Vietnam Active Tour | Vietnam Travel | Private Vietnam Tour with Pyala Travel - Travel Program
Travel to Vietnam and go hiking in North Vietnam and cycle in the paddy fields in the Mekong Delta. Tailor Made Vietnam Tour from Pyala Travel.
Vietnam Active Tour
private tour
walking in the north, cycling in the south
This is a 3-week tour full of activities like walking in the mountains, taking boat rides and cycling in the Mekong Delta. Explore Vietnam in a different way and you'll really enjoy the great scenery of this fantastic country.
from 1395,-
22 days
Tabs
Day 1 Arrival Hanoi
You are picked up from the airport and brought to the hotel in the old center of Hanoi. You can immediately start exploring the narrow streets of this ancient capital.Day 2 Hanoi
Hanoi is the former capital of North Vietnam. In the center of town is the Hoan Kiem Lake, a wonderful place to get away from the city to relax, especially in early morning and late evening. The locals come here to do gymnastics, play games, or just to chat. At the lake you will also find the always-crowded Ngoc Son Temple. Near the lake is the famous Water Puppet Theater where you can see an example of Vietnamese puppetry.From the lake you can walk into the old town, a maze of narrow streets filled with honking motorbikes, street vendors, rickshaws and shops. You'll find an abundance here of (cheap) Vietnamese products. Hanoi has much to offer. You can pay a visit to the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum, a large cubical mausoleum located on the vast Ba Dinh Square. Want to see history? Stroll along the edges of the old city. You will find old French villas, reminders of the colonial past of this jewel of Indochina. Make sure to visit the "Temple of Literature", a beautiful Vietnamese-style temple that, in the eleventh century, was the first university in the country. And the city has many more smaller temples that are well worth a visit.
Day 3 Hanoi - Ba Be
In the morning you will be picked up at the hotel and drive to Ba Be, a beautiful park consisting of three interconnected lakes surrounded by deep forests and jagged karst mountains. You will spend the night on the edge of the lakes in a simple homestay. The Ba Be National Park is inhabited by different ethnic groups, but the largest group here is the Tay who live in houses on stilts. You will spend the night on the edge of one of the lakes in a simple homestay.
Day 4 Ba Be/ boat trip
Today you take a three-hour boat ride on the Nang River. Along the way you will see some waterfalls and caves hidden in the rocks. Maybe you’ll also see one of the rare tropical birds or fish that live here! After the boat trip you take a short walk to a Tay village where you will stay in simple homestay on the edge of the lake.
Day 5 Ba Be - Panhou
Today you head further into the region of Huong Su Phi into a small side valley, literally in the middle of nowhere, where you will stay in the beautiful and pleasant Panhou Village. In Panhou you can enjoy an excellent meal. The staff here is mainly young Dzao, Nung, Tay and Hmong. The bungalows are reached via a walkway across the river from this simple but attractive resort.This eco resort was built with the help of villagers in the immediate vicinity. The idea is that residents are provided with new opportunities afforded by the construction and maintenance of this resort. The staff at the lodge are residents of the surrounding villages, usually with little formal education and knowing little to no English, though maybe a little French. In their way they try to make you feel at home. Sometimes they can be a little shy and do not provide the service in the way that you're used to. Remember: it's new to them! During the harvest season there is less staff because they help on the land.
Day 6 Panhou/ hike
Today you depart Pan Hou with a local guide for a day hike through the green mountains of the area. It is a walk up and down narrow paths. You will visit small, unspoiled villages in the rice terraces of the Dzao people, and enjoy the nature, the fruit on the trees and the domesticated animals in the villages. Take water and a hat with you! If you do not enjoy walking, you can also rest a day at Pan Hou, which is very pleasant; it's a beautiful place with a lovely landscaped garden. Please note that the walks are optional and it is necessary to reserve a spot and pay the night before. The guide is often a boy from the village who doesn’t speak English, but you can communicate well enough with gestures!
