Discovery Tour of Central Vietnam: Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Hoi An, Cua Dai & More

We traveled to Vietnam and Cambodia from May 8 to 22, 2025. This was my fifth trip through Zicasso. As expected, the itinerary was excellent and exactly what we were looking for. I did double my budget from what I initially sent to Zicasso.

All of the lodging selections were outstanding. Along with the tours of the Ho Chi Minh complex, Hue Imperial City, the Angkor Wat complex, and numerous other temples and pagodas, we experienced a cable car ride to a mountain summit, a walk through an ethnic village, a water puppet show, a Cambodian circus, a Vietnamese cooking class, an evening lantern boat ride in Hoi An, and dinner in one of the top 50 restaurants in Asia. The water puppets are an ancient Vietnamese art (11th century) and the show was extraordinary.  

Our trip to Vietnam was nothing short of exceptional, and it stands out as one of the most well-organized and enjoyable travel experiences we’ve ever had. From start to finish, every detail was thoughtfully arranged, allowing us to fully immerse ourselves in the beauty, culture, and history of the country without any stress or logistical concerns.

The journey began in Hanoi, where we were immediately impressed by the seamless airport pick-up and smooth transfer to our hotel. The accommodation was ideally located—comfortable, clean, and perfectly situated for exploring the Old Quarter. Guided tours were expertly paced, balancing iconic highlights with quieter moments that let us absorb the rhythm of daily life. Our guide was knowledgeable, engaging, and clearly passionate about Vietnam’s history and culture.

From Hanoi, we traveled to Ha Long Bay, and this portion of the trip was truly unforgettable. Transportation was punctual and comfortable, and boarding the cruise was effortless. The overnight cruise itself exceeded expectations: elegant cabins, excellent service, and breathtaking views of the limestone karsts rising from emerald waters. Activities such as kayaking and cave visits were well coordinated, never rushed, and thoughtfully timed to avoid crowds. Meals on board were outstanding and added to the overall sense of luxury and relaxation.

Next, we ventured to Ninh Binh, often called “Ha Long Bay on land,” and it was a highlight of the itinerary. The scenic drive was smooth and our accommodations offered a peaceful retreat surrounded by dramatic landscapes. Boat rides through the rice paddies and towering cliffs were serene and magical. Again, the logistics were flawless—clear schedules, attentive guides, and effortless transitions between activities.

Our journey continued south to Hue and Hoi An, with flights and transfers handled seamlessly. In Hue, the historical sites were presented in a way that made Vietnam’s imperial past come alive. The hotel was elegant and restful, perfectly complementing the city’s reflective atmosphere. Hoi An, with its lantern-lit streets and charming architecture, was a dream. The accommodation here was particularly memorable—beautifully designed, centrally located, and paired with exceptional service. Tailoring experiences, cycling excursions, and free time were all balanced perfectly.

What truly set this trip apart was the level of organization. Every transfer, hotel check-in, tour, and meal arrangement was smooth and stress-free. We never once had to worry about timing, transportation, or communication. The attention to detail and professionalism of the tour arrangements allowed us to focus entirely on enjoying Vietnam’s incredible scenery, cuisine, and culture.

In summary, this Vietnam trip—from Hanoi and Ha Long Bay to Ninh Binh, Hue, and Hoi An—was flawlessly executed. Exceptional planning, seamless transport, high-quality accommodations, and attentive guides made it an outstanding travel experience. We would wholeheartedly recommend this itinerary to anyone seeking a comprehensive, comfortable, and deeply rewarding journey through Vietnam.

Everything worked beautifully from a scheduling point of view. The timing was perfect and the guides were always on time, from the airport pick-up to when they planned to pick us up at the hotels. The hotels were absolutely top-notch. We loved all of them. We loved the breakfasts in all of them. We did eat dinner at a couple and mostly it was great. The dinner at our hotel in Dalat was not so good, but their breakfast was exceptional. We also ate dinner at our restaurant and found that to be wonderful.

We loved all of our guides. They were very informative and were able to tell us about the history of the area where they worked. They also helped us with customs and what was acceptable and what wasn't. The guides had understandable English and when we couldn't understand something, they were willing to help us.

