Experience gorgeous countryside and friendly locals on this Vietnam Hiking Tour. Explore the culture, heritage, and what makes Vietnam so unique.
Vietnam is one of the most compelling destinations in Southeast Asia. The dragon-shaped country guarantees charm, exoticism, and adventure. In the north, you will discover the wonderful Halong Bay, the timeless charm of Hanoi, and the very colourful ethnic minority groups. Your heart will be captured by the immense water, endless rice fields, and buzzing floating markets of the Mekong Delta.
You’ll have incredible hiking opportunities in Northern Vietnam through rice terraces, Thai villages, and beautiful mountains.
From the jagged limestone karsts of Ha Long Bay to the vast Cu Chi tunnels built by the Viet Cong and underlying Saigon, Vietnam’s landscape is as compelling as its history. Fuelled by one of the most robust economies in the developing world, the country exemplifies tenacity, ambition, and recovery.
Located in the southeastern extremity of the Indochinese peninsula, spread over an area of about 331,210 km2, Vietnam shares a border with the Gulf of Tonkin, Gulf of Thailand, and the South China Sea alongside China, Laos, and Cambodia.
Contact us for a custom tour of Vietnam.
Highlights
STARTS AT
USD per Person
THIS IS A CUSTOMIZABLE ITINERARY FOR GROUPS OF ALL SIZES.
DATES ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.
DAY 1: WELCOME TO HANOI, VIETNAM
Upon arrival in Noi Bai airport, you will meet your driver and local guide and travel by car to your hotel.
Balance the day at leisue.
Meals: None
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi
Distance of Noi Bai airport – Hotel: 16 miles – 45 min
DAY 2: HANOI DISCOVERY TOUR
In the morning, you will begin your full-day discovery of the capital with Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum – a tribute to the architecture of Lenin Mausoleum in Moscow and his traditional stilt house. Later on, you will visit the Ethnology Museum. Created in November 1997 at the Francophonie Summit, it is both a research center and a public museum featuring the 54 ethnic groups found across Vietnam.
In the afternoon, you will visit the Temple of Literature (Van Mieu in Vietnamese), situated in the place once known as the first university of Vietnam. Built in 1070 by Emperor Ly Thanh Tong, the university was first opened for princes and mandarins exclusively. With its ancient courtyards, altars, and roofs, Van Mieu is a very fine example of Vietnamese architecture. Then, continue your way to the Old Quarter and the surroundings of Sword Lake.
Egg Coffee – Hanoi’s Legend. Iconic to Hanoi, the egg coffee recipe was developed by a Vietnamese local who once worked in the most legendary hotel in Hanoi, the Sofitel Legend Metropole. Although his cafe was once the only destination to enjoy the unique drink, due to its popularity the secret egg coffee recipe has been copied and is now served in many coffee shops around Hanoi. According to many, the original is still the most special place to try the iconic beverage, which has earned a place in local legend.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi
Notes:
– The Mausoleum is closed on Monday and Friday. Every year, the monument will be closed between mid-September and mid-December for regular restoration and preservation of the presidential remains, which is the same as that of Lenin Mausoleum in Russia (exact dates to be checked each year). To be allowed to enter the mausoleum, you must cover your legs, stand in pairs in silence without crossing your arms, or putting your hands in your pockets
– The Ethnology Museum is closed on Monday
Distance of Noi Bai airport – Hotel: 16 miles – 45 min
DAY 3: HANOI – MAU CHAU – AVANA RETREAT
In the morning you will depart from Hanoi to Mai Chau, traveling along charming smaller roads. En route, you will find the road ascends gradually until you find yourself in the middle of a landscape of mountains set at a medium altitude. You will arrive at Avana Retreat at around noon.
At leisure in the afternoon.
Option with supplement (payment on spot): Avana Retreat – 60 minute signature massage at Orchid Spa
A combination of individually chosen essential oils, a medium to firm pressure, acupressure points, and the stimulation of circulation. The restorative advantage of warm Vietnamese herbal packs is added to this treatment to soothe tired muscles and inflamed joints, increase flexibility, and restore energy to your body.
Duration: 60 minutes
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Avana Retreat
Notes:
+ Hotel standard check-in: 14:00
+ Hotel standard check-out: 12:00
+ Transfer distance: 93mi – 4 hours
DAY 4: AVANA RETREAT + HIKING
Hike to Thai villages:
You will start to hike directly from Avana Retreat and walk for 1 hour near the forest, eventually reaching the top of the mountain to enjoy a scenic view of the region including the villages of Panh and Cun Pheo. You will then continue through the countryside, witnessing the beauty of the region with rice fields, corn fields, and scenic mountains. After passing Thai villages you will visit a house and meet with some local people to learn about traditional life and customs. From there, you will be picked up and travel back to the hotel.
The rest of the day is at leisure.
