Soft Eco Adventure Vietnam 14 days

We pick you up at 8:30 AM for a short transfer outside of Hanoi. We have this morning to learn about Hanoi’s village life, its traditions and customs. You will be helping with some food demonstration before having lunch with a local family here.

In the afternoon, we set out from Dong Ngac, cycling on mostly rural lanes through surrounding villages to Lien Mac, a beautiful area of immaculately tended vegetables and flowers.  After taking another route from Lien Mac back to Dong Ngac, you have a short break to have a drink at your host family’s home, bid your farewells and catch the van back to your hotel in Hanoi at around 5:00 PM. Free to have dinner and stay overnight at your hotel.

Inclusion: Transfer, guide, entrance fees, breakfast, lunch, local bike, community development fund, hotel.

You depart from your hotel at 8:00 AM and are transferred to Mai Chau. Upon arrival at the Poom Coom village in Mai Chau, we take a short walk to visit the ethnic Thai people before lunch is served.

Around 1:00 PM, we take a short car ride for approximately one hour before we set off for our hike through the beauty of the Pu Luong Nature Reserve.

We arrive at the Don village in the afternoon, where we check in the Pu Luong Eco Lodge, with an incredible view of the rice terraces and the mountain range. You have some time to walk around the village of the Thai minority or take a swim in the swimming pool of the lodge. In the evening, have dinner at the lodge and spend your night here. Stay overnight in Don Village.

Distance: 7 km
Trail Difficulty: 3/5

Inclusion: Transfer, guide, entrance fee, all meals, water, and house on stilt

Wake up as early if you wish to witness the daily life of the locals before having breakfast at 7:00 AM.

We have a relaxed morning today and stroll around the village of the Thai people. If the time allows us, we can do some more hiking before catching our van ride to the lunch spot. Then have a scenic drive back to Hanoi, where we arrive at your hotel around 5:00 PM. Check-in and free for dinner. Stay overnight in Hanoi.

Inclusion: Transfer, guide, water, breakfast, lunch, hotel.

The departure for Ha Long Bay is around 8:00 AM in a shared van from your hotel. You arrive at the port around noon after an approximately 4-hour ride. Once you are welcomed on board, you are taken to your cabin before the trip is explained briefly. Have a fresh and local seafood lunch while you cruise to Bai Tu Long Bay. In between, we stop for a swim and visit a mysterious cave. Afterwards, you can relax at a secluded island-beach or explore the bay by kayaking. In the evening, have dinner and get the chance to enjoy the sunset. Stay overnight on the cruise.

Inclusion: Shuttle bus, guide on boat, entrance fees, kayak, boat/junk, lunch, dinner, permits

Early risers can enjoy the sunrise and the quiet, breath-taking beauty of the bay’s landscape. Breakfast is served around 8:00 AM before we go on a short rowboat ride with the locals. There is ample time until the cabin checks out at 11:45 AM. Lunch is served on the boat. After that, we drive back to Hanoi and arrive around 5:00 PM. Then have some time for you to have dinner.

At 7:00 PM, you are transferred to the train station for the night train to Hue. Make sure that you organize your own dinner today, which you can either have at the train station or bring it along on to the train. You stay in a 4-person soft sleeper and air-conditioned cabin. Stay overnight on the train.

Inclusion: Shuttle bus & transfer drop off, guide, entrance fee, boat/junk, breakfast, lunch, train ticket.

Arrive in Hue around 9:30 AM. You are picked up and transferred to your hotel for a late breakfast. At 10:00 AM depart from your hotel for our morning explorations to visit the imperial city. We then embark on our beautiful boat ride along the Perfume River, with a stop at the Thien Mu Pagoda. Enjoy lunch onboard while we sail down the Perfume River.

Our afternoon starts with biking to visit the flower village of Tien Non, then to the Thanh Tien village, known for its paper flower crafting. After that, we visit the village where the locals make traditional folk paintings. Back to your hotel around 6:00 PM. Stay overnight in Hue.

Cycling Distance: 14 km

Inclusion: Transfer, guide, entrance fee, boat trip, breakfast, lunch, hotel.

