Vietnam Tour

Vietnam Tour Packages: Read This Before You Book

Vietnam is both a narrow country, thus requiring more attention than many people think. In fact, it is an expansive country, with a north-to-south length of about 1,650 kilometers; therefore, a tour of Vietnam visiting both the north, like Hanoi, and the south, like Ho Chi Minh City, would be two trips altogether. This is okay since this is what makes Vietnam special.

This piece explores some of the locations visited on a Vietnam tour package, visa requirements for 2026, and organizing a visit to Vietnam without having to fly in the country.

Entry: Vietnam e-Visa and the Vietnam Digital Arrival Card

Indian citizens visiting Vietnam require an e-Visa to enter Vietnam. You are permitted to stay in the country for 90 days maximum, and it will cost you USD 25 and takes three to five working days to complete from the time of application. Another option is a visa on arrival, but it has its downsides and requires you to get approved by the travel agency first.

The new Vietnam Digital Arrival Card has been in use since 2023 and replaces the traditional arrival card that was required to be filled out by visitors on arrival. You may fill it in online before going to Vietnam and make sure you have your pre-arrival QR code saved in your phone. It will be scanned by the immigration officer regardless of whether you arrive in the country through Tan Son Nhat airport or Noi Bai in Hanoi.

Where Will Vietnam Tour Packages Take You

Hanoi

Hanoi is in the north and it operates at its own pace compared to the south. The Old Quarter has 36 streets with their names derived from the trade done in that street. This is now history but the streets remain narrow, crowded, and you can easily get lost there without having too much of a problem. Hoan Kiem Lake has a restored temple situated on an island in the middle of the lake which can be reached through the red bridge. It’s everywhere for a reason.

The egg coffee was created in Hanoi during the 1940s when there were not many sources of fresh milk. This resulted in the creation of coffee mixed with egg yolk and condensed milk. Giang Café, close to the Old Quarter, is the birthplace of this coffee. You drink egg coffee served in the hot temperature during winter seasons and cold during summer. It’s worth going there just for this drink alone.

Ha Long Bay

An overnight cruise of Halong Bay is always considered to be the standard way to include Hanoi into a Vietnam tour package. There are about 1,600 karst islands emerging out of water in a 1,553 square kilometer stretch of Halong Bay. The overnight cruise is the correct option here; a one-night stay will work, but two nights would be even better. A day trip from Hanoi is possible, yet disappointing each and every time.

A Halong Bay tour from Hanoi can be done using various means of transport from basic dormitory-type cruises on junks to fully-fledged overnight cruise ships complete with personal deck and guided cave kayaking. The difference in price will be quite obvious, the difference in experience is even greater. Here is one location in Vietnam where upgrading is worth discussing with your tour operator

Ninh Binh and the Trang An Boat Tour

Located about two hours from Hanoi to the south and often overlooked by tourists preoccupied with Ha Long Bay, Ninh Binh makes for an exciting destination. A great tour is the Trang An boat tour. The area features limestone caves very similar to those at Ha Long, only on the ground where the boat has to go into tunnels through which it can only fit when lying down in the small boat. The paddlers kick against the ceiling to move forward.

Hoi An Ancient Town

The Hoi An Ancient Town serves as the heritage tourism destination for central Vietnam. It has been well-preserved, made into a pedestrian area at night, and lit up using lanterns during the night time. It is worth noting that tailor shops responsible for making clothing in just 24 hours is why travelers tend to extend their stay. As far as cuisine goes, it includes cao lau noodles, white rose dumplings, and banh mi, the latter coming from the carts of Phuong that have been voted the best in the world.

Da Nang is located 30 kilometers away from Hoi An and serves as the home for the Golden Hand Bridge and Ba Na Hills, which is an old French hill station elevated at 1,400 meters and has been transformed into a theme park/resort complex. The Golden Hand Bridge is exactly what its name implies, a bridge supported by two large stone hands floating in the air.

