Vietnam Express Southbound
Experience Overview
Discover the essence of captivating Vietnam on this ten-day tour through backstreets, villages, cities and waterways. Trace the east coast on this fast-paced adventure and take in World Heritage-listed landscapes and towns, feel the buzz of bustling cities and fuel yourself with banh mi and condensed milk coffee. As lively as it is lovely, Vietnam can seem an intimidating place to travel, but your local leaders will guide you to the best street food (and tell you how to order it), introduce you to fishermen on the Mekong Delta and give you the inside scoop on the best tailors in Hoi An. This is an adventure full of life, colour and flavour that introduces you to the highlights of this fascinating nation.
Highlights
- Fall in love with Vietnam one bite at a time, from pho, slurped on a busy street corner to a vegetarian feast in a Buddhist nunnery.
- Sail through Halong Bay's limestone karsts and island caves, visit a centre that turns the bay's discarded trash into treasures and spend the night checking out the stars on an overnight cruise.
- Travel like a local on a motorbike tour, riding pillion and taking in the historical pagodas, bridges and villages of Hue.
- Embrace a slower pace during a private boat tour of the Mekong Delta and meet local craftspeople in the villages that line the river's myriad waterways.
- Wander through the remarkably well-preserved streets of Hoi An's Old Town on a guided tour, where elegant wooden buildings line the canals.
- By travelling on this trip, you’ll learn about our Intrepid Foundation partner, Save Vietnam's Wildlife. Donations help them provide support for endangered wildlife and protect critical animal habitats in Vietnam. Intrepid will double your impact by dollar-matching all post-trip donations made to The Intrepid Foundation.
Trip Details
Product Code: 2849
Tour Type: Small Group
Accommodation: Moderate
Transport: Boat,Motorbike,Overnight sleeper train,Plane,Private Minibus,Taxi,Sampan,Tuk-tuk
Guide Language: English
Tour Operator:
Intrepid Travel
Supplier Code: TVSF
Starts: Hanoi, Vietnam
Finishes: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Duration: 10 days
Departures: Guaranteed
Physical Rating:
Light
Includes
Meals: Breakfasts (8), Lunch (3), Dinner (2)Accommodation: Hotel (7 nights),Overnight boat (1 night),Overnight sleeper train (1 night)
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $1,424 ($142 /day)
Itinerary
Xin chao! Welcome to Hanoi! Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm at the hotel and is followed by a group dinner at KOTO restaurant. This organisation is dedicated to developing the hospitality careers of disadvantaged youth. If you arrive early, there’s plenty to see and do. Consider booking the Hanoi Street Food Experience at 9 am (see urbanadventures.com/en for details). You'll get to sample delicious Vietnamese cuisine like a true local, stroll through the hidden alleyways and bustling markets and take in a spectacular view of Hoan Kiem lake from a secret café. Or maybe take it at your own pace and wander the Old Quarter to admire the city’s French-colonial architecture.
Included Activities:
- Hanoi - KOTO dinner
Optional Activities:
- Hanoi - Women's Museum (30000 VND)
- Hanoi - Museum of Ethnology (40000 VND)
- Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh Complex (80000 VND)
- Hanoi - Hanoi Street Food Experience Urban Adventure (40 USD)
Accommodation:
- Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)
Travel by private minibus to World Heritage-listed Ha Long Bay, which is dotted with sandy coves, grottoes and 1600 limestone islands formed over millennia by wind and water erosion. Board a private boat and cruise the bay, exploring Surprise Cave and perhaps even enjoying a swim from Ti Top Island Beach during the warmer months. Access to Surprise Cave is via staircases. Once inside the cave the pathways are a little uneven and slippery. To end the day, spend an evening aboard the boat beneath the night sky. What better way to get to know your fellow travellers than an old school sleepover in an unforgettable location?
Included Activities:
- Halong Bay - Overnight Boat Cruise
- Halong Bay - Cave entry
Optional Activities:
- Halong Bay - Kayaking Tour (250000 VND)
Accommodation:
- Overnight boat (Number of Nights: 1)
Wake up on the waters of Ha Long Bay, and before you leave the memorable scenery behind, it’s time for one last stop. The Green Life Centre is committed to turning Halong Bay’s trash into treasure by collecting discarded items and skillfully turning them into beautiful handicrafts. Meet the team behind this important cause and learn how to transform rubbish into a useful and reusable bag. After your visit, return by bus to Hanoi. Arrive late this afternoon and enjoy free time until tonight’s train voyage. Be sure to grab a bowl of pho while you’re in town and slurp down this local specialty made from broth, noodles and meat. Maybe chill by Hoan Kiem Lake until you board an overnight train to Hue this evening.
