Apricot Hotel, Hanoi

Luxury Vietnam

Romantic Classic + 3 more + 3 more

A luxurious, slow-paced holiday across the full length of Vietnam.

16 days

from £8,250 pp

Foodie Vietnam

Classic Adventure + 2 more + 3 more

Taste your way from Hanoi to Saigon.

12 days

from £3,175 pp

Family Classic + 3 more + 3 more

Highlights of Vietnam & Cambodia

Cambodia, Vietnam

Two countries, one unforgettable journey through South East Asia.

15 days

from £4,150 pp

Adventurous Vietnam

Family Wildlife & Nature + 3 more + 3 more

An action-packed adventure through Northern & Central Vietnam.

16 days

from £4,350 pp

Vietnam with Teenagers

Family Beach + 1 more + 2 more

A two-week adventure designed with families in mind.

14 days

from £3,450 pp

Vietnam In-Depth

Off-the-beaten-track Ultimate + 1 more + 2 more

Our ultimate Vietnam adventure from north to south.

28 days

from £6,975 pp

Quirky excursions

View all excursions in Vietnam

Food Blogger Street Food Tour

This is a walking tour of Hanoi, focussing not-exclusively on street food. You are accompanied by a renowned food blogger - an Australian hospitality industry insider who has an enormous passion for Vietnam's country's food and culture. His blog is where he has documented his food and culture adventures since 2005, making quirky observations which have found their way into both the local and international media. His experience managing some of Hanoi's finest dining establishments along with his passionate interest in street-food (he's shared many hours trawling the street stalls and markets) make him the genuine, local authority on Hanoi's food scene. The tour usually starts in the Old Quarter at Thanh Ha market. Along the way you will try delicacies, strange food items and listen to an on-going commentary of Vietnamese food practices. This busy, eclectic market is alive with the sights and sounds of Hanoi and is the essence of Vietnamese culture. Sample some local treats such as pho tiu and bun dau as your guide explains the routine of Vietnam meal times and indigenous/unusual ingredients eaten. See dried goods and aromatics, the essentials of Vietnamese cuisine as you stroll up 'food alley', to see other dishes on offer. At the end of the tour stop at one of the Old Quarter busiest (yet smallest) coffee shops for a well-earned sit down and coffee before transferring back to your hotel. This tour can be taken in the morning or afternoon.

Perfume Pagoda Discovery

Embark on a day trip to the Perfume Pagoda, heading out of the city of Hanoi and travelling by private vehicle through the rich farming land of the Red River Delta, one of the holiest sites in Vietnam. On arrival, board a private rowing boat for the relaxing cruise down the Yen River, passing limestone karts and emerald rice paddies before stopping at Den Trinh for an introduction to Vietnam's Mahayana Buddhist religion. Here you can admire the local worshippers burning incense and praying for good luck and good fortune. From here you will continue to the base of the Perfume Pagoda to tour the many shrines and temples. Visit the pilgrimage site of Trien Tru, pass by the preserved footprint of Quan Yin (Goddess of Mercy) and descend into Huong Tich Cave. This afternoon enjoy a picnic lunch if the weather permits and return by boat to the water's edge to meet your driver and head back to the city in the late afternoon.

Cat Tien National Park

North-east of Saigon and south-east of Dalat is Nam Cat Tien (Cat Tien National Park) - a very diverse region encompassing rolling hills, flat plains, dense forest and meandering rivers. In 1978, the south and north Cat Tien parks were put under the State's protection and then in 1992, Cat Loc park was also listed in a joint program to protect the environment. Eventually, in 1998, these three parks joined together to become the Cat Tien National park, under the management of the ministry of agriculture and rural development. It is now the most important reserve in Vietnam, home to a wealth of flora, as well as much of the country's endangered wildlife. Amongst the species that live in the 70,000-hectare park are the Asian elephants, yellow-cheeked gibbons and sun bears. You begin by visiting the park's Endangered Primate Centre, where you'll be able to see two of the rarest species in the world - the Delacour and Cat Ba langurs. Whilst in the National Park you will be accompanied by one of the Park Rangers – all of whom are knowledgeably experienced, having been trained to a very high standard. Your programme can be tailored to suit your preferences, however typically you will spend your day hiking and spotting wildlife, including the wealth of birdlife. Nam Cat Tien is a three and a half hour drive from both Saigon and Dalat. Consequently, it is far better operated as an overnight excursion from either.

Watersports, Snorkelling & Diving

A number of the resorts across Vietnam offer water-sports from the beach (including kayaking, sailing, jet-skis, boating) or you can enjoy the underwater action around Phu Quoc on a snorkelling or diving tour arranged via one of the boat companies or through your hotel. Diving is best from November to March and fun dives will cost around USD100 per person, whereas snorkelling is around USD35 per person. For many Nha Trang is the best place to head for the quality of the diving. It has, however, become very busy with a lot of different dive shops too so it is worth considering the kind of experience you would like before choosing. Diving off the coast of Hoi An is a place for many to try out diving. It isn't busy there and so makes the ideal place to stop off for an extra couple of nights and to explore the underwater world. Con Dao is considered one of the best examples of marine conservation in the country. With over 340 species of Hard and Soft corals, teeming with a colourful array of marine life. Con Dao supports a high level of biodiversity and over 1,400 currently recorded marine species. With clear waters from February to July and visibility averaging 20-30 metres, Con Dao is an excellent place for diving and offers a unique opportunity to explore the amazing variety of underwater life. Explore the untouched and pristine corals, with a chance to see rays, turtles, giant barracuda, cobia, batfish and small bamboo sharks, as well as a whole host of tropical reef fish. Phu Quoc is often the beach stop of choice and there are a lot of dive sites around. The major dive sites on the Phu Quoc are Dry island and Nudibranch Island where you will be able to spot a variety of marine animals, including cuttlefish, octopus, scorpionfish, damselfish, nudibranchs, and moray eels. The sea is calm around here and in the dry season, you'll have clear water and great visibility.

Water Puppet Show: Behind The Scenes

Originally performed in rural villages on lakes and ponds as a ceremony to pray for water to nourish the rice crop, water puppet shows also serve as a traditional form of Vietnamese entertainment in vogue as far back as the eleventh century. Nowadays the water puppet show is a great way to understand traditional Vietnamese folklore as the puppets dance out vignettes, or small stories, of daily life. This afternoon take a short drive to Mr. Liem’s house to begin your unique water puppet show experience. Mr Liem will warmly greet you, introducing you to the history of the water puppets as you start exploring his workshop. The shelves are lined with wooden puppet parts such as angel wings, buffalo tails and puppets of all shapes and sizes. He has built a smaller-scale water puppet theatre where you can enjoy a private performance telling both Ancient and modern stories of traditions and daily life. After the show, roll up your sleeves and try to make the dragon puppet chase its tail and spit water. After playing with the puppets spend time getting crafty and start painting your own puppets - try out the range of different colours and make your own unique water puppets. This tour is a great opportunity to gain deep insight into a local craft and rural traditions while having an unforgettable unique, behind-the-scenes experience.