Ancient pagodas, imperial citadels and timeless traditions
This isn't just sightseeing — it's a journey into the heart of Vietnam's rich heritage. Walk through centuries of history, taste authentic flavors passed down through generations, and connect with traditions that have shaped this remarkable destination. Every moment becomes a story to tell.
Discover the wonders of Vietnam, a captivating destination that offers unique experiences, rich culture, and memorable adventures. Whether you're seeking relaxation, adventure, or cultural immersion, Vietnam promises to exceed your expectations with its warm hospitality and stunning scenery.
12 nights in Vietnam — day by day, fact-checked
Land at Noi Bai International, transfer to the Old Quarter and settle in near Hoan Kiem Lake before the guided programme starts.
Your included transfer covers the roughly 30 km road run from Noi Bai International to the Old Quarter, which takes 45 minutes to an hour. Check your arrival time so you know whether you reach the hotel by day or after dark. Settle in near Hoan Kiem Lake; the guided programme begins on later days.
Noi Bai International Airport is approximately 30 km from Hanoi's Old Quarter, a road transfer of 45 minutes to 1 hour. On this package the transfer is included and pre-arranged.
Be cautious of free or unsolicited airport-to-hotel transfers unless arranged in advance; FCDO warns these may be scams. Use your package transfer or an official app such as Grab or XanhSM and check the vehicle and driver match.
Change money only at official exchange counters with a clear sign. Withdraw from an international-bank ATM for a higher per-transaction cap (roughly 5-10 million VND versus 2-3 million VND at local banks). Vietnam is cash-first for taxis, street food and markets.
Carry a printed copy of your passport photo page and visa as ID and lock the original in the hotel safe; the authorities accept the printed copy.
Do not pack a vape. Vapes and related products are banned in Vietnam; you cannot bring them in or buy them, and getting caught at the airport is a poor start.
Vietnam does not observe daylight saving. Confirm your Hanoi digital arrival card position with the operator: the card is encouraged, not mandatory, from 15 April 2026, and FCDO ties it specifically to Ho Chi Minh City, not Hanoi.
A first cash-first Old Quarter meal of bun cha, charcoal-grilled pork with rice vermicelli, herbs and dipping sauce; the site claims a Michelin Bib Gourmand.
Guided walking day through the Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple, learning street etiquette and cash habits.
Your guide leads the Old Quarter's trading streets and Hoan Kiem Lake, crossing to Ngoc Son Temple. Remove your shoes and hat at the temple and cover shoulders and knees. Ask before photographing people. Keep small VND notes ready for stalls and double-check the blue notes before you pay.
Cover shoulders and knees for the temple; remove shoes and hat before entering. Enforcement at religious sites is refusal of entry or a cover-up requirement, not a fine, so carry a scarf or light layer.
The 20,000 VND and 500,000 VND notes are both blue, a 25x value difference. Double-check the note before you pay street vendors, who take cash only.
Ask before you lift your camera to photograph people; it is expected etiquette in Vietnam.
Do not rely on cards for market stalls and street food. Cards work at hotels and sit-down restaurants, but small purchases and street vendors are cash-first.
Upscale pan-Vietnamese cooking on the 6th and 7th floors near Hoan Kiem Lake, recognised in the Michelin Guide for three consecutive years.
Grilled-pork bun cha and turmeric grilled fish cha ca stalls are the Old Quarter's cash-only backbone; vendors move, so no single stall is verifiable.
Ba Dinh Square, the Stilt House and One Pillar Pagoda, planned around the mausoleum's Monday and Friday closure.
The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum opens mornings only and is closed every Monday and Friday, so your guide times this day around that and any autumn maintenance. If it is shut, Ba Dinh Square, Ho Chi Minh's Stilt House and the One Pillar Pagoda stay open. International visitors pay VND 25,000 where the mausoleum is running.
The mausoleum opens mornings only and is closed every Monday and Friday year-round. Summer viewing runs to about 10:30-11:00, winter slightly later; it also closes for autumn maintenance (reported 5 September to 3 November 2026, unverified on the official site).
Dress code is enforced at the mausoleum: modest clothing, no shorts, no sleeveless shirts and no flip-flops.
International travellers pay VND 25,000 (about USD 1); entry is free for Vietnamese visitors.
If the mausoleum is closed on the day, Ba Dinh Square, the Stilt House and the One Pillar Pagoda remain viewable, so the morning still holds up.
Do not photograph near any military installation; there are restrictions on photography near bases.
Old Quarter Vietnamese kitchen included in the 2023 Michelin Guide Vietnam, with signature Aromatic Pho and turmeric grilled fish, cha ca.
A day cruise to the Halong Bay seascape from Hanoi, with a long coach leg each way weighed honestly against the water time.
Halong Bay is a UNESCO seascape reached from Hanoi by expressway, roughly 2.5 hours each way, so a day trip means about 5 hours in the coach for 6-7 hours on the water. If your package sells it as a marquee day, it earns the drive; an overnight cruise is the honest alternative for more water time.
Halong Bay sits roughly 165-180 km from Hanoi via the Hanoi-Hai Phong expressway, about 2.5 hours each way.
