3 weeks’ Vietnam North to South Tour, 2-21 February 2026
Travel from Oslo to Hanoi via Dubai
We departed from Oslo at 2 pm and landed in Dubai around midnight. After a few hours in transit we continued to Hanoi in Vietnam. The queue to immigration was the longest I have seen, but finally we could pick up our suitcases and meet our tour guide for transfer by bus to our Flower Garden Hotel.
By Cycle-Rickshaw to a Restaurant, Hanoi
After arrival, check-in and after a short rest in our Flower Garden Hotel we were transported by cycle-rickshaws through busy Hanoi streets to the 5-spice restaurant for our group’s introduction dinner.
The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Hanoi
The Mausoleum is the resting place of Vietnamese revolutionary leader and President Ho Chi Minh.
Right from the main gate we had to walk single file up through the mausoleum, then in silence around the glass case with the embalmed pale revolutionary leader, before exiting to the parade grounds. Being close to their Lunar New Year (Tet) many people took photos of each other in traditional costumes.
We continued into the large beautiful garden with Ho Chi Minh’s office. His small traditional Vietnamese peasant style house built on pillars is idyllically located behind the mausoleum in a garden directly overlooking a large, fish-filled lake, standing as he left it.
The One Pillar Pagoda, Hanoi
The One Pillar Pagoda is located in an historic Buddhist temple complex, built by Emperor Lý Thái Tông who ruled from 1028 to 1054, between the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum and the Ho Chi Minh museum. The most famous part of this architecture complex is ‘the lotus pedestal’ which is a temple structure originally built on one wooden pillar. The pillar has later been replaced by a concrete pillar. It is regarded as one of Vietnam’s two most iconic temples. The main temple is located in a courtyard next to the pagoda.
Walking through Narrow Streets in Old Hanoi
After visiting the One Pillar Pagoda we walked through narrow busy streets in the old part of Hanoi, passing small shops and street vendors selling mostly food.
We passed two lakes, one in which parts of a shot-down American B-52 bomber can be seen in the water – and of course there was a B-52 bar nearby.
The Temple of Literature, Hanoi
The Temple of Literature (Văn Miếu) in Hanoi is one of several temples in Vietnam which are dedicated to Confucius, sages, and scholars. It was built in 1070 at the time of Emperor Lý Thánh Tông and hosted the Imperial Academy, Vietnam’s first national university, from 1076 to 1779. The various pavilions, halls, statues, and stelae of doctors are places where offering ceremonies, study sessions, and the strict exams took place. Just before the Tết Vietnamese New Year celebration, this is a popular place to take photos of eachother in beautiful costumes. Calligraphists assemble outside the temple to write wishes in Chữ Hán. These art works are given away as gifts or are used as home decorations for special occasions.
The Lotus Water Puppet Show, Hanoi
In the afternoon, we visited the Contemporary Art Theater near Hoan Kiem Lake. With loud North Vietnamese folk music, skilled artists performed a water puppet show in a pool. The artists stood hidden behind the stage and manipulated the puppets, which played out traditional Vietnamese fairy tales and legends in a colorful spectacle.
The Hoan Kiem Lake and Jade mountain Temple, Hanoi
Hoàn Kiếm Lake is one of the most important scenic spots in Hanoi’s historical center and serves as a focal point for its public life. We strolled along the lake watching young people taking photos and video of eachother for their Tet celebration.
Near the northern shore of the lake is the Jade Island with the Temple of the Jade Mountain, built in the 18th century. We crossed over to the island by the red wooden Thê Húc Bridge, which translates to “Perch of the Morning Sunlight”.
Legend Pearl – Oyster Cultivation
On our way to Halong Bay for an overnight cruise we stopped near the town of Halong to visit Legend Pearl, a large jewelry store. There we were shown how oysters are cultivated to make pearls by inserting a small “ball” into the oyster. The oyster will then over time cover the ball with with “mother of pearl”.
Halong Bay
Our group of 25 was shuttled out to a small cruise ship from Golden Cruise. We had the ship to ourselves and got nice rooms. During a tasty lunch we sailed out into this strange archipelago with thousands of limestone karsts and islets in various shapes and sizes. With cloudy and not very warm weather, this mini-cruise was a disappointment, but the scenery was majestic. However, we had a pleasant visit to a small floating fishing village late in the afternoon. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Halong Bay has become a “tourist trap” and a “bucket list” destination with a multitude of small and large cruise ships and yachts. Similar limestone islands and mountains can be seen in many other places in the world, like in the Krabi area in Thailand, but on a smaller scale.
