Classic Vietnam: Hanoi to the Mekong
Overview
Itinerary
Arrive at any time. There are no planned activities today until an evening welcome meeting. After the meeting, opt for dinner out with the group.
Please note, if you would like to visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum it is only open from 7:30 - 10:30 AM and closed on Mondays and Fridays.
- Meet Your CEO and Group: Your opportunity to meet your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.
- Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Museum Visit: Tour the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Museum built in the square where Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence in 1945. Get in line to tour the grounds; queues of visitors come to pay their respects daily.
- Tran Quoc Pagoda Visit: Visit one of the oldest pagodas in Vietnam located on the eastern shore of Tay Ho. Learn about Tran Quoc's history from the 17th-century stela found on site. View it later in the day, if you can – the tall structure is striking against the setting sun.
- Thăng Long Water Puppet Theatre Performance: Watch a traditional Vietnamese water puppet show with beautiful live music and intricate puppets dancing in a water stage.
Enjoy a Ha Long Bay cruise on a junk boat with visits to a cave and an island lookout. Savour a seafood lunch and dinner. Drive to Bai Chay harbour, the jumping off point for Ha Long Bay. Thousands of islands with intricate cave systems rise dramatically from the waters. Sail past limestone karst mountains in the junk boat and stop to visit some of the islands and caves. In the evening, devour a seafood dinner, then opt to enjoy a drink on deck under the stars.
- Shared Van: Climb aboard and make friends with your seatmate en route to the next stop.
- Junk Boat: Skim across the water aboard this iconic traditional Asian sailboat.
- Halong Bay Overnight Cruise: Board a traditional junk boat at Ha Long Bay harbour and cruise out onto serene waters. Marvel at massive limestone karst mountains jutting out of the water, creating unforgettable spectacular scenery. Swim, kayak or go cave exploring on one of the islands, if conditions are right. Indulge in fresh seafood meals with a variety of dishes to sample. Drift to sleep in a cozy cabin on board. On rare occasion Halong Bay is closed to tourist vessels by the government authorities due to extreme weather conditions. Should this occur, an alternate activity will be provided.
- Kayaking: Transfer from boat to kayak in this guided water tour, giving you the chance to get even closer to the stunning natural surroundings.
Enjoy breakfast and lunch on board before sailing back to the port and return to Hanoi. Enjoy some time in the city before an overnight train to Hue.
- Free Time: Spend a few hours exploring this beautiful capital city. Visit some shops, have a bia hoi on a street corner or grab a coffee in a lakeside café.
- Overnight Train (beds): Drive about 15 mins to the station and then board the southbound train for the overnight journey.
- Hanoi Foodie Culture Tour: Indulge your inner foodie with a street food tour through bustling Hanoi. Follow your guide through the back streets and markets of the city’s old quarter, sampling local fare along the way. Mingle with city natives and experienced street food artists alike, as you taste a variety of Hanoi faves like “nem ran” and “banh goi.” Stop at a streetside bar to savour a draught beer like Hanoians do. Cap off the tour at the Hanoi Food Culture restaurant, a G Values Fund Project, and try the city’s signature specialty coffee.
Pull into Hue early in the morning and dive right into the city, starting with a guided tour of the Imperial Citadel, Royal Tomb and Tien Mu Pagoda. The rest of the day, you are free to explore the city how you'd like.
- Thien Mu Pagoda Visit: Visit Tien Mu, one of the tallest and, perhaps, most elegant pagodas in Vietnam, at seven storeys high. Take a step back in time touring this historic temple - built more than 400 years ago along the north shore of the Perfume River, it has been the site of many political protests.
- Imperial Citadel Tour: Tour this one-time capital city and UNESCO World Heritage site. See the walled fortress and former palace, which has many palaces, gateways, courtyards, and gardens to explore. The Forbidden Purple City (modelled on China's Forbidden City) inside the citadel was once home to the imperial family and was significantly damaged during the Vietnam War.
- Royal Tombs Visit: Visit the Royal Tombs along the Perfume River in Hue. Embracing the concept of Feng Shui, these tombs are extremely ornate and provide fantastic insight into the lives of the former rulers.
- Hue Motorbike Tour: Grab a helmet, hop on a motorbike driven by your experienced local guide, and get ready for a crash course in authentic Viet culture. Spend the next four hours exploring the stalls of a local market, admiring the view of the Perfume River, learning to plough and make rice, creating your own incense sticks, and seeing the most iconic local sights. Don’t forget to bring your camera!
Drive the Hai Van pass. Take advantage of Hoi An's many options over the 2.5 days in town. Opt for a cooking class, riverboat trip, bike ride, beach time, tailor visit or My Son ruins. Cross the Hai Van Pass (weather permitting), with fantastic views in all directions, before arriving to Hoi An in the afternoon. With three nights here, there's plenty of time to explore all this charming town has to offer.
- Free Time: Use free time in this quaint town to explore any way you like.
Explore all Hoi An has to offer. Dive into the culture, hang out on the beach or get clothes tailor-made in one of the many shops around town. Enjoy a noodle making demonstration and lunch at Oodles of Noodles, a G Adventures-supported project.