We loved Dalat, Hue, Hanoi, and Ha Long Bay. We found Hoi An to be too touristy and the people in the shops were very pushy in trying to get a sale. That was true of some very nice tailor shops and souvenir shops in Old Town. When we went to see old homes and had a tour through them, we were surprised to see we were led into the back of the building where they would be selling souvenirs and we would be pressed to buy.

We thoroughly enjoyed the boat trip with our guide. We enjoyed sitting and talking with him while we ate his wife's delicious dinner.

We heard about an outdoor show at a theme park from other people. It wasn't included in our trip, but we think it should have been. It was a fantastic production and very informative. We would have liked that more than a second trip to Old Town.

We also loved the cooking class. We liked the demonstrations and the humor of the chef, and the tour around the market before the class.

We loved the cruise at Ha Long Bay and thought the food and everything on our cruise was wonderful. We would have liked to take the kayaking option, but the cruise operators felt the weather wasn't conducive to that event. Other cruises had their kayakers out on the water.

We used the final day in Hanoi to eat bun cha at a restaurant in Hanoi where President Obama ate with Anthony Bourdain, and went to a prisoner-of-war camp for US pilots during the Vietnam War. Both of those were suggestions from our guide, who was not with us that final day. He was our guide and, although it is very difficult to choose a favorite guide, he would probably be it. He was very helpful to us after an ATM ate our credit card. We went to the bank and he spoke with them on our behalf. He allowed himself to be the contact when they located the card after the weekend. We were so impressed with him. It might be helpful, if someone has a spare day in Hanoi, to suggest some other things available. We could walk to the prisoner-of-war camp and the restaurant, so it was easy to do without a guide.

We did not like the water puppet show in the private house. We would have preferred to see the real show in Hanoi. The water smelled in the house and although the puppeteer was probably very skillful, it was not a professional production.

Those are some suggestions from our trip. Our overall assessment is that it was excellent. Zicasso’s travel specialist did great work accommodating our needs and making the schedule work. We would encourage others to take the same trip.

Zicasso’s travel agency worked patiently with us over several months to organize a perfect four-country tour through Indochina, doing exactly what we asked, including a Khmer cooking class with a local chef.  

We were met on arrival in each county by an experienced English-speaking guide who was well-versed in the history, geography, and culture of each location, and they were just delightful people too. They took us to rural villages and through urban mazes to get a close look at the daily life of the citizens. We chatted with farmers in the field and had meals in local homes. Our agency booked amazing hotels for each stop, from an eco-lodge in the mountains of Vietnam to a spectacular seaside resort in Thailand. 

We had contact names and numbers for agency representatives in each country. They were incredibly responsive, even after hours, when we had a small medical issue. They gave us a completely seamless experience from arrival to departure, with no wasted time. Vacation time is very precious, so we prefer to work with professionals who know the area intimately and take the time to understand our objectives rather than pushing a canned itinerary.

Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia were absolutely beautiful. Zicasso's tour company organized the perfect vacation for our family, an exciting blend of experiences, with adventure, relaxation, culture, food, nature, and urban destinations.

Overall, Zicasso’s travel agent was excellent. The agent was very receptive to our requests, planned our trip very well based on our input, and every arrangement was seamless, without any hiccups.

Singapore is quite humid and can get hot, more than Texas. With walking everywhere, it can be uncomfortable, so perhaps plan to visit in the cooler months, based on local agents’ feedback.

Vietnam was a surprise in all dimensions. It had very good infrastructure. The travel agents took fantastic care of us and the trips to Ninh Bình, which included a bamboo boat tour, and Hạ Long Bay, with a private boat tour, were noteworthy and must-dos.

Bali was a magical and mystical land, with extremely polite and hospitable people and an extraordinary guide who was calm and facilitated our tour so well. The early-morning Mount Batur hike, though moderately strenuous, was worth it, as the sunrise was spectacular, and the trip to the Jagasari area was peaceful and so insightful. I highly recommend staying longer than the four days we stayed and perhaps changing the location to the coast and north side, as traveling within the island from one spot to another takes a long time. The highlight was the kechak dance performance. It gave us goosebumps.

The arrangements were wonderful, with great accommodations and transportation.

Thanks to our travel agent.