Vietnam Family Adventure

Arrival Flight: Guest’s own tickets

Xin Chao! Welcome to Hanoi, Vietnam.

A warm greeting awaits you at Noi Bai International airport; your private guide and driver will meet you OUTSIDE the arrivals lounge, holding up a welcome signboard with your names on it and transfer you directly to your hotel in the Old Quarter. Please look for your tour guide who holds up your name on a welcome signboard.

While every effort is made to have your room available upon arrival, check-in time is at 02:00 pm; your room may or may not be ready before this time. Your tour guide will provide additional details regarding your stay, and you will be able to ask any questions you may have. The rest of the day is at leisure.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Please note: Your travel documents contain a Vietnam eVisa (unless otherwise arranged). Please ensure to pack this in your carry-on luggage. Your Vietnam eVisa must be presented to Customs upon entry into the country.

Morning: 8 AM – 12 PM

Before the tour, our experienced guide will provide you with a mini briefing on orientation & safety introduction, then we will start our adventures. Our tour will cover 3 parts of Hanoi as below:

1. Backstreet Ride: Get to know Hanoi’s lesser-known areas

We’ll drive through a maze of passageways only locals know about, make introductions, and learn about the behind-the-scenes stories;

– Riding through the labyrinth of zigzagging backstreets, narrow alleyways, and markets;

– Traveling with all of your senses on high alert: observing, hearing, touching, tasting, smelling;

– Experiencing various slides of life behind the scenes, the hidden part of the iceberg, and the unknown parts;

– Getting to know people where they live, work, study, and pray…;

– Personal connections and cultural exchanges are being formed.

2. The French and Old Quarters: Highlights of the city

In the late 1800s, the French razed old Vietnamese buildings and replaced them with towering French-style villas, earning Hanoi the nickname “Little Paris”.

– Circumnavigating the enchanting French Colonial Quarter and the vibrant Hanoi Old Quarter;

– Passing Ho Chi Minh Complex, Temple of Literature, Tran Quoc Pagoda, West Lake, Truc Bach lake, Hoan Kiem lake, Opera House, and hanging around the train street, which are all must-see attractions in Hanoi.

3. Middle Island

Due to the quantity of water in the Red River, the island was built by a warp, offering shelter for many fishermen. This is a run-down neighborhood with no electricity or running water. Our experienced guide will show you how life is very different on the other side of the river.

– Taking a stroll through the bright and serene flower, vegetable, and banana plantations;

– Learning various aspects of life and the disparity in harmony between Hanoi’s city and countryside living;

– Experience the rough ride through the farming land as well as the Long Bien bridge;

We will introduce you to traditional Hanoian cuisine in addition to the thrilling trip through Hanoi traffic. “PLEASE SAVE YOUR HUNGRY BELLY FOR US” (vegan and vegetarian options are available).

Come back to your hotel and spend the remainder of the day at your leisure. Relax and enjoy the comforts of the hotel or have another stroll through the hidden Alleys of the Old Quarter.

Overnight in Hanoi.

08:00 – 08:30  A shuttle bus from the cruise line will take you to Quang Ninh province. Enjoy the landscape of the Red River Delta on the way to Ha Long Bay.

12:00   The crew members of Peony Cruises will welcome you at No.34, Tuan Chau Marina, Quang Ninh.

12:30   You will be taken aboard our support vessel and travel from the wharf via the bay to board our luxurious craft, Peony Cruises. The itinerary briefing is announced during this time.

13.00   Welcome, fresh drinks, wet towels, and a special lunch of fresh food and an assortment of appetizing delicacies will be served. You will be enchanted when decadently dining on our luxury junk. Life just doesn’t get better than this! We then set sail for Lan Ha Bay – A member of the World’s Most Beautiful Bays.

Enjoy the delicious luncheon of fresh seafood and an assortment of appetizing delicacies while cruising along Lan Ha Bay with the breathtaking scenery.

15:30   Visiting Tra Bau area, which is known as an area famous for its unspoiled, poetic natural beauty and attractive seascape of Lan Ha Bay. This is the best time for kayaking to discover the truest beauty of the limestone islands.

