Vietnam tours in 2023 will be an incredible experience if you think outside the box and plan for a unique holiday trip. Vietnam's natural beauty, tourist-friendly communities, food delicacies, leisure options, etc., make it an unusual experience one should not miss in their lifetime.

Planning a visit to Vietnam requires professional help, since there is so much to see and explore that you will not be able to cover the entire country in a short trip. It would always be better to work with a professional Vietnam tour operator like Vivutravel to plan your trip to include the most unique locations.

Read below for the 20 most unique Vietnam tours in 2023, tailored to meet your expectations.

1.    Visit the golden rice fields in Tu Le, Mu Chang Chai, and enjoy paragliding
Rice fields always add glam to Vietnam tours; hence, most tour operators add a few rice terraces to their bucket list of tour activities in their tours in Vietnam 2023 package list. The most visited rice terrace fields are in the Mekong River Delta in southern Vietnam, which is always a crowded tourist area. But locations like Tu Le and Mu Chang Chai are equally blessed with natural beauty and mostly inhabited by ethnic minority communities. These fields are in northwest of Vietnam and can be combined with a trip to Sapa.

Mu Chang Chai is about 300 kilometers from Hanoi, and the rice terrace fields are visible on the sides of the highway. More than 2,200 hectares of rice terraces are spread over this area.

Tourists visiting Tu Le and Mu Chang Chai can also go paragliding to enjoy a bird's-eye view of the golden rice fields. September is the right season for paragliding when the paddy is ripe for harvest. Mu Cang Chai is Vietnam's best paragliding location, which you must visit to enjoy the best of Vietnam tours in 2023.

2.    Experience the thrill of a seaplane tour in Ha Long Bay
Have you ever thought of exploring the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ha Long Bay by seaplane tour? In association with reputed local aviation companies, Vivutravel offers Ha Long Bay seaplane sightseeing to make the Vietnam tours in 2023 a splendid experience.

The takeoffs and landings are thrilling experiences. You can enjoy the new form of tour experience while the plane cruises over the ripples. The flight will take you about 300 to 150 meters in height and offer the best view of lush green forests and limestone karsts. All seaplane tours will meet the standard safety requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organization and Federal Aeronautics Association regulations.

3.    Sacred Night to Remember: Hoa Lo Prison Tour
Hoa Lo Prison, located about 2 kilometers from Hanoi, was built in 1896 by the French colonial rulers to deal with Vietnam freedom fighters. It was known as Maison Centrale. It was later used as a prison for American POWs. In 1990, most of the prison was demolished, and the remaining portion was converted into a historical museum in 1997.

Efforts have been in place to radiate the memories of the freedom struggle to the new generation; the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism launched the Sacred Night—Glorious Vietnamese Spirit tour since July 2020. The tours operate three days a week, on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and will start at 7 p.m. for 90 minutes. Tourists can experience the painful sufferings of the Vietnam Freedom Fighters, a memory that never gets drowned in history.

4.    Hot air balloon ride at Phan Thiet
It is always a good idea to leave the mundane tour activities behind and simply visit the historical sites and engage in beach activities while you are on a Vietnam 2023 tour. Vivutravel offers hot air balloon expeditions under the supervision of professionally licensed pilots with international recognition by adhering to all the safety protocols. The Phan Thiet hot air balloon tour lets you enjoy a bird's-eye view of the city and its surrounding areas. Mostly, the balloon flight will be a one-hour trip and take you over the sea and the desert.

5.    Get into a basket boat and explore Hoi An through the Bay Mau coconut forest
Step into the unique way of exploring Hoi An with a basket boat in the Bay Mau coconut forest, an ideal option for tourists seeking something different than the usual way of sightseeing. The eco-tour includes hands-on fishing and numerous opportunities to interact with local communities.

As a tourist, you can have blissful moments negating through the serene Hoai, De Vong, and Thu Bon rivers interspersed between the Bay Mau coconut forest spread over 200 acres. Different sizes of basket boats are available, which you can select as per your preference and the number of people you want to accommodate.

6.    Enjoy chocolate making by hand while at Tien Giang and visit the cocoa garden
Tien Giang, the western province of Vietnam, is renowned for chocolates made from cocoa. Vietnam tour operators, arrange cocoa garden tour packages to Tien Giang, located about 64 kilometers from Ho Chi Minh City, as part of the unique Vietnam 2023 tour packages and opportunities for visiting chocolate-making units.
Here, tourists can participate in the chocolate-making process by hand and experience this wonderful process. The chocolate workshop at Alluvia Chocolate will be open for tourists on Saturday and Sunday between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Only a limited number of tourists will be permitted to visit the factory. The fee will be $8.7 to $15 per person, depending on the workshop class.