Day 7 Panhou - Huong Su Phi
It is not a long travel day, and a nice drive to Huong Su Phi. Along the way you will stop frequently to walk through villages.Day 8 Huong Su Phi - Bac Ha
Today is a long day of travel by car. On the way you will see beautiful rice paddies and many villages. At the end of the day you arrive in Bac Ha. Many different peoples live in this area, including the Flower Hmong, Thai, Phula, Nung, and Dzao.
Day 9 Bac Ha – Lao Cai – Hanoi
Today is Sunday and you'll find the big Sunday market taking place. It is still (despite tourism that has developed in recent years) one of the largest and most colorful markets in this area. The market is mainly frequented by the Flower Hmong people but you also see Phu La, Black Dzao, Tay and Nung. The market is lively, full of friendly conversations, animated trade, fragrant drinks, children crying, sugary treats and textile handicrafts. It’s a real party!After lunch you travel half an hour by car and then walk to the Tay village of Trung Do. From here you will be brought to the station in Lao Cai to take the night train to Hanoi (departure 20:15).
Day 10 Hanoi - Halong Bay
You drive three hours to one of the highlights of the trip, the spectacular Halong Bay, Vietnam's version of an amphitheater. Halong Bay has recently become very popular! You will notice that you are not the only tourist here. Despite the mass tourism the area remains beautiful.Upon arrival at the port you go straight onto a wooden junk where you get an excellent meal and can relax on the deck while enjoying the beautiful view. You will sail among hundreds of crags and spend the night on the boat. On the way, the boat stops so you can go swimming, visit a beach, or take a hike. There is also the opportunity to kayak in the calm sea between the karst mountains! In good weather it is possible to sleep on deck.
Day 11 Halong Bay - Hue
In the morning you wake up on the boat and you can take a refreshing dip. After breakfast, the boat will slowly sail to the port of Halong. You will then drive back to Hanoi. In the evening you’ll catch the night train to Hue.Day 12 Hue
In the morning you arrive in Hue and are taken to the hotel. From here you can explore the relatively tranquil former imperial city of Hue. Hue was long the capital of Vietnam between the 17th and the first half of the 20th century. Between the 17th and 19th centuries most of south Vietnam was ruled from here. When the last emperor Bao Dai abdicated in 1945, the capital was moved to Ha Noi, though the capital in 1949 moved back to Saigon with Bao Dai as the temporary head of state. During the Tet Offensive in 1968 Hue was prey to bombing by the Americans and many people were murdered by the communists. The city with its ancient palaces and buildings was almost completely reduced to ashes. Only in recent years has attention been given to the ruins of these buildings (such as the Imperial Palace), and restoration work has started on the old buildings from the wealthy Vietnamese dynasties.
Day 13 Hue
Today during your free day in Hue you could choose to take a cruise on the beautiful Perfume River where you end up visiting the Thien Mu Pagoda. You can also visit the ancient imperial tombs of the rulers of the Nguyen dynasty. It is an impressive complex which features mausoleums surrounded by beautiful parkland. Of course you can also choose to explore the city by bike!
Day 14 Hue - Hoi'An via Danang Cham Sculpture Museum
You have a relatively long travel day that brings you to the picturesque town of Hoi'an. Along the way you travel through the Hai Van Pass with stunning views. In Danang, you will stop to visit the Cham Sculpture Museum with beautiful old sculptures from the ancient Cham Empire between the 5th and 14th centuries. The imagery will be recognizable if you have ever been to Cambodia. After the museum you will pass the "Marble Mountains," a rock formation of sacred caves filled with Buddhist statues.
Day 15 Hoi’An
Today you have time to explore, shop, and eat in Hoi'an. It is the ideal place to get, for example, custom-made clothing, ceramics or beautiful accessories for the home. The old town is full of nice shops that all look so fun and tempting!In Hoi'An you have to try Cao Lau, a noodle dish that is something between a noodle soup and a salad. The dish consists of hot wide flat noodles in a bowl of soup with a lot of green vegetables and raw herbs on top with a little meat, mostly pork. Or how about white rose dumplings, a steamed dumpling filled with pork and spices? Delicious! Of course, you can also choose to relax on the nearby Cua Dai beach or go cycling through the Vietnamese countryside. In Hoi'an itself you can visit several beautiful old houses, temples and pagodas. In some houses you can go inside and admire the traditional (Chinese-Vietnamese) architecture.
