12 Day Highlights Of Vietnam & Ninh Binh Premium Small Group
This tour is fully escorted by a dedicated tour leader who will accompany you throughout the tour. If your tour includes multiple countries, you will be met by a new tour leader in each country and any internal flights included will be unescorted.
This tour is categorised as 3 out of 5
Balanced exploration with walking tours: Our most popular style, this tour offers a good mix of planned activities and free time. Expect moderate daily walking tours, so pack comfortable shoes.
As a general requirement across all of our trips, you may be required to walk up and down stairs, get on and off transportation, handle your own luggage, and participate in all scheduled sightseeing that may be conducted on uneven ground and terrain. Any physical ailments you may have must be disclosed at the time of booking to determine your suitability and where required, supporting documentation may be requested to ensure that we are comfortable that you will enjoy your trip.
Experience a superior level of comfort. Our Small Group tours have been crafted for Inspiring Vacations travellers exclusively, with personal and unique experiences in mind. Travel with no more than 26 people, allowing for a more personalised and immersive experience. Please see the Important Information on your selected tour for the exact group size.
✓ Small group tour, up to 20 guests only
✓ Incredible sightseeing including a tour of the most incredible temples in Ninh Binh, a boat tour through Trang An, a visit and boat tour of the Van Long Nature Reserve, walking tour through Hanoi and Hoi An, excursion Sung Sot Cave, and a guided tour in Ho Chi Minh City
✓ 10 nights in central, 4-star accommodation
✓ 1 night on board a premium Halong Bay cruise
✓ Breakfast daily, 3 lunches and 2 dinner
✓ Fully escorted by a professional English-speaking tour guides
✓ Comfortable, dedicated transportation throughout
✓ In-depth sightseeing and entrance fees as per the itinerary
✈ Needing international airfares to accompany your Inspiring Vacation? You will be able to access our flight portal after securing your package to add international airfares to your booking.
Travel with the experts for a carefully curated, value-packed discovery of the world's most iconic destinations. Our tours are bursting with must-see sights, rich experiences and quality inclusions, all at an unbeatable price. Bucket list dreams are ticked off on these all-encompassing journeys.
Xin chao! Welcome to Vietnam! The rest of the day is at your leisure.
Airport transfers are not included. Our transfer portal offers the option to book your airport transfers for an easier arrival experience (additional charges apply). Access to this portal will be available through your Traveller Hub once your booking is confirmed.
After breakfast, we’ll depart the hotel for our 2-hour drive to Ninh Binh Province. This region is known for its beautiful, green landscapes and natural beauty.
Once we arrive in Hoa Lư, the ancient capital, we’ll visit the temples dedicated to Emperor Dinh Tien Hoang of the Dinh Dynasty (968-980), and Emperor Le Dai Hanh of the Le Dynasty (980-1009). After exploring the beautiful temples, we’ll break for a very special lunch. We will be welcomed into a local home for a traditional Vietnamese feast. We’ll meet the family and enjoy their Vietnamese home cooking—a highlight of the tour.
In the afternoon, we will travel to Trang An, which was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014. It is best known for its spectacular landscape of limestone karst peaks and caves which can be explored by boat.
After our visit, we’ll drive to our hotel to check in. The rest of the day can be spent as you wish.
After breakfast at the hotel, we will head to Van Long Nature Reserve, around 30 minutes away. The reserve is one of the few intact inland wetlands remaining in the Red River Delta area.
We’ll enjoy a boat ride surrounded by striking limestone karsts and rice paddy fields—a quintessential snapshot of Vietnam.
After, we’ll head back to the hotel and the rest of the day is at leisure.
After a leisurely breakfast and checking out of the hotel, the day is yours until we depart for Hanoi, a journey which will take around 2 hours.
You will be dropped off at the hotel and after checking in, you’re free to relax or explore as you wish until 6pm this evening when you will meet your tour leader and the rest of the group.
In the morning, transfer from Hanoi to Ha Long Bay (approximately 3.5 hours drive).
