North Vietnam Heritage Tour for Families

Quoc Pagoda in Hanoi, Vietnam

What to expect on this itinerary

Hanoi captures the range of cultural influences that shine throughout Northern Vietnam, Mai Chau shares tasteful vistas of the luscious countryside, and Bai Tu Long Bay offers an emerald waterscape that is off the beaten path. These are but a few of the enchanting destinations that you and your family will appreciate during your fun-filled excursion across the unspoiled expanse of Northern Vietnam. We have tailor-made this tour to cater to families of all ages, ensuring that every experience is as enthralling as it is educational. Capture lifelong moments together on this 14-day excursion through Northern Vietnam as you celebrate the alluring Vietnamese culture and bucolic environmental sights.

Countries Visited

Vietnam

Places Visited

Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Tam Coc, Mai Chau, Sapa, Bai Tu Long Bay, Hoi An

Suggested Duration

14 Days

Customizable Itinerary

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Day 1 - 3

Hanoi – Where French Influence Stands the Test of Time

Vietnam’s capital city of Hanoi oozes cultural highlights and offers endless educational experiences, which are set amidst a cityscape that is ablaze with spirit. The streets, which stretch outwards in all directions, cover its broad borders, and among them, you will immerse yourselves in its ever-present vivacity. From sunup to sundown, street-side vendors flicker with verve, and you will negotiate your way through their colorful exhibits and fragrant food stalls as you begin to acclimatize to your surroundings. In the evening, after you have experienced your first taste of exquisite traditional Vietnamese cuisine, you will retreat to your luxurious 5-star accommodation that overlooks the effervescent expanse of Hanoi.

You will be embraced by pleasant chaos the following morning in an authentic Vietnamese market where wafts of delightful delicacies and aromas of freshly squeezed juices will awaken your senses. With bellies full of sumptuous treats, you will escape the hustle to Hanoi’s quaint Old Quarter, which is a humble destination of French-colonial influence that offers a glimpse into ancient traditions that remain prevalent to this day. Ngoc Son Temple is flanked by the peaceful waters of Hoan Kiem Lake, and its 18th-century design still holds up as one of the most endearing sights within the Old Quarter. An elaborate wooden bridge provides access over the lake to this pagoda that houses time-honored artifacts of Vietnam’s past. The bright scarlet doors will welcome your family, and the history will unravel itself from the pagoda’s decorated walls and striking statues that will beckon you to take photos. Old Quarter’s charm will continue to radiate from the neo-Gothic walls of its Notre Dame-inspired, Roman Catholic Church. Outside of the church, you will witness its imposing twin bell towers, and inside, you will marvel at vivid stained-glass murals in addition to its meticulous altar. You will marvel at all of this while uncovering the dramatic French-Vietnamese heritage that leads to the construction of spiritual buildings such as this church.

You will be spoiled for choice the following morning with a collection of world-class French cafes in the heart of Hanoi, where award-winning chefs have a flair for the finer aspects of Vietnamese cuisine. You will then lose yourselves in the phenomenal fusion flavors as you watch your chef curate a delicious meal from the comfort of your charming table while connecting with one another about the magical moments that you have shared so far.

What's Included:

Transfer
Accommodation
Tour
Breakfast
Day 4 - 5

Ninh Binh – Verdant Fields, Golden Paddies, and Emerald Mountains

Day 6 - 7

Mai Chau – Hilltop Meals with the Hmong People

Day 8 - 10

Sapa – Entrancing Treks across the Tonkinese Alps

Day 11 - 12

Bai Tu Long Bay – Explore a Waterscape of Grand Natural Design

Day 13 - 14

Hoi An – A Distinct Destination of Diverse Cultural Influence

Trip Highlights

  • Indulge in a visit Hanoi’s Old Quarter to discover the city’s prominent French influence at pivotal landmarks such as Ngoc Son Temple and the Notre Dame-inspired Roman Catholic Church
  • Delight in the phenomenal flavors of Vietnamese fusion cuisine at an award-winning restaurant in Hanoi
  • Explore the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex UNESCO World Heritage Site and witness the ornate pagodas within archaic rock formations for which the site is famous
  • Experience being welcomed into the home of a traditional Hmong family at the ethnic Xa Linh Village that is perched atop the verdant peaks of Mai Chau
  • Encounter the simplistic beauty of Sapa as you venture to the renowned Silver Waterfalls and traverse the golden rice paddies of the region
  • Embark on a cruise that showcases the unspoiled splendor of Bai Tu Long Bay and captures the surreal waterscape in all its majesty
  • Immerse yourselves in the cultural diversity of Hoi An as you tour the ethereal Assembly Hall of the Chaozhou Chinese Congregation and Japanese Covered Bridge

Starting Price

$14,800 per person (excluding international flights)

Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.

