Vietnam

10 Unmissable Experiences in Vietnam With Kids

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Vietnam with kids truly is the perfect trip for families looking for hands on educational and transformative travel. The country is teeming with unique activities and sites to visit that will appeal to all age ranges. From making things by hand to experiencing local life and immersing yourself in the culture through food, Vietnam family travel really has everything for all types of travelers.

After a few weeks exploring the country, we have come up with our top 10 things to do in Vietnam with kids (or even without!).

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Where to Eat in Hoi An | Our Top 5 Hoi An Restaurants

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Vietnam was a total surprise for us in many ways, but especially in the food department. Vietnamese food is fresh, varied and absolutely fantastic. The problem when you arrive to a town like Hoi An is there are SO many places to eat that it is often overwhelming choosing where to go. Obviously, even with a week in town we did not become experts on where to eat in Hoi An, but we found a few favorites that will get you off the main circuit and eating some delicious food in between searching for your own favorite eateries!

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Making Hoi An Lanterns with the Lantern Lady

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Hoi An, located in central Vietnam, is known for two things, tailors and beautiful silk lanterns! When you visit, you must experience Hoi An lanterns in some form or another. You can do this by just walking through the streets admiring the brightly colored lanterns hanging over head, by launching your own candle lit paper lantern on the river or by making your own beautiful Hoi An lantern.

During our visit, we ended up doing all three. Wandering around Hoi An soaking up the beautiful lanterns that are seemingly hung from every tree and strung across the roadside is magical. You feel like you are walking into a fairytale. While this is fantastic, our favorite experience of all was making our own silk Vietnamese lanterns with The Lantern Lady.

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Gap Year: Month 4 Recap – Bangkok, Hanoi & Hoi An

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A bit late, but here we go, our gap year recap for month 4! January has been a short month of travel since we only left the US on the 15th, but it has been full of adventure and feels like we have been gone for ages already!

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Experience the Best Hands-On Village Homestay in Vietnam

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One of the best experiences on our trip to Southeast Asia was a village homestay in Vietnam with Indochina Junk. This ended up being a highlight of our Vietnam experience as it offered wonderful insight into the culture and local life of many in this country. One of our goals of travel is to find educational and transformative activities that give hands-on opportunities for learning and this fit the bill perfectly.

A visit to Yen Duc village can be added on to your overnight Halong Bay cruise or possibly as a stand alone option. We did it as part of our Halong Bay trip and it worked out well as it’s located between Halong Bay and Hanoi. If you have time, we would highly recommend making a visit to Yen Duc village with Indochina Junk as it really was a great way to experience this fascinating country and to experience life in a local village.

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A Morning at Thành Ha Pottery Village Hoi An

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One of the things we loved most about our visit to Hoi An are the many hands on activities throughout the area. The Thành Ha pottery village Hoi An is a perfect example of this. This riverside pottery village in central Vietnam is located just a few miles outside of Hoi An’s old town. If you have budding potters or are just looking for something to do, this makes for a good visit. That said, be prepared to come out with a handful of things you probably don’t need!

The village consists of narrow pathways that form a maze through simple riverside homes. You will see all sorts of pottery in various stages of production stacked by the entrances, from cups, jars, bowls and more. Even if you don’t buy anything or try your hand at making things, this is a fun morning excursion when you have the time.

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Guide to an Unforgettable Overnight Halong Bay Cruise

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If there is one thing you do in Vietnam, it should be spending the night on a Halong Bay Cruise. This UNESCO World Heritage site in northeast Vietnam, known for its picturesque limestone islets jutting out of the shimmering emerald water, is mesmerizing.

During our visit, we were not lucky enough to have the crystal clear blue skies as shown on the postcards around Hanoi, but that’s just part of the allure of this area. You never know what you will get, but it will be magical nonetheless!

While many visitors make the 3 hour trek to Halong Bay for the day, it really doesn’t do the area justice. Even if you are on a budget, an overnight Halong Bay cruise is one part of your trip to splurge on. It is a must visit on most Vietnam itineraries for good reason, it is spectacular!

We spent hours researching the best overnight Halong Bay cruises and will share all the information with you here!

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What to Do in Hoi An with Kids (or without!)

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Hoi An is a picturesque UNESCO Heritage town on the central coast of Vietnam. Even being one of the most popular tourist destinations in Vietnam, Hoi An continues to showcase a well preserved example of an ancient port town. It’s traditional wooden buildings provide a beautiful backdrop to experience all the things to do in Hoi An with kids (and without too!).

Even though much of the ancient town in Hoi An is filled with shops geared entirely to foreign visitors, the lanterns, cute shop fronts and small lanes continue to lure visitors with it’s great food and fun energy, especially once the tour buses have left for the day!

To escape the crowds a bit, here are our top picks what to do in Hoi An with kids.

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