Immerse yourself in the emerald green water of the bay or enjoy the Jacuzzi pool on the Peony Cruises.

17:30 – 18:30  Join us for a Cooking demonstration to learn how to make one of the most famous Vietnamese cuisines, the spring rolls. Or reach the top deck of the cruise, where the guests can admire the magnificent sunset over the Gulf of Tonkin.

Enjoy a Happy Hour time – BUY ONE GET ONE FREE at the bar. It is an ideal time for photography enthusiasts to capture the greatest moment of sunset over Lan Ha Bay.

19.30   Enjoy delicious local food prepared and served by our skillful chef. This is a delightful meal in an intimate, romantic setting.

21:00 – 22.00   Relax and sip the exotic cocktails and drinks at the sky bar (with surcharge). Indulge yourself with spa service (optional) or simply relax on the top deck just under the cover of a brightly illuminated sky.

Or try to get your luck at the squid fishing on the main deck.

Overnight on Lan Ha Bay cruise.

6:00   Begin the day full of energy with the Tai Chi session and enjoy the sun just rising beyond the horizon.

6:45 – 7:15   Breakfast is served while cruising back to Gia Luan jetty. (Breakfast time may be adjusted and follow the real itinerary)

7:30 – 9:00   You will join the tour of Cat Ba World Biosphere by boat. It takes 30 minutes to transfer from Gia Luan to Trung Trang – one of the most impressive caves in Cat Ba Island, Vietnam. The limestone cave has thousands of stalactites in various shapes, offering geological values with a typical cave ecosystem.

9:30   Return to the main boat from the cave, and the guests will do the cabin check-out. Luggage is placed outside the cabin.

Lunch is served at the restaurant. Settle the bar bill at the desk at the restaurant (if any)

10:30 – 11:00   Disembark the Peony Cruises and transfer back to Block #34, Big Bay group terminal, Tuan Chau Marina. Relax and wait for the luggage.

11:30 – 12:00   The guests are ready at Tuan Chau Marina, say best wishes, and end your cruise with us.

The shuttle bus will take you back to the hotel in Hanoi. The rest of the day is your own experience.

For your family dinner experience, tonight you can have the opportunity to taste our local cuisine at Lan Ong restaurant. Lan Ong Restaurant is a must-visit, offering a perfect blend of Hanoi’s distinctive cuisine. Enjoy expertly crafted dishes, from refined broths to simple delights, all made with local ingredients and spices. Every flavor is a tribute to the culinary heritage of historic Lan Ong Street!

Overnight in Hanoi.

You will meet your private guide and driver at your hotel and embark on a four-hour scenic drive through the picturesque countryside of green paddy fields and spectacular mountains to Mai Chau, home to many of Vietnam’s 54 indigenous minority tribes. Set in an idyllic valley, hemmed in by hills, Mai Chau is a world away from bustling Hanoi.

Arrive Mai Chau around midday and check into the charming Mai Chau Ecolodge. The rest of the day is free at leisure for relaxing and enjoying your personal peace space.

Afternoon

Your guide will take you on a walking tour (or cycling if you wish) of Pom Coong and Lac villages. With stilt houses and lush, green rice paddy fields, Ban Lac and Pom Coong are quaint and serene ethnic Thai villages with many lovely and hospitable inhabitants. During the walk, you will be introduced to a local family. Have conversations on their life, festivals, and culture of the natives.

Continue your day to visit Mo Luong caves and Chieu caves. Two natural cavern systems with thousand-year-old stalactites and stalagmites are mother nature’s magnificent works of art. Filled with mineral structures of all shapes, sizes, and colors, these caves give you the feeling similar to that you get wandering into an ancient world of primitive creations. Such a unique experience cannot be ignored by those adventurous at heart.

You also pay a visit to Thai ethnographic museum. More than 1000 items on display are closely tied to the Thai’s everyday life. You will get to see hunting tools, ritual costumes, bowls, dishes, antique coins, musical instruments, hundreds of years old books, and so on. These authentic pieces of history represent the development of Thai culture over centuries.

