I used Footsteps Indochina to develop a customized tour of Central Vietnam. They made great recommendations and also accommodated my general and special requests. Tour guides and private drivers were excellent, and I felt very well-cared for all along the way. I worked with Steppe, and she was top notch! This is a high quality agency, which I highly recommend.
Classic Vietnam
Historical cities and rural waterways
Start in cultural Hanoi, exploring the city’s architecture and Chinese and French colonial influences. Hanoi’s Old Quarter is the perfect place to watch locals shop, eat and drink coffee. From here, travel to Halong Bay and take an overnight cruise around the Bay’s 2,000 islets, stopping to explore Hang Sung Sot Cave or the greenery of Cat Ba Island. Get a feel for ancient Vietnam in Hue, once capital of the Nguyen dynasty and the perfect place to explore museums, tombs and mausoleums, before dining in the markets along the Perfume River. Next, visit the preserved city of Hoi An for Japanese influenced buildings. Hoi An escaped bombardment during the Vietnam War and is one of Vietnam’s most beautiful cities. Return to modernity in Ho Chi Minh City, where 21st-century skyscrapers mix with ancient pagodas, before travelling down to the waterways of the Mekong Delta. Here, you can experience rural Vietnamese life, watching rice paddies and floating markets as you cruise by on your boat. This is also a great time to try a Vietnamese homestay, before you travel back to Ho Chi Minh City and your flight home.
Key information
Destinations | Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Hoi An, Halong Bay, Mekong Delta, Hue |
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Activity | Cruise & Sailing, Nature & Wildlife, Culture |
Physical Level | Easy |
Classic Vietnam itinerary

Street food, coffee and culture in Hanoi
Day 1–2 in Hanoi
Vietnam’s capital is a riot of blaring horns, stunning architecture and delicious street food. Head to the original streets of the Old Quarter, where market traders have been selling their wares for more than 1,000 years, before exploring the city’s historical heritage, influenced by Chinese and French occupations and the scars of the American War.
Make sure to visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, dedicated to the man who fought for a unified Vietnam, before lapping up the city’s coffee culture and street food stalls.

Cruise Halong Bay
Day 3–4 in Halong Bay
Located in the Gulf of Tonkin in northeast Vietnam, Halong Bay is easily Vietnam’s star attraction. More than 1600 karst islands and islets jut up from the ocean, each tower of rock uniquely shaped by nature.
Overnight cruises on traditional boats, known as junks, explore some of the 43,400-hectare UNESCO World Heritage Site, usually with stops to kayak around the formations, visit caverns and explore traditional floating fishing villages.
Beware that Halong Bay's beauty has become its own undoing; the city, pier and bay itself are enormously busy with tourists year-round. Treat marketing photos of lone junks in otherwise deserted waters with a healthy pinch of salt; they're probably photos of either Lan Ha Bay or and Bai Tu Long, to the south and north of Halong respectively. These two areas are far quieter but still far from "undiscovered" as some brochures would have you believe.
Two-night cruises from Halong Bay have enough time to reach these less crowded waters. Alternatively you can find cruises departing from Cat Ba Island.
If you're booking a standalone cruise yourself note that the hundreds of Hanoi-based agencies that sell tours are middle-men who are not actually running the trip, so buyer beware. When choosing a boat, the size, level of comfort and service ranges from backpacker party boats to luxurious private cruises. As with most things in life you get what you pay for when choosing a Halong Bay cruise.
The best time to visit Halong Bay is springtime from March to May/June, as well as September/October. These periods are most likely to have warm, dry weather. The peak tourist season of November to February can be good if you don’t mind cold temperatures (12 to 20 Celsius) and mist that reduces visibility. Halong Bay’s off-season coincides with the hot, humid, rainy months of June to August; operators offer discounts though cruises may be cancelled due to stormy weather.
Don't miss

Vietnam’s lesser-known bays
While crowds flock to the famous Halong Bay, the nearby limestone karst islands of Lan Ha and Bai Tu Long are formed by the same geological feature that runs 100km up the Vietnam coastline and are just as beautiful, yet with a more isolated appeal.

Explore Imperial Vietnam in Hue
Day 5–6 in Hue
Charming Hue was once the capital of the Nguyen dynasty and is a great place to explore the history of Imperial Vietnam. Look out for its rambling architecture and fascinating museums, such as the tombs of the Ancient Emperors and the Tu Hieu Pagoda, or take a peaceful cruise along the Perfume River.

Explore Hoi An and central Vietnam
Day 7–8 in Hoi An
Hoi An is one of Vietnam’s most attractive cities, due in part to the preservation of historic buildings in its Old Town (Hoi An avoided being bombed in the Vietnam War). Look out for Chinese temples, Japanese merchant houses and evocative tea warehouses, or head to the enticing market on the Thu Bon river. Hoi An is also an excellent base for exploring the villages and countryside of central Vietnam.

Get historical in Ho Chi Minh City
Day 9 in Ho Chi Minh City
Previously known as Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City changed its name after Vietnam unified following the Vietnam War. This is the place to learn more about Vietnam’s recent past, with many museums, monument and sites like the Cu Chi Tunnels, where North Vietnamese soldiers hid during the War.
Beyond history, Ho Chi Minh City is now one of Vietnam’s most innovative cities and a centre of commerce. This is the place to see the Vietnam of the past and the future, with ancient temples mingling with 21st-century skyscrapers.

Floating markets and rice paddies in the Mekong Delta
Day 10–11 in Mekong Delta
The Mekong Delta is Vietnam’s breadbasket, with 70% of the country’s fruit and 50% of its rice grown here. This maze of rivers, rice paddies and floating markets offers visitors the chance to see rural Vietnam and experience farm life, whether onboard a floating boat or through a homestay with local families. The many villages are also a good place to try some of Vietnam’s varied cuisine.

Return to Ho Chi Minh City and depart
Day 12 in Ho Chi Minh City
Return to Ho Chi Minh City for your onward flight.
Where to stay
Classic
The Scarlett Boutique Hotel
Located in the heart of Hue, just over a mile from Trang Tien Bridge, The Scarlett Boutique Hotel offers stylish rooms, a business centre, currency exchange and restaurant.
Superior
Anja Beach Resort & Spa
Located in Duong To on Phu Quoc Island, Anja Beach Resort & Spa offers comfortable accommodation surrounded by gardens and a private beach area. Guests can enjoy the outdoor swimming pool, free bike hire, free airport transfers, bar and restaurant.
Deluxe
Salinda Resort
Located just a few steps from Long Beach in Phu Quoc, Salinda Resort offers luxury island accommodation, with a private beach, outdoor swimming pool, free bike hire, fitness centre, evening entertainment, bar and restaurant.
Book this itinerary
This route booked with one of our specialist tour operators would cost from $1,714pp. Pricing varies by accommodation class, and can be tailored to suit your budget.
Pricing is typically inclusive of hotels, transfers, meals, and all guided excursions and activities.
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