Best of Vietnam (13 destinations)

Experience the real Vietnam on this comprehensive 20-day trip from south to north. Travel from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi and experience bustling cities, tranquil backwaters, imperial ruins, faded elegance and Heritage-listed landscapes dotted with reminders of the past. Explore the narrow, cobbled streets of Hoi An’s Old Town, sail the waters of UNESCO World Heritage Site Ha Long Bay, cruise down the Mekong Delta’s waterways, encounter local tribes in your stay in Lam Thuong and whizz through the back streets of Hue as you uncover the very best of Vietnam.During this trip, there will be several long days of travelling and you'll be sitting on a bus for many hours at a time. However, road trips often have the best views, and most private buses feature wi-fi.We cover a lot of distance on this trip, including on overnight trains. Accommodation and amenities are shared and basic, but the experience of rubbing shoulders with the locals makes it all worthwhile. For more about what this experience is like, see our blog post here: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/adventures/what-to-expect-on-an-overnight.This trip involves a lot of walking and a few physical activities, e.g. city tours, village cycling, or taking an optional kayak tour etc. You’ll be required to be reasonably fit to make the most of the trip.You'll be spending three nights with local families on this trip, where the accommodation is shared and basic. But this is a great opportunity to connect with the local people (and enjoy delicious homecooked meals). Read more about the experiences here: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/adventures/community-based-tourism-vietnam/Vietnam has an incredibly diverse climate influenced by both tropical monsoons and its range of altitudes and latitudes. Temperatures can vary from a brisk 4°C (39°F) in the northern mountains during winter to a sweltering and humid 36°C (97°F) in Ho Chi Minh City during the middle of the dry season. Please check the weather for the time of year you're travelling to pack appropriate clothing - this page may be useful: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/vietnam/weather-in-vietnam