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Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Vietnam

26 replies

Yeahyeahyeahyeeeeah · 02/09/2019 09:42

I’m thinking we may go at Easter 2021, DC will be 12 & 10, but want to be sure kids will enjoy it.

We tend to add activities to our travels that appeal to kids - canoe trip, boat ride, zip lines, village stay, that sort of thing - so the ‘look at the scenery/building/artwork’ is broken up.

What activities or trips would you suggest for Vietnam? Any worthwhile additions?

OP posts:
cjpark · 02/09/2019 18:23

We've just come back from taking our kids, (same age), from a 3 week holiday there. We did North to South, flying into Hanoi and out of HCMC. Things the kids particularly loved: Beach day at Danang, Cu Chi Tunnels, canoeing up Mekong and around Halong Bay, Bike rides along the river at Hoi An.
They also loved the overnight train trip, a cookery class in Hoi an, bartering in the night markets, and a tuk tuk safari around the Mekong.
Enjoy!

Letsgowalking · 02/09/2019 19:01

We did two cookery classes in Vietnam. The first was combined with a visit to an organic farm and the Cu Chi tunnels. Our children (all 10 and under) loved it and still talk about it 4 years on...the second was in Phan Thiet and was a market tour then cooking on the beach. They enjoyed that too, but the resort itself wasn’t our favourite and probably wouldn’t recommend.

Original poster
Yeahyeahyeahyeeeeah · 02/09/2019 21:50

Who did you both travel with, or did you DIY?

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ShanghaiDiva · 03/09/2019 05:16

bike rides in Hoi An is an easy one and the Cu Chi tunnels are interesting too, hiking in Sapa, cycling around the Mekong delta - depends where you want to go.
I have done two day trips with Vespa adventures - one in Hue and one in HCMC. you are on the back of the vespa so it's also suitable for children. DD was 11 when we did it the firsttime and she absolutely loved it.

needsahouseboy · 03/09/2019 08:14

I have literally just come on here to see if anyone has put anything about Vietnam and it was the first thread Grin

I'm hoping to go for 3 weeks around Easter time and go from North to South using overnight trains etc. How did you find booking the trains cjpark? You listed all the things I've looked at doing. How much did you need per day? Did you stay in hotels or Homestays?

cathyandclare · 03/09/2019 08:22

Oooh- we're going in ten days so place-marking to find out more! I'll feedback any high points too. However, it's just me and DH this time our DC are off at Uni/just started work.

One thing that looks lovely to me is a two night boat trip. Lots go from Halong bay, we're a little down the coast because it's cheaper quieter.
Also planning bikes in Hot An, trekking in the hills, a cookery course, a vespa food tour and boating/kayaking around the Mekong Delta. Can't wait!

Original poster
Yeahyeahyeahyeeeeah · 03/09/2019 08:35

Keep it coming! All great suggestions thanks all.

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cjpark · 03/09/2019 09:37

We had a few days DIY on our own as a family in the North and then met up with a family tour run by Intrepid travel. All of the trains were booked by them. Accommodation was a mix of homestays, hotels, train and junk boats.
Costs can vary massively - if you are wanting to eat street food on the pavements, meals can be as cheap as £2-3. Restaurants in the main cities were about £50 for a family of 4 including drinks, meals in hotels, more. Taxis were very cheap. We were getting through about £70 a day a family for all our food, travel, entrance money to sights and an ice cream or two. 'Touristy' things like kayaking, cooking classes were expensive £25 a kayak / £25 a lesson per person.

cjpark · 03/09/2019 09:42

If you are using train travel, stock up on food before you board. There is no buffet car. Hot water is available but pack all the food you need and loo roll. They are often late by 3-4 hours. We arranged 'takeaway' from local restaurants to be delivered to the station so we could meet them before boarding!

Lydia55y · 03/09/2019 09:48

We’re considering doing Vietnam north to south next Easter also, we would be travelling with our 11 month old baby, are we crazy?!

cjpark · 03/09/2019 09:56

Not crazy at all if its something you really want to do. Obviously it will be harder work entertaining a baby on a flight for 14 hours and i'm not sure how you would travel in taxis with a baby. But if you want to go, go. Be aware there are things you physically won't be able to do with a baby - kayaking, tuk tuk etc. Personally, I would choose Greece or somewhere in Europe as an easier option!

ShanghaiDiva · 03/09/2019 11:17

I have booked train travel - booked it myself online with Vietnam railways.

ShanghaiDiva · 03/09/2019 11:18

There is also a website - man in seat 61, I think, who is a train guru and has lots of great advice re booking trains everywhere.