A one-day cruise runs roughly 6-7.5 hours on the water. Set against about 5 hours of round-trip road time, it is a full, long day.
A separate government Halong environmental fee, commonly around USD 5-7 per person, is often quoted on top of any cruise price, so carry a little cash.
Do not expect a rushed day-trip to match an overnight cruise. If the water time matters most to you, an overnight is the honest choice; only take the day trip if the operator includes it as the highlight.
A one-day Halong cruise from Hanoi gives 6-7.5 hours on the seascape; operators and promotional prices change frequently, so no single vendor is fixed here.
A free day in Hanoi to rest, shop the Old Quarter and eat street food before the domestic flight south.
An unstructured Hanoi day. Shop the trading streets, take a Grab for any hop across town, and keep small notes for stalls. Confirm cards before assuming a shop takes them; many small boutiques and vendors are cash-only. Rest ahead of tomorrow's included domestic flight to central Vietnam.
Use an international-bank ATM to draw a larger sum in one go, since per-transaction caps are low. Carry cash for street food, markets and taxis.
For any non-package ride use the Grab or XanhSM app and confirm the vehicle and driver match; avoid unlicensed taxis, which FCDO links to reported assaults in tourist areas.
On a guided package the main tip decision is a discretionary tip to your guide and driver; tipping is not a native custom and there is no set rule.
Do not change money with an informal street changer for a better rate. Changing money anywhere but an official signed counter is illegal and you risk losing it.
The Old Quarter's trading streets and market stalls are a cash-first shopping category; keep small VND notes and watch the blue-note quirk.
Included domestic flight to Phu Bai Airport and first look at Hue, the former imperial capital on the Perfume River.
An included domestic flight carries you to Hue, served by Phu Bai Airport, with the Imperial Citadel sitting in-city so no long transfer follows. Hue is one of Vietnam's wettest cities, so pack a light waterproof. Keep your printed ID copy on you and settle in for the imperial sites ahead.
Hue is reached by an included domestic flight to Phu Bai Airport, about 15 km and a 20 to 35 minute transfer into the city, where the Complex of Hue Monuments and Imperial Citadel sit.
Pack a light waterproof: Hue is one of Vietnam's wettest cities, and the wider central region carries flood risk in October and November.
Keep your printed passport-copy ID on you between the airport and hotel; you must always carry photo ID and the printed copy is accepted.
Do not accept a free or unsolicited transfer at Phu Bai. Use your included package transfer or Grab; unarranged offers may be scams.
Hue royal and regional cooking with prices published: bun bo Hue beef noodle soup 50,000 VND, banh khoai stuffed rice pancake 45,000 VND, nem lui grilled pork 90,000 VND.
Guided day through the Imperial Citadel and Complex of Hue Monuments, the seat of the Nguyen dynasty.
Your guide arranges entry to the Complex of Hue Monuments and walks the Imperial Citadel, the Nguyen dynasty's walled seat. The official e-ticket portal shows no English prices, so trust the guide's arranged entry and confirm any figure at the booth. Cover shoulders and knees for the site.
The Complex has an official e-ticket portal run by the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre, but it is Vietnamese-only with no English prices or hours. On this package the guide arranges entry, so no self-booking is needed.
Cover shoulders and knees at the heritage and religious sites within the complex; carry a scarf or light layer for cover-up.
Opening hours circulating on trade guides (roughly 06:30-17:30 summer, 07:00-17:00 winter) are unverified; if you go independently, confirm at the official booth on the day.
Do not treat the widely-quoted citadel and tomb prices as fixed. No official English price page was verifiable, so pay cash at the booth and confirm the figure there.
Hue's market snacks, banh beo, banh loc and com hen, are a cash-only category best sampled with small notes rather than a named stall.
Included domestic flight to Da Nang, then a short road transfer south to Hoi An, which has no airport of its own.
Hoi An has no airport, so the included flight lands at Da Nang International, about 37 km and 45 minutes to an hour by road, and a coach or private transfer runs you south. Hoi An comes alive after dark, when the town dims its lights and candle-lit lanterns take over, so save the Ancient Town for the evening.
Hoi An has no airport; the gateway is Da Nang International Airport, 37 km away, about 45 minutes to 1 hour by road. The included domestic flight lands at Da Nang, then a coach or private transfer runs to Hoi An.
Hoi An is primarily an evening destination: at night the town cuts its electricity use and the candle-lit lanterns take over, with a lantern festival on the 14th day of every lunar month.
Draw cash before an evening in the Ancient Town: the paper admission ticket, market stalls and street food are all cash-only.
Do not try to book the Hoi An Ancient Town ticket online. It is a paper ticket bought in person at official booths and cannot be pre-booked on a website; your guide arranges it.
A Hoai riverfront kitchen serving the three defining Hoi An dishes: cao lau noodles found almost only here, mi quang, and white rose dumplings.
Daytime heritage buildings then the lantern-lit evening, with the paper Old Town ticket arranged by your guide.
The Old Town ticket admits five of Hoi An's heritage buildings, which close by evening, so your guide times the houses for daytime and holds the lantern-lit riverfront for after dark. The ticket is paper, cash-first, handed over by your guide. Keep small notes for the market and street stalls.
