15 Day Best Of Vietnam
✓ Return international airfares with a full-service airline
✓ Internal Vietnam airfares
✓ Return airport transfers
✓ 12 nights quality accommodation
✓ Overnight Halong Bay cruise and train
✓ Daily breakfast, 6 lunches and 1 dinner
✓ Professional English-speaking local guides
✓ 24/7 customer service and your own Dedicated Support Agent
Travel with the experts for a carefully curated, value-packed discovery of the world's most iconic destinations. Our tours are bursting with must-see sights, rich experiences and quality inclusions, all at an unbeatable price. Bucket list dreams are ticked off on these all-encompassing journeys.
Today embark on your exciting tour of Vietnam. On arrival you will be met by your guide and transferred to your hotel.
Hanoi is known for its centuries-old architecture and a rich culture with Southeast Asian, Chinese and French influences. At its heart is the chaotic Old Quarter, where the narrow streets are roughly arranged by trade. We begin exploring this city by visiting the Temple of Literature, a Temple of Confucianism and Vietnam’s first National University. Visit the Ho Chi Minh complex which encompasses Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum and the iconic one pillar pagoda. Spend the remainder of the afternoon enjoying free time or perhaps exploring the Old Quarter.
Enjoy a walk around the Old Quarter in the afternoon and appreciate the local lifestyles as you wind through Hanoi’s streets. You will have a taste of Northern Vietnamese delicacies such as: stuffed pancake, banh mi, stuffed sticky rice balls, unique egg coffee and much more.
Starts: approx: 6pm
Duration: approx. 3 hours
Please note the start and duration times outlined are subject to change based on factors beyond our control such as traffic and weather conditions. Your Tour Guide will confirm operation times with you whilst on-tour and can answer any further questions you may have.
We leave the hotel this morning for an incredible day in Halong Bay and a fabulous overnight Halong Bay cruise. On the way, you will get to stop at a handicraft workshop for a short break. You’ll enjoy the journey through Red River Delta with lush rice fields, water buffalos and everyday Vietnamese rural life. After we arrive in Halong, you will check-in to the cruise and relax before your captain lifts anchor and sails to visit Sung Sot caves where you’ll get the chance to explore the area on kayaks. You will be cruising between the many lime stones and set anchor at a beautiful spot to watch the sun set over the bay, where dinner is served on board. Relish the fresh seafood, salads, and fruits. There will also be a cooking class on board, where you can learn to cook some basic Vietnamese dishes before spending the night on the cruise ship.
The beautiful sunrise on Halong Bay should never be missed, especially if you are into photography. You can also start your day with a Tai chi session on the boat deck! Breakfast will be served on the boat around 7.30 am then you will have more time to enjoy a wholesome brunch as your boat weaves through the magnificent limestone karst formations on your return towards Halong City. You’ll get to stop at a workshop in Hai Duong province for your lunch break before arriving in Hanoi. On route back to Hanoi you will have a short rest stop at a workshop. On arrival back in Hanoi we have arranged a short stay hotel for you to allow you to freshen up and relax and have some dinner before being taken to the station to board your overnight train to Sapa.
Today you will have a free day to explore Sapa on your own.
(4kms - Easy/Moderate) - Cat Cat Village - Sin Chai Village Sapa. Enjoy a trek to the South-west of Sapa to visit Cat Cat village of the Black H’mong. Relax at the base of the beautiful waterfall and the vestige of a hydroelectric power station that was constructed by the French during the colonial time in Vietnam. Continue trekking to Sin Chai, the village located at the foot of Fansipan Mountain, “the roof of Vietnam and Indochina”. Enjoy lunch in stunning landscapes before going back back to Sapa. Overnight at a hotel in Sapa.
Today you will be picked up from your hotel to head to the airport for your flight to Danang. On arrival in Danang, you will be picked up and transferred to your hotel in Hoi An. On arrival enjoy time at leisure.
Today your guide collect you from your hotel for a tour of Hoi An. We will visit the Temple Kwan, Phuc Kien Temple, Tan Ky Ancient House, Phung Hung house, Japanese Bridge and cultural show rooms in Hoi An. You will learn a great deal about history and fascinating stories of this town. If time allows, we will take down to Thu Bon River cruise to feel the beauty of this ancient town on river view point. Your tour finishes just after lunch and the rest of the day is at leisure.
Today is a free day at leisure to enjoy this stunning UNESCO town.
You will learn about the Cham history and how this massive sanctuary was built. My Son is a complex consisting of more than 65 architectural towers and temples dating back to 4th century. The site was used for religious ceremonies for Kings of the ruling dynasty as well as burial site for national heroes and royal family up to the 19th century. My Son is considered to be of same historical significance as Southeast Asia's greatest archaeological sites, including Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Bagan in Myanmar, Ayutthaya in Thailand and Borobudur in Indonesia. After the visit, you will be taken about 30km by bus and embark on boat for the trip back along the Thu Bon River back to Hoi An where we will have lunch. After lunch you will be dropped off back to your hotel.
