Vietnam & Thailand: Trains, Temples, Jungles & Beaches
We’d been dreaming of a big family adventure for ages. Somewhere with incredible food, a different culture, amazing scenery and, of course, some gorgeous hotels! After a family vote, we settled on Vietnam and Thailand… packed the mozzie spray and off we went! Starting in the chaos and charm of Hanoi, finishing with some beach time in Phuket, with a mini-cruise in Halong Bay, sleeper trains, luxury jungle tents and elephants in between, this really was a trip of a lifetime. Here’s how it went and some tips if you fancy following in our footsteps.
Hanoi: Train Street dinners & scooter-dodging
After flying out from Birmingham we landed in Hanoi, which is every bit as vibrant, noisy and full of life as you’d imagine. We checked into Aira Boutique Hotel, our little oasis in the heart of the city. It’s stylish, friendly and perfectly placed for exploring the Old Quarter without being right in the madness.
On our first evening we went straight into it with dinner on the famous Train Street. You sit on tiny plastic stools inches from the railway line for some ice-cold beers and delicious steaming noodles. When the train finally goes by a few feet away from you it’s a bonkers experience.
The next day we joined a half-day city tour which included a visit to Hoan Kiem Lake and the former prison now museum ‘Hoa Lo Prison’ famously nicknamed the "Hanoi Hilton" by American Prisoners of War… this particular was a fascinating, humbling experience.
Top tips for Hanoi
- Be confident crossing the road! Hanoi is one of those cities where just crossing the road feels like an extreme sport but after a few hours you find yourself crossing like a local.
- Try the egg coffee. It sounds strange but tastes like liquid tiramisu.
- If you want to visit Train Street, make sure you’re there one hour or so before the train is due to grab a good spot by one of the many track-side bars and cafes.
Ha Long Bay: Sleeping on the water
From Hanoi we travelled to Ha Long Bay for 2 night overnight cruise with the wonderful Orchid Cruises. This part of the trip was really magical as Halong Bay is a truly stunning place so you feel that you’ve landed on another planet.
The pace here is lovely with a mix of kayaking and swimming, visiting a local island where you cycle to the village from the boat, a stunning visit to a huge sea-cave on a traditional bamboo boat, early morning Tai-chi on the deck, happy hour cocktails, cookery demonstrations.. the list goes on!
Our luxurious cabins had their own balconies so we could just sit and soak it all in and we even had a roll-top bath with a view! The food on-board is gorgeous too and the staff really look after you.
Top tips for Ha Long Bay
- Do try the kayaking, even if you’re not usually outdoorsy. Paddling between the cliffs is unforgettable and you don’t need to go very far.
- Take some cards! The evenings are very relaxing and we loved having some family games in the roof-top bar after dinner
- If you get motion sick, bring tablets just in case, although the water here is usually very calm.
Overnight train to Hue
After returning to Hanoi we spent the afternoon relaxing back at out hotel before boarding the overnight train to Hue. We had a 4-berth cabin which, while compact, was actually good fun. Whilst this isn’t the Orient Express (!), it was a really fun experience and we all slept well. It was also really lovely to roll out of Hanoi on the same train street where we’d sat having some drinks a few nights before!
We arrived in Hue first thing and walked the short distance to the Silk Path Grand Hue Hotel. We spent the day relaxing by the pool before walking along the river into Hue in the evening for a wonderful evening mooching around the shops and enjoying a gorgeous dinner at Madam Thu.
Top tips for the train and Hue
- Big one is bring food, water and drinks with you on the train. You are given a few snacks (including some warm beers!) but the food options on-board are very limited. We brought on gorgeous sandwiches, crisps and fruit from a supermarket back in Hanoi.
- Give a note to the guard (translated into Vietnamese) saying that you want to get-off in Hue so they know to alert you when you arrive as the scheduled times can change!
- It’ll most likely be very hot in Hue so make sure your hotel has a pool as you’ll want to cool off after your overnight train before your room is ready.
Banyan Tree Lang Co
Next up was Lang Co and a complete gear shift into pure luxury. We checked into Banyan Tree which sits between the mountains, a peaceful lagoon and the sea. It is one of those resorts where your shoulders drop the minute you arrive.
Our villa came with its own infinity pool, so days quickly fell into a very pleasing rhythm of leisurely breakfasts, a dip in the pool, perhaps a wander down to the beach and then happy hour before dinner. The surrounding scenery is truly spectacular and we loved it here.
We used these days to properly recharge after the city-hopping and early starts. There are loads of activities if you want them, but honestly we just wanted to relax.
Top tips for Lang Co
- Take some snacks and drinks with you as there are no shops nearby that you can walk to
- Make sure you book your massage treatments in advance as it can get booked up
- All the suites here have a private pool but splash out on a sea-view suite if you can as you won’t regret it!