While at leisure in the Retreat, you may consider the complementary services available here:
Stilt house Museum (14:30 – 15:00): it’s home to small collections of ethnic groups in Mai Chau. A 30-minute museum tour with a guide every afternoon gives a better understanding of the culture.
Local workshop:
+ Thai Waving Demonstration: every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, from 14:00 to 17:00.
+ Rattan Basket Weaving: every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday, from 14:00 to 17:00
Both are located in the Stilt House Museum.
Fitness Center, Fishing (08:00 – 17:00 in the Fish Pond area), Library (09:00 – 22:00, located in the Orchid Spa).
Outdoor Cinema (in the evening of Sunday to Friday): location is in the grass field nearby Green Chili Restaurant.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Avana Retreat
Notes for the morning hike:
+ Duration: 3 hours –3 miles
+ Difficulty level: 1
+ Terrain: Mountain trails
+ Elevation 350m (from 350m to 700m)
Note: This hike is suitable for those 10 years old and above.
DAY 5: AVANA RETREAT – PU LUONG HIKE
You will depart from Mai Chau to Pu Luong Nature Reserve, populated by the Thai and Muong minorities. Your journey through beautiful villages, rice fields with mighty mountains in the background as well as a primary forest offers the opportunity to discover a region that is not often visited.
Upon arrival in the center of Pu Luong, you will start a 2-hour hike lasting for the rest of the morning. You will begin from the village of Ban Don and descend into the valley.
Along the way you will come across rice terraces, ducks, chickens, and probably some locals working in the fields. Eventually, you will arrive at a beautiful amphitheater of rice terraces providing countless opportunities for perfect pictures. You will then continue to walk among the rice terraces and pass many homes of the Thai minority, a great way to learn about their customs and the way they build their houses. You will be back at the starting point ready for lunchtime.
After lunch, you will travel back to Avana Retreat and arrive there in the middle of the afternoon.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch
Accommodation: Avana Retreat
Distance and duration of the hike: 3 miles – 2h 30min
Level: 1
Difference in elevation: +201 meters / -201 meters
Terrain: Climb and descent, can be slippery in case of rainfall
Transportation of Avana Retreat – Pu Luong, one way: 31 miles – 1h 30min
DAY 6: AVANA RETREAT TO HANOI
Enjoy the stay at Avana Retreat before the trip back to Hanoi.
Arrive in Hanoi and balance the day at leisure.
Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi
Distance: Avana Retreat – Hanoi: 94 miles – 4 hours
DAY 7: HANOI TO HALONG BAY
In the morning, you will travel to Halong and arrive around noon. There, you will embark on a cruise in the must-see Halong Bay. This world-famous bay is one of the most beautiful landscapes in Vietnam, with its giant rock islets covered in luxuriant vegetation overlooking the waters. Halong Bay includes some 1,900 islands and islets of rocky peaks, often uninhabited and unvisited. This scene creates a spectacular marine landscape, which earned it UNESCO World Heritage status in 1994. You will be served lunch and dinner aboard with excellent and freshly caught seafood from the bay. At the end of the day, you will have the chance to enjoy a night fishing session on the boat.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Overnight on the boat
Distance : 105 miles – 2h 30min to 2h45min
DAY 8: HALONG TO HANOI TO HO CHI MINH
Early in the morning and depending on the season, you will wake up to enjoy the sunrise over the aquamarine waters of the bay. Then the cruise will tour around the bay until you disembark at the end of the morning. After that, you will then return to Hanoi and to Noi Bai airport for your onward flight to Ho Chi Minh CIty.
Arrive in Tan Son Nhat airport in Ho Chi Minh city, the guide and driver welcome you and travel to your hotel.
Balance the day at leisure.
Accommodation: Hotel in Ho Chi Minh city
Hotel standard check-in: 14:00 & check-out: 12:00
Distance Tan Son Nhat airport – hotel: 9 miles – 30 min
Meals included: Breakfast
DAY 9: CU CHI TUNNELS
You will leave early in the morning for the Cu Chi Tunnels, located about 2 hours from Ho Chi Minh City. Originally dug by hand by the Viet Minh (Resistance Force) during the French-Indochina War, this network of underground tunnels was expanded during the Vietnam War. At its peak, it was 200 kilometers long, 3-to-4-meters deep, and was very well-equipped with meeting rooms, medical, and sanitary posts.
Today, it is one of the most important historical sites of the Vietnam War. You will begin the visit by watching a documentary on the tunnels and the war in the 60s-70s, and then you can pass through various narrow underground ducts in order to discover the many rooms: offices, kitchens, bunk rooms, weapons stores, and even hospitals. At the end of the tour, you will have the chance to taste a culinary specialty of Cu Chi, khoai my luoc (boiled cassava), a Vietnamese dish eaten daily during the war. After your visit, you will return to Ho Chi Minh City.
