Motorbikes weaving through Hanoi's Old Quarter at dawn, lantern light settling over Hoi An at evening, hill villages in Sapa where the terracing runs for miles. Few countries open up this much ground for a family vacation, and we know exactly which parts of it to put in front of teens.
One of the best ways into Vietnam is through its handicrafts. Where in Hue local artisans teach traditional paper flower-making, or in Hoi An, where silk-making and bamboo craft come from people who've done this work for generations.
For active teens, the geography does most of the work, like a night aboard a boat on Ha Long Bay, cycling through rice paddies outside Hue, or kayaking the Thu Bon River past fishing boats near Hoi An. Sapa is the one for a proper trek, through stilt-house villages and waterfalls, with time spent among the region's communities.
No family vacation here is complete without eating properly, and Vietnam rewards that at every level, from street stalls to restaurants worth booking ahead for. A Vespa tour through Saigon's back streets or a market walk through Hanoi does more for a teenager's palate, and their sense of the country, than any guidebook could.
Vietnam leaves teenagers wanting to go further next time.
Our family vacations with teens are all built the same. Hotels for their location and discretion, tours led by artisans and boatmen who teach rather than perform, and itineraries paced to keep teenagers genuinely interested. Explore our teens-first itineraries to see where else that same expertise takes you.
Hidden streets to tuck into, local crafts to learn and a mouth-watering cuisine is just the beginning of what to expect during your time in Vietnam. Travel north to south, getting a taste of its historic cities, tropical waterfronts and lush paddy fields.
Ha Long Bay's limestone karsts are best seen from the deck of a junk boat at dawn when the water is still glassy. Kayaks get families into the bay's smaller coves and caves that larger boats can't reach. Further south, traditional basket boats on the Thu Bon River offer a slower, more local way to see the water, paddled by hand through narrow channels. Nin Van Bay offers unique evening ocean excursions, like night kayaking over luminescent coral reefs.
For food-curious teens, London's dining scene deserves its own itinerary. Spend an evening working through a Michelin-starred tasting menu in one of the city's trendiest neighborhoods, or take a different approach entirely with an East London food tour through the Bangladeshi curry houses on Brick Lane, the city's best chocolatiers, and a properly authentic British pudding to finish.
Hoi An's tailors and silk artisans turn your experience in Vietnam into something to take home with personalized personalized pieces. Cooking classes that start at the market, choosing ingredients to cook with, give teenagers a real stake in the meal rather than a demonstration to watch. And Vietnam's city centers, layered with history and color, are made for camera-curious teenagers interested in a professional photography tour.
A Vespa ride through Hanoi's back streets takes in food stalls and alleyways a walking tour would miss, while time in Saigon visiting its mausoleum offers a different, more sobering side of the country's history. In both, the Old Quarter's cafés are worth slowing down for, ideally over strong Vietnamese coffee and something fried.
Hanoi offers a buzzy introduction to the north of Vietnam, while Saigon holds its status in the south.
Junk boats built for smaller groups make for a proper expedition rather than a day trip, sailing past limestone karsts that rise straight out of the water. Evenings can end with a private firework display over the bay, about as good as it gets after a day spent exploring caves and coves by kayak.
Based in Hoi An, this pairs a walk through the town's lantern-lit streets with time spent alongside a traditional silk artisan, designing and making a piece of clothing from scratch. It's a keepsake with a story attached, made rather than bought.
The Six Senses resort here is reachable only by boat, which tends to set the tone for the whole stay. Days can be spent snorkeling coral reefs, rock climbing, or hiking the surrounding headland, with an outdoor beach movie night to close things out.
Vietnam is a country best explored in layers, and our teens-first portfolio is built to move through them properly with junk boats and hand-picked guides on Ha Long Bay, artisans in Hoi An who teach rather than perform, and hotels chosen for how well they suit a family wanting to split off during the day and reconvene for dinner. Every route is shaped around your family's pace to properly take in the country's north-to-south spread.
Four Seasons Nam Hai - Cooking Academy
Hoi An, Central Vietnam and Beaches, Vietnam
Tam Coc Garden
Ninh Binh, The Far North, Vietnam
Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai Hoi An
Hoi An, Central Vietnam and Beaches, Vietnam
Namia River Retreat
Hoi An, Central Vietnam and Beaches, Vietnam
Six Senses Con Dao
Con Dao Island, Southern Coasts and Islands, Vietnam
La Veranda
Phu Quoc, Southern Coasts and Islands, Vietnam
Intercontinental Danang Resort
Danang, Central Vietnam and Beaches, Vietnam
Beyond the Ordinary: Northern and Central Vietnam
Hanoi, Sapa, Hue, Mai Chau, Hoi An
$5,000 pp
Focus: Arts, Cuisine and Culture of Vietnam
Hanoi, Bai Tu Long, Hoi An, Saigon
$7,000 pp
Adventure Family Unplugged: Vietnam
Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City & Con Dao
$7,900 pp
Vietnam runs on regional weather rather than one national season. February to April suits the north (Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Sapa) best, with cooler, drier conditions for trekking. The center, including Hoi An, is driest from February to August, while the south stays warm year-round with a drier stretch from December to April.
Our experts will personalize a tour that ensures you maximize weather conditions where possible, and tie together destinations that work harmoniously for the best time to visit.
Yes, with the right planning. Cities are busy and traffic-heavy, so private transfers and experienced local guides matter more here than in quieter destinations. Guides on a Scott Dunn itinerary are chosen for how well they read a group with teenagers in it, giving them room to explore markets or backstreets independently while staying close by.
Most families need ten to fourteen nights to move properly from north to south, taking in Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Hoi An and the coast without rushing.
Hanoi and Ha Long Bay suit families wanting history and water-based adventure together. Hoi An offers craft, food and a slower pace. Sapa is the pick for teens who want a proper trek through hill-tribe villages, and Ninh Van Bay rounds things off with a beach stay reachable only by boat.
There's plenty for teens who'd rather move than sightsee. Kayaking Ha Long Bay's caves, cycling through rice paddies outside Hue, and snorkeling or rock climbing at Ninh Van Bay give active teens a reason to look forward to the itinerary as much as the food does.
Our team of travel specialists are waiting to help you book your adventure to Vietnam.
Call us on 212 372 7009 to start planning
