Best of Vietnam - Premium Adventure

From Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City: Discover the natural and cultural treasures of this diverse Southeast Asian nation

Experience the very best of Vietnam: Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Hue and Hoi An, the Mekong Delta, and Lan Ha Bay – the lesser-known (but no less sensational) twin of Ha Long Bay. Guided by an expert local tour leader, we experience everything that makes Vietnam a cultural adventurer’s dream, from Michelin-starred dining to world-famous street food, natural wonders to ancient temples and ruins. Best of all, we end most nights in Premium accommodations, providing a bit of luxury and plenty of comfort.

People, Places & Planet

We work hard to create trips that improve life for the people and places we visit, and look after the planet we explore. Find out more about our sustainable travel ethos and practice here, and find out about the work of the Exodus Travels Foundation here.

Some sustainable travel highlights of this trip include:

People

How this trip helps improve life for local communities.

• The use of a local guide means our customers will be well informed about local traditions, and cultural and social sensitivities.
• This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally owned hotels and restaurants, the emphasis on eating locally produced food and support of other local enterprise.
• In the countryside close to Hue, we visit the Tra Dinh Vu Di Tea Shop to experience and learn about traditional tea tasting- Hue style; directly contributing to the local business.
• In Hoi An, there will be a chance to visit a shop called Reaching Out, which sells gifts handmade by artisans with disabilities – helping them to develop their talent and independence.
• There may be an option to see a traditional folk dancing or water puppet show in Ho Chi Minh City. This encourages local customs to continue and creates employment opportunities.
• We do a lot to celebrate the cottage industries on this tour, as this is not only a way to directly benefit the locals but it is also hugely fascinating and enjoyable for travellers. For example, in the Mekong Delta, we visit a lot of these small businesses and factories which sell handmade coconut sweets, rice paper, soya bean sauce, popped rice and popcorn among other things.

Places

How this trip helps protect and conserve local landscapes and nature.

• Read about our commitment to nature protection and restoration here, including our rewilding commitment for every customer who travels.
• By travelling in a small group, led by a local guide, we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment. On this trip, some parts of the itinerary stay in smaller towns using accommodation outside of busy cities.
• Our trips adhere to ABTA’s industry-leading animal welfare guidelines to ensure the best possible practices with regard to working animals and wildlife viewing. Our animal welfare policy can be found here.
  
• We work with our partners on the ground to proactively eliminate or reduce waste, for example eliminating all single-use plastic water bottles and instead providing refills for reusable bottles.
• During our time in Ninh Binh, we visit Save Vietnam’s Wildlife; a local organisation established to carry out non-profit conservation activities for wildlife and ecosystem restoration purposes. Our visit helps support and contribute to the continuation of this conservation initiative.
• We provide clients with a reusable tote bag at the start of the tour (made in Hanoi), offering an alternative to single-use plastic bags and a souvenir to take home.

 Planet

How we seek to keep the carbon footprint of this trip low.

• Read about our climate action here, including our carbon reduction and compensation commitments.
• Accommodation and restaurants in the itinerary use locally sourced food which has not been transported long distances.
• During the trip we spend one night at the Mekong Lodge, an eco-lodge striving to minimise their carbon footprint through the implementation of various sustainable practices.
• Vegetarian and vegan options are available at majority of accommodation and restaurants, including a farewell dinner in Ho Chi Minh City at HUM, Garden & Restaurant; proudly ranked among the top 25 vegetarian restaurants worldwide.

 Tips for sustainable travel on this trip

• Leave no trace: We do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish behind in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, we’d ask you to consider bringing recyclable materials home with you.
• Plastic waste reduction: Please bring your own re-usable water bottle on this trip; filtered water will be provided where tap water is not drinkable.
• Cultural respect:
  • Please remember you will be expected to cover your legs and arms (to the elbow) during visits to temples and sacred sites so packing a sarong or other suitable clothing is recommended. Also remember to remove hats when visiting a sacred site.
  • Do not rest your chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice as this symbolises the burning of incense (which is usually reserved for times of mourning).
  • One should not show the soles of their feet or touch someone’s head, both are considered disrespectful.

Is this trip for you?

This Premium Adventure is rated Activity Level 1 (Leisurely). For more on our trip gradings, visit our Activity Level Guidelines page.

This is not a rushed trip and, although there are early starts, the focus is on spending time in each area in comfort, with few long road journeys. Vietnam can be humid, which can be tiring as we explore some areas on foot. We have included two flights to keep travelling time to a minimum but delays can occur.

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.

Vaccinations and Health

Vietnam

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to speak to your doctor or travel clinic about vaccinations for hepatitis A, tetanus, typhoid, cholera, hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, rabies and tuberculosis. The risk of malaria is slight, but you may want to consult your doctor or travel clinic for further advice.

Similarly, dengue and zika, both viral diseases spread by mosquitoes, are known risks in Vietnam. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available, so we strongly recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Visa

Vietnam

UK passport holders normally do not need a visa to enter Vietnam for visits up to 45 days, while those with a US or Irish passport normally do need a visa to enter. Visa requirements for EU citizens vary by country.

Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/asia/vietnam
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/vietnam
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/vietnam
• USA:  www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Vietnam.html

Food & Drink

All breakfasts, nine lunches and six dinners are included.

Thanks to the tropical climate, long coast and gigantic range of mountains, Vietnam is blessed with a variety of culinary offerings, and maintains a reputation as one of the healthiest, most delicious cuisines in the world. Vietnamese food relies on fresh fish, vegetables, rice and a myriad of verdant herbs and spices. The Chinese and French influence is felt throughout the country where you are just as likely to be offered a banh mi (stuffed baguette) as you are a steaming bowl of pho (noodle soup).

Be sure to seek out the national beverages: Vietnamese coffee is served iced and sweet with condensed milk, a real sugar and caffeine hit, and beer hoi (local beer, brewed daily) is served on most street corners in the north out of large plastic jugs that are perfect for sharing. Western food is also available in most places visited.

Food is cheap in Vietnam and you can generally avoid the spicier dishes if you wish. Western food is readily available almost everywhere, except for the Mekong Delta area. Vegetarian food is widely available; however, the offering will be fairly similar in most places. Please advise at time of booking if you have any dietary requirements.

Weather

The weather will be hot and humid throughout with daytime temperatures usually between 28C and 34C (82F and 93F). It is only a little cooler at night.

There is quite a range of seasons between the north and the south: the south up to Hue has a distinct dry season between December to April and then a rainy season from May to November when it tends to come in short heavy bursts with bright sunshine in between. Hanoi is cool in autumn, and even gets chilly between November and February (with drizzly rain).

There is no ideal time to visit Vietnam; it is quite pleasant at any time of year, though due to the shape of the country it is unlikely the weather will ever be perfect for the entire duration of any trip.

Please be aware, the Lan Ha Bay boat trip can be subject to change at short notice if certain adverse weather conditions develop. These could occur year-round, but especially in monsoon season (October to April). Lan Ha Bay boat trips are governed by local authorities, who are authorised to make such appropriate safety decisions. If your Lan Ha Bay trip is affected by adverse weather, this could either result in a reduced excursion on Lan Ha Bay for your group or, less likely, the need to re-arrange the itinerary if it is not possible at all to go out on Lan Ha Bay. While this is not a frequent occurrence, our local team and leaders are well equipped to handle such situations and have long offered appropriate options to groups in the instances where this may occur.