Homestays to High Passes: Our Top 10 Adventures in Vietnam
Adventures in Vietnam invite the curious – the mountains reward walking, the coastlines suit cycling, and the vibrant cities invite getting lost rather than getting through. Vietnam is a country built for active travel.
That kind of travel depends on the right access, and the right people to open it up. In the Mekong Delta, that means staying overnight with a local family, long after the day boats have left. In Sapa, it’s walking village paths used daily by Red Dao communities rather than skirting viewpoints. Cycling the Hai Van Pass turns a famous road into something earned, shaped by weather, effort and the long descent that follows.
With our expert local guides and small groups, these Vietnam adventures bring you into real places and routines – the sort you only notice when you’re not in a hurry.
1. Sleep Alongside the Mekong Delta
The Mekong Delta is Vietnam’s agricultural heartland, producing much of the country’s fruit, sugarcane and coconuts. But its character is best understood by staying put rather than passing through.
From the riverside town of Vinh Long, you travel by wooden boat along the Mekong to Cai Be, slipping past orchards and locals moving between villages by water. There are stops along the way to visit cottage industries, including rice paper makers and coconut candy producers, with time to sample the freshly made treats. By late afternoon, the pace slows noticeably as you arrive on a quiet island in the Delta.
The night is spent in a simple guesthouse built in the style of a local home, right by the river. Dinner is homemade southern Vietnamese cooking, taken in the garden as the light fades and river life settles for the night.
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Vietnam Adventure
Join an expert tour leader to explore Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and the best of everything in between
2. Trek Remote Trails Through the Hills of Sapa
High in Vietnam’s northwest, Sapa sits among steep valleys shaped into terraces over generations of farming.
Walking routes lead through bamboo forest and rice fields to villages such as Ta Phin, home to Red Dao families. Depending on conditions, trails may cross rivers and rocky ground or follow gentler farm tracks, always revealing how closely life here is tied to the land.
Our local guides set the pace, adjust routes and read the terrain, turning the trek into an insight-led journey rather than a test of endurance.
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Hidden Vietnam: Sapa & Beyond
From Sapa to Ho Chi Minh City; uncover the treasures of Vietnam
3. Unwind in Hot Springs Deep in Northern Vietnam
Beyond Sapa, northern Vietnam grows quieter and more remote. Hoang Su Phi is known for dramatic rice terraces and strong highland traditions, yet sees far fewer visitors.
Walking here takes you through tea hills, bamboo forest and villages where hospitality is unpolished and genuine. Tea is poured, stories are shared, and nobody rushes you along.
The hike ends at Panhou Retreat, a wellness-minded lodge tucked into the mountains of the Hoang Su Phi province and staffed entirely by people from nearby villages. Here, the reward for days on the trail comes in the form of natural hot springs and traditional Red Dao herbal baths, fed by mountain water and infused with more than 20 locally gathered medicinal plants. Sinking into the steaming pools as the hills wrap around you is both restorative and deeply rooted in local tradition. Less spa treatment, more hard-earned comfort.
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Hiking in Northern Vietnam
Leave the backpackers and hike the remote north with a leader who knows the trails better than any
4. Explore Hanoi by Cyclo
Seeing Hanoi from a cyclo (bicycle taxi) offers a welcome change of pace in a city that can feel overwhelming on foot. You’re still right in the thick of the action, but with a little breathing space as you roll through the Old Quarter’s 36 streets, each traditionally named for the trade once practiced there. Food stalls prepare lunch at arm’s length, shopfronts spill onto the pavement, and daily life unfolds all around you.
It’s an engaging, refreshing Vietnam adventure to experience the city’s bustle without having to navigate every crossing yourself – and a particularly good fit for family vacations in Vietnam.
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Vietnam Family Adventure
Experience Vietnam from north and south
5. Cycle the Iconic Hai Van Pass
The Hai Van Pass, appropriately known as the Pass of the Ocean Clouds, is one of Vietnam’s most celebrated roads and a must for cycling tours in Vietnam.
