classic vietnam

classic vietnam

Get caught up in the bustle of dynamic Ho Chi Minh City, Learn about local life on a Mekong Delta homestay, Descend into the tight confines of the Cu Chi Tunnels, Laze on the unspoilt beaches of Nha Trang, Discover imperial Vietnam in Hue, Witness a traditional water-puppet performance, Enjoy sumptuous seafood banquets, Cruise the sparkling waters of Halong Bay, Soak up the French charm of Hanoi

From south to north, Vietnam is a kaleidoscope of colourful people and picturesque landscapes. Imagine learning the mysteries of the Viet Minh in Ho Chi Minh City or exploring the beautiful lakes and boulevards of Hanoi. What better way to get to know the locals than to be their guests in a Mekong Delta homestay? Experience historical temples, spectacular scenery, delicious banquets and lively cities, all with a touch of comfort on this 15-day adventure.

Xin chao! Welcome to Vietnam.

Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6pm on Day 1.

You can arrive at any time as there are no activities planned until this important meeting; please ask the hotel reception where it will take place. If you can't arrange a flight that will arrive in time, you may wish to arrive a day early so you're able to attend. We'll be happy to book additional accommodation for you (subject to availability). If you're going to be late, please inform the hotel reception. We'll be collecting your insurance details and next of kin information at this meeting, so please ensure you have all these details to provide to your leader.

An arrival transfer is included on this trip. Please confirm your transfer by providing your flight details at least 15 days prior to your arrival and you'll be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel.

Formerly known as Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City is characterised by a vast array of sights and sounds; a fascinating blend of old and new, East and West. The huge number of people rushing about their daily lives in Vietnam's largest city gives it a dynamic atmosphere and the French influence is evident in the excellent baguettes and coffee on offer. Much of the city's life takes place on the busy streets lined with shops, stalls and vendors with their wares spread out on the footpath, selling everything from soup to sophisticated electronics.

Included Activities

• Complimentary arrival transfer

Accommodation

Hotel (1 nt)

Head south to Cai Be (approx 3 hrs).

Board our boats to cruise the Mekong Delta and explore its intricate waterways. This is our introduction to a world where life depends on the river. Often referred to as the 'rice bowl' of Vietnam, the fertile delta is famous for its abundant harvests of tropical fruits, flowers and rice, as well as it fantastic views while boating along the canals. Visit an orchard where you can sample tropical fruits, before continuing on to visit some local cottage industries. Around sunset we make our way up one of the many canals to our homestay where we enjoy a wonderful meal of local specialities. At our homestay we'll be sleeping on simple camp beds in a dorm-style arrangement. Bedding and mosquito nets are provided. Shared toilet and bathroom facilities are basic with cold water only.

Included Activities

• Boat cruise and homestay

Accommodation

Homestay (1 nt)

Activity in the delta starts at dawn, so we'll be up early. After breakfast, we visit the busy Cai Be floating market.

Return to Ho Chi Minh City via Cu Chi.

Visit the famous Cu Chi tunnels. This former Viet Cong stronghold provides an insight into the resourcefulness and tenacity of the Vietnamese people, as well as a unique sense of what underground life was like during the American War.

Experience the hustle and bustle of old Saigon in cyclos (bicycle rickshaws) and explore some of the city's more interesting sights, including the War Remnants Museum.

Board an overnight train to Nha Trang. Conditions are basic and cleanliness might not be as we would expect back home, however overnight trains are a truly Intrepid experience and the best way to travel long distances with the locals. Sleeper trains typically have 4 berth compartments (occasionally 6 berths depending on seasonal variations), which are made up of bench seats that convert into sleeping bunks. A sheet, pillow and blanket are provided, although some travellers prefer to bring their own sleeping sheet. On occasion passengers of different genders will be required to share a compartment and there will be occasions where you will be sharing with local travellers or travellers who are not part of your group. Most trains have a dining carriage serving simple food, but some travellers take the opportunity to stock up on fresh bread, cheese and fruit prior to departure.

