Begin your introduction to Vietnam by exploring Hanoi: the nation's exciting capital.

On arrival at Hanoi Airport, your guide and driver will meet you and take you to your city centre hotel by private vehicle. After a quick break to freshen up, you'll head out into the city to explore with your guide. First lesson: how to cross the road! Here you'll discover some of the key sites that have played a part in the history of Vietnam, from the Temple of Literature (Vietnam's first university, established in 1070), to the former residences and final resting place of the father of modern Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh.

Overnight: Essence Hotel

An idyllic day at the Moon Garden Homestay provides a wonderful counterpoint to the hectic life of the city.

On day two, after a restful night to adjust to the new time zone, you will head out into the back streets of the Old Quarter to discover the delicious street food of Hanoi with your guide. You'll have the chance to sample traditional fare such as pho noodle soup, savoury pancakes and grilled pork, before branching out to the more obscure choices such as fertilized eggs or the somewhat daunting (yet delicious) “egg coffee”! The choice is yours as your guide takes you on a streetside culinary expedition this morning.

Following your morning tour, you'll join your private car and driver for the hour-long journey to Ky Son, a village on the outskirts of the city surrounded by farms and paddy fields. This countryside retreat was founded on eco-friendly principles, and gives visitors the chance to participate in traditional rural activities with the help of the Ky Son villagers. Depending on what your family enjoys, you might like to try out a Vietnamese cooking lessons, have a go at farming in the fields, or take a bike ride through the fields and villages – visiting old pagodas and temples as you go.

Overnight: Moon Garden Homestay

Spend the morning at Moon Garden before moving on to Ninh Binh, known as “dry Halong Bay” for its impressive karst scenery.

This morning, we recommend waking up early to join a traditional Yijin Jing exercise class, an ancient Chinese practice used as a key element of physical conditioning in Shaolin training. Following this, you'll have breakfast and some time to relax or participate in more local activities – such as ploughing, making rice beds, harvesting cassava and corn or collecting tea and medicinal herbs for use at the homestay. The range of activities available will, of course, depend on the season.

After lunch, it's back on the road again for the journey to Ninh Binh, which should take around 2.5 hours. Ninh Binh may not be as famous as Halong Bay, but its landscape of steep-sided mountains, warren-like limestone caves and flat river valleys is easily as impressive. On arrival this evening, you'll have time to head out for an optional cycle ride through the countryside, watching the sun go down over mountains and paddy fields.

On day four, you'll have a full day to enjoy the marvellous countryside surrounding your hotel. Begin the day with a traditional sampan ride along the river, hemmed in on both sides by towering wooded pinnacles, before stopping for lunch in Cuc Phuong: Vietnam's first national park in the foothills of the northern Annamite mountain range. While here, you'll head to the Endangered Primate Rescue Centre to meet animals in rehabilitation, including various types of langur and gibbon, and trek into the rainforest with your guide before returning to Ninh Binh tonight.

Overnight: Tam Coc Garden Resort

Cruise amongst the towering limestone pillars of spectacular Halong Bay, a natural World Heritage Site.

This morning you'll be picked up from your hotel by private car and driven to Hai Phong, the gateway to Halong Bay. All in all, the journey should take just under three hours.

On arrival at the coast, you will follow some simple check-in procedures, board your cruise and head out into the bay, winding you way between the area's characteristic, steep-sided limestone outcrops. You will have ample opportunity to settle in to your cabins before enjoying lunch on board.

Adventures today will differ depending on the tides, weather and your family's personal interests, but there will be plenty of opportunities to swim and snorkel, explore caves and take a rowing boat around the giant rocks of the bay, discovering hidden nooks and maybe even a monkey or two!

Dinner will be served on board this evening, and the menu is a good mix of Western and Asian food – so there is sure to be something to suit everybody's tastes. If you're very lucky, tonight you'll have front-row seats for an incredible sunset over the bay!

Overnight: Bai Tho

After returning to shore, head back to Hanoi for an evening in the home of a local family.

This morning, join your crew on deck for a peaceful session of T'ai Chi – or just have a lie-in as you cruise peacefully back to Hai Phong City. A car will be waiting at the dock to return you to Hanoi, a four-hour drive inland.

On arrival in Hanoi, you'll check in to your hotel and have a chance to freshen up before heading out this evening to the house of a local family. Visiting a local home for dinner is a fantastic chance to meet English-speaking Vietnamese people, learn about the Hanoian way of life, and try some real home-cooked food. Depending on who you visit, you might even be drafted in to help with the cooking!

