Tailormade Trips - Vietnam, Based in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), Vietnam - Explore & Book
"Vietnam is an inspirational country - a long-standing favourite of ours here at i-escape - with its combination of tropical coastline and lush terraced hills, of luxe resorts and paddy-field villages, of ancient imperial history and recent war stories, of exotic local cuisine and artisanal crafts. It's also a very long country - 1650 km from top to toe - with most itineraries requiring either internal flights or long train journeys on the so-called Reunification Express, as well as shorter car or van transfers, and perhaps also an overnight cruise on a junk boat. Putting this all together can become quite challenging, which is why we've teamed up with this highly regarded local operator, Trails of Indochina. Not only can they do all the nuts and bolts for you - hotel reservations, train tickets, itinerary planning - they can also throw in some wonderful experiences to help you get under the skin of this fascinating country. Cookery classes, arts and craft lessons, cycling excursions, sea kayaking or SUP trips, guided tours to museums and palaces, floating markets, river rides in a bamboo boat, after-dark city adventures on a vintage Vespa - they know all the best spots and have the best contacts. And their knowledgeable English speaking guides will make sure it all runs smoothly for you. So if you want to add an extra dimension to your Vietnam trip, or are just finding it all a little daunting to arrange, choose one of their preset itineraries; or ask them to customise one for you. Why we chose this partner Like us, they seek out small independent hotels (from midrange to luxury) where you don't feel like part of an organised tour We love the sound of their immersive experiences - making traditional pottery or paper lanterns, kayaking to a creek village for a local seafood dinner, or one of their many cycle tours Their guides (now numbering 280 of them) get rave reviews: most are university educated, with at least 10 years' guiding experience For road transfers, they use a range of smart, new, air-conditioned vehicles, from 4 to 16 seats or more Their sustainability pledge includes prioritising local ingredients and suppliers (chefs, artisans, accommodation hosts), reducing plastics, and donating to conservation projects Please be aware It's a good idea to book at least 3 months ahead, as availablity is always tricky in the smaller hotels at busy times; and finalising your trip often takes a couple of weeks or more Distances are large by European standards, and travel can be slow, so don't try and cram too much in You'll want at least 14 days to see the whole country (or highlights of it); anything less and it's usually better to concentrate on just the north or the south" - Handpicked by our hotel experts