Day 16 Hoi'An
Today you have another day in Hoi'an. You can explore the town further or go to the beach. If you have come to appreciate the Vietnamese cuisine, we recommend that you take a cooking class to learn more about the delicious local cuisine full of fresh herbs, noodles, dumplings and fish. If you aren’t interested in cooking you could learn to make a lantern. You may also be interested in a tour to My Son where you will find magnificent temples from the Cham Empire.
Day 17 Hoi’An – Ho Chi Minh
Today you fly to Ho Chi Minh City. Ho Chi Minh City is the largest city in Vietnam with more than 7 million inhabitants. The area where the town is built was first inhabited by the Khmer. It has traditionally been a swampy area where somewhere between the 1st and 6th century AD the city was founded. In the 17th century, the city received a substantial influx of Chinese (Hoa) who brought a lot of trade and economic growth to the city. From this time the city was called Saigon. In 1950, the former emperor Bao Dai founded the government in Saigon in response to the communist north founded by the Viet Minh. Saigon thus became the capital of South Vietnam. In 1976, Saigon was conquered by the communists from the north and was renamed Ho Chi Minh.
Day 18 Ho Chi Minh
Today you can explore the city. You can walk by yourself or book our city tour with a guide. Stroll through the Dong Khoi (Rue Catinat), to the Town's Theatre, the Rex Hotel, the town hall and the Notre Dam Cathedral. Or go on a visit to the lively and bustling Cholon, the famous Chinese district with colorful temples filled with smoking incense spirals. In Ho Chi Minh you can get fantastic food! Especially fish prepared in every possible way and lotus and fresh papaya salads.
Day 19 Ho Chi Minh City – Vinh Long (Mekong Delta)
You will be driven by a private car to Vinh Long in the Mekong Delta. Today you will sleep with a family that lives here. This has been somewhat adapted to western convenience but you sleep on simple beds in a bamboo house. It's really beautiful here! In the morning you will visit the Vinh Long market. Then you take a boat ride to the Tien Chau pagoda and a stone and ceramics factory. In the afternoon you will visit a fishing village. For dinner, your host family will prepare a delicious local meal for you which includes the opportunity to chat with the family. Sleep tight!
Day 20 Vinh Long - Can Tho
With a boat you will sail through the narrow channels of An Binh Island. Then there is the opportunity for walking, cycling or rowing in a sampan. You will visit the orchards and a bonsai garden on the island. You will also visit the ancient house of Mr. Cai Cuong. Here you will eat and get an impression of the old way of life in the Mekong Delta. It is an ideal place to just to relax and enjoy a cup of tea and the tropical fruit that is present in abundance. This afternoon you visit one of the famous floating markets of the Mekong Delta. You will sleep in a hotel in Can Tho today.
Day 21 Can Tho – Ho Chi Minh
In the morning you will visit the famous floating market Cai Rang. You then return by private car and driver to Ho Chi Minh. In the afternoon you have time to shop for souvenirs, or visit one of the many Chinese temple in Cholon, the Chinese quarter. And of course eat some amazing Vietnamese food for the last time! The south Vietnamese cuisine is influenced by Chinese immigrants and French settlers. This kitchen is perceived as slightly sweet. Due to the soil and climate conditions, this cooking offers a wide variety of flavors!
Day 22 Departure Ho Chi Minh
Reis boeken?
Wilt u deze reis boeken of eerst een vrijblijvende optie nemen? Vul dan uw gegevens in.Book your trip
Request an Offer
Are you interested in this trip? Request an personalized offer. You will receive an offer with the exact price per person and the exact number of travel days.Request an Offer
Hi, I am Pham Tuyet, your local travel agent.
Discover vietnam with me!
find out more
Hi, I am Pham Tuyet, your local travel agent.
Discover vietnam with me!
find out more
Sign up for our newsletter!
Cookies and privacy
The website of Pyala Travel makes use of cookies. These cookies are divided in the following categories: functional, analytic, advertising and Social Media Cookies.
Social media
Social media