Itinerary at a Glance
Day 1: Arrival in Ho Chi Minh City
Day 2: Ho Chi Minh City Tour
Day 3: Ho Chi Minh City → Cai Be → Vinh Long → Can Tho
Day 4: Can Tho → Ho Chi Minh City → Hue
Day 5: Hue → Hoi An
Day 6: Hue → Hai Van Pass → Hoi AN
Day 7: Hoi An → Cam Thanh Coconut Village
Day 8: Hoi An → Danang → Hanoi
Day 9: Hanoi City Tour
Day 10: Hanoi → Halong Bay → Hanoi
Day 11: Hanoi → Departure
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Ho Chi Minh City
Welcome to Vietnam!
Upon arrival at Tan Son Nhat International Airport, meet your English-speaking private guide and driver for the transfer to your hotel.
The remainder of the day is free to rest after your international journey or begin exploring Ho Chi Minh City at your own pace.
Optional
- Early check-in, subject to hotel availability
- Private evening food experience
- Traditional Vietnamese massage
Suggested Experience
Take a relaxed evening walk around District 1 and enjoy your first Vietnamese dinner together as a family.
- Travel style: Arrival / Relaxation
- Transfer: Private modern AC vehicle
- Local guide: English-speaking guide
- Meals: No meals included
- Overnight: Ho Chi Minh City
Day 2: Discover Ho Chi Minh City: History, Culture & Local Life
After breakfast, begin a private family sightseeing tour of Ho Chi Minh City.
Visit Chinatown and Thien Hau Pagoda, then continue to the city’s historic landmarks including the Reunification Palace, Saigon Opera House and the former Hotel de Ville.
Visit the War Remnants Museum, followed by a local lunch in a private home.
In the afternoon, explore colorful local markets and Dong Khoi Street, one of the city’s best-known shopping boulevards.
Along the way, try some local favorites such as Vietnamese iced coffee and banh mi.
Optional: enjoy a short cyclo ride through the city’s historic streets for a fun experience that is especially suitable for families.
- Travel style: Culture / Local life / Family experience
- Transfer: Private modern AC vehicle
- Local guide: Local English-speaking guide
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
- Overnight: Ho Chi Minh City
Day 3: Ho Chi Minh City → Mekong Delta
After breakfast, leave Ho Chi Minh City and travel towards the Mekong Delta.
Continue to Cai Be and board a private boat for a scenic journey through the waterways and canals towards Vinh Long.
Along the way, discover the everyday life of the Mekong Delta and its riverside communities.
Stop at the home of a local bonsai gardener and enjoy a traditional Delta lunch, including the famous elephant ear fish.
Continue through the smaller waterways and canals before arriving in Can Tho, the heart of the Mekong Delta.
- Travel style: River journey / Local life / Rural landscapes
- Transfer: Private modern AC vehicle
- Local guide: Local English-speaking guide
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
- Overnight: Can Tho
Day 4: Mekong Delta → Ho Chi Minh City → Hue
Start early with a cruise towards Cai Rang Floating Market, one of the Mekong Delta’s best-known floating markets.
Transfer to a smaller traditional boat to explore the market and observe local traders selling fruit and other produce from their boats.
Continue through narrow creeks to visit a local rice noodle factory and an orchard, with time to sample tropical fruits.
Return to the vehicle and travel towards My Tho to visit Vinh Trang Pagoda.
Continue to Ho Chi Minh City for your flight to Hue.
Upon arrival, meet your local guide and transfer to your hotel.
- Travel style: Floating market / Local life / River experience / Cultural heritage
- Transfer: Private modern AC vehicle
- Local guide: Local English-speaking guide
- Meals: Breakfast/
- Overnight: Hue
Day 5: Hue
After breakfast, board a private boat and cruise along the peaceful Perfume River towards the countryside.
Visit Thien Mu Pagoda, one of Hue’s most recognizable landmarks.
Continue to the royal tombs of Emperor Minh Mang and Emperor Tu Duc, surrounded by gardens and peaceful landscapes.
In the afternoon, explore Hue Imperial Citadel, including the former Forbidden Purple City, followed by the Imperial Museum and Dong Ba Market.
