12 Day Vietnam: Historic Cities & Halong Bay Cruising | G Adventures 18 to 30's Highlights
- Get up to 10% cash back when you book with us
- Accommodation for 11 nights: Hotel (2 nights), Hostel (6 night), Sleeper Train (3 night)
- Meals: 9 breakfasts and 2 lunches
- Explore the bustling streets and rich history of Ho Chi Minh City with a guided orientation walk
- Adventure through some of the most spectacular caves in Asia, the Phong Nha Caves.
- Take a guided tour through the historical heart of Vietnam's capital, Hanoi's Old Quarter
- Transport by: Train, air-conditioned bus, walking, and junk boat
- Knowledgeable English-speaking guide
Want to secure your spot on this adventure with a low deposit from only $400 per person? Contact us here or send us a chat to find out how!
What's Excluded
What to Expect
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 10% Cashback Deal?
What is the 10% Cashback Deal?
You score up to 10% of your purchase value emailed to you as a one time code to use on your next adventure!
Is there an option to just pay a deposit to hold the spot?
Is there an option to just pay a deposit to hold the spot?
Yes! Please contact our helpful support team on support@backpackerdeals.com or see our live chat!
Where does the trip start and finish?
Where does the trip start and finish?
The tour starts in Ho Chi Minh City, and finishes in Hanoi.
For details of your joining hotel please refer to your tour voucher, G Account, the G Adventures App or contact your travel agent.
When arriving at Tan Son Nhat Intl Airport in Ho Chi Minh City you can get a metered taxi from just outside of the arrival hall. The taxis are lined up outside in an orderly queue and the fare is roughly 100,000 Dong (approx 7 USD) to get to your starting point hotel. DO NOT GO WITH TAXI TOUTS AS THEY WILL TRY TO RIP YOU OFF. The airport is only 7km from the downtown District 1 so taking taxis is easy and cheap if the meter is on.
If you have paid in advance for an arrival transfer, a G Adventures representative will be at the airport to meet you. There is a common scam at the airport for non-G Adventures' drivers to pretend they are working for the company. It is very important to confirm your name and booking number with your airport transfer representative. If you are unable to make contact for whatever reason, please make your way to the joining point hotel via taxi.
Please note that day 1 is an arrival day and no activities have been planned on this day.
Upon arrival to your Joining Hotel (note that check-in time will be in the afternoon), look for a note or bulletin board in the reception with a note from your CEO. This note will give the details of your Welcome Meeting on day 1 (usually between 5pm and 7pm), where you will get a chance to meet your CEO and other travellers, as well as learn more about how the tour will run. If you don’t see a note, please ask reception for details!
If you are arriving later and will miss the Welcome Meeting, your CEO will leave a note at reception for you with any information you may need, and with morning instructions for the next day.
What if I'm travelling solo?
What if I'm travelling solo?
Most of our trips do not have a single supplement. This means that the accommodation is on a twin share basis and, if you are travelling on your own, you will be sharing a room with another G Adventures traveller of the same sex. Some tours have an optional single supplement or rarely a mandatory single supplement.
Will this tour suit me?
Will this tour suit me?
This is a small group experience with up to 16 passengers.
It includes light walking and hiking suitable for most fitness levels. Nothing too challenging.
Accommodation is comfortable tourist-class accommodation, with character; mix of public and private transport. Some hotel rooms in major cities by not have any windows. Some hotels of only two stories may not have elevators and you will need to climb the stairs with luggage.
Visa and entry requirements
Visa and entry requirements
All countries require a valid passport (with a minimum 6 months validity).
Contact your local embassy or consulate for the most up-to-date visa requirements, or see your travel agent.
It is your own responsibility to have the correct travel documentation. Visa requirements for your trip will vary depending on where you are from and where you are going.
Vietnam:
If you require a visa for Vietnam, they need to be arranged ahead of time (BEFORE your trip) as the processing time varies (minimum 2 weeks) and they are not available upon arrival.