Included Activities

• Cyclo tour
• Reunification Palace
• War Remnants Museum

Accommodation

Hotel (1 nt), Overnight sleeper train (1 nt)

Activity in the delta starts at dawn, so we'll be up early. After breakfast, we visit the busy Cai Be floating market.

Return to Ho Chi Minh City via Cu Chi.

Visit the famous Cu Chi tunnels. This former Viet Cong stronghold provides an insight into the resourcefulness and tenacity of the Vietnamese people, as well as a unique sense of what underground life was like during the American War.

Experience the hustle and bustle of old Saigon in cyclos (bicycle rickshaws) and explore some of the city's more interesting sights, including the War Remnants Museum.

Board an overnight train to Nha Trang. Conditions are basic and cleanliness might not be as we would expect back home, however overnight trains are a truly Intrepid experience and the best way to travel long distances with the locals. Sleeper trains typically have 4 berth compartments (occasionally 6 berths depending on seasonal variations), which are made up of bench seats that convert into sleeping bunks. A sheet, pillow and blanket are provided, although some travellers prefer to bring their own sleeping sheet. On occasion passengers of different genders will be required to share a compartment and there will be occasions where you will be sharing with local travellers or travellers who are not part of your group. Most trains have a dining carriage serving simple food, but some travellers take the opportunity to stock up on fresh bread, cheese and fruit prior to departure.

Included Activities

• Cyclo tour
• Reunification Palace
• War Remnants Museum

Accommodation

Hotel (1 nt), Overnight sleeper train (1 nt)

Once referred to as the 'Cannes of the Orient', Nha Trang's sandy palm-lined beach and island-dotted bay still make an idyllic picture, and a cosmopolitan feel prevails in the town itself.

Take a cyclo tour to explore Nha Trang and its beautiful surrounds.

A highlight for many travellers is our boat trip amongst the islands. From the main boat, we take basket boats to shore and visit a fishing village, snorkel in the turquoise waters, enjoy a seafood buffet, and pass the afternoon lazing in deck chairs or swimming.

Included Activities

• Cyclo tour
• Boat cruise and lunch

Accommodation

Hotel (2 nts)

Once referred to as the 'Cannes of the Orient', Nha Trang's sandy palm-lined beach and island-dotted bay still make an idyllic picture, and a cosmopolitan feel prevails in the town itself.

Take a cyclo tour to explore Nha Trang and its beautiful surrounds.

A highlight for many travellers is our boat trip amongst the islands. From the main boat, we take basket boats to shore and visit a fishing village, snorkel in the turquoise waters, enjoy a seafood buffet, and pass the afternoon lazing in deck chairs or swimming.

Included Activities

• Cyclo tour
• Boat cruise and lunch

Accommodation

Hotel (2 nts)

Take a short flight to Danang and then travel by minibus to Hoi An (approx 1 hr).

Recently declared a World Heritage site, Hoi An is being beautifully restored and preserved. Known as Faifo to early Western traders, it was one of South-East Asia's major international ports during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Today, parts of Hoi An look exactly as they did more than a century ago and it retains the feel of centuries past, making it the sort of place that grows on you the more you explore it.It's also a shopping mecca - with much to browse and buy. Choose from original paintings, handcrafted woodwork, ceramics, embroidery, lanterns and more. Hoi An has also become famous for its tailoring - with a great variety of fabrics and tailors to choose from. Bring your favourite piece of clothing or even just a picture, and you'll be able to have it copied.

Your leader will take you on a walk around the Ancient Town.

You have plenty of time to explore. Your leader can help you arrange an optional Vietnamese cooking course or you can rent a bicycle and take a trip out to the nearby Cua Dai Beach, also known as China Beach.If you can muster an early rise the next morning, the wonderful local market is well worth a visit to watch animated shoppers haggling over fresh fish, spices and vegetables.

