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8 Day Essential Vietnam Premium Small Group Tour

This package includes international airfares and flights will be added to your booking at no additional cost.

Flights
Flight Inclusive

You will be accompanied by various multi-lingual local guides during the tour, who will be responsible for guiding you through the various cities and attractions that you will be visiting. In each new city that you visit, you will likely be introduced to a new local guide who is an expert in that region. Depending on the itinerary chosen and your group size, your local guide may provide commentary in multiple languages.

Escorted Type
Fully Escorted by Local Guides

This tour is categorised as 3 out of 5

 

Balanced exploration with walking tours: Our most popular style, this tour offers a good mix of planned activities and free time. Expect moderate daily walking tours, so pack comfortable shoes.

 

As a general requirement across all of our trips, you may be required to walk up and down stairs, get on and off transportation, handle your own luggage, and participate in all scheduled sightseeing that may be conducted on uneven ground and terrain. Any physical ailments you may have must be disclosed at the time of booking to determine your suitability and where required, supporting documentation may be requested to ensure that we are comfortable that you will enjoy your trip.

Pace
Balanced

Experience a superior level of comfort. Our Small Group tours have been crafted for Inspiring Vacations travellers exclusively, with personal and unique experiences in mind. Travel with no more than 26 people, allowing for a more personalised and immersive experience. Please see the Important Information on your selected tour for the exact group size.

Group Size
Small Group

Take advantage of our 7 day cooling-off period. 

Cooling Off Period
7 Days
4,290 people have travelled to this destination

✓ Are you looking to travel in the next three months, click HERE for our "Last Minute" Tour only option
✓ Return international airfares included
✓ Small group tour, up to 16 guests only
✓ Incredible sightseeing including, strolling around the bustling capital of Hanoi, embarking on a walking tour to explore Vietnam's lively street food scene, reveling in an unforgettable overnight cruise on the stunning Halong Bay, and discovering the most notable highlights of Ho Chi Minh City
✓ 5 nights in central 4-star accommodation
✓ 1 night on board your deluxe Halong Bay cruise boat
✓ Breakfast daily, 2 lunches, 2 dinners
✓ Flights from Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh
✓ Escorted by a professional English-speaking tour guides in each location
✓ Comfortable, dedicated transportation throughout
✓ In-depth sightseeing and entrance fees as per the itinerary 

🛏️ Shared room available for solo passengers. This tour offers solo passengers the option to share a room with a fellow passenger of the same gender and avoid the Single Traveller supplement.

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What we love about this tour

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.

Itinerary

Hotel
The Q Hotel Hanoi or Similar

Chao mung! Or welcome to Vietnam. 

Please make your own way to your 4-star boutique hotel located in the heart of Hanoi where the rest of the afternoon is at leisure. At 6pm you will meet your tour leader and the rest of your group in the hotel lobby to hear more about your time in Vietnam.

Airport transfers are not included. Our transfer portal offers the option to book your airport transfers for an easier arrival experience (additional charges apply). Access to this portal will be available through your Traveller Hub once your booking is confirmed.

Please note: that standard check in is 3pm. Should you be arriving earlier in the day, the hotel can hold your luggage until your room is ready.

Hotel
The Q Hotel Hanoi or Similar
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Start the day with breakfast at the hotel, before your tour of Hanoi begins. Start your visit at the Temple of Literature, the first university in Vietnam. It was built in 1070. Move on to the Ethnographic Museum of Vietnam where you can see numerous exhibitions relevant to national folklore. Continue to Tran Quoc Pagoda - one of the oldest pagodas in Vietnam. 

This afternoon enjoy a walk through the Old Quarter of Hanoi, also called 36 streets. This vibrant area houses thousands of boutiques and small shops and is a great way to cap off  an interesting day.

At approximately 6pm this evening, you will embark on your Hanoi Street Food tour which will include delicacies from Northern Vietnam such as; stuffed pancakes, banh mi, stuffed sticky rice balls, unique egg coffee and many more (this food tour will be considered as your included dinner).  

Cruise
Victory Cruise or Similar
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today, you will travel by coach through the rich farmland of the Red River Delta to arrive at Halong Bay.

Designated a World Heritage site in 1994, Halong Bay’s spectacular scatter of islands, dotted with wind-and wave-eroded grottoes, is a vision of ethereal beauty.

Upon arrival you will board your ship to visit the thousands of limestone islands filled with caves of all shapes and sizes. The sails of junks and sampans gliding along the clear and emerald waters of the bay form a magnificent scene that blends into the sky. You will also have the opportunity to visit some of the hidden grottoes beneath the towering cliffs.