Travel style: Imperial heritage • River journey • Culture • Family discovery
- Travel style: Imperial heritage / River journey / Culture / Family discovery
- Transfer: Private modern AC vehicle
- Local guide: Local English-speaking guide
- Meals: Breakfast
- Overnight: Hue
Day 6: Hue → Hai Van Pass → Hoi An
After breakfast, leave Hue and travel south towards Hoi An via the spectacular Hai Van Pass.
Enjoy the changing coastal and mountain scenery before arriving in Hoi An.
After hotel check-in, enjoy free time to relax, explore the riverside or visit the beach.
- Travel style: Scenic journey / Coastal landscapes / Family leisure
- Transfer: Private modern AC vehicle
- Local guide: Local English-speaking guide
- Meals: Breakfast
- Overnight: Hoi An
Day 7: Hoi An Ancient Town & Cam Thanh Coconut Village
Begin with a half-day walking tour of Hoi An Ancient Town.
Visit the Chinese Assembly Halls, Japanese Covered Bridge, Phuc Kien Pagoda and Tan Ky House.
In the afternoon, travel to Cam Thanh Coconut Village for a hands-on family experience.
Learn how traditional Hoi An lanterns are made and create your own lantern as a souvenir.
Continue into the peaceful coconut forest by traditional basket boat. Learn about local fishing techniques and try your hand at traditional round-net and cast-net fishing.
You can also learn how to paddle a Vietnamese basket boat.
- Travel style: Family activity / Local crafts / Rural life / Nature
- Transfer: Private modern AC vehicle
- Local guide: Local English-speaking guide
- Meals: Breakfast
- Overnight: Hoi An
Day 8: Hoi An → Danang → Hanoi
After breakfast, transfer to Da Nang Airport for your flight to Hanoi.
Upon arrival, meet your Hanoi guide and transfer to your hotel.
Enjoy some free time before an evening water puppet performance.
Optional
- Private Hanoi street-food tour
- Evening cyclo ride
- Vietnamese coffee experience
Suggested Experience
Water puppetry: this traditional Vietnamese art form is particularly enjoyable for families and gives children an entertaining introduction to Vietnamese culture.
- Travel style: Family experience / Culture / Local entertainment
- Transfer: Private modern AC vehicle
- Local guide: Local English-speaking guide
- Meals: Breakfast
- Overnight: Hanoi
Day 9: Hanoi
Today explore Hanoi, Vietnam’s historic capital and cultural center.
Discover the atmospheric Old Quarter, with its narrow streets, traditional shops and local cafés.
Continue to Hanoi’s major cultural attractions, including Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, his House on Stilts, One Pillar Pagoda, Temple of Literature and the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology.
Enjoy time to explore Hanoi according to your family’s interests.
Optional
- Hanoi cyclo ride
- Vietnamese street-food tour
- Family cooking class
Suggested Experience
Hanoi by cyclo: explore the French Quarter and Old Quarter at a relaxed pace without tiring younger travelers.
- Travel style: Cultural heritage / City discovery / Local Life
- Transfer: Private modern AC vehicle
- Local guide: Local English-speaking guide
- Meals: Breakfast
- Overnight: Hanoi
Day 10: Hanoi → Halong Bay → Hanoi
After breakfast, depart Hanoi for Ha Long Bay, approximately 3.5 hours by road.
Board your cruise for a scenic journey among the spectacular limestone islands and islets of the bay.
During the approximately four-hour cruise, visit one of the area’s limestone caves.
Enjoy a Vietnamese seafood lunch on board while taking in the scenery.
After the cruise, return to the harbor and travel back to Hanoi.
- Travel style: Nature / Family adventure / Scenic cruise
- Transfer: Private modern AC vehicle
- Local guide: Local English-speaking guide
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
- Overnight: Hanoi
Day 12: Hanoi → Departure
Enjoy a relaxed final morning in Hanoi.
There are no scheduled activities today, giving your family time for breakfast, souvenir shopping or additional exploration before your private transfer to the airport.
Your Vietnam Family Highlights – 11 Days journey ends with wonderful memories of Vietnam’s landscapes, cities and waterways.
The itinerary can also be arranged in reverse, beginning in Hanoi and ending in Ho Chi Minh City.
- Travel style: Leisure / Departure
- Transfer: Private modern AC vehicle
- Local guide: No guide.
