Chopsticks & Coconuts Family Holiday

Enjoy a family adventure from north to south Vietnam

From the spectacular limestone seascape of Halong Bay to the frenetic streets of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam is a country of contrasts and surprises. The cities are an assault on the senses: noisy, colourful, aromatic and totally absorbing. We tour Hanoi by cyclo and have the option to see a traditional water puppet show. We have quieter time too, snorkelling at Whale Island, exploring the fascinating Mekong Delta by boat and cycling past green paddy fields near Hoi An. We also have the chance to enjoy the superb Vietnamese cuisine and master our chopstick skills.

People, Places & Planet

We work hard to create trips that improve life for the people and places we visit, and look after the planet we explore. Find out more about our sustainable travel ethos and practice here, and find out about the work of the Exodus Travels Foundation here.

Some sustainable travel highlights of this trip include:

People

How this trip helps improve life for local communities.

• The use of a local guide means our customers will be well informed about local traditions, and cultural-social sensitivities.
• This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally owned hotels and restaurants, the emphasis on eating locally produced food, and support of other local enterprise.
• In Hanoi, we encourage groups to have a communal meal at KOTO, an NGO that provides a two-year course in hospitality, English and life skills to groups of 16 to 22-year-olds from disadvantaged backgrounds. Students also receive accommodation, food, medical check-ups, and treatment while they are being trained. Many of the 400-plus graduates have gone on to develop careers at KOTO restaurants or have gained employment elsewhere, so this is a great initiative to support.
• There is the option to see a traditional folk dance or water puppet show in Hanoi. This encourages local customs to continue and creates employment opportunities.
• In Hoi An, we stop by Reaching Out, a shop selling gifts handmade by artisans with disabilities – helping them to develop their talent and independence.
• Guests stay overnight and eat a delicious home-cooked meal in a homestay guesthouse in the Mekong Delta.
• We do a lot to celebrate the cottage industries on this tour, as this benefits the local people and is enjoyable for travellers. For example, in the Mekong Delta, we visit a lot of small businesses and factories selling handmade coconut sweets, rice paper, soya bean sauce and popped rice among other things.

Places

How this trip helps protect and conserve local landscapes and nature.

• By travelling in a small group, led by a local guide, we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment. Part of this trip is in the Mekong Delta and we stay one night in a guesthouse homestay.
• Our trips adhere to ABTA’s industry-leading animal welfare guidelines to ensure the best possible practices with regard to working animals and wildlife viewing. Our animal welfare policy can be found here.
• We work with our partners on the ground to proactively eliminate or reduce waste, for example eliminating all single-use plastic water bottles and instead providing refills for reusable bottles.
• We provide clients with a reusable tote bag at the start of the tour (made in Hanoi), offering an alternative to single-use plastic bags and a souvenir to take home.

Planet

How we seek to keep the carbon footprint of this trip low.

• Read about Exodus Travels’ Planet Promise here, including our rewilding and carbon compensation commitments for every customer who travels.
• We choose to travel on the overnight train from Hanoi to Da Nang as opposed to taking an internal flight.
• Accommodation and restaurants in the itinerary use locally sourced food, which has not been transported long distances.
• Vegetarian and vegan options are available at some accommodation and restaurants.

Tips for sustainable travel on this trip

• Leave no trace: We do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish behind in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, we’d ask you to consider bringing recyclable materials home with you.
• Plastic waste reduction: Please bring your own reusable water bottle on this trip; filtered water will be provided where tap water is not drinkable.
• Cultural respect:
  • Please cover your legs and arms to the elbow in temples and sacred sites (pack a sarong or other suitable clothing) and remove hats when visiting a sacred site.
  • Do not rest your chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice as this symbolises the burning of incense (which is usually reserved for times of mourning).
  • One should not show the soles of their feet or touch someone’s head, both are considered disrespectful.

Visa

Vietnam

Travellers from the UK normally do not need a visa to enter Vietnam for visits up to 15 days, while US citizens normally do need a visa to enter. Visa requirements for EU citizens vary by country.

Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/asia/vietnam
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/vietnam
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/vietnam
• USA:  www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Vietnam.html

Vaccination

Vietnam

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to speak to your doctor or travel clinic about vaccinations for hepatitis A, tetanus, typhoid, cholera, hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, rabies and tuberculosis. The risk of malaria is slight, but you may want to consult your doctor or travel clinic for further advice.

Similarly, dengue and zika, both viral diseases spread by mosquitoes, are known risks in Vietnam. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available, so we strongly recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Eating and Drinking

This trip includes 12 breakfasts, two lunches and three dinners.

Thanks to the tropical climate, the long coast and gigantic range of mountains, Vietnam is blessed with numerous varieties of culinary offerings and maintains a reputation as one of the healthiest, tastiest cuisines in the world.

Vietnamese food relies on fresh fish, vegetables, rice and a myriad of verdant herbs and spices; lemongrass, ginger, basil and lime all play an important role in the cuisine. The Chinese and French influence is felt throughout the country, where you are just as likely to be offered a banh mi (stuffed baguette) as you are a hot bowl of pho (noodle soup).

Be sure to seek out the national beverages: Vietnamese coffee is served iced and sweet with condensed milk (a real sugar and caffeine hit) and beer hoi (local beer, brewed daily) is served on most street corners in the north out of large plastic jugs that are perfect for sharing.

Food is cheap in Vietnam, and you can generally avoid the spicier food if you wish. Western food is readily available almost everywhere, with the exception of the night in the Mekong Delta.

Vegetarian food is widely available; however, the offering will be fairly similar in most places. Please advise at the time of booking if you have any dietary requirements.

Weather

The weather will be hot and humid throughout with daytime temperatures usually 28C-34C (82F-93F). It is only a little cooler at night.

There is quite a range of seasons between the north and south: the south up to Hue has a distinct dry season between December and April and then a rainy season from May to November when it tends to come in short heavy bursts with bright sunshine in between. Hanoi is cool in autumn, and even gets chilly between November and February (with a drizzly rain).

There is no ideal time to visit Vietnam; it is quite pleasant at any time of year, though it is unlikely the weather will be perfect for the entire trip.

Please be aware, the Halong Bay boat trip is subject to short notice change if adverse weather conditions develop during your trip. These could occur year-round, but especially in monsoon season (from October to April). Halong Bay boat trips are governed by the local authorities, who are authorised to make appropriate safety decisions. If your Halong Bay trip is affected by adverse weather, this could either result in a reduced excursion or, less likely, the need to re-arrange the itinerary if it is not possible at all to go out on Halong Bay. While this is not a frequent occurrence, our local team and leaders are well equipped to handle such situations and have long offered appropriate options to groups in the instances where this may occur.

Is this trip for you?

This trip has been rated Activity Level 3 (Moderate). It was designed for 13 to 16-year-olds, but is also suitable for nine to 12-year-olds.

Our Family Activity Levels are aimed at children in the primary age group (13-16), but we are confident it is also suitable for those in the secondary age range (9-12). However, if your child is in this secondary category, they may find it a little more difficult. When grading our trips, we consider multiple factors, including the pace, level of activity involved, amount of travel time and the weather. Please see the Family Activity Levels on our website for further information.

Trip pace

This trip is designed so you can see the best of Vietnam using a mixture of private buses, boats and flights. There is a lot to see in the time you are here, but the itinerary is paced to feel relatively unrushed. Travel is kept to a minimum, but there are a few longer drives. There is plenty of time for sightseeing and the trip has numerous stops where we spend two or more nights.

Hotels and facilities

Some of the accommodation is basic but clean and tidy. The swimming pools may not be up to Western standards.

Photos

Local people and other Asian tourists may want to take photos of themselves with your children, particularly if they are young, blonde and have blue eyes. You should be prepared for them to do this without asking permission first. You should also be prepared for lots of traffic in the bigger cities, such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, where you will have to relearn crossing the street.