What is the Vietnam Discovery holiday, and what does it cost?
It is nine nights running the length of Vietnam, from Hanoi in the north to Saigon in the south: four nights in the north, one of them on an overnight Halong Bay cruise, two in Da Nang for Hoi An and the Marble Mountains, and three in Saigon. You fly into Hanoi and home from Saigon, with two domestic flights between. Four-star hotels with breakfast, the cruise with meals on board, and transfers are included. The advertised lead-in price is £1,049pp based on two sharing, for May, June and September 2027. Your exact price depends on dates, availability, room category and any options you add. It suits first-time visitors who want the whole country in a little over a week. British passport holders need no visa for up to 45 days, and every booking is ATOL protected under licence 10713.
Why does this route work?
Because it never doubles back. Vietnam is long and thin, and the sights people fly for are spread along its whole length — Hanoi and Halong Bay in the north, Hoi An in the centre, Saigon in the south. Flying into Hanoi and home from Saigon means every flight moves you forward, and the two domestic flights replace what would otherwise be long days on the road.
The order also puts the slowest part first. The north — the Old Quarter, the Temple of Literature and a night on Halong Bay — is the most absorbing, and you meet it while you are fresh. Da Nang and Hoi An are the gentler middle, and Saigon, loud and modern, is the finish. If you would rather run the route from south to north, ask when you enquire and your consultant will price it that way round.
How much does the Vietnam Discovery holiday cost?
The advertised lead-in price is £1,049pp based on two sharing, for May, June and September 2027. October 2026, March, April and July 2027 are £1,099pp; November 2026, January, February and August 2027 are £1,149pp; and December 2026 is the dearest, at £1,249pp.
That works out at about £117 per person per night, with the international and domestic flights, the hotels, the cruise and transfers all inside that figure. What sits outside it: lunches and dinners on land, and excursions such as the Cu Chi Tunnels. Travel insurance is not included either. Meals and optional trips are the costs to budget for.
When is the best time to go to Vietnam?
Vietnam’s three stops have three different climates, and their rainy seasons do not line up. These are the World Meteorological Organization’s official averages for 1991–2020, from the Viet Nam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration.
February to April is the best window for the whole route. Da Nang averages 7 rain days a month and Saigon between one and four. Hanoi has frequent rain days from February to April, but the rain is light — 19mm to 79mm a month. April, at £1,099pp, is the best balance: warm in Hanoi at 27.7°C, and settled in the centre and south.
Autumn is Da Nang’s wet season. October, November and December each average 21 rain days there, and October brings 658mm, its wettest month by rainfall — the weakest time for the Hoi An stop. Summer is the value season: May, June and September are the cheapest months, at £1,049pp. Of the three, June is kindest to Da Nang, with 9 rain days, but Hanoi and Saigon are both in their rainy season, and Hanoi averages 33.8°C.
Who is this holiday for — and who should look elsewhere?
It suits first-time visitors who want Vietnam from end to end in one trip; travellers who would rather fly than spend days on the road; and anyone who wants a night on Halong Bay without arranging the cruise themselves.
It is less suited to anyone who wants to slow down — nine nights with two domestic flights is a full itinerary — or to anyone who wants to add Angkor Wat, which is in Cambodia. For that, our Vietnam and Cambodia guided tour runs ten, twelve or fourteen nights. Our Vietnam multi-centre guide sets out how the two compare, including the Cambodian visa.
How does it compare with other ways to see the region?
What are Hanoi and Halong Bay like?
You arrive in Hanoi and stay at a 4★ hotel such as La Siesta or similar. The first full day is the Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake and the Temple of Literature — the city’s historic centre. On the third day you join your overnight cruise on Halong Bay, the limestone-island seascape that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The cruise is of 4★ standard with meals on board, and you have the next morning on the bay before it ends.
What are Da Nang, Hoi An and Saigon like?
On the fifth day you fly south to Da Nang, and stay two nights at a 4★ hotel such as Danang Golden Lotus or similar. The day between is for Hoi An’s Ancient Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Marble Mountains.
On the seventh day you fly on to Saigon, officially Ho Chi Minh City, for three nights at a 4★ hotel such as Liberty Central Saigon or similar. The War Remnants Museum and Ben Thanh Market make one day; the last is free, or an optional trip to the Cu Chi Tunnels, paid locally. Saigon is warm all year, averaging highs of 31.6°C to 34.9°C.
What do you need to know before you travel to Vietnam?
- Visa. None for this holiday: GOV.UK says British passport holders can visit for up to 45 days without one. A longer stay needs an e-visa, which restricts you to the entry and exit points chosen on the application.
- Passport. At least six months’ validity and two blank pages, and undamaged.
- Time. Vietnam is seven hours ahead of the UK in winter and six during British Summer Time.
- Money. The Vietnamese dong. Carry some cash for markets and street food alongside your cards.
- Getting around. Two domestic flights and your transfers are included; you fly into Hanoi and home from Saigon.
Entry rules are GOV.UK’s guidance, checked on 17 September 2026. Check the latest official requirements before you travel, as they can change.
How do you book, and how are you protected?
Tell us your dates, your departure airport and who is travelling, and your consultant will confirm a live price, the hotels, the cruise and the payment schedule in writing before you commit. The package is protected under ATOL 10713, and you receive an ATOL Certificate setting out what is covered. ATOL protects the money you pay if a travel company fails; it is not travel insurance, which you should arrange separately. For more holidays that combine several stops, see our multi-centre holidays.
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