Family Discovery Holiday For Teens In Vietnam

Arrive in Hanoi and transfer to hotel.

Overnight Hotel (Standard)

After breakfast we begin a morning’s sightseeing of Vietnam’s vibrant capital, in the company of a local guide. Architecturally styled like a French provincial town, with tree- lined boulevards and substantial low-built houses, the city is a wonderfully nostalgic collection of sights and sounds that present a rich amalgam of the city’s colonial and communist heritage. Amongst the interesting sights we visit are the charming One-Pillar Pagoda, the beautifully preserved Temple of Literature and the imposing structure of Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, a building that follows in the great traditions of communist tombs and is probably the city’s most revered monument. Ho Chi Minh himself was a spartan-living and scholarly man, who chose not to live in the nearby splendour of the Presidential Palace itself, but instead preferred a simple teak 2-storied stilt-house specially built for him in the grounds. Based on a traditional rural house, it has been preserved much as Ho left it, its setting, surrounded by well tended gardens and carp ponds, affording it an air of tranquillity belying its historic significance. This afternoon we have an opportunity to try our hand at creating some delicious Vietnamese cuisine with a cookery lesson at a local restaurant and, if time allows, this will include paying a visit to the local produce market to pick up the necessary ingredients for our culinary masterpieces. With a free evening ahead there is an opportunity later to perhaps enjoy a remarkable performance of traditional water puppetry (optional), a Vietnamese art form that originated amongst the rice paddies of the Red River Delta during the 15th century and provides a charming take on the country’s historical and cultural traditions.

Overnight Hotel (Standard) Included meals: Breakfast

Departing the city early this morning we head east, towards the Gulf of Tonkin and the spectacular scenery of Halong Bay. One of South East Asia’s most spectacular settings, Halong Bay presents a breathtaking vista of thousands of limestone islands that rise from the jade green waters of the bay like the scales of some great submerged dragon. Indeed Halong means ‘where the dragon descends to the sea’ and local legends tells of a time when this rugged landscape was created by the pounding tail of a mighty dragon as he ran from the mountains into the glittering waters of the bay below. Boarding our boat around midday we set sail, threading our way through a flotilla of boats, junks and wooden sampans as they ply their way across the gentle waters of the bay. A UNESCO World Heritage site, the bay can boast over 1600 separate islands and islets, a stunning seascape of towering limestone pillars that rise up from the green waters to present a setting that has captivated visitors since time immemorial and one that has seen it listed as one of the eight natural wonders of the planet. We aim to stop today at the cave of Sung Sot, whose cavernous chambers include an intriguingly shaped limestone phallus, regarded by locals as an important fertility symbol. The afternoon also sees us taking to the waters in kayaks, providing us with an ideal opportunity to explore this breathtaking setting at our own pace. Full instruction will be provided by our kayaking guide who accompanies us from Hanoi. We will overnight on board the junk where we are comfortably accommodated in en suite twin share cabins. Please be aware that the boat will not be exclusive to Explore and we may be sharing it with other tourists.

Overnight Cabin (Basic) Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Swimming available

After another chance to kayak through the nearby islands this morning, we cruise back towards Bai Chay beach in Halong City, enjoying the magnificent scenery one last time as we sail past hidden grottoes and quiet beaches, enjoying a timeless image that has remained unchanged for generations. After another delicious seafood lunch on board we disembark the boat and drive back to Hanoi in time to catch the overnight train south towards Hué, one of the great cultural and religious centres of Vietnam, that once lay at the heart of the Nguyen Empire.

Overnight Train (Basic) Included meals: Breakfast Swimming available

Arriving in Hué this morning we will begin our day with an excursion along the Perfume River by long-tailed boat. An inspiration for poets and painters for centuries, the river splits the city neatly in two, dividing the Citadel on its western bank from the suburbs that radiate from the eastern shore. As part of our journey we will pay a visit to the iconic Thien Mu Pagoda, whose 21m high tower has become a symbol for Hué and whose monastery is the oldest in the city. Dedicated to the Manushi-Buddha, the existing temple was constructed in the middle years of the 19th century under the auspices of the Emperor Thieu Tri on the site of an earlier 17th century temple. Within its confines we can find a number of superb Buddhist statues, as well as an enormous cast bell that weighs in at over 2000kg and is reputed to be audible over 10km away. Cruising back to the city we then continue to our hotel to check-in, before an afternoon’s martial arts lesson. Kihn Van Van is a fighting style that developed in the local region (‘Kinh’ means royal palace and ‘Van Van’ is the name of locality in Hue where this style came into being). Its founder was a member of the royal military and the elements of the art form are a unique combination of traditional Vietnamese martial arts and military training, elements that have proved popular in Hue for generations, passing down through the ages to still retain popular support today.

Overnight Hotel (Standard) Swimming available

This morning we will take a tour of the Imperial City with a local guide, exploring the Old Citadel that dominates the left bank of the Perfumed River. Built by the Nguyen dynasty (Vietnam’s ruling emperors from the early 1800s to1945), the Citadel has formal moats and impressive ramparts that were constructed to be an exact copy of the Forbidden City in Beijing. During the bloody conflicts of the Vietnam War, Hué was the site of some of the most destructive fighting of the Tet Offensive, most of the Inner City being totally destroyed during the month-long battle in 1968. The vast outer walls and the West Wing remain though and provide an eloquent reminder of the palace’s former glory. Our morning’s tour will include a visit to the Imperial Museum and the magnificent tomb of Tuc Duc, constructed at enormous expense by the emperor between 1864 and 1866, whose use of forced labour invoked a coup attempt against the imperial family (an attempt that was discovered before it could be executed). Leaving Hué after lunch we then follow the coastal road south, travelling via the Hai Van (Sea Cloud) Pass and crossing part of the Truong Son Mountains down towards Danang. This stunningly scenic region once marked the boundary between Vietnam and the Champa Kingdom to the south and our journey takes us into the landscapes of the five peaks of the Marble Mountains, legendary islands said to represent the five elements of water, wood, fire, gold and earth. Stopping to explore the natural grottoes and pagodas we discover a wonderful world of carved Buddhist sanctuaries that date back to the Champa kingdom of the 14th and 15th centuries. From here we then continue towards Hoi An, arriving in the historic merchant town later this afternoon. First colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century, by the 17th and 18thcenturies Hoi An had become one of the busiest international trading posts in southeast Asia and, even today, it still retains the engaging charm of a medieval port, with many of its old buildings superbly preserved.

