Good Morning Vietnam
Rice terraces, lantern towns and the Mekong
Seventeen days from the buzzing streets of Hanoi to the floating markets of the Mekong Delta — sleeping on a traditional junk in Halong Bay, riding the night train to imperial Hué and wandering lantern-lit Hoi An along the way.
The story
The smell hits you first — charcoal smoke and pho broth drifting through Hanoi's Old Quarter before sunrise. Three days dissolve into cyclo rides and bia hoi corners, then Halong Bay swallows you whole: limestone towers rising from pewter water like something the earth forgot to finish. Ninh Binh arrives quieter, rice paddies flooded mirror-flat, before Pu Luong folds you into terraced hillsides where roosters mark time better than any clock.
Crossing into central Vietnam, Hué carries its imperial sadness gracefully — crumbling citadel walls softened by bougainvillea, incense curling through royal tombs. Then Hoi An exhales lantern light over the Thu Bon River and you forget, briefly, that anywhere else exists.
The south runs faster. Ho Chi Minh City hums with motorbike electricity day and night, until the Mekong Delta slows everything down again — brown water, floating markets, the sound of rain on banana leaves. Seventeen days. One long, gorgeous exhale.
The route
Highlights
- A night on a traditional junk in Halong Bay
- Staying between the rice terraces of Pu Luong
- Sampan rowing trip through the caves of Tam Coc
- Lantern-lit evenings in Hoi An
- Cu Chi tunnels and the Mekong Delta
Day by day
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Hanoi
Day 1-3Land in Vietnam's thousand-year-old capital: scooter-filled boulevards, the Old Quarter's 36 streets and steaming bowls of pho on tiny plastic stools.
- Hanoi Old Quarter (36 Streets)
- Hoan Kiem Lake
- Ngoc Son Temple
- Bach Ma Temple
- Ô Quan Chưởng Gate
- Dong Xuan Market
Photo by Tan Danh on Pexels
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Halong Bay
Day 4Board a traditional junk and drift between thousands of limestone karsts — dinner on deck and a night on the water in one of the world's most famous bays.
- Halong Bay UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Traditional junk boat overnight cruise
- Sung Sot Cave (Surprise Cave)
- Kayaking through Luon Cave
- Titop Island
- Squid fishing off the junk deck
Photo by FOX Reizen on FOX Reizen
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Ninh Binh & Tam Coc
Day 5"Halong Bay on land": a sampan rowing trip through caves and rice paddies framed by dramatic karst cliffs.
- Tam Coc sampan boat ride on the Ngo Dong River
- Hang Ca, Hang Hai & Hang Ba Caves
- Mua Cave Viewpoint (Hang Mua)
- Bich Dong Pagoda
- Hoa Lu Ancient Capital
Photo by Son Tung Tran on Pexels
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Pu Luong
Day 6-7Two slow days between rice terraces and stilt-house villages of the Thai and Muong hill communities — hiking, cycling and utter quiet.
- Pu Luong Nature Reserve
- Thai and Muong stilt-house villages
- Trekking through Ban Hieu and Don Village
- Cycling the valley roads
- Hieu Waterfall
- Bamboo water wheels on the Cham River
Photo by Duong Nguyen on Pexels
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Hué
Day 8-9The night train drops you in Vietnam's imperial capital: the Citadel, royal tombs and dragon-boat rides on the Perfume River.
- Imperial City of Hue (Citadel)
- Royal Tombs of the Nguyen Dynasty
- Perfume River (Sông Hương) dragon-boat ride
- Thien Mu Pagoda
- Dong Ba Market
Photo by Vietnam Hidden Light on Pexels
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Hoi An
Day 10-12Lantern-lit trading town with tailor shops, an ochre-coloured old centre and cooking classes — with An Bang beach nearby.
- Hoi An Ancient Town
- Japanese Covered Bridge (Cầu Nhật Bản)
- Hoi An Old Town lantern-lit evenings
- Tailor shops on Tran Phu & Le Loi Streets
- Hoi An cooking class
- An Bang Beach
Photo by FOX Reizen on FOX Reizen
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Ho Chi Minh City
Day 13-14The energetic south: war history at the Cu Chi tunnels, rooftop bars and the best street food of the trip.
- Cu Chi Tunnels
- War Remnants Museum
- Reunification Palace
- Ben Thanh Market
- Bui Vien Walking Street
- Pho street food & banh mi stalls
Photo by Tuan Vy on Pexels
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Mekong Delta
Day 15-17Boat trips through the labyrinth of canals, floating markets and tropical orchards — then back to Ho Chi Minh City for the flight home.
- Mekong Delta canal boat trip
- Cai Rang Floating Market
- Ben Tre coconut candy workshops
- Vinh Trang Pagoda
- Tropical fruit orchards (Tien Giang)
Photo by Tomáš Malík on Pexels
What's included
- International flights
- Hotels & special overnight stays (junk, night train)
- Local transport
- Boat trips & excursions
- Dutch-speaking tour leader
- Most meals
- Visa
- Travel insurance
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