Hoi An: Lanterns, rice paddies & the best noodles ever!
From Lang Co we made our way down the coast to Hoi An, which quickly became one of our favourite stops. We stayed at La Siesta Hoi An, a lovely resort-style hotel that feels like a calm little village just outside the old town.
Hoi An itself is impossibly pretty with its yellow-painted houses, riverside cafés and hundreds of lanterns strung across the streets. At night it turns into a fairy-tale, with lanterns glowing, boats bobbing on the river and the smell of street food everywhere.
We did a half-day city tour to get our bearings and another half-day “Rural Life” tour which was brilliant. We cycled through rice fields, tried our hand at traditional basket boats and visited a local farm.
Top tips for Hoi An
- If possible, visit the old town both during the day and at night because it feels like two different places.
- Use the super-cheap Hoi An Shuttle Buses to get around. You can pick it up in town or your hotel can book for you
- It can rain very heavily with no warning whilst staying really hot and humid so come prepared
Bangkok:
Next it was time to say goodbye to Vietnam and hop over to Thailand. A short flight took us to Bangkok where we checked into the super-stylish Kimpton Maa-Lai. We’ve booked this hotel lots of times for clients so we had to stay here ourselves and it did not disappoint! This is a chic, stylish hotel with a gorgeous pool and warm Thai hospitality. Bangkok is one of those cities that can feel overwhelming if you try to do too much, so we focused on two brilliant experiences. First was the Tuk Tuk Midnight Food Tour, whizzing around the city in our own little fleet of tuk tuks, stopping for food at places we would never have found on our own. The following day we took a canal tour by longtail boat, exploring the quieter side of Bangkok where wooden houses sit on stilts above the water and life moves at a slower pace. It was a nice contrast to the skyscrapers and traffic of the main city.
Top tips for Bangkok
- Do a food tour. Trying to navigate Bangkok’s street food scene solo is fun but going with a guide means you get all the best spots. If you can do a tour by tuk-tuk too, this is highly recommended!
- Be prepared to use public transport (tuk tuks, Grab, BTS and MRT rail-network plus boat shuttles) to get around as Bangkok is huge!
- A hotel with a pool is a game-changer as its very hot and humid
Elephant Hills: Jungle tents & rescued elephants
From Bangkok we flew down to Surat Thani for our stay at Elephant Hills, a luxury tented camp in the Khao Sok jungle. Our days were filled with river canoeing spotting monkeys in the overhanging trees visiting the rescued elephants. At Elephant Hills, no touching is permitted and we had a fantastic afternoon watching them feeding, washing and interacting with each other. The EH guides are incredibly passionate and knowledgeable and it was really lovely to hear all about the different elephants characters and the backstories surrounding how each elephant had come to be cared for at Elephant Hills. It was genuinely moving and a firm highlight of the whole holiday. We also took a trip out to the lake camp where we spent the day swimming and kayaking along and enjoyed a gorgeous lunch. On our last morning we did a really fun (and muddy!) jungle trek which ended with a cookery demonstration and lunch in the jungle… it was a wonderful way to end our stay at Elephant Hills.
Top tips for Elephant Hills
- Bring sturdy sandals with you that you don’t mind getting wet and muddy.
- Mosquito spray is essential!
- Bring a dry bag for your phone and camera on the canoe trips.
Phuket & The Slate: Beach time and island exploration
After all that adventure we were very ready for some beach time, so we finished our trip in Phuket at The Slate. This is a seriously stylish resort that blends industrial design with tropical gardens and pools. Our days here were super relaxing with Long breakfasts, lazy pool time, massages and strolls to the beach.
We did venture out for one day trip when we enjoyed a private island tour visiting the Big Buddha, Wat Chalong temple and Phuket Town, which was a great way to see more of the island’s mix of culture and scenery.
Top tips for Phuket
- Build in at least three nights at the end of a busy itinerary like this to properly switch off.
- Do one organised day tour, then leave the rest of your time free.
- A massage (or two) is essential! You can do this at your hotel or you will very cheap salons near your hotel
Final thoughts?
Vietnam and Thailand together make an incredible combination: culture-rich cities, jaw-dropping landscapes, amazing food everywhere you turn and some truly special hotels. The contrast between buzzing Hanoi and peaceful Lang Co, between Bangkok’s heat and the cool, quiet jungle at Elephant Hills, kept the whole trip feeling exciting right up to the last day. If you are tempted by a similar adventure with a mix of overnight trains, luxury resorts, ethical elephant experiences and a well-earned beach finale, it is all absolutely doable with good planning and the right pacing. If you’d like help tailoring something like this for your own family or a special celebration, we would love to chat it through and design the perfect route, hotels and experiences for you.