Evening

Being one of the famous chef Gordon Ramsay’s destinations on his trip to Vietnam, Mai Chau offers an array of exotic native food. Tonight, you will a local family and enjoy a delicious home-hosted dinner. Delight your taste buds with traditional dishes and try some rice wine made in the village.

After dinner, you will return to Mai Chau Ecolodge to attend a traditional dance show performed by the White Thai.

Overnight in Mai Chau

Depart from Mai Chau and embark on a scenic drive through winding mountain roads, where every turn reveals breathtaking views of the valleys below. Along the way, make a brief stop at a local viewpoint overlooking the lush landscape dotted with traditional stilt houses and endless rice terraces. This journey offers the perfect introduction to the serene beauty and cultural richness of northwestern Vietnam.

Arrive at the edge of Pu Luong Nature Reserve, a tranquil land known for its dramatic rice terraces, traditional stilt houses, and pristine jungle trails. Begin your soft trek through scenic villages such as Kho Muong or Don Village, walking along small paths that weave between rice fields, vegetable gardens, and cool streams. Local farmers may be tending to their crops, and children often greet you with curious smiles. Along the way, pass through suspension bridges and forest canopies where butterflies flutter and birdsong fills the air.

Stop for a locally prepared lunch at a traditional stilt house or ecolodge, where you’ll enjoy a warm, home-cooked meal using regional specialties, such as grilled mountain pork, sautéed greens, sticky rice, and soups made from foraged herbs. After lunch, take some time to relax or have a chat with your host family to learn about their customs, handicrafts, and life in the highlands.

In the afternoon, continue your trek through the heart of the reserve, passing by impressive bamboo water wheels used by villagers to irrigate their rice fields. If you’re visiting during planting or harvesting season, you may witness these vibrant activities in action – a wonderful chance to capture authentic moments through your camera or simply by being present.

Overnight in Pu Luong.

Morning

After breakfast, meet your guide and embark on a hiking (4km) and cycling (40 mins) tour around the most beautiful valley of rice terraces in front of the Retreat.

Start to descend into the beautiful valley facing the Retreat where you walk around tumbling rice terraces. Then meander through small paths shrouded in vegetation to slowly reveal a picturesque Uoi village sitting at the base of a towering mountain. Your camera will not be able to sit still when you see the panorama view of the village from above.

Continue to walk downhill to a local home, where you have a short rest then take your bicycle for a leisurely ride around Lan village. If time permits, you will visit a local family where you can learn about their traditional brocade weaving.

Keep cycling through the rice paddies and to another village to explore more the surrounding landscape. Ride back to the local home, where your driver is waiting for you and take you back to the retreat.
Afternoon
Spend the rest of the day at your leisure. Enjoy lunch and dinner at the retreat.

Overnight in Pu Luong.

Transfer for a more than three-hour drive to Ninh Binh, a fascinating place where, apart from inspiring scenery, “towering lime stone mountains and the lush rice fields”, you have access to the most rural and authentic side of Vietnam. Ninh Binh boasts the most majestic and impressive natural landscapes in Southeast Asia, yet so many travelers overlook it.

08.00, we will pick you up at your hotel with your private car, before spending two hours on the road to Ninh Binh, where the Tam Coc Bich Dong day tour will begin.

Arrive at Mua Cave, the most beautiful place to view in Ninh Binh, where you can see the city far from standing in front of Tam Coc in the back and the limestone mountain to the south of Vietnam.

Stop in Ninh Binh Province is Hoa Lu, the ancient Vietnamese capital for 44 years during the reigns of two separate kings. These kings now have two temples dedicated to their triumphs: King Dinh Temple and King Le Temple, sites of unique, ancient architecture and focal points of the annual Hoa Lu Festival.

As we continue on to Tam Coc at midday, we will have lunch in a local restaurant featuring local delicacies of Ninh Binh like eel and goat. We board a sampan boat on the Ngo Dong River, and a villager will row us down Tam Coc’s serene waters on a two-hour boat trip, taking in views of what is affectionately called the ‘inland Halong Bay’. Checking into your hotel and relaxing.

