Highlight
Eight days, three cities, and two internal flights so you get to experience the best of Vietnam.You land in Ho Chi Minh City and start with Saigon on foot the same evening. Day two is the Cu Chi Tunnels, where the crawl spaces are 60 to 120 cm wide and the rifle range is optional and paid separately. That evening you fly north to Da Nang.
Central Vietnam gets two days. My Khe Beach in the morning, a basket boat through the coconut palms at Cam Thanh in the evening, then Hoi An's old town after dark when the lanterns come on. The next day is Ba Na Hills: the cable car, the Golden Bridge with its two stone hands, the French Village at the top.
Then Hanoi. Old Quarter on foot, egg coffee at Train Street, and two day trips that most 7-night Vietnam itineraries make you choose between. You get both. Halong Bay by day cruise with lunch, kayaking and the Sung Sot cave. And Ninh Binh, where you climb roughly 500 steps up Mua Cave for the view over Tam Coc and then take a rowing boat through the Trang An cave system.You fly home from Hanoi on day eight.
Who this trip is for
Solo travellers. Most people on our batches book alone. You get matched into double sharing and you land into a group chat before departure.
First-time international travellers. Visa help, internal flights, airport transfers and a trip captain on ground are all handled. Vietnam is one of the easier first passports stamps for an Indian traveller.
Groups of friends who do not want to plan. Three cities, four day trips, all bookings done.
Ages 18 to 35. This is a fixed policy, not a suggestion. It is why the group works
Itinerary
Your guide and driver meet you at Tan Son Nhat and get you to your hotel in central Ho Chi Minh City in about 20 minutes. The airport sits roughly 7 km from District 1, which is the shortest airport-to-centre run of the whole trip.
At 5 pm we walk Saigon. Vietnamese food at the food court opposite the War Remnants Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral from the outside, and Saigon Central Post Office, which Gustave Eiffel's firm had a hand in. The walk finishes at HCMC Town Hall and you head back to the hotel.
Around 11 pm we take the group to Bui Vien Walking Street. This is Saigon's backpacker strip and it does not slow down until 2 am. Come if you want to. Skip it if you have just done a six-hour flight. Nobody is counting.
Stay: Ho Chi Minh City. Meals: none included on arrival day.
After breakfast we drive 1.5 hours to Cu Chi. You get a short briefing and a film on how the network was dug and used, then you go into it. Living quarters, kitchens with the smoke channels, weapons workshops. Some sections are widened for visitors. Some are not.
Wartime food, tea and boiled cassava, is included. The AK-47 and M4 range is available and is paid separately on site.
In the evening we fly to Da Nang. Check in and sleep.
Stay: Da Nang. Meals: breakfast. Included flight: Ho Chi Minh to Da Nang.
Slow start. My Khe Beach in the morning, which is a 30 km stretch of sand on Da Nang's eastern edge and roughly a 10-minute ride from most central hotels.
In the evening we go to Hoi An. First the basket boat ride through the coconut palms, which is a round bamboo coracle the fishermen actually use and which the boatmen will spin if you ask them to. Then the ancient town: the old Phung Hung house, the covered market, the port.
After sunset the lanterns come on. You get free time to walk it yourself, eat cao lau, and get the photos everyone comes here for.
Stay: Da Nang. Meals: breakfast.
Out by 7 to 8 am. We check in at Suoi Mo cable car station and ride up to Marseille station.
The Golden Bridge is the one you have seen: a 150-metre walkway held up by two giant stone hands, at about 1,400 metres. Get there early, because by 11 am the queue for photographs is real.
Then the Lunar Castle, the funicular up to the French Village, Fantasy Park's rides, and King Peak. Back down by cable car and to the hotel.
Stay: Da Nang. Meals: breakfast. Note: Wax Museum, the cotton animal game and carnival skill games inside Fantasy Park are not included.
Early transfer to Da Nang airport and fly to Hanoi.
City tour starts around 5 pm on foot through the Old Quarter, a 36-street grid where each street historically sold one trade. Mural Street, then Train Street, where the track runs about a metre from the café tables and the trains still come through. You sit with an egg coffee and wait for it. Egg coffee is a Hanoi invention: whipped yolk, sugar and condensed milk over black coffee, from a time when milk was scarce.
Finish near Hoan Kiem Lake.
Stay: Hanoi. Meals: breakfast. Included flight: Da Nang to Hanoi.
Morning transfer to Halong. We board at Tuan Chau Harbour for a 5 to 6 hour cruise through a UNESCO bay with over 1,600 limestone islands.
On the water: Sung Sot (Surprising) Cave and its chambers, Ti Top Island where you can swim off the beach or climb to the viewpoint, and kayaking or bamboo boating through Luon Cave.
Tea or wine on the deck on the way back to harbour, then the drive to Hanoi.
Stay: Hanoi. Meals: breakfast and lunch on the cruise.
Pick-up from your Old Quarter hotel after breakfast, then out through rice country to Ninh Binh.
Mua Cave first: roughly 500 stone steps to the top for the view over the Tam Coc valley and the Hoa Lu region. It is a genuine climb. Take water.
Then Trang An by rowing boat. Two to three hours through Sang Cave, Toi Cave, Ba Giot and Nau Ruou, with the boatwoman rowing with her feet, which is a Ninh Binh thing you will not see elsewhere. Some cave ceilings are low enough that you duck.
Back to Hanoi for the night.
