Active FAMILY TOUR OF Vietnam
Hanoi – Ha Long Bay – Lan Ha Bay – Danang – Hoi An – Ho Chi Minh City
12 Days / 11 Nights
12 Days / 11 Nights
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A tour for active families with older children who enjoy adventure!
This itinerary takes you to the highlights of the country--the bustling, rustic 36 streets of the old quarter of Hanoi, the UNESCO heritage site of Lan Ha Bay, the amazing beauty and peaceful countryside in Central Vietnam on the back of a vintage Vespa and biking along shady paths, the colorful and vibrant local flower and food markets, and the historical highlights of Ho Chi Minh City. |
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Day 1: Hanoi – Arrival
Upon arrival at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, you will be welcomed by your guide and transferred to your hotel in the city center. Check in and refresh after a long-haul flight. Overnight in Hanoi.
Day 2: Hanoi Orientation (B)
After breakfast, you will be free in the morning to recover from jetlag or explore around your hotel!
In the afternoon, visit the venerable Temple of Literature built in 1077 – Vietnam’s first university. Later, return to the Old Quarter of Hanoi for a cyclo ride around the Old Streets which were named after the specific goods once offered for sale there. Stop at Hoan Kiem Lake, Ngoc Son Temple to learn about legend of the lake, followed by a Water Puppet Show. Overnight in Hanoi.
Day 3: Hanoi – City Tour & Street Food Walk (B)
After breakfast, visit Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum (current we can only visit the outside because the it’s closed for maintenance until August) before exploring his house on stilts and lush garden. A short walk from the mausoleum is one of the great symbols of Hanoi, the One Pillar Pagoda, a 11th-century wooden temple built on a single stone pillar in the water. It was designed to resemble a blooming lotus. Pass by the Presidential Palace to the West Lake where you will visit one of the oldest pagodas in Vietnam named Tran Quoc, meaning “protecting the country”.
Upon arrival at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, you will be welcomed by your guide and transferred to your hotel in the city center. Check in and refresh after a long-haul flight. Overnight in Hanoi.
Day 2: Hanoi Orientation (B)
After breakfast, you will be free in the morning to recover from jetlag or explore around your hotel!
In the afternoon, visit the venerable Temple of Literature built in 1077 – Vietnam’s first university. Later, return to the Old Quarter of Hanoi for a cyclo ride around the Old Streets which were named after the specific goods once offered for sale there. Stop at Hoan Kiem Lake, Ngoc Son Temple to learn about legend of the lake, followed by a Water Puppet Show. Overnight in Hanoi.
Day 3: Hanoi – City Tour & Street Food Walk (B)
After breakfast, visit Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum (current we can only visit the outside because the it’s closed for maintenance until August) before exploring his house on stilts and lush garden. A short walk from the mausoleum is one of the great symbols of Hanoi, the One Pillar Pagoda, a 11th-century wooden temple built on a single stone pillar in the water. It was designed to resemble a blooming lotus. Pass by the Presidential Palace to the West Lake where you will visit one of the oldest pagodas in Vietnam named Tran Quoc, meaning “protecting the country”.
After the visits, stroll through Hanoi’s Old Quarter from Hang Be market to Thanh Ha wet market. Along the way, experience the delicacies and unique foods of northern Vietnam along with an explanation of Vietnamese cooking practices. These busy eclectic markets are alive with the sights and sounds of Hanoi and are the essence of Vietnamese culture. Continue through the streets of the Old Quarter to Dong Xuan market to sample some local treats such as beef or chicken Pho (noodle soup), Bun Cha (Grilled Pork with noodle), Hanoian Sandwich, Green Papaya Salad.... Your guide will explain the routine of Vietnam meal times and indigenous/unusual ingredients used in cooking. Keep walking deeper to the inner of the Old Quarter and its bustling 36 streets, stop at a famous dessert shop to taste “Che” – fresh fruit or bean is cooked with sugar, mixed with jelly and ice, or eaten hot. Finish your street food journey with a black or brown coffee in local style – strong and bitter – or egg coffee (Vietnamese cappuccino) at Hanoi's famous Train Street “.
