Vietnam Family Adventure

Upon arrival at the airport, you will be met by your guide and transferred to your hotel in a private car.In the afternoon, you will be picked up from your hotel by Jeep to explore Ha Noi. Your first stop will the the picturesque Silver Bamboo Lake where you will learn the story of how John McCain was famously shot down during the Vietnam War. Following an informative and eye-opening drive, you’ll arrive at Huu Tiep Lake where the fuselage of a B52 has remained since Christmas 1972. After taking a stroll around the village, observing local daily activities, you’ll continue on in the jeep, passing stunning French architecture and the famous Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, before arriving at the Army Museum. Following refreshments at a local café, you will then proceed to Hoa Lo Museum where your guide will escort you around the exhibits. Finally, on the way back to hotel, you will drive through the French Quarter. Dinner will be served in local restaurant, before returning to your hotel for a much needed rest. (D)

After breakfast, meet your guide at your hotel and get ready to continue your Vietnam adventure. Your day starts with the remarkable Museum of Ethnology where you will spend the morning amongst the interactive exhibits, dedicated to preserving the cultural traditions of Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups. Enjoy your lunch in a local restaurant in Hoan Kiem Lake area, with the remainder of the afternoon at your leisure. Later, you have the option to venture out again to try the legendary chocolate buffet at the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hotel followed by a rickshaw ride through the streets and a traditional performance of Vietnamese water puppet theater. Tonight, dinner will be at the famous Vietnamese fast food chain, Pho 24, before returning to the hotel. (B,L,D)

In the morning, meet your guide and proceed to Bat Trang Pottery Village. Located in an area rich in clay, the seven-century-old village has the advantage of having all the ingredients to create fine ceramic goods. Moreover, lying besides the Red River, between two ancient trade centers in the north of Vietnam, Bat Trang’s ceramics were favorite products not only in domestic markets, but in foreign markets as well. Take a walk and enjoy the country life where herds of water-buffalo are in the fields, and then enjoy your lunch in a local restaurant. In the afternoon, explore the hidden alleyways in the Old Quarter. This is “secret” Ha Noi, far from public view where a dark, single-file passage opens to a secret Pagoda or a unique, historical gem. Tonight, you’ll have an early dinner in a home-style restaurant, which has remained for almost a century. The property has survived two devastating wars and now remains one of the most attractive and well-preserved buildings in the city. In the evening, you will be transferred to the theater for Ionah show. Reviewed as Cirque du Soleil-esque by audiences, the performance is a product of the best creative artists, with multi-dimensional stage effects, world-class lighting, dynamic sound and music, and unique character costumes. (B,L,D)

After an early breakfast at the hotel, meet your guide and depart for Ha Long Bay. Upon arrival, you will have the oppoturnity to stop at some of the numerous grottoes and caves on the islands and explore on foot. Ascending one of the surrounding hills will afford memorable panoramic views of the verdant islands and shimmering waters below. Here is where you will embark your cruise to experience the true magic of Ha Long Bay. The reminder of the day is at your leisure to enjoy your on board amenities. (B,L,D)

Enjoy your breakfast on baord as you continue to cruise the bay. Disembark by and meet your driver for your transfer to the airport in Ha Noi (ticket not included). Upon arrival in Da Nang, you will be met by your new local guide and transferred to your hotel in Hoi An. The remainder of the day is at your leisure.  In the evening, you will be transferred to Mango Mango, a well located restaurant with excellent views across the river to the old town and the Japanese Bridge. With a cool and colorful vibe, this restaurant has a friendly atmosphere perfect for all ages. (B, L, D)

After breakfast, meet your guide to explore life in the Hoi An countryside. Start with an intimate view of a traditional Vietnamese fishing and farming community, providing a chance to experience rural Vietnamese life first hand. In the company of your guide, you’ll begin the day with a leisurely cycle along quiet country lanes. The photo opportunities come thick and fast, as do the greetings from the locals as you pass by. On arrival at the river, you’ll board a local boat and take a cruise up to a riverside fishing community, where you will be able to try your hand at net fishing and paddle a traditional Vietnamese bamboo basket boat. Lunch will be served in Hoi An followed by a silk lantern-making workshop in the home of a craftsman in the old quarter. In the evening, enjoy dinner in in the ancient town, and then enjoy the remainder of the evening at your leisure to wander the pedestrian streets of the seaport. (B,L,D)