Overnight in Ninh Binh.

Depart from your hotel in Ninh Binh and enjoy a scenic drive through the Red River Delta countryside to Nam Dinh Province. Along the way, stop to visit the ancient Co Le Pagoda, a spiritual and architectural treasure dating back over 1,000 years. Its unique fusion of Vietnamese and Gothic influences, tall bell tower, and rich history offer a glimpse into the cultural depth of the region.

Continue onward to Xuan Thuy National Park, located in Giao Thuy District, where the Red River meets the East Sea. Recognized as Vietnam’s first Ramsar site, this vast wetland reserve is internationally renowned for its vital role in preserving migratory bird habitats and rich biodiversity. It is part of the broader Red River Delta UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

Around midday, you will arrive at the Xuan Giao Commune near the National Park. Here you will embark on a boat trip to discover the wetland. After a one-hour boat trip through the National Park, you will arrive at a Clam Hut where you will be served a delicious seafood lunch. Rest and relax in the Hut for a while before transferring back to the mainland.

After a short rest, you will commence a leisure sightseeing tour around the Giao Xuan Commune and through the villages. Walk along country lanes at a peaceful pace, viewing local life, and pause to see farmers toiling in their rice fields using centuries of farming practices. You will also visit the ancient houses, Catholic churches, and the Agriculture Museum. If it is a sunny day, you can visit the salt fields to watch the locals making salt. You can try to become a salt farmer!

Overnight in Nam Dinh.

After breakfast and check-out from your hotel in Nam Dinh, you will be transferred to Nam Dinh Railway Station. You will have the four-berth soft sleeper compartment with air conditioning, nice and comfy.

The train ride offers a unique, authentic way to see the country, as you pass through changing landscapes from flat rice paddies and peaceful countryside to rolling hills and coastal plains. Along the way, you’ll see glimpses of everyday rural life: farmers working in the fields, water buffalo grazing, and vibrant village scenes.

This overland journey takes approximately 12 to 13 hours, giving you ample time to relax, enjoy the scenery, read, or simply take in the rhythm of local travel. While slower than flying, this route offers a chance to experience Vietnam at ground level, watching the country unfold outside your window.

In the evening, you’ll arrive at Hue Railway Station, where you will be met and transferred to your hotel for check-in and rest.

Overnight in Hue.

Today you will explore the royal city of Hue once served as an imperial capital to the Nguyen Lords, a feudal dynasty which reigned from 1802 to 1945. With splendid emperors’ tombs, ancient pagodas, and the remains of the citadel, the city retains its royal charm.

Morning

After breakfast, you are picked up by your private guide and driver and begin your day with a visit to the atmospheric Imperial Citadel, a large complex that contains the remains of the former Imperial Palace and Forbidden Purple City, where the emperors and their family once lived. The two-hour walking tour allows you to see the magnificent architecture and gardens as your guide explains the events and the intrigue of the former royal court.

From the Imperial City, your guide will take you to visit the iconic Thien Mu Pagoda – Hue’s most famous religious site, with its origins dating back to 1601. Here you will explore the pagoda’s landscaped gardens, the seven-tiered octagonal tower, and watch the monks chanting.

Afternoon

After lunch, you will explore the tomb of the longest-reigned Emperor Tu Duc, located in a tranquil setting of gardens and ponds, inspired by the Chinese Confucianism, harmonious design of balance and symmetry for the emperor’s resting place. You will also visit the tomb of King Khai Dinh, designed in the traditional Vietnamese style with a European touch, making it unique from the other tombs in Hue.

Overnight in Hue.

After breakfast and check-out from your hotel in Hue, you will be transferred to Hue Railway Station to board one of Vietnam’s most scenic rail journeys: The Heritage Train to Da Nang.