Vietnamese E-Visa can be applied for here
Entry to Vietnam with an eVisa is supported at 13 airports, 16 land borders, and 13 seaports.
Information is accurate as of April 1st, 2024.
Do I need travel insurance?
Do I need travel insurance?
Yes, travel insurance is compulsory on this trip.
How much spending money do I need?
How much spending money do I need?
Every traveller is different and therefore spending money requirements will vary. Some travellers may drink more than others while other travellers like to purchase more souvenirs than most. Please consider your own spending habits when it comes to allowing for drinks, shopping and tipping. Please also remember the following specific recommendations when planning your trip.
You can have a plate of food for a street vendor for $5 - 7 AUD, however there are always more expensive options. From a mid-range, sit-down restaurant, expect to pay $5 - $21AUD - not including alcohol.
Please also make sure you have access to at least an additional USD $250 (or equivalent) as an 'emergency' fund, to be used when circumstances outside our control (ex. a natural disaster) require a change to our planned route. This is a rare occurrence!
What should I pack
What should I pack
We strongly recommend bringing a backpack or duffel bag, as suitcases can be cumbersome and difficult to store in buses, under seats, etc.. Keep in mind that you will normally have to carry your own luggage on and off buses and trains and up and down hotel staircases. Suitcases with wheels may not work well on dirt or cobblestone roads.
Packing List:
Conservative Dress:
• Modest clothing that covers knees and shoulders (Long pants, long skirts, shirts that cover shoulders)
• Shawl or scarf (for temple visits)
Documents:
• Flight info (required) (Printouts of e-tickets may be required at the border)
• Insurance info (required) (With photocopies)
• Passport (required) (With photocopies)
• Vouchers and pre-departure information (required)
• Visas or vaccination certificates (With photocopies)
Essentials:
• Toiletries (required) (Shampoo, bodywash, soap, etc.)
• Binoculars (optional)
• Camera (With extra memory cards and batteries)
• Cash, credit and debit cards
• Day pack (Used for daily excursions or short overnights)
• Ear plugs
• First-aid kit (should contain lip balm with sunscreen, sunscreen, whistle, Aspirin, Ibuprofen, bandaids/plasters, tape, anti-histamines, antibacterial gel/wipes, antiseptic cream, Imodium or similar tablets for mild cases of diarrhea, rehydration powder, water purification tablets or drops, insect repellent, sewing kit, extra prescription drugs you may be taking)
• Flashlight/torch (Headlamps are ideal)
• Fleece top/sweater
• Footwear
• Hat
• Locks for bags
• Long pants/jeans
• Moneybelt
• Outlet adapter
• Personal entertainment (Reading and writing materials, cards, music player, etc.)
• Reusable water bottle
• Shirts/t-shirts
• Sleepwear
• Small travel towel
• Sunglasses
• Swimwear
• Watch and alarm clock
• Waterproof backpack cover
• Windproof rain jacket
Health & Safety:
• Hand sanitizer (required)
• Face masks (Clients will be only be required to wear a face mask where it is mandated by local regulations.)
• Pen (Please bring your own pen for filling out documents.)
• Quick Covid Test/Antigen Test (optional)
Sleep Sheet and Pillow:
• Sleeping bag liner/sleep sheet
• Travel pillow
Warm Weather:
• Sandals/flip-flops
• Shorts/skirts (Longer shorts/skirts are recommended)
• Sturdy water shoes/sandals
• Sun hat/bandana
• Swimwear
Note: Please pack clothing for the season in which you will be travelling. From Nov-Feb weather can be cold, so please pack warm clothing. From May-Oct it is the wet season, so please bring waterproof clothing.
What are the luggage restrictions?
What are the luggage restrictions?
We recommend keeping the weight of your bags between 10-15kg/22-30lb.
Suitcases are not recommended for G Adventures trips! Most travellers carry a backpack or rolling bag of small to medium size (no XXL ones please!) as they need to fit under the beds when travelling on sleeper trains. You will also need a day pack/bag to carry water, cameras and other electronics like ipods and mobile phones. If your trip involves overnights in homestays, villages or camping then you usually have the opportunity to rent sleeping bags if need be instead of bringing them with you.