Hotel
Aristo Saigon Hotel or Similar
Meals
Breakfast

Awake early and participate in Tai Chi on the deck or simply relax and enjoy the sunrise over the bay’s towering islands, a sight not to be missed! Enjoy a morning cup of coffee or tea, before setting out to explore nearby islands by rowboat. Return to the junk for breakfast then take advantage of the sundeck and admire the amazing rock formations of Halong Bay. 

Enjoy a light lunch before heading back to shore. Your driver will then meet you at the Halong jetty for your drive back to Hanoi airport.

Upon arrival at Tan Son Nhat Airport you will be transferred to your 4-star hotel in Ho Chi Minh City located beside the famous Ben Thanh Market.

Hotel
Aristo Saigon Hotel or Similar
Meals
Breakfast

After breakfast, embark on a tour of Ho Chi Minh City (formerly known as Saigon). Visit highlights such as the historic Post Office, War Remnant Museum, photograph the Notre Dame Cathedral and soak up the atmosphere at Ben Thanh market, one of Ho Chi Minh’s liveliest areas.

The rest of the afternoon is your own leisure time to explore or join in an optional tour.

 

Optional Tour - Cu Chi Tunnels Tour

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.

Hotel
Aristo Saigon Hotel or Similar
Meals
Breakfast

Today is a free day for individual activities, optional tours or shopping. The central streets are full of shops and boutiques. Traditional objects, war memorabilia, Vietnamese drinks, unconventional food, handicrafts, fruits and vegetables can be found in Ben Thanh Market.

 

Optional Tour - Mekong Delta Discovery Tour - My Tho

Escape the hustle and bustle of the city and embark on a captivating tour of the Mekong Delta, where you'll get a glimpse of life beyond the urban center of the South. A mere 2.5 hours away lies My Tho, a former naval base that has evolved into a thriving port city in the heart of the Mekong Delta. This area marks the final destination of the mighty Mekong River, which traverses through Tibet, China, Burma, Laos, Cambodia, and finally into Vietnam. Known for its incredibly fertile land, the Mekong Delta is a powerhouse of food production, responsible for generating almost half of Vietnam's agricultural output. For the locals residing in this region, their lives revolve around the intricate network of rivers and canals that constitute the delta. In fact, water transport is more commonplace than road transport.

Once we arrive in My Tho, we'll embark on a private boat and cruise along the Mekong River. Our first stop will be a fish farm, where we'll gain insight into one of the cottage industries that drives the region. We'll then visit an island that's home to lush tropical gardens, where we'll get to savor some delicious tropical fruits. Our Mekong tour continues onto another island, where we'll learn more about coconut candy, another cottage industry prevalent in the region. Our local guide will take us to a factory, where we'll discover the process of making this sweet treat. As we journey down the Mekong, we'll have the opportunity to visit local villages and gain a deeper understanding of the traditional lifestyles, culture, and customs of the people who call this Delta their home.

Our Mekong discovery continues as we travel via Xe Loi (motorized cart) to a bee farm. Here, we'll transfer to a smaller rowing boat, which will allow us to explore the smaller canals of the Delta. We'll then head to Mien Tay riverside restaurant, where we'll indulge in a set-menu lunch. Your local guide will provide you with valuable insights into the finer points of local cuisine and assist with ordering some of the most delectable delicacies. After lunch, we'll stop at Vinh Trang pagoda before heading back to Ho Chi Minh City, where we'll drop you off at your hotel.

Meals
Breakfast

Our adventure ends this morning after breakfast. Please make your own way to the airport. 

We hope you have been Inspired in Vietnam.

Please note: Airport transfers are not included. Our transfer portal offers the option to book your airport transfers for an easier arrival experience (additional charges apply). Access to this portal will be available through your Traveller Hub once your booking is confirmed.

Arrive home today. We hope you have enjoyed your inspiring journey and have memories to last a lifetime.

