Depart your home country for your flight to Hanoi.
Most suited for
Couples, Families
Ideal time to visit
November - April
Fresh, exotic and exciting: Vietnamese food, influenced by myriad culinary traditions, is one of the world’s best cuisines. It also provides an excellent historical narrative.
Experience the best of this country without missing a beat.
Sample the sublime local street-food of Hanoi and Saigon, shop for fresh ingredients and learn to cook in Hoi An. Once you’ve learnt to crack the street-food codes, you might be brave enough to explore alone!
Vietnam with a Culinary Twist
As with all our holidays, this itinerary is just a starting point. We will create a bespoke package which will be completely unique for you.
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Day 1
Your adventure begins
Days 2 - 4
Hanoi
After recovering from your flight, spend 3 days in Hanoi enjoying a range of exclusive, tailored experiences accompanied by your private guide.
Rise early to explore the colourful markets and stroll around the city’s lake as the Hanoians practise badminton, t’ai chi and aerobics in the street. Immerse yourself in the old town, dissected by Hanoi’s main railway artery. The residents here go about their daily chores, almost oblivious to the slow-moving trains!
Sip Vietnamese coffee, discover the city’s lively street food culture and try a cold local beer at a stall. Marvel at the French colonial architecture and discover the labyrinthine alleyways of the old quarter. Peruse your chosen museums: ancient history, military history, fine arts or the serene Temple of Literature.
Days 5 - 6
Halong Bay
The focus shifts away from food for the next couple of days as you set sail on a traditional junk boat to explore the breathtaking scenery of Halong Bay. You’ll cruise through the limestone karst mountains and past local fishing boats, exploring hidden beaches and caves, with plenty of chances to swim or kayak. Your evening meal will be served aboard the junk and under the stars. Wake to the tranquillity of the water before heading back to shore for the next stage of your adventure.
Days 7 - 8
Hoi An
Your exploration of Hoi An begins with a farm-to-table experience in the quaint village of Tra Que, where you’ll meet a farming family and experience traditional country life. Cycle to a local market and pick up fresh produce before a lazy cruise down the Thu Bon River. Next, you’ll visit a cooking school to learn how to turn your freshly picked ingredients into delicious regional dishes and your evening meal.
Tomorrow, you’ll explore the UNESCO-listed Old Town of Hoi An as you learn of its 15th-century origins. Stop and chat with characters and try the local herbal drink, Nuoc Mat, before lunch at a wonderful youth-training restaurant and, finally, a secret cocktail experience. We can’t say anymore!
Days 9 - 10
Hue
Head North to the historic city of Hue, home to historic and charming Garden Houses. Learn about the fascinating history of the houses and their old timber structures by sharing a meal with one of their owners in a picturesque courtyard surrounded by landscaped gardens. Take a boat ride along the Perfume River to the serene Thien Mu Pagoda, the tallest religious building in Vietnam, and visit ancient forts and emperors’ tombs nearby. Your evening will be spent sampling local Hue cuisine on a meandering cyclo tour of the town, where your guide will ensure you taste the best the locals have to offer.
Days 11 - 13
Saigon
Food will be the focus of your final city stop in Vietnam, and Saigon has an abundance. Your first evening will be spent on a Vespa food tour: the coolest way to explore the city’s vibrant street-food scene. The following day, enjoy a more serene visit to the HCM Agricultural Village and explore the famous Cu Chi Tunnels before savouring a 9-course dinner at Nen Light, a chic city restaurant.
Your final day in Vietnam will be spent in Ben Tre in the Mekong Delta, where you’ll explore the narrow lanes, fruit farms, and rice paddies on a three-wheeled motorbike before boarding a riverboat and indulging in a 5-course lunch.
Your farewell dinner at the Noir restaurant in Saigon will be served in total darkness by visually impaired staff, heightening your senses for a uniquely memorable final meal.
Day 14
Fly home
Today marks your departure from Vietnam as you embark on your flight back home.
An Epic Adventure Across Southeast Asia
There were moments while I was out and about where I thought that everyone should experience this kind of mindful travel that Experience Travel organises, as it's not backpacking where you tick off the standard party hotspots, and it's not the typical cruise for tourists to visit the standard sightseeing destinations, but an experience where I really felt I got to know the countries, meet great people and do fun stuff that most people miss.