Overnight in Hanoi.
Day 4: Hanoi – Lan Ha Bay (B/L/D)
After breakfast, depart by road along the new highway to Ha Long Bay, a World Heritage Area of outstanding natural beauty. Travel through the rich farmlands of the Red River Delta and the landscape of rice fields, water buffalo, and daily life of the Vietnamese villages.
12:15 – 13:00 From Tuan Chau wharf on Tuan Chau island near Ha Long city, we take the Calypso Cruise by small boat. Welcome drinks will be served upon arrival. After a short time for check in, brief introduction and safety guidelines, your cruise will be on its way. Have lunch while cruising in magnificent Ha Long Bay, admiring the fascinating natural karst landscape, then anchor at Lan Ha Bay.
15:00 Join a guide to explore hidden parts of the bay, the area of Dark and Bright cave where the cave goes under the mountain to a lake formed by Karst limestone – like a dragon eye inside the mountain. This is a very beautiful sight that visitors like the most. You can share a sampan with other travelers powered by a local rower OR take a kayak on your own.
Return to the Calypso Cruise and change into swimming suits. Enjoy swimming time in the sea or at the swimming pool on the sundeck.
17:00 Enjoy happy hour with various drinks (discounted), float in the pool or enjoy the charming bay with our handsome bartenders. Sunset can be seen from the sundeck if it is a lucky day.
18:00 Take part in a cooking demonstration and food décor with our Chef.
19:00 Join dinner at the Calypso Cruises on-board restaurant.
20:30 – 22:00 Time to relax after a day on the sundeck, take leisure time in your room, watch films, sing karaoke in the restaurant or go to tender for squid fishing with the cruise staff.
Overnight moored in Lan Ha Bay.
Day 5: Lan Ha Bay – Hanoi – fly to Danang – Hoi An (B/L)
06:30 Welcome a new day, watch for an amazing dawn on the Legendary Gulf of Tonkin. Refresh your body & soul with a Tai-chi lesson on the sundeck.
07:00 – 7:45 Have breakfast in the restaurant.
08:00 Take a bus tour for about 20 minutes on Cat Ba Island from Gia Luan Pier to visit Trung Trang Grotto, a special place to appreciate the significance of the Karst limestone over millions of years. During the travel, you will be immersed in the wild, fresh, natural scenery of Cat Ba National Park.
09:30 – 10:00 Return to Calypso Cruises for shower. Check out of your room.
10:00 – 11:30 An early lunch will be severed.
11:30 – 12:00 After paying the bills, a small boat will take all of us to Tuan Chau wharf.
Drive to Hanoi. Board a flight to Danang. Upon arrival, you’ll be picked up by our guide and transferred to Hoi An Ancient town. Check in to your hotel and overnight in Hoi An.
Day 6: Hoi An – Walking Tour (B)
After breakfast, ride a bicycle to Ky Son Martial Art Courtyard, meet your master and he will introduce to you the history, main characteristics and benefits of Tai Chi. Follow him to practice in a short Tai Chi class and learn some massage methods that you can apply to your family at home!
Say Goodbye to your master and continue your bike riding to the home of a craftsman in the town. Here you will get a brief introduction to the history, shape, and color of the lanterns he makes as well as the many stages of making them. Then you will be shown how to decorate and to make your own lantern. You can also keep it as a souvenir.
In the afternoon, take a guided walking tour around Hoi An Ancient Town. Visit the Japanese Covered Bridge, Chinese Assembly Hall, and the local market. There are numerous art galleries, souvenir and tailor shops where you can get some express made-to-order clothes if you like! Overnight in Hoi An.
