Vietnam History & UNESCO Sites
Explore Vietnam’s past and cultural legacy on this immersive 16-day private tour. Start in Hanoi with guided food walks and cycling adventures, then head to Ninh Binh for limestone karsts and hidden caves. Continue south to Phong Nha’s striking cave systems and historic war tunnels. In Hue, uncover royal relics and travel deeper into tradition with an overnight stay in a Cot Tu minority village. End your journey in the charming streets of Hoi An and the ancient ruins of My Son, both UNESCO-protected gems. This tour is perfect for history enthusiasts, cultural explorers, and nature lovers alike.
Tour Highlights
- Discover Hanoi’s street food scene with a local food blogger
- Cycle through quiet villages and bustling morning markets in the capital
- Cruise among limestone karsts and explore caves in Ninh Binh
- Visit Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park and trek to Hang En Cave
- Explore the historic Vinh Moc Tunnels along the Ho Chi Minh Trail
- Tour Hue’s imperial citadel, palaces, and royal tombs
- Stay overnight in a Cot Tu ethnic minority village
- Wander the lantern-lit streets of UNESCO-listed Hoi An
- Visit the sacred Hindu ruins of My Son Sanctuary
- Enjoy a traditional fishing experience in a round bamboo coracle boat
What’s included
• Carefully selected accommodation with breakfast
• Other meals listed in the itinerary
• Expert English-speaking local guide
• Tours as mentioned and air-conditioned transfers
• Sightseeing and permit fees during guided times
• Boat cruises and rides while on tour
• Flights to tour destinations (Economy Class)
• Service charges and government VAT tax
What’s not included
• International flights
• Travel insurance
• Evisa to Vietnam
• Gratuities for tour guides and drivers
• Beverages and other personal expenses
Itinerary ideas
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1
Our guide and driver will meet you on arrival in Hanoi airport and take you to your hotel. You’ll have free time to explore nearby shops and cafés.
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2
Today, go on an intriguing small-group street food tour in Hanoi with a local blogger. You may sample regional specialties and learn about some of the odd items used in Vietnamese cuisine by meandering around Thanh’s food market. You have the afternoon free to unwind; you may like to check out the hotel’s spa or pool.
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3
Today is an early start as your guide picks you up for a personalized bicycle tour around Hanoi. It’s a fascinating experience to see Hanoi before dawn, with its bustling market vendors, street vendors selling food, and residents getting a bite to eat before work. You have the rest of the day to unwind or explore the city. You may enjoy strolling around the historic French Quarter’s tree-lined boulevards.
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4
This morning, travel by private vehicle to the breathtaking Ninh Binh area, home to enigmatic cave networks, rural villages, and spectacular karst terrain. After three and a half hours of traveling down the highway, only a little is visible until you start to glimpse the limestone karsts approaching Ninh Binh. A guide is with you and may recommend locations to stop for refreshments if you’d like. You may spend the remainder of the day lounging on the well-kept grounds or exploring the organic farm that surrounds your hotel.
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5
This morning, go off the main path to see one of Vietnam’s most beautiful regions. Riding a private guided bike trip, you’ll travel through little villages surrounded by breathtaking views of massive limestone artwork. After having lunch and getting to know the locals, take a small boat ride that will take you deep into some of Vietnam’s largest cave systems. This evening, a private vehicle will pick you up from your hotel and drive you to the train station, where you will join an overnight train to Dong Hoi in the south. You can discover the proper train and get comfortable in your carriage with the assistance of a guide.
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6
When you arrive in Dong Hoi this morning, your local guide will meet you and arrange a private drive to your hotel so you may have breakfast. After some downtime, you are picked up from your accommodation and transported an hour to Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park. At 31 km (20 miles), Paradise Cave is the longest cave in Vietnam; the first few kilometers are accessible to tourists. You will be able to tour the cave and the neighboring national park with the assistance of your guide.
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7
Today, go on an amazing hike in Phong Nha National Park in a small group under the guidance of an expert guide. Today’s hike is 15 km (9 miles) to the entrance of Hang En, the third-largest cave in the world. Explore the cave system with your guide after a barbeque meal. Spend the night inside the cave.
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8
Explore Hang En in the morning before making the difficult but worthwhile journey back to the park’s entrance. After a shared transfer, you’ll travel back to your accommodation, giving you the remainder of the day to unwind and recuperate after the hike.
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9
With your own driver and guide, depart from the national park today and travel south on the Ho Chi Minh Trail to the imperial city of Hue. Your guide will be able to show you where over 90 people lived underground to escape American bombardment, the iconic Vinh Moc Tunnels being a great place to stop along the route. After a busy day, you’ll reach Hue in time for supper.
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10
Today, leave the national park and go south along the Ho Chi Minh Trail to the imperial city of Hue with your driver and guide. Over 90 people lived underground to avoid American bombing, and your guide will be able to show you where they did so. A nice site to stop along the way is the famous Vinh Moc Tunnels. You’ll arrive in Hue in time for dinner after a full day of seeing.
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11
Venture off the main path now to get a unique perspective on the Vietnamese Cot Tu minority and witness rural village life as it used to be. Once a private driver has picked you up, take around three hours to go to the little rural town of Bho Hoong, stopping along the route if you want to explore. When you arrive, your guide will be available to take you around the city and introduce you to local families. This evening, spend the night in a classic bungalow and get the opportunity to have supper along with the local family.
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12
After leaving the highlands behind today, you and your driver and private guide will go back toward the coast, arriving at the quaint UNESCO town of Hoi An after roughly four hours of travel. You may spend your free afternoon seeing the historic town of Hoi An, which is perhaps the best-preserved 16th-century commercial port in Southeast Asia.
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13
Discover the UNESCO-listed village of Hoi An with the assistance of your guide, who will share his extensive expertise and help you find some hidden treasures in this quaint town that is best explored on foot. After that, travel to the ancient Cham remains at My Son, a collection of Hindu temples that the surrounding forest has slowly reclaimed.
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14
Take a traditional coracle boat out on the sea this morning to glimpse Vietnamese fishermen’s daily lives. You will first see the nearby fishing settlements as part of a small group trip, and then you may try to catch your own. Afterward, there will be an on-board meal with fresh seafood. If you have an afternoon to spare, you may like to check out some interesting stores and cafés surrounding your hotel.
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15
You have free time today to explore Hoi An’s tangle of narrow backstreets with cobblestones. Maybe take a tour of one of the historic merchant homes or sample some of the mouthwateringly distinctive regional food, such as White Rose and Cao Lau.
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16
This morning, a private car will pick you up from your hotel and drive you to the airport in time for your next departure.
Accommodation options
What our clients say about us