Sven
3 March 2025Excellent
850 Reviews
850 Reviews
What’s included:
With ETG, what’s included goes well beyond the basics. From the moment your trip begins to your final farewell, the essentials are already taken care of, leaving you free to immerse, explore and enjoy without the hassle of hidden extras.
Here’s what comes as standard in all of our holidays:
All flights (unless you’ve booked your own!)
Expert guides and drivers
All accommodation
Many meals and snacks
Immersive experiences throughout
All regional transfers
Tips
24/7 In-Country support
Personal travel consultant throughout
Pricing:
As every holiday is bespoke, prices vary depending on destination, flights, hotel choices, inclusions and travel dates. We aim to include as much as possible upfront, so you know exactly where you are. As an approximate guide:
Bespoke Holidays £4,500 - £8,500pp
Bespoke Luxury Holidays £8,500 - £14,500pp
Bespoke Family Holidays from £4,000 - £7,500pp
Meet Our Vietnam Experts
After living in Vietnam for almost a year, Chione knows the country inside out. From hidden street food gems in Hanoi to the best boutique stays in Hoi An, she helps travellers experience Vietnam beyond the obvious.
“Vietnam food is one of our favourite cuisines here in the ETG office. This trip truly allows you to taste your way around the country”
Chione
Regional Expert
Explore Our Hotels & Villas
Wherever you go, and whatever you do, at the end of every day you can always be sure of a comfortable rest. Every location on our list of hotels is handpicked, and in its own way, shares the history, the hospitality, and the soul of Vietnam. Below are some examples of the different hotels we use.
The ETG Guarantee
We guarantee you an experience no one else has ever had.
The travel magic you’ll remember won’t be found on a well-trodden – or over-Instagrammed – itinerary. It will be the surprises, discoveries and secrets that you’ll uncover along the way with us.
Do you ever feel like people aren’t listening to you?
We get it. And we will – that’s a promise. Your holiday starts with with a proper, no-pressure call to understand what you want, what you don’t want, and what matters to you.. From there, we create a completely unique adventure, inspired by our conversation together.
And because of our long-standing relationships with trusted partners across Asia, you’ll have access to experiences you can’t find on Google. The kind of special experiences that are literally impossible to find on your own.
Experiences of Vietnam
Crafting bespoke packages is the heart of what we do. Each holiday is specially designed to confound preconceptions and share magical, memorable, and truly exceptional experiences.
Important FAQs about Vietnam
With Experience Travel Group, Vietnam isn’t just another tick-box holiday. We take you beyond the usual sights – yes, you’ll see Halong Bay and the Cu Chi Tunnels if you want to, but we’ll also introduce you to the quiet corners that most travellers miss. Think cycling through the backstreets of Hue, cooking lunch with a local family in Hoi An, or spending a night on a peaceful river island that barely anyone’s heard of.
We design every trip with care – using handpicked hotels, the best local guides, and routes that cut out the tourist conveyor belt. Our holidays are built for travellers who want something richer than a generic tailor-made holiday – more character, more flavour, more stories to tell when you get home.
If you want a trip where Vietnam feels personal, rather than packaged, that’s exactly what we do.
Vietnam’s weather can be a bit of a puzzle. With its long, thin shape and mix of beaches, mountains, and cities, each region dances to its own climate tune. The North, Central, and South all have distinct weather patterns – and that’s before you factor in the cooler highlands or the breezy coastlines.
Generally, November to April is the sweet spot when much of the country is dry and pleasantly warm. That said, Vietnam is almost a year-round destination, with good weather cropping up somewhere no matter the month. Whether you want winter sunshine, summer beaches, or a cultural escape with a side of adventure, Vietnam has a season for you.
Every ETG holiday to Vietnam is carefully designed to be seamless, immersive, and stress-free. Your journey typically includes international flights (if requested), guide throughout and accommodation in hand-picked, characterful hotels.
You’ll enjoy incredible, immersive experiences unique to you, all planned by dedicated Vietnam specialists, with the added reassurance of 24/7 in-country support from our local team.