- Oodles of Noodles: Try some of the oodles of noodles (more than 26 types!) available in the city in this tasty cooking class. Run by our G for Good partners, STREETS International, this class was developed exclusively for G Adventures. Former street youth that are part of this hospitality training program, will help you prepare and cook a number of different types of noodles. This program helps these youth practice their English, increasing their skill-set and opportunities available to them in the tourism industry. Enjoy your yummy creations while learning more about the local cuisine and this initiative which empowers street youth through skills and employment training.
- Free Time: Explore this charming city.
- Bike Rental: Rent a bike from a local shop and head out to explore.
- Tailor Shops: Go home with some new (handmade!) clothes from one of Hoi An’s famous tailor shops. Walk the streets lined with hundreds of local shops that turn out gorgeous suits, dresses, winter coats, shoes, purses – almost anything – in a day's time to create next season's wardrobe.
- Thu Bon River Boat Trip: The Thu Bon River plays an important part in Hoi An's history and culture. Take a trip down the Thu Bon by river boat for an alternative tour of the city.
- Hoi An Old Town Walking Tour: Stroll through the narrow winding streets of Hoi An’s old town to see Chinese assembly halls, ancestral homes, The Japanese Covered Bridge, and well-preserved pagodas on this self-guided tour. Opt to try local delicacies and fusion food at one of the restaurants for which Hoi An is becoming famous.
- Mỹ Sơn Excursion: Travel approximately one hour from Hoi An to arrive at My Son. Tour these Hindu temples built between the fourth and 14th centuries; the site is widely accepted as one of the most important Hindu temple complexes in Southeast Asia. Learn about the architectural style and history of a site that’s often compared to Angkor Wat in Cambodia and Bagan in Burma. Please note this optional activity is a half-day and includes a guide, transportation, and the entrance fee.
Spend a free day exploring all Hoi An has to offer.
- Free Time: Enjoy free time in this charming town.
- Thu Bon River Boat Trip: The Thu Bon River plays an important part in Hoi An's history and culture. Take a trip down the Thu Bon by river boat for an alternative tour of the city.
- Mỹ Sơn Excursion: Travel approximately one hour from Hoi An to arrive at My Son. Tour these Hindu temples built between the fourth and 14th centuries; the site is widely accepted as one of the most important Hindu temple complexes in Southeast Asia. Learn about the architectural style and history of a site that’s often compared to Angkor Wat in Cambodia and Bagan in Burma. Please note this optional activity is a half-day and includes a guide, transportation, and the entrance fee.
- Hoi An Cooking Class: Take a cooking class to learn more about Vietnamese food and its distinct flavours. Tour the local market to buy fresh ingredients before preparing some popular regional dishes. Enjoy your creations when you're done!
Fly from Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh City with free time to explore this hectic and amazing city. Drive to Da Nang for the flight to Ho Chi Minh City, once the capital of South Vietnam and the country’s commercial centre. Start exploring the small alleys and busy streets, keeping an eye out for laquerware shops and delicious local food stalls.
- Plane: Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.
Enjoy a guided tour of the Cu Chi Tunnels and learn more about the Vietnam War. Use free time in the afternoon to explore sprawling Ho Chi Minh City. With some free time in the city, opt to visit the Thien Hau and Giac Vien pagodas and stroll through the immense Ben Thanh Market. Also well worth a visit are the Reunification Palace (the residence of South Vietnam presidents before 1975), the city's Chinese quarter of Cholon, and the War Remnants Museum.
- Cu Chi Tunnels Guided Tour: Take a guided tour of the Cu Chi Tunnels, a complex network of tunnels that the Viet Cong lived in to protect themselves from opposing forces during the Vietnam War. Try crawling through some of the tunnels (if you’re not claustrophobic). These tunnels stored ammunition, had underground hospitals, and served as a hidden base for attacking allied forces.
- Free Time: Get out and explore this frenetic city.
- Cholon Visit: Take in the busy rhythm of daily life in Cholon, the Chinatown of Ho Chi Minh City. Tour the area full of teahouses, pagodas, and people, and learn a little more about the unique culture within the city.
- Thien Hau Pagoda Visit: Visit the Thien Hau Pagoda, a beautiful temple in the Chinatown district of Ho Chi Minh City. Learn more about the customs associated with this 19th-century monument – it is dedicated to the goddess Thien Hau (the 'Lady of the Sea') who is worshipped in Chinese communities throughout Asia by those who depend on the sea for their livelihoods.
- Ben Thanh Market: Wander this bustling market for more insight into Ho Chi Minh City. Pick up souvenirs, sample local cuisine, and experience local living. Learn a little history along the way; Ben Thanh started as a cluster of street vendors selling wares by the Saigon River, and was formalized into a true market in 1859.
- Dam Sen Water Park Visit: Get away from the hustle and bustle of Ho Chi Minh City at this nearby water park. A lush setting and refreshing water make Dam Sen the perfect place for the whole family to cool off and have some fun—splash around or take a ride down one of the slides.
