Travel south to north on the 11-Day Vietnam Tour: Mekong Delta, Hoi An, Ha Long Bay & Ninh Binh, beginning in Ho Chi Minh City and ending in Hanoi. The route combines vibrant cities, UNESCO-listed heritage, river landscapes and close-up encounters with local life across southern, central and northern Vietnam.
Start with a Motorbike Street Food Tour in Ho Chi Minh City before heading to Ben Tre for river cruising, family workshops, countryside cycling and an overnight Mekong Delta homestay. Continue to central Vietnam for My Son Sanctuary and Hoi An Ancient Town, then fly north to discover Hanoi by Jeep and through its historical sites, ethnic culture and distinctive egg coffee tradition.
Finish with an overnight Ha Long Bay cruise, including Surprise Cave, Luon Cave by kayak or bamboo boat and Titov Island. The final stop is Ninh Binh, where a sampan ride through But Cave, relaxed countryside cycling and Bai Dinh Pagoda round out a varied journey with guided sightseeing, arranged transfers and free time along the way.
After breakfast, leave Ho Chi Minh City and travel to Ben Tre, in the heart of the Mekong Delta.
Upon arrival at Ham Luong Pier, board a local boat for a scenic journey along the Ben Tre River, observing everyday riverside life as you travel deeper into the countryside. Visit traditional family workshops where bricks are made, coconuts are processed, and sleeping mats are woven, followed by fresh fruit and tea.
Continue through the rural landscape by motor cart or bicycle, passing tropical gardens, rice fields, peaceful villages, and local farming communities.
Enjoy lunch at a local family home before boarding a traditional rowing boat for a gentle journey along a narrow, palm-lined waterway.
Later, transfer to your Ben Tre homestay and enjoy some free time to relax around the village. In the evening, join members of your host family in preparing dinner before sitting down together for a home-cooked meal, offering an authentic glimpse into daily life in the Mekong Delta.
Overnight: Homestay in Ben Tre
After breakfast, set out on a guided Ben Tre countryside cycling experience along quiet village roads surrounded by peaceful Mekong Delta scenery.
Visit a local market and small family-run workshops, where you can observe how everyday products such as traditional brooms and soy sauce are made. These simple encounters provide a closer look at local life in Ben Tre and the traditional livelihoods still practiced throughout the region.
Enjoy lunch at a local home before leaving Ben Tre in the afternoon and travelling back to Ho Chi Minh City.
Upon arrival, check in at your hotel and enjoy the remainder of the day and evening at leisure.
Overnight: Ho Chi Minh City
After breakfast, leave Ho Chi Minh City and make your way to the airport for the flight to Da Nang.
On arrival, your driver will be waiting to take you onward to Hoi An. Settle into your hotel and take some time to unwind after the journey.
The rest of the day is yours to relax, explore, or simply unwind. You may simply relax at the hotel or head out independently to discover Hoi An at your own pace, whether with a stroll along the riverside, a look around the local shops, or a quiet break at one of the town’s cafés.
Overnight in Hoi An
After breakfast, depart Hoi An for a guided excursion to My Son Sanctuary, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Vietnam's most important archaeological complexes associated with the ancient Champa civilization.
Explore the surviving Cham temple ruins set within a peaceful valley while learning about Champa history, Hindu influences, religious traditions, and the distinctive architectural techniques used to construct the complex.
Return to Hoi An, where you will enjoy lunch at a local restaurant.
In the afternoon, begin a guided walking tour of Hoi An Ancient Town, a former international trading port shaped by Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, and other cultural influences.
Discover some of the town's most important heritage landmarks, including Quan Cong Temple, the Phuc Kien Assembly Hall, the Japanese Covered Bridge, and Tan Ky Ancient House.
After the guided tour, enjoy the remainder of the afternoon and evening at leisure. As lanterns begin to illuminate the old streets and riverside area, you will have time to experience Hoi An independently at your own pace.
Overnight in Hoi An
After breakfast, transfer to Da Nang Airport for your morning flight to Hanoi.
On arrival, your driver will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel for check-in. Enjoy some free time to rest and refresh before your evening experience.
Later, join a guided Hanoi Jeep Tour and discover the capital from a different perspective. Travel through a combination of well-known areas and local neighborhoods, observing everyday street life and discovering lesser-seen corners of Hanoi along the way.
Return to your hotel after the tour and relax for the evening.
Overnight in Hanoi
After breakfast, begin your guided Hanoi City Tour at Ba Dinh Square and the area in front of the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, where your guide will introduce important chapters of Vietnam's modern history.
Continue to Tran Quoc Pagoda, one of Hanoi's oldest Buddhist pagodas, beautifully located beside West Lake.
From here, visit the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, where exhibitions, traditional objects, and reconstructed houses provide fascinating insight into the cultures and lifestyles of Vietnam's diverse ethnic communities.
Have lunch at a local restaurant and sample local flavors.
In the afternoon, continue to Hoa Lo Prison, an important historical site associated with different periods of Hanoi's past.
Afterwards, visit the Hanoi Train Street area, subject to current local access and safety regulations.
Finish the day's sightseeing at a local café with an egg coffee experience, where you can learn more about Hanoi's distinctive coffee culture while enjoying one of the capital's best-known drinks.
The rest of the evening is free for you to relax at your own pace.
Overnight in Hanoi
After breakfast, leave Hanoi and travel to Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its spectacular seascape of limestone islands and karst formations rising from emerald waters.