Cycling it reveals why. The climb winds above the coast through jungle and mist before opening onto wide ocean views. At 1,627ft (496m), the climb speaks for itself, with support vehicles available for those who want them.
Riding here with a local guide makes all the difference.
You may even be lucky enough to be led by Lam Nguyen, one of our most experienced cycling guides in Vietnam, who hails from the Mekong Delta. His knowledge of the pass goes beyond gradients and gear ratios, to the weather patterns, quiet stretches of road and the best moments to pause.
“The group leader, Lam Nguyen, was excellent. His knowledge of Vietnam – the places we cycled and visited, as well as the history – was very extensive ”
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Cycling Vietnam
Ride from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi, witnessing Vietnam’s beauty unfold
6. Cruise and Stay Overnight in Ha Long Bay
The limestone karsts of Ha Long Bay rise sharply from emerald water, creating one of the most recognizable seascapes in Southeast Asia. Cruising here by traditional junk boat allows you to move slowly through the bay, with time to appreciate the scale and quiet drama of the landscape.
Once on board, the boat quickly becomes your base. Most gravitate to the rooftop deck, where chairs are set out for watching the karsts slide past. Meals are taken in the glass-fronted dining room, meaning even lunch and dinner come with uninterrupted views over the bay.
As day boats depart, Ha Long settles. Dinner is unhurried, the water grows still, and by night the bay feels a world away from its daytime bustle.
7. Walk the Streets of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City
Vietnam’s cities make the most sense on foot. All you need is a good map or directions – or even better, a great guide – and a good dose of courage to cross the streets.
In Hanoi, the Old Quarter’s narrow streets reflect centuries of trade and stories. Make sure to enjoy a Vietnamese iced coffee in one of the many blissfully air-conditioned cafes dotted around Hoan Kiem Lake.
Ho Chi Minh City offers a different rhythm. Temples sit beside modern towers, scooters dominate the streets, and neighborhood markets reveal a city shaped by war, recovery and rapid change.
With a local guide leading the way, walks focus on everyday life, revealing how past and present coexist without much fuss.
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Trails of Vietnam
On foot, in the saddle, with paddle – actively discover the length of Vietnam!
8. Step into Imperial History in Hue
Hue was once the political and ceremonial heart of Vietnam, and with a knowledgeable local guide, its imperial past quickly comes into focus.
At the center lies the Imperial Citadel, a vast moated complex where Nguyen emperors ruled from behind high stone walls. Ornate gates and ceremonial halls sit alongside the atmospheric remains of the Forbidden Purple City, much of it destroyed during the Tet Offensive. Bomb damage is still visible, with foliage creeping over ruins and careful restoration revealing layers rather than erasing them.
Beyond the Citadel, Hue’s slower pace continues along the Perfume River and at sites such as Thien Mu Pagoda. Seen through your guide’s local insight, Hue becomes less about ruins and more about understanding how power, conflict and culture shaped modern Vietnam.
9. Cycle Into the Highlands of Dalat
Dalat sits high in Vietnam’s Central Highlands, surrounded by pine forest, coffee plantations and flower farms. Often described as the most beautiful town in Vietnam, it offers cooler air and a noticeably gentler pace.
Cycling towards Dalat makes the shift clear. As altitude increases, temperatures drop and landscapes open out, with coffee and tea plantations lining the route. The French once favored Dalat as a hill station retreat, but today it feels firmly Vietnamese.
It is one of the most scenic destinations for a cycling adventure in Vietnam.
10. Climb Sam Mountain Above the Mekong Delta
Near the Cambodian border, Sam Mountain rises abruptly from the flat Mekong Delta, standing out in a region defined by waterways and floodplains.
A climb leads past temples and shrines before opening onto panoramic views across the Delta and into Cambodia. From the summit, the scale of the Mekong becomes clear, a web of rivers, fields and settlements stretching as far as you can see.
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Southeast Asia Family Adventure
Experience an action-packed journey across Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand
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Explore our full range of Vietnam adventures, led by expert local guides who know exactly where the journey becomes the story.
