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.

Plan your trip

Outline of the tour

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Day 01

Arrive in Ho Chi Minh City and remain free upon arrival

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Day 02

Discover Ho Chi Minh City on foot and explore the alleyways in combination with the highlights

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Day 03

Transfer to the Mekong Delta and board a private Sampan for a 2-day cruise

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Day 04

Cycle and boat through the Mekong Delta and head for the airport for a flight to Hoi An

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Day 05

Visit My Son temple site by bicycle and explore the splendid countryside that surrounds Hoi An

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Day 06

Enjoy a day in the countryside and learn how to cook one of Vietnam’s most famous dishes

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Day 07

Transfer to Hue and visit Danang along the way

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Day 08

Visit the highlights of Hue with its Imperial City and Emperor tombs

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Day 09

Learn to meditate before flying to Hanoi

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Day 10

Transfer to Mai Chau and visit the villages of the valley in the afternoon

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Day 11

Cycle in the morning the area around Mai Chau. The afternoon is free to fill in

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Day 12

Transfer to Cuc Phuong National Park and visit the turtle rescue center before reach Van Long. In the afternoon enjoy a cruise through the Van Long Nature Reserve

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Day 13

Make your way to Cat Ba Island and board the cruise through Lan Ha Bay

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Day 14

Admire the beauty of Lan Ha Bay and Cat Ba Island before transferring back to Hanoi

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Day 15

Visit the highlights of Hanoi

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Day 16

Enjoy Hanoi on your own before you transfer out to the airport for your flight out

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

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.”

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