Vietnam stretches over 1,100 miles from the mountain passes of the north to the Mekong Delta in the south, offering dramatically different experiences depending on how you choose to travel. You can float through floating markets on a luxury river cruise, ride legendary motorcycle routes through ethnic minority villages, crawl through the same tunnels that confounded American forces decades ago, or camp inside the world's largest cave. This guide breaks down seven distinct approaches to experiencing the country - from relaxed all-inclusive resorts to serious adventure travel.
What Do You Call Your "Guys Trips"?
- River cruises with Viking and AmaWaterways run 7-15 days and include stops at floating markets, colonial-era towns, and Angkor Wat in neighboring Cambodia.
- The Ha Giang Loop is regularly called the best motorcycle ride in Southeast Asia - 350+ kilometers of mountain passes, ethnic minority villages, and scenery that looks computer-generated.
- All-inclusive beach resorts on Phu Quoc Island offer five-star luxury at mid-range prices, with properties like InterContinental, JW Marriott, and Fusion Resort competing for your attention.
- War history sites including the Cu Chi Tunnels and DMZ draw visitors who grew up hearing stories from fathers and uncles who served - it's a meaningful trip for many American men.
- Son Doong Cave in Phong Nha is the world's largest cave, and Oxalis Adventure runs multi-day expeditions that sell out a year in advance.
- Seven Ways to Experience Vietnam
- Cruise the Mekong Delta with Viking or AmaWaterways
- Unwind at Phu Quoc's All-Inclusive Beach Resorts
- Ride the Ha Giang Loop - Southeast Asia's Best Motorcycle Route
- Walk the War History Sites Your Dad Told Stories About
- Spend a Night on Ha Long Bay's Iconic Waters
- Go Underground at Phong Nha's World-Class Cave System
- Let a Guided Tour Handle the Details
- River Cruises, Motorcycle Routes, War History, and Caves - Vietnam Has It All
Vietnam is one of the most fascinating countries out there. Growing up hearing stories about the Vietnam War from my dad and other men his age, I always had a complicated curiosity about the place. Now, seeing how the country has transformed into a thriving economy with stunning landscapes and genuinely welcoming people, it's become a destination that rewards every type of traveler.
Whether you're traveling with your college buddies or putting together a bucket-list mancation with the guys from work, here are seven distinct ways to experience this remarkable country. Before you go, make sure to get mobile internet for your travel to Vietnam - reliable connectivity makes navigating unfamiliar cities and coordinating with tour operators significantly easier.
Seven Ways to Experience Vietnam
Vietnam's length means radically different experiences depending on where you go and how you travel. These seven approaches range from relaxed luxury to serious adventure - and several can be combined into a single trip.
Cruise the Mekong Delta with Viking or AmaWaterways
River cruising has become one of the most comfortable ways to experience Vietnam and Cambodia, and it's ideal for groups where not everyone wants to rough it. Viking's Magnificent Mekong river cruise itinerary runs 15 days and includes hotel stays in Hanoi, Siem Reap, and Ho Chi Minh City bracketing an 8-day cruise through floating markets, silk villages, and French colonial ports. The Viking Saigon and its sister ship Viking Tonle carry just 80 guests each, keeping things intimate.
AmaWaterways offers similar itineraries aboard the AmaDara, with their "Charms of the Mekong" cruise running 7-16 days depending on extensions. Expect to pay $6,000-$7,000 per person for a quality river cruise package including flights. For the guys who want to cover serious ground without the logistics headaches of independent travel, this is the move.
Unwind at Phu Quoc's All-Inclusive Beach Resorts
Phu Quoc Island has emerged as Vietnam's premier beach destination, with luxury resorts offering all-inclusive packages at prices that would be impossible in the Caribbean. The InterContinental Phu Quoc Long Beach Resort features 459 rooms with private balconies, multiple restaurants, and the award-winning HARNN Heritage Spa. JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay - designed by Bill Bensley with a whimsical "university" theme - consistently ranks among Asia's best resorts. For something more wellness-focused, Fusion Resort Phu Quoc pioneered the "all-spa inclusive" concept where daily treatments come with your room rate.
Da Nang on the central coast offers another solid option, with properties like the InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula providing beach access plus easy day trips to the ancient town of Hoi An. Either destination works as the primary focus of your trip or as recovery time after more adventurous activities.
Ride the Ha Giang Loop - Southeast Asia's Best Motorcycle Route
The Ha Giang Loop in Vietnam's far north has earned legendary status among motorcycle travelers. We're talking 350-400 kilometers of winding mountain roads through some of the most dramatic scenery in Southeast Asia - ethnic minority villages, terraced rice paddies, and the Ma Pi Leng Pass.
If you're not comfortable riding yourself, companies like QT Motorbikes & Tours, Jasmine Tours, and Ha Giang Adventure offer "easy rider" packages where experienced local drivers handle the bike while you ride pillion. Tours typically run 3-4 days with homestay accommodations in local villages. The Hai Van Pass between Da Nang and Hue offers a shorter alternative - famously featured on Top Gear as one of the best coast roads in the world.
