Explore Vietnam in 14 Days – Hidden Gems from Ho Chi Minh City to Halong Bay

If you’ve always wanted to experience Saigon like a local, this fun-filled morning tour by vintage Vespa scooter is for you. Riding behind an experienced driver who knows the streets like the back of their hand, you’ll be whisked around a beguiling blend of must-see landmarks and off-the-beaten-track gems. You’ll discover a secret weapon bunker dating from the Vietnam War, watch coffee made the traditional way in clay pots at Saigon’s oldest café and be dazzled by the colour and scent of a vibrant flower market.

You’ll also explore a historic residential district, stop at breathtaking Buddhist temples and check out specialist markets dedicated to everything from spare parts for motorbikes to fabrics from all around Asia. Lunch at a neighbourhood restaurant that serves authentic Vietnamese cuisine is a perfect way to round off an adventure that’s sure to be a hit with couples and honeymooners.

• Duration: half day
• Time: 8am to 12.30pm
• Daily departures
• Operates year round
• Private tour

Good to know
This trip is suitable for those over the age of 16 only. Helmets - and raincoats in case of showers - are provided.

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Travel south from Ho Chi Minh City, the gateway to the Mekong Delta. Known as the "rice bowl" of Vietnam, the Delta is the most fertile region in the country and the main producer of rice and tropical fruits. Board your boat to begin your discovery of the mighty Mekong River as well as its narrow canals, gaining a real insight into the lives of the local people. Late afternoon you'll return to Ho Chi Minh City.

• Departing daily from Ho Chi Minh City
• Year round
• Transfers included
• Lunch included

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There are colourful hanging lanterns everywhere you look in Hoi An’s atmospheric Old Town, a picturesque legacy of the days when this once-important port attracted merchants from China and Japan. On this engaging hands-on workshop, you’ll learn about how the craft took hold here and evolved in its own unique way, gaining an insight into the region’s history and culture along the way. Then it’s time to make your own example, from choosing the shape and picking the silk to learning how to glue it all together and smooth out any creases.

At the end of the class, you’ll head off on a short walk around Hoi An - carrying your precious new creation - where you’ll be able to truly appreciate the skill that has gone into making the many lanterns that dot the city. And if you’re wondering how you’re going to get your handiwork home in one piece, you’ll be pleased to know that it’s conveniently foldable.

• Duration: half day
• Time: 1.30pm to 4pm
• Daily departures
• Operates year round
• Private experience

Good to know
This workshop is suitable for families with children aged 6 and above.

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Hoi An is a wonderland of international influences, particularly in its delightful – and UNESCO-listed – Old Town which was once a bustling centre of trade. This guided walking tour is a great way to get your bearings and find out more about its layers of time. Highlights include a visit to a traditional house and the Hoi An Museum, a trove of local treasures collected through the ages. You’ll also visit Cau Temple, which is commonly referred to as the Japanese Covered Bridge and finish your exploratory morning with a boat trip along the Thu Bon River for a different view of the city.

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• Daily departures from Hoi An or Danang
• Operates year-round 
• Private experience

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A glimpse of rural life provides an unbeatable insight into a country and its culture. And it gives a chance to take a break from the buzz of the city. From Hoi An or Danang, you’ll head into the countryside and cycle through the countryside to the fascinating Tra Que vegetable village, a settlement where the focus is on growing some of the highest quality produce in the region.

As well as meeting farmers and hearing about their methods you’ll have the opportunity to get hands on and join in with raking, sowing, watering and tending the vegies. Following your work in the garden, you’ll be treated to a therapeutic foot bath and then help prepare lunch alongside a local family. Learn how to make a Tam Huu spring roll and Bang Xeo pancake and try a host of other Vietnamese delicacies.

• Duration: half day
• Time: 8am to 2pm
• Daily departures from Hoi An and Danang 
• Operates year-round 
• Private experience

Good to know 
The cycling distance is approximately six miles and there will be no back-up vehicle, so you need to be physically fit and mobile.

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It’s hard to think of a more enduring souvenir of a visit to Vietnam than being able to make some of its best-loved dishes back home. On this half-day culinary exploration, you’ll start at Hoi An’s lively market, with its heady sights, sounds and smells, where you’ll meet some of the stallholders and learn about the ingredients you’ll be using later. From here, it’s a scenic 25-minute boat ride along the river to the Red Bridge Cooking School - be sure to have your camera to hand. Following a tour of the school’s herb garden, you’ll hear the story behind some famous national and local dishes before the cooking begins in earnest. After a demonstration from the resident chefs, you’ll prepare dishes such as cao lau, made with yellow noodles, pork and pickled hot peppers, and mi quang, another favourite local noodle speciality, before sitting down to eat what you’ve cooked for a memorable lunch.

• Duration: half day
• Time: 8am to 1pm
• Daily departures
• Operates year round
• Group experience

Good to know
The class is suitable for families with children aged 6 and above.

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What better souvenir than the knowledge of how to recreate your favourite Vietnamese dish. Not only that, when taking this class at KOTO restaurant you’ll be contributing to the fantastic community work they do, helping to provide hospitality training to local street kids. Supported by our own DERTOUR Foundation, founder Jimmy Pham set up KOTO (Know One, Teach One) when he realised all these children needed were the skills to get a stable job – you’ll learn all about their mission in the morning as you sip Vietnamese tea and get acquainted with the team.

Having collected all your fresh ingredients from the local market you’ll get to work beside a current trainee learning more about their lives and a recipe that’s sure to stay with you forever before tucking into your culinary creations!

• £10 of each excursion sale goes towards the foundation
• Daily departures
• Operates year-round
• Group experience

Good to know
Although the class can cater for children over six, this experience is more suited for adults looking to give something back to the local community.

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Spend a few hours being whisked through the streets of Hanoi’s beautiful Old Quarter on a cyclo. The first port of call is Ngoc Son temple, the most visited temple in the city which is located on an island in the middle of Hoan Kiem Lake. To reach the island, a tiny land of legends, you’ll cross the pretty, scarlet hued Huc Bridge. Then head to Hanoi’s beautiful Opera House before weaving your way through the historic streets of the Old Quarter.

• Duration: half day
• Time: 8am to midday or 1.30pm to 5pm
• Daily departures from Hanoi
• Operates year-round
• Private experience

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