Visit the ruins of My Son, Vietnam's most important Cham site. Set in a verdant valley, surrounded by hills and overlooked by the massive Cat's Tooth Mountain, the elaborate World Heritage-listed temples here reflect the rich cultural traditions of the Cham civilisation that flourished in this region between the 4th and 12th century.

Included Activities

• Ancient Town

Optional Activities

• My Son Cham Ruins including car transport & guide, Hoi An - VND800000.00
• Thu Bon River boat trip, Hoi An - VND100000.00
• Cooking course, Hoi An - VND125000.00
• Bike hire (1 day), Hoi An - VND20000.00

Accommodation

Hotel (3 nts)

Take a short flight to Danang and then travel by minibus to Hoi An (approx 1 hr).

Recently declared a World Heritage site, Hoi An is being beautifully restored and preserved. Known as Faifo to early Western traders, it was one of South-East Asia's major international ports during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Today, parts of Hoi An look exactly as they did more than a century ago and it retains the feel of centuries past, making it the sort of place that grows on you the more you explore it.It's also a shopping mecca - with much to browse and buy. Choose from original paintings, handcrafted woodwork, ceramics, embroidery, lanterns and more. Hoi An has also become famous for its tailoring - with a great variety of fabrics and tailors to choose from. Bring your favourite piece of clothing or even just a picture, and you'll be able to have it copied.

Your leader will take you on a walk around the Ancient Town.

You have plenty of time to explore. Your leader can help you arrange an optional Vietnamese cooking course or you can rent a bicycle and take a trip out to the nearby Cua Dai Beach, also known as China Beach.If you can muster an early rise the next morning, the wonderful local market is well worth a visit to watch animated shoppers haggling over fresh fish, spices and vegetables.

Visit the ruins of My Son, Vietnam's most important Cham site. Set in a verdant valley, surrounded by hills and overlooked by the massive Cat's Tooth Mountain, the elaborate World Heritage-listed temples here reflect the rich cultural traditions of the Cham civilisation that flourished in this region between the 4th and 12th century.

Included Activities

• Ancient Town

Optional Activities

• My Son Cham Ruins including car transport & guide, Hoi An - VND800000.00
• Thu Bon River boat trip, Hoi An - VND100000.00
• Cooking course, Hoi An - VND125000.00
• Bike hire (1 day), Hoi An - VND20000.00

Accommodation

Hotel (3 nts)

Take a short flight to Danang and then travel by minibus to Hoi An (approx 1 hr).

Recently declared a World Heritage site, Hoi An is being beautifully restored and preserved. Known as Faifo to early Western traders, it was one of South-East Asia's major international ports during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Today, parts of Hoi An look exactly as they did more than a century ago and it retains the feel of centuries past, making it the sort of place that grows on you the more you explore it.It's also a shopping mecca - with much to browse and buy. Choose from original paintings, handcrafted woodwork, ceramics, embroidery, lanterns and more. Hoi An has also become famous for its tailoring - with a great variety of fabrics and tailors to choose from. Bring your favourite piece of clothing or even just a picture, and you'll be able to have it copied.

Your leader will take you on a walk around the Ancient Town.

You have plenty of time to explore. Your leader can help you arrange an optional Vietnamese cooking course or you can rent a bicycle and take a trip out to the nearby Cua Dai Beach, also known as China Beach.If you can muster an early rise the next morning, the wonderful local market is well worth a visit to watch animated shoppers haggling over fresh fish, spices and vegetables.

Visit the ruins of My Son, Vietnam's most important Cham site. Set in a verdant valley, surrounded by hills and overlooked by the massive Cat's Tooth Mountain, the elaborate World Heritage-listed temples here reflect the rich cultural traditions of the Cham civilisation that flourished in this region between the 4th and 12th century.