What style of accommodation am I staying in?
What style of accommodation am I staying in?
A variety of styles of hotels/guest houses are used on this trip. In many instances they might not be like what you are used to back home as service and efficiency can vary. In some areas we stay in simple local guest houses in stunning locations - rooms are small and simple and there may only be shared toilet facilities and showers.
Accommodation will be varied throughout your adventure. Some nights on this tour will be multi-share. This may involve 4-6 group members sharing a room. The majority of accommodation will have shared bathroom facilities.
Where we use multi-share hostels, rooming requests of any kind cannot be taken. For private accommodation please see our Classic Travel Style.
The dates I wanted aren't available! What do I do?
The dates I wanted aren't available! What do I do?
You can join our waitlist here & we will get in touch if your preferred dates become available, or if we can provide you with alternative/similar options!
Is there any health advice I need to know?
Is there any health advice I need to know?
Please note inoculations may be required for the country visited. It is your responsibility to consult with your travel doctor for up to date medical travel information well before departure.
You should consult your doctor for up-to-date medical travel information well before departure. We recommend that you carry a First Aid kit and hand sanitizers / antibacterial wipes as well as any personal medical requirements. Please be aware that sometimes we are in remote areas and away from medical facilities, and for legal reasons our leaders are prohibited from administering any type of drug including headache tablets, antibiotics, etc. In Asia pharmacies tend to stock the same western drugs as you get at home but they are usually produced locally so please bring the full drug name with you when trying to purchase a prescription drug. When selecting your trip please carefully read the brochure and itinerary and assess your ability to cope with our style of travel. Please refer to the Physical and Culture Shock ratings for trip specific information. G Adventures reserves the right to exclude any traveller from all or part of a trip without refund if in the reasonable opinion of our CEO they are unable to complete the itinerary without undue risk to themselves and/or the rest of the group.
What are the optional activities?
What are the optional activities?
Ho Chi Minh City
- War Remnants Museum Visit (2USD per person)
- Ben Thanh Market
- Cholon Visit
- Ho Chi Minh City Cyclo Tour (10USD per person)
- Dam Sen Water Park Visit (4USD per person)
- Reunification Palace Visit (2USD per person)
Củ Chi
- Cu Chi Tunnels Guided Tour (23-27USD per person)
Nha Trang
- Snorkelling
- Nha Trang Boat Tour and Snorkelling (29USD per person)
- Mud Bath Visit (20USD per person)
Hoi An
- Tailor Shops
- Cua Dai Beach
- Hoi An Walking Tour
- Hoi An Bike and Boat Tour
- Thu Bon River Boat Trip (12USD per person)
- Hoi An Cooking Class (30USD per person)
Mỹ Sơn
- Mỹ Sơn Excursion (38USD per person)
Huế
- Imperial Citadel Tour (7USD per person)
- Perfume River Cruise (10USD per person)
- Tien Mu Pagoda Visit
- Royal Tombs Entry (5USD per person)
- Cycling (10USD per person)
- Hue Moto Tour
- Hue City Tour
Phong Nha
- Caving in Phong Nha
Hạ Long Bay
- Kayaking (10USD per person)
Hanoi
- Hoan Kiem Lake Walk
- Tran Quoc Pagoda Visit
- Army Museum (2USD per person)
- Vietnamese Women's Museum (1.50USD per person)
- Hoa Lo Prison Entry (1.50USD per person)
- Hanoi Foodie Culture Tour
- Thăng Long Water Puppet Theatre Performance (200000VND per person)
- Temple of Literature (Văn Miếu) Visit
- Fine Arts Museum (2USD per person)
- Museum of Ethnology Visit (2 per person)
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A Refundable Booking is available at checkout. This will provide 100% refund for one of the many reasons included via our terms - including adverse weather, sickness or delays with transport.
All customer cancellation & refund requests are also subject to our website’s own refund conditions.