18 days
Hanoi → Ninh Binh → bay cruise → Hanoi → Phong Nha → Hue → Hoi An → Da Nang → Ho Chi Minh City
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Let a rowing boat carry you between Ninh Binh’s limestone cliffs, wake to the quiet of the bay and discover the cool, sculpted halls of a visitor cave in Phong Nha. This 18-day Vietnam heritage and caves tour connects Hanoi with the central royal and trading towns, the Golden Bridge and Saigon, travelling north to south with time to settle into each region.
Stay for the small moments as well as the famous sights. Three Ninh Binh nights give the countryside room to breathe, while three nights in Phong Nha leave time for the caves, village lanes and a slower afternoon. Hear Hue’s imperial stories with a local guide, linger in Hoi An’s old streets and finish with the everyday energy of Ho Chi Minh City.
Vietpower Travel welcomes couples, families and friends from every country. Private road and airport transfers connect your bases; regional English-speaking guides lead the stated visits. Visitor boats and the overnight bay cruise may be shared. Tell us your walking comfort and hotel preference so we can choose suitable cave routes, manageable heritage walks and the right rest pattern for your own party.
What would make Vietnam memorable for you? Send your dates, arrival and departure details, group size, children’s ages, preferred hotel level and the experiences you most want to enjoy. We will shape a connected holiday and clear quotation.
Discover Hanoi’s temples, old streets and lake before moving to Ninh Binh for Hoa Lu, Trang An, Bai Dinh and Tam Coc. A free countryside day lets you pause at your own pace. Your private transfer then continues directly to the confirmed cruise harbour, with an early pickup and boarding buffer, for a shared overnight bay vessel. A Hanoi hotel night after the cruise keeps the onward journey comfortable.
Spend a full day travelling to the Phong Nha region, then explore the agreed standard visitor-cave programme. A boat-access cave, a boardwalk route or a practical combination is selected for your dates and comfort. These are authorised visitor areas, with walking and steps where required; this sample does not include a technical wilderness expedition or compulsory cave swimming. A countryside day brings village lanes, a local lunch and time to relax.
Travel overland to Hue for the Citadel, a selected royal tomb and Thien Mu Pagoda. Stay one night in Hoi An, explore the old town the next day and continue with your luggage to Da Nang for two nights. Ba Na Hills and the Golden Bridge have their own day, with core admission, lunch and room to rest. You can agree a Hoi An hotel base instead, with the nights and transfers revised consistently.
Fly south under the flight arrangement confirmed for your dates and settle into Ho Chi Minh City. A local guide introduces the Reunification Palace, a suitable museum, the Central Post Office area and a southern Vietnamese lunch, adapting the visits for your interests and any children travelling with you.
The sample has 16 hotel nights and one shared cruise night, initially using three-star twin/double rooms for two adults. The US$1,780 per-person starting guide covers the stated land and listed shared services; all flights are separate. Hanoi–Dong Hoi and Da Nang–Ho Chi Minh City arrangements are matched to your dates; a connection or agreed transport change is shown clearly before booking. Hotel upgrades, optional activities and dated supplements are itemised in your final quotation.
Our local team connects the experiences with the practical details: private airport welcomes, room choices, regional guides, luggage moves and time to rest. You have 24/7 assistance during your tour. Read traveller reviews of Vietpower Travel and share the kind of journey you would enjoy.
Travellers who enjoy heritage, limestone scenery and standard visitor-cave routes, with private land support and a comfortable pace. Vietpower Travel adjusts walks, hotel choices and visits for couples, families and friends from every country.
No. The starting guide is indicative land pricing for two adults sharing the sample three-star rooms and listed services. International and domestic flights, upgrades, optional additions and applicable peak-date charges are separate unless specified in your written quotation.
No. The sample uses authorised standard visitor areas at the selected caves. Walking, steps and boat boarding may still be involved. Tell us about mobility, balance and comfort so we can check suitable routes; specialist wilderness expeditions require a separately arranged programme.
We agree a practical visitor programme before booking, such as Phong Nha’s boat-access cave, Paradise Cave’s visitor route or a suitable combination. The specific tickets, walking, guide and boat arrangement are shown in your quotation and follow opening and weather conditions.
Road and airport transfers and guides on the stated guided land days are private for your party. Visitor boats, the overnight cruise and some venue activities may be shared. The Ninh Binh free day is independent, without an on-call guide or car.
After your Ninh Binh stay, a private driver takes you directly to the confirmed harbour. Pickup is calculated from the vessel’s check-in deadline, with road and contingency time. No sightseeing is added before boarding. Return to Hanoi for a hotel night after the cruise.
The sample keeps a Hanoi hotel night for rest and a comfortable buffer. A same-evening onward journey is an optional change only when the actual cruise return, road journey and flight or rail timetable allow sufficient time. Any changed nights and services are confirmed explicitly.
We check the dated schedule. A connection or another agreed transport arrangement may be needed; the sample keeps Day 8 as a full travel day. Flight costs, baggage, transfers and any revised nights are shown before you book.