Visit to a Floating Village, Halong Bay
In the afternoon the ship moved closer to a small floating fishing village, and we were transported over to a tourist reception area by a launch. After an introduction to the village we were rowed in small boats around the secluded bay to watch the floating houses and see how they lived.
Visit to Local village on our way back to Hanoi
On the way back to Hanoi we stopped to visit a local village with large, nice villas, where the standards of living were higher than average. We walked through a market before visiting a private house. In their covered courtyard by a small garden, they served us fruit, tea and their own rice wine. The father raised pigs in a shed behind the house, where he also distilled rice wine (liquor). The house was very large and clean, and we were allowed to go inside and look around the different rooms.
The Mai Chau Valley
Local dances, Mai Chau Eco Lodge
Visit to a Local Muong Village at Hoa Binh Lake
Hoa Binh Lake, located about 76 km from Hanoi, is the largest man-made reservoir in Southeast Asia, 230 km long, created by the Hoa Binh dam. We had to cross the lake by boat to visit a local ethnic Moung village. Unfortunately the weather was not on our side. It was raining and quite cold as we drove up from Mai Chau, and we felt like boat refugees as we sat under cover in the small open ferry on what should have been been a pleasant crossing with a beautiful scenery. In the village and were invited into a traditional wooden stilt house to see how some people still live. Before returning to our Mai Chau Eco Lodge we had lunch in a local restaurant.
Ho Chi Minh Trail from Mai Chau to Vinh
– A long day on the road. We started in rain, but the weather improved and warmed up as we headed south between forested mountains and along rice fields. We took coffee breaks along the way and had a tasty lunch in what looked like an open workshop or warehouse. The main stops were the “0 km” monument and the Ho Chi Minh Trail Museum in Tan Ky – the starting point of the legendary trail that was not one trail, but a network with alternative routes that the Vietcong used to transport provisions to their army in the south. The second stop was to see the small wooden house where Ho Chi Minh lived with his family in his childhood, and the associated memorial park. There were decorations everywhere for the Vietnamese New Year. We arrived the Sai gon Kim Lien Hotel in the large city of Vinh at 5:00 PM, just to stay overnight.
Across the mountains from Vinh to Dong Hoi
An hour outside Vinh, we stopped at Dong Loc Junction – a memorial park dedicated to 10 martyr girls from the Vietnam war. We crossed a beautiful mountain range and had lunch at a truck stop at the junction to Laos. The highlight of the day was a visit to the Paradise Cave (see next video).
Paradise Cave
Paradise Cave (Thien Duong Cave) is known as the longest dry cave in Asia. With a total length of over 31 km, it is famous for its massive chambers reaching heights of up to 72 meters, and spectacular formations of stalactites and stalagmites that are beautifully illuminated.
The cave is located in the mountains about 70 km outside Dong Hoi. From the parking area and ticket office in the narrow valley we were shuttled almost 1 kilometer though the forest in “golf cars”. Then we had to climb about 500 steps to get up to the opening, and 300 to get down into the cave.
Phong Nha Cave
The Phong Nha Cave, located about 45 km from Dong Hoi, is 7,729 meters long and contains 14 grottoes and a 13,969 meter long underground river. Scientists have surveyed 44.5 kilometers of passages, but tourists are only allowed to explore the first kilometer by boat or 6 kilometers by kayak. We boarded a boat at the tourist center in Phong Nha village and were shuttled up the river to the cave entrance. As the boat entered the cave, the noisy engine was shut down, the roof panels removed, and we were paddled slowly in and followed the river about a kilometer. On the way back we were set ashore inside the cave and walked back through beautiful dry cave chambers.
Vinh Moc tunnels and war memorials
On our way south along the coast, we visited the Vinh Moc Tunnels from the Vietnam war. Local villagers lived in these tunnels for weeks or months at a time during the heavy American bombing.
A little later, we stopped in the demilitarized zone between the former North and South Vietnam and were shown the memorials – one on each side of the border river, the Ben Hai. A white line across the bridge marked the border.
By Cycle-Rickshaw in Hue, and Evening Walk along the River
After check-in at the Mondial Hotel in Hue, cycle-rickshaws were waiting outside to take us on a city tour, ending at the Tropical Garden Restaurant for our dinner. Afterwards we walked back to the hotel along the Perfume River.
