Engaging Activities + Ancient Culture
The diversity of environment and activity in Vietnam makes it the perfect family destination. Hop on a vespa to taste traditional cuisine, explore ancient architecture through a scavenger hunt, and relax on a beautiful beach. From Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, there is something for all ages!
At Travel Beyond, we believe your trip should be designed just for you, not for the masses. Our travel consultants create a custom itinerary for each client, offering recommendations for places and experiences that best fit your style. The itinerary below was planned for a past client, but we’re sharing it for travel inspiration and as an example of what a trip to Vietnam might look like. Let us know when we can design a trip just for you!
Welcome to Vietnam! Upon arrival in Hanoi, you will be fast tracked through customs and met for your private transfer to La Siesta Premium Hotel. Accommodations will be reserved for three nights. Relax and enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure!
La Siesta Premium Meals: N/A
After a late breakfast, meet your guide for a walking tour of Hanoi. The labyrinthine streets of its Old Quarter are the ideal place to wander and observe daily life. Here merchants jostle for space on the sidewalks and crumbling houses are crammed into narrow alleyways named after the goods that were traded there – Silk Street, Gold Street and even Fried Fish Street!
Following your walk, you will return to the hotel to refresh and relax before venturing back out to explore another part of the city by vintage jeep.
You are free to choose to either visit the interactive Museum of Ethnology to learn about the country’s rich tribal diversity or the Temple of Literature, the heart of the Confucian education system. You will then drive around West Lake and the narrow streets of the French Quarters. This is another great opportunity to capture local practices, such as selling flowers and bonsai.
Tonight, enjoy dinner at 4P’s shop, a fusion pizza restaurant. The founder spent years developing a Vietnamese- sourced cheese that you’ll find atop many of his innovative dishes. There’s also a great selection of craft beer for the parents.
Cap off your meal with a stop at Trang Tien ice cream parlor. Since opening in 1958, it has become an irreplaceable treat for many generations of Hanoians. There are no chairs, so you’ll simply stand to enjoy the unique flavors.
La Siesta Premium Meals: Breakfast / Dinner
Today you and your guide will set off to Cuc Phuong, Vietnam’s oldest National Park. Located around 87 miles south of Hanoi, it is one of the country’s most important protected areas and home to an impressive variety of animal & plant life.
Once at the park, you will begin your hike, taking in the flora and fauna and learning about the botanical richness of the forest. Stop by the gigantic one-thousand-year old sequoia tree and visit a cave once used by Prehistoric man, now a refuge for bats.
You will also visit the Endangered Primates Rescue Centre, established in 1993 by the Frankfurt Zoological Society. It is home to a langur breeding program designed to ensure the protection of several species of this long-tailed Asian monkey including the Delacour’s langur, Black and Lao langur and the Grey-shanked Douc langur.
Lunch will be enjoyed at the Park’s headquarters after which there will be more time to explore this enchanting park before returning back to Hanoi.
Enjoy the remainder of your day at leisure.
La Siesta Premium Meals: Breakfast / Lunch
Around mid-morning, meet your guide for a 2.5-hour drive to Ha Long Bay. Approximately 100 miles from Hanoi, its mystical landscapes are one of Asia’s most iconic sights. Translated as the ‘Bay of Descending Dragons’ and located in the Gulf of Tonkin, Ha Long is made up of around 1,600 islands and islets. In combination, these form a spectacular seascape of limestone pillars, lush islands and emerald waters.
Upon arrival at the bay, you will board the Bhaya Legend 2, your private junk boat for the next two days. As you set sail, savor a delicious lunch on deck.
Your first excursion is a visit to Luon Cave by bamboo boat. The northeast part of Bo Hon Island is also a great kayaking destination, for those who are interested. The next stop will be the magnificent Sung Sot Cave, which offers a breathtaking panoramic view across the Bay. This is the largest cave in Ha Long Bay, and its ancient stalactites and stalagmites have taken on fascinating shapes.
Back onboard, sip a cocktail or two (on your own account) as the sun sets over the karst landscape. Foodies can partake in Vietnamese cooking demonstration before dinner, which is guaranteed to whet the appetite.
While parents enjoy a relaxing evening, the children can go squid fishing or watch a movie in the restaurant.
Bhaya Legend 2 Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
After an morning Tai Chi class (for the early risers), you will transfer to a smaller boat and head deeper into Ha Long Bay.
First, you’ll have the opportunity to hike to the top of Titov Island, from where you’ll have stunning panoramic views of the Bay. You can then go for a refreshing swim in the emerald waters or sip from a coconut in the shade.
From there, it is off to Cua Van Floating Village. The largest of five such villages in the Bay, you will arrive either by bamboo boats rowed by locals or opt to kayak. Spend the afternoon exploring this traditional fishing town before being transferred back to Bhaya Legend 2 for dinner.
Bhaya Legend 2 Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Following a refreshing breakfast, you will bid farewell to Ha Long Bay and Bhaya Legend 2. From the harbor, you will be transferred to the Hanoi Airport for your flight to Danang.
Upon arrival in Danang, your guide will meet you and transfer you to Hotel Royal Hoi An, your home for the next two nights. Enjoy the remainder of your day at leisure.