Overnight: Essence Hotel

Today you'll be driven to Noi Bai Airport for the short domestic flight south to Phong Nha, home to the world's biggest caves.

The journey from Dong Hoi Airport will take you deep into the national park, through rubber plantations and rice paddies, before turning off and winding up to the lush mountains. Finally you will reach the dramatic caves of Phong Nha Ke-Bang, which lay concealed in these mountains for tens thousands of years without discovery. Spend the evening relaxing at the Phong Nha Lake House, where there is plenty to keep you occupied – including an outdoor pool table, swimming pool, and beautiful lake with a boat available for use.

On day eight you'll head out with your guide for a full day in the national park. Your first stop will be Phong Nha Cave, which was the first of the area's great caves to be discovered – lending its name to the national park. From here you will drive past imposing limestone peaks and through dense jungle to Paradise Cave, which stunned the world when it was discovered in 2005, and was only opened to tourists in 2010.

You will descend into the cave on a wooden walkway, made to protect and preserve the fragile cave formations. This walkway continues for a kilometre through the enormous cavern, which reaches staggering heights of up to 100 metres. UNESCO World Heritage Status was granted to this region in 2003, encompassing both the caves and the pristine national park area.

After a refuelling break at a local restaurant, head to the Nuoc Mooc Springs for a swim. This river gushes forth from an underground cave and has striking light blue-coloured water, with the temperature a constant 19C. It's a short walk over the bamboo bridges and a scramble over some large rocks to reach the refreshing swimming hole.

After a dip in the pool, your guide and driver will convey you back to the Phong Nha Lake House tonight.

Overnight: Phong Nha Lake House

Explore palatial citadels, visit ancient tombs and learn about old royalty here in Hue.

Leave Phong Nha and the caves behind this morning for a scenic drive to Hue, via the Vinh Moc Tunnels. The village of Vinh Moc was one of the most heavily bombed areas during the Vietnam War (known as the American War in Vietnam). In order to escape this bombardment, the villagers constructed approximately 2.8 km of underground tunnels, which they used as a refuge to survive the bombings.

After spending some time exploring this remarkable site and learning about the tunnels, you will stop for a lunch break and continue your onward journey to Hue. This afternoon will be at leisure to spend as you choose – your Info-Pack will be full of suggestions as to how to spend your time this evening.

On day ten, you'll join your guide for a cycling tour of the city, taking you to the Imperial Citadel – the home of Vietnam's last royal dynasty – before heading out of town to the beautiful tombs of the Nguyen Emperors. In the afternoon, you'll swap your wheels for water as you board a cruise along the Perfume River to Thien Mu Pagoda, the tallest religious building in Vietnam, built in 1601.

Overnight: Moonlight Hotel

Moving on from Hue, your family will have the chance to learn traditional fishing and farming methods with four nights in the ancient port town of Hoi An.

This morning, relax and watch the world go by as your private car takes you along the Pass of Ocean Clouds; a coastal road that connects Hue with Hoi An.

On arriving at this relaxed riverside town, take a walk with your guide to get your bearings as they introduce you to some of the key sites, including a 400-year-old Japanese bridge, left over from when the town was used as a trading port. Your hotel is located ten minutes outside of town, with direct access to Cua Dai Beach. You'll be glad to hear that Hoi An is blessed with fantastic beach weather from March to August!

You'll have plenty of time to relax while you're in Hoi An, but on day 13 it's time to get active again, as you jump on your bikes and head out into the delightful countryside – a journey punctuated by water buffalo, rice paddy fields, and organic vegetable farms. Today you'll be taught how to throw a traditional Vietnamese fishing net, called a ro, from a small round bamboo basket boat (a thung chai), in a technique that Vietnamese fishermen have employed for centuries. You'll then board a boat to visit a water palm area surrounded by coconut trees, where you'll learn about the history of this unique area before enjoying a tasty, locally caught seafood lunch on board. This is a great chance for your family to learn about rural life in central Vietnam!

The rest of your time in Hoi An will be at leisure to give you a chance to relax on the beach, enjoy the facilities at your resort, and explore the beautiful town centre. Be sure to visit the night market to pick up a few souvenirs and try some tasty local street food – or even time your visit to coincide with the famous Hoi An Lantern Festival.

On day 15, your family adventure finally comes to a close, and you'll be picked up from your hotel this morning and driven to the airport for your onward flight. Let your travel consultant know if you'd rather extend your stay in Vietnam, or head onwards to Laos or Cambodia!

Overnight: Palm Garden Resort