Inclusions

  • Return International Airfares
  • Small group tour, up to 16 guests only
  • Incredible sightseeing including, strolling around the bustling capital of Hanoi, embarking on a walking tour to explore Vietnam's lively street food scene, reveling in an unforgettable overnight cruise on the stunning Halong Bay, and discovering the most notable highlights of Ho Chi Minh City
  • 5 nights in central 4-star accommodation
  • 1 night on board your deluxe Halong Bay cruise boat with all inclusive meals
  • Internal flights from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh 
  • Breakfast daily, 2 lunches, 1 dinner
  • Escorted by a professional English-speaking tour guides in each location
  • Comfortable, dedicated transportation throughout
  • In-depth sightseeing and entrance fees as per the itinerary

  • Hanoi - Enjoy a city tour of Hanoi
  • Hanoi - Visit the Temple of Literature, the first university in Vietnam
  • Hanoi - Enjoy a walk through the Old Quarter of Hanoi
  • Hanoi - Embark on a walking tour to explore Vietnam's lively street food scene
  • Halong Bay - Cruise the splendid waters of Halong Bay on a deluxe boat
  • Halong Bay - Overnight deluxe boat with all meals
  • Ho Chi Minh - Enjoy a sightseeing tour of Ho Chi Minh
  • Ho Chi Minh - Explore the Ben Thanh market - one of Ho Chi Minh’s livelist.
  • Ho Chi Minh - Either delve into the historical Cu Chi Tunnels or embark on a tour of the Mekong Delta with a unique local twist
  • Ho Chi Minh - Join a number of exceptional optional tours

Inspiring Tastes

  • Tantalize your tastebuds during your included Hanoi Street Food tour on day 2. Indulge in some of Northern Vietnam's finest cuisine.

Inspiring Sights

  • To enhance your journey, we're offering guests a bonus sightseeing experience out of a choice of 2 options (options listed under 'Optional Tours').
    1. Cu Chi Tunnels tour
    2. Mekong 'visit the locals' tour

Inspiring Stay

  • Enjoy 1 night aboard a traditional Vietnamese cruise ship in the picturesque Halong Bay, amongst the stunning limestone monoliths.

Essential Information

This product requires full payment upfront to secure your booking.

Once you have created your booking you will be directed to your invoice to choose your preferred payment method.

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”

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. While tipping is not customary, it's of great significance to the people who will take care of you during your travels, inspires excellent service, and is an entrenched feature of the tourism industry across many destinations.

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 $435.00 per person, in addition to the twin-share price.

Triple Share
Not available.

Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is compulsory for this tour to protect yourself against the unexpected. In addition to the support that a policy may provide, you may be asked to present a copy of your travel insurance documentation while traveling.

We have partnered with nib to offer our customers competitive rates for their travel insurance. You can book Comprehensive or Essentials cover for your domestic, international or multi-trip journeys simply by clicking HERE.

 Note that Inspiring Vacations cannot provide advice with regards to any insurance product.

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.

Visas may be required.

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.

Tour Documentation
Final documentation including e-tickets and hotel details will be provided approximately 30 days prior to travel.

Group Size
2-16 people

Children
Children must be 5 years old or above and share a room with parents at all times. Children are charged the same price as adults.

Tour Style
To meet the needs of various types of travelers, we choose to operate various types of tours, and depending on your selected package will mean different services are provided throughout your trip. The following descriptions of each tour style we hope will ensure that each traveller has appropriate expectations before they start their travels: 

  • Fully Escorted - This tour is fully escorted by an expert English-speaking guide who will accompany you throughout the tour.

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.

To enhance your journey, we are offering guests a choice of the following optional activities (prices are per person):

  • Cu Chi Tunnels Tour (Day 5) - $114 per person
  • Mekong Delta Discovery Tour - My Tho (Day 6) - $150 per person

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.

Please note that you must select your Optional Tours no later than 70 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.

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

  • $123.00 per room, per night for double and twin share
  • $123.00 per room, per night for solo travellers

Post Tour Accommodation

  • $105.00 per room, per night for double and twin share
  • $105.00 per room, per night for solo travellers

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.

This package includes international airfares or has the option of adding international airfares to your booking when selecting your departure city.

If international airfares are included this will be stated in the ‘Inclusions’ section

Alternatively, if international airfares can be added to your booking you will be able to select your departure city after clicking ‘Book Now’ and a cost will be stated next to your selected departure city. This cost will then be added to your booking and flights will be added to your booking.

Conditions of flights for this package bookable by Inspiring Vacations:

