Off-the-Beaten-Track Vietnam for Families - 14 Days

Day 2: Countryside Tour at Ba Vi

Escape busy Hanoi and get close to nature on a day tour to Ba Vi, a national park area set within mountains that's just west of Hanoi. Your first stop will be at Ri village. Meet Mr. Duoc, a Vietnam War veteran. Listen to his stories before touring his tea plantation. He'll teach you how to pick tea leaves and you will be shown how to collect the best part of the tea plant for making traditional Vietnamese tea. Learn more about tea production in his small workshop, where most of the work is manual. You and your kids can try your hand at all steps of the tea processing journey.

Say goodbye to Mr. Duoc and visit your next host in Moc village. Ms. Chin will teach you how to cook local Vietnamese dishes, and your family can make delicious food together. Then, enjoy eating the meals you cooked for lunch in Ms. Chin's beautiful garden. Rest after lunch and take a walk around the village, where you will visit local families and see their lifestyle. You will have a chance to talk to them, see how they live, and make local products such as tofu and conical hats. Gain a better understanding of traditional Vietnamese lifestyles. It's a great way for kids to learn about the diversity of the world.

Energized after lunch, it's time for some physical activities: join a cycling trip through rice paddies and banana trees. The cycle route will depend on your physical fitness and the age of your kids. For the smallest ones, bicycles with child seats on the back will be available. After the cycling trip, rest a while at Mr. Chinh's house and garden, and refresh with fresh mint lemon juice. Wrap up your countryside tour with a traditional foot soak in warm water with herbs. A great way to end an active day!

Day 4: Ha Long Bay Activities, Transfer to Hanoi

Get up early to see the sunrise and take part in some family tai chi on deck. Then enjoy a hearty breakfast and get ready to explore a limestone cave by boat. The cavern is full of stalagmites and stalactites, and it will be a lot of fun for your children (and you, too) to explore this otherworldly natural wonder. Return to the boat to complete the check-out formalities and have an early lunch while the ship cruises back to the dock. When the cruise returns to the harbor, your driver will wait to transfer you back to your hotel in Hanoi. Spend the evening relaxing or head out into the city for dinner.

Day 5: Fly to Hue

Today you'll leave northern Vietnam and fly south to Hue, a city near the coast in central Vietnam. After arriving at your hotel in Hue, the rest of the day will be free to spend as you like, depending on the needs and interests of your family. You can rent a bike at your hotel and cycle around the streets or take a dragon boat ride on the Perfume River, which kids are sure to love. If you're into crafts, you could visit one of the city's famed ceramic workshops to watch the fascinating casting process and pick out some special keepsakes to take home. 

Day 6: Kite-Making Lesson

Kids love flying kites, so why not take things up a notch and let them make their own kites to take home as souvenirs? Hue is known for its beautiful kites and has a long tradition of kite-making and flying. Today you can visit a local kitemaker to learn more about this traditional craft. Start by cycling for about 3 miles (5 km) through town (if your children can't ride a bike, a car can be arranged). You'll arrive at the house of a third-generation kitemaker and take a tour of their house as you learn about the history of kites in Vietnam, a form of entertainment once favored by the aristocracy and mandarins of the Nguyen Dynasty.

Next, step into the workshop, where they use traditional methods to make one-of-a-kind kites. Get the chance to paint your own with your instructor's help. You'll end with a unique handmade souvenir and a reminder of Hue's rich artistic heritage, which your kids can treasure. After a break at a local café for a cup of delicious Vietnamese coffee and some soft drinks for the kids, return to your hotel by bicycle (or car, if required). The rest of the day can be spent at your leisure; perhaps find somewhere to fly the lovely kites you made!