In the morning, participate a cooking class, complete with a market visit. You will be picked up from your hotel to enjoy a stroll through Hoi An’s central market, before continuing on to the cookery school, run by the remarkable Ms. Vy. After a demonstration on how to cook some of Hoi An’s famous street foods, you will have an opportunity to try it for yourself, preparing and feasting on your own lunch before returning to your hotel. Take some free time at your leisure before meeting your driver/guide for a private evening foodie tour on the back of a vintage Vespa. Discover something of Hoi An’s authentic nightlife, take in the lantern lit An Hoi Islet and Cam Nam Island, as you zip through the alleyways and streets. You’ll also get a chance to sample some distinctive street food before finishing with a delicious dessert, Banh Flan, a light version of crème caramel. (B,L,D)Note: Minimum child age for this tour is 3 years old.

Enjoy your last breakfast in Hoi An before meeting your driver for a private transfer to Da Nang Airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City (not included). On arrival, you will be met by your local guide and transferred to your hotel. Later, meet your guide for an afternoon city tour of Saigon. Before your tour starts, enjoy your lunch in one of the downtown restaurants for an upscale experience. Start your tour visiting the Reunification Palace, walk the short distance to the Notre Dame Cathedral, cross the street to the city’s striking French colonial-era post office, and then continue on to Hotel de Ville de Saigon, officially Ho Chi Minh City Hall. The Museum of Vietnamese History is next, housed in yet another fine example of Sino-French architecture followed by the final stop today, the unforgettable Jade Emperor Pagoda. Afterwards, cool down at one of Saigon's famous ice cream parlors, where you can try an array of delicious ice cream flavors. In the evening, head out with your guide for a walk to explore the bustling Ben Thanh night market before going to dinner in Quan An Ngon. End the day at the Saigon Bowl Center for a couple of games (included). (B,L,D)

This morning’s exploration presents a chance to see a different aspect of Saigon - District 4. Once home to hoodlums and gangsters, this triangular district is much friendlier nowadays and a superb place to witness regular Saigonese going about their daily business. Conclude your excursion to one of the city’s less-visited districts with a well-earned Vietnamese coffee at a local café. Lunch will be served in a little piece of Saigon’s past, serving authentic Vietnamese dishes in a uniquely designed colonial-era villa, tucked away on a quiet street. After lunch, proceed to the famed Cu Chi Tunnels; synonymous with the Vietnam War and a testament to the determined spirit of the Vietnamese, the underground network of passages at Cu Chi is a fascinating trip out of the city. You will have the option to go below the surface and visit sections of the tunnels first hand. The more adventurous may go deeper, and your guide will be on hand to give advice on the degree of expected difficulty and suitability for children. In the evening, enjoy a dinner cruise on the Saigon River. With the skyline of the city as the backdrop, the evening begins with a welcome cocktail on the boat’s spacious outdoor deck. Relax and enjoy the scenes along the river before taking your seats inside for a sumptuous Euro-Asian buffet dinner, accompanied by live entertainment to include traditional and modern dance performances as well as music provided by the ship’s resident orchestra. Returning to the jetty, you will be met and transferred back to your hotel. (B,L,D)Note: You may get a little dusty if you decide to go into the tunnels.

Today, you will be picked up from your hotel for a thrilling adventure through the mangroves and river systems of the Mekong Delta, taking you deep into the heart of the Can Gio Mangrove Forest. Boasting a rich array of fauna and flora, and home to the most extensively rehabilitated areas of mangroves in the world, your journey begins with an exhilarating speedboat ride through the mangroves, soon to be followed by colorful markets, riverside villages, playful monkeys and hungry crocodiles. After your tour, you will be transferred back to your hotel for the afternoon at your leisure. In the evening, meet your driver/guide for dinner followed by the cultural show, The Mist, in the Saigon Opera House. The Mist utilizes minimum props, but the props the performers do use are all symbolic of daily working tools in the countryside. Religious life is visualized through the image of enormous spiral incense, monk’s singing bowls, and drum sets.  (B,L,D)

After breakfast at your hotel, meet your driver for a private transfer to Tan Son Nhat Airport to continue on to your next destination. (B)