- Giac Vien Pagoda Visit: Find this hidden pagoda behind some small alleyways – it’s a rare treat of a monument that has been spared the over-restoration that has been done to so many temples. Tour the inside of this 18th-century pagoda to see nearly 100 carvings of divine beings.
- Reunification Palace Visit: Wander the historic halls of the Reunification Palace (Independence Palace), a landmark in Ho Chi Minh City. This former home of the South Vietnamese president during the Vietnam War became the location of the end of the war when a North Vietnamese tank pushed through the palace gates on April 30, 1975.
- War Remnants Museum Visit: Visit the War Remnants Museum, a gut-wrenching but worthwhile experience that includes three storeys of exhibits and military hardware. Learn about the devastation that occurred in Saigon during the Vietnam War, a period that greatly contrasts the joy and liveliness of the Vietnamese people today.
Travel to the beautiful Mekong River Delta, south of Ho Chi Minh City, and experience the local way of living. Visit two of the main regions of the Delta, Ben Tre and Cai Thia. Cruise through the river in a traditional sampan boat, bike along the waterways and spend time with the family at your local guesthouse preparing a dinner of spring rolls and Banh Xeo before a lantern lit evening performance by the local villagers.
- Ben Tre Mekong River Visit: Visit the Ben Tre region of the Mekong River Delta. Visit a coconut plantation, row a sampan down the river and cycle along the waterways.
- Cai Thia Mekong River Visit: Visit the Cai Thia community of the Mekong River. Arrive by boat to a local home to observe how a traditional rice paper is made. Have a chance to try to make one for yourself. Continue by boat to your local guesthouse. Make a home cooked local dinner with our hosts. After dinner, use a lamp to walk through the dark to watch the local villagers' traditional music and performance.
Depart your homestay after breakfast and visit the community riverside market. From there, board a boat to arrive to the Pottery Brick Village, known as the Red Kingdom, and explore by bicycle. Then drive to the last region we'll visit on the Mekong Delta called Can Tho. Enjoy a free afternoon at leisure to explore the area. Opt to do some bird watching or visit the local town.
- Pottery Brick Village Cycle: Take a boat to the Pottery Brick Village, Mang Thit, known as the the Red Kingdom. The cycle though the beautiful river side town. Ride through rice fields, plantations and local factories.
- Free Time: Enjoy a free afternoon in the Can Tho region of the Mekong River Delta.
Wake up to watch the sun rise over one of the most unique parts of life on the Mekong River, Cai Rang Floating Market. Explore by land and boat before driving back to Ho Chi Minh City. Your tour finishes upon arrival to the city.
Please book departure flights no earlier that 5:00 pm on the final day of your trip.
- Cai Rang Floating Market: Cai Rang Floating Market is one of the ten most impressive markets in the world, characterized by colorful boats selling tropical fruits and vegetables that are tossed from craft to craft and a little coffee vendor boat bounces in and out of the gaps, serving strong iced coffee to both vendors and customers. This market is considered a special gem in Vietnam, boasting the uniqueness of life on the Mekong River.
Trip Inclusions
- Sail on a junk boat through Halong Bay.
- Shop in romantic Hoi An.
- Squeeze through the Cu Chi tunnels.
- Experience local living in the Mekong River Delta.
- Visit floating markets.
- Your G for Good Moment: Oodles of Noodles, Hoi An
- Your Welcome Moment: Meet Your CEO and Group
- Your Discover Moment: Hoi An
- Your Local Living Moment: Cai Thia Mekong River Visit, Mekong Delta
- Free time in Hanoi
- Halong Bay caves entrance
- Halong Bay boat cruise with seafood lunch and dinner
- Thien Mu Pagoda Visit
- Imperial Citadel and Royal Tombs
- Free time in Hoi An
- Oodles of Noodles experience
- Cu Chi Tunnels guided tour
- Free time in Ho Chi Minh City
- Ben Tre Mekong River cycle
- Cai Thia rice paper and cooking demonstration
- Pottery Brick Village cycle
- Free time in Mekong River Delta
- Cai Rang Floating Market
- Internal flight
- All transport between destinations and to/from included activities
- Train, air-conditioned bus, boat, plane, cycling, walking,
- CEO (Chief Experience Officer) throughout, local guides
- Hotels (7 Nights), Sleeper Train (1 Night), Local Guesthouse (2 Nights)
- 9 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 3 dinners
- Accommodation, itinerary and inclusions subject to change.
- Price is for land, cruise and internal flights as specified. Flights not specified are not included.
Operator
On all of our tours, you get to know locals every step of the way, from the places you visit and stay to where you eat and drink. You’ll also get to experience our ‘G for Good’ social impact initiatives on-trip, including our industry-leading ‘Ripple Score’. This score measures, as a percentage, the amount of money that stays in the local community through on-trip services like accommodation, restaurants and transport.
Get the best of both worlds with G's Classic trips as your knowledgeable CEO (Chief Experience Officer) leads you to iconic highlights and hidden gems, while ample free time lets you discover what excites you most. Enjoy included meals showcasing local flavours, plus opportunities to dive deeper into the food scene independently. Stay in comfortable hotels, authentic homestays, and unique accommodations that capture the spirit of each destination.
Dates & Pricing
AUD
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