11 days - 10 nights
Family
Easy
Embark on an unforgettable 11-day family adventure through Vietnam, blending cultural discovery, outdoor fun, and hands-on local experiences. Begin in Hanoi, where you’ll explore the charming Old Quarter, visit ancient temples, and sample the capital’s famous street food.
Venture to the spectacular Halong Bay for an overnight cruise amid limestone karsts, with exciting activities like swimming, cave visits, and a family-friendly kayaking adventure in tranquil waters.
Fly south to Hoi An, where you’ll wander lantern-lit streets, join a local lantern-making class, and hop aboard a traditional basket boat through peaceful coconut palm forests. Continue to the Mekong Delta, cruising winding canals, visiting villages, and enjoying a fun home cooking session with a local family.
End your journey in lively Ho Chi Minh City, where historic landmarks meet buzzing streets and flavorsome food. A guided Saigon food tour rounds off this adventure designed for families seeking connection, discovery, and unforgettable moments together.
Vietnam
Tailor-made
Hotels / Resort
1-80
Sightseeing / Cooking / Kayaking / Boat Trip / Food Adventure
Private Home-cooked Dinner
Be invited by a hosting family to their traditional home in Bat Trang Ceramic Village, just 30 minutes from Hanoi. Explore the unique architecture of a French colonial house and an ancestor worshipping house, both built in 1902.
Delight in an authentic home-cooked dinner, lovingly prepared by the host’s wife and daughter-in-law, with recipes normally reserved for family reunions. Engage in warm conversations over a cup of green tea, learning about Vietnamese traditions, the family’s rich history, and life in the past and today. This is a private and intimate experience for cultural travelers seeking an authentic taste of Vietnamese hospitality.
Halong Bay Kayaking
Kayaking in Ha Long Bay is a popular activity that allows you to explore the bay's natural beauty and culture from a unique perspective. It offers a chance to glide through the emerald waters, admire the limestone karsts, and discover hidden caves and fishing villages.
Basket Boat Experience in Hoi An
This activity provides the best insights into the social and cultural life of the local people in Hoi An’s rural communities. With a chance to experience the real life and daily work of local people, we promise a unique experience every time.
Visiting the Cam Thanh Water Coconut Palm village where you will have a chance to learn about traditional fishing techniques as well as the daily life of Vietnamese fishermen – a perfect chance to observe the beautiful hustle and bustle of Hoi An rural life!
Saigon Street Eats
Dive into the vibrant flavors of Ho Chi Minh City on this delicious street food adventure. Saigon Street Eats takes you beyond restaurants and into the lively backstreets, where locals gather for some of the city’s most beloved dishes.
Led by a local foodie guide, you’ll sample a variety of authentic street specialties — from sizzling bánh xèo (Vietnamese pancakes) and savory grilled skewers to fresh spring rolls and sweet coconut desserts. Along the way, learn about Saigon’s culinary traditions, market culture, and the fascinating stories behind each dish.
This fun, informal evening offers more than a meal — it’s a chance to connect with the rhythm of local life, meet friendly vendors, and experience the true soul of the city through its food.
Mekong Delta Boat Cruise
Mekong Delta is home to myriad attractive destinations and unique ecosystems that deserve more than a day trip from Saigon. The River Mekong unravels into nine rivers, creating the fertile Delta as nowadays. Daily life in the delta flows with the ever-changing waters, rice fields are dug as the waters recede and fisheries thrive throughout the annual flood. Considered as the “Rice bowl” of Vietnam, Mekong Delta River brings the magic inside that appeals to all those who have come to this immense land.
Arrive in Hanoi, the capital of unified Vietnam. The city was founded in 1010 on the right bank of the Red River and was then known as ‘Thang Long’, roughly translated as "Soaring Dragon." Hanoi is one of the most charming cities in South East Asia with its authentic street scenes, large shady avenues, numerous lakes, manicured gardens and well-preserved architecture. Transfer from Noi Bai airport to your hotel. Free time at leisure. Overnight in Hanoi.
Your family will have the whole day to explore Vietnam’s capital city. First visit Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, his modest stilt house where he chose to live and work and also the museum dedicated to his memory. We continue visit to the Temple of Literature, the first university in Vietnam dating back to the 11th century. Nowadays, students come and pray for a good luck in their exam.
In the afternoon, take a cyclo ride around the Old Quarter streets which were named after the specific goods once offered for sale at these places. Stop at Hoan Kiem Lake to learn about legend of the lake and visit Ngoc Son Temple, followed by the Water Puppet show - a uniquely Northern Vietnamese art form depicting scenes from rural life and episodes of national history.