7.    The Cai Rang floating market on the Can Tho River
Your tour will be an incomplete mission if you do not visit the biggest floating market—the Cai Rang floating market on the Can Tho River, which is part of the Hau River in the Mekong Delta. The floating market is a unique experience, where an entire shopping city is developed on this massive river. It is 6 kilometers from Can Tho city, and the floating market is recognized as one of the intangible cultural heritages of Vietnam. The best time to visit the market is between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m., and during this time you can witness exciting trading activities.

8.    Visit Vinh Long and watch the Singing Boi by lighting the coconut leaf torch
Cultural shows will be the highlights of Vietnam tours in 2023. In Vinh Long, tourists will have a wonderful opportunity to watch the theatrical art form of Singing Boi during the Ky Yen Festival. The art form finely threaded with fairy tales is an impressive visual treat organized by the Vinh Long tourism department since 2016.

The theatrical performance will instill patriotism among the viewers. As a part of carrying on the legacy of traditional cultural performance, Boi Singing is staged as a tourism project for visitors. Visitors can take part in the show by waving a coconut torchlight to the temple for a spectacular view of the Boi Singing performance.

9.    Memorable Tra Su Melaleuca Forest Boat Trip in An Giang
The fabulous ecosystem of Tra Su Melaleuca forest is on the Vietnam-Cambodia border; it is a flooded forest ideal to visit from September to November. The entire area will be covered by duckweed to give it a green carpet appeal during the flood season.

It is also a bird sanctuary. The submerged forest is spread over 850 hectares and is a natural habitat for animals and plants. It is better known as the Melaleuca forest, because of the abundant presence of Melaleuca trees. If you love eco-tourism, then make sure to include it in your bucket list of unique Vietnam tours.

10.    Practice as a doctor for a day at the Museum of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine, Ho Chi Minh City
A novel approach to organizing Vietnam tours in 2023 adds a new dimension to tourism promotion, and it will be a rewarding experience if you have the opportunity to hone your therapeutic knowledge skills. By introducing novel ideas to make your Vietnam tour more memorable Vivutravel organizes a tour to the Museum of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine in Ho Chi Minh City and lets you practice as a doctor for a day as part of the tour project.

The museum is about a 20-minute drive from the city center. Many traditional and ancient medicines, as well as modern architecture, are on display with captions and literature to help you understand their applications. The museum occupies a 5-story building with a total of 18 exhibition rooms. With the support of a state-of-the-art audio-video documentary, "A Century of Health Care Experiences" takes you deep into traditional Vietnamese and Chinese medicines.

11.    In Bao Vinh's old town, learn how to make Hue royal cake
Hue was the capital city of the Nguyen Dynasty and was the epitome of Vietnamese gastronomy because many top chefs moved to the city and suburbs of Bao Vinh to serve the royal family. Ban Vinh was popular for cake-making, and tourists will have the opportunity to learn about the legacy of traditional cake-making arts at the Royal Cake Cooking Class in Bao Vinh's old town. As part of the unique Vietnam tours, tourists can join the cultural program and learn the traditional arts of cake making in association with local families.

12.    Visit centuries-old houses in Dong Hoa Hiep village in Tien Giang province
Make your Vietnam tours in 2023 a wonderful experience by visiting ancient houses in Dong Hoa Hiep in Tien Giang province. The beauty of the landscape and Vietnamese culture will be another incredible experience that tourists can enjoy in Tien Giang. Here, tourists can find 355 ancient houses, most of which are more than 100 years old, with spacious lobbies and extended drawing rooms adorned with wooden carvings and motifs dating back to the 19th century.

13.    Meet Princess Tri Hue and learn the art of making the left pillow
Don't you think it would be fascinating to learn about the customs and practices of making multi-fold cushion pillows, as well as the differences that existed by default in how to make a multi-fold pillow according to royal customs?

Vivutravel will organize a unique Vietnam tour to learn the details of a multi-fold royal cushion pillow from the horse's mouth and take you to princes Cong Ton Nu Tri Hue, the granddaughter of Duke Nguyen Phuc Mien Lam of Hoai Duc.

The princes will explain the intricate details of making a royal pillow. Some unwritten rules of pillow making are: five folds are for the king, and the queen, concubines, and mandarins' pillows will have only four folds. Similarly, the golden fabric is used only for the king, while blue, green, and purple are for the queen, concubines, and mandarins.

