Reunification Express holiday, Vietnam
| country: | Vietnam |
| location: | North Vietnam, South Vietnam, Halong Bay |
| trip type: | A small group adventure |
| departures: | Regular departures throughout the year, at least twice a week |
| price: | From £500 (15 days) excluding flights. We can arrange flights from the UK. |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
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the amazing things you'll be doing
Travel from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City on board one of the world's most fascinating train journeys. The Reunification Express is a vital lifeline between north and south Vietnam and chugging along the railway, you'll get to experience the scenic, historical, cultural and culinary highlights of this marvellous country. 'All aboard', for a ride you'll never forget.
day-by-day itinerary
| Days 1-2: | Hanoi. Get lost in the whirl of colour, commotion and horn-blowing traffic. Visit the father of modern Vietnam's mausoleum and end the day at a water puppet show. |
| Days 3-4: | Halong Bay. Have breakfast with the kids at the Blue Dragon Charity before leaving the frenetic pace of city life behind to Halong Bay. Swim among the soaring karsts, shimmy into limestone caves and be rocked to sleep by the boat bobbing on the water. Returning to Hanoi, travel overnight on the Reunification Express, bound for Hue. |
| Days 5-6: | Hue. Imagine the opulence of imperial Vietnam within the Thai Hoa Palace, see the scars of former wars in the Forbidden Purple City or discover the legacy left behind by the fussy Emperor Tu Duc's tomb. Relax aboard a Perfume River cruise. |
| Days 7-9: | Hoi An. Travel through coastal rice paddies to the fishing village of Lang Co before heading into the mountains and crossing the spectacular Hai Van Pass. Take a step back in time in the ancient streetscapes of Hoi An. Here there are centuries-old family homes to explore, the wonderful Japanese Covered Bridge to wander across and bowls of mouth-watering cao lao to try. |
| Days 10-12: | Nha Trang. Devour a delicious seafood lunch then dive into sparkling turquoise waters and float in basket boats. |
| Days 13-15: | Ho Chi Minh City. Enjoy a relaxed cyclo tour through the city, then take a rowboat down the Mekong Delta. Learn the secrets of longan honey from a family of beekeepers. The lush scenery in this part of the world makes a fabulous backdrop for photos and a visit to a remote village offers insight into rural Vietnamese life. |
travellers' tales
The association with other travelers and meals were very pleasant. (more)
small group adventure holiday
This is a 'small group adventure' - on our group trips you'll be with a maximum of 11 like minded travellers and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends it's good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting people from other parts of the world as well as seeing new places! (more) Because of our small group size, we're able to guarantee departures for all of our trips. Once you have booked and paid your deposit, your trip is guaranteed to go!
how this holiday makes a difference
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This trip introduces travellers to the wonderful country of Vietnam. Our adventure begins aboard the Reunification Express, which allows you to marvel at the breathtaking scenery as well as to befriend local travelers. On this trip there are also plenty of opportunities to interact with the locals and learn about their way of life, for example we visit the Dong Trieu Factory to watch locals working on the traditional art of ceramics, we also visit some local houses to experience the everyday life of Mekong locals.
We always stay and eat in small-scale locally-owned establishments and every year we audit the places we use to make sure it complies with our Responsible Travel Code of Conduct to ensure minimum environmental impacts. We always use energy saver keys in hotels, for example. We supports a number of charity projects in Vietnam including the Cuc Phuong National Park Conservation centres, which is dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, breeding, research and conservation of the endangered primates of Vietnam, and the Saigon Children's Charity, who’s mission is to provide the poorest children with the education and training that will give them a fair chance in life. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |