Our Vietnam expert, Erin, set off back to her beloved Vietnam this summer with one goal in mind... to uncover the magic little details that can take a holiday from 'great' to unforgettable.
Over two weeks, Erin journeyed from the lively streets of Hanoi all the way south to the sleepy villages of the Mekong Delta, swapping out standard city tours for quirky excursions, hands-on workshops, and authentic encounters with local communities.
She kayaked through the remote countryside, herded ducks, and made the most of Vietnam's famous street food by learning the ropes for herself in a local kitchen. Erin’s trip was packed with offbeat moments and plenty of inspiration for designing truly one-of-a-kind holidays in Vietnam.
Read all about her adventures below...
My adventure through Vietnam took me from the lively capital of Hanoi all the way south to the sleepy riverside villages of the Mekong Delta. My trip was all about getting off-the beaten-track and rubbing shoulders with the locals in the rural communities outside of the cities.I maximised my time in the countryside throughout the trip and continuously found myself surrounded by dramatic landscapes, unique culture and friendly locals. Don’t get me wrong Hanoi and Saigon are some of my favourite cities in Asia (and did feature on this adventure), but this trip was all about moving away from the hustle and bustle and moving into the serenity that Vietnam has in abundance. Spending time in lesser-visited regions such as Pu Luong and Phong Nha, making use of the public transportation systems and travelling in the ‘green season’ made for a truly authentic exploration of vibrant Vietnam.
Erin cycling in Ninh Binh
My itinerary was action-packed from start to finish! I wanted to fill the itinerary with as much variety as possible and so there was a bit of everything in there – cycle tours, cooking classes, vespa street food tours, kayaking, trekking, farm visits and as many local interactions as I could squeeze in! I swapped out a regional flight in favour of an overnight train, I deepened my understanding of Vietnam’s troubled history and ate so many spring rolls that I very nearly ended up becoming one.
Cẩm Kim is just a 10 minute cycle away from the centre of Hoi An’s Ancient Old Town – but it feels like another world. There is no getting away from the fact that Hoi An is busy with tourists – and with good reason – but exploring Cẩm Kim whisks you away from the hustle and bustle of the town centre and offers a new perspective of Hoi An. I would recommend setting aside at least half a day during your stay in Hoi An to explore Cẩm Kim and I think the best way to do it is on a guided tour by Electric Bike. The island is full of local artisans who are delighted to welcome you into their homes and workshops and show off their skills in woodworking, cooking, & textiles.During my tour, I learned how to make rice milk and subsequently ‘Smash cakes’ (which were delicious!), Rice wine with Mr Dau, explored the Kim Bong Carpentry village, and even helped to make some traditional sleeping mats using dried reeds. By moving away from the town centre for just a few hours, I was able to experience the unique Hoi An culture in a hands-on way!
Erin in Hoi An
The food! I could talk about the food from this trip for days! In Vietnam, the regular greeting isn’t – ‘Hello, how are you?’ it’s, ‘Hello, have you eaten?’ I honestly don’t think there is anywhere quite like Vietnam for food - but my standout meal has to be on the Bassac Boat during my cruise of the Mekong Delta.There are a number of different ways you can experience the Mekong – you may choose to simply include a day trip from Saigon, where you’ll experience an introduction to the way of life on the river. Alternatively, you could stay at one of the riverside lodges, which allows for easy exploration of the villages by foot or by bicycle as well as the benefit of being able to laze by a pool in the midday heat. Or you could include an overnight cruise on a traditional Bassac Boat – this is what I did during this trip and I absolutely loved it!The charm of the wooden Bassac Boat is endearing, but with just 12 dinky cabins and without the bells and whistles of the more luxurious Junk Boats of Halong Bay, you could easily be misled into believing this could be underwhelming. On the contrary, this was one of my favourite parts of the trip. You are still able to disembark and experience the sleepy riverside villages of the Can Tho province by bicycle and also have the opportunity of visiting the Cai Rang floating market in the early morning. The time aboard is spent relaxing on the sun deck with a cocktail in hand as you meander through the waterways of the delta.The highlight of the cruise for me was the wonderful food served on board (and there was lots of it!). For lunch, the set menu consisted of prawns cooked in coconut juice, calamari fritters, clay-pot fish curry, sauteed diced beef with rice and vegetables, followed with a fresh fruit platter. For dinner the menu was Mekong style fried spring rolls, caramelized, clay-pot pork, chicken & lemongrass curry followed with a French crepe. It was absolutely delicious and cooked to perfection – the perfect meal to end my trip in Vietnam.