14.    Dine in the dark (on your stomach) in HCMC
Now, it is time for dinner in the dark. The unique Vietnam tours will take a dramatic turn while you are in Ho Chi Minh City and having dinner in the dark. Dining in the dark was a concept in support of visually impaired people's livelihood. The guests will have to dine in the dark, using their instincts to taste every bite of food without seeing it in its physical form.

Noir Dining in the Dark is a notable outlet founded in 2014 by Germ Doornbos and Vu Anh Tu, offering vegetarian and non-vegetarian menus. Enjoy the delicacies.

15.    While in Hanoi, see the stage show Quintessence of the Tonkin
Cultural shows are the newfound rhythm of tours in Vietnam 2023, and the artistic celebration Quintessence of Tonkin takes the stage 20 kilometers west of Hanoi city. The show's colorful illumination depicts Vietnam's cultural uniqueness. It is one of the best cultural shows you will ever watch, and with the help of an English-speaking guide, you can go deep into the theatrical essence of the show.

16.    Conservation of bears; visit Ninh Binh for a close understanding
The bear conservation facilities at Ninh Binh are an inevitable tour location similar to Four Paws Bear Sanctuary, offering guided tours for tourists. The guided tour will increase tourists' awareness and understanding of bear welfare. The sanctuary works closely with the social organization to put an end to bear farming and take care of bears that have been abandoned or rescued. It is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. throughout the year, including all holidays.

17.    Enjoy spa treatments at Heart of the Earth Spa Quang Nam by listening to the teachings of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh.
When you feel like experiencing the health and beauty therapy of a spa treatment, go for a spa session in Quang Nam. Vietnam offers a blend of traditional and modern spas with an undiluted legacy of therapy practices carried over generations.

You can enjoy balanced spa treatments interwoven with traditional mud baths and facials by listening to Buddhist meditations. There are many such spas in Quang Nam, and you would definitely enjoy the Four Seasons Nam Hai Heart of the Earth Spa in Quang Nam province by listening to Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh's teachings. Vivutravel can organize a spa therapy session tailored to your preferences to make your unique Vietnam tours more memorable.

18.    Visit Yok Don National Park in Dak Lak and enjoy the elephant-friendly tourism activities
If you are an adventure enthusiast, then you must visit the Yok Don National Park in Dak Lak province, located about 349 kilometers from Ho Chi Minh City. It is the second-largest eco-park in Vietnam, offering elephant-friendly tours, jungle trekking, and camping. The habitat of the national park has rich flora and fauna. It is home to more than 300 bird species, 50 species of reptiles, and 90 types of mammals. The core highlight of the tour is an elephant-friendly tour that does not disturb the giant mammal.

19.    Explore Central Vietnam aboard Vietnam's first business-class train
The six-hour journey Aboard the Vietage is a luxurious leisure train trip included in the unique Vietnam tours to give you an exciting opportunity to explore the stunning coastlines and lush green landscape of Central Vietnam. You can make the booking through Vivutravel, and tourists can enjoy the incredible journey to Hoi An and the beautiful coastlines of Quy Nhon. The journey starts from Da Nang Railway Station and ends at Quy Nhon.

20.    Explore the ancient capitals of Vietnam and engage with the golden remnants
Before winding up the tours in Vietnam 2023, Vivutravel takes you to the historical reminiscences of Hoa Lu, near Ninh Binh, located 90 kilometers from Hanoi.  It was the capital of the Dai Co Viet kingdom that existed in the 10th century. The small kingdom was spread over 300 hectares and is known as the first capital of Vietnam.

Hoa Lu remained the capital of Dai Co Viet under the Kingdom of Dinh Bo Linh for 980 years. After that, during the Le dynasty, King Ly Thai moved the capital to Thang Long, which remained the ancient capital of Vietnam. Thang Long is presently known as Ha Noi.

Incidentally, it would be interesting to note that the old name of Vietnam was Dai Co Viet. During this period, lots of temples and pagodas were constructed by the dynasties, including the Royal Court, which sprawled over 150 hectares and is a hot spot for architectural, historical, and cultural tourism activities.

There will be a lot of festival activities after the Tet celebration; hence, if you can plan your trip during the spring, you can watch and enjoy the colorful cultural extravaganza.

Conclusion
Vivutravel offers package tours of 20 most unique locations and activities, which are one of a kind and provide a jaw-dropping experience by deviating from stereotypical travel plans as part of the Vietnam unique tour packages. The package tour will be managed professionally with experienced bilingual tour guides to take care of the interests of each tourist. Touring Vietnam is not just about leisure activities; it also includes exploring and experiencing not-so-popular destinations. The 20 most unique Vietnam tours in 2023 are an ideal combination of package tours to experience Vietnam's cultural diversity.