Vietnam Tour Packages from The Philippines

As one of Vietnam’s closest neighbours, Vietnam and the Philippines have had excellent relations for many recent years. For Filipinos, Vietnam represents a great natural landscape across the East Vietnam Sea, one with beautiful karst spires, wooded mountains, deep caves and a sanded coastline comprising much of the country’s eastern border. The culture, too, is far-removed from that of the Philippines, which offers something intriguing and mystical on a short or long holiday here.

The following Vietnam tour packages from the Philippines, offered by Vietnam Escape Tours provide our neighbours from across the sea the opportunity for an in-depth exploration of Vietnam. The destinations we feature within these well-planned itineraries are some of the most interesting, exciting and beautiful places for Filipino tourists to visit in Vietnam. Along with this, we include specialised services for guests from the Philippines, ensuring that you are kept happy with the freedom to eat what you want and practice religion when and where you want.

Please note that the following tours do not feature airfare from the Philippines to Vietnam or vice versa.

The Destinations of our Vietnam Tour Packages from The Philippines

To many tourists from the Philippines, Vietnam’s beauty lies in its long-term blending of nature and culture. Our country has been blessed with beauty on all sides, something understood by our Filipino guests, who can boast the same about their own country. These Vietnam package tours for Filipinos feature destinations spanning our deeply cultural cities as well as some of the lush greenery of our rural locales.

Hanoi

Just as the Philippines will forever be linked to Spanish culture, so will Vietnam constantly have Chinese and French influences within our cities. This is manifested best in Hanoi, with smatterings of external influences found alongside traditional Vietnamese architecture.

The capital city of Vietnam is a great first or final stop on our package tours. Hanoi proudly displays the evolution of Vietnamese culture from its ancient beginnings at sites such as the Temple of Literature, Tran Quoc Pagoda and Ngoc Son Temple. This progresses through French colonial architecture, evidenced by the Presidential Palace, Opera House and many of the beautifully faded buildings of the Old Quarter, ending with the city’s wartime history at Hoa Lo Prison and the Ho Chi Minh Complex.

These sites are all available on a full-day city tour, but we ensure that all of our Vietnam tour packages from the Philippines feature much downtime, so that you can enjoy the city at your own pace. This can be done with one of the most beloved pastimes in both of our countries – karaoke. Hanoians are crazy for karaoke and you won’t find a shortage of places to sing your heart out here!

Ninh Binh Province

For natural beauty on the doorstep of Hanoi, visitors from the Philippines will revel in the wonderland of Ninh Binh province, located just two hours south of the capital. The undulating green mountain ranges and the vast fields of golden rice have evocative appeal even for Filipinos, who can boast Banaue as well as other rice terrace attractions back home.

There are many ways to interact with nature on our tour packages from the Philippines to Vietnam, but some of the most exhilarating of these are in Ninh Binh. Boat trips at Tam Coc, Trang An and Van Long provide a great way to see the beauty around, as these rides are on traditional sampan boats and encompass pristine views of the rivers, mountains, caves, wildlife and rice paddies growing from the riverbed. 

Bicycle trips around Tam Coc and the Mua Caves provide more ways to take in the views, while visits to Cuc Phuong National Park reveal the incredible flora and fauna of the region in a magnificent jungle setting. A special treat for Filipinos is available in the form of Phat Diem Cathedral, an outstanding blend of traditional Roman Catholic and Vietnamese architecture, giving our guests a chance to express their religion while on one of our tours.

Halong Bay

Many people visit Halong Bay from all over the world, yet despite its closeness, a surprising amount of people from the Philippines have never been to the world wonder. The scenery here is not only breath-taking from every angle, but it offers something very different to that of the Philippines, which is known more for its clear waters and abundant coral than for seaborne mountains.

On a daytrip, 2-day or 3-day cruise around Halong Bay, guests on our Vietnam package tours from the Philippines can savour the natural splendour of a destination largely untouched by man. The placid sea and the limestone karsts that jut out of it create the most beautiful and romantic backdrop for honeymoons and romantic getaways.

Most Filipinos are natural-born swimmers, given that the Philippines is comprised of over 7,500 islands. This opens up much of the bay to our guests, who can swim freely as well as kayak beneath the tree-topped peaks of Halong Bay’s rocky teeth. Visits to fishing villages, caves, beaches, islands and pearl farms complete itineraries around Halong Bay, offering something for everyone in one of the most beautiful destinations in the world.

Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon

Ho Chi  Minh City finds itself on the opposite pole of Vietnam to Hanoi. Through a long history of division, the two cities have developed very independently of each other, and have established two different cultures and approaches to life that leaves visitors thinking that they have visited two completely different countries.

Ho Chi Minh City is Vietnam’s modern metropolis, and has a lot to offer for those on package holidays to Vietnam from the Philippines. Visitors can see much of the recent fallout of the Vietnam War, mainly at the War Remnants Museum and Independence Palace. French colonial architecture too permeates the city, observable at Old Post Office, Saigon City Hall and, poignantly for our Roman Catholic guests, the beautiful Notre Dame Cathedral.

Just outside the city, those into history can see more of the leftovers of the Vietnam War at the Cu Chi Tunnels. This is where the communist Viet Cong hid and plotted within 250km of tunnels underneath the jungle floor. Half-day trips to the site are one of the city’s most popular attractions.

Mekong Delta

Filipino guests will be very familiar with images of a life lived on the water, but the Mekong Delta has a distinctly Vietnamese spin that still provides a massive attraction to tourists from the Philippines. The mighty Mekong River splits into various estuaries throughout the Mekong Delta, creating a fertile lushness that historically became crucial to the origins of human life in Vietnam.

