Vietnam Family Vacation: How to Plan a Trip Kids Will Love

A 12-day family itinerary

Our Family Vietnam Tour follows a similar route in 12 days, from US$1,850 per person, with caving, snorkeling and cooking classes — and like every trip we run, it is private and can be changed around your children's ages and interests.

Things families love most in Vietnam

• Sleeping on a boat in Halong or Lan Ha Bay, with kayaks and a swim from the deck.
• Making something: lanterns in Hoi An, spring rolls in a cooking class, pottery at Bat Trang near Hanoi.
• Basket boats in the Bay Mau coconut forest near Hoi An, spun by the boatmen.
• Caves: Paradise Cave in Phong Nha, or the caves on a bay cruise.
• Cycling on flat lanes around Hoi An or in the Mekong Delta.
• Theme parks and cable cars: Ba Na Hills near Da Nang, and the parks and long cable car on Phu Quoc.
• Water puppets in Hanoi: short, funny and loved by younger children.

Practical tips for traveling with kids

• Fewer bases, longer stays. Three or four bases in two weeks is plenty; each move costs half a day.
• Fly the long distances. Hanoi–Da Nang and Da Nang–Saigon are about 1 h 20 min by air, against 12+ hours by road or train.
• Family rooms and connecting rooms exist in most good hotels but sell out; book early for Easter, summer and Christmas.
• Food is easy. Rice, noodles, grilled chicken, spring rolls and fruit are everywhere; ask for dishes "không cay" (not spicy).
• Heat and sun. Plan sightseeing for the morning and late afternoon, with a pool break at midday.
• Health. Drink bottled water, use repellent at dawn and dusk, and see a travel clinic before you go — the CDC's advice for children traveling to Vietnam is a good starting point.

Private family tour or independent?

With children, the biggest gains of a private tour are practical: a car waiting at every airport, a guide who adjusts the day when someone is tired, child-friendly restaurants and room set-ups arranged in advance, and one phone number to call if something goes wrong. For families of four or more, a private tour also costs much the same per person as a group tour — see private vs group tours in Vietnam.

From the parents on our team

• Give kids a job. Let them count change in dong, choose the next street-food stall or carry the map; it turns a sight into an adventure.
• Learn "xin chào" (hello) and "cảm ơn" (thank you) together — Vietnamese people love it when children try.
• Expect attention. Strangers may want photos with blond or very small children; it is friendly, and fine to politely decline.
• Keep one unscheduled day per week. Children remember the pool and the ice cream as fondly as the temples.