Walking Vietnam: Paths of Wonder from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City

After you enroll, we’ll ask you to provide or update your personal information and preferences, which includes your health information, lodging and meal preferences for your program.

A passport, a Vietnam visa, and an e-Arrival Card are required for this program.

A passport is required for this program. It must be valid for at least 6 months after your return date.

This information about travel documents pertains to participants holding U.S. passports. Non-U.S. citizens should refer to their country's requirements to ensure they have the necessary documentation for travel.

Vietnam

• Your passport must have 2 blank passport page(s) for entry/exit visas in this country.

• A travel visa is required and it must be obtained in advance.

• The cost of this visa is not included in the cost of your trip.

• Your visa can be secured electronically. You may use the services of our designated visa service, Passport Visa Express, please see details on the process and the price at Passport Visa Express. If you prefer you may secure your electronic visa on your own, see the notes below for details.

Please note: A Vietnam tourist visa (e-Visa) costs $25 (subject to change) and can be purchased online at https://evisa.gov.vn/. The single-entry visa is valid for a 90 day stay. Information for the e-Visa form—such as entry gate, exit gate, and hotel address—is provided in the program notes section of the mailing. If you need assistance, Passport Visa Express can complete your e-Visa application at www.passportvisasexpress.com/roadscholar for a fee of US$102 (fee subject to change). Apply at least 4 weeks before your arrival date in Vietnam. Make sure your arrival date to Vietnam matches your airline arrival date to Hanoi, and that all information on your visa application—including middle names—matches your passport exactly. Once approved, print/ save a copy of your e-Visa to present upon arrival.

Though all efforts will have been made to keep health and hygiene practices at the optimum standard, please note that diarrhea is quite common when traveling in Asia. This illness can be caused by viruses, bacteria, parasites, contaminated food or water. Infections may cause diarrhea and vomiting (E. coli, Salmonella, cholera, and parasites), fever (typhoid fever and toxoplasmosis), or liver damage (hepatitis). You should be up-to-date with your routine vaccines, such as for Covid-19, influenza, MMR, chickenpox (or varicella), polio and DPT. The CDC also recommends Hepatitis A and Typhoid shots. A tetanus booster is worth considering. Antimalarial medication can be considered, based on the advice of your doctor, the CDC, and your personal comfort level. Please check the CDC website for a full list of recommendations.

If Road Scholar is arranging your air travel to and from the program, and you travel on the scheduled start and end dates, you’ll receive free round-trip transfers from the airport to the hotel.

Arrival day is on November 20, 2027

Meet the group at Mercure Hanoi La Gare Hotel in Hanoi

Start of Trip:  2:00 p.m. hotel check-in; 5:30 p.m. Orientation followed by Welcome Dinner.

Getting to the site: Participants who purchased Road Scholar airfare and arrive on the program start date will be provided with an arrival transfer from Hanoi International Airport (HAN) to the first program hotel. Participants who have not purchased Road Scholar airfare, or who are arriving on an earlier date, are responsible for making their own arrangements to the program hotel and covering the costs involved. For those making their own way to the first hotel, a taxi stand is located right outside the arrival terminal. The cost of a taxi from Hanoi International Airport to the program hotel is approximately $20 (455,000 Vietnamese dong (VND) – be prepared to pay in dong). Currency exchange counters are available at all arrival terminal levels and signs are in English. Recommended taxi companies are Taxi Group (white cars with red/blue stripes), Mai Linh Taxi (bright green cars) and Xanh SM (electric cars - bright blue). Grab (SE Asia's -Lyft/Uber) is also an option and requires downloading the Grab app prior to arrival. Review Grab prior to arriving in country. Hotel check-in is available from 2:00 p.m. on the program start date (Day 3). If you arrive a few hours early, the hotel can store your luggage at the front desk until check-in time. If you wish to check in upon arrival in the morning, or if you arrive a day before the program starts, we suggest booking the additional pre-program nights in advance with Road Scholar Travel Services at 1-800-241-1404, the hotel directly or through a third-party website. Program nights are reserved "classic room" if you want to secure the same room class.

Your trip ends on: Saturday, December 4, 2027 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) at Sila Urban Living

End of Trip: 8:00 a.m. breakfast followed by transfers to the airport; 12:00 Noon hotel check-out.

Getting to the airport: Participants who purchased Road Scholar airfare and depart on the program end date will receive a departure airport transfer from the last program hotel to the Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) airport. Participants who have not purchased Road Scholar airfare or who are departing on a different day are responsible for making their own transfer arrangements and covering the associated costs. A taxi from the hotel to Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN) is approximately $10 per car (230,000 Vietnamese dong (VND) – be prepared to pay in dong). Recommended taxi companies are Vinasun (white car) and Mai Linh (green car). Your Group Leader will be able to provide further guidance for arranging a ride to the airport. Hotel check-out is at 12:00 noon on the last program date of your itinerary (Day 17). If you depart a few hours later, the hotel can store your luggage at the front desk until you head to the airport. If you wish to arrange a late check-out or a post-program night, we suggest booking it in advance with Road Scholar Travel Services, the hotel directly or through a 3rd-party website.

Information if you are purchasing your own airfare: Participants who have not purchased airfare through Road Scholar are responsible for making their own transfer arrangements to the first site at the beginning of the program, as well as from the last site at the end of the program. The Information Packet Road Scholar sends in advance of the program includes details needed to make your transfer arrangements. If you wish to purchase airfare through Road Scholar, please call (800) 241-1404. Please note: In the unlikely event Road Scholar must make changes to the program's arrival or departure details, we will notify all participants as soon as possible. Participants who have purchased Road Scholar airfare are protected against airline change fees; however, anyone who has not purchased Road Scholar airfare will be required to make their own adjustments and may incur fees imposed by the airline.