Chopsticks & Coconuts - Family Holiday

14 days - from $1760

Ride cyclos, bikes and kayaks Vietnamese cookery Crawl through old war tunnels
From the spectacular limestone seascape of Halong Bay to the frenetic streets of Saigon, Vietnam is a country full of interest and surprises.The cities are an assault on all the senses:noisy, colourful, aromatic and totally absorbing. We tour Hanoi by cyclo and see a water puppet show. We have quieter time also, snorkelling at Nha Trang, exploring the fascinating Mekong Delta by boat and cycling past vibrant green paddy fields near Hoi An. We also have the chance to enjoy the superb Vietnamese cuisine and practise our chopstick skills (try the fried scorpion if you dare!).

Itinerary:

Day 1 Start Hanoi. 2 Morning tour of Hanoi including a cyclo tour around the Old Quarter; afternoon free. Evening at Hanoi's famous water puppet show. 3 To Halong Bay for a cruise amongst spectacular limestone formations; overnight on boat. 4 Morning kayak and cruise in Halong Bay; afternoon return to Hanoi; overnight train to Danang. 5 Explore caves at Marble Mountain; drive to Hoi An for walking tour. 6 Cycle through countryside; free afternoon followed by an evening cooking class. 7 Fly to Nha Trang and visit Thap Ba hot springs and mud baths. 8 Day cruise around offshore islands with snorkelling. 9 Morning at leisure; afternoon fly to Saigon. 10 Morning tour of Saigon with visits to Reunification Palace and Ben Thanh markets; afternoon at water park. 11 Explore the Mekong Delta by boat, visiting a floating market and villages; overnight in homestay. 12 Morning walk through the island's fruit orchards and navigate small canals in a traditional sampan; return to Saigon. 13 Excursion to the Cu Chi Tunnels; afternoon free. 14 End Saigon.

Mode of travel: Flights via Kuala Lumpur with Malaysian Airlines. Transport private minibus/coach, boat, overnight sleeper train and 2 internal flights.
Group size: Normally 5 to 20, plus leader and appropriate local guides.
Accommodation: 10 nights in comfortable 3 star hotels, 1 night on a converted rice junk (boat) in twin share cabins, all en suite, 1 night sleeper train, soft-bed berths, 1 night basic guesthouse to experience some 'Mekong Delta' hospitality, sleeping communally with shared washing facilities. All the hotels are centrally located, in Nha Trang our hotel is a stone\'s throw from the South China Sea, and in Hanoi it is located in the heart of Hanoi's old quarter.
Food: All breakfasts, 2 lunches, and 3 dinners included.
Optional Single Supplement: from $463.75
Trip Reference: FIV
Reverse Itinerary: trips that run in reverse are specified with an 'R' in the dates and prices table below.
Notes: Child must be aged 5 to 11 at time of departure.
Trip Reference: FIV