Today is another free day at leisure to enjoy this stunning UNESCO town.
Today you will be picked up from your hotel to head to the airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City. On arrival you will be picked up and transferred to your hotel. This afternoon we head out to visit the Re-Unification Palace, the former palace of President Thieu and his predecessors. This building is now a museum and venue for Government official receptions. Your next stops are the two famous landmarks of the city, the Central Post Office and the Notre Dame Cathedral. The Cathedral was built in between 1863 and 1880 with materials imported from France and is also referred to as Basilica of Our Lady of The Immaculate Conception. Continue to visit the War Remains Museum, where the Vietnam War crimes are displayed. This is the most popular museum in Vietnam with approximately half a million visits annually.
Today you will be picked up from your hotel to depart for My Tho where we will take a boat ride along the river and enjoy the houses on stilts and see fruit plantation along the river banks. We then proceed to Tortoise Island where we will have lunch in the fruit orchard followed by a beautiful boat ride through Tan Thach canal in Ben Tre, cruising under the shadow of the water coconut trees. We visit a family workshop making coconut candy which is a local delicacy. We will also enjoy some time on the iconic rowing boats along the small canals of Mekong delta . Tonight we overnight in the Mekong Delta region allowing you to experience rural Vietnamese life.
After breakfast, we take the morning boat trip to visit Cai Rang floating market, the river is at its busiest at this time of the day. We keep cruising through the small canals system and visit a rice noodle making village. You might have chance to experience the Mekong delta iconic image, “Monkey Bridge”, typically made of a single bamboo log and one handrail. The name comes from the bent monkey-like posture you have to maintain when crossing. Then we break for lunch before the transfer back to Ho Chi Minh City.
You will have a free day to relax and explore Ho Chi Minh City at your own pace.
Cu Chi is a network of more than 120 km under the ground and were built by sweat and blood of Vietnamese guerrillas to hide and fight against the rival forces. You will be introduced to many kinds of booby traps used during Vietnam war. We will take time to explain the methods of creating, maintaining and living in these tunnels as well as the special technique of hiding smoke invented by the guerrillas.
Today you will be transferred to the airport for your flight home. We hope you had a wonderful and fulfilling journey in Vietnam.
Arrive home today
Some customers like to enhance their holiday by arriving early and/or staying behind. If you wish to do so, please follow the following steps:
A $150 per person supplement plus any fare difference applies if you wish to confirm your extension. You will be contact after purchase for collection of this payment. All additional accommodation and sightseeing is at your own arrangement.
Deposit & Payments
Booking Process
Airfare Information
Premium Economy or Business Class upgrades
Please specify this as a 'Special Request' when completing your booking and you will be quoted for the additional fare. In the event your selection is unavailable or that you are dissatisfied with the quote, you will be provided with a full refund.
Land Only discount
A $600 per person reduction from the twin share price applies if you wish to arrange your own airfares. Should you wish to purchase land only, please select this option in the booking process, under 'Departure City'.
How to extend your stay
Some customers like to enhance their holiday by arriving early and/or staying behind. If you wish to do so, please follow the following steps:
A $150 per person supplement plus any fare difference applies if you wish to confirm your extension. You will be contact after purchase for collection of this payment. All additional accommodation and sightseeing is at your own arrangement.
Fitness Requirements
While the tour itinerary should give you some guidance and overview to the expected requirements, to determine if this tour is right for you we categorise each of our tours in terms of their intensity. These guidelines are to ensure that each tour group is conducted as expected and to ensure the overall satisfaction of all Inspiring Vacations customers.
As a general rule, porterage is not included, therefore at all times you are expected to handle your own luggage where help may not be available.
This particular tour is categorised as a “3”:
3 – Moderate Tour: A good level of fitness and mobility is required, as this tour includes a moderate level of physical activity and is considered a medium-fast paced tour. You should be able to walk up and down stairs, get on and off the coach and able to walk reasonable distances of approximately 2 kilometres per day or more with ease. Any physical ailments you may have must be disclosed at the time of booking to determine your suitability. If you have any form of walking aids, other than a walking stick or hiking poles, then this tour is not suitable.
Tipping
A friendly reminder that tipping is not included in your package. Tipping is not compulsory on your trip, but they can make a big difference to locals employed in the tourism industry. If you feel that your guide and driver have done an impeccable job, you can choose to give a gratuity, but this is entirely your decision.
For the services of your guide, it is suggested that you budget for AUD$10-20 per person, per day. Tipping of your driver is also appreciated and we would suggest AUD$5 per person, per day.
As this particular tour does not collect a ‘kitty’, it is entirely up to the individual whether or not you would like to tip locals for the services of things like taxis or when dining at restaurants. In these cases, we suggest you allow 10-20% of the value of the service as a tip. Again, it is not compulsory and entirely up to the individual.