I absolutely loved staying at The Pu Luong Retreat. Pu Luong Nature Reserve is located around 160km southwest of Hanoi – it’s often missed from itineraries due to the longer transfer time from the capital, but the 4-hour drive is worth it. Trust me! Northern Vietnam is characterised by its dramatic scenery, traditional villages, rural communities and spectacular rice terraces. In an ideal world where time away has no limits, you could explore the Tonkinese Alps in Sapa, the traditional Thai & Muong village communities in Mai Chau, the dramatic limestone karsts in Ninh Binh, the hairpin bends of the mountain passes on the Ha Giang loop and the photogenic rice terraces in the Hoang Lien National Park – but you would need at least a month to pack all this in and Pu Luong offers it all!The room at the Pu Luong Retreat maximises the breathtaking views of its elevated position with the town – I could have spent hours sat on my balcony looking out on the quintessentially Vietnamese vista. During my two-night stay at the retreat, I visited the picturesque waterwheels and trekked to the Kho Muong Village – the oldest Muong village of the region - and enjoyed seeing the way of life for this rural, self-sufficient community. Pu Luong offers a refreshing and peaceful escape from the hubbub of Hanoi and allows the more adventurous traveller an insight into authentic rural Vietnam. I adored it.
Erin on the balcony at Pu Luong Retreat
During my rural adventure through Vietnam, I stopped for a few nights in the stunning town of Phong Nha. I travelled by overnight train south from Ninh Binh (but you could also fly from Hanoi) and stayed at The Phong Nha Lakehouse Resort, just outside of the small town centre. After a hearty breakfast, a quick freshen up, and a kayak on the lake I headed out on a guided cycling tour of the Bong Lai village. I waved at the locals as I cycled quiet village paths surrounded by rice paddy fields and small hamlets and made stops for photos and refreshments along the way. It’s a peaceful excursion showcasing the tranquillity and beauty of the Vietnamese countryside.The highlight of the tour though was, without a doubt, the stop at Duck Tang Farm – a unique and utterly joyful Farm experience in the heart of the village. This is a working farm, primarily managed by Anne & Ha, the granddaughters of the farm owner. Anne & Ha are delightful and do a seamless job of blending slow, eco-tourism with their passion for TikTok. Every visit will be different due to the nature of farming, but during my visit I was lucky enough to experience the home-grown fruit garden, fishing using traditional techniques and meeting the stars of the show – the ducks! I fed them, herded them and experienced a ‘duck massage’ – the experience was both hilarious and wholesome in equal measures.
Erin at Duck Tang Farm
One of my favourite excursions was ‘Making a Banh Mi Sandwich’ in a nearby village to Hoi An. Na, a Hoi An local, met with me in the early morning and we headed to the central market to collect the ingredients required to make Vietnam’s favourite sandwich. Together, we navigated the bustling stalls alongside local shoppers and I learned about the shopping & cooking culture from the perspective of Vietnamese women. We then headed to Na’s home, located on the outskirts of Hoi An, beautifully nestled on the banks of The Thu Bon River and began to craft the infamous Banh Mi. This excursion merged all my favourite things about Vietnam into one delicious morning and I came away with a recipe I will be sure to share with my friends and family for many years to come!
