Wellness Journey Through Vietnam: Mountains, Yoga, and Sea

The trip kicks off in Hanoi with a welcome dinner at Tam Vi, one of Vietnam's first Michelin-starred restaurants, where the menu is built around traditional family-style Vietnamese cooking. You'll have the next morning free to recover from the flight before an afternoon tour that takes in Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum and stilt house, the One Pillar Pagoda, and a slow cyclo ride through the 36 streets of the Old Quarter. A body massage in the evening helps shake off the travel stiffness.

Day three takes you three hours north to Yen Tu, a mountain complex that's the birthplace of Vietnamese Zen Buddhism. You'll stay at the Legacy Yen Tu resort, built to look like an ancient palace, and spend two days doing yoga, breathwork, and meditation sessions. The activities are gentle and accessible: eye yoga, paddleboard yoga on the resort's lake, singing bowl meditation, and a Bosu ball workout if you want something more active. There's also the option to take a cable car up the mountain for panoramic views.

From Yen Tu, you drive to Halong Bay and board a cruise for an overnight trip through the famous seascape of thousands of limestone karsts. The boat stops for swimming and kayaking, and you sleep on board with dinner served as the sun goes down. The next day, after a morning on deck, you fly to Da Nang and transfer to Hoi An, a riverside town known for its preserved architecture and nightly lantern displays.

The last three days in Hoi An are the most relaxed part of the trip. Mornings start with a short Tai Chi class on day seven, and one day includes a 60-minute Sense Treatment massage using coconut oil. The rest of the time is yours: lie on the beach, wander the old town, or join one of the resort's like the farming tour or a rice paper making class.

Your host for this trip is Éllie Nguyen, who runs wellness-focused tours through Southeast Asia under the name Realistic Asia. The pace is designed for people who want to see Vietnam's highlights but also come home feeling rested, not exhausted. It's a mix of guided cultural experiences, dedicated relaxation time, and daily wellness practices that keep the retreat feeling distinct from a standard tour.

What's included

- Airport pickup and drop-off - 9 nights accommodation in hotels and cruise - Breakfast daily, welcome dinner on day 1 and day 2, full meals on cruise - Welcome drink - Daily meditation and yoga classes - All sightseeing tickets according to itinerary - Experienced English-speaking guides on tour - Pre and post retreat support - 24/7 hotline support - Flight from Hanoi to Da Nang with 7kg hand baggage and 20kg luggage - Door-to-door pick-up and drop-off services - Service charges and government tax - WiFi connection

What's not included

- International flights - Travel insurance - Visa fee - Meals not mentioned in the itinerary - Additional activities not included in the itinerary - Additional treatments or yoga sessions - Beverages, personal expenses, tips and gratuities - Public holiday surcharge