Accommodation
The accommodation listed is subject to change. Any changes will be of an equal or higher standard. Bedding configurations (double or twin) are requests only. All efforts will be made to meet your preferences however any changes are beyond our control.
Single Supplement
Single supplement is $449 per person in addition to the twin share price.
Triple Share
Available. 3 x $1,999 per person. If you wish to purchase triple share please phone 1300 886 688.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is required to protect yourself against the unexpected.
We have partnered with nib to offer our customers competitive rates for their travel insurance. You can book comprehensive or budget cover simply by clicking HERE to arrange your policy.
Visa & Passport information
It is the traveller's responsibility to ensure they have a valid passport. The passport must be valid for a minimum of six months from the intended date of return to Australia.
Australian passport holders will require a visa to enter Vietnam.
You will need to arrange your Visas for travel to Vietnam closer to departure. Please note, we don't recommend applying for the e-visa until around 30-45 days prior to your departure.
Visa's are easiest to complete online and take approximately 72 hours to confirm.
You will be able to obtain your e-visa when you have your flight documents indicating your date of entry into Vietnam. Remaining tour documentation, including hotel details, will be sent 4 weeks prior to departure.
Please note the e-visa is limited to 30 days validity from the date of arrival and is only valid for 3 months from date of issue.
You must make sure that the same travel document that was used for applying online is used for entering into Vietnam.
Visit https://evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn/ to apply for an e-visa.
Information required:
Once approved, please ensure that you travel with the following documentation as they are required to present to customs upon arrival into the country:
Please note that these details are subject to change without notice. We recommend visiting https://smartraveller.gov.au for up to date information in terms of entry requirements. Visas should not be applied for until you receive your final documentation.
Tour Documentation
Final documentation, including e-tickets and hotel details, will be provided approximately 30 days prior to travel.
Group Size
2-20 people.
Children
Children must be 2 years old or over and share a room with parents at all times. Children are the same price as adults.
Trip Style - Group Tour
Unparalleled value for money is the name of the game. These tours tick all the boxes with loads of inclusions: sightseeing highlights, quality accommodation, transfers, private transportation, breakfasts and some meals. You will be travelling with up to 40 Inspiring Vacations guests and the tour will be escorted by an expert, local tour leader.
Tour Length
The total length of the tour in days includes time spent in flight and is subject to change depending on the flight schedule, please refer to the day by day itinerary for the time spent on land.
Optional tours can be selected once you have finalised your tour purchase and paid your deposit. When completing your Passenger Booking Form, you will be asked if you would like to add Optional Tours, where any applicable cost will be added to your final balance. If you choose not to select them at this time, you can choose to add them later by logging in to your Account online or speaking with your Dedicated Support Agent for assistance.
Optional Tour Bundle:
Make the most of your experience in Vietnam and purchase an optional tour bundle. These optional tours have been hand-picked by our staff and based on our customers personal favourites.
$105 per person.
Please note that you must select your Optional Tours no later than 65 days before departure, after which you will be required to purchase them on tour. Please keep in mind that anything purchased on-tour is subject to availability and prices may vary as you will be paying in local currency. We appreciate your understanding.
Please note that transportation to and from each optional tour is not included in the price. You will be required to make your own way to the starting point of the optional tour, as well as back to your hotel. Your tour guide can provide you with the direction and guidance needed to make your own way.
You can enhance your holiday by arriving or departing before or after the tour. On this tour you can choose from the following options:
Pre Tour Accommodation
Post Tour Accommodation
Please select the number of extra nights required in the 'Additional Nights Accommodation' field when making your purchase. The additional cost for these arrangements will be added to your final payment invoice and are subject to availability.
Refundable deposit within 28 days of purchase:
For cancellations made within 28 days of paying the deposit on any tour, your deposit can be refunded in full or can be transferred to a new booking should you decide to change to another package or destination. Please note this change of mind guarantee does not apply for bookings made within 90 days of departure, after which time our standard 48 hour cooling off period applies. After this time, your booking becomes non-refundable.
All cancellation or change requests must be advised in writing to our Customer Service Team at support@inspiringvacations.
Refund times will vary and the timeframe of which will be advised at the time of cancellation. Any refund of deposit will be issued back to the original form of payment.
Any bookings made prior to 13 March 2020 must abide by the original payment term conditions.
Transferrable second installment up until 90 days before scheduled departure:
Following the second installment payment and up until 90 days before your departure only, should you wish to postpone your travel or transfer to another package, we can provide you with a credit note of the current balance paid on your booking, to be used to rebook within 18 months of the credit being issued.
Any change request must be advised in writing to our Customer Service Team at support@inspiringvacations.
Any bookings made prior to 13 March 2020 must abide by the original payment term conditions.
Please refer to our full Terms and Conditions for more details
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