Day 7: Hoi An – Vespa Scooter tour to villages (B/L)
Breakfast at your hotel
08:00 Our tour guide and Vespa driver will come to pick up you and bring you to the meeting point to join with the group, then we start our adventure. Explore the countryside around Hoi An on the back of a vintage Vespa and experience something a little different during your stay. We will get to see the countryside and visit some local businesses where you will learn more about the way of life in this part of Vietnam. We will show you a side of Hoi An that most visitors miss out on!
Return to the Calypso Cruise and change into swimming suits. Enjoy swimming time in the sea or at the swimming pool on the sundeck.
17:00 Enjoy happy hour with various drinks (discounted), float in the pool or enjoy the charming bay with our handsome bartenders. Sunset can be seen from the sundeck if it is a lucky day.
18:00 Take part in a cooking demonstration and food décor with our Chef.
19:00 Join dinner at the Calypso Cruises on-board restaurant.
20:30 – 22:00 Time to relax after a day on the sundeck, take leisure time in your room, watch films, sing karaoke in the restaurant or go to tender for squid fishing with the cruise staff.
Overnight moored in Lan Ha Bay.
Day 5: Lan Ha Bay – Hanoi – fly to Danang – Hoi An (B/L)
06:30 Welcome a new day, watch for an amazing dawn on the Legendary Gulf of Tonkin. Refresh your body & soul with a Tai-chi lesson on the sundeck.
07:00 – 7:45 Have breakfast in the restaurant.
08:00 Take a bus tour for about 20 minutes on Cat Ba Island from Gia Luan Pier to visit Trung Trang Grotto, a special place to appreciate the significance of the Karst limestone over millions of years. During the travel, you will be immersed in the wild, fresh, natural scenery of Cat Ba National Park.
09:30 – 10:00 Return to Calypso Cruises for shower. Check out of your room.
10:00 – 11:30 An early lunch will be severed.
11:30 – 12:00 After paying the bills, a small boat will take all of us to Tuan Chau wharf.
Drive to Hanoi. Board a flight to Danang. Upon arrival, you’ll be picked up by our guide and transferred to Hoi An Ancient town. Check in to your hotel and overnight in Hoi An.
Day 6: Hoi An – Walking Tour (B)
After breakfast, ride a bicycle to Ky Son Martial Art Courtyard, meet your master and he will introduce to you the history, main characteristics and benefits of Tai Chi. Follow him to practice in a short Tai Chi class and learn some massage methods that you can apply to your family at home!
Say Goodbye to your master and continue your bike riding to the home of a craftsman in the town. Here you will get a brief introduction to the history, shape, and color of the lanterns he makes as well as the many stages of making them. Then you will be shown how to decorate and to make your own lantern. You can also keep it as a souvenir.
In the afternoon, take a guided walking tour around Hoi An Ancient Town. Visit the Japanese Covered Bridge, Chinese Assembly Hall, and the local market. There are numerous art galleries, souvenir and tailor shops where you can get some express made-to-order clothes if you like! Overnight in Hoi An.
Day 7: Hoi An – Vespa Scooter tour to villages (B/L)
Breakfast at your hotel
08:00 Our tour guide and Vespa driver will come to pick up you and bring you to the meeting point to join with the group, then we start our adventure. Explore the countryside around Hoi An on the back of a vintage Vespa and experience something a little different during your stay. We will get to see the countryside and visit some local businesses where you will learn more about the way of life in this part of Vietnam. We will show you a side of Hoi An that most visitors miss out on!
We will start the day by riding out of Hoi An city and seeing the beautiful scenery including rice paddies and vegetable plantations. The trip includes a stop where you will see Banh Dap being made (a local rice flour dish) and you can give it a go yourself! You will also see local weavers making straw mats. The view from the back of the Vespa along the bank of the river is wonderful, passing a fish farm where you can see the fish traps. We will stop to see the people build a fishing boat and then cross a traditional bridge built completely from bamboo. The bamboo boat you get a chance to see vast offish farm. Your guides will give you information about some of the history and local traditions.
