Active over 50s holiday to Vietnam
| country: | Vietnam |
| location: | North Vietnam, South Vietnam |
| trip type: | A small group adventure |
| departures: | 2008: 22 Nov |
| price: | From £1759 (16 days) including flights from the UK, from £769 excluding flights |
| offers: | If you organise a group of 6 – 9 people onto one of our adventures we will give you £50 off per person. If you organise a group of 10 or more people onto one of our adventures one person will go FREE. Offer can not be combined with any other promotion. The booking must comprise of a minimum of 6 people, with 1 lead passenger who all the booking correspondence will be sent to. Adult prices must be more than £900 per passenger. Valid on all trips departing before 30 Sept 2009. |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
A comprehensive cultural journey from north to south, including a boat trip, rail journey and exploration of Vietnam’s hidden gems.
Hanoi to Hoi An
From the charming old city of Hanoi you travel to Halong Bay for a cruise amongst towering limestone cliffs. You’ll board the Reunification Express for a fascinating rail journey to Hue, where you take a boat trip on the Perfume River to see the elaborate Nguyen Tombs. The old French colonial port of Hoi An is a favourite of many who discover it, and provides the opportunity to relax on the beach or wander around lively local markets.
Saigon & Mekong Delta
Your journey continues by plane to vibrant Saigon, with time to discover its museums and markets. After a short history lesson, you can explore the Cu Chi Tunnels, used as hideouts by the Vietcong during the Vietnam war. You’ll then experience rural life in the intricate waterways of the Mekong Delta; travelling by boat among canals, islands and floating markets, and spending a night with a local family.
Special inclusions
Hoi An - Beautiful streets of old merchant’s houses lead to the riverfront markets. Magical tailors can whistle up new suits overnight whilst you have the opportunity to try your hand at Vietnamese cooking!
Your accommodation
Hotels (10 nights), homestay (1 night), overnight train (1 night), boat (1 night). All hotels used on this trip are of a good standard and where possible we use quiet locations to avoid the noise of the Vietnamese traffic. The Mekong Delta homestay is run by a welcoming family and the house is typical of the surrounding area; there are good washing and toilet facilities and the food is excellent.
Dining out
Trip price includes: 12 breakfasts, 1 lunch & 2 dinners. Vietnamese food is notoriously tasty, fragrant and fresh. Fish and seafood feature heavily and you’ll get to try lots of local delicacies on this trip - especially on the boat trip and during your homestay. Vegetarians are well catered for.
Transport used
The overnight train has four-berth cabins, with drinks and food available on board. There are Western toilets and bedding is provided. The Halong Bay boats feature twin-share cabins with en suite bathrooms, and a crew to cook dinner (vegetarians are catered for).
Hanoi to Hoi An
From the charming old city of Hanoi you travel to Halong Bay for a cruise amongst towering limestone cliffs. You’ll board the Reunification Express for a fascinating rail journey to Hue, where you take a boat trip on the Perfume River to see the elaborate Nguyen Tombs. The old French colonial port of Hoi An is a favourite of many who discover it, and provides the opportunity to relax on the beach or wander around lively local markets.
Saigon & Mekong Delta
Your journey continues by plane to vibrant Saigon, with time to discover its museums and markets. After a short history lesson, you can explore the Cu Chi Tunnels, used as hideouts by the Vietcong during the Vietnam war. You’ll then experience rural life in the intricate waterways of the Mekong Delta; travelling by boat among canals, islands and floating markets, and spending a night with a local family.
Special inclusions
Hoi An - Beautiful streets of old merchant’s houses lead to the riverfront markets. Magical tailors can whistle up new suits overnight whilst you have the opportunity to try your hand at Vietnamese cooking!
Your accommodation
Hotels (10 nights), homestay (1 night), overnight train (1 night), boat (1 night). All hotels used on this trip are of a good standard and where possible we use quiet locations to avoid the noise of the Vietnamese traffic. The Mekong Delta homestay is run by a welcoming family and the house is typical of the surrounding area; there are good washing and toilet facilities and the food is excellent.
Dining out
Trip price includes: 12 breakfasts, 1 lunch & 2 dinners. Vietnamese food is notoriously tasty, fragrant and fresh. Fish and seafood feature heavily and you’ll get to try lots of local delicacies on this trip - especially on the boat trip and during your homestay. Vegetarians are well catered for.
Transport used
The overnight train has four-berth cabins, with drinks and food available on board. There are Western toilets and bedding is provided. The Halong Bay boats feature twin-share cabins with en suite bathrooms, and a crew to cook dinner (vegetarians are catered for).
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1-2: | Overnight flight to Hanoi |
| Day 3-4: | Halong Bay; overnight cruise |
| Day 5: | Hanoi; cyclo tour & board the Reunification Express |
| Day 6-7: | Hue; boat on Perfume River to Nguyen Tombs |
| Day 8-10: | Drive to Hoi An; free to explore |
| Day 11: | Drive to Da Nang; fly to Saigon; free afternoon |
| Day 12: | Visit Cu Chi Tunnels |
| Day 13: | Mekong Delta; homestay |
| Day 14: | Return to Saigon; tour of city |
| Day 15-16: | Overnight flight to London |
over 50s holidays
This trip has been specially designed for, and is exclusive to, travellers over 50. On these trips, the typical group size is just 12, and we never exceed 16. This means better service for you, the chance to use smaller hotels, more freedom to reach out of the way places and more of a sense of camaraderie and fun. Over half of our travellers book independently and we do not charge an additional single supplement. Most travellers are aged between 50 and 70 and there is no upper age limit. It’s attitude and a love of travel that counts!how this holiday makes a difference
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We support the Binh Luc Children’s Centre near Hanoi, providing a home for orphans aged between 6 and 15 years old. You will have the opportunity to visit the centre during your stay in Hanoi. If you would like to take a gift they would be delighted to receive clothes, stationery and sports equipment. Recent improvements include a better dining room and kitchen, and separate toilet building. We return from Halong Bay via the Sao Do Charity Centre, helping disabled children sell handicrafts to the public.
Our Responsible Travel Code Clients who travel with us will automatically receive a copy of our Responsible Travel leaflet. This contains details and advice on how you can make a positive difference when you travel. If you would like a copy in advance of travel please contact us. Charity Partnerships We work in partnership with Plan International. Plan works with some of the world’s poorest communities where three out of four children die before the age of five. We also support Friends of Conservation – an international charity committed to working with local people to develop a balance between their needs and the wildlife with which they share the natural habitat and ecosystems. Carbon Balancing Global warming is a real issue and is a direct result of your travel. We have teamed up with Climate Care to give you the opportunity to offset the carbon emissions from your flight. You’ll be asked upon booking if you want to donate – with set amounts from £5. As a company we offset the carbon emissions from all staff travel in full. The Foundation We’ve highlighted a few of the ways in which we offer our support, financially or otherwise, and now you can, too. We have set up our own foundation, which will administer funds donated by you. A small donation of £1 per person will be taken when booking a holiday and that money will be put to good use by one of our carefully selected projects. If you don’t want to make the donation, just tell us when you call. |
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. |