In the evening, experience a unique opportunity to join a local middle class family in Hanoi for dinner. You will know how the local people live, their custom and their daily activities. The hosts are very open minded. During the dinner, you can exchange stories about life, custom, kid education and also learn some secret to cook the local food. The dinner is about 2.5 to 3 hours. Overnight in Hanoi.
After breakfast, depart for a transfer to Ha Long Bay – UNESCO World Natural Heritage – where thousands of spectacular limestone islets and grottoes rising from the clear emerald Gulf of Tonkin.
Arrival Halong city at noon, the crew will greet you abroad the traditional style junk with a refreshing welcome drink and then our cruise begins! As navigating the way through the emerald waters and limestone islands, you are served a delicious lunch of fresh seafood (vegetarians are also catered for). As cruising through the bay, you can marvel at the amazing karst scenery with different formations. Halong Bay is littered with hidden caves and grottoes and you’ll take some time to explore one of these. For those feeling active, you then can explore the bay by sea kayak. After your first evening’s dinner, night fishing is available from the boat. Overnight abroad in the bay.
Note: Cruise itinerary is subject to change according to weather condition, government regulations and based on your choice of cruise.
Early risers can enjoy the sunrise and the quiet breath-taking beauty of Halong Bay’s landscape. Continue cruising to explore more of the bay and enjoy the brunch breakfast before returning to the Jetty at noon time. Back in the harbor ca. at 11:00 and drive back to airport in Hanoi. Take 1-hour flight to Hue city. On arrival, meet and transfer from airport to hotel with private driver. Overnight in Hue city.
In the morning, our guide and driver meet you at hotel and transfer to the boat landing for a leisure boat trip along the Perfume River to visit the towering Thien Mu Pagoda, one of the most famous landmarks of Hue. Continue driving to the tomb of Tu Duc, the ‘poet Emperor’, set in an elegant garden with a magnificent lake and pavilion complex.
Lunch is served with Hue specialties. Afternoon is the visit to the Imperial Citadel where Kings of Vietnam’s last feudal dynasty ruled from 1802 to 1945, including Flag Tower, Nine Holy Cannons, Ngo Mon Gate, Thai Hoa Palace, Nine Dynastic Urns, and the Forbidden Purple City. Overnight in Hue.
Have free morning at leisure.
In the afternoon, depart Hue for Hoi An along Highway 1 which links Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh city. This drive is reputedly the most beautiful in all Vietnam, taking you past coastal fishing settlements, most notably Lang Co with its stunning lagoon backdrop. The drive also takes you over Hai Van Pass, or ‘pass of the ocean cloud’. Continue on to the delightful town of Hoi An, which stands on the banks of the Thu Bon river. Free evening soaking up the city night life at your own space.
Overnight in Hoi An.
After breakfast, you will be collected at your hotel lobby and ride bicycles to Tra Que Village. Visit the vegetable village and see the daily activities of the local farmers there. Continue riding bicycle along De Vong River to Hoi An Beach dock. Take a boat to Cua Dai sand dune, enjoy casting net show and learn how to cast net by local fishermen. Continue to Cam Thanh Water coconut village, have a brief introduce to the history there. Take on the basket boat (02 pax/ boat) and row along the water coconut river. You will learn how to catch the crabs (for fun). Embark on the motorboat again; enjoy the folk songs show by local people there. Have lunch at local restaurant. Then visit a craftsman’s house in the village. Return your hotel in early afternoon. Rest of day is your leisure time.
Overnight in Hoi An.
Have free morning at leisure.
Transfer to the airport for an afternoon flight from Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh city. On arrival, meet and transfer airport to hotel. Explore Saigon by night on bike. Overnight in Saigon.
Head out to Cu Chi tunnels, through urbanized areas and a typically lush southern Vietnamese countryside. Discover a vast network of underground passageways built and used by the Viet Cong to evade detection as they moved troops and supplies throughout Ho Chi Minh City’s northern districts.
In the afternoon, begin exploring the sights of the city. Explore Saigon from Cho Lon District which is also known as “China Town” Visit the Chinese pagoda of Thien Hau, and Binh Tay Market. Continue to the Reunification Palace, former residence of the Indochina Governor General and later President of the Republic of Southern Vietnam until the fall of Saigon in April 30, 1975. Next is the Notre Dame Cathedral; Central Post Office and the last stop at the bustling Ben Thanh Market for shopping.
Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.
After breakfast, leave behind the hustle and bustle of Saigon to delve into the Mekong Delta, a patchwork of emerald greens and the rice bowl of southern Vietnam. After 2hours drive, arrive in Ben Tre province crossing Rach Mieu Bridge, hop on a private motorize and we cruise through the waterways and cannel of the Mekong delta to visit fruits orchards and learn about the local cottage industries like brick kiln-making, coconut processing, sleeping mats. Take a motorized cart (tuk tuk) or bicycle on shady paths, passing by green rice fiends and vegetable plains. Lunch is served in local restaurant.
