7-Day Family Friendly Itinerary for Vietnam in August 2023

1. Day 1: Explore Ho Chi Minh City
   25 minutes (5.6 km) from Tan Son Nhat International Airport

   Visit the War Remnants Museum in the morning to learn about the Vietnam War, followed by a stroll through the colorful Ben Thanh Market for lunch. Spend the afternoon at the Bitexco Financial Tower Observation Deck for a panoramic view of the city and end the day with a cyclo ride around the bustling streets of the city center.

2. Day 2: Mekong Delta Tour
   2 hours (120 km) from Ho Chi Minh City

   Spend the day exploring the Mekong Delta, known for its lush rice paddies, traditional villages and serene waterways. Take a boat tour of the floating markets, visit a local fruit garden, and have lunch with a local family in a stilt house. End the day with a sunset bike ride through the rice paddies.

3. Day 3: Hoi An Ancient Town
   1 hour (30 km) from Da Nang International Airport

   Explore the charming Hoi An Ancient Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Walk through the streets filled with yellow buildings and old temples, and stop by the Japanese Covered Bridge and Assembly Hall. Enjoy a traditional Vietnamese lunch and spend the afternoon taking a cooking class or biking through the countryside.

4. Day 4: Marble Mountains and My Son Sanctuary
   30 minutes (20 km) from Hoi An Ancient Town

   Start the day early for an excursion to the Marble Mountains to see the stunning caves and temples. After lunch, visit the My Son Sanctuary, a complex of Hindu temples built between the 4th and 14th centuries. Learn about the Champa Kingdom and its influence on Vietnam's history and culture.

5. Day 5: Ha Long Bay Cruise
   2 hours 30 minutes (165 km) from Noi Bai International Airport

   Take a day cruise through the stunning Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its limestone cliffs and emerald waters. Enjoy lunch onboard, visit the Thien Cung Cave and take a dip in the bay's calm waters. End the day with a seafood dinner back on land.

6. Day 6: Hanoi City Tour
   45 minutes (26 km) from Noi Bai International Airport

   Take a walking tour of the charming Hanoi Old Quarter, filled with narrow streets and French colonial buildings. Visit the Temple of Literature, Vietnam's first university, and the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. Enjoy a bowl of pho for lunch and spend the afternoon at the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology to learn about Vietnam's diverse ethnic groups.

7. Day 7: Bat Trang Ceramic Village
   45 minutes (13 km) from Hanoi City Center

   Visit the Bat Trang Ceramic Village to learn about traditional Vietnamese pottery and ceramics. Take a pottery workshop and make your own souvenir to take home. End the day with a water puppet show, a traditional Vietnamese art form that uses water as a stage.

Recommendations

Take a day trip to the Cu Chi Tunnels to see the underground network used by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War. For a beach day, visit Phu Quoc Island known for its white-sand beaches and clear waters.

Time and Costs Estimates

• War Remnants Museum (2 hours, 40,000 VND)
• Bitexco Financial Tower Observation Deck (1-2 hours, 200,000 VND)
• Mekong Delta Tour (8-10 hours, 1,500,000 VND)
• Hoi An Ancient Town (6-8 hours, 120,000 VND)
• Marble Mountains (3-4 hours, 40,000 VND)
• My Son Sanctuary (4-5 hours, 150,000 VND)
• Ha Long Bay Cruise (6-8 hours, 1,500,000 VND)
• Hanoi Old Quarter Walking Tour (4-5 hours, free)
• Vietnam Museum of Ethnology (2-3 hours, 40,000 VND)
• Bat Trang Ceramic Village (4-5 hours, free)
• Water Puppet Show (1 hour, 100,000 VND)
• Total Estimated Costs: 3,690,000 VND per person (excluding accommodation and transportation)