Vietnam Holidays

The serene blue waters, towering rainforest-covered islands and beautiful limestone grottos of Ha Long Bay have been drawing visitors for centuries. Thousands of tiny islands dot the seascape and many include white sand beaches for swimming. Despite its appearance in numerous films and images, you have to see this breathtaking bay in person to truly understand its incredible beauty. On our holidays to Vietnam, we’ll take a boat trip around Ha Long Bay and have the opportunity to visit some of the beautiful caves and pristine beaches of this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The buzzing capital city of Vietnam, Hanoi, is filled with beautiful architecture, fascinating sights and delicious food. When travelling to Hanoi, it’s easy to spot the Southeast Asian, French and Chinese influences that have helped shape this modern city. On our trips to Vietnam including Hanoi, we’ll learn all about the fascinating history of this capital from an expert, local guide as we visit must-see highlights like the Presidential Palace, Ba Dinh Square, Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, the Temple of Literature and the One Pillar Pagoda.

Formerly known as Saigon, Ho Chi Minh city is most famous for the pivotal role it played in the Vietnam War. The city was renamed Ho Chi Minh to celebrate the end of the war and pay tribute to the revolutionary leader who is credited as reuniting the country. On our holidays including Ho Chi Minh, we will enjoy a guided tour of the Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral; a beautiful church built by French colonists. We’ll also visit the Reunification Palace and the Bến Thành Market.

Hue was the capital of Vietnam for over 100 years and on our trip to Vietnam, we’ll discover the Imperial Citadel, a complex full of temples, monuments and palaces inspired by the Forbidden City in Beijing. In Hue, we’ll also enjoy a relaxing river cruise along the Perfume River, named for the pleasant scent of orchids.

Due to its geographical shape, the climate can vary throughout the country. From October to April in the central region tropical monsoons can occur and in the north and south it’s from May to September. Throughout the rest of the year, it is almost totally dry in all regions. It can get exceptionally hot, all year round, but the north can be cooler between October and April.

The entire country is in the same time zone and is seven hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). The currency in Vietnam is the dong. 

Vietnamese cooking is highly innovative and influenced by the cuisines of France, China, and Thailand. Due to the French colonial influence, you will find superb crusty baguettes and sweet pastries; just as good, and cheaper, as those served in France. The nation’s favourite dish is ‘pho’, a fragrant soup served with chicken or beef, noodles and crunchy bean sprouts. Western food is widely available in the major tourism destinations.

• The Quiet American by Graham Greene
• Vietnam Rising Dragon by Bill Hayton
• Miss Saigon by Claude-Michel Schönberg & Alain Boublil