The sample has one Hoi An night, followed by two Da Nang nights. On Day 14, explore Hoi An and transfer with your luggage to Da Nang. You can keep a Hoi An hotel base instead, with the transfer arrangements and quotation revised together.
Yes. Cave steps, temple grounds and boat boarding are discussed in advance. Countryside cycling is optional; a gentle walk or car-supported visit can be chosen. Share your preferred walking level, children’s ages and any mobility needs.
Yes. Choose a different hotel level, more rest time or another mix of heritage and nature. Send your dates, flight details, travelling party and priorities; Vietpower Travel will suggest your personal itinerary, services and quotation before payment.
Have less time? See the 14-day Vietnam journey with a specialist cave adventure. For a longer, slower holiday, explore Vietnam Slow Travel in 28 Days.
Tell Vietpower Travel your dates, room preference, travelling party and must-see places. Our local consultant will help connect them into a comfortable holiday for your own group.
Chat with Vietpower Travel on WhatsApp or email sales@vietpowertravel.com.
Highlights
| By Day | Transfer | Destinations | Activities | Meals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Hanoi | Welcome to Hanoi | — | |
| Day 2 | Hanoi | Hanoi’s heritage, Old Quarter and lake | B, L | |
| Day 3 | Ninh Binh | Hoa Lu and Trang An, with a Ninh Binh stay | B, L | |
| Day 4 | Ninh Binh | Bai Dinh and Tam Coc’s river landscape | B, L | |
| Day 5 | Ninh Binh | Your free countryside day | B | |
| Day 6 | Halong or Lan Ha Bay | Direct to the harbour and a bay-cruise night | B, L, D | |
| Day 7 | Hanoi | A final bay morning, then Hanoi | B, Br | |
| Day 8 | Phong Nha | Travel to the Phong Nha region | B | |
| Day 9 | Phong Nha | Phong Nha’s visitor caves | B, L | |
| Day 10 | Phong Nha | Quiet village roads and a local lunch | B, L | |
| Day 11 | Hue | Along the central road to Hue | B | |
| Day 12 | Hue | Hue’s imperial heritage and local flavours | B, L | |
| Day 13 | Hoi An | From Hue to Hoi An | B | |
| Day 14 | Da Nang | Hoi An’s trading-town stories, then Da Nang | B | |
| Day 15 | Da Nang | Ba Na Hills and the Golden Bridge | B, L | |
| Day 16 | Ho Chi Minh City | Fly to Ho Chi Minh City | B | |
| Day 17 | Ho Chi Minh City | Saigon’s history and everyday life | B, L | |
| Day 18 | Ho Chi Minh City | An unhurried farewell | B |
A private driver welcomes you at Noi Bai Airport and takes you to your city hotel. Settle in after the flight, with independent time for an easy first walk or meal. Standard hotel check-in applies; an early room can be arranged separately.
Meals: —. Overnight: Hanoi.
Explore the Temple of Literature and Ho Chi Minh complex with a local guide, following opening arrangements. Entry inside the Mausoleum is not available every day. Enjoy lunch and a break before the Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake, adapting the walking to your pace. Train Street is optional only where access is permitted; a neighbourhood café offers another pleasant stop.
Meals: B, L. Overnight: Hanoi.
Travel by private car from Hanoi to Ninh Binh, allowing about 2–2.5 hours plus breaks. Visit Hoa Lu’s temples and take a visitor rowing boat through Trang An’s limestone scenery, with lunch and a manageable walking route. Choose a gentle cycle when it suits, or a Hang Mua replacement if you want a steeper climb. Stay in Ninh Binh. A selected shared day excursion is an optional budget alternative, with its pickup, vehicle and services shown clearly in your quote.
Meals: B, L. Overnight: Ninh Binh.
Visit a suitable section of Bai Dinh with your guide, adapting the walking and internal access to your comfort. Pause for lunch, then enjoy Tam Coc’s rowing-boat route between limestone cliffs and the countryside. Return to the same Ninh Binh hotel for an easy evening; the rice landscape changes with the crop season.
Meals: B, L. Overnight: Ninh Binh.
Breakfast and a day to enjoy Ninh Binh independently. Relax at your hotel, take a nearby walk or choose a café and local meal. There is no scheduled guide or on-call car today. Vietpower Travel can arrange an extra experience, with services and any cost agreed separately.
Meals: B. Overnight: Ninh Binh.
Leave Ninh Binh early by private car for the harbour confirmed with your selected Halong or Lan Ha vessel. We calculate pickup from the actual check-in deadline, allowing generous road and contingency time; an early or packed breakfast can be arranged. Do not add sightseeing before boarding. Settle into your shared cabin, enjoy lunch, the boat’s afternoon activities and dinner, then sleep among the islands.
Meals: B, L, D. Overnight: Bay cruise.