Included Activities

• Ancient Town

Optional Activities

• My Son Cham Ruins including car transport & guide, Hoi An - VND800000.00
• Thu Bon River boat trip, Hoi An - VND100000.00
• Cooking course, Hoi An - VND125000.00
• Bike hire (1 day), Hoi An - VND20000.00

Accommodation

Hotel (3 nts)

Drive to Hue via China Beach and the spectacular Hai Van Pass, an incredibly scenic and mountainous stretch of highway with spectacular views of Lang Co Beach. Make a lunch stop at beautiful Lang Co en route.

The pace of life is slow and tranquillity prevails in Hue - the former imperial capital of Vietnam. Founded as a royal city in 1687, it is the gateway to the treasures of Vietnam's royal past.

Visit the Imperial Citadel, including the Forbidden Purple City. The latter was almost totally destroyed during the American War's Tet Offensive, but the foliage-covered ruins are still atmospheric and the gaping holes left by bombs give an idea of the destruction wreaked upon the country during the war.

Enjoy a dragon boat cruise on the Perfume River. The trip includes a visit to Thien Mu Pagoda, considered by many to be the unofficial symbol of Hue. It's an active Buddhist monastery with its origins dating back to 1601. One of the most poignant displays is a car belonging to a former monk who, in 1963, drove to Saigon and set himself alight to protest against the treatment of Buddhists by the South Vietnamese regime. We also visit one of the royal tombs, that of Emperor Tu Duc, with its central lake set amid a grove of frangipani and pine trees, and we may visit what many believe to be the most majestic of all the royal tombs, Minh Mang.

Most groups will visit either a Buddhist nunnery or monastery and have lunch while in Hue. Not only does the lunch provide economic benefits to these pagodas which rely on donations to survive, it also enables our groups to get an insight into the unique traditions and food of Vietnamese Buddism. Due to the high passenger numbers visiting Hue, six different monasteries and nunneries are visited so as to share the wealth and minimise impact.

Included Activities

• Cyclo tour
• Imperial Citadel
• Perfume River cruise and Thien Mu Pagoda
• Royal tomb

Accommodation

Hotel (2 nts)

Drive to Hue via China Beach and the spectacular Hai Van Pass, an incredibly scenic and mountainous stretch of highway with spectacular views of Lang Co Beach. Make a lunch stop at beautiful Lang Co en route.

The pace of life is slow and tranquillity prevails in Hue - the former imperial capital of Vietnam. Founded as a royal city in 1687, it is the gateway to the treasures of Vietnam's royal past.

Visit the Imperial Citadel, including the Forbidden Purple City. The latter was almost totally destroyed during the American War's Tet Offensive, but the foliage-covered ruins are still atmospheric and the gaping holes left by bombs give an idea of the destruction wreaked upon the country during the war.

Enjoy a dragon boat cruise on the Perfume River. The trip includes a visit to Thien Mu Pagoda, considered by many to be the unofficial symbol of Hue. It's an active Buddhist monastery with its origins dating back to 1601. One of the most poignant displays is a car belonging to a former monk who, in 1963, drove to Saigon and set himself alight to protest against the treatment of Buddhists by the South Vietnamese regime. We also visit one of the royal tombs, that of Emperor Tu Duc, with its central lake set amid a grove of frangipani and pine trees, and we may visit what many believe to be the most majestic of all the royal tombs, Minh Mang.

Most groups will visit either a Buddhist nunnery or monastery and have lunch while in Hue. Not only does the lunch provide economic benefits to these pagodas which rely on donations to survive, it also enables our groups to get an insight into the unique traditions and food of Vietnamese Buddism. Due to the high passenger numbers visiting Hue, six different monasteries and nunneries are visited so as to share the wealth and minimise impact.

Included Activities

• Cyclo tour
• Imperial Citadel
• Perfume River cruise and Thien Mu Pagoda
• Royal tomb

Accommodation

Hotel (2 nts)

Fly from Hue to Hanoi.