Included Activities:
- Halong Bay - The Green Life Visit
Accommodation:
- Overnight sleeper train (Number of Nights: 1)
Arrive in Hue this morning and transfer to the hotel. Once the imperial capital of Vietnam, Hue holds the treasures of the country’s royal past. Enjoy free time in the morning to rest or explore. If you choose the latter (and who can blame you) the bustling Dong Ba Market is a great place to sample some of the specialties that once graced the Nguyen emperors' tables like banh khoai (royal rice cake). Reunite with the group to visit the war-damaged ruins of the Imperial Citadel, a sprawling city-within-a-city which contains the remains of temples, state houses and the emperor’s palace.
Included Activities:
- Hue - Imperial City entrance and guided visit
Accommodation:
- Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)
See Hue like a local – from the back of a motorbike! Straddle the saddle and whiz around town with a local guide, taking in historic and contemporary sights along the way. Stop at Thanh Toan to see the 18th-century covered bridge and villagers shopping at their local market. Visit the 17th-century active Buddhist monastery of Thien Mu Pagoda and see the car that belonged to Thich Quang Duc, the monk who self-immolated in 1963 in protest against the treatment of Buddhists by the South Vietnamese regime. For lunch, savour a vegetarian feast in a nunnery. Finish at the lakeside royal tomb of Emperor Tu Duc before heading back to town.
Included Activities:
- Hue - Royal tomb of Emperor Tu Duc
- Hue - Highlights & back streets by motorbike
- Hue - Thien Mu Pagoda
- Hue - Motorbike Tour Lunch
Accommodation:
- Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)
This morning travel by bus through coastal rice paddies and the spectacular Hai Van Pass. After a photo stop on the way, arrive into Hoi An. Recently declared a World Heritage site, Hoi An was a major international trading port during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Today, parts of the beautifully-preserved town retain the feel of centuries past. It's also a shopping mecca, famous for its plethora of tailors. When you arrive, your leader will take you on a sightseeing walk through the Old Town to visit a handful of the city's major attractions. You’ll also be given a sightseeing pass so you can further explore select attractions at your leisure.
Included Activities:
- Hoi An - Old Town walking tour
Optional Activities:
- Hoi An - Food Adventure Urban Adventure (44 USD)
Accommodation:
- Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)
Today is a free day to explore Hoi An. Maybe browse the cobbled streets and art galleries or hire a bike and cycle through rice paddies out to Cua Dai Beach. Maybe browse for paintings, ceramics and colourful cloth lanterns in the town’s markets and preserved Chinese shophouses. If you’re craving a new look, you could pay a visit to one of the hundreds of tailors and get something special made. Hoi An is also known for its delicious regional food, so be sure to enjoy a meal at a riverside restaurant or perhaps partake in a cooking class.
Optional Activities:
- Hoi An - Private Hoi An: My Son Discovery (77 USD)
Accommodation:
- Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)
Today take a short, early morning flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Formerly known as Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City has a fascinating history and is arguably Vietnam’s capital of commerce and culture. After landing, take a sightseeing tour around the city by bus. Pass the Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral and the Opera House, then stop in at the War Remnants Museum to discover some of the sobering stories of the 20-year-long Vietnam/American War.
Included Activities:
- Ho Chi Minh City - War Remnants Museum
- Ho Chi Minh City - City tour
Optional Activities:
- Ho Chi Minh City - Reunification Palace (40000 VND)
- Ho Chi Minh City - A O show (1050000 VND)
- Ho Chi Minh City - Saigon Street Food by Night Urban Adventure (36 USD)
Accommodation:
- Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)
This morning head out on a day trip to explore the Mekong Delta. Board a private boat to Ben Tre to visit the coconut gardens and stop at a local home to sample tropical fruits and coconut jams. After, paddle in sampans (small rowing boats) past coconut trees along the Mekong Delta. Take a tuk-tuk tour around the villages and learn about rural life and the industry created around coconut products like brooms and coconut fibre mats. Eat lunch at a restaurant in the heart of the Delta, sampling regional specialties such as the famous elephant ear fish. Cruise the major waterways to Ben Tre boat pier, then return by bus to Ho Chi Minh City. This evening, perhaps head out to sample some local specialties as a final farewell with your fellow travellers and leader.
Included Activities:
- Mekong Delta - Mekong Delta Day Trip & Village Tuk-Tuk Tour
- Mekong Delta - Lunch
Accommodation:
- Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)
There are no activities included and you’re free to depart your accommodation at any time as long as you comply with check out time. If you would like to spend some more time in Ho Chi Minh City, just speak to your booking agent.
Optional Activities:
- Ho Chi Minh City - Cu Chi Tunnel Experience Urban Adventure (45 USD)
Similar Tours
Tour Operator
Intrepid Travel
Intrepid Travel is a global adventure travel company, dedicated to providing sustainable, experience-rich travel opportunities. They’ve been the leader in ethical, small-group travel since 1989 - taking people around the world for more than 30 years. They’re the world’s largest travel B Corporation - dedicated to being the best travel company for the world. In 2002, they established The Intrepid Foundation so their travellers could make a lasting impact on the communities they had visited. Although Intrepid Travel absorbs all administrative costs of The Intrepid Foundation, they are separate legal entities, allowing The Intrepid Foundation to grow independently. Intrepid Travel is made up of a collection of tour operator brands and 28 destination management companies all united by one vision: To change the way we all see the world.