John
20 December 2024 ★★★★★The guide was extremely knowledgeable about the Battle, had heaps of actual photos. Was very passionate about it, and extremely grateful for the help given by Australia to the local communities at the time.
Jeremy
19 December 2024 ★★★★★Stephen arranged a private tour to non-tourist locations that i wished to see. It included guides, drivers, air transportation, airport pickup and dropoff and hotel accommodations. The service was excellent and everything went extremely smooth. I was completely satisfied with the service he provided and I highly recommend him.
Steven
21 November 2024 ★★★★★Alex was an incredible tour guide for the Cu Chi tunnels trip myself and my friends took. He brought the good vibes and had excellent English. He taught us so much about the history of Saigon / Ho Chi Minh and the Vietnam War. 100% recommend this tour.

Naad
26 December 2024 ★★★★★Our group of 6 couples traveled from North to South Vietnam through many cities in 18- days tour. Stephen, from My Way Travel, provided quality service in the planning and organizing our trip, and he was very patient with our changes. The hotels were great; especially in Hoi An, Hanoi and Saigon, as we were within walking distance of the restaurants, shops, and markets. Our personal tour guides in every city were respectful, knowledgeable, and ensured our safety. They guided us through many beautiful places from caves in Halong Bay in the North, to the historical city of Hoi An in central Vietnam, to the picturesque Mekong Delta in the South. Furthermore, every guide recommended fantastic places for regional food specialties. This was a great and memorable experience! We highly recommend their service and will definitely contact Stephen for our next tour.

Alex Boshoff
19 April 2024 ★★★★★Our Thailand Vietnam Bike Tour was very well managed. The teams took great care of us, they support van was always available when needed. The food was excellent. We loved all the restaurent. The accommodations were great, offering a variety of options from resorts to boutique hotels to city hotels, all of which were comfortable. Biking on and off-road was enjoyable. The people in both countries are warm, welcoming & kind. The experience in the Mekong Delta was fantasic. We definitely recommend this trip.

Erik
19 December 2024 ★★★★★Absolutely amazing service that made our trip amazing. We traveled in Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia. At all destinations we had amazing tour guides and plans for full days of fun and traveling. Every tour guide was nice, informative, and made our time in each destination amazing. Using Steven is a must if you plan to go to asia

Scott
26 December 2024 ★★★★★The host of our hotel in Saigon (Stephen from the My Way hotel) booked us a tailor-made stay in the Mekong Delta. We didn't worry about anything and the stay met our expectations. The first day we visited the Mekong Delta by boat (Ben Tre and Can Tho) with many tastings. We spent the night in a 4 star hotel with swimming pool in Can Tho. The next day we visited the floating market on the Mekong (coffee on a shopping boat and breakfast at the hotel). In the afternoon we were taken by taxi to a port near Soc Trang which allowed us to take the boat early the next day to go to the island of Con Dao. It is a magnificent island where we were able to hike and enjoy the beautiful views. A great stay, thank you Stephen