After arriving at Ha Long, get on board to cruise around and have chances to admire the spectacular scenery of Ha Long Bay with fascinating natural formations while having lunch. Then you will have some time to visit villages to have a look at how local people spend their days. You also can join the cooking class aboard to learn how to make spring rolls - a Vietnamese traditional dish.
After having dinner aboard, you can enjoy some night activities such as squid fishing, drinking, listening to music or just simply enjoying the night sky of Ha Long Bay.
Note: please pack an overnight bag with any essentials that you will need for your cruise, such as a change of clothes, toiletries, and medications. You will return to the same hotel in Hanoi, so your remaining luggage will be sure to be kept safely for the night.
In the morning, enjoy your light breakfast and relax for a while before exploring the cave system.
Afterwards, return to the cruise and enjoy the beautiful scenery until check-out time. We will then transfer back to Hanoi to check in the hotel.
Visit the Ho Chi Minh Complex (exterior) where the great President Ho Chi Minh rests in peace. We will visit the traditional stilt house and the respected One-Pillar Pagoda, the special pagoda with particular structure.
Later in the afternoon, an expert local guide will give you an insight into the intricacies and traditions of Vietnamese food culture including details on ingredients and historical backgrounds of popular northern dishes. You will eat as you go, trying seasonal fruits and sampling a tasty French inspired snack from a street cart. Walking through the maze of bustling streets that make up Hanoi’s Old Quarter, we tempt our taste buds with the famed Hanoi dish Banh Cuon at a local eatery. Watch in awe as the skilled chefs demonstrate for you how this tasty dish is put together. Continuing into the atmospheric heart of the Old Quarter, you will wander past street stalls and quiet residential lanes where you can observe local life that has changed little since Hanoi was founded over 1000 years ago. Your next two snack stops are at outdoor barbeque stalls. You can sit down with the Hanoi locals and sample various meat, vegetable and bread specialties that are flame grilled over hot coals for extra flavour. Now time for dessert as you adventure down a small alley to join in the local tradition of feasting on fresh fruit served in a cup and smothered with crushed iced and condensed milk – this specialty is one not to be missed!
This tour is suitable for all fitness levels, as it involves mostly walking.
In the morning, we transfer to Tran Quoc Pagoda - the oldest of its kind in Hanoi, dating back to the 6th century during the reign of Emperor Ly Nam De Dynasty (544 - 548). The Buddhist shrine has undergone several changes throughout the years, particularly its renaming from An Quoc to Tran Quoc (protecting the country) by Emperor Le Huy Tong in the 17th century.
We will move to the Temple of Literature - famous for being the first university of Vietnam. You will recognize that this is a popular place for Vietnamese students to take commemorative photographs when graduating.
Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant.
From here, head to the airport to take your domestic flight to Da Nang before transferring to Hoi An to check in at the hotel.
Includes: guide, electric buggy, show ticket
The show features more than 500 performers in colorful costumes accompanied by music to create a high-tech show that explores the history of Hoi An. Round-trip transportation is provided from your hotel, which makes it easy to relax and enjoy the evening’s activities.
Pick up 7:30pm. Show starts 8:00pm.
Recently declared a World Heritage site, Hoi An is beautifully preserved and exudes a tranquil atmosphere. Your guide will take you on a sightseeing walk through the Old Town to visit a handful of the city’s major attractions. It’s perfect for strolling around at a leisurely pace, with many beautiful Japanese houses and Chinese temples lining the narrow lanes. Parts of Hoi An look exactly as they did more than a century ago. It’s also a shopping mecca – browse local markets and shops for original paintings, handcrafted woodwork, ceramics, embroidery and lanterns.
The afternoon is free at your leisure to explore Hoi An.
Maybe browse the cobbled streets and art galleries for exquisite paintings, ceramics and colourful cloth lanterns. If you’re craving a new look, you could pay a visit to one of the hundreds of tailors and get something special made. Hoi An is also known for its delicious regional food, so be sure to enjoy a meal at a riverside restaurant or perhaps partake in a cooking class.
Enjoy the morning at your leisure and in the afternoon take the short flight down to Ho Chi Minh City.
Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your accommodation where you will have the evening at your leisure.