The capital of Vietnam is a charming city with a population of around four million. Hanoi is famous for its beautiful lakes, shaded boulevards, verdant public parks and its thriving old town centre, which is an architectural museum piece with blocks of ochre buildings retaining the air of a 1930s provincial French town. As Vietnam develops to compete with other South-East Asian countries, the beautiful Hoan Kiem Lake reflects the contrasts of modern office buildings, old Buddhist temples and the tangle of ancient streets in its still surface.

Take a cyclo tour through the ancient '39 streets' to discover an amazing selection of shops selling everything from souvenirs to exquisite silk clothing, beautifully embroidered tablecloths and CDs. Then take in a performance of the famous water puppet theatre.

Vietnam Fine Arts Museum is considered as one of the crucial museum in maintaining and promoting the treasure of cultural, artistic heritages of Vietnamese ethnic communities.

Included Activities

• Cyclo tour
• Water puppet show
• Fine Arts Museum
• Temple of Literature

Accommodation

Hotel (1 nt)

Enjoy a buffet breakfast at KOTO restaurant, one of Intrepid's Responsible Travel supported programs which aims to teach street children hospitality skills that will enable them to find employment.

Travel by private minibus to the spectacular World Heritage site of Halong Bay (approx 4 hrs).

Halong Bay is a breathtaking secluded harbour with 2,000 limestone islands rising from the emerald waters of Bac Bo Gulf. One of Vietnam's most scenic regions, this area of about 1,500 sq km is dotted with innumerable beaches and grottos, created over thousands of years by waves and wind.

Board our private boat and cruise among the dramatic limestone peaks. There's an opportunity to swim in the famed South China Sea, as well as to explore caves filled with stunning stalactites and stalagmites. Spend a peaceful night on board, beneath a night sky alive with stars. Our sailing junk has twin-share cabins that have air-conditioning and private facilities. There's also a dining room and bar where we enjoy a sumptuous lunch and dinner.BOAT SHORTAGE:
Due to recent unforeseen late changes by local authorities in Halong Bay a large proportion of boats are now no longer permitted to stay overnight, thus resulting in a shortage of boats. To ensure we can accommodate all Intrepid travellers overnight on a boat we are occasionally using a larger boat (approx. 12 cabins) and splitting our groups across different boats. An Intrepid group leader will be present on each boat, and the route taken and inclusions on board will remain the same.

Included Activities

• Breakfast at KOTO restaurant
• Overnight boat cruise

Accommodation

Overnight boat (1 nt)

Return to Hanoi by bus (approx 4 hrs), stopping at Dong Trieu Factory to watch locals working on the traditional art of ceramics.

Your afternoon is free to explore Hanoi's sights and to do some last-minute shopping. You could also see Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum and house.

There are no activities planned for the final day and you are able to depart our accommodation at any time. Please check the 'Finishing Point Hotel' section for checkout times and luggage storage possibilities.

Optional Activities

• Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum and Museum, Hanoi - VND50000.00
• Hoa Lo 'Hanoi Hilton' Prison, Hanoi - VND15000.00
• Museum of Ethnology, including taxi, Hanoi - VND170000.00

Accommodation

Hotel (1 nt)

Return to Hanoi by bus (approx 4 hrs), stopping at Dong Trieu Factory to watch locals working on the traditional art of ceramics.

Your afternoon is free to explore Hanoi's sights and to do some last-minute shopping. You could also see Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum and house.

There are no activities planned for the final day and you are able to depart our accommodation at any time. Please check the 'Finishing Point Hotel' section for checkout times and luggage storage possibilities.

Optional Activities

• Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum and Museum, Hanoi - VND50000.00
• Hoa Lo 'Hanoi Hilton' Prison, Hanoi - VND15000.00
• Museum of Ethnology, including taxi, Hanoi - VND170000.00

Accommodation

Hotel (1 nt)

@variation

Key: (B) = Breakfast, (L) = Lunch, (D) = Dinner