Vietnam holidays promise an experience of epic beauty and unique heritage.
Stretching from the rice terraces and lofty peaks of Sapa in the north, down to the rich soils and swaying palms of the Mekong Delta in the south, Vietnam is one of Asia’s most enchanting destinations.
Vietnam’s culture is a real melting pot of influences, but all the more fascinating for it. Under the influence of China for a millennium and part of French Indochina for 70 years, this is a country where about half of the population earn their living from agriculture.
As you can imagine, the Vietnamese people’s way of life, beliefs and values are very different from our own – ancestor veneration is a part of everyday life and plenty of people still wear traditional dress.
Vietnam’s landscapes are wonderfully diverse, stretching from the mountains and rice terraces of the northern highlands, to the magnificence of Halong Bay’s karst towers, to the rich, lush greenery of the Mekong Delta.
One of the most wonderful things about all this beauty is how easy it is to access on a holiday in Vietnam – an overnight train from Hanoi up to the spectacular views of Sapa, a couple of hours by road from Saigon into the heart of the Mekong Delta.
Vietnam’s cuisine is not only one of the world’s healthiest, but also one of the most delicious and the is sure to be a highlight of your Vietnam holiday!
Full of distinctive flavours, created by perfectly balancing salty, sweet, sour and hot, it is the use of plentiful fresh ingredients, herbs and spices that make it so good.
Whether you are eating in a high end restaurant, or find a mouth-watering snack on one of the plentiful Vietnamese street stalls, your food will be prepared and cooked to order – be it summer rolls, pho or a banh mi.
- Find your perfect Vietnam tour
- Escorted Tours to Vietnam and Cambodia
- Places to visit in Vietnam
- Things to see in Vietnam
- Things to do in Vietnam
- Best Time to Visit Vietnam
1. Find your perfect Vietnam tour
Our Vietnam tours take in all of the famous highlights and off the beaten track wonders of this incredible country from north to south.
Ancient Orient Journeys offers the widest selection of fully inclusive tours to Vietnam.
Choose one of our escorted group, private or tailor-made tours of Vietnam which explore every corner of this unique destination, and you'll have the holiday of a lifetime.
Explore the icons of Vietnam: discover the delights of buzzing Ho Chi Minh City and the laidback capital Hanoi, relax and unwind on breath-taking overnight cruises of Halong Bay and the Mekong Delta, explore the historic delights of Hue and Hoi An, and the more recent reminders of the Vietnam War at the Cu Chi Tunnels.
Off the well-worn path, explore the scenic delights of the Vietnam Highlands in Sapa, step back in time at the colonial hill station of Dalat or hop over the border into Vietnam’s enchanting neighbours, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand.
Your Vietnam tour is fully inclusive of return flights from the UK to Vietnam, accommodation, all transportation, all meals, entrance fees and guiding. Explore Vietnam
2. Escorted Tours to Vietnam and Cambodia
Sharing a long border and with the Mekong River flowing through both countries, Vietnam and Cambodia tours are a popular option.
Many of our tours visit both countries, just click on the map button below to see which.
Our most popular Cambodia and Vietnam tours are: Classic Mekong, Angkor to the Bay and Vietnam & Cambodia Discovery.
3. Places to visit in Vietnam
So you are interested in visiting Vietnam but you don’t know where to begin.
To get you started here's our guide to the best places to visit in Vietnam.
For the real lowdown on the best places to go in Vietnam and expert friendly advice on how to plan your trip, explore our Vietnam holidays or give our travel experts a call.
4. Things to see in Vietnam
What are Vietnam's must see sights? It’s probably the first question on the lips of anyone thinking of visiting the country.
Whether you are a first time visitor looking for the top attractions in Vietnam or a seasoned traveller wanting to get off the beaten track – we can help.
For the real inside track on the top sights in Vietnam and expert friendly advice on how to include them in your trip, explore our Vietnam holidays or give our travel experts a call.
5. Things to do in Vietnam
To make sure you truly immerse yourself in the culture of Vietnam we pack every single one of our tours to Vietnam with authentic cultural experiences.
We’ve highlighted our favourite ones on each tour but here are just a few examples of what you can look forward to…
6. Best Time to Visit Vietnam
The best time to visit Vietnam as a whole is the spring (March and April) and autumn (September to December).
However, due to its long, narrow shape, Vietnam’s climate picture is surprisingly complex.
There are big variations in climate between the north and south so if you’re exploring the whole country, it’s best to be prepared for anything!
The south is more tropical, with more constant temperatures, whilst the north, has more seasonal variations and can get really quite cold especially the highlands.
The weather is dictated by two monsoons – the southwest monsoon is May to September and the northeast monsoon is October to April.
Deciding when to travel to Vietnam is a bit of puzzle -December to March sees plenty of sunshine in the south and low temperatures in the far north, July and August are hot and humid with downpours whilst November to April is when the least rain.