Includes: guide, transportation, show ticket
Originating in the Red River Delta, a thousand-year-old tradition, the water puppets act out ancient Vietnamese culture They feature the Dragon, Unicorn, Tortoise and Phoenix dance, Fairies dance, fishing, and agricultural work... It ends with puppeteer’s waist deep in water.
Pickup from Hotel Lobby will be 6.00pm, for a 6.30pm show.
Start your day with a visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels - a vast network of tunnels used by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War. Learn about the ingenuity and resilience of the Vietnamese people as you crawl through the tunnels and see how they were used for living, fighting, and communication.
In the afternoon, embark on a walking tour of Ho Chi Minh City to see the city through the eyes of a local. Visit some of its most iconic landmarks, including the War Remnants Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral and the Ho Chi Minh City Hall.
In the evening, explore Ben Thanh Market, a bustling market where you can experience local life and find souvenirs. You can find everything from fresh produce and seafood to clothing and handicrafts.
Meals are on your own account, but there are many great restaurants to choose from in Ho Chi Minh City. You can try some of the local specialties, such as pho, banh mi and bun cha.
Today is your free day to discover the city at your own pace. Perhaps use your included “Inspiring Sight” to explore the Mekong Delta on a full day tour.
Includes: guide, transportation & lunch
Embark on a day trip to explore the Mekong Delta. Begin your journey by boarding a private boat headed for Ben Tre, where you'll explore the coconut gardens and pause at a local home to sample tropical fruits and coconut jams.
Following this, take a seat in small rowing sampans and gently paddle along the Mekong Delta, passing by coconut trees that line the canals. Enjoy a tuk-tuk tour through the villages, gaining insight into rural life and the coconut industry, which produces items like brooms and coconut fiber mats.
Lunchtime arrives at a restaurant in the heart of the Delta, where you can savor regional specialties like the famous elephant ear fish. Conclude your day with a peaceful cruise along the major waterways to Ben Tre boat pier before returning to Ho Chi Minh City by bus.
All good things must come to an end and today marks the end of your Vietnam.
Airport transfers are not included. Our transfer portal offers the option to book your airport transfers for an easier arrival experience (additional charges apply). Access to this portal will be available through your Traveller Hub once your booking is confirmed.
Inspiring Tastes
Tantalise your tastebuds during your included Hanoi Street Food tour on day 3. Indulge in some of Northern Vietnam's finest cuisine.
Inspiring Sights
To enhance your journey, we're offering guests a bonus sightseeing experience. Choose 1 of 3 options (options listed under 'Optional Tours').
Inspiring Stay
Enjoy 1 night aboard a traditional Vietnamese cruise ship in the picturesque Halong Bay, amongst the stunning limestone monoliths
This is a land only package.
This package does not include international airfares. If you would like to add airfares to your booking our flight portal will be available via your Traveller Hub. The flight portal will allow you to search for all available airfares to your destination. The function works like most general flight search engines allowing you to select your preferred airline, book different cabin classes (eg. Business class) and view flight durations and transit times to your destination.
The flight portal will be available via your Traveller Hub once the following criteria has been met:
Visit our Flight Hub for more information on terms and conditions, amending your flights and information on luggage allowances.
Some of our packages will include airport transfers in either one or both directions when arriving or departing from your destination. To know if transfers are included please view the ‘inclusions’ section of your selected package. If airport transfers are stated, transfers will be included as advised.
If transfers are not included, we also offer the option to book your airport transfers using our online portal. Access to this portal is available through your Traveller Hub once your booking is confirmed. Transfers are readily available and do not need to be booked until your final hotel list has been confirmed. Once you have made a transfer booking, please refer to your confirmation email for all transfer details including a local contact number for the transfer company.
If you book pre and/or post-tour accommodation on your own arrangement, and the tour includes transfers, note that these will be forfeited. The transfers are only provided in line with the tour dates and pre and/or post-tour accommodation purchased through Inspiring Vacations when available.
It is the traveller's responsibility to ensure they have a valid passport. The passport must be valid for a minimum of six months from the intended date of return. Visas may be required for your destination. For further visa information, click here.