This afternoon, visit the tumultuous capital of the South. As you embark on the tour today, very soon you will notice that the architecture in the centre of Ho Chi Minh City is still representative of the colonial era and Chinese influence. Your discovery of the capital of the South would not be complete without a visit to the city’s main historical sites: the central post office, whose metal structure was designed by Gustave Eiffel; the Reunification Palace and Dong Khoi Street. Duration: 4 hours
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Ho Chi Minh city
Distance of Ho Chi Minh city – Cu Chi tunnel (one way): 46 miles – 1 hr 55 min
Note: Not recommended for people with claustrophobia
DAY 10: BEN TRE MEKONG DELTA
In the morning you will depart from Ho Chi Minh City to explore Ben Tre in the Mekong delta, also known as the “Green Venice” of Vietnam. After visiting a brick factory in Phong Nam where bricks are still hand-made, step onto a boat for a cruise along the Chet Say River (one of the Mekong’s arms). You will make several stops along the way to discover different local workshops, allowing you to understand better the specialties of the local economy. The boat will then cross a small canal and stop at a small village, where you will continue your discovery of the delta by visiting a workshop specializing in carpet-weaving. You will even be able to try this activity yourself, before hopping in a xe loi (a kind of motorized rickshaw) or on a bicycle to wander around the village. You will see traditional farms and vegetable plants, before stopping at a small local restaurant to taste a delicious (and generous) lunch made of regional specialties, such as “elephant-ear fish” and freshwater shrimps.
In the afternoon you will get back on the sampan for some leisure time along the narrow canals. You will travel back to Ho Chi Minh City by car.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Ho Chi Minh city
Level of cycling: 0
Distance & duration: 3 miles – 30 minutes cycling
Terrain: Good road, easy to ride
Transportation of Ho Chi Minh city – Ben Tre, one way: 55 miles – 2 hours
DAY 11: DEPARTURE DAY
Following your breakfast, you will Explore District 5 in Depth and start your stroll down a small alley to discover the life of the locals. Continue along the streets of Cho Lon (Chinatown) and enjoy the living, breathing, authentic traditions of this former Chinese village. Zigzagging between small streets and local businesses, you will arrive at a traditional medicine shop, where you can rest with a cup of hot tea. Then, passing by a stunning Chinese pagoda, which you must visit, make your way to the local market before heading to a local cafe to wrap up the activity.
Duration & distance: 2 hours to 2h 30min – 1 mile. This is a walking tour.
You will then return to the hotel, then travel to Tan Son Nhat airport for your onward flight.
OPTION TO EXTEND TO: Cambodia, Laos or Thailand
Meals: Breakfast
Hotel check-out time: 12:00
Tour Exclusions
IMPORTANT NOTES
PLEASE NOTE: This itinerary is subject to change. Although we always do our best to stick to the itinerary, due to the ever-changing nature of Mother Nature, activities, hotels, and visits are subject to change due to forces beyond our control.
FLIGHTS: Please do not purchase your flights until this tour is confirmed.
PASSPORTS: Must be valid for at least 6 months upon return date to your home country. Proper documentation is the responsibility of each traveller.
VISAS & VACCINATIONS: Responsibility of the traveller. VISAS (responsibility of the traveller) – Many nationalities do need a visa to enter.
Date: Custom Departure available upon request
Prices from: $2995 USD per participant based on Double / Twin accommodation
*Please note, the hotels and routing of this tour can be altered to best suit your needs. Prices may vary.
Travel Insurance
Cancellation, Travel, Flight, and Health insurance are required and are the responsibility of the participant to research and secure the appropriate coverage. Click HERE for a Travel Insurance Quote or please email nicola@finisterra.ca for a quote.
Check with your local travel agent /insurance provider/health plan for advice about traveling overseas.
Waiver Form
All participants will be required to sign a Waiver Form prior to departure.
Please note that these are just sample hotels and all accommodation is subject to change. We can upgrade hotels for an additional fee.
Hanoi La Siesta Premium Hang Be * * * (Deluxe)
Mai Chau Avana Retreat Mai Chau * * * * * (Bauhinia Mountain Suite – DBL)
Deluxe Balcony cabin Orchid Cruises Classic cruise – Suite Balcony
Grand Hotel Saigon * * * * (Premium Deluxe)
TRAVEL INSURANCE
Even though we wish you a flawless trip, things can happen, especially nowadays. Make sure you are prepared with a Travel Insurance policy that is right for you. Finisterra recommends Manulife Insurance or John Hancock Please feel free to ask us about Trip Cancellation & Interruption Insurance, Cancel for Any Reason Policies, Travel Medical Insurance, or any other questions you may have.
TRAVEL INSURANCE FOR CANADIANS
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TRAVEL INSURANCE FOR AMERICANS – JOHN HANCOCK
Explore the world, stress-free, when you book travel insurance with John Hancock International.
WHY TRAVEL WITH US?
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