Vietnam Express Northbound

  • Best price guaranteed
  • No booking fees
  • Booking Type Instant booking
  • duration 10 days
  • tour type Small group Request as private
  • age requirement 15-99 yrs
  • max group size 16
  • guiding method Fully guided
  • Tour Code BM-3631
  • Footprint Carbonneutral CO2 emissions resulting from all trips on Bookmundi will be offset via investments in carbon reduction projects.
  • Operated in English
map
  • Starts Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
  • Ends Hanoi, Vietnam
  • +3
HIGHLIGHTS Download trip notes
  • See the very best that Vietnam has to offer in just 10 days as you traverse the country from bottom to top with a small group of up to 15 new friends.
  • Visit some of the must-see sights with your group such as a walking tour in Hoi An and the Temple of Literature in Hanoi, as well as plenty of free time to make your own discoveries.
  • Spend an unforgettable night on a boat in Halong Bay, one of Vietnam’s most remarkable natural wonders, and visit a centre dedicated to turning the bay’s discarded trash into beautiful, handcrafted items.
  • Sample local food wherever you go: a seafood dinner on Halong Bay, lunch at a Buddhist nunnery, coconut candy in the Mekong Delta, and a final dinner at KOTO restaurant – oh, and did we mention the street food?
  • Have expert advice on hand the whole way with an experienced local leader to help you get the best out of your time in Vietnam.
The "Vietnam Express Northbound" tour starts in Ho Chi Minh City and ends in Hanoi. It is a cultural, religious and historic sites tour that takes 10 days taking you through Hanoi, Halong Bay and Hue in Vietnam. "Vietnam Express Northbound" is a guided small group tour that includes accommodation, transport, meals and others.

Go behind the scenes of Vietnam’s hot-spots on a small-group adventure that avoids the tourists.
From the fast-paced hub of Ho Chi Minh City to the charming capital of Hanoi, experience the beautiful landscapes, history-soaked monuments and all the delicious cuisine in between as you traverse the country from South to North like a local: paddle through the waterways of the Mekong Delta in a sampan, explore remote villages via tuk-tuk, cruise through the waters of Halong Bay on a traditional boat, wander the car-free streets of Hoi An on foot and discover the imperial icons of Hue from the back of a motorbike – and with the guidance of your expert local leader, you’ll discover secrets to this South-East Asian gem that you simply won’t find in a guidebook.
ITINERARY Expand All
  • Day 1: Ho Chi Minh City
  • Day 2: Mekong Delta - Ho Chi Minh City
  • Day 3: Hoi An
  • Day 4: Hoi An
  • Day 5: Hue
  • Day 6: Hue - Overnight Train
  • Day 7: Hanoi
  • Day 8: Halong Bay
  • Day 9: Hanoi
  • Day 10: Hanoi
WHAT'S INCLUDED
Accommodation
  • Hotel (7 nights), Overnight boat (1 night), Overnight sleeper train (1 night)
Meals
  • 8 Breakfasts, 3 Lunches, 2 Dinners
Transport
  • Boat , Overnight sleeper train , Plane , Private minibus , Private vehicle , Taxi , Motorbike
Guide
  • An expert tour leader
Included Activities
  • Mekong Delta - Mekong Delta Day Trip & Village Tuk-Tuk Tour
  • Mekong Delta - Lunch
  • Hoi An - Old Town walking tour
  • Hue - Imperial City Full Day Tour
  • Hue - Royal tomb of Emperor Tu Duc
  • Hue - Highlights & back streets by motorbike
  • Hue - Motorbike Tour Lunch
  • Hanoi - Temple of Literature
  • Hanoi - One Pillar Pagoda & HCM stilt house
  • Hanoi - Old Quarter Walking Tour
  • Halong Bay - Overnight Boat Cruise
  • Hanoi - KOTO dinner
  • Halong Bay - The Green Life Visit
WHAT'S EXCLUDED
  • Any international flights to Ho Chi Minh City and from Hanoi are not included in this price. We always recommend that you arrive 1 day prior to your tour starting date.
  • Travel insurance is not included in this Vietnam Express Northbound tour. Travel insurance is mandatory to buy. We recommend purchasing it from World Nomads.
CUSTOMER REVIEWS
This tour has not received any customer reviews yet. However, you can expect a Premier This travel specialist is consistently delivering tours which receive customer ratings above 4.5 on average. tour and service level as the travel specialist who runs it has received 162 reviews for other tours with an average 4.6 rating.
REQUEST A PRIVATE, CUSTOMIZABLE DEPARTURE By design, this is a group tour. You can however request a private, customized version of this tour for yourself or your private group of people. Private departures are usually more expensive, but come with these benefits:
  • Personal Itinerary can be tweaked and customized.
  • Protected Travel within your own bubble.
  • Professional Access our Travel Specialists' insider knowledge.
  • Privacy Enjoy a tour focused solely on you or your travel group.
Request a private and/or personalized departure To design a private tour, we'll ask you some more information in the following steps.
Why Book with Bookmundi
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GOOD TO KNOW Download trip notes
CANCELLATION

No additional cancellation fees apply for this Vietnam Express Northbound tour. You can cancel the tour up to 58 days prior departure and avoid paying the full amount, but your deposit paid is non-refundable. No refund applies for cancellations within 57 days of departure.

Payment

For any tour departures within 27 July 2023, full payment is required. For tours that depart later than 27 July 2023, a deposit is required to confirm this tour, and the remaining balance will be charged 57 days before trip departure.

