A Vietnam Family Holiday Itinerary: From North to South

This is our family’s Vietnam holiday itinerary. 

We created this two week holiday with local tour company Vietnam Paradise Travel, they were very patient as we hummed and hawed and worked out what we could fit in without feeling that we were rushing around too much. 

You can read all about how this holiday went on this article:

Vietnam Holidays With Teenagers: what we enjoyed the most.

Saturday 7th December

Fly from Sydney to Hanoi and stay for three nights at the Rex Hotel.

Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi

In Hanoi:

  • Do a self-guided walking tour around the old quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake 
  • Do a city tour visiting the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, One Pillar Pagoda, Ethnology Museum, Literature Temple and more 
  • Cyclo tour in the old quarter
  • See the Water Puppet Show 

Tuesday 10th December

Transfer to Halong Bay for a two-night cruise with Alisa Cruise.

At Halong Bay:

  • Kayaking tours
  • Visit Titop Beach for swimming, climb up Titop Mountain
  • Visit Cua Van Floating Village, Tien Ong Cave, Trong Cave
  • Cooking class
  • Squid fishing
  • Sunrise tai chi
  • Visiting Sung Sot Cave with its beautiful stalactites and stalagmites

Read all about how this Halong Bay cruise went and see photos on our Halong Bay With Kids post here.

Thursday 12th December

Return to  Hanoi airport and and fly to Danang, then travel to Hoi Ann where we stay for four nights at the Laluna Hoi An Riverside Hotel & Spa.

In Hoi An:

  • Do a walking tour of Hoi An
  • Visit Hoi An Market and enjoy a Red Bridge Cooking School class
  • Paul is playing gold at the Vin Pearl Nam Hotel golf course, kids and I will explore the beach

Ho Chi Minh City day tour

Tuesday 17th December

We fly from Danang to Saigon aka Ho Chi Minh City where we stay for four nights at the Orchid Saigon Hotel.

In Saigon:

  • Saigon city tour
  • Chu Chi Tunnels day trip
  • Mekong Delta day trip

Sampans on the Mekong Delta

Friday 20th December

We have a last day in Saigon and then fly back to Sydney overnight – ouch!

The itinerary looks pretty busy, but we do hope to have time to sit at cafes watching the world go by now and then, and to sample a lot of Vietnamese street food.  Another thing many people have recommended to us is a night food tour by Vespa, so perhaps we will do that one night too.

Ben Thanh Market in Ho Chi Minh City