After breakfast at your hotel at around 8:30 AM, we go on a relaxing 1 hour Vietnam cyclo ride to visit Dong Ba market then explore the Royal Tombs, choosing only to visit the best ones, as we have lots to do today. Back to the hotel for a shower, check out at 12:00 PM then followed by our lunch at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, leave Hue city for A Luoi town (about 60 km). Along the way, you can see the life and daily activities of the Katu and Ta Oi hill tribes.

On arrival in A Luoi town, you visit the Ashau village - a violent battlefield during the war, and also severely hit with dioxin poison. We then travel to A Roang village along the Ho Chi Minh trail, taking a rest at a local hot spring. Finally, we arrive at Aka Chi village where we meet and learn about the Ta Oi people. Have dinner in their traditional stilt house. Stay overnight at the traditional communal house (stilt-house).

Inclusion: Transfer, guide, entrance fee, all meals, traditional music show, permit, homestay.

Wake up early morning and enjoy the fresh air and peaceful mountainous area. Breakfast is served at our homestay. Check-out, then we take an easy walk through the A Roang jungle for about 3 hours to learn more about the rich fauna and flora system here. Have lunch at a local restaurant on the way to Hoi An. Stay overnight here.

Tip: This is a very good chance for you to get great tailor-made clothes at reasonable prices. Hoian is well known for its tailoring.

Trekking Distance: 8 km

Trail Difficulty: 2/5

Inclusion: Transfer, guide, entrance fee, breakfast, lunch, hotel.

At 8:00 AM, our guide & driver meet you at your hotel for a very short transfer to the boat docks. Today, we go to a fishing village where you can see and experience the life of the fisherman. Afterwards, we have a short basket boat ride along the village full of lush water coconut trees before our lunch.

We then cycle on the country road through the rice paddy and corn fields towards the main town of Hoi An.

Our afternoon is continued with some sightseeing to famous cultural sites around the charming Hoi An. Back to your hotel around 5:00 PM. Have dinner on your own and stay overnight in Hoi An.

Inclusion: Transfer, guide, local bike, local boat, breakfast, lunch, water & snack, hotel. 

Have breakfast at your hotel then transfer to the Da Nang airport for an early morning flight to HCM City. Airport pick-up and then straight to Cu Chi tunnels and its outdoor museum to learn more about the infamous tunnel systems of the Viet Cong soldiers during the Vietnam War.

Back in HCM City, we continue our trip to visit the War Remnants Museum, the Notre Dame Cathedral and the historic Central Post Office. Drop you off at your hotel around 5:30 PM. Dinner on your own and stay overnight at your hotel

Inclusion: Transfer, guide, domestic flight ticket, breakfast, entrance fee, hotel

Depart HCM City at 8:00 AM from your hotel. We head to the south of HCM City to Cai Be. Upon arrival, we board a boat to visit the floating market and cruise over the mighty Mekong River (about 1.5 km wide) to Dong Phu Island. We start our cycling here under a green canopy of coconut palms, exploring the orchards and daily life of farmers. Have lunch on the island.

Then back on the boat to cruise 1.5 hours down the Mekong to the Cho Lach canals. Back on the bikes to discover the local nursery gardens & fruit orchards and another short cruise again to Ben Tre for dinner and homestay overnight at a local farmer's house.

Distance: 30-50 km

Trail Difficulty: 2/5

Inclusion: Transfer, guide, entrance fee, lunch, dinner, bikes, local boat, seasonal fruits, local farmer's homestay.

Breakfast is served at the homestay and then you prepare for your big day of cycling (approximately 35 km). Our route today takes us along the river, through Ben Tre's coconut palm lined roads, to pause for lunch and taste seasonal fruits, joining a coconut-candy workshop and a handicraft workshop (if time permits). A short canal cruise is also part of our activities today. Transfer back to HCM City and arrive at your hotel around 5:30 PM.

Distance: 25-40 km

Trail Difficulty: 2/5

Inclusion: Transfer, guide, entrance fee, breakfast, lunch, bike, local boat, seasonal fruit, hotel.

On your last day, you have some breakfast at your hotel and check out before 12:00 PM. Depending on your flight, you may have some time for shopping or for a last walk around the city. When it is time, you are taken to the Tan Son Nhat International Airport for your flight back home.

Goodbye and we hope to see you again soon!

Inclusion: Breakfast at hotel, transfer