| country: | Vietnam |
| location: | North Vietnam, Central Highlands |
| trip type: | A small group adventure |
| departures: | 2008: 20 Sep, 19 Oct, 17 Nov 2009: 31 Jan, 19 Feb, 24 Mar, 26 Apr, 21 May |
| price: | From £1400 - £1505 (10 days) including flights from the UK, or from £610 excluding flights. Price includes all transport, accommodation & activities specified in itinerary, all meals (except lunch & dinner on day 7) |
the amazing things you'll be doing
A fascinating journey exploring Northern and Central Vietnam:
Northern and Central Vietnam are areas particularly rich in World Heritage Sites - our tour includes the fabulous former imperial capital, Hue, the charming old port town of Hoi An and the ancient ruined city of My Son.
A boat cruise in spectacular Halong Bay and a stay on a secluded, unspoilt island in the South China Sea are also available (at extra cost) should you wish to extend your tour.
Price includes hotel accommodation, transport by minibus, train, flight and boat, as per the itinerary, and all meals except lunch and dinner on day 7.
Northern and Central Vietnam are areas particularly rich in World Heritage Sites - our tour includes the fabulous former imperial capital, Hue, the charming old port town of Hoi An and the ancient ruined city of My Son.
A boat cruise in spectacular Halong Bay and a stay on a secluded, unspoilt island in the South China Sea are also available (at extra cost) should you wish to extend your tour.
Price includes hotel accommodation, transport by minibus, train, flight and boat, as per the itinerary, and all meals except lunch and dinner on day 7.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Depart London |
| Day 2: | Hanoi. Morning arrival in Hanoi, check-in to a downtown hotel and afternoon free to relax or explore the area before an evening trip to see the City’s unique water-puppet show. |
| Day 3: | Hanoi to Hue. Day tour of this beautiful old city with it’s French colonial ambience: lakes, parks and temples and a stroll through the bustling backstreets of the old quarter before an evening flight to Hue - the ancient imperial capital of Vietnam. |
| Day 4: | Hue. Time to check out the numerous UNESCO World Heritage Sites of this historic city: morning cruise by ‘dragon boat’ along the Perfume River to visit some of the majestic tombs of the former emperors and afternoon walk around the ancient Citadel. |
| Day 5: | History tours. More recent history with a day trip to the infamous DMZ, (demilitarized zone), to visit some of the key sites of the Vietnam War, including the Vietcong tunnels at Vinh Moc, Hien Luong Bridge on the 17th parallel, which marked the border between former South and North Vietnam, and Khe Sanh Combat Base – scene of some of the most intense fighting of the war. |
| Day 6: | Hoi An. Short, scenic drive to nearby Hoi An Town with stop-offs on the way at mountainous Bach Ma National Park and the beautiful and spectacular beach at Lang Co. |
| Day 7: | Hoi An. Well-preserved and charming, World Heritage site Hoi An was one of SE Asia’s most important ports during the 17th – 19th centuries. A half-day tour of the old town and waterfront area and a free afternoon to discover the picturesque old streets at your leisure or bicycle down to the nearby beach for a dip or massage. |
| Day 8: | My Son City. Morning relaxing or a visit to the bustling silk market with an afternoon trip to the atmospheric ruined temples of ancient My Son City – Vietnam’s most important site of the former Cham Empire. The city was occupied from the 4th to 13th centuries before succumbing to its powerful Khmer and Vietnamese neighbours. |
| Day 9: | Danang region. Time to explore some of the sites of the Danang region with a visit to the famous China Beach, Marble Mountain and the fascinating Cham Museum before an evening departure from Danang, via Hanoi. |
| Day 10: | Arrival in London |
| Extensions: | Optional extensions (at extra cost) include: 2 days to explore the incredible scenery of World Heritage Halong Bay or 3 days to relax at a beach resort on unspoilt Whale Island. |
small group family holiday
This is a 'small group adventure' - you will be sharing your experiences with like minded people. Group sizes are limited to a maximum of 9 persons, a genuinely small group. Experience has taught us that smaller groups are less intrusive to local cultures and environments whilst allowing more interaction with local people. Furthermore it means greater flexibility on a day to day basis and on a social level it proves to be fun. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends/family its good value, and a great way to meet new people! The intention is to travel as a group of friends rather than a typical tour group, so don't expect stick-on name badges or any following the umbrella. how this holiday makes a difference
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Responsible Tourism is very important to us and this is reflected on all our tours in the following ways:
On this tour: We are encouraging maintenance of traditional handicrafts and supporting people with disabilities (in a region where disabilities can utterly preclude gainful employment) by visiting, and encouraging purchases from, the Hong Ngoc Humanity Centre in Sao Do town, near Hanoi. This is an entirely Vietnamese-run NGO, which allows disabled children and young adults to learn vocational skills relating to the manufacture and marketing of handicrafts. More on how we are having a positive impact on Vietnam soon. Information: Providing suitable, relevant information for our customers; to help them to gain a wider understanding of our style of tourism that focuses on learning, genuine interaction with the local communities, reciprocity and cultural exchange processes. To be aware of the potential impact of tourism on the local society, culture and environment, and to behave and dress appropriately with a respect and appreciation for local customs, mores and traditions and a respect for the ecology of areas visited. Our guides and leaders thus facilitate communication of our values to both travellers and local communities, educating them in sustainable tourism practices Group sizes: By limiting groups to small sizes we aim to reduce the impact on both local communities and the environment whilst allowing for greater genuine interaction with said communities. It also results in a higher guide/customer ratio thus greater facility for supervision and individual assistance and allows us to use smaller hotels and restaurants and employ the services of more genuinely ‘local’ operators perhaps not otherwise well equipped for larger groups. Destinations: We combine the well known tourist sites with many off-the-beaten-track, rarely visited destinations thus diverting tourist revenue and contact with responsible tourism into areas not usually benefiting as well as providing a more authentic view of the region visited. Local products: As much as possible we aim to employ local personnel, (guides, drivers, agents etc), use local restaurants and smaller privately owned accommodation. Customers are also encouraged to buy and use local products and services as much as possible in order to support and stimulate the local economy. Instruction: By explaining our methods and the reasons behind them local agents, guides and hotels are encouraged by us to adopt further responsible tourism practices themselves and guides and drivers are provided with additional training in this respect. |
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. |












Information: Providing suitable, relevant information for our customers; to help them to gain a wider understanding of our style of tourism that focuses on learning, genuine interaction with the local communities, reciprocity and cultural exchange processes.