Today is the day you've been dreaming of. The first hotel is the one where you first met your TruFam - that's what we call our tour groups for obvious reasons. It's the start of a wonderful friendship with your group, your Travel Ninja and the whole of Vietnam, so enjoy the welcome drink and a delicious dinner. Your adventure as a Vietnam explorer finally begins!

Activity: Welcome Dinner

Discover Cu Chi Tunnel

Get up, TruTraveller, we've got a big day ahead of us! Put on some comfortable shoes, because today we're off to the Cu Chi Tunnels. Built in the late 1940s and spread over nearly 250km, the Cu Chi Tunnels were used for a variety of reasons including housing troops, transporting communications and supplies, and laying booby traps before returning safely inside the tunnels. Don't be fooled, although the operations of these tunnels sound seamless, some tunnels were so small that they were about 80cm wide and 80cm high, which was almost impossible for the average person to get through. We will experience the tunnels first hand and explore some of the underground hiding places. This is an experience not to be missed and provides a real insight into the challenges of life just 70 or so years ago.

Cu Chi Tunnels

Breakfast

You'll have the whole day to explore one of the most beautiful and hospitable countries in the world. We start in the iconic and historic city formerly known as Saigon. Despite the universally welcoming atmosphere and cheerful demeanour of the locals, Vietnam's turbulent past is well documented. After a walk to some of the most remarkable sites in Ho Chi Minh, it's time to marvel at the Ho Chi Minh War Museum, which receives half a million visitors every year. Learn the history of the Vietnamese war that lasted over 20 years and still affects many lives today. We take a walk and visit the impressive Independence Palace before continuing to the cathedral and post office. Finally, we visit the local food market to sample some of the best food in the area, the local cuisine! We return in the early afternoon, have lunch and spend a relaxing afternoon. In the evening we head to the airport and make our way to our next destination - Hoi An!

Ho Chi Minh City Tour & War Museum

Breakfast

Today we wake up in the picturesque town of Hoi An. A magical place in Vietnam, known for its beauty and fun fact is also a World Heritage Site! Hoi An is probably best known for the Vietnamese lanterns that give the town a surreal, tranquil glow every evening. You definitely want one, right? Let's take it a step further and teach you how to make one! Choose your silk and learn from the locals how to turn one of these iconic lanterns into your own. Don't worry if you're not exactly gifted at crafting, you can always leave the lantern in the dark to hide your shame. Another famous activity in Hoi An is the opportunity to have clothes made, styled, designed and created to your liking. We will visit a local tailor where we will see how they make incredible clothes and designs. They will also gift us a unique reusable and sustainable TruTravels shopping bag made from the cut off fabrics. An amazing lifetime gift from the TruFam and perfect for future adventures. Then it's off to Thinhs, an amazing local cafe owned by a Tru friend called Tinh who grows his own coffee beans and has some of the best Vietnamese coffee in the country! (In our opinion ;)). We will learn the process of developing and roasting the beans before tasting our own coffee! The rest of the afternoon is at our leisure!

Breakfast & Lunch

Hoi An lantern making & tailoring

Today we have a day off, so sleep as long as you like. Stroll along the tranquil river and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of this quieter part of Vietnam or maybe visit the famous Ba Na Hills with the Golden Bridge. It's an Instagram favourite! With winding roads and small bridges, it's easy to see why Hoi An is so popular among travellers. So get out there and explore! May I suggest a local beach club for cocktails at sunset? Come on, you know you want to!

Breakfast

Today the fun factor reaches 10000/10, and we're not just saying that. Firstly, we take a morning bike ride through the local countryside and village before reaching our destination for the afternoon! We head to Coconut Woods, which despite the name is actually situated on 7 acres (don't ask us what an acre is, it could be some kind of squirrel) of water. Ever heard of a basket boat? Well, you're about to have your first experience of one, and you'll be laughing your head off on one of these crazy traditional Vietnamese boats that have been used for crab fishing for centuries. We'll glide through stunning surroundings before a little too much slipping, sliding and splashing as we demonstrate how best to use wicker boats. It may not be as relaxing as you imagine, but it'll certainly get the adrenaline pumping through your veins. You'll work up an appetite and be really hungry for a culinary experience before we enjoy a delicious meal with a local family. Tonight will be our last night in Hoi An (until you visit us again), so let's make it a special evening with dinner and drinks on the waterfront.