The Vespa tour lasts around 4 hours and will include a coffee break along the way and finish off with a delicious seafood lunch by the water. Return to your hotel. Afternoon is free at your leisure! Overnight in Hoi An.
Day 8: Hoi An – fly to Ho Chi Minh City (B)
After breakfast, you will be free until it is time to be taken by our driver to Danang airport for a flight to HCMC. Upon arrival, you’ll be welcomed by our guide and transferred to your hotel. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 9: Ho Chi Minh City – City Tour, Flower Market & Street Food Walk (B)
After breakfast, enjoy morning free time at your hotel
Mid-morning, drive to Ho Thi Ky Flower market, the biggest flower market in the city. It is also called Khmer market, famous for vendors selling both Cambodian and Vietnamese cuisine. Walk through the market, enjoy the beauty of hundreds of flowers. Further along the walk, taste different kinds of food including: green papaya salad, snail rice noodle soup, grilled beef on lemongrass stick, Banh Xeo (Vietnamese savory pancake), crab soup… Don’t forget to try some desserts: steamed pumpkin soup, Hue cake, Vietnamese stuffed pancake, and more. Transfer back to your hotel after the tour.
In the afternoon, you will explore Ho Chi Minh City’s highlights including the Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, Old Centre Post Office and Ben Thanh market. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 10: Ho Chi Minh City – Cu Chi Tunnel (B)
After breakfast, visit the Cu Chi Tunnels, which are 70 kilometers North West of Ho Chi Minh City, created in 1948 to assist the Viet Minh to combat the French. This was an underground city with living areas, kitchens, storage, weapon shops, field hospitals, and command centers. During the American/Vietnam War, the entire area of Cu Chi was designated a fire free zone and was heavily bombarded. Since 1988, two sections of the tunnels have been open for visitors.
Afternoon is free for your leisure! Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 11: Ho Chi Minh City – Ben Tre in Mekong Delta – Ho Chi Minh City (B/L)
After breakfast, take a 2-hour pleasant drive to Ben Tre province crossing Rach Mieu bridge. Upon arrival at Hung Vuong Pier, hop on a motorized boat on Ben Tre River – one of the tributaries of the Mekong river while sight-seeing lively activities along the river such as fishing and villagers on boats transferring fruits, flowers and rice to local markets. Our first stop is at a brick kiln to see how to make bricks traditionally by printing and baking. The brick kilns are open only in summer time when there is enough sunshine to dry the bricks. Continue on to visit a coconut processing workshop located along the canals. Return to the boat and go through natural scissors creeks to a village and see some local houses, making sleeping mats, and enjoying some local fruits.
Take a Tuk-Tuk (motorized cart) or bicycle and ride along shady paths, pass by green rice fields and vegetable plains to be able to experience real life and find out about tropical culture from peasants. Have lunch at a local riverside restaurant. After lunch, we take a rowing-boat along the waters of beautiful palm creek before meeting the motorized boat and transferring you back to the pier. Return to Ho Chi Minh City for overnight.
Day 14: Ho Chi Minh City – Departure (B)
You will be free at at your hotel until meeting our driver who will transfer you to the airport with enough time to connect with for your departure flight. (Hotel check out time 12:00)
:>> Our prices include:
> Breakfast and accommodation sharing a twin or double room
> Travel in an appropriate private air-conditioned vehicle with an experienced safe driver
> The services of an experienced English-speaking guide throughout the tour (please note: guides will be on hand from pick-up until guests’ return to their hotel or reaching their destination)
> Where necessary, entry fees and permission to enter border areas for all visits mentioned in the program
> Lunches and dinners (as specified in the itinerary) in the best local restaurants, or picnics where no suitable restaurant is available
> VAT and other taxes
:>> Our prices do not include:
> International flight tickets and airport tax
> Domestic flight Hoi An to HCMC, including airport taxes (Vietnam Airlines, economy class)
> Vietnamese Visa handling and stamp fee
> Dinners, except as specified above
> Drinks, gratuities and personal expenses
> Camera fees (if any)
> Insurance
