Family Vacation with Nha Trang

Welcome to the private Vietnam family vacation! Upon arrival in Ho Chi Minh City, which was once known as Saigon, you’ll be warmly welcomed by your professional tour guide and driver. Then a comfortable private drive will take you to the well-selected hotel in the city center. The standard hotel check-in time is 14:00, so depending on the arrival time, you can either check in or store your luggage, and then take a stroll around the capital city by yourself.

Accommodation: Hotel Nikko Saigon-Deluxe Room (5 stars) or Liberty Central Saigon Riverside Hotel-Deluxe Room (4 stars) or similar

After breakfast, we will set out to the Cu Chi Tunnels, which are an important underground base in Vietnam during wartime, stretching windingly for 200 kilometers (125 miles). The life in the tunnels was quite tough. The soldiers and local people spent most of the daytime inside, and could only come out at night to fight or find food, water and other supplies. You can walk through a part of the tunnels and experience the hardship of people in those years.

In the afternoon, we will head to the War Remnants Museum, in which the weapons, photos and documents displayed will help you understand the history of Vietnamese wars. Then, follow your guide to explore the Reunification Palace and the French-style Central Post Office. The post office is still in use now, and your children can pick some nice postcards and send them to friends from Vietnam.

At last, you’ll be taken to Ho Chi Minh City Book Street to experience the street culture. It's an artsy pedestrian street lined with bookstores, graffiti shops, and coffee shops. Books here cover a variety of topics in history, literature, and comics for children, in English, Vietnamese, or French. Many book lovers come here to read and relax; art exhibitions, book fairs, photography exhibitions and book launches also attract a number of visitors from time to time. Some local schools take the street as a destination for students to read and participate in various experiential activities. Thus, you and your children may chat with them when meeting.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel Nikko Saigon-Deluxe Room (5 stars) or Liberty Central Saigon Riverside Hotel-Deluxe Room (4 stars) or similar

Today we will journey to the Mekong River Delta. After breakfast, we’ll drive for 2 hours to My Tho and board a boat there. The following boat tour along the Mekong River is a visual feast with riverside sceneries of distant rolling hills, verdant orchards, idyllic villages as well as vast rice fields. Going through the subtropical rainforest allows you and your children to get close to nature. The onshore excursions will take you to a coconut candy factory and a rice paper factory. Your children will probably be interested in how candy and paper are processed. Then, lunch will be arranged on an island. After reaching Ben Tre by a 2-hour cruise, we’ll disembark and then a 2-hour private drive will transfer you to Can Tho City. On arrival, your guide will help you check into the well-selected hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Victoria Can Tho Resort-Superior Room (4 stars) or Victoria Can Tho Resort-Deluxe Room (4 stars) or similar

In the morning, we will take a private boat to visit the bustling Cai Rang Floating Market, the grandest one in the Mekong River Delta. On the vast water, various types of merchant boats are loaded with bulk goods, selling fruits, vegetables, rice, etc. Besides, many vendors from nearby villages row their small boats to sell various goods, including Vietnamese coffee, Vietnamese rice noodles, and fresh fruits. Interestingly, the goods are ingeniously hung on a pole at the bow for display, attracting buyers.

★ What Makes Us Different?

We’ve especially arranged a private boat for you to depart according to your schedule, rather than others’ public shuttle boats that always set off at a much earlier time. We suggest you depart before 6:00, as the market starts to liven up from 7:00 to 8:00, when you can best enjoy the sunrise over the Mekong River and immerse yourself in the local people's morning life on the water. In addition, you can take the pre-boxed breakfast or enjoy a unique meal at the floating market.

On the way back, we’ll go ashore to visit tropical fruit orchards, where you could taste fresh fruits. Afterward, get off the boat and head to Can Tho airport or Ho Chi Minh airport to catch your flight to Da Lat. If flying from Can Tho airport, there will be some hours saved for you to enjoy some leisure time along the Mekong River by yourself. Upon arrival at Da Lat airport, you’ll be greeted and then escorted to the hotel.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Ana Mandara Villas Dalat Resort & Spa-Villa Suite (5 stars) or Golf Valley Hotel Da Lat-Superior City View Room (4 stars) or similar

This morning, your private Da Lat tour will begin with a visit to the Bao Dai Summer Palace, which belonged to the last emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945) and is fully in French style. While wandering around the lush gardens, discover the touching backstory of Emperor Bao Dai and Empress Nam Phuong with your private guide.

★ Featured Activity: Experience the Vietnamese Train “Thomas”

Then we’ll proceed to the Old Da Lat Railway Station, aka Ga Da Lat, a good place to take retro photos and experience the little train. It was designed by French designer Moncet in 1932 for a 7-km (4.3-mile) narrow-gauge train. The station is mainly in dazzling orange and bright yellow, with three ridges symbolizing the three peaks of Lang Biang Mountains in Da Lat. A retro steam train still runs between the station and Trai Mat, a small town in Da Lat, every day on the old railway preserved, taking about 30 minutes for each trip. Take your children on the Vietnamese version of the “Thomas the Tank Engine” and explore the exotic South Vietnam through a wonderful sea of flowers.

