Vegan Vietnam Tour

Welcome to Vietnam.

On arrival at Noi Bai International Airport, you’ll be met and transferred to your hotel in Hanoi’s Old Quarter.

Standard check-in is from 14:00. The afternoon is free to rest after your journey or step outside for a first look at the neighbourhood. The Old Quarter is busy, noisy, and full of life, with narrow streets, food stalls, and scooters weaving through everyday scenes.

At 18:00, we’ll meet as a group for a relaxed pre-tour briefing. This is a chance to meet your fellow vegan travellers and go over what lies ahead.

Afterwards, we head out together for our first vegan group meal, and a short orientation walk around the nearby area.

Our first full day in Hanoi offers the opportunity to enjoy the city’s highlights as we explore the best of Hanoi’s history, culture, and contrasts on a full-day Hanoi Highlights Tour.

We begin at the Ho Chi Minh Complex which features the life of Ho Chi Minh, modern Vietnam’s founder, including Ba Dinh Square, the Presidential Palace, the Ho Chi Minh Museum, and Ho Chi Minh’s house on stilts. Nearby, we stop at the One Pillar Pagoda, one of the city’s most distinctive landmarks.

We then continue to the Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s first university, offering a quieter, more reflective side of the capital.

In the afternoon, we visit Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple before heading into the Old Quarter. Wandering its narrow streets gives a vivid insight into daily life, trades, and traditions. We finish the day with a traditional Vietnamese water puppet show.

Today’s tour is a wonderful mix of history, culture, and local cuisine, offering a great overview of Hanoi’s main attractions.

We leave Hanoi behind and travel to Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its dramatic limestone islands and calm waters.

After boarding our cruise, we sail through the bay, passing iconic rock formations as lunch is served on board.

In the afternoon, we explore Sung Sot Cave, the largest cave in the bay, before continuing to Luon Cave, where there is the option to kayak or take a bamboo boat through the surrounding scenery.

Later, we stop at Titov Island, with time to climb for panoramic views or relax on the beach. As the day draws to a close, we enjoy a gentle cruise back through the bay before returning to Hanoi.

Today we say goodbye to Hanoi and travel south to the former imperial capital of Hue, a city known for its calm pace, river life, and deep imperial history.

Once we arrive, the rest of the day is kept intentionally light. Hue feels softer and more reflective than the cities we have visited so far, making it a welcome change of rhythm. This is a good place to slow down.

You may choose to relax at the hotel, take a gentle stroll nearby, or enjoy your first glimpse of the Perfume River and the quieter streets that give Hue its character.

Today offers a deeper look into Hue’s spiritual heart, combined with the city’s long-standing vegan food culture.

We begin by visiting Thien Mu Pagoda, one of Hue’s most important religious sites, set beside the Perfume River. The peaceful surroundings make it an ideal place to learn about the role Buddhism has played in shaping life in central Vietnam.

We then continue to Tu Hieu Pagoda, a quiet Zen monastery surrounded by pine trees. Time here is unhurried, allowing space for reflection and a gentle walking meditation experience.

Lunch is enjoyed at a local vegan restaurant, showcasing the refined flavours Hue is known for.

In the afternoon, we visit Huyen Khong Son Thuong Pagoda, tucked away in the hills outside the city. Its natural setting and sense of stillness invite us to slow down and reconnect with nature.

Before returning to the hotel, we end the day at Nhi Do Mai Tea, where tea is prepared as a mindful practice. In this serene setting, each cup is paired with stories that reflect on nature, people, and everyday life, offering a quiet and grounding close to the day.

Today is a scenic journey south, taking us from Hue to the lantern-lined streets of Hoi An.

We travel along the coast, stopping at Lang Co Bay before crossing the Hai Van Pass, a dramatic mountain road with sweeping views over the sea, made famous by the "Top Gear" TV team. Along the way, we visit the Marble Mountains, where caves, pagodas, and viewpoints are set into limestone hills overlooking Da Nang.

By early afternoon, we arrive in Hoi An and check into our hotel. There is time to settle in before heading out to explore.

Hoi An is well known for its tailoring. For those interested, your Tour Host can recommend a reputable local tailor and help arrange fittings during your stay.