- Meals: Breakfast
What’s Included
- Private airport transfers
- Private transportation throughout the itinerary
- Domestic flights Ho Chi Minh City → Hue and Da Nang → Hanoi
- 10 nights accommodation
- Daily breakfast
- Meals mentioned in the itinerary
- Ha Long Bay cruise
- English-speaking local guides
- Entrance fees for included sightseeing
- Boat trips mentioned in the itinerary
- Drinking water during sightseeing
- Local taxes and service charges where applicable
What’s Not Included
- International flights
- Vietnam visa, Cambodia visa and visa-related expenses, if applicable
- Travel insurance
- Personal expenses
- Drinks and meals not specifically mentioned
- Tips for guides and drivers
- Optional activities
- Early check-in or late check-out
- Personal services
- Any services not specifically listed under “What’s Included”
Michael Thompson (United States) –
Great Balance of Culture, Nature and Family Time
This itinerary gave our family a wonderful introduction to Vietnam. We enjoyed the contrast between the lively streets of Ho Chi Minh City, the peaceful waterways of the Mekong Delta and the cultural attractions of central Vietnam. Hoi An was charming, and Halong Bay was truly spectacular. We appreciated having our own private arrangements rather than traveling with a large group. It gave us more flexibility and made the journey less stressful. We returned home with fantastic memories and a much better understanding of Vietnamese culture.
Amelia Wilson (New Zealand) –
A Fantastic First Family Holiday in Vietnam
Vietnam exceeded our expectations as a family destination. We loved discovering the local life of the Mekong Delta, exploring the historic sights of Hue and enjoying the unique atmosphere of Hoi An. Hanoi was an exciting place to finish our city explorations, while Halong Bay offered incredible scenery that none of us will forget. The itinerary gave us a broad view of the country, and having a private tour made the experience feel more relaxed. We would definitely encourage other families to consider Vietnam for their next adventure.
Olivia & Ethan Brown (Australia) –
Beautiful Destinations and a Smooth Journey
We wanted a family holiday that combined sightseeing, nature and opportunities to learn about local culture, and this tour delivered a great variety of experiences. The Mekong Delta was especially interesting, while Hue and Hoi An gave us a glimpse into Vietnam’s rich history. Hanoi had a lively atmosphere, and the landscapes of Halong Bay were unforgettable. We liked having the main arrangements organized in advance, which made moving between regions much easier. A rewarding trip for families who want to see more of Vietnam in one holiday.
Marco Rossi (Italy) –
Vietnam’s Highlights in One Fantastic Family Tour
This was a great way to explore Vietnam with our family without having to organize every detail ourselves. We enjoyed the changing scenery from the southern waterways to the historic cities of central Vietnam and the spectacular landscapes in the north. Hoi An was particularly charming, and our time around Halong Bay was a highlight for all of us. The private format helped make the experience more comfortable and personal. We came away with wonderful photographs, great memories and a real appreciation for Vietnam’s diversity.
Claire Dubois (France) –
An Excellent Way to Discover Vietnam with Kids
Traveling through Vietnam as a family was a wonderful experience. We particularly enjoyed the Mekong Delta, where the landscapes and waterways offered a different perspective on everyday Vietnamese life. Hue was fascinating, while Hoi An was one of our favorite places to explore together. The trip included so many different experiences without feeling like we were visiting the same type of destination every day. Having a private tour was a real advantage for our family. We would happily recommend this itinerary to parents looking for a varied Vietnam holiday.
Thomas Schneider (Germany) –
A Memorable Trip for Three Generations
We traveled with our children and grandparents, and this private Vietnam tour was a memorable experience for everyone. The route offered an excellent variety of landscapes, history and local culture. We enjoyed exploring the Mekong Delta, learning about Hue’s heritage and spending time in the atmospheric streets of Hoi An. Halong Bay was a wonderful highlight at the end of the journey. Traveling privately gave us the flexibility to enjoy the trip together without feeling rushed all the time. Vietnam was welcoming, fascinating and full of surprises.
James & Sarah Mitchell (United Kingdom) –
A Wonderful Family Adventure Across Vietnam
We had an amazing family holiday exploring Vietnam from south to north. The Mekong Delta was a highlight for us, especially seeing a different side of local life around Cai Be, Vinh Long and Can Tho. We also loved discovering the history of Hue, wandering through Hoi An and enjoying the beautiful scenery of Halong Bay. Having a private tour made the trip much easier with our children, and we could enjoy each destination at a comfortable pace. A fantastic way to experience Vietnam together as a family.