This iconic route takes you along the stunning central coastline, including the legendary Hai Van Pass, where the railway hugs the mountainside with dramatic views of jungle-covered peaks, hidden coves, and the sparkling East Sea. With large windows and a relaxed pace, this journey offers a truly cinematic view of Vietnam’s natural beauty, a photographer’s dream and one of the most memorable train rides in Southeast Asia.

Upon arrival at Da Nang Railway Station, your driver will be waiting to transfer you by private car to Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its preserved architecture, lantern-lit streets, and riverside charm.

Afternoon

Your tour guide will pick you up and take you to the Ancient Quarter of Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where you will embark on a walking tour visiting the major attractions such as Chua Ong Pagoda, Tan Ky Ancient House, Fujian Assembly Hall, and the Japanese Covered Bridge.

Continue to visit the Precious Heritage Museum, home to the permanent exhibition of Réhahn’s Precious Heritage Collection. While transporting you to the furthest reaches of Vietnam, the collection will unveil the rich cultural tapestry of the ethnic tribes

Now, it’s time for your Hoi An street food discovery tour. With your guide, you will weave in and out of the tiny alleyways, get to chow down with the locals at stalls you’d never discover on your own. Every day at 4 pm, Hoi An’s streets are filled with a myriad of street food carts, stalls, and vendors. The street food tour is a great introduction for you to enjoy a few of the Hoi An specialties cooked up by the locals, to introduce you to the faces behind the stock pots, and to teach you how the Hoi An locals deal with those condiment trays!

Overnight in Hoi An.

You will be picked up from your hotel lobby and transferred to Vong Nhi Village, where your countryside adventure begins. Upon arrival, you’ll receive your bicycle and start a leisurely 6-kilometer ride through the peaceful rural landscape. As you cycle along quiet village roads, you’ll pass by lush water coconut forests, tranquil prawn and red snapper farms, and endless stretches of green rice fields, offering a glimpse into the authentic beauty of Hoi An’s countryside.

Your next stop is Thanh Dong Organic Farm, a 10,000-square-meter community garden that supports 10 local families. Upon arrival, enjoy a short walk through the garden while listening to the inspiring stories of the farmers whose lives have been transformed by adopting organic farming techniques.

Then, get your hands dirty and join the farmers in gardening activities, such as preparing and fertilizing the soil with organic compost, raking, sowing seeds, watering plants, or harvesting seasonal vegetables. It’s a hands-on and meaningful experience that connects you with the rhythms of rural life.

Leaving the farm, you’ll board a traditional basket boat for a scenic ride along the Do River. This relaxing journey offers you the chance to admire the peaceful riverside scenery and observe the daily fishing routines of the local people.

Your final stop is The Field Restaurant, a rustic riverside setting surrounded by nature. Here, you’ll take part in a short cooking demonstration, where you’ll learn how to make Bánh Xèo (Vietnamese sizzling pancakes)—a favorite local dish.

The experience concludes with a Vietnamese family-style meal, enjoyed in the tranquil countryside atmosphere, before you are transferred back to your hotel.

Overnight in Hoi An.

Spend your full day relaxing at your leisure in this UNESCO heritage town, which has some of the best food, architecture, and shopping in all of Vietnam. Hoi An is the perfect place to potter around, shop at the many tailor stores, and dine at the town’s fabulous restaurants. In this town, you can get a suit/ tuxedo made within 24 hours at a reasonable price. You can also take an opportunity to join a cooking class to learn about the art of Vietnamese cuisine; visiting the local market, choosing ingredients, and preparing and cooking Hoi An special dishes. This is great fun.

Overnight in Hoi An.

After breakfast and hotel check-out, to leave Hoi An, you will be transferred to Da Nang Airport for your short domestic flight to Ho Chi Minh City, still called Saigon by the locals. It is the largest city in Vietnam and is located near the Mekong Delta.

After lunch, we drive to the Cu Chi Tunnels, created by the Viet Cong to counter first the French and then American forces. Cu Chi Tunnels are 75 km outer the suburbs of Ho Chi Minh City. This vast network of tunnels, stretching over 250 kilometers, is a sobering insight into the dedication of the Viet Cong, who lived almost entirely underground in the narrow tunnels.