Hotel Royal Hoi An Meals: Breakfast
Enjoy a morning at leisure or consider renting bikes to explore your surroundings.
Later in the day, you and your guide will explore Hoi An’s Old Town, a UNESO World Heritage site best seen on foot. You will discover beautifully preserved old merchant houses, atmospheric temples and lively markets as you stroll through the back streets of this enchanting destination.
Visit the iconic 400-year old Japanese Bridge and the busy waterfront, where colorful fishing boats bob up and down on the Thu Bon River.
Finish the day with an energic 1-hour traditional Martial Arts class held at a traditional Vietnamese school. Learn some simple yet fun movements under the guidance of a grand Master.
Hotel Royal Hoi An Meals: Breakfast
Wake up early this morning for a 1- hour drive to Danang where you will explore Son Tra Peninsula alongside a conservation expert.
Originally an island before ocean currents and sediment linked it with the mainland, this area is best known for housing the world’s largest population of the endangered red-shanked douc langur. Here, you’ll meet with a wildlife expert for an overview of the programs they’ve designed to raise local awareness about wildlife preservation. You will then have the opportunity to take a walk and observe the wildlife. Reaching the top of Son Tra provides a panoramic view of Danang city.
The excursion ends around 9:30am leaving you with some time to enjoy a local water park (on your own account) or relax at a hotel lounge.
You will then be transferred to Hue via the Hai Van Pass. Upon arrival at Pilgrimage Village, where you will spend the next two nights, you can enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure.
Pilgrimage Village Meals: Breakfast
Around mid-morning you and your guide will drive to the Imperial Citadel. Built by Emperor Gia Long in the early 1800s, the moated Citadel houses his private residence known as the Forbidden Purple City. The fortress has suffered from both natural and manmade destruction over the years, including cyclones and battle damage during the Vietnam War. Yet the enclosure remains extremely palatial and received UNESCO World Heritage status in 1993. You will have the opportunity to explore the citadel on foot and with a 30-minute cyclo-ride.
Back at the hotel, you will have some time to relax before visiting the royal tomb of Emperor Khai Dinh. A mixture of Western architecture and traditional art, it has been classified as a work of “neo – classicism.”
In the evening, you will experience a delicious food tour via a vintage vespa. Immerse yourself in a world of Hue specialties including Hue beef noodle soup cooked. Drive through hidden local family-run eateries and learn how to make traditional steamed green-leaf cake. You will then drive to a venue which is well-know for serving only one dish- the Hue sizzling pancake. End the tour at a hundred-year-old traditional herbal medicine shop to see how they made herbal tea for Kings. A leisurely ride on the back of the Vespa will take you back to your hotel.
Pilgrimage Village Meals: Breakfast / Dinner
Enjoy a morning at leisure before being transferred to the airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City.
Upon arrival, you will be met by your guide and brought to Hotel Des Arts, where you will stay for two nights. If time permits, you and your guide can set off on a walking tour around the city center.
This evening, enjoy the spectacular A O show at the historic Opera House. It depicts the story of Vietnamese culture with a unique mix of bamboo cirque, acrobatic acts, contemporary dance, and theatrical visual art.
Hotel Des Arts Meals: Breakfast
Today, you will explore the city’s highlights through an interactive scavenger hunt. Using a dedicated app and a provided smartphone, this excursion invites you to explore hidden parts of Ho Chi Minh, learn about historical and cultural sites and interact with local people.
The city’s main landmarks and narrow lanes are full of secrets that you will collaboratively work to discover. Starting at the Opera House, you will be challenged by a series of questions, riddles or tasks that will test your sense of direction, observation and deducting skills. Local people will surely help you in your quest and you’ll be left with long-lasting memories.
Afterwards, make a quick stop at a local chocolate shop located on a shady street in downtown. Here, you can sample each type of Vietnamese single-origin bean-to-bar chocolate as well as cacao products from local farmers.
Enjoy an early lunch before being transferred to Ho Chi Minh pier for a private 1.5-hour speedboat journey along the scenic Saigon River to Cu Chi historical site. Work on these tunnels began during the war against the French in the 1940s and were expanded upon over the next 25 years as the conflict with America escalated. The system came to include an underground city of meeting areas, storerooms, living quarters and much more. The tunnels allowed the Viet Cong to control a vital area of South Vietnam and at their height, extended for more than 120 miles in length and stretched from what was then Ho Chi Minh to the Cambodian border.
Enjoy a cruise back to the city and relax for the remainder of the day.
Hotel Des Arts Meals: Breakfast / Lunch
Enjoy a morning at leisure before being transferred to the airport for your flight to Phu Quoc.
Upon arrival, you will be met by your guide and transferred to Fusion Phu Quoc, your home for the next three nights. Relax at the hotel for the remainder of the day.
Fusion Phu Quoc Meals: Breakfast
Enjoy your days at leisure to explore the hotel and activities on offer.
Fusion Phu Quoc Meals: Breakfast
Spend the day at leisure before your transfer to the airport for your departure flight.
Overnight Flight Breakfast
