngo Dong at Tam Coc and climb Hang Mua for the view that everybody comes for.

From there we will fly south. Hoi An gets three nights, because a town of tailors and lanterns deserves more than a stop, and one of those days is entirely yours. We will finish in Saigon, where we will eat our way through the back streets on the back of a Vespa and spend a day in the Mekong Delta among the canals. Ten days, two internal flights, one night on the water, and a flight home from the only city in Vietnam with a nonstop to the States.

A street in the Old Quarter of Hanoi
A street vendor in the Old Quarter of Hanoi

Welcome to Vietnam

Your trip starts in Hanoi. Most flights from the US land in the evening, so tonight is about landing softly: you will meet your group and your Group Leader over a first dinner in the Old Quarter, somewhere between the plastic stools and the motorbikes.

A train passing between the houses on Hanoi Train Street
Cafes along the railway on Hanoi Train Street

The Old Quarter on foot

We start the morning with a walk through the Old Quarter with a local guide: Hoan Kiem Lake, the Ngoc Son temple, the Dong Xuan market and the railway that runs between the houses. The afternoon is yours, and it is the one that absorbs the jet lag.

A group kayaking between limestone islands in the bay

Among the limestone islands

Private minivan to Hai Phong, around three and a half hours, and then aboard in Lan Ha Bay, the quieter arm of Ha Long Bay. We kayak between the islands, eat dinner on deck and sleep with the karsts around us.

Limestone peaks above the river in Ninh Binh

Towards the rice fields

Breakfast on board, then we disembark and drive to Ninh Binh, another three and a half hours. In the afternoon we ride bicycles between rice paddies and villages, with limestone walls on every side.

A rowing boat entering a cave on the Ngo Dong river at Tam Coc
The stone steps climbing the ridge at Hang Mua

Tam Coc, then south

We row down the Ngo Dong river at Tam Coc in the morning and climb the five hundred steps of Hang Mua for the view. Then two hours to Hanoi airport, the flight to Da Nang and the transfer into Hoi An.

Wooden boats on the Thu Bon river in front of Hoi An Old Town
Silk lanterns at the night market in Hoi An

The town of lanterns

The Old Town with its entrance ticket: the merchant houses, the Japanese covered bridge, the Chinese assembly halls. In the afternoon a cooking class with lunch, and in the evening the lantern market along the Thu Bon.

A day of your own

An Bang Beach, a bicycle ride through the Tra Que herb gardens, or the optional trip to the My Son sanctuary. This is the day that pushes free time above 15% of the trip.

A scooter above the Ho Chi Minh City skyline at night
A street in Ho Chi Minh City with the Landmark tower behind

Saigon on a Vespa

Transfer to Da Nang and the flight to Saigon. The afternoon downtown, between the Reunification Palace, the Central Post Office and Ben Thanh market. Then the evening street food tour on the back of a Vespa, into the neighbourhoods tourists do not reach.

A boat with conical hats along a canal in the Mekong Delta
Rowing through a palm-lined canal in the Mekong Delta

Down the nine dragons

A full day in the delta: a boat through the canals, the workshops where coconut candy and rice paper are made, lunch in a local house. We are back in Saigon in the late afternoon.

Goodbye Vietnam

Breakfast and check-out, then free time until it is time for the airport. Saigon is where the only nonstop flight to the United States leaves from. End of WeRoad services. N.B. the programme may change for operational reasons.

What's included

  • 8 nights hotel in shared room with private bathroom
    1 night cruise in shared cabin with private bathroom

  • All breakfasts
    2 lunches
    2 dinners

  • Private minivan with driver
    Domestic flight from Hanoi to Da Nang (including 15kgs checked luggage)
    Domestic flight from Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh City (including 15kgs checked luggage)

  • Must See: overnight cruise in Lan Ha Bay, the quieter arm of Ha Long Bay, with kayaking between the limestone islands

  • Rowing boat through the Tam Coc caves and the climb to Hang Mua
    Bicycles in Ninh Binh

  • Medical and baggage insurance - (coverage limits by destination country/region - €10,000 Italy, €20,000 Europe, €30,000 World, €50,000 USA/Canada)

What's not included

Roundtrip flight to/from destination
  • Food and beverages unless specified
  • Public transport (bus, metro, taxis, trains, uber)
  • All souvenirs and extras that you wish to buy and will be able to squeeze in your backpack
  • Anything not mentioned in the "What's included" section

Optional activities

Please see below extra optional activities that you can experience during your trip. Your Group Leader will be happy to assist with organizing these activities for the group. Availability may vary depending on location and group preferences. Please note these activities are provided by third party suppliers and liability rests exclusively with these third party suppliers.
  • My Son sanctuary half-day - approx. USD 26
  • Countryside bike tour in Hoi An - approx. USD 28
  • River sunrise cruise in Hoi An - approx. USD 10
  • Cham Island snorkeling - approx. USD 51
  • Cu Chi tunnels - approx. USD 25
  • Ho Chi Minh City city tour - approx. USD 10
  • All extra activities that each member of the group agree on doing

Additional info

Learn more about accommodation, transport, and other useful travel information.
  • Accommodation

    Small and mid-range hotels in twin rooms with private bathroom, plus one night aboard a Lan Ha Bay cruise in a shared twin cabin. The single supplement covers the 8 hotel nights only: cabins on the boat are always shared.

  • Transports

    Private air-conditioned minivan with driver for all land transfers, two domestic flights, a traditional boat in Lan Ha Bay and bicycles in Ninh Binh. There are no overnight trains on this trip.

  • Multi-destination trip

    This trip starts in Hanoi and ends in Ho Chi Minh City!

  • Staff

    Our trips are led by a Group Leader who has been specifically trained by us to lead group travels, from the first dinner in Hanoi to the last morning in Saigon.

  • Luggage

    A 15kg checked bag is included on both domestic flights. We recommend keeping your luggage light: there are five different bases in ten days.

  • Visas

    US citizens need an e-visa, valid for up to 90 days and issued in 3 to 5 working days, plus a pre-arrival declaration submitted no earlier than three days before landing. Your passport must be valid for 6 months beyond arrival with at least one blank page.

  • Local holidays

    Tết, the Lunar New Year in late January or February, closes much of the country for several days. Departures falling in that window are handled separately.

  • Info on private roomsShow all details

Why WeRoad

  • Small groups, on average 11 people

  • Move or change your trip for free up to 31 days before departure

  • Book with $ 0. Pay the $ 100 deposit only once the trip is confirmed

The Group Leaders

Our Group Leaders are chosen because they’re people just like you: passionate travelers who share the experience authentically, while having the skills to take care of the organisation, and help you get the most out of every moment of the trip.

Find your flight

For this trip, we recommend arriving and departing from these airports.

ArrivalSoc Son, Hanoi (HAN)
ReturnHo Chi Minh City (SGN)
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FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions

About this trip

About WeRoad

About Vietnam