Do you long to see the highlights of Vietnam as well as to get an insight into the genuine Vietnamese culture, far from all other tourists.
We have gathered the most beautiful and exciting sights in Vietnam in one trip. You also get the opportunity to get close to everyday life and culture during a night in a homestay. Where you live at home with a family in a small Vietnamese village. You also do a different sightseeing tour through central Vietnam on the back of a motorcycle with a guide who drives you from the coast, through the mountains and to Da Lat. You get an insight into the local life in the mountains and the guide shows you charming little villages and introduces you to the locals along the way. After a few days in the fast-paced and exciting city of Ho Chi Minh City, the journey ends on the beautiful tropical island of Phu Quoc.
Day 1: Departure from Sweden
This day begins the journey to Vietnam where two weeks of adventure await.
Day 2: Arrival in Hanoi
You will be picked up at the airport and driven to the hotel located in one of the charming older districts of Hanoi. You can take a walk in the area around the hotel or enjoy a cup of coffee or a meal at one of the countless fast food restaurants nearby. Hanoi is a colorful, charming and lively city that is hard not to like. If you visit the city during a weekend, you will soon discover that large parts of the city center are closed to traffic and transformed into a large market.
Day 3: City tour of Hanoi
The tour of the city begins at 08:30, when you will be picked up at the hotel. The tour takes you to the Ho Chi Minh area where you can visit the mausoleum (see information on opening hours above) and Ho Chi Minh’s old houses. You also pass a variety of pagodas and after lunch the tour continues to the Temple of Literature and the Ethnological Museum. The tour ends at the area around Hoan Kiem Lake and then it’s time to get back to the hotel. ( L )
Day 4: Homestay outside Hanoi
One of the highlights of the trip is a homestay a few hours drive from Hanoi. You will be picked up at the hotel around 07:30 in the morning and driven to the family who live in the countryside. When you arrive, you get to meet the family and are offered a cup of tea before it’s time for a little bike ride in the village and the surrounding area. The village is still completely untouched by tourism and the locals are curious and interested in talking. The family offers lunch and in the afternoon you can try plowing a rice field with a buffalo. It’s much harder than it sounds. After that, you can join a trip to Stork Island. When you then return to the village, you can help cook or spend the evening relaxing. ( F , L , M )
Day 5: Ha Long Bay
After breakfast you cycle to the local market where the locals gather to sell their products. Then you will be picked up and driven to Ha Long Bay, where you will have the opportunity to experience the beautiful nature from the deck of a boat in the coming days. After check-in in your sleeping cabin, lunch is served on board as the boat glides across the water among impressive limestone cliffs. The boat stops at Trong Cave where you can kayak and get closer to the green islands and the beautiful nature. Back on the boat there is time to relax before a wonderful dinner is served on board. Then you can relax on the deck and enjoy the beautiful starry sky. ( F , L , M )
Day 6: Ha Long Bay
On this day, the boat travels a little further away from the usual tourist routes, to places where not many other boats come. Here you can enjoy pristine beautiful beaches and explore the area by kayak. You can also relax with a good book on the sun deck and enjoy the beautiful rock formations that the area is known for. ( F , L , M )
Day 7: Ha Long Bay – Hanoi and night train to Da Nang
Those who are up early can enjoy the beautiful sunrise before visiting the impressive Sung Sot Cave. The cave, which is one of the largest in the area, is an impressive sight, filled with beautiful stalactites. The boat then sets course back towards the port and you get one last chance to enjoy the beautiful view before lunch is served and it’s time to go back to Hanoi. You can be dropped off at the hotel in Hanoi and can pick up your luggage stored here. Then you can enjoy a good dinner before being picked up and driven to the station where the night train to Da Nang awaits. Overnight stay on the train in Soft Sleeper compartment with air conditioning ( F , L )
Day 8: Transport to Hoi An
You will be picked up at the station and driven to the hotel in Hoi An. Enjoy the day and explore one of Vietnam’s most charming cities. ( F )
Day 9: On a bike ride in Hoi An, incl. cooking class
At 08:30 in the morning you will be picked up and driven to the place where the bike ride begins. The tour begins along the Thu Bon River where you first visit a local fishing village. On the way you can see the local everyday life and how the farmers take care of their fields. You can try to take a ride in one of the round basket boats that are common in the area before the trip continues by bike to an organic vegetable farm where you can help prepare a good lunch. Later in the afternoon, return to the hotel and relax for the rest of the day. ( F )
Day 10: By plane to Nha Trang
After breakfast it is time to go to the airport and from there you fly to Nha Trang which is one of the largest and most popular seaside resorts in southern Vietnam. You check in at the hotel and can then take a walk along the sea or visit the sailing club to enjoy a good lunch.