Thien Mu temple and pagoda in Hue
The Thiên Mụ Temple (meaning Temple of the Celestial Lady, also called Linh Mụ Temple) is located on the bank of the Perfume River. Its iconic seven-story Phước Duyên pagoda is regarded as the unofficial symbol of Hue city. The current 21-meter-high pagoda was built in 1844 by Emperor Thieu Tri, but the first pagoda was built as early as 1601. Each of the seven floors is dedicated to a Buddha appearing in human form. We arrived by boat and entered the beautiful temple garden through 3 gates.
The Imperial City in Hue
– or Imperial Palace – is a royal walled city, the former imperial capital of Vietnam during the Nguyễn dynasty. It contains palaces, shrines, gardens, and offices. Built in 1804 under Emperor Gia Long as a new capital, and later re-modelled and enlarged to its current scale in 1833, it served as a ceremonial function and imperial residence during the French colonial period. After the end of the monarchy in 1945 it was severely damaged and neglected during the Indochina Wars until the 1980s. The Imperial City is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
A walk through the Dong Ba Market in Hue
The Dong Ba is a traditional market in Hue. With a history of more than a century, the market has become a landmark in Vietnam’s former capital. It is located on the north bank of the Perfume River, right outside of the Eastern Gate of the citadel, with a total area of 47,614 square meters. I walked through the maze of corridors with food stalls and an abundance of goods for sale.
The Tu Duc Mausoleum
The Tu Duc (or Khiem) Mausoleum in Hue was built for the Nguyen Emperor Tu Duc from 1864 to 1867. It is divided into a Temple Area with temple buildings, pavilions and lakes in a beautiful garden, and a Tomb Area. Some of the buildings served as a palatial retreat for Tu Duc and his many wives until his death in 1883.
The Khai Dinh Mausoleum, Hue, Vietnam
The Tomb of Khai Dinh (officially the Ung Mausoleum) was built for the twelfth emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty of Vietnam, and was completed in 1931 after 11 years of construction. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993.
Khai Dinh became emperor in 1916 after his predecessor was exiled by the French colonial government. He worked closely with the French government, and was considered to be no more than “a paid employee of the French government”.
From Hue to Hoi An
As we drove down the coast from Hue, we passed sand dunes and a modern windmill park. After a coffee break at the Lap An/An Cu lagoon, known for its fresh seafood and scenic beauty, we continued past oyster farms before crossing over the mountains at the Hai Van pass to Danang. We drove straight through Danang, and arrived in Hoi An for a lunch at the Dao Tien River Restaurant. Later we check into our Royal Riverside Hotel. I relaxed by the hotel pool and took a short swim before we headed out to explore the old city.
Evening-sightseeing in ancient Hoi An
First we visited a silk and handcraft center. Then we continued to the old Japanese bridge near a branch of the Bon Thu River. There were thousands of tourists on both sides of the river and many small boats with lanterns, and the city was decorated for the Vietnamese New Year. Next we visited the old Japanese Phuc Kien assembly hall and temple, and later an old traditional wooden house – Quan Thang. We had a delicious dinner in the Lemon Grass restaurant, and walk back to our riverside hotel.
Bike Tour on Cam Kim Island, Hoi An
We crossed the bridge from Hoi An to Cam Kim Island and cycled through the quiet landscape of rice fields and small settlements. Our first stop was to watch rice pancakes being fried to make “rice paper” and noodles. We then had a short stop at a war cemetery before continuing to Kim Bong Carpentry Village to try our hand at woodcarving our own nameplates in Vo Duc Thi workshop. Instead of cycling back to Hoi An, we took a boat.
Evening Walk in Hoi An Old Town (island side of river)
In the evening I went to the old town and crossed the bridge to the night-life side of the river. There were a lot of tourists even so early, but too early for bar life. The river was full of boats with lanterns, and there were decorations everywhere this day before Vietnamese New Year.
Hoi An – Village Tour and Cooking Lessons
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Vietnamese New Year Celebration in Old Hoi An
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From Hoi An via Danang-Saigon to Cai Be in the Mekong Delta
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Cai Be – Mekong Delta Sightseeing
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Mekong and Saigon Sightseeing
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Vietcong Tunnels and Saigon City Tour
Cu Chi-tunnels, Independence Palace and War Remnants Museum.
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Saigon – Last Day Sightseeing …?
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