Then your guide will take you to the Hang Nga Guesthouse, also known as Crazy House, which is shaped like a dead tree, and you have to walk through a huge hole and step on wooden stakes to get inside. It's like a magic castle and you’ll climb the unique winding staircases to visit the spider room, the tiger room as well as the bear room. Your children will definitely enjoy the time there. After that, we’ll drive to the downtown area for a leisurely stroll around the Xuan Huong Lake. Then, walk westwards for a few yards to the Central Market, where you could see various snacks and handicrafts. Afterward, visit two religious sites: the Lam Ty Ni Pagoda, where you can also appreciate some fine arts made by a strange monk; and Thien Vien Truc Lam, an ancient meditation temple that can be traced back to the 3rd century. There are many steep paths, so be sure to wear appropriate shoes. At last, you can enjoy a moment of calm at the Tuyen Lam Lake.

➤ Please note: Da Lat features so many scenic sites and historical places, and you can have a chat with your private guide and negotiate the best itinerary!

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Ana Mandara Villas Dalat Resort & Spa-Villa Suite (5 stars) or Golf Valley Hotel Da Lat-Superior City View Room (4 stars) or similar

In the morning, check out of the hotel and then we will drive for around 3 hours to Nha Trang. We will also stop in the countryside to see the local farmers' lives en route.

After arriving in the beach city Nha Trang, you’ll be accompanied to visit traditional Hindu architecture, the Po Nagar Cham Tower, which is dedicated to Po Nagar who protects the fishermen living by the sea. Next, you’ll be guided to the Long Son Pagoda, where a large white Buddha, measuring 24 meters (79 feet) high, can be seen from anywhere in Nha Trang. The last stop today will be the Dam Market, the oldest market in Nha Trang, where you can get lost in a warren of clothes, cosmetic products, crafts, and cute little items for you and your children, such as rattan bags, Vietnamese conical hats and woven purses. Feel free to drive a hard bargain, like 75% down. Afterward, your guide will escort you to check in at the hotel.

➤ Friendly Advice for Visiting Long Son Pagoda:
1. Please avoid wearing revealing clothing, such as camisoles, tank tops, and shorts above the knees. Free rental of monk robes is available at the temple entrance.
2. When visiting the temple, the monks may offer incense to you, which is not free. Just politely decline.
3. Please do not touch the amulets, objects to make a change of luck, mascots, and other religious wares inside the temple.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Mia Luxury Collection Nha Trang-Garden View One-Bedroom (5 stars) or Premier Havana Nha Trang-Deluxe Ocean Room (4 stars) or similar

In the following two days, you’ll be free to explore the seaside city of Nha Trang. It is considered a paradise for water sports and you can go swimming, diving and sea fishing there. In addition, playing volleyball with locals and strolling along the 6-kilometer (4-mile) beach are also good.

In the evening, you're advised to feast on great seafood on your own. The special BBQ on tiles is the must-try treat in Nha Trang. With a red tile and a small mud oven, various seafood or meat pieces can be placed on the tile and grilled. Dipped in delicious barbecue sauce or chutney, it is amazingly yummy. The original barbecue method preserves the best taste of the food, and you can cook it yourself if you like. We recommend that you head to Cam Lam District and try the beachside Eo Gio Bai Dai Seafood Restaurant, which is also a favorite for locals. It costs around VND 300,000-400,000 (USD 12-15) per person on average.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Mia Luxury Collection Nha Trang-Garden View One-Bedroom (5 stars) or Premier Havana Nha Trang-Deluxe Ocean Room (4 stars) or similar

Today is also a free day for your family to relax on the beach. You can rent a bike to admire the coconut palms and the manicured greenery that line the shoreline, or pay a visit to the adjacent villages to appreciate spectacular rural landscapes.

The VinWonders Nha Trang, a Vietnamese Disneyland at sea and a place that children are looking forward to, can be another choice. It is located on Hon Tre Island and boasts an amusement park, water park, aquarium, zoo, botanical garden, etc, which is perfect for children to explore nature and get close to various animals.

➤ Travel Tips for VinWonders:
1. It is recommended that you purchase the tickets for VinWonders Nha Trang at the hotel reception, where you can usually get a discount. Otherwise, you need to pay full price if you buy at the ticket office on site.

2. How to reach the island:
After checking in at the entrance, there are two ways to reach the island:
a. Cross-sea cable car takes 7-12 minutes for the whole trip, with 8 people per cabin. You can enjoy the beautiful seascape and the distant view of Nha Trang City on the cable car trip.
b. A 7-minute speedboat trip is another option, offering a “fast and furious” experience on the sea.
If you want to experience both, you may take a speedboat to the island and a cable car on the way back. The island looks like a dreamy fairytale world under the shining light at night, which is just a great feast for your eyes on the cable car.

3. It is not allowed to take any food or water onto the island, but don’t worry, as the island is fully equipped with facilities including shops and restaurants.

4. If you plan to go to the water park here, it’s advisable to take your own swimsuit. A deposit of VND 220,000 (USD 10) is required to rent a locker in the park.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Mia Luxury Collection Nha Trang - Garden View One-Bedroom (5 stars) or Premier Havana Nha Trang - Deluxe Ocean Room (4 stars) or similar

Today, say farewell to your private family tour of Vietnam! After breakfast, you’ll check out from the hotel and then be escorted to the airport for a flight to Ho Chi Minh City. In about 1 hour and 15 minutes, you’ll arrive at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport, where you could connect your flight home. We hope you’ve had a great family tour with us!

If you want to take your children to experience more, such as the Great Wall of China, the Grand Palace in Thailand and Mount Fuji in Japan, please feel free to contact us to extend your itinerary.

Meal: Breakfast