Guided city tours can be a fantastic way to orientate yourself in a new a city and make sure you get to see and learn about the iconic landmarks, but they’re not the only way (or always the best way) to discover a new city. During my trip, I incorporated excursions that allowed me to experience each unique city in a really immersive way. For example, instead of a walking tour of Hoi An – I chose to include the ‘Making a Banh Mi Sandwich’ excursion where I not only learned some culinary skills to take home with me, but also go to experience a snapshot of what it means to live as a local in Hoi An - visiting the market, the town centre, the bakeries and the residential outskirts of the Ancient Old Town. Similarly, I included an Egg Coffee Workshop in Saigon where, again, I learnt something new whilst simultaneously experiencing the unique culture of Saigon. I feel that sometimes opting for the more immersive experiences over the standard city tours, will often result in forming a deeper understanding and connection with the local area – and usually is combined with having more tales to tell when you arrive back home!
I honestly think that an itinerary in Vietnam isn’t complete without a food tour – and I really think this should be done on the back of a Vespa! The food in Vietnam is delicious and subtly changes as you move from the north of the country through to the south. Aromatic, flavourful and fresh is how I would describe it – and there are so many dishes that should definitely make their way to your chopsticks during your holiday! Saying this, it can be tricky to know exactly where to eat and what to order.Like anywhere, the towns and cities have an overwhelming number of options and it can be confusing to differentiate between the tourist traps and the local favourites. Having a food tour, takes away this confusion and ensures you can enjoy the street food and local delicacies under the guidance of your personal culinary expert!I recommend having a food tour towards the beginning of your trip as this will acquaint you with some local dish names and help you to make food choices later in your holiday. If you feel adventurous, I whole-heartedly recommend doing a food tour in Hue or Saigon by Vintage Vespa. This is my favourite way to explore the food scene in a Vietnamese city – as you get to enjoy a bit of sightseeing (you’ll cover more distance than on a walking tour), you’ll get to travel the way the locals do and you’ll have some incredible food along the way!On this trip, I enjoyed a vespa food tour in Hue and was able to sample some of the city’s favourite specialities such as Banh Beo, Banh Nam and Bun Bo Hue. All totally delicious, but probably things I would have been hesitant to try without the knowledge of my lovely local guide, Nhienle.
First of all… travelling in Vietnam out of peak season is just as amazing (if not more so)! Weather apps and internet scrolling might have you believe that the only time the weather is good in Vietnam is between March and April, but this just isn’t the case. I travelled the full length of the country in late June and early July – ‘Green Season’ – and not a single element of the trip was disrupted by the weather, in fact, I hardly saw any rain at all.Travelling in green season means fewer crowds, more local interactions (as this is when the Vietnamese typically take their time off to travel the country) and reduced costs.Grab a local E-Sim on arrival at the airport. Vietel & Mobifone have brilliant 4G coverage throughout Vietnam (even in the rural areas) and for around £15, you can stay connected for your full trip.If you are heading to Ninh Binh (and I think you should!), then definitely take a Sampan Cruise from Tam Coc. Sure, it’s a bit ‘touristy’ but for good reason – the landscape is breathtaking! From the Van Lam pier in Tam Coc, you’ll enjoy a spectacular hour-long cruise in a private sampan to the three caves passing by vibrant rice paddies and magnificent karsts. My tip here is to go early. I hopped in my sampan at 08.00 and I honestly felt as if I had the whole region to myself. The boat cruises get very busy at around mid-day when the day trippers from Hanoi arrive and it can start to feel very crowded on the water (especially in Peak Season).
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And that’s just a taste of Erin’s journey through Vietnam. Quirky food tours, peaceful countryside escapes, and everything in between. She’s gathered a real treasure trove of ideas to make your Vietnam holiday stand out from the crowd. If Vietnam is on your radar, why not get in touch? Drop us an enquiry for a quick quote, or pick up the phone and chat with Erin about crafting your perfect trip.
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