ROUND TRIPS

HOW TO CHOOSE THE TRAVEL THAT SUITS YOU BEST

Vietnam has it all – beautiful nature, friendly locals, great food, a rich history – so what should you choose when traveling to Vietnam.

Vietnam activity overview

Round trip

Vietnam is a long country, spanning more than 1600 km from south to north. 

When we design tailor made travels, we usually divide the contry into 3 regions. These regions is also connected to the climate which you can read about her.
You can see the regions on the map, Northern Vietnam, Central Vietnam and Southern Vietnam.

For travelers visiting Vietnam for up to 2 weeks, we advice to only visit maximum 2 regions. Traveling more than 2 weeks you can still choose to visit only 2 regions, and have good time to dig into this area, but you can also visit all 3 without feeling your are rushing through. 

Each region has some unique must-see highlights, but you should as well consider your activity level and whether you want’t the end the trip with plenty of time on the beach.

No matter which region you travel to, you will get close to the local vietnamese people and can taste the well known vietnamese food. 

Arriving with an international flight, you can choose to arrive in Ho Chi Minh City, Danang or  Hanoi. 

Northern Vietnam

Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam, and its history dates back more than 1000 years. When in Hanoi Old Quarter is a must see, and Ho Chi Minhs Mausoleum should also be on your list. 

North from Hanoi, on the border to China, is the mountains with the town of Sapa, Mount Fansipan and many colorful etnich minorities. Here you will also find the 2 Topas lodges, Topas Ecolodge which is listed as a “National Geographic – Unique lodges of the world” and Topas Riverside Lodge. 
This area is ideal for hiking and longer bike rides. The former the best way to interact with locals, and the latter the way to experience real Vietnam nature.

East of Hanoi you find the UNESCO protected Halong Bay. With thousands of limestone islets this is a natural wonder and well worth a visit. This area consists of Halong Bay, Lan Ha Bay and Bayto Long Bay, all with the same wonderful nature. 
Halong region is usually cruiseships with possibility to do some kayaking to get close to the nature. 

South of Hanoi you will find Ninh Binh, also known as Dry Halong. Here you can bike around, or go by rowing boat on the rivers. 

We recommend at least one week in northern Vietnam. If you choose 2 nights in Hanoi, 3 nights in Sapa and 2 nights in either Halong or Ninh Binh you have time to get into each area, and still see a great variety of Vietnam. 

Northern Vietnam Acitivity overview
Central Vietnam Activity

Central Vietnam

Central Vietnam is home to both the worlds largest cave, Son Doong, UNESCO World Heritage site Hoi An and the former capital Hue as well as the Demilitarized Zone from the Vietnam-American war. 

Central Vietnam, and especially Hoi An is a popular area the have the last part of af Vietnam travel, as there endless white beaches. 

Spend up to a week in this region. 1-2 nights in Dong Hoi (caves) and 4-5 nights split between Hue or Hoi An, or spend it all in Hoi An if you want to relax on the beach. 

Southern Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City is the city in Vietnam with the highest development speed. Only a few hours away is the mighty Mekong Delta, with fruits and rice paddies all over, criss crossed by rivers. In southern Vietnam you can visit the National Park of Cat Tien, ride bikes in the mountains at Dalat or visit the beaches of Nha Trang, Phan Thiet or Phu Quoc. 

South Vietnam Activity

Transportation

Traveling with Topas in Vietnam leaves you with the possibility to choose whatever suits you when it comes to transportation, and always to rest assured that our strong team in Vietnam is ensuring great service and quality. 

Traveling between regions the most common between south and central is by airplane. From central to north by airplane is the fast option but nighttrain is also often used between the larger cities. 

 Inside the region we usually transport you by privat car, ensuring the time spend on logistics is kept to a minimum. 
But public transport, both train and bus, is possible, . 

Activity and excursions

Local guides

Local food 

Bikes to get around and close to the locals. 

Hiking – not marked trails. Trails the locals use for work.