Fitness Requirements
While the tour itinerary should give you some guidance and overview to the expected requirements, to determine if this tour is right for you we categorise each of our tours in terms of their intensity. These guidelines are to ensure that each tour group is conducted as expected and to ensure the overall satisfaction of all Inspiring Vacations customers.
As a general rule, porterage is not included, therefore at all times you are expected to handle your own luggage where help may not be available.
This particular tour is categorized as a ”3”
3 – Moderate Tour: A good level of fitness and mobility is required, as this tour includes a moderate level of physical activity and is considered a medium-fast paced tour. You should be able to walk up and down stairs, get on and off the coach and able to walk reasonable distances of approximately 2 kilometres per day or more with ease. Any physical ailments you may have must be disclosed at the time of booking to determine your suitability. If you have any form of walking aids, other than a walking stick or hiking poles, then this tour is not suitable.
Tipping
A friendly reminder that tipping is not included in your package. Tipping is not compulsory on your trip, but they can make a big difference to locals employed in the tourism industry. If you feel that staff have done an impeccable job, you can choose to give a gratuity, but this is entirely your decision.
An expected tip in this region would be 4-7 USD per person, per day, shared among your driver, bellmen, restaurant staff, and more. Your trip leader will discuss tipping further with you while on tour, and may also discuss having a group tipping kitty that will be fairly dispersed throughout your trip.
Accommodation
The accommodation listed is subject to change. Any changes will be of an equal or higher standard. Bedding configurations (double or twin) are requests only. All efforts will be made to meet your preferences, however, any changes are beyond our control.
Single Supplement
Single supplement is $945.00 per person, in addition to the twin-share price.
Triple Share
Not available.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is recommended to protect yourself against the unexpected. In addition to the support that a policy may provide, you may be asked to present a copy of your travel insurance documentation while traveling.
We have partnered with nib to offer our customers competitive rates for their travel insurance. You can book Comprehensive or Essentials cover for your domestic, international or multi-trip journeys simply by clicking HERE.
Note that Inspiring Vacations cannot provide advice with regards to any insurance product.
Group Size
4-20 Persons
Children
Children must be 5 years old or above and share a room with parents at all times. Children are charged the same price as adults.
Tour Style
To meet the needs of various types of travelers, we choose to operate various types of tours, and depending on your selected package will mean different services are provided throughout your trip. The following descriptions of each tour style we hope will ensure that each traveller has appropriate expectations before they start their travels:
All participants must be in good physical condition to fully engage in this journey. For the safety and welfare of yourself and fellow travellers, if you are feeling unwell prior to departure, we advise staying home and contacting us to arrange alternate plans.
Prior to selecting your trip, carefully review the itinerary to assess your ability to comfortably manage our travel style. Please be aware that if, based on evaluation by our leader or local representative, a participant is deemed unable to safely complete the itinerary, we retain the right to exclude them from all or part of the trip without reimbursement.
It is advisable to consult your physician for current medical travel advisories and any required vaccinations before embarking. We recommend carrying a first aid kit and any necessary medications in their original packaging, as they may not be readily available during travel. For those carrying medication, it's essential to check your government's foreign travel guidelines for local restrictions or regulations.
You can enhance your holiday by arriving or departing before or after the tour. On this tour you can choose from the following options:
Pre Tour Accommodation
Post Tour Accommodation
Please select the number of extra nights required in the 'Additional Nights Accommodation' field when making your purchase. The additional cost for these arrangements will be added to your final payment invoice and are subject to availability.
To enhance your journey, we are offering guests a choice of the following optional activities (prices are per person):
Optional tours can be selected once you have finalised your tour purchase and paid your deposit. When completing your Passenger Booking Form, you will be asked if you would like to add Optional Tours, where any applicable cost will be added to your final balance. If you choose not to select them at this time, you can choose to add them later by logging in to your Account online.
Please note that you must select your Optional Tours no later than 70 days before departure, after which you will be required to purchase them on tour. Please keep in mind that anything purchased on-tour is subject to availability and prices may vary as you will be paying in local currency. We appreciate your understanding.
Click HERE for more information on weather in Vietnam.
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