At the site, we have a chance to watch a brief video that will introduce you to the Cu Chi tunnels, followed by a walk through the reserve. Nearby is a chilling demonstration of the traps and weapons used against the American GIs. The Cu Chi tunnels have been made wider and cleaner for western visitors; however, they can still be dark and claustrophobic inside, so please keep in mind if you do not like enclosed spaces (it is optional to walk through the dark tunnels).

Overnight in HCM City.

Morning

Today your private guide and driver will take you out of the city and onto some beautiful country roads to Ben Tre Town, the heart of the Mekong Delta, popularly known as the “rice bowl” of Vietnam, and is famous for its vast rice fields, orchard farms, coconut trees, numerous waterways and beautiful landscapes.

After approximately 2 hours driving through the lush farming land, we arrive at Ben Tre town, where we will embark on a motorized boat trip around the scenic Bến Tre River, viewing various local industries along the way. During the boat ride, we will stop to visit the small local factories where bricks and sleeping mats are made. Take a leisurely walk along the village lanes, visiting the local homes to try dry fruits, taste honey tea while enjoying a local Tai Tu music show. Continue to visit a coconut mill workshop where the local delicacy of coconut candy is produced and a range of coconut husk and fiber products are skillfully handcrafted.

We next take a small sampan through palm-fringed back canals, gliding peacefully along the hidden waterways surrounded by an immense variety of tropical plants. The quiet, rural setting is a welcome and restorative retreat to the frenetic buzz of Saigon, which seems far, far away.

Afternoon

Enjoy sitting in the back of a Motor Cart (xe lôi) passing rice and vegetable orchard farms while meeting with local people. Then we head to a local restaurant for a simple lunch, after which we will be driven to Coco Riverside Lodge, Trung Nghia – Vung Liem. Upon arrival, you will meet a representative, and you will be led to the lodge along a countryside path. After just a short walk, you will be treated to a welcome drink.

if time permitted, select bicycles for a cycling tour in the afternoon on quiet village roads passing by a duck farm, green rice paddies, sedge fields, and small villages. Along the way, you visit one of the dragon or orange fruit plantations and taste it directly in the garden. This is a relaxing time with plenty of chances to capture the picturesque Asian sun set scenes. Enjoy the beautiful sunset before returning to the lodge on your bicycles.

Shower and refresh, you start to walk to the home of neighbor who fought during the Vietnam war and be shared with the story, experienced “poon” lights and traditional music. At the end of the show, we walk back in the hands of traditional torches made of dried coconut leaves.

You are the chef! A traditional cooking class with Vietnamese pancakes made by you. A great learning experience that means you can take a little of Vietnam home with you. Dinner is served at the lodge’s restaurant.

Overnight in Ben Tre.

Morning

Breakfast, loaded boats are already heading to the local squatting market and transporting goods such as coconuts from one factory to the other, crossing a local ferry to visit the beautiful Cao Dai temple. We also had a chance to see these factories. Situated alongside the river, these are small coconut-processing operations. Once the coconut has been shelled, the coconut fibers are removed from the husk to make rope, which in turn is used to weave rugs. You can watch the whole manufacturing process in a short period of time. Most of the work is done by hand in a professional way. The buyers are mostly foreign companies.

Back to the Lodge, if time permitted, take some activities to harvest some water coconut leaves and weave them up by yourself. These leaves are a key building material in the Mekong Delta as they are used to build the walls and roof of the houses. The local people will show you not only how they use these leaves but also how to make the ‘poon’ sticks that illuminated in the previous night.

Check out and walk to the home of Mr. Cong, where you will watch how he makes pop rice. He will reveal the secret of making ‘rice pop’. This unique and nutritious foodstuff will become a gift for locals.

Afternoon

Transfer back to HCM City, free at leisure.

Overnight in HCM City.

Departure Flight: Guest’s own tickets

Your private transfer greets you at the hotel after breakfast and escorts you to Ho Chi Minh International Airport where you board your flight home or travel on to more adventures, we will help you with the planning.