Day 11: Travel by motorcycle to Buon Ma Thuot
On this day, the adventure begins on a motorcycle. This is another of the great highlights of the trip. You get to get out into the countryside and get the opportunity to enjoy Vietnam’s beautiful nature and meet its pleasant people. The driver is really good at making contact and helps you communicate with the locals. The ride is suitable for most people as long as you can sit on a motorcycle for 6-7 hours with a few breaks. However, children must be at least 16 years old to participate. The tour starts at 08:30 when you start driving towards the city of Buon Ma Thuot. You drive past a variety of plantations and minority villages as well as the famous Phoenix Pass in the mountains. This mountain pass was affected by the poison “Agent Orange” used by the US Army during the Vietnam War. When you arrive at Buon Ma Thuot, check in at the hotel and the driver can give recommendations on where to have dinner. (F )
Day 12: From Buon Ma Thuot via waterfall to Lake Ho Lak.
On this day, you mostly drive on small roads so that you can enjoy the beautiful surroundings and observe the daily life of the locals. The trip on this day also includes a small hike and the opportunity to swim at a beautiful waterfall. The driver can again help you find a good place to have dinner, which is lucky because you are far out in the countryside and few people around here can speak English. ( F )
Day 13: Continue towards Da Lat with a stop at Big Happy Buddha, a Mnong village and a beautiful waterfall
On this day you pass a variety of villages belonging to ethnic minorities and maybe you have time to stop and meet a family that produces rice wine and has a silk factory. You also stay at Happy Buddha where you get a chance to learn a little about Buddhism in Vietnam. Towards the end of the day you will arrive at the cozy town of Da Lat, where you will say goodbye to the driver. Accommodation in hotels ( F )
Day 14: Bus to Ho Chi Minh City
This day it’s time to take the bus to Ho Chi Minh City. The journey takes about 8 hours with a few stops on the way. When you arrive in Ho Chi Minh City, you will find the road to Ms. Yang Homestay on its own. Ms. Yang or her sister can also give you recommendations on what to do in the afternoon. ( F )
Day 15: Good morning, Ho Chi Minh City. Discover the city from the back seat of a scooter
You will be picked up from your homestay early and given breakfast and morning coffee which you can enjoy in a fantastic park. The locals come to this park with their caged birds that they hang in the trees and then enjoy a cup of morning coffee. It is a magical experience to sit in the big city surrounded by hundreds of singing birds. The tour continues to one of the largest flower markets in the city and then you get to see some of the city’s main attractions such as. Ho Chi Minh City’s version of Notre Dame and the classic old post office. You can also visit a local food market where you can taste different types of street food. The tour ends at a cozy café where you can relax a bit before returning to your homestay.
Day 16: The tropical island of Phu Quoc
You will be picked up and driven to the airport and then board the flight to the beautiful island of Phu Quoc. When you arrive, you will be driven to the resort where you can enjoy in the coming days and digest the many experiences you have had on your trip so far. We have chosen one of the island’s most cozy resorts as a conclusion to your holiday. However, you must book well in advance as it will be fully booked quickly. Enjoy snorkeling in the ocean, join a yoga class at sunset or hop in a kayak and explore the beaches around the resort. ( F )
Day 17–19: Mango Bay Resort, Phu Quoc
You can spend your days doing exactly what you want. Every morning begins with a wonderful breakfast that you can enjoy on the terrace built over the cliffs facing the sea. You can rent a scooter, a bicycle or just relax in one of the hammocks in the resort area. The hotel also has a shuttle bus that goes into town if you feel like going in and spending a few hours there. ( F )
Day 20: Transfer to the airport
Your journey is over and it’s time to go home.
Day 21: Arrival in Sweden
Once home, you can digest the many impressions and experiences you have experienced in the fantastic Vietnam.
Overnight stays
Two nights at budget hotel in Hanoi
One night at homestay
Two nights at boat in Ha Long Bay
One night at night train
Two nights at budget hotel in Hoi An.
A night at a budget hotel in Nha Thrang.
Three nights at a budget hotel during the motorcycle
trip Two nights at a homestay in Ho Chi Minh City
Four nights at a nice resort on Phu Quoc