Basket boat experience & bike tour

Breakfast & Lunch

Don't let the name fool you, we will be doing the legendary Hai Van Pass in open war jeeps and not in a van, yeah! Leaving Hoi An will be emotional, but once we're on the open road, you'll see some of the most spectacular scenery in all of Vietnam on the way to the city of Hue. On the way, we'll take some snapshots, treat ourselves to lunch and maybe even a little dip in the tropical waters before reaching idyllic Hue. Pack a swimming costume! Today we spend the day with the wind in our hair, loud music and travelling along this world-famous, epic route. A once in a lifetime experience, right? We'll arrive in the late afternoon, check in and relax at the hotel! Later in the day, we will explore the nightlife of Hue, where it's all about the local beer, rice wine and dancing the night away. Good food and delicious drinks are waiting for you.

Hai Van Pass in jeeps

Breakfast & Lunch

Did you know that Hue was once the home of the emperors? The remnants of their rule can be seen all over the city, but most clearly within the walls of the imperial city itself. So today we fully immerse ourselves in this history. We drive along the Perfume River and reach a tranquil garden. Sit back and relax, because this is where we're going to spend the day! Are you ready to conjure up a storm? We'll learn how to make the delicious Vietnamese food we devoured last week and enjoyed so much. No pressure, TruFam, slice and dice away and savour every bite of your culinary masterpiece. It's been an incredible day, so we bid Hue farewell and head off to our next destination - Ninh Binh!

Cookery course

Breakfast & Lunch

Ninh Binh is also known as the Halong Bay on land, and for good reason - it's breathtakingly beautiful. We arrive and hop on small boats to paddle through pristine caves and cruise around small surrounding islands. Look around and you'll see emerald green forest and rice paddies as far as the eye can see. Absolutely breathtaking. Then it's off to Tam Coc Valley, where you'll discover limestone hills among the lush trees. One of the best nature destinations in the whole of Vietnam and not on the typical tourist trails. The afternoon is at leisure, but if the TruFam are up for it, we can take bikes and cycle around, stopping in between for water breaks and taking the ubiquitous Insta photos. If you didn't take a photo, you were there in the first place, right? Saving the best for last, we set off towards mid-afternoon for the epic Hang Mua viewpoint. With about 500 steps to the top, you know it's going to be incredible. After updating our Instastory, sending 100's of pictures on our WhatsApp chats and really taking in the magic of Vietnam, we head back to have dinner, drink beer and enjoy an incredible sunset over the mountains!

Meals: Breakfast

Today we're probably visiting the most famous place in Asia - it's Halong Bay, and it's almost certainly been your screensaver before. A bright green sea, 1,600 limestone islands spread across the bay - it's a labyrinth of true paradise and wonder. We leave Ninh Binh early in the morning to travel to Halong Bay and board our boat for a night under the stars. Lunch is served against a breathtaking backdrop after we have boarded and settled in. Today we sail into paradise, the programme? Kayaking, viewpoints, beaches, the works! We told you that your stay in Halong Bay would be one to remember forever. After a day on the water, we return on board and learn how to make delicious spring rolls. The evening will be spent watching the sun go down on the open deck, gazing up at the stars and chatting with your TruFam over a beer or two. Does it get any better than this?

Halong Book Boat Trip

Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Wake up, rub your eyes, no, you're really here. Take in your surroundings before stepping out onto the open deck for breakfast and a large coffee. Huge limestone formations surrounded by turquoise waters and lush green forests. There's no place in the world like Halong Bay, so sit back, relax and enjoy the 360-degree views. We'll spend the afternoon relaxing and swimming before saying our goodbyes and heading to the capital of Vietnam - Hanoi! The late afternoon is free, so get out and explore! In the evening we'll meet up for dinner, a few drinks and head out to experience the incredible nightlife of Hanoi!

Breakfast & Lunch

The unique Hanoi

It's been 12 days since this wonderful adventure through Vietnam began, and so far you've travelled over 1,600 km full of great moments, laughs and great people. Just because the capital city of Hanoi is the last stop on your Vietnam adventure doesn't mean that these wonderful weeks are over. Hanoi is chaotic, lively and an absolute experience in itself. Time to explore, right? But not before you've tried one of Vietnam's favourite drinks, a traditional egg coffee. Trust us, they're pretty good. We'll be going to a demonstration of how this delicacy is made. Do they use real eggs? Who knows. The rest of the day is free for you to explore the city. Whichever side of Hanoi takes your fancy, be it the Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake, the beautiful Hanoi Opera House or the countless other photogenic spots in the city. It's an incredible day. In the evening, we dress up for our big, BIG party night with the TruFam!

Breakfast

It's a day for aching heads and emotional goodbyes, because we've come to the end of the tour. But don't worry, this doesn't have to be the end of your adventure. If not, our travel injas know Southeast Asia like the back of their hand and can give you advice on what to do and where to go next. However, when it's time to leave this part of the world, allow yourself to be sad about it, but promise us you'll be back? It's a very easy promise to keep, honestly. You are now a lifelong member of TruFam, and by now you know how important that is. See you soon!