Arrive at Tuan Chau Marina around midday and board your overnight cruise. After a welcome drink and safety briefing, settle into your cabin and enjoy lunch as the vessel begins cruising through the bay.
In the afternoon, visit Surprise Cave (Sung Sot Cave), one of the largest and most impressive caves in Ha Long Bay. Climb the stone steps to the entrance before walking through its vast chambers, where dramatic stalactites and stalagmites have formed over thousands of years.
Continue to Luon Cave, a low limestone archway opening into a tranquil lagoon surrounded by towering karst cliffs. Choose between kayaking through the cave for a more active experience or taking a traditional bamboo boat rowed by a local boatman for a slower and more relaxing way to enjoy the scenery.
Return to the cruise in the late afternoon and unwind on the sundeck during Happy Hour, followed by a Vietnamese cooking class led by the onboard team.
Later in the evening, enjoy dinner on board. Afterwards, relax and enjoy the peaceful night scenery of Ha Long Bay or try squid fishing with assistance from the crew.
Activity Note: Visiting Sung Sot Cave involves stone steps and walking on uneven surfaces. Kayaking, bamboo-boat activities, and the cruise itinerary are subject to weather, tide levels, and local operating conditions.
Overnight: Ha Long Bay cruise
Wake early if you wish to join an optional Tai Chi session on the sundeck while enjoying the peaceful morning scenery of Ha Long Bay.
After a light breakfast on board, travel by tender to Titov Island. Active travellers can climb the steps toward the summit for panoramic views across the bay, while those who prefer a gentler experience may stop at the lower viewing area or relax near the beach.
Return to the cruise, freshen up, and pack your belongings before departure. Enjoy brunch on board as the vessel makes its way back toward Tuan Chau Marina, giving you a final chance to admire the limestone scenery of Ha Long Bay.
After disembarkation, continue by road to Ninh Binh, with an opportunity to sample a local green cake during the journey.
Arrive in Ninh Binh later in the afternoon, check in at your hotel, and enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure.
Activity Note: The climb on Titov Island is optional and involves numerous steps.
Overnight in Ninh Binh
After breakfast, travel to Thung Nham Ecotourism Area, a peaceful landscape of limestone mountains, tropical vegetation, wetlands, and natural waterways.
Board a traditional sampan boat and glide along the tranquil waterway toward But Cave, a natural water cave extending beneath a limestone mountain. As the boat moves quietly through the cave, admire its atmospheric interior and naturally formed stalactites and stalagmites before returning through the surrounding karst landscape.
Continue with a leisurely Ninh Binh countryside cycling experience along quiet rural roads, passing local villages, gardens, fields, and dramatic limestone formations. The ride is designed to be scenic and relaxed rather than physically demanding, allowing you to enjoy the countryside at an easy pace.
Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before continuing to Bai Dinh Pagoda, one of Vietnam's most significant Buddhist cultural and spiritual complexes.
Explore the extensive temple grounds with your guide and discover notable features including the Tam Quan Gate, Bell Tower, grand Buddhist prayer halls, monumental Buddha statues, and the long Arhat Corridor lined with hundreds of stone statues.
The complex combines the historic ancient Bai Dinh Pagoda with a much larger modern Buddhist complex, all surrounded by Ninh Binh's characteristic limestone scenery.
After your visit, leave Ninh Binh for the approximately three-hour drive back to Hanoi. Check in at your hotel on arrival and enjoy your final evening in Vietnam at leisure.
Activity Note: Easy to moderate. Comfortable walking shoes and light clothing are recommended for the boat excursion, cycling, and walking around Bai Dinh. Boat routes and cave access at Thung Nham are subject to local weather and operating conditions.
Overnight in Hanoi
After breakfast, enjoy some free time in Hanoi for last-minute shopping, independent sightseeing, or relaxing at your hotel, depending on your flight schedule.
At the appropriate time, meet your driver for the transfer to Noi Bai International Airport for your onward flight.
End of the 11-Day Vietnam Tour
If you need help arranging anything beyond the program, our team will be happy to assist.
Optional: snacks, a camera, and a small daypack for daily excursions.
Don’t worry — we’ll guide you with more details before your trip.
Payment
Cancellations
Refunds
Everything you need to know about this tour
The 11-Day Vietnam Tour begins in Ho Chi Minh City and travels south to north through the Mekong Delta, Hoi An, Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, and Ninh Binh. The journey finishes in Hanoi on Day 11, with a transfer to Noi Bai International Airport scheduled according to your onward flight.
The Mekong Delta program includes a Ben Tre River cruise, visits to traditional family workshops, tropical gardens and rural communities, a rowing-boat journey through a palm-lined waterway, and countryside cycling. You will also visit a local market, enjoy meals at local homes, and spend one night in a Ben Tre homestay.
The tour includes an overnight stay at a homestay in Ben Tre, allowing you to experience the quieter rhythm of Mekong Delta village life. After arriving at the homestay, you will have time to relax before joining your host family in preparing dinner and sharing a home-cooked meal together in the evening.
This customizable tour can be tailored to your travel style, dates, and preferences.
Tell us what you’re looking for — we’ll create a personalized trip just for you.
Excellent Service and Great Value Throughout the Tour
Flexible, Well-Organized and Easy from Start to Finish
A Great Vietnam Experience from Start to Finish
From
$981 per personSee Real Experiences from Our Travelers