Vietnam Good Vibes Only: From Saigon to Hanoi with Rowan Poortier

Welcome to Vietnam and Saigon, the country’s most dynamic city and its biggest and boldest melting pot. Upon landing at Tan Son Nhat Airport, meet your driver for a private transfer to your hotel. Take time to unpack, refresh, and settle into your new surroundings.

This evening is yours to enjoy at leisure. You might explore the lively streets around Ben Thanh Market, take in the French colonial architecture of the Central Post Office and Notre Dame Cathedral, or dive straight into Saigon’s street food scene, sampling fragrant noodle soups, sizzling pancakes, and tropical fruit juices in the city’s hidden alleys.

🏨 Accommodation

• Chez Mimosa or similar

🍽️ Included Meals

• None

✅ Activities

• Private Airport Transfer to Hotel
• Free Evening in Saigon

After breakfast, head out to explore the Cu Chi Tunnels at Ben Duoc, a quieter and more authentic site than the more touristy areas. This fascinating network of underground passageways stretches for over 200 kilometres and was used extensively during the Vietnam War. You’ll learn about the ingenuity of the tunnel design, see wartime artefacts, and even venture inside the reconstructed sections.

Returning to Saigon by midday, the rest of the day is free for your own discoveries. You might relax with a Vietnamese iced coffee in a rooftop café, shop for lacquerware and textiles, or visit the War Remnants Museum for a deeper look into the country’s history.

🏨 Accommodation

• Chez Mimosa or similar

🍽️ Included Meals

• Breakfast
• Lunch

✅ Activities

• Cu Chi Tunnels Half-Day Tour

Take an early morning transfer to the airport for your flight to Da Nang. On arrival, you’ll be met and transferred to the enchanting town of Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its lantern-lit streets and riverside charm.

After checking in, the afternoon and evening are yours to enjoy. Wander through Hoi An’s lively market, admire the colourful lantern displays, or enjoy dinner at one of the many atmospheric restaurants overlooking the Thu Bon River.

🏨 Accommodation

• Calm House Villa or similar

🍽️ Included Meals

• None

✅ Activities

• Domestic Flight from Saigon to Da Nang
• Private Transfer to Hoi An

Today you’ll join your local guide for a journey through Hoi An’s Old Quarter, where history is etched into every alleyway and façade. Visit the iconic Japanese Covered Bridge, Chinese assembly halls adorned with intricate carvings, and centuries-old merchant houses with their fusion of Asian and European design.

The afternoon is yours to enjoy at leisure. You might visit one of Hoi An’s many talented tailors for a bespoke garment, stop at a riverside café to watch the world go by, or wander the lantern shops that give the town its romantic glow.

🏨 Accommodation

• Calm House Villa or similar

🍽️ Included Meals

• Breakfast

✅ Activities

• Guided Walking Tour of Hoi An Old Quarter

After breakfast, meet your guide and set off on two wheels to explore the peaceful countryside surrounding Hoi An. Pedal across bridges to Cam Kim Island, passing green rice paddies, water buffalo grazing in the fields, and villagers going about their daily lives. Stop to see boatbuilders at work and artisans weaving traditional mats.

Your journey continues to a family-run noodle house where you’ll learn how to make Hoi An’s famous noodles and crispy Bánh Đập cake. Enjoy your homemade lunch, then board a private boat for a leisurely cruise back to town. The rest of the afternoon is free to enjoy Hoi An’s charm.

🏨 Accommodation

• Calm House Villa or similar

🍽️ Included Meals

• Breakfast
• Lunch

✅ Activities

• Hoi An Countryside Cycling Tour
• Noodle and Bánh Đập Cake Cooking Experience

After breakfast, transfer to Da Nang airport for your flight to Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital and cultural heart. Upon arrival, check into your hotel before heading out for a guided walking tour.

Discover the bustling Old Quarter’s narrow streets, each named for the goods once sold there, and explore the colourful chaos of Dong Xuan Market. Walk through the elegant French Quarter with its tree-lined boulevards, visit Cua Bac Church and the ancient O Quan Chuong gate, and step inside Bach Ma Temple. Along the way, sample tasty street snacks and enjoy a cup of rich, velvety egg coffee – a true Hanoi speciality.

🏨 Accommodation

• La Sante Hotel or similar

🍽️ Included Meals

• Breakfast
• Street Food Snacks

✅ Activities

• Domestic Flight from Da Nang to Hanoi
• Guided Walking Tour of Hanoi

Travel to Halong Bay and step aboard your overnight cruise, a floating hotel surrounded by towering limestone karsts and emerald waters. Settle into your cabin, then enjoy a freshly prepared lunch as you sail through Lan Ha Bay.

In the afternoon, you may choose to swim in hidden coves, paddle a kayak along the shoreline, or simply relax on deck with a drink in hand. Dinner is served in the ship’s elegant dining room before a peaceful night in the bay.

🏨 Accommodation

• Verdure Lotus Cruise or similar

🍽️ Included Meals

• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner

✅ Activities

• Halong Bay Overnight Cruise

Begin your day with an optional sunrise yoga session on deck, surrounded by misty karst peaks. After breakfast, cruise back to the harbour and transfer to Hanoi, arriving mid-afternoon.

The rest of the day is yours – perfect for picking up last-minute souvenirs, enjoying a performance at the Water Puppet Theatre, or relaxing over tea at a traditional Vietnamese teahouse.

🏨 Accommodation

• La Sante Hotel or similar

🍽️ Included Meals

• Breakfast
• Light Lunch

✅ Activities

• Morning on Halong Bay Cruise
• Transfer Back to Hanoi

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before checking out. Depending on your flight time, you may have a final chance to explore Hanoi’s hidden corners or indulge in one last bowl of phở before heading to the airport for your onward journey.

We hope you leave with memories of warm hospitality, vibrant culture, and incredible landscapes that will inspire you to return to Vietnam.

🍽️ Included Meals

• Breakfast

✅ Activities

• Departure Transfer from Hotel to Airport