Walk the War History Sites Your Dad Told Stories About
For American men of a certain age - or those whose fathers and uncles served - Vietnam's war history sites carry profound significance. The Cu Chi Tunnels, a 250-kilometer network of underground passages used by Viet Cong forces, sits about two hours northwest of Ho Chi Minh City. Guided tours let you crawl through sections of the tunnels and see the ingenious booby traps and hidden entrances that frustrated American forces. It's one thing to hear the stories; it's another to squeeze through those passages yourself.
Further north, DMZ tours from Hue visit the former Demilitarized Zone, including Khe Sanh Combat Base, the Vinh Moc Tunnels where entire villages lived underground, and the Hien Luong Bridge that once divided North and South Vietnam. Vietnam Adventure Tours and Annam Tour both specialize in war history itineraries - some led by veterans who share firsthand perspectives.
The War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City offers a sobering look at the conflict from the Vietnamese perspective, while Hoa Lo Prison (the "Hanoi Hilton") in Hanoi tells the story of American POWs. Budget a full day for the tunnels and museum in the south, and another full day for a proper DMZ tour from Hue.
Spend a Night on Ha Long Bay's Iconic Waters
Ha Long Bay's 1,600 limestone islands rising from emerald waters have made it Vietnam's most iconic landscape and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Overnight junk boat cruises let you kayak through hidden lagoons, visit floating fishing villages, and wake up surrounded by karst formations.
Indochina Junk operates traditional wooden vessels on less-crowded routes through Bai Tu Long Bay, while Heritage Line's Ginger Cruise offers more luxurious accommodations with just 12 cabins. Two-night itineraries are worth the extra time - they get you further from the crowds and deeper into the bay's quieter corners. Activities include cave visits, swimming, squid fishing at night, and sunrise tai chi on deck. Prices range from $150-300 per person for two-day cruises, with three-day options running $300-700.
Go Underground at Phong Nha's World-Class Cave System
Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park contains some of the world's largest caves, including Son Doong - confirmed as the world's largest cave by volume at 38.5 million cubic meters. This is serious bucket-list territory.
Oxalis Adventure holds the exclusive permit for Son Doong expeditions, which run 4-6 days, cost around $3,000 per person, and sell out a year in advance. The trip involves jungle trekking, river crossings, and camping inside the cave - ranked among the world's greatest adventure tours by National Geographic and Dave TV. For a more accessible option, their Hang En Adventure is a 2-day trek to another massive cave featured in the film "Pan" and ABC's Good Morning America. Among Southeast Asia guys trips, few experiences compare to spending a night camping inside a cave large enough to hold a city block of skyscrapers.
Let a Guided Tour Handle the Details
If you've never traveled outside the United States - or you have but don't want to deal with the logistics of navigating a country where you don't speak the language - guided tours of Vietnam can take the guesswork out of your trip entirely. Tour operators handle flights, hotels, transportation between cities, and local guides at each stop, so you can focus on the experience rather than the planning.
The best Vietnam tour packages typically run 10-17 days and cover the classic north-to-south route: Ho Chi Minh City, the Cu Chi Tunnels, Hoi An, Hue, Ha Long Bay, and Hanoi. Group sizes stay small (usually 12-16 travelers), and you'll have a mix of structured activities and free time to wander on your own. Companies like Intrepid Travel and G Adventures have established reputations, but there are dozens of operators running Vietnam itineraries at various price points.
Prices typically run $2,000-3,500 per person excluding international flights. A travel advisor can help you compare operators and find the right fit for your group - or match you with other travelers if you're planning a solo trip to Vietnam and want the built-in social structure of a group tour.
River Cruises, Motorcycle Routes, War History, and Caves - Vietnam Has It All
Vietnam isn't a one-dimensional destination, and that's exactly what makes it worth the long flight. You can spend a week floating through the Mekong Delta on a river cruise, then add a few days at a Phu Quoc beach resort. You can combine the war history circuit in the south with the motorcycle passes in the north. You can knock out Ha Long Bay and Hanoi in a few days, or dedicate an entire trip to the cave systems of Phong Nha.
The country's tourism infrastructure has matured significantly over the past decade - English is widely spoken in tourist areas, domestic flights connect major Vietnamese cities cheaply and reliably, and the value remains exceptional compared to Western destinations. A quality hotel room runs $80-150 per night, a memorable meal costs $15-25, and even the high-end experiences like river cruises and cave expeditions come in well below what you'd pay for comparable adventures in Europe or Australia.
Whether you're planning a guys weekend focused on one region, a two-week mancation covering the full north-to-south route, or a solo adventure where you figure it out as you go, Vietnam rewards the effort. Book river cruises and Son Doong expeditions well in advance - those sell out months ahead. Everything else comes together more easily than you'd expect for a country that felt impossibly distant not long ago.