An Old Town ticket bought in person at official booths admits five of Hoi An's heritage buildings; it cannot be booked online, and on this package the guide arranges and hands it over.
Heritage buildings generally close by evening while the town itself is the evening lantern draw, so do the houses by day and the riverfront after dark.
If your dates fall on the 14th day of a lunar month, the monthly lantern festival is on; plan the evening around it.
The Hoi An Ancient Town ticket is 120,000 VND per foreign visitor (80,000 VND for Vietnamese): one combined ticket, valid 24 hours, covering five heritage sites, sold at the official yellow booths around the Old Town.
A sit-down bun cha lunch stop inside the Ancient Town, charcoal-grilled pork with vermicelli and herbs, useful where most purchases are otherwise cash-only.
Ms Vy's flagship on Nguyen Thai Hoc Street where locals and package tourists both eat traditional Hoi An dishes like cao lau and white rose dumplings.
A guided excursion to the Marble Mountains pagodas and, as a central day-trip, the My Son Cham sanctuary.
The Marble Mountains, five limestone peaks 7 km from Da Nang, hold caves and pagodas and open daily 7am to 5:30pm; entry is 40,000 VND with an optional 15,000 VND elevator. It is a pilgrimage site, so remove shoes and hats before pagodas. Go early to beat the heat and coach crowds.
The Marble Mountains are open daily 7am to 5:30pm, 7 km from downtown Da Nang and an easy stop between Da Nang and Hoi An.
Entrance is 40,000 VND, with an optional elevator at 15,000 VND. Carry cash.
This is an important spiritual and pilgrimage site: dress modestly and remove shoes and hats before entering the pagodas.
My Son Sanctuary admission is 150,000 VND for foreign visitors and includes the two-way electric-car shuttle from the entrance to the ruins.
Do not arrive at My Son in the midday heat with the coach crowds; it is a UNESCO Cham Hindu ruin best done early, with respectful dress.
A UNESCO Cham Hindu ruin visited as a central day-trip; the 150,000 VND foreign ticket covers unlimited entry, the electric-car shuttle and the Apsara dance at set showtimes.
A free day in Hoi An for tailoring, riverfront cafes and a second lantern-lit evening.
An open day in Hoi An. Sit on a riverfront terrace, shop the town and return to the lantern-lit streets after dark. Keep cash for stalls and confirm cards before assuming a shop takes them. For any hop to Da Nang use Grab and check the vehicle and driver match.
Hoi An's markets, street food, taxis and tips are effectively cash-only; hotels and sit-down restaurants generally take cards, but do not count on it at small vendors.
For a hop to Da Nang or the beach, use the Grab or XanhSM app and confirm the vehicle and driver match; avoid unlicensed taxis.
Swimwear is welcome only on the beach or in your resort; cover up before returning into town.
Never hand your passport over as a deposit for a bike or rental; FCDO explicitly warns against giving your passport to rental shops as a guarantee.
A European-style cafe and patisserie with a Thu Bon riverfront terrace, part of Ms Vy's Taste Vietnam group; a convenient cash-first coffee and lunch stop.
A final flexible day for last purchases, tailoring pickups and a last evening on the Hoi An riverfront.
Your last full day. Collect any tailoring, buy final gifts and settle a discretionary tip for your guide and driver in cash. Watch the blue-note quirk when you pay. Keep a printed ID copy on you and pack ahead of tomorrow's departure.
Draw a final sum from an international-bank ATM for the higher per-transaction cap, and double-check the blue 20,000 and 500,000 VND notes before paying.
A discretionary cash tip to your guide and driver is the main tipping decision on this package; tipping is not otherwise a native custom.
Do not run out of small notes on your last day; markets, street food and tips are cash-only and cards are not reliable at stalls.
If your trip falls in October or November, keep an eye on central-Vietnam flood warnings, which can physically disrupt Hoi An, not just cause rain.
The central market and Ancient Town stalls are a cash-first shopping category for last gifts; keep small notes and no single vendor is fixed.
Transfer to Da Nang International for your onward flight, timed by counting back from your departure.
Your included transfer runs the roughly 37 km back to Da Nang International, about 45 minutes to an hour. Count back from your departure to leave time for the road and check-in. Enter and exit Vietnam on the same passport you arrived with, and keep your printed ID copy handy to the gate.
Da Nang International is about 37 km from Hoi An, roughly 45 minutes to 1 hour by road. Count back from your departure to allow for the transfer and airport time; the transfer is included.
Work backwards from your flight rather than to a fixed clock: allow the road time plus standard check-in. Your guide or hotel confirms the pickup.
You must leave Vietnam on the same passport you entered on; do not travel on a second passport for the exit.
Do not overstay: if you overstay, authorities can prevent you leaving until you pay a fine, and you could be banned from future visits.
Practical details verified 21 July 2026. Prices and opening hours change — we re-check them monthly, but confirm anything critical before you travel.
Real-time hotel prices for Hanoi, Hue and Hoi An. Upgrades are shown over each location's included hotel.
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