The various floating markets of the Mekong Delta are huge attractions, particularly the ones at Cai Rang and Cai Be. Here, guests can ride on a local boat along the waterways, buying produce, clothes and souvenirs from the local floating vendors. For examples of nature thriving in the Mekong Delta, the province of Ben Tre delivers on this with swaying coconut trees and healthy nipa palm along its gorgeously lush canals.

What are the Advantages of a Vietnam Tour Package from the Philippines?

Along with the similarities, there are many differences between the culture of Vietnam and the Philippines. These Vietnam tour packages for Filipinos aim to help your understanding of our culture through the following means:

Respect of Religion – At Vietnam Escape Tours, we understand the devoutness of our Filipino neighbours, about 92% of whom are Christian. With this in mind, we developed the following package tours around such religious beliefs, offering entire daytrips to places of high value in Christianity, such as Phat Diem, Notre Dame and St Joseph’s cathedrals along with the colourful Cua Bac, Tan Dinh and Cho Quan churches.

We also recognise the various other religions of the Philippines and can accommodate for these too. It is possible to provide Muslim guests with halal food and Buddhist guests with vegetarian food, with many places for both sets of followers to practice their beliefs around Vietnam.

Similar Food – Both Vietnam and the Philippines are amongst the top 10 rice-growing nations on earth. Rice is a staple of diets in both countries, meaning that Filipino tourists won’t have to worry about what to eat when visiting Vietnam.

On any of our Vietnam tour packages from the Philippines, guests can find a wealth of options spanning the familiar and the new. On tour days when meals are included, we will consult with you to find your various likes and dislikes, and arrange accordingly. Vegetarian food is readily available, just inform us during the booking process.

Short Tour Length – Just a few kilometres of ocean separate Vietnam from the Philippines, which makes it an excellent place to come for weekend trips or week-long getaways. To that end, most of our tours are of the shorter length and tailored around the Filipino idea of a holiday. However, we ensure that nothing is lacking on these tours, and you will still get a comprehensive look into how life in our country works.

Tour Guides with Great English – We have had several Filipinos on our tours before and have been blown away by the incredibly high English levels they usually possess! With Vietnam Escape Tours, you can be sure of a guide who speaks fantastic English and is able to convey challenging points without problem.

What Flights go from the Philippines to Vietnam?

There are plenty of choices for flights to Vietnam from the Philippines, on a range of airlines including Vietnam Airlines, Philippine Airlines, Air Asia and Cebu Pacific, many of which require a transfer in Manila. The average prices and lengths for each of the Philippines’ major cities are listed below.

Frequently Asked Questions about Vietnam Tour Packages from the Philippines

Q: Do citizens of the Philippines require a visa when coming to Vietnam?

If coming for under 21 days, Filipinos do not require a visa to enter Vietnam and can simply present their passport for stamping at any of Vietnam’s international airports.

For Filipino tourists on an extended tour of Vietnam, of 21 days’ duration or higher (up to 3 months), then a visa will be required. This is attainable in one of two ways – ether at the local embassy in the Philippines or with a reputable agent online.

1. At the Embassy – In the Vietnam embassy in Manila, visas can be obtained in a pain-free process. Simply make an appointment by emailing or calling the embassy, then take your passport to said appointment. Pay the fee and then await your passport, with new Vietnam visa, in the post.
2. Apply Online – The large majority of Filipinos don’t live within easy reach of the embassy in Manila, so a much more realistic option is to apply online. Find a reputable company that performs the service by searching for ‘Vietnam Visa Online’. Here you will fill out some minor details, pay the fee, then fill out the application form emailed after payment. Bring the completed application form, along with two passport-sized photos and the visa stamping fee, to any of Vietnam’s international airports.

Q: Is it worth bringing the local currency or U.S dollars?

It is a good idea to bring daily spending money in the local Vietnamese currency (dong) and money for large expenses, such as tours, in dollars. You can pay with dollars in popular hotels and restaurants in the big city centres, but it is often begrudgingly accepted unless the vendor is giving you a terrible exchange rate. Because of the large denominations of 200,000 and 500,000 VND, visitors easily get confused and find that they lose out during some transactions. Try to familiarise yourself with the money before arriving to avoid scams.

Q: How do I get around the cities? Is there a bus or other public transport system in place?

Though they are improving, transport links inside cities and between cities can be pretty unorganised. The vast majority of people travel by motorbike and car, as the bus is rarely an option, even in the big cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. On our Vietnam holiday packages from the Philippines, we take care of all of the inner-city and cross-city transport for you during our tours. In your free time, you can get around via motorbike taxi or car taxi, both of which are cheap and plentiful in the cities.

Q: How is the level of English in Vietnam?

Compared to the Philippines, Vietnam’s level of English isn’t too great. It has improved dramatically in recent years to the point where all tour operators and most of the staff at hotels will be able to perform their duties with at least intermediate English. If looking to explore Vietnam at the local level, through street food and on the back of motorbike taxis, it is worth knowing a few of the basic words as these usually go a long way here.

Q: I would like to try the famous street food of Vietnam, is it safe to eat?

The only thing putting tourists off devouring the delicious street food in Vietnam is the perceived safety of the dishes, which are cooked on the street and sometimes left uncovered. In reality, Vietnamese street food is very safe to eat and any sorts of illnesses acquired can more realistically be put down to the body not being used to new cuisine, rather than a bout of food poisoning. Be brave and try new things! We are always encouraging this philosophy on our Vietnam package tours from the Philippines.

Q: Where can I fly to after visiting Vietnam?

Vietnam is very well connected within Southeast Asia and direct flights can be arranged easily to neighbouring destinations. These include to Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, China, Taiwan and South Korea, while flights to destinations further afield can be achieved through connections in Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur or Singapore.

Please check out our Vietnam tour packages from the Philippines below.