In the afternoon, we enjoy an included Ancient Town Walking Tour. Once a major trading port, Hoi An is now a UNESCO World Heritage town, known for its preserved architecture, lantern-filled streets, and blend of Vietnamese, Chinese, and Japanese influences.

Today is hands-on, social, and rooted in local life, with a mix of food, countryside, and traditional crafts.

We begin the day at an organic farm just outside Hoi An, where we are welcomed with herbal teas made from plants grown on site. As we walk through the farm, we learn about medicinal herbs, edible flowers, and sustainable growing methods, and take part in light farming activities, harvesting ingredients for the dishes ahead.

Using family recipes passed down through generations, we then join a relaxed cooking class focused on simple, healthy, and traditional flavours. Together, we prepare a selection of vegan dishes and drinks before sitting down to enjoy the meal we have created.

In the afternoon, we travel by bicycle to Kim Bong Carpentry Village, set along the river and known for its long tradition of woodworking. Craftspeople here have been shaping boats, buildings, and furniture for centuries, including many of the historic structures in Hoi An’s Old Town. Visiting workshops and the village craft centre offers insight into skills and techniques still used today.

We return to Hoi An in the late afternoon, with the evening free to relax or head back out into the ancient town for dinner or to check on your tailor orders.

We leave central Vietnam behind today and head south to Vietnam’s largest city, Ho Chi Minh City, still known by many as Saigon.

After arriving and settling into our hotel, there is time to ease into the rhythm of the city. Ho Chi Minh City feels very different to the places we have visited so far. Fast-paced, energetic, and always on the move, it is the commercial heart of the country and full of contrasts.

The remainder of the day is free. You may choose to relax after the journey or step out to explore the local area, where cafés, markets, and everyday street life offer a first glimpse of the city before we explore it in more depth tomorrow.

This is a day that adds depth and context to everything you have seen so far in Vietnam.

We head out to the Cu Chi Tunnels, an extensive underground network that played a major role during the Vietnam War. Visiting the site offers insight into the ingenuity, resilience, and daily realities of those who lived and operated here, and helps place the country’s recent history into perspective.

Returning to the city, we continue exploring key landmarks from a very different era. We visit the Reunification Palace, once the centre of South Vietnam’s government, followed by a walk past the Notre Dame Cathedral and the nearby Central Post Office, both fine examples of French colonial architecture.

We also visit the War Remnants Museum, one of the city’s most powerful museums, offering a sobering but important look at the impact of war through photographs, objects, and personal stories.

The day finishes near the Saigon Opera House, a graceful colonial building and a lively area to enjoy the city atmosphere before heading back to the hotel.

This morning we leave Ho Chi Minh City behind and travel south to the waterways of the Mekong Delta, where daily life unfolds along the riverbanks. Wooden boats move steadily between homes built on stilts, and the rhythm of the water shapes the pace of the day.

Board a local boat and cruise along the main river before turning into narrower canals. At a traditional brick workshop, observe how clay is shaped and fired by hand using methods passed down through generations. Along Cai Son Canal, coconut palms lean over the water and small family-run workshops process coconuts from husk removal through to hand peeling.

Continue by boat to a coconut candy workshop to see sweets prepared in small batches over open heat. Samples are offered alongside seasonal fruit while local music plays nearby. A short walk leads to a farmer’s home where sleeping mats are woven by hand, demonstrating another craft rooted in everyday necessity.

Travel deeper into the countryside by tuk-tuk through Nhon Thanh – Thuan Dien village, passing coconut groves and quiet lanes. From Cai Tac Pier, transfer to a small rowing boat and glide along a shaded palm-lined canal where the only sounds are water, birds, and distant voices from nearby homes.

Lunch is served at a local riverside restaurant before returning by boat to Chet Say Pier where we meet our driver to transfer us back to Ho Chi Minh City. The evening is free to relax or join your Tour Host for an optional final group meal.

Your Vietnam adventure comes to an end today.

After a final breakfast, the day is free until departure. Your Tour Host will be available throughout the day if you need any help, have questions, or want advice before heading to the airport.

If you are continuing your travels, extending your stay, or planning your next destination, support can be arranged either at the time of booking or during the tour.

We hope you leave Vietnam with lasting memories, new connections, and a deeper appreciation of the places and people you have experienced along the way.