Stay: Hanoi. Meals: breakfast.
Breakfast, leisure time until check-out, then transfer to Noi Bai airport for your flight home. Noi Bai is about 25 km from central Hanoi, so allow an hour.
Meals: breakfast.
Other Info
- Arrival timing: Reach Ho Chi Minh City before 12 noon on Day 1, this gives enough time for check-in and the afternoon walking tour without rushing anyone straight off a flight.
- Room occupancy: Rooms are on double sharing by default. If you are travelling solo, you will be paired with another solo traveller of the same gender, unless you would prefer a single room, which is available at an additional cost.
- Weather and what to pack: Vietnam runs warm and humid for most of the year, light, breathable clothing works best during the day. Evenings on Ha Long Bay and in Hanoi's Old Quarter can be a little cooler, so pack one light layer for the boat and the night walks. A rain jacket or small umbrella is worth carrying regardless of season, short showers are common and rarely last long.
- Food, including vegetarian options: Vietnamese food leans heavily on herbs, rice, and noodles rather than heavy spice, and most cities on this route have enough vegetarian options that you will not struggle, though it helps to mention any dietary requirement to your trip captain early on so they can guide you to the right places each day.
- Currency and spending: Vietnamese Dong is the local currency, and small vendors and street stalls generally prefer cash. ATMs are easy to find in every city on this route, and most restaurants and hotels accept cards, but keep some cash on hand for street food and markets.
- Connectivity: A local SIM or an international roaming pack works fine across all four cities. Wifi is widely available in hotels and most cafes, so staying in touch is not a real concern on this trip.
- 7 nights in 4-star hotels on double sharing
- 2 internal flights: Ho Chi Minh to Da Nang, Da Nang to Hanoi
- All airport pick-ups and drop-offs as per group timing
- Day tours and inter-city transfers on a sharing basis
- Hanoi to Halong to Hanoi transfer
- 7 breakfasts
- 1 lunch on the Halong Bay cruise
- Cu Chi Tunnels day tour
- Hoi An ancient town tour
- Basket boat ride in the coconut forest at Cam Thanh
- Lantern Street walk
- Full-day Ba Na Hills with cable car and funicular: Golden Bridge, French Village, Fantasy Park rides
- Hanoi Old Quarter city tour
- Train Street and Hanoi Beer Street
- Halong Bay day cruise with lunch and kayaking
- Ninh Binh: Trang An boat ride and Mua Cave
- Bui Vien Street nightlife
- All entrance fees and sightseeing listed in the programme
- English-speaking local guides throughout
- The Travel Story trip captain with the group
- International travel insurance (cover table below)
- Tipping for guides and drivers
Stay and travel
Food
Experiences and entry fees
Support
- 5% GST on the package
- TCS as applicable under Indian tax rules
- International flights to Ho Chi Minh and out of Hanoi, and airport taxes
- Vietnam e-visa (we handle the application, the government fee is yours)
- Single occupancy supplement
- Early check-in and late check-out
- Drinks and personal expenses
- AK-47 and M4 shooting range at Cu Chi
- Wax Museum, cotton animal game and carnival skill games at Fantasy Park
- Anything not listed under inclusions
No Refund shall be made with respect to the initial booking amount for any cancellations. However,
- If cancellations are made 30 days before the start date of the trip, 50% of the trip cost will be charged as cancellation fees.
- If cancellations are made 15-30 days before the start date of the trip, 75% of the trip cost will be charged as cancellation fees.
- If cancellations are made within 0-15 days before the start date of the trip, 100% of the trip cost will be charged as cancellation fees.
- In the case of unforeseen weather conditions or government restrictions, certain activities may be cancelled and in such cases, the operator will try his best to provide an alternate feasible activity. However, no refund will be provided for the same.
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Testimonials
Shruti Muzumdar
I did Vietnam trip with The Travel story. Itinerary, locations, hotels were extremely nice, well thought. Shagufta from their team and Mohit were always available for help, queries in regards to booking flights, visa. Overall it was a pleasant trip.
Vibrant Vietnam
25 April, 2026
Tushar Jumani
Vietnam with The Travel Story was amazing trip, better than expected. Just make sure you need to plan to make most of exploration time. trip begins early in morning so be prepared, if you love to explore by yourself, already get the location planned. I had a wonderful trip to Vietnam, I visited a day early to explore and for cheap flights, I would suggest you the same, The Travel Story shared me the idea, probably the best thing.
Vibrant Vietnam
8 August, 2026
Abha Gupta
Had an amazing time on our Vietnam trip! I was honestly quite skeptical about joining initially because of my back issue and the fact that heavy lifting and certain activities were not advisable for me. I had discussed this with Aniket, who convinced me to go ahead with the trip and assured me that Kapil, our host, would make sure I was comfortable and help me throughout the journey. I also loved how the group truly lived by their motto “Travel with strangers, return with friends.” And that’s
Vibrant Vietnam
15 August, 2026
Uttam Bhattacharjee
Our Vietnam trip with The Travel Story was truly an unforgettable experience. From the beautiful destinations and amazing food to the fun, laughter, adventures, and wonderful people we met along the way, every moment turned into a memory that we will cherish for a long time. A very special shout-out to our Captain, Kapil! Vietnam trip was much more than just a holiday, it was an experience filled with friendship, laughter, adventure, and memories for a lifetime.
Vibrant Vietnam
15 August, 2026