Rua13 · 03/09/2019 14:56

We are going to Hoi An, HCMC and the Mekong Delta in January. Hoi An is near the beach and most hotels offer free bicycles.Cycling in the Delta seems to be very popular.Another place to go is Ninh Binh.
We booked internal flights on Vietjet and they are cheap.Might be better than long journey train rides.

TheGonnagle · 04/09/2019 21:32

We loved Hue, SO much. Really fantastic food, beautiful river, loads of history, the citadel is just such a great visit. Go to Hue!
Also loved Hoi An, but stayed out of the town on the beach. Eat lots of Cao Lau noodles, they’re so good!
We travelled by train between the two, booked it the day before we travelled (take your passports to the station when you book). Really easy, really beautiful scenery. The Viet people we met on the train were lovely!
Didn’t love Ho Chi Minh particularly

Could I also suggest Luang Prabang in Laos? My daughter (9) still remembers it as being her best ever holiday!

Original poster
Yeahyeahyeahyeeeeah · 05/09/2019 08:23

@TheGonnagle, what made Laos so good for her? Sounds interesting Smile

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TheGonnagle · 05/09/2019 11:47

The best bits of Laos according to dd..
Manda Lao elephant sanctuary. Very different to standard ele experience, walk with ele calf and mother through the forest, really great.
Kuang Si falls trip, out to the falls in the back of a pick up, you can swim in the lower pools, trek up to the top. There is also a bile bear sanctuary there where all the bears have been rescued from bile cages. Go early in the morning to avoid the crowds.
Boat trips on the Mekong. We took the slow boat across two days back to the Thai border not far from Chiang Rai when we left LP. It’s the quieter route and we ended up with the boat and guide to ourselves. Stayed overnight on the river at Pak Beng in a really nice hotel. Beautiful scenery and really restful.
LP has a really good walking street market, lots of tasty Lao food and random trinkets that dd enjoyed browsing.
The food was great, and we stayed in a fantastic hotel called Satri House that looked like a movie set, complete with vintage bentley.
Honestly, give it a look, we spent a fantastic week there within a wider trip to Chiang Rai and Bangkok.

needsahouseboy · 05/09/2019 15:18

I thought the trains did do food...well that's what one train site said....thanks for the tip cjpark

Was it £70 each were spending or for your family of 4? There will only be me and DS. I'd sort of thought I'd need a £100 a day to cover food, hotels, trips etc.

ShanghaiDiva · 06/09/2019 10:38

We also stayed at Satri house in LP - lovely hotel.

Nateismine · 06/09/2019 11:01

Just had 19days backpacking in Vietnam with DS 11 and DS 7. We all LOVED it. We did Hanoi, 3 days trekking in Sapa and staying in local houses, 2 night cruise from Cat Ba and into Halong Bay- kayaking, hiking, cycling etc. Overnight train to Hoi An, then a 6 day stay in Hoi An- here did a cycle tour, cookery class, beach day, visited Cham islands.
It was all amazing. Never felt one second of danger. Food amazing. People lovely.

Highlights were Sapa trekking, the scenery of Halong Bay, and the cycle tour in Hoi An, and snorkelling in the Cham islands.

I would recommend all of the tour companies we used - let me know if you want recommendations.

We'd return in a flash.

Nateismine · 06/09/2019 11:10

We didn't go to Hue but lots of people highly recommended it.

Went trekking in Sapa - with Sapa Sisters- was pretty tough trekking but very authentic home stays with local families.

Internal flights good and cheap but the overnight trains were an amazing experience. Very slow, noisy and bumpy with baby cockroaches but still great fun.
Worth treating yourself in the top restaurants- still only £40ish to feed the family. Cheaper restaurants were nearer £8 for the family.
We used Lonely Planet recommendations a lot and didn't have any disasters.

Original poster
Yeahyeahyeahyeeeeah · 06/09/2019 12:37

For those of you that didn’t get to HCM, why did you go for Hoi An instead?

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Nateismine · 06/09/2019 13:22

We went in August so we went where the weather was likely to be better. The country is huge so only so much you can do. Also means we can go back and do the southSmile.
And Hoi and is lovely with lots to do and loads to eat and beaches...

FeltCarrot · 06/09/2019 20:05

DH and I went in May this year, we flew into Hong Kong for a coup,e of nights then onto Hanoi working our way down to HCMC. We took internal flights though as I was a bit iffy about the overnight trains.
There were so many high lights but one that your children might enjoy would be a trip to Bana Hills, near Danang. It has the longest, highest cable car, a small “Disneyesque” village (was a bit naff,but ok for a wander), the Golden Hand Bridge and a funicular.

ShanghaiDiva · 07/09/2019 07:34

Hoi An has better weather in the summer months - dry then and wet in the winter. HCMC is dryer in the winter.