In Business Since 1989
Reviews
Lorraine - Traveled, April 2024
This was my second Intrepid tour of Vietnam! It did not disappoint! The variety of transport, accommodation and adventures was fantastic! Vietnam is a beautiful country to explore and Intrepid makes it easy! A must do! ??
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/18/2024
Corey - Traveled, April 2024
The Vietnam express southbound tour was absolutely amazing, the itinerary was jampacked full of adventure and great food! Definitely recommend!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/18/2024
Catherine - Traveled, April 2024
A great tour leader with excellent knowledge of the areas. Our team leader was patient with a members of the tour with varying needs. Our tour went seamlessly
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/17/2024
Alison - Traveled, April 2024
This was our first Intrepid tour and we throughly enjoyed every minute of it. We had excellent activities, great accommodation, a wonderful group of people and an expert guide made this an unforgettable experience!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/17/2024
Jose - Traveled, April 2024
I wasn't sure if I would enjoy being part of an organised tour-this was a first for me, but I really enjoyed it! Everything was so well organised, the group was so friendly and our tour leader really helped us to understand the country.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/17/2024
Karen - Traveled, April 2024
This was our first ever organized tour. Intrepid exceeded our expectations, would highly recommend them and will definitely do another trip with Intrepid in the future.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/18/2024
Dawn - Traveled, April 2024
I didn't know what to expect, I joined late with a vacancy to travel with a friend to Vietnam and I have been impressed with all we did and more. I would recommend to anyone, it was amazing.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/16/2024
Lucas - Traveled, April 2024
You cannot go wrong with Vietnam express southbound, this tour is perfect for almost anyone as it has a perfect mix of quiet and hustle and bustle and a good mix of old towns and new cities
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/18/2024
PIETRO - Traveled, April 2024
For any first time traveler from Australia visiting Vietnam. You will want to back. We loved Hoi An & Hue. Our guide Long was fantastic
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/13/2024
Katharina - Traveled, April 2024
Fabulous way to be introduced to some of the cities, culture and history of this interesting country. Our guide, Long, was patient and accommodating to all our needs and questions. Motorbike tour was definitely a highlight as was the Imperial Citadel in Hue.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/15/2024
Michael - Traveled, April 2024
As first timers to intrepid and group travelling we found the whole experience fulfilling and adventurous. So much is packed in. We will be back… and soon. Fully deserves an excellent rating
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/15/2024
Shaye - Traveled, April 2024
Incredible tour from start to finished, loved every moment. Halong Bay was a great experience, getting to wake up on the water was beautiful. Each city had its own charms and places to see. The highlights for me were the motorbike tour, cruise, dinner with the family and having a free day to visit ba na Hills. Tour guide Luong was amazing, her knowledge, humour and kindness made the tour even better. Highly recommended this tour and Luong.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/15/2024
Ellie - Traveled, April 2024
An amazing and well thought out itinerary. Lots of activities to choose from and participate in with responsible travel elements supporting local communities
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/12/2024
TESSA - Traveled, April 2024
Tuan had a great friendliness about him, kept us safe and had great knowledge about his beloved country
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/18/2024
Michaela - Traveled, March 2024
Highly recommend this trip. Travelling from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City worked out well. Tuan our tour guide was excellent. Group of like minded people so we all got on well. Train ride was 100% better than we expected.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/09/2024
Lucy - Traveled, March 2024
I really enjoyed this trip and was paired with a great group! Cong our tour leader was amazing and really went out of his way to ensure we were all having a great time.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/10/2024
Sheila - Traveled, March 2024
Vietnam was a fantastic trip for our family of 5. Our tour leader Cong was absolutely brilliant. He made the whole trip absolutely awesome. Vietnam is a gorgeous country and Cong was so informative. This Southbound trip was excellent - so much to see and so many different forms of transport. Highly recommend it.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/13/2024
Renee - Traveled, March 2024
We had an incredible time traveling through Vietnam with Intrepid. The tour was so much better than we could have imagined and every day was packed with fun and unique opportunities, so we saw and learned so much about the country than I would have if traveling alone. Having a warm and friendly local guide who knew the language and organized all the transport let us really relax and enjoy the experience.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/09/2024
Lucy - Traveled, March 2024
Fantastic experience, highly recommended. Squeezed so many experiences into 10 days.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/07/2024
Zach - Traveled, March 2024
I great trip if you like not worrying about the details of hotels travel etc. will get the basic view and allow you to explore on your own if you are too busy or don’t want to do all the planning.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/06/2024
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