After lunch, experience a rowing-boat ride along beautiful water palm creek before continuing by the motorized boat back to the pier. Drive back to Ho Chi Minh City. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.
Enjoy the last moment to visit/shop in city centre. Then driver transfers you back to airport for your onward flight. We wish you a safe flight home!
With us, we know very well where you stay is very much part of the experience. Wherever possible we select characterful accommodation to suit your budget, which we have personally tracked down and visited regularly. We selected best accommodation from eco-homestay to luxury hotels.
Meals are included as per the itinerary that we have mentioned. Most meals are local and feature noodles, rice, curries, and soups.
While traveling with us, you will have the opportunity to not just experience the wide variety of wonderful food available in Vietnam and Cambodia, Thailand, Laos but also get to try some of it too. Your guide will be able to suggest some great restaurants for you to try during your trip.
If you have any specific food requirements (vegetarian, vegan, or food allergies), please inform us in advance so that we can provide a notice to the restaurant or hotel where you will be served.
You will be led by an English-speaking guide who offers local insight, pursues great experiences, and makes every tour exceptional. Our guides are well informed about the local culture, history, and religions of the area where you are biking and are skilled at passing that knowledge on to you.
An air-conditioned vehicle is standing by, fully prepared to take you away on an unforgettable excursion. Enjoy the sights and sounds of the destination in style, with all the amenities you need for a comfortable and enjoyable journey.
The included cold water & tissue, local snacks, and fresh fruit will keep your energy levels up while you enjoy the tour and ensure that you stay hydrated and well-nourished.
Noi Bai International Airport
Tan Son Nhat International Airport
Want to know more about this adventure and how to plan for your trip? Essential Trip Information is a one-stop resource that provides everything you need to know about this trip. Read about your destination country's requirements for passports, visas, vaccinations, baggage restrictions, packing lists, and tipping guidelines before you go.
Visitors to Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos require a passport to enter the country, and all travelers must hold a passport with validity for 6 months after their planned exit from above countries
Citizens of the UK, EU countries, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United States, and almost all other nationalities will require a visa. Non-UK residents should check with the Embassy in their country of residence for the most up-to-date information. Most nationalities can get a visa on arrival at airports without prior registration. A visa is issued on arrival for most nationalities for US $25/pax to $30/pax, and the visa has a one-month validity. You need to pay in cash and in US dollars and provide two recent, identical passport photographs.
Read more about applying for an eVisa here:
You will be met by your guide in the arrivals hall, after immigration and baggage reclaim. He/She will be wearing the Footsteps Indochina Travel logo and will be holding a meeting board displaying your name.
You will be met by your tour guide and driver at your arrival point. They will be holding a Footsteps Indochina Travel name board with your name on it. It is possible you will be a little bleary-eyed after a long flight and there are also likely to be a large number of meeting boards displayed, so please take your time to locate them.
Firstly, do not panic - let the crowds clear a little and stay with your luggage. After 15 minutes, if you still have not been met then one of you should locate the airport information point and check that you are in the correct place (many airports have several terminals and your guide will be waiting for you at the timetable arrival terminal).
Travel insurance is not included in the tour price. You can arrange travel insurance with your preferred insurance company. As medical facilities in Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand & Laos are rather limited, it is imperative for you to take out a good medical insurance policy when traveling.
Although not mandatory, for the safety of travelers, we strongly recommend immunization against malaria, infectious hepatitis, tetanus, typhoid, diphtheria and polio. Travelers should visit their general practitioners for advice on the best pills to take for malaria prevention. Although it is not required in all circumstances, travelers may want to consider immunization against Japanese Encephalitis as an added precaution.
Meals are included as per the itinerary that we have mentioned. Most meals are local and feature noodles, rice, curries, and soups.
While traveling with us, you will have the opportunity to not just experience the wide variety of wonderful food available in Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand & Laos but also get to try some of it too. Your guide will be able to suggest some great restaurants for you to try during your trip.
If you have any specific food requirements (vegetarian, vegan, or food allergies), please inform us in advance so that we can provide a notice to the restaurant or hotel where you will be served.
Keeping you hydrated is one of the most important parts of our tours. We provide cold water, as well as local fruit and soft drinks to keep you energized and refreshed during your trip. Beers and alcoholic drinks are freely available everywhere but are not included in the price.
At Footsteps Indochina Travel, we’re ensuring that we’re fulfilling the core values of our business. We operate in a responsible manner to protect our local culture and environment, as well as youth development in our community. We’ve made a commitment to be a responsible business and live up to this promise every single day.