Overnight Hotel (Standard) Included meals: Breakfast Swimming available

This morning is free to wander through the historic heart of this World Heritage Site at your leisure. An early morning visit to the fish market presents a tableau of chaotic noise and colour, perfect for photography and some choice local interaction. Alternatively you may choose to visit the Japanese Bridge, Hoi An’s emblematic symbol, believed to have been constructed to quell the violent rumblings of a restless monster, or perhaps explore the traditional wooden houses and Chinese temples that line the streets of this enchanting town. This afternoon we will then hope to pay a visit to a local kindergarten, offering us an ideal opportunity to enjoy some time to interact with the children, before continuing to the village of Tra Que. Here we will join the locals in their fields and gardens, learning something of the age-old traditions of rural life and getting a chance to try some local delicacies such a ‘Tam Huu’ spring rolls. There is also the chance to ‘put our feet up’, in a relaxing foot soak using a homegrown herbal remedy. Dinner tonight will be enjoyed by candlelight, set in a vegetable garden and hosted over by a local family. As well as an opportunity to try some delicious home-cooked food, this will present us with the perfect setting to swap stories and learn something life in these rural settings from our hosts.

Overnight Hotel (Standard) Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner Swimming available

A free day gives us a chance to explore and enjoy this remarkable town at our own pace, spending the time wandering through the narrow streets, visiting local tailor shops, or perhaps just enjoying the relaxing ambience of the beach. Other options include hiring bikes and cycling through the surrounding countryside, whilst for those looking perhaps to explore farther afield, the day allows the opportunity to take an optional excursion to Quang Ngai, the site of the emotive My Lai massacre memorial, which commemorates one of the most infamous events of the Vietnam War, an horrific story that today is remembered through a series of statues, artefacts and a graphic photo-presentation.

Overnight Hotel (Standard) Included meals: Breakfast Swimming available

Driving back to Danang we catch an early flight on to Ho Chi Minh City, the once enigmatic city of Saigon, lying to the north of the Mekong Delta on the banks of the Saigon River. Still unofficially referred to as ‘Saigon’, the city today is the largest in Vietnam, an eclectic mix of the traditional and the new, where pagodas and markets compete alongside the trappings of Vietnam’s newly discovered entrepreneurial spirit. On arrival we depart by road, journeying down into the Mekong Delta and travelling into the fertile hinterlands that lie sandwiched between the South China Sea and the Gulf of Thailand. Enjoying a timeless tableau of river life that has continued pretty much unchanged for generations we head towards Cai Be and its famous floating market where, on arrival, we will take to the waters to try our hand at the age-old custom of bartering; swapping sweets, sugar and milk for a diversity of local fruits and produce. Continuing along the river we next stop to visit a family run business that produces a local version of popcorn and rice paper, before taking lunch in a local house, amongst the setting of fruit orchards and bonsai trees before we rejoin our boat and continue towards the town of Vinh Long and a night in a local homestay on the banks of the river.

Overnight Homestay (Simple) Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

With a morning free there will be a chance to explore a little something of our surroundings before we return by boat to the mainland. In Vinh Long we then board our bus for the return journey back to Ho Chi Minh City.

Overnight Hotel (Standard) Included meals: Breakfast

We drive out early this morning to the infamous Cu Chi Tunnels. Originally started during the French occupation of the country, the tunnels went on to achieve notoriety during the Vietnam War, when they formed an amazing underground command base for 10,000 Viet Cong troops and were a major part of the Tet Offensive. This area was the centre of intense fighting during the war, much of it falling prey to the incessant carpet bombing, napalm and defoliants utilised by the Americans in an attempt to dislodge the Viet Cong from their underground shelters. There is little evidence of any of that now and the landscape has returned to something of its pre war beauty, but exploring the tunnels of Ben Dinh and Ben Binh with a local guide gives us some idea as to the conditions that the Vietnamese and their American adversaries had to endure. Be warned, the tunnels are low and narrow and can be claustrophobic, so anyone wishing to opt out may do so. Retuning back to HCMC this afternoon. We have an opportunity to discover something of the city with a tour of some of its most important sights, taking in the prominent Hotel de Ville, whose ornate grandeur is today the home of the city’s People’s Committee, as well as the Romanesque Notre Dame Cathedral and the impressive French style edifice that is the GPO building. The rest of afternoon has been left free to continue exploring at your own leisure, affording a chance to visit some of the many temples that lie dotted around the city, or perhaps to do some shopping amongst the bustling stalls of the Binh Tay Market, the largest wholesale market in southern Vietnam and a fabulous place to stroll and mingle with the locals. Another alternative is to pay a trip to the Saigon Water Park to the east of the city, where slides, wave machines and gentle streams provide a wonderfully refreshing array of attractions to escape the heat of the city.

Overnight Hotel (Standard) Included meals: Breakfast

Land only tour finishes after breakfast. 
Please Note: Passengers on the group flight have a free day in Ho Chi Minh City and will transfer to the airport tonight.  One day room per family is provided for group flight passengers.

Included meals: Breakfast