Chopsticks & Coconuts Family Holiday

• 10 nights in hotels, one night on a boat, one night in a homestay and one night on a sleeper train
• 13 days of sightseeing, boat trips, kayaking and exploration
• Travel by private minibus, boat, bike, train and two internal flights

This trip includes 12 breakfasts, two lunches and three dinners. Thanks to the tropical climate, the long coast and gigantic range of mountains, Vietnam is blessed with numerous varieties of culinary offerings and maintains a reputation as one of the healthiest, tastiest cuisines in the world. Vietnamese food relies on fresh fish, vegetables, rice and a myriad of verdant herbs and spices; lemongrass, ginger, basil and lime all play an important role in the cuisine. The Chinese and French influence is felt throughout the country, where you are just as likely to be offered a banh mi (stuffed baguette) as you are a hot bowl of pho (noodle soup). Be sure to seek out the national beverages: Vietnamese coffee is served iced and sweet with condensed milk (a real sugar and caffeine hit) and beer hoi (local beer, brewed daily) is served on most street corners in the north out of large plastic jugs that are perfect for sharing. Food is cheap in Vietnam, and you can generally avoid the spicier food if you wish. Western food is readily available almost everywhere, with the exception of the night in the Mekong Delta. Vegetarian food is widely available; however, the offering will be fairly similar in most places. Please advise at the time of booking if you have any dietary requirements.

The weather will be hot and humid throughout with daytime temperatures usually 28C-34C (82F-93F). It is only a little cooler at night.

There is quite a range of seasons between the north and south: the south up to Hue has a distinct dry season between December and April and then a rainy season from May to November when it tends to come in short heavy bursts with bright sunshine in between. Hanoi is cool in autumn, and even gets chilly between November and February (with a drizzly rain).

There is no ideal time to visit Vietnam; it is quite pleasant at any time of year, though it is unlikely the weather will be perfect for the entire trip.

Please be aware, the Halong Bay boat trip is subject to short notice change if adverse weather conditions develop during your trip. These could occur year-round, but especially in monsoon season (from October to April). Halong Bay boat trips are governed by the local authorities, who are authorised to make appropriate safety decisions. If your Halong Bay trip is affected by adverse weather, this could either result in a reduced excursion or, less likely, the need to re-arrange the itinerary if it is not possible at all to go out on Halong Bay. While this is not a frequent occurrence, our local team and leaders are well equipped to handle such situations and have long offered appropriate options to groups in the instances where this may occur.

This trip has been rated Activity Level 3 (Moderate). It was designed for 13 to 16-year-olds, but is also suitable for nine to 12-year-olds.

Our Family Activity Levels are aimed at children in the primary age group (13-16), but we are confident it is also suitable for those in the secondary age range (9-12). However, if your child is in this secondary category, they may find it a little more difficult. When grading our trips, we consider multiple factors, including the pace, level of activity involved, amount of travel time and the weather. Please see the Family Activity Levels on our website for further information.

Trip pace

This trip is designed so you can see the best of Vietnam using a mixture of private buses, boats and flights. There is a lot to see in the time you are here, but the itinerary is paced to feel relatively unrushed. Travel is kept to a minimum, but there are a few longer drives. There is plenty of time for sightseeing and the trip has numerous stops where we spend two or more nights.

Hotels and facilities

Some of the accommodation is basic but clean and tidy. The swimming pools may not be up to Western standards.

Photos

Local people and other Asian tourists may want to take photos of themselves with your children, particularly if they are young, blonde and have blue eyes. You should be prepared for them to do this without asking permission first. You should also be prepared for lots of traffic in the bigger cities, such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, where you will have to relearn crossing the street.