A 150-strong law firm retreat group posing in front of the Reunification Palace in Ho Chi Minh City

International destination

Vietnam for corporate offsites and incentive trips from India

Ballrooms in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Da Nang, a cruise in Ha Long Bay and non-stop flights of four to five and a half hours from Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. ICE India takes on Vietnam offsites, incentive trips and conferences, with venues, flights, hotels and excursions arranged together.

Plan an event in Vietnam
Getting there
About 3 to 5.5 hours non-stop from Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Ahmedabad
Best months
February to April across the country, with November to January also good in the south
Suits
Leadership offsites, incentive trips, law firm and sales retreats and conferences of 50 to 1,000
ICE India in Vietnam
Planned by ICE India, with vetted local partners on the ground.

Why companies choose Vietnam

  • Direct flights from India

    Air India, IndiGo, Akasa Air, Vietnam Airlines and VietJet fly non-stop from the main Indian cities, so a group lands within a day of leaving.

  • Three cities, three moods

    Ho Chi Minh City for business and nightlife, Hanoi for old streets and lakes, Da Nang for beaches. One programme can use two of them.

  • Ballrooms for 600 to 1,000

    Hotels in all three cities hold large plenaries, and the National Convention Center in Hanoi seats about 3,500.

  • Scenery that sells the trip

    Limestone islands in Ha Long Bay, the Golden Bridge at Ba Na Hills and lantern-lit Hoi An give an incentive trip its photographs.

  • History that gets groups talking

    The Cu Chi Tunnels and the Reunification Palace give a leadership team a shared story and a conversation for dinner.

  • Indian food is available

    Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Da Nang all have Indian restaurants, so vegetarian and Jain guests are looked after.

Vietnam for corporate groups

Vietnam is a long, narrow country, so corporate groups usually pick one or two cities and link them by a flight of about two hours. Ho Chi Minh City suits conferences and city programmes. Hanoi and Ha Long Bay suit heritage and scenery. Da Nang and Hoi An suit beach resorts.

Group sizes of 50 to 150 are routine, with plenary rooms for several hundred guests in every major city.

For group flights, hotels and visas to Vietnam, see corporate travel.

Visas for Indian passport holders

Indian passport holders apply for an e-visa online. ICE India collects passport details from the whole group and tracks each application.

Visa type
The e-visa is applied for on the official Vietnam e-visa portal. It is valid for up to 90 days, for a single or multiple entry.
Processing time
Officially about three working days. For a group, ICE India starts applications well ahead, so late corrections do not delay a flight.
Documents
For each traveller, a recent passport-style photograph and a scan of the passport photo page. The passport must be valid for at least six months.
Arrival
Each guest carries a printed copy of the e-visa approval to show at immigration.

Two experiences groups book in Vietnam: Ha Long Bay and the Mekong Delta

A night among the limestone islands and a day on the Mekong. Most programmes build their best evening or day around one of them.

A traditional wooden junk with orange sails cruising between the limestone islands of Ha Long Bay

Limestone islands, floating villages and dinner on deck

Ha Long Bay cruise

Ha Long Bay is about 150 to 170 km east of Hanoi, a drive of roughly three hours by expressway. Cruise boats sail between thousands of limestone islands, stop at caves and floating villages, and anchor for the night.

A leadership team charters one boat. A larger group sails several together, with a joint dinner on deck.

Time
A day cruise of about six hours, or one night on board.
Group size
Operators charter whole boats, and several sail together for larger groups.
As the gala night
Dinner on deck against the islands, with music and an awards moment.
Food
Seafood and Vietnamese menus, and vegetarian and Jain dishes requested ahead of time.
Wooden boats crowded together at a Mekong Delta floating market early in the morning

Orchards, canals and a floating market

Mekong Delta cruise

Delta towns such as My Tho and Ben Tre lie south of Ho Chi Minh City, a drive of about two hours each way. Guests board a wooden cruise vessel, sail past fruit orchards and rice fields, and take a sampan to the floating market.

Stops include candy-making workshops, village houses and boat yards, so the day is a cultural outing as well as a cruise.

Time
A full day from Ho Chi Minh City, with sunset on the water if the group stays late.
Group size
Several boats sail together for large groups.
As the gala night
Better as a daytime programme, with the gala dinner back in the city.
Food
A local lunch among the orchards, with vegetarian dishes arranged in advance.

Where to go in Vietnam

Most Indian groups pick Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi or Da Nang as the hotel base, then add day trips and an extension to Ha Long Bay or Hoi An.

A cyclist and street traffic in front of an ornate gate in Ho Chi Minh City
The Ho Chi Minh City skyline and the Saigon River at dusk, seen from above

The business centre, still called Saigon

Ho Chi Minh City

Vietnam's largest city, still called Saigon, mixes French colonial landmarks with glass towers and a lively dining and bar scene. District 1 holds the Reunification Palace, the Central Post Office and Notre-Dame Basilica. Most five-star hotels are there too, so Ho Chi Minh City conference hotels sit a short ride apart.

Nguyen Hue, a pedestrian boulevard from the old City Hall down to the river, is closed to traffic, so groups can stroll it after dinner.

Groups of 150 or more usually stay in District 1 or in Binh Thanh, where the Landmark 81 tower stands. Conferences beyond hotel capacity move to the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center in District 7, which has four halls totalling 40,000 sq m.

Where groups stay
The Sheraton Saigon, The Reverie Saigon and Park Hyatt Saigon are a few streets apart in District 1.
A walkable core
The Palace, the cathedral and the Post Office can be linked into a single morning on foot or by coach.
Evenings
Riverboat restaurants, rooftop bars and dinners at venues such as Xu