Travel Insurance

Vietnam Express Northbound tour requires that you have adequate and valid travel insurance covering medical and personal accidents, including repatriation costs and emergency evacuation. We recommend using World Nomads' travel insurance.

Visa

For this Vietnam Express Northbound tour getting the required visa(s) is the responsibility for each individual traveller, as visa requirements vary depending on your nationality. We recommend to check with your local embassies representing the countries that you are traveling to, as part of this itinerary.

Is this trip right for you
  • We cover a lot of distance on this trip, including on overnight trains. Accommodation and amenities are shared and basic, but the experience of rubbing shoulders with the locals makes it all worthwhile. For more about what this experience is like, see our blog post intrepidtravel.com/adventures/what-to-expect-on-an-overnight.
  • The sightseeing tour by motorbike in Hue is great fun with bikes driven safely by professionals (and helmets provided), but alternative transport can be arranged for those who would prefer not to travel by motorbike.
  • Depending on where you come from, the weather in Vietnam might be hotter and more humid than what you are used to. We recommend checking online for what the typical temperatures will be at the time of year you are looking to travel. This page might be useful: intrepidtravel.com/vietnam/weather-in-vietnam
  • Some travellers find the pace of this trip quite fast as we are covering a lot of destinations in a short amount of time. If you would like a more relaxed pace with more time to explore, you might like to consider a longer trip, or additional days in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
  • This itinerary also runs in reverse direction, from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, see trip code TVSF on our website.
  • You may also want to check out our Best of Cambodia & Vietnam (TKSKC) if you have longer time to explore in the region. https://www.intrepidtravel.com/vietnam/best-cambodia-vietnam-127028
COVID VACCINATION POLICY
  • Proof of vaccination against COVID-19 is no longer mandatory on departures after 1st January 2023. Nonetheless, all travellers are strongly advised to be vaccinated as a safety measure to protect themselves and others on the tour. This policy excludes all Polar trips and select adventure cruises, where testing and vaccination are required.
  • Also, proof of vaccination may still be required at specific entry points or by the airlines. Therefore, please make sure to check all the travel requirements carefully before travelling.
COVID-19 Safety Measures

This trip incorporates the following COVID-19 measures:

  • This tour has received the World Travel and Tourism Council’s Safe Travels stamp, which provides travellers with assurance that COVID-19 health and hygiene global standardised protocols have been adopted.
  • Hygiene and safety guidelines will be followed to ensure your well being is looked after during travels.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Find answers to the most frequently asked questions about this tour.
  • Is Asia open for tourists?

    Despite the initial fears of the Covid-19 pandemic, most Asian countries have managed to mitigate its effects. As such, many popular destinations throughout the continent are currently open for travelers with precautionary measures like mandatory vaccinations. A few countries, however, require newly arrived travelers to spend a couple of days in quarantine.

    As of February 2022, countries like Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia are officially open for vaccinated tourists without the need for quarantine. Meanwhile, India and Indonesia are two of the countries that may require you to quarantine for up to a week on arrival. However, Japan, Vietnam, and Myanmar are yet to open their doors to visitors.

     

  • What is the best month to visit Vietnam?

    The best time to visit Vietnam is from December through March, since temperatures are not overbearing during this time of year, hovering between 20°C to 26°C, and the rainfall light. Vietnam’s weather during March and even early April allows for tours right across the country, although it can be a little colder in the north. Mid-April through June and September to November are considered low seasons because they see two periods of monsoon rain. Temperatures rise alongside humidity during these months, and you will need to be prepared for downpours, which can flood roads and cut off access to destinations. July and August are very hot, with nighttime temperatures hovering at around 26°C. You can find more information here.

  • How many days do I need to travel in Vietnam?

    Knowing how long to spend in Vietnam is one of the tricks to having a great vacation. It is possible to cover the highlights of the country during a seven-day tour. However, for greater insight into its history and people along with a feel for what makes Vietnam so special, we advise opting for a ten-day trip instead. With this duration, you can experience everything from the floating markets of the Mekong Delta to the rush-hour traffic of Ho Chi Minh City! Spend two weeks in Vietnam and you can travel from the north of the country to its south (or vice versa) without constantly checking your watch.

  • What is the best time to travel to Vietnam?

    The best time to visit Vietnam is from December through March, since temperatures are not overbearing during this time of year, hovering between 20°C to 26°C, and the rainfall light. Vietnam’s weather during March and even early April allows for tours right across the country, although it can be a little colder in the north. Mid-April through June and September to November are considered low seasons because they see two periods of monsoon rain. Temperatures rise alongside humidity during these months, and you will need to be prepared for downpours, which can flood roads and cut off access to destinations. July and August are very hot, with nighttime temperatures hovering at around 26°C.

  • Is a trip to Vietnam expensive? Will I need a visa?

    Most travelers will find Vietnam an inexpensive country to visit. As our ultimate travel guide for Vietnam explains, both budget and luxury travelers are well catered for without having to break the bank. Good backpacker hostels will only set you back by around USD 10 per night. However, most consider staying in hotels during a Vietnam tour, since rooms in decent hotels even in big cities can cost as little as USD 40 per person, per night. Transportation is also a great value for money, and food is relatively cheap for the quality and quantity you will receive. Museum entry is usually around USD 2 per ticket.

    Most nationals who wish to travel to the country require a visa, obtainable from your nearest Vietnamese embassy for USD 60 to USD 100 per person.

NEED HELP OR HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THIS TOUR?
If you have any question about this tour or need help with planning a trip, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us. We're ready to help.
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