Vietnam Adventure Tour: Scuba Diving, Cycling & More (13 Days Tour)

A Relaxing Start

Hanoi is a cosmopolitan city filled with charm and tradition. You arrive at the airport and are met by your private transfer who escorts you to your luxurious accommodation. The city is filled with both modern and ancient culture. You find neighborhoods, such as the Old Quarter, that date back as far as a millennium ago. The wealth of temples and ancient citadels, theaters, and lakes brings the city’s nature and tradition, culture and modernity together. In the streets of the Old Quarter you find scooters and bicycles, cars and pedestrians. Local sidewalk vendors line the pathways. They have mounds of vivacious oranges and bananas to sell. Others offer local food that fills the air with the scent of fresh grilled fish. In the evening you can try the classic Vietnamese cuisine at Club Opera located in a retro-French mansion. You can taste the fusion of traditional flavors with newer techniques, including hot pot specials and dragon cake pancakes.

What’s Included: transfer, accommodation

The Land of Karsts

After breakfast your private transfer will escort you to Ha Long Bay. The bay is situated on the South China Sea and is one of the most captivating landscapes in the world. You can find over 1,600 limestone islets rising out of emerald water. The karsts are rocky titans that shine gray and white against the sunlight. Climb aboard your traditional Chinese Junk and make your way out to sea. The sails are cast and are creased like traditional paper fans.

The breeze brings the scent of salty and sweet sea. Set out on a kayak where you can have a deeper exploration of the surrounding rocky outcrops. The water is cool and almost glassy. You follow your guide into limestone archways and shallow caves. The rock is cold and smooth on your fingers. The sky is clear and blue. In the evening the ship emanates the aroma of fresh grilled prawns and lemon zest as stars overtake the night sky.

What’s Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner, transfer, tour, accommodation

The Rush of the Mountainside

You arrive in Sapa in the early morning. The mist drapes across the lowlands and looks like a simmering wave. The foothills rise out of the clouds and tower into the open post-dawn sky. You can see the towering peak of Fan Si Pan that reaches over 10,300 feet above sea level. Sapa was once a significant town for French military troops and missionary groups. Saturday is the most energetic day to visit the Sapa Market. Local hill-tribe villagers from the surrounding countryside come to both buy and sell their wares. It is an eclectic array of color and culture.

Red Dao wear their traditional red head scarves and turbans. Black H’mong are decorated in black blouses with intricately embroidered collars and sleeves. You find everything from textiles to produce on display. The bundles of chilies look more vivacious than you have ever seen. They also look incredibly spicy. You can even find women selling rambutan, also known as a lychee. In the evening you can settle into town and enjoy a comforting hot chocolate at Baguette and Chocolat, a villa that was converted into a café.

What’s Included: breakfast, lunch, tour, transfer, accommodation

Once More Around the Mountains

Today the mist passes you over and brings the sunlight bright and early. The chickens are active and running around the village streets. After breakfast you hop back on your bicycle and follow your guide back towards Sapa. The villages you find in the mountains are all tremendously different even though they aren’t necessarily located far apart. The Red Dao villagers are known for their colorful clothing, vibrant red headwear, and sensational belts. Their village is settled up and down the hillside and the villagers maintain the paddy fields along terraces. You can find Thac Bac Waterfall nearby. The water careens down from over 300 foot high rocky and mossy terrain. The cool mist sprays from the whitewater. It is a display of nature’s power and grace. In the evening you will step onto your overnight train to Hanoi and leave the countryside behind. 

What’s Included: breakfast, lunch, tour, transfer, accommodation

The Gentle Sea

The morning pastels run over the horizon. You rise to the sounds of calm water rushing against the sand. Today you will venture out onto the South China Sea on a tour boat to experience a day cruising along the water. The water is the color of precious stones on the surface. Beneath the surface you have a clear view of the life beneath the tide. When the boat stops you jump in and feel the gentle ebb and flow of the sea. Put on your goggles and snorkel mask to watch the magical world on the ocean floor come to vibrant life.

The light is able to pierce the surface and shine on the iridescent fish. The fish swim in large schools that range in color from orange to yellow, black to red. You can find a starfish embracing the coral and letting the soft tide move it slowly along. The water is cool and comfortable all around you. The boat ride is jovial and lively. The sea sticks to your skin when you climb back onto the boat. The band starts to play and brings everyone aboard the ship closer together.

What’s Included: breakfast, lunch, tour, accommodation

The Open Waterfront

The day is at your whim and pleasure. The sandy shore seems to encircle the entire island. Catamarans catch the breeze and sail on the clear water. A staff member could even take you out into the water and sail you around the island. The colorful cloth lifts over you. It ripples and flutters in the breeze. The wake mists into the air and brushes against your cheeks. You can see the island from all angles. Its various shades of green radiate against the empty blue sky. You can see people in the distance snorkeling. Their bodies face down as the breathing tube rises awkwardly into the air. You find a piece of tranquility as you surround the island. You can take a turn trying to steer the boat, angling the sail to catch the wind. The sail is tall, the air is warm, and the day is like nothing you have ever experienced before.

What’s Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner, accommodation

The Adventurous Homecoming

You can watch the dawn shift dramatically from star-studded sky to pink striped horizon and finally morning blue. Breakfast will have the exotic and captivating aroma of freshly brewed coffee. After your meal your private transfer will ferry you from the island to the private jetty. Once on the mainland you will continue your journey to the airport and eventually to home. You have gone from the northern mountains to private islands and witnessed the beauty and culture in between. You know that as you venture home there will be unadulterated joy every time you look back on your time in Vietnam.

What’s Included: breakfast, transfer