Vietnam in Depth
This tour has been designed to introduce Vietnam and its highlights in a special way. The cities of Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi are of course part of the program. Also the Imperial city and tombs in Hue are part of this tour, as is the UNESCO designated town of Hoi An.
In each place you do something special and get off the beaten track to learn and experience the Vietnamese way of life. Sometimes life is chaotic, and in the center of it all we find peace through meditation.
You cruise Lan Ha Bay around Cat Ba Island. Where most people visit Ha Long Bay, we take a slight turn left and see the more beautiful part of this area, but without the crowds.
It is a special place indeed with many caves and hidden beaches. Mai Chau is a wonderful valley not far from Hanoi and houses a treasure of minority villages. Explore them on a bike or by foot to get the most out of it.
Length of Tour: 16 days
A popular route to do is to reverse this routing and add at the end a beach stay at Phu Quoc. Although this is a very seasonal activity, we chose to offer the program starting in Ho Chi Minh City. It is also popular to extend the tour to Cambodia and travel from the Delta into Cambodia by boat or add Cambodia prior to the tour. A typical program in Cambodia would include Siem Reap (Angkor), Phnom Penh and Kep and Kampot.
Outline of the tour
What does our expert say about this tour?
“I live in a very big country and seeing all of it will probably not happen in my entire lifetime. But this tour shows a great deal. From the Mekong Delta in the south to the ethnic minorities and mountains in the north, this tour simply covers all in a very short timeframe. I like the tour because I am able to show multiple aspects of life and combine it with fun activities, cultural highlights, big cities and UNESCO sites and rural experiences. If someone really wants to see Vietnam, you take a highlight tour. But if you want to see and experience Vietnam, you travel this route. I could personally do this tour every month and still not get bored. Simply because I discover something new in each place over and over again.”
The unique aspects of this tour
- Stay at charming local hotels and homestays
- Explore Ho Chi Minh City’s alleys and local life
- Experience an amazing and private tour on a Sampan in the Mekong Delta
- Learn to cook Vietnamese and bring knowledge home
- Learn to meditate and stay relaxed next time you are stressed
- Visit Mau Chau Valley and stay at a local homestay
- Explore Mai Chau valley on foot and by bike
- Incredible way to experience the Van Long natural reserve
- Cruising far away from the crowds around Cat Ba Island and Ha Lan Bay