Tour overview

This 4-day short break takes you from Hanoi into the countryside, staying with local families. A local guide hosts the trip, with private transport throughout. You stay three nights in homestays, including a stilt house, with several meals included.

You travel to the Pu Luong Nature Reserve, with its rice terraces and villages, for a cooking class and dinner in a stilt house, and walk to Hieu village and its waterfall.

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On the way to Ninh Binh you visit the Save Vietnam Wildlife Center in Cuc Phuong National Park, then spend two nights among the limestone karsts and rice fields before returning to Hanoi.

The physical rating is low. This short break suits travellers who want to add rural Vietnam to a stay in Hanoi.

Trip highlights

  • A stilt-house homestay in Pu Luong (Day 1)
  • A cooking class (Day 1)
  • Hieu village and waterfall (Day 2)
  • The Save Vietnam Wildlife Center (Day 2)
  • Ninh Binh (Day 3)

Your route

5 stops from Hanoi to Van Long

4-day route: Hanoi – Pu Luong – Cuc Phuong – Ninh Binh – Hanoi
  1. Hanoi Days 1 & 4
  2. Pu Luong Nature Reserve Day 1
  3. Cuc Phuong National Park Day 2
  4. Ninh Binh Days 2–3
  5. Van Long Day 3

Why choose this tour

Rural Vietnam in a few days. Real homestays with local families.

Best suited to

  • Travellers adding to a Hanoi stay
  • Culture lovers
  • Nature lovers
  • Budget-minded travellers
Rice terraces in Pu Luong Nature Reserve

Day-by-day itinerary

4 days from Hanoi, Vietnam to Hanoi, Vietnam

  1. Day 1 · Hanoi, Pu Luong Nature Reserve Pu Luong

    A cooking class.

    Hotel
    Stilt-house homestay
    Meals
    Lunch, Dinner
  2. Day 2 · Hieu village, Cuc Phuong National Park, Ninh Binh Ninh Binh

    A wildlife centre.

    Hotel
    Homestay
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch
  3. Day 3 · Ninh Binh Ninh Binh

    Limestone karsts.

    Hotel
    Homestay
    Meals
    Breakfast
  4. Day 4 · Hanoi Hanoi

    Back to Hanoi.

    Meals
    Breakfast
A traditional wooden house in rural Vietnam

Where you stay

  • Pu Luong (1 night) Stilt-house homestay
  • Ninh Binh (2 nights) Homestay

Hotel names are indicative and may be replaced with a property of similar standard and location.

What's included

Included

  • Accommodation 3 nights in homestays
  • Meals 3 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 1 dinner
  • Private transport from and to Hanoi
  • Pu Luong cooking class
  • Hieu village and waterfall walk
  • Save Vietnam Wildlife Center visit
  • Local guide

Not included

  • Flights
  • Meals not included 1 lunch and 2 dinners
  • Optional activities
  • Travel insurance and personal spending
Boats on a river among the karsts of Ninh Binh

This trip might not be for you if…

Honest disclaimer — please read

  • You want hotels
  • You want a long trip
  • You dislike simple facilities
  • You want flights included — they are not

Good to know

Meals by day Breakfast: Days 2–4 · Lunch: Days 1–2 · Dinner: Day 1
Rice terraces in the Pu Luong Nature Reserve

In pictures

Departures & prices

From £257 per person, twin share, tour only. 95 upcoming departures.

Frequently asked questions

How do I book this tour?

Tap any "Enquire" button on the page and one of our travel specialists will be in touch within 24 hours (often same day). We'll confirm availability on your preferred date, run through anything you need to know, and only ask for the deposit once you've decided.

What financial protection do I get?

Every Travelisto booking is 100% financially protected. Your money is held in a ring-fenced Trust account until you return from your trip, and we are members of the Protected Trust Services scheme (PTS 6035). Most tours also include ATOL protection where flights are part of the package.

Do I need a visa for Vietnam?

No, UK citizens can visit Vietnam visa-free for up to 45 days.

What are the homestays like?

Simple family homes, including a traditional stilt house, with shared facilities.

Is there a tour leader?

A local guide hosts the trip, with private transport.

Which meals are included?

Several meals with your host families.

Where does it start?

In Hanoi, with transport there and back included.

How many people travel together?

No more than twelve travellers, with a local leader.

Can you tailor the trip?

Yes — every escorted tour can be modified into a private tailor-made version with your own dates, adjusted pace, upgraded hotels and add-on extensions. Tell us what you'd like changed when you enquire and we'll quote it both ways so you can compare.

What if my flight is delayed or cancelled?

If your international flight is part of your booking through us, we re-book at no cost. If you've booked flights separately, the tour's local team holds your transfer slot until you arrive. We strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance policy that includes delay and cancellation cover.

ATOL protected 100% financially protected in a Trust bank account PTS 6035 4.7 on Trustpilot
Tailor-made option

Not quite the right fit? Make it tailor-made.

If this group tour doesn't match your ideal trip, our specialists will turn it into a private tailor-made journey — your own dates, your own pace, upgraded hotels where you want them, and the parts you don't love swapped out. Same destinations, just rebuilt around you.

Contact us for a tailor-made version of this itinerary