Ho Chi Minh City and Mekong Delta

Ho Chi Minh City is fast-paced and loud compared to Hanoi. The Cu Chi Tunnels are 75 kilometers northwest; a 250-kilometer-long network of underground tunnels constructed during the Vietnam War that can now be visited through tours. Crawling inside the actual tunnel at its real diameter leaves you uncomfortable but helps you feel closer to history than a museum exhibit could.

The Mekong Delta Tour can be taken as a day tour from Ho Chi Minh City down to the river delta. Floating markets, coconut candy factory, boat rides through small waterways and other highlights of the region. The two towns on the extended tour include Ben Tre and Can Tho. Most of the rice and fruits in Vietnam are produced by the delta region and the boat market activity in the delta early morning is what the early wake-up is for. It is one of the cores in the Vietnam tour package itinerary.

Sapa, Fansipan, and the North

Trekking through the terraced rice fields in the northwest of Vietnam is included in every Vietnam ecotourism itinerary and deserves to be there. These terraced rice fields are working farms and not just scenery. It takes two days to trek with a local Hmong guide from Sapa to Ta Van in villages where you will see some unusual scenery in Southeast Asia.

Fansipan, with its altitude of 3,147 meters, is the highest peak of all Indochina. Nowadays there is even a cable car that goes to almost the top, thus decreasing the effort considerably.

Phu Quoc and Nha Trang

Vietnam tour package options for resort stays at the island of Phu Quoc include everything from hostel-type accommodation for backpackers to InterContinental and Four Seasons resorts in the northwest region of the island. Phu Quoc is located in the south, making it easier than the rest of the beaches to tack onto a city of Ho Chi Minh itinerary. Long Beach is the cheap beach, while Sao Beach located at the southern part of the island is the beach shown in pictures.

The Nha Trang Beach trip includes activities such as snorkeling on islands and taking a cable car to Vinpearl Island. These islands offer mud baths to visitors at the Thap Ba hot springs.

FAQ

Do Indian nationals need a visa for Vietnam?

Yes. Vietnam e-Visa is the best route to go: you apply from the website, you pay USD 25, and in three to five days your application will be approved. It is valid for 90 days. Avoid using third party visa service providers, the official website is simpler and cheaper.

What is the Vietnam Digital Arrival Card?

The Vietnam Digital Arrival Card is now being used instead of the Vietnam arrival card, which was in use before 2023. The new card should be filled out prior to departure from your country, and once you have saved the QR code on your cell phone, you can present it at immigration.

What is the best time to visit Vietnam?

It should be noted that the long stretch of the Vietnam landscape means that there will never be an ideal month for the entire nation. However, for travelers planning a trip around southern and central parts of the country, November through April would be the best time, while May through October would do well for the north.

How long do Vietnam tour packages typically run?

The period ranging between ten to twelve days will be adequate if you have an appropriate north to south trip including the HaLong Bay cruise, Hoi An Ancient Town, and Ho Chi Minh City. Seven days is sufficient if you visit only one region. Fourteen days or more will be appropriate if you visit additional areas like Sapa trekking or Phong Nha caves.

Is Vietnam good for first-time international travelers?

This may very well be one of the best options. Getting an e-Visa for Vietnam is not difficult. Vietnamese street food is cheap and plentiful. Flying within the country is affordable. Hanoi, Hoi An, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh have great tourism infrastructures without making the country feel overly-touristy.

Check Before You Plan Vietnam Tour

The Vietnam tour package treats those who put in some effort into preparations, but after that let things flow naturally. Prioritize the Vietnam digital visa application and the Vietnam digital arrival card before your departure. Choose two or three destinations, but don’t forget to allocate enough time for them. At least one night will be required for the luxurious Halong bay cruise. For visiting Hoi An ancient town, you’ll need to spend two days minimum. Two days minimum will be required for Sapa trekking.

This is a big country, and you won’t be able to visit the whole place during one trip. It doesn’t matter; most visitors, once they’ve visited Vietnam, plan their second visit before finishing the first one.