Enjoy the vessel’s morning programme and its breakfast or brunch arrangement before disembarking. Your private driver returns you to Hanoi, usually around 2.5–3 hours plus breaks, depending on harbour and traffic. Keep this Hanoi overnight as a comfortable buffer before the journey south. A same-evening onward connection is a separately checked alternative when cruise and transport times allow.
Meals: B / Br according to vessel. Overnight: Hanoi.
Transfer to Noi Bai Airport for your date-specific flight arrangement to Dong Hoi, then continue by private car to your Phong Nha accommodation. A connection or another agreed transport arrangement may be needed for the actual date. This is a full travel day, with time to settle in after arrival. All flights are excluded from the 18-day land price.
Meals: B. Overnight: Phong Nha.
Explore a selected standard visitor-cave programme with a guide, choosing Phong Nha’s boat-access cave, Paradise Cave’s visitor route, or a practical combination confirmed before booking. Take time for the formations and a local lunch. These visits use the authorised visitor areas, with walking and steps where required; the sample does not include a technical wilderness expedition or compulsory cave swimming.
Meals: B, L. Overnight: Phong Nha.
Enjoy the countryside with your guide, choosing a short bicycle outing or a gentle walk through village lanes. Stop for an arranged local encounter, have lunch and leave the afternoon for relaxation. When rain changes paths or outdoor activities, we agree a suitable land-based alternative.
Meals: B, L. Overnight: Phong Nha.
Travel by private car from Phong Nha towards Hue, allowing roughly 4.5–5.5 hours plus comfort stops and any dated road conditions. Check into your Hue hotel and keep the rest of the day easy. A different rail arrangement is an optional change with stations, luggage and services confirmed separately.
Meals: B. Overnight: Hue.
Visit the Imperial Citadel, one selected royal tomb and Thien Mu Pagoda with a local guide. Choose the walking route to suit your energy and enjoy Hue dishes for lunch. Leave time for a riverside pause or café before returning to your hotel, rather than cover every royal monument in one day.
Meals: B, L. Overnight: Hue.
Continue south by private car, allowing about 2.5–3.5 hours plus breaks and any chosen scenic stop. Check into your Hoi An hotel and relax after the journey. This overnight is in Hoi An; the move to Da Nang follows the next day’s town visit.
Meals: B. Overnight: Hoi An.
Explore Hoi An Ancient Town with your guide, visiting a selected old house and assembly hall within the standard ticket arrangement. Follow the small lanes at your pace and take an afternoon break. Enjoy the early lantern atmosphere when timing fits, then travel with your luggage to your Da Nang hotel for the next two nights. A lantern-making workshop is an optional addition booked separately. You can keep a Hoi An hotel base instead if preferred; we revise the transfers and nights explicitly.
Meals: B. Overnight: Da Nang.
Travel from your Da Nang hotel to Ba Na Hills for the cable car, Golden Bridge and selected attractions within the complex, with lunch and time to rest. Standard core admission is included in the sample arrangement; extra paid attractions are separate. Mountain views depend on weather. Return to Da Nang, or agree another outing if the mountain resort is not your preference.
Meals: B, L. Overnight: Da Nang.
Transfer to Da Nang Airport for your confirmed flight arrangement to Ho Chi Minh City. Your private driver meets you at Tan Son Nhat and takes you to your city hotel. Keep the remaining day for settling in and independent discoveries. Flights are quoted separately for this journey.
Meals: B. Overnight: Ho Chi Minh City.
Explore the Reunification Palace, a museum selected to suit your interests and the Central Post Office area with a local guide. Museum content can be adapted for children. Enjoy a southern Vietnamese lunch and time for a market or neighbourhood walk before returning to your hotel for an easy last evening.
Meals: B, L. Overnight: Ho Chi Minh City.
Breakfast and any independent time that fits your flight. A private driver takes you to Tan Son Nhat Airport with the agreed check-in buffer. Standard hotel checkout applies; luggage storage, a late room or another night can be arranged for a late departure.
Meals: B. Overnight: No overnight.
16 hotel nights; named hotels, category and room setup confirmed
One shared overnight Halong or Lan Ha cruise; selected vessel and cabin confirmed
Named hotels, room setup, vessel, cabin, caves and activity arrangements are confirmed before booking. All flights are separate from the indicative land price.
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Customize Your Trip
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A memorable heritage holiday gives you time to enjoy the places and confidence in the connections. Vietpower Travel confirms your route and services before you book.
Tell us what keeps you comfortable. Share your walking level, children’s ages, dietary requests and preferred hotel style. Gentle walks, car access and breaks help keep the days enjoyable. Cave and boat visits follow actual opening, weather and safe operating arrangements.
Vietpower Travel provides 24/7 assistance during your tour. Keep the agreed local contacts with your itinerary and contact us whenever you need support.
Private tours give you more flexibility in your movements
Convenience and saving time are huge reasons people choose private tours
Add more exciting or reduce the less attractive destinations.
Please kindly send us your ideas about the tours: destinations, attractions, your group, hotel class... we will get back to you with details & best offers quickly. Surely, you will feel satisfactory!
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