International Tours
Discovery Vietnam
Discovery Vietnam is a north-to-south sweep of the country in eight days, from the old quarter and lakes of Hanoi to an overnight cruise through the karst islands of Halong Bay, the lantern-lit streets of Hoi An, the fantasy heights of Ba Na Hills and, in the south, the boulevards of Ho Chi Minh City, the waterways of the Mekong Delta and the wartime Cu Chi Tunnels. Two domestic flights knit it together so you experience all three regions without losing days to the road.
Tour overview
Vietnam is long and narrow, and its character changes completely from top to bottom — this itinerary is built to show you that arc. In the north you have thousand-year-old Hanoi and the UNESCO-listed seascape of Halong Bay; in the centre, the beaches of Da Nang, the trading-port heritage of Hoi An and the modern spectacle of the Golden Hand Bridge; and in the south, the French-colonial grandeur of Saigon, the lush Mekong Delta and the extraordinary tunnel network at Cu Chi.
Era Tours runs this as a fully private journey with a driver and guide at each stop and internal flights arranged between regions. The day-by-day plan below is our recommended flow with meals included as shown, but everything is tailor-made — the hotels, the cruise category, the pace and the balance between city, coast and countryside are all shaped to your interests.
Overnight on Halong Bay
You board a traditional junk and sail among 2,000 limestone islets, with kayaking, a fishing-village visit, sunset on the sundeck and Tai Chi at dawn before cruising back to shore.
Central heritage
The lantern-lined old town of Hoi An, the Marble Mountains and the surreal Golden Hand Bridge at Ba Na Hills give central Vietnam its magic.
The Mekong and Cu Chi
A boat trip through the Delta's islands and coconut workshops, and a half-day at the Cu Chi Tunnels, bring the country's living rivers and recent history to life.
Day-by-day itinerary
8 daysYou land at Noi Bai International Airport, about 45 minutes from the city, and are met and transferred to your hotel. Sightseeing begins with Ba Dinh Square, where Ho Chi Minh declared Vietnam's independence on 2 September 1945, the Ho Chi Minh Complex and Mausoleum, and the One Pillar Pagoda, an 11th-century Buddhist shrine rising on a single stone pillar like a lotus. In the afternoon you continue to the Huc Bridge and Ngoc Son Temple on Hoan Kiem Lake, and have free time around Trang Tien Plaza, the Old Quarter and Dong Xuan Market. Overnight in Hanoi.
- Hoan Kiem Lake & Ngoc Son Temple
- — The legendary lake at the heart of old Hanoi, crossed by the red Huc Bridge.
You are collected around 8:00 AM for the 160 km, roughly 3.5-hour drive to Halong, passing the paddy fields and villages of the Red River Delta. Arriving late morning, you board your junk and lunch as the cruise begins. The afternoon brings a short trek to a summit viewpoint over the golden-sailed bay, swimming or sunbathing on deck, and a visit to a floating fishing village. Dinner and a night are spent on board as the sun sets over the karsts. Overnight on the bay.
- Halong Bay
- — A UNESCO World Heritage seascape of around 2,000 limestone islands and islets.
At dawn you can join Tai Chi on the sundeck before tea and coffee and further cruising among the islets, then a buffet brunch as the junk sails back to shore, disembarking around 11:00 AM. You drive back to Hanoi for an early dinner and transfer to the airport for your flight to Da Nang in central Vietnam. Overnight in Da Nang.
After breakfast you drive around the Son Tra Peninsula for views over the coast and visit the Linh Ung Pagoda with its towering Lady Buddha statue. In the afternoon you explore the Marble Mountains, a cluster of five marble and limestone hills, and the Non Nuoc stone-carving village, before a guided walk through the UNESCO-listed old town of Hoi An — the Chinese assembly halls, the ancient merchant houses of Tan Ky and Phung Hung, and the iconic Japanese Covered Bridge. You return to Da Nang. Overnight in Da Nang.
- Hoi An old town
- — A preserved 15th–19th-century trading port famous for its lantern-lit lanes and Japanese Bridge.
- Marble Mountains
- — Five sacred hills honeycombed with caves and cave-temples.
You take a cable car up to the Ba Na Hills resort, a former French hill station, riding above green forest and waterfalls. At the top you cross the celebrated Golden Hand Bridge, held aloft by two giant stone hands, and explore the French-style village, Le Jardin garden, the old wine cellar and the Fantasy Park. In the afternoon you transfer back to Da Nang and fly to Ho Chi Minh City. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.
- Golden Hand Bridge
- — A 150m walkway cradled by two enormous weathered stone hands, high in the Ba Na Hills.
You drive to My Tho in the Mekong Delta and take a local boat among the islands named for the four holy beasts — Dragon, Unicorn, Phoenix and Turtle. On Unicorn Island you visit a bee-keeping farm and taste honey tea, then continue by motorboat to Ben Tre to see a handmade coconut-candy workshop, glide through green canals, and enjoy tropical fruit and traditional southern folk music before returning to the city. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.
- Mekong Delta
- — The vast river network of southern Vietnam, explored by boat through orchard islands and coconut villages.
A morning city tour takes in the Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica, built with materials shipped from France, and the Central Post Office designed in the era of Gustave Eiffel, along with the Independence (Reunification) Palace and the War Remnants Museum. In the afternoon you drive to the Cu Chi Tunnels, an underground network begun in 1948 that grew to an estimated 200 km of passages complete with hospitals, kitchens and living quarters. In the evening you transfer to the airport. Overnight or onward as your flight requires.
- Cu Chi Tunnels
- — An immense wartime tunnel complex you can crawl through and learn its history.
Depending on your flight time there may be a little more sightseeing or free time before your transfer to the airport for your onward journey. Tour ends.
This itinerary is a suggested flow and is fully customisable — hotels, pace and sightseeing are tailored to you. Ask us to adjust it →
Places on this tour
What's included
- Accommodation on twin-sharing basis in your chosen hotel category
- Overnight Halong Bay cruise with meals as specified
- Daily breakfast plus lunches and dinners as per the itinerary
- Private vehicle, driver and local guide at each destination
- Domestic flights and transfers as per the itinerary
- Sightseeing and entrance visits as specified
Not included
- International airfare, visa and applicable taxes
- Train Street coffee, personal purchases and tips
- Meals and drinks not specified
- Camera charges and any optional activities
- Travel insurance and items of a personal nature
- Anything not mentioned under inclusions
Ideal for: Culture and scenery seekers wanting the whole country in one trip.
FAQ
Discovery Vietnam — your questions answered
Eight days is enough to cover Vietnam end to end at a good pace. This itinerary uses two domestic flights so you can experience Hanoi and Halong Bay in the north, Da Nang and Hoi An in the centre, and Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta in the south without long overland journeys.
Yes, the overnight cruise is the highlight of any Vietnam trip. Sleeping aboard a junk among the limestone islands lets you see the bay at sunset and dawn, join kayaking and a fishing-village visit, and wake to Tai Chi on deck — an experience a day trip simply cannot match.
February to April is generally the best time for a full north-to-south tour, when both regions are mild and relatively dry. Because the country is so long, the weather varies by region and season, so we advise on timing for the specific route when planning your dates.
Yes, Indian passport holders need a visa for Vietnam, usually arranged as an e-visa or visa on arrival with pre-approval. Requirements change periodically, so we guide you through the current process as part of booking; the visa fee is not included in the tour price.
The walking is moderate and manageable for most travellers. You explore old towns, temples and the Cu Chi Tunnels on foot, with some steps at sites like the Marble Mountains and Ba Na Hills, but the pace is comfortable and much of the travel is by vehicle, boat and cable car.