What's Included

  • Accommodations
  • In-country transportation
  • Some or all activities and tours
  • Expert trip planning
  • 24x7 support during your trip

Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.

4.9

Verified Traveler Reviews

Based on 34 reviews

Vietnam Travel Review: Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong River, Hoi An, Hue, Hanoi, Ha Long Bay Cruise, History, Culture, 10-Day Trip

Zicasso's tour company did a fabulous job arranging our 10-night trip to Vietnam.

We visited Vietnam from south to north, starting in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and the Mekong River, then to Hội An and Huế, and finally to Hanoi and Hạ Long Bay.

At each location, the travel company provided us with very knowledgeable local guides who taught us the history and the culture of the area, which was our main ask.

The guides and our coordinator were professional and fun, and we enjoyed our time with the guides as much as we enjoyed the beautiful country. 

The coordinator even met us at our hotel in Hanoi to make sure we were well taken care of.

We would use this travel company in the future.

Thank you.

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Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Singapore Tour Review: Khmer Cooking Class, History, Geography, Culture, Rural Areas, Private Guides, Boutique Hotels, 3 Weeks

Zicasso’s travel agency worked patiently with us over several months to organize a perfect four-country tour through Indochina, doing exactly what we asked, including a Khmer cooking class with a local chef.  

We were met on arrival in each county by an experienced English-speaking guide who was well-versed in the history, geography, and culture of each location, and they were just delightful people too. They took us to rural villages and through urban mazes to get a close look at the daily life of the citizens. We chatted with farmers in the field and had meals in local homes. Our agency booked amazing hotels for each stop, from an eco-lodge in the mountains of Vietnam to a spectacular seaside resort in Thailand. 

We had contact names and numbers for agency representatives in each country. They were incredibly responsive, even after hours, when we had a small medical issue. They gave us a completely seamless experience from arrival to departure, with no wasted time. Vacation time is very precious, so we prefer to work with professionals who know the area intimately and take the time to understand our objectives rather than pushing a canned itinerary.

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Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia Vacation Review: Ha Long Bay, Ninh Binh, Boat Rides, Mount Batur, Hiking, Jagasari, Rice Terraces, Dance Performance, 12 Nights

Overall, Zicasso’s travel agent was excellent. The agent was very receptive to our requests, planned our trip very well based on our input, and every arrangement was seamless, without any hiccups.

Singapore is quite humid and can get hot, more than Texas. With walking everywhere, it can be uncomfortable, so perhaps plan to visit in the cooler months, based on local agents’ feedback.

Vietnam was a surprise in all dimensions. It had very good infrastructure. The travel agents took fantastic care of us and the trips to Ninh Bình, which included a bamboo boat tour, and Hạ Long Bay, with a private boat tour, were noteworthy and must-dos.

Bali was a magical and mystical land, with extremely polite and hospitable people and an extraordinary guide who was calm and facilitated our tour so well. The early-morning Mount Batur hike, though moderately strenuous, was worth it, as the sunrise was spectacular, and the trip to the Jagasari area was peaceful and so insightful. I highly recommend staying longer than the four days we stayed and perhaps changing the location to the coast and north side, as traveling within the island from one spot to another takes a long time. The highlight was the kechak dance performance. It gave us goosebumps.

The arrangements were wonderful, with great accommodations and transportation.

Thanks to our travel agent.

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Vietnam, Cambodia Trip Review: Lan Ha Bay, Hue, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City, Siem Reap, Angkor Wat, Cooking Class, Coffee Tasting, History, 23 Days

The travel agents we worked with directly planned an amazing Vietnam and Cambodia trip for my husband and me. We were blown away by how amazing the tours were at each destination. They made sure food/dietary restrictions were met and were very responsive when we reached out while we were at our destination. They listened to what we wanted from our trip and delivered an amazing experience. This was our first experience with Zicasso and we would recommend them based on the amazing trip planned by the travel agents.

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Vietnam Luxury Family Tour Review: Ha Long Bay Cruise, Local Cuisine, 1-Week Trip
"The Zicasso travel agent and his team were fantastic. Our family loved our trip and the activities that were suggested."

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Vietnam, Laos Luxury Tour Review: Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng, Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Ninh Binh, Hoi An, Saigon, 16-Night Travel
"We had a very interesting 18-day trip to Laos and Vietnam in February. We truly liked and enjoyed our well-planned trip."

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Customizable Itinerary

This is a sample itinerary to inspire a personalized trip designed with your travel specialist.

30,000+ Verified Traveler Reviews