Active Vietnam Adventure: Hiking, biking, kayaking, and more

Day 1: Arrive Hanoi

Arrive in the intriguing capital city of Hanoi, where lakes, temples, and French architecture are prevalent. Upon arrival you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel to check in. The balance of the day is free at your leisure.

Day 2: Hanoi Lao Cai/Sapa

Today’s full day tour of Hanoi includes a visit to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (subject to availability), the One Pillar Pagoda, and the Temple of Literature. In the afternoon, continue on to visit the Tran Quoc Pagoda and the Museum of Ethnology to enhance your understanding of Vietnamese culture through its unique presentation of objects and dress from everyday life. In the evening, enjoy a special water puppet performance, which is an art form that originated in Northern Vietnam over hundreds of years ago. Afterwards, transfer to the train station for an overnight train ride to Sapa. **NOTE** The train is very basic, with 4 berth cabins. Please ask us about an upgrade on the Victoria Train.

Day 3: Sapa/Su Pan/Nam Sai/Sin Chai

Arrive in the early morning at Lao Cai station near the Chinese border and take a scenic drive to the hill station of Sapa. Here you transfer to a local hotel to freshen up and have breakfast. Afterwards, drive to Su Pan. From an altitude of 3100 feet, you will trek down the fascinating valley with its wooden and bamboo houses that belong to the Tay tribe in Nam Sai village. Take a walk around the village and interact with the local people. Enjoy dinner at the home of one of the locals before walking up to the Dao village of Sin Chai and enjoy the friendly atmosphere with the children.

Day 4: Thanh Phu/Ban Ho/Sapa

Today you descend down to the village of Thanh Phu where the Tay minority live, after which you continue on, crossing suspended bridges, back to the Tay village of Ban Ho. Here you will enjoy lunch in a local house before heading back to Sapa by jeep.

Day 5: Sapa/Lao Cai/Hanoi

In the morning, take a drive to Bac Ha, with a visit to the Phong Hai market along the way. Upon arrival in Bac Ha, visit the colorful Sunday market where hill tribe people such as the Flower Hmong, Phu La, and Dao Tuyen gather to exchange goods. After lunch, drive to Trung Do and trek 2.5 miles to visit its Tay minority village. From the village, go by boat up the Chay River to see the beautiful caves and the Raining Waterfall. After leaving the boat in Bao Nhai, you’ll be driven back to Lao Cai to visit the Tran Hung Dao Temple, the century Banian tree, the 12-Zodiac Signs Park and the Chinese/Vietnamese borderline. Transfer to a local hotel near Lao Cai train station to freshen up before taking the overnight train back to Hanoi.

Day 6: Hanoi/Halong Bay

Arrive in Hanoi in the early morning where you will transfer to your hotel for breakfast and freshening up. Afterward, depart on the three and a half hour journey to Halong city with a break en route at a local coffee shop. There will be many photo opportunities along the way of the rice paddies, buffalo, and farmers in the field. Upon arrival in Halong Bay around 12 noon, you’ll embark on a traditional wooden junk and enjoy a seafood lunch. After lunch, explore one of the biggest caves in the bay, Sung Sot (Surprising Cave). Return to the boat where your guide will give instructions on kayaking techniques and safety procedures. Then it’s off to enjoy your kayaking adventure which takes you to Luon Cave and the Trong and Trinh Nu caves. Reboard the boat where you will again have excellent photo opportunities of the sunset. After dinner you have the option of paddling in the night on Halong Bay. Overnight near Surprising Cave on your junk boat.

Day 7: Halong

Enjoy the early morning sunrise while cruising to the biggest fishing village in HaLong Bay. From here your kayaking today takes you to visit floating houses and a floating primary school. Kayak a couple hours to Three Lagoon (Ho Ba Ham). Lunch will be served upon your arrival at the Lagoon. After lunch, your guide will take you through the Lagoon and on to the Bamen Temple where you will have a chance to take pictures of fishermen worshipping the Whale God (if you are lucky, you can reach there in time for the ceremony, which does not take place everyday). From here you will head off to Three Peach Island where you can swim and sunbathe before the boat picks you up to take you to your overnight near Titop Island.

Day 8: Halong/Hanoi/Saigon

Watch another beautiful sunrise during breakfast while cruising to Duck’s Rock. From here begin paddling to Incense Burner Island to visit the caves. After a delicious brunch, you’ll say a reluctant goodbye to the boat crew, drive back to Hanoi and board a flight headed for Saigon. On arrival, you will be met and transferred to your centrally-located hotel.

Day 9: Saigon City Tour

Today you will have a full day guided tour to Saigon’s historic landmarks including the Post Office and Notre Dame Cathedral. Also drive by the Presidential Palace, once headquarters for the Saigon Government during the American-Vietnamese War. You have a choice of visiting either the Historical Museum or the War Remnant Museum. In the afternoon, visit Saigon’s “twin City”, the Chinese district of Cholon to enjoy the bustling wholesale quarter of Ho Chi Minh City, Thien Hau Temple, built by Cantonese Buddhists at the end of the 18th century, and the ancient Giac Vien Pagoda, which houses 153 beautifully carved statues. Drive back downtown where the remainder of your day is free to do some shopping or exploring.

Day 10: Saigon/Can Tho

Leave Saigon in the early morning by vehicle for the 19-mile trip to Long An province. Upon arrival in Tam Vu, start biking about 20 miles toward Cho Gao. Along the way you’ll pass quiet villages and dragon fruit farms. After lunch in My Tho, you’ll be shuttled to Vinh Long, where your 18-mile biking adventure to Ba Cang begins. From Ba Cang, the shuttle will take you to your hotel in Can Tho, the cultural, political, and economic center of the Mekong Delta.

Day 11: Can Tho/Rach Ngoi/Long My/Xa Phien

Shuttle out of Can Tho to the village of Tam Vu. From here you’ll bike about 31 miles along paved roads passing Rach Ngoi, Kinh Cung, and Long My Town. Enjoy a box lunch at a local restaurant in Long My before continuing your bike ride for about nine miles to Xa Phien Village. Once you arrive, visit with a local family before shuttling back to Can Tho. Dinner will be at a local restaurant before returning to your accommodations.

Day 12: My Kanh/Binh Thuy/Saigon/Onward

Check out of the hotel in the early morning and enjoy a boat ride through the tiny canals to visit the Cai Rang floating market. Disembark the boat at Cai Rang market and shuttle to My Kanh Orchard Garden for the start of your 19-mile ride (on a shady road near the river) to Binh Thuy. From here the shuttle will return you to Saigon and transfer you to the airport for your onward flight. Consider adding on to visit the Angkor ruins of Cambdia or a relaxing beach excursion.