  • Flight Offer valid from select departure cities within the purchase path only
  • Flights will be booked with the best available airline/s with luggage included. Low-cost carriers may be booked in conjunction with a full-service airline. Depending on the carrier, entertainment and meals may not be included but payable at an extra cost on-board. We cannot specify or guarantee the airline booked. If you would like a specific airline, please request this at the time of purchase. To make a flight request, please click ‘Book Now’ and select Would you like us to contact you around our flight service?  By selecting this option you will be sent a request form after completing your purchases to make your request. 
  • Flights may not be direct and may include multiple connections
  • Due to disrupted airline schedules globally with the pandemic, stopovers/transit times may be longer than usual (up to 12 hours in duration in some circumstances).
  • Once ticketed, flights are non-refundable; any changes will be subject to the airline rules, Airline change fees and an Inspiring Vacations change fee of $250 per person.
  • Full names as per passport (including all middle names) are required at the time of submitting your traveller booking form. Any error in the names submitted will be subject to an Inspiring Vacations name change fee of $150 plus any applicable fees charged by the airline, or the ticket may be non-refundable with the purchase of a new ticket required. 
  • If the required booking class is unavailable at time of booking, surcharges may apply. Total cost is final only at time of ticketing. Once issued, air tickets are subject to amendment and cancellation fees or may be non-refundable
  • Any airline schedule changes or cancellations are outside of our control. It is important that you, as the customer, stay up-to-date with the latest airline schedule information prior to your departure. If a schedule change results in extended transits or an earlier/later departure from your destination, any additional accommodation or alternative arrangements will be at the traveler's expense.
  • After booking, the price payable may be subject to change as a result of factors beyond the control of Inspiring Vacations. Inspiring Vacations reserves the right to increase the price payable and this will be reflected on the customer's invoice. Increases may be in relation to, but not limited to, currency fluctuations, airline taxes, airfare increases and fuel surcharges.
  • Internal airfares (where applicable and included in the itinerary) will be using a local carrier and may include low-cost carriers without meals or entertainment. Checked baggage will still be included for each passenger. Any additional baggage required is payable at time of check-in. 
  • If you are travelling with another party on a separate booking, we cannot guarantee that the same flights will be booked for all parties, as this strictly depends on availability. 
  • You will be responsible for handling your luggage at all times as the services of porters are not included. If travelling over the recommended amount, you will be liable for any excess baggage fees enforced by the airline, payable directly.
  • In the event of that you no-show on your scheduled flight, please be aware the airline will require you to pay a no show fee, Airline reissue fee plus any additional airfare and taxes. Inspiring Vacations will also charge a $250 admin fee to assist re accommodating you on the next available flight. Please note that depending on the airline's policy, purchasing a new ticket may be required.

 

Baggage

Included baggage differs based on your country of origin. Included baggage will be as per the following:

Country of Origin

Carry-on Baggage

Checked Baggage

Australia

7kgs

20kgs

New Zealand

7kgs

20kgs

United States of America

15lbs

45lbs

Canada

15lbs

45lbs

India

7kgs

20kgs

United Kingdom

7kgs

20kgs


Baggage allowances provided by the airline might differ to the values stated above. However limitations are required due to transport storage restrictions on your selected tour or package.

Flight requests, amendments or preferences

We understand customers may wish to request changes to their included airfares. If you wish to fly with a certain airline, land at a certain time or change your flight in other ways we will gladly provide you with a personalised quote tailored to your specific requirements.

To make a flight request, please click ‘Book Now’ and select Would you like us to contact you around our flight service?  By selecting this option you will be sent a request form after completing your purchase to make your request.

We would be more than happy to provide you with a quote for the following requests:

  • Airline Preferences - You may wish to fly with a particular airline
  • Cabin Preferences - These include upgrading to premium economy or business class
  • Extensions (start and end cities must remain the same) - You may request to extend your stay pre or post tour.
  • Meal Requests - You may request a specific meal for dietary requirements.
  • Seat Requests - If you would like to request particular seating. However please note, not all airlines allow the selection of pre-purchased seat arrangements.

We are currently unable to provide a quote for the following requests:

  • Stopovers - Is where you might want to stop in transit for a certain amount of days prior to your tour or after your tour.
  • One way flights
  • Different start or end city to the tour - you may not amend the arrival or departure city of your itinerary. 
  • Around the world tickets  - Is when a ticket includes multiple stops in different continents.
  • Return home to a different city from the one you departed.
  • Frequent Flyer point redemption - Is when an airline allows you to redeem points to pay for your flights or upgrade your ticket.  

If we can’t fulfill your request and you still wish to proceed with the booking, please select Land Only (excluding UK customers). This will allow you to travel on the land portion of the package without the included airfares. You will then be able to arrange your own flights separately.

FAQs

For more frequently asked questions please view our FAQs  section. 

Online check-in 

Some airlines may not permit online check-in where flights have been booked by a travel company. Where unavailable to do so online, you will be required to check-in at the airport. Inspiring Vacations cannot check-in online on behalf of our customers.

  • Airport Transfer
  • Visas
  • Travel insurance (compulsory)
  • Tipping
  • Optional activities
  • Personal expenses
  • Anything not mentioned in the itinerary
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