Day 7: Hue Cyclo Sightseeing Tour

If you'd like to tour Hue in a memorable way and treat your children to a special experience, consider exploring the city by cyclo. See Hue's famous tourist attractions and watch the daily life of the local people. Start in the Old City. Pass along the south of the Huong River and the Truong Tien Bridge. From the cyclo, you'll have a great view of the streets. Your guide will tell you all about Hue along the way. Continue to the Imperial Citadel, the place from where the Nguyen Dynasty, the former kings of Vietnam, ruled the country from 1802 to 1945.

Next, visit the Royal Antiquities Museum, where you'll find a huge gallery of antiques displaying a collection of bronze pottery, chinaware, Phap Lam enamel, court robes, headgear, and personal belongings of former Vietnamese emperors. You and your children will learn a lot about Vietnam's history while admiring the collection of ornaments. 

After the museum, ride a short way to lively Dong Ba Market, a large local market with colorful stalls and all kinds of goods, from tropical fruit and street food to souvenirs and bronze goods. Get some local snacks for the kids while you observe traditional Vietnamese life. You'll end the tour after being pedaled back to your hotel. 

Day 8: Fly to Ho Chi Minh City

Today you'll fly farther south to Vietnam's largest metropolis of Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon. After arriving and checking into the hotel, your guide will meet you for a family-friendly tour of the city by cyclo. Stop at the Ben Thanh Market, where you can try local street food specialties and shop for souvenirs. Next, visit the Artinus 3D Art Museum and have fun taking pictures with the 3D art objects—kids will love the wild, interactive exhibits. Other city highlights include the Notre Dame Cathedral, the General Post Office, the Saigon Opera House, and the War Remnants Museum. 

Day 9: Transfer to Mui Ne

Today you'll be driven to Mui Ne Beach, near Phan Thiet, a vibrant fishing port on the coast about four hours east of Ho Chi Minh City. Mui Ne serves as a gateway to the region's many lavish coastal resorts, as well as the towering sand dunes of the same name, and you'll find plenty to entertain the whole family here. Get checked into your hotel, then spend the rest of the day as you please—kids will likely want to head straight to the beach! 

Days 10-12: Free Time in Mui Ne

After a busy few days on the tour, spend the next three days chilling out and spending quality time with your family. Go swimming and play on Mui Ne's pristine beaches, or try your hand at some of the many watersports on offer; Mui Ne is known for its kitesurfing in particular. Head to the local market to watch fisherman haul in the day's catch, then sample some of the region's typical dishes like pha lau (a pork dish in coconut sauce), spring rolls, and banh xeo (rice pancakes with pork and seafood).

For something more adventurous, go for a ride in a round basket boat (youngsters, in particular, enjoy the spinning motion of these traditional crafts) or take a Jeep tour to Mui Ne's red-orange sand dunes, where kids can hike up wind-sculpted peaks and fly back down on a sandboard.

Day 13: Return to Ho Chi Minh City, Evening Cultural Show

Enjoy a final morning at the beach and perhaps one last dip in the sea. Then it's time to return to Ho Chi Minh City by private car transfer. The rest of the day is yours to spend as you like, perhaps doing some souvenir shopping or splurging on a special family meal.

In the evening, head out for a show at the iconic Saigon Opera House, built by the French in 1898, where you'll enjoy an authentic night of Vietnamese culture and art. A O Show by Lune Production is known as a "bamboo circus." The show depicts the transition of rural Vietnam to modern life, as performers use a variety of props such as giant woven baskets, ropes, and bamboo, accompanied by traditional live music, dance, and acrobatic performances such as balancing on top of bamboo poles. It's a fun evening out for the whole family and the perfect way to celebrate your final night in Vietnam.

Day 14: Depart Ho Chi Minh City

It's time to say farewell to Vietnam. After breakfast, spend a final few hours soaking up the atmosphere in Ho Chi Minh City before you're transferred to the airport for your departing flight. Safe travels!

Looking for more inspiration for your family trip to Vietnam? Check out these other Vietnam itineraries, explore different ways to spend two weeks in Vietnam with your family, or discover the best time to visit Vietnam.