Taking the Plunge : Wet and Wild Family Adventures in Vietnam

With the excellent trekking, canyoning and kayaking opportunities that abound in the area, the former colonial French hill station of Dalat in the South Central Highlands of Vietnam is the ideal location for an outdoor family adventure holiday.

Originally the playground of the French who built villas in the clear mountain air to escape the heat and humidity of the coast and of Saigon, Dalat’s lush landscape, temperate climate and stunning waterfalls have made the town a popular holiday destination since the turn of the last century. Today, visitors still flock to experience the natural beauty of Dalat, and Exotissimo’s family water adventure tour is a great way for kids and teenagers to make a splash and have a great time.

On the first day, explore the many inlets and secrets spots of Ho Tuyen Lam, one of the most beautiful lakes on the Langbian Plateau, aboard sturdy, purpose-built kayaks and enjoy a picnic-style lunch of locally produced delicacies in the shade of the lake’s jungle canopy.

The wet and wild adventures continue on day two with an exhilarating introduction to abseiling (rappelling) in one of Dalat’s spectacular canyons. Once you’ve mastered the basics of knot tying, harness wearing, hardware, and proper rappelling technique with our trained guides at the practice slope, you can take the plunge into spectacular waterfalls and streams and enjoy the thrill of the canyon’s natural water slides. No previous experience is necessary for this action-packed trip of hiking, rappelling, swimming, and sliding down the falls; all you and your family need bring is a love of water and a sense of adventure!

View Family Adventure in Dalat, Vietnam

The Big Deep : Scuba Diving in Vietnam

Once the preserve of playboy adventurers, scuba diving is now one of the planet's fastest-growing and most accessible adventure sports activities. With its beautiful coral reef, spectacular marine life, calm, warm waters and mild conditions, the tropical seas of Southeast Asia attract thousands of divers each year. The waters of Vietnam boast some of the best dive sites in the region and sites in Con Dao and Nha Trang are now emerging as leading diving destinations.

Used as a penal colony by the French up until 1975 and one of only two Marine National Parks in the country, Con Dao is a 16 island archipelago situated 180 kilometers off the Southeast coast of Vietnam. Con Dao has largely escaped the exploitation and destructive fishing that have been the fate of other reefs in Vietnam and is now considered to be one of the best examples of marine conservation in the country.

With over 1,000 hectares of stunning coral reefs teeming with a colorful array of marine life, Con Dao supports a high level of biodiversity and over 1,300 marine species have been identified so far. Con Dao's sea grass meadows support a small population of globally endangered dugong, there are also resident hawksbill turtles that nest on the islands and even playful dolphins.

Nha Trang is another scuba centre in Vietnam, and although big animals are hard to find there (apart from the local morays), the abundance of other marine life makes for fascinating diving. Indeed, Nha Trang is renowned for its vibrant nudibranchs and extensive coral biodiversity, and over 350 species of coral can be found at dive sites there.

For advanced divers and beginners alike, Vietnam offers a stunning opportunity to experience the serenity and beauty of the sub-aqua world.

Zen and the Art of Cycling

Most true adventurers are well aware that cycling is really one of the best ways to explore and experience a new place. There are no barriers to separate you from the environment that surrounds you which makes for an experience that is pure, energizing and magically engaging. When combining this essential mode of travel with Southeast Asia’s rich cultural heritage, diverse landscapes and charming friendliness, you will doubtless be rewarded with a rollercoaster ride of a lifetime.

Pedaling across sandy beaches and hidden trails, ‘saddle travel’ gives you exciting access to the remote regional wonders so often bypassed by trains and buses. Explore the ancient kingdoms of Bagan and Ayuthaya, the ethnic tribal towns of Vietnam, or the scenic villages of Bangkok’s undiscovered “Urban Jungle”, and all at your own pace.

Cycling is also the ideal way to fully experience the region’s stunning and diverse scenery.

Whether pedaling through orchards or rain forests, gliding along the Mekong or spectacular coastal trails, or rising to the challenge of a hilly stretch, cycling is a sensory overload of scenes, smells and even tastes that just can’t be replicated in the confines of a car!

The freedom of biking also allows for a uniquely intimate interaction with the communities you encounter as you ride. Weaving through temples, market crowds and villagers, you can pause at any time to chat and interact with locals, take a well-earned breather and experience the customary warmth (and tasty delicacies!) of the region.

Ready to get in gear? Why not experience the adventure of cycling through Vietnam with our five day Meandering the Mekong Tour.

Tribal Nations - Living the High Life

Along the borders of Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand and China, there are dozens of mountain-dwelling semi-nomadic people collectively known as ‘hilltribes’. Although they do share an elevated lifestyle, these colorful communities actually represent a diverse myriad of languages, cultures and belief systems.

The Akha, one complex hilltribe group in the region, are closely related to the Hani of China’s Yunnan province but speak their own distinct language which comes from a branch of the Tibeto-Burman language group. The Akha are traditionally subsistence farmers, and Akha Zang (The Akha Way) combines animism, ancestor worship and their deep relationship with the land.

Also originally hailing from Yunnan, the Lisu have primarily earned their name as a tribe alive with color, and are considered to use the greatest variety of colors of all the hill tribes. Their confident decision-making and independence is reflected in the way the Lisu use powerful combinations of colors to decorate their costumes.

The Karen are one of the largest hilltribes in Southeast Asia with a total population of about three million spread throughout Myanmar, Laos and Thailand. Famed for the ‘long necks’ of their women, the Karen now live at relatively low elevations in permanent villages, and have developed environmentally sustainable terraced rice fields.

The Lahu are a strongly independent and very diverse ethnic group. In Thailand alone there are no fewer than six different Lahu tribes, some of whose languages are not mutually intelligible. Although primarily subsistence farmers, the Lahu are also proud of their hunter-warrior heritage and are strongly committed to principles of unity and working together for survival.

This brief look at just a few of these fascinating groups illustrates the complex diversity of Southeast Asian hilltribe communities.

Experience these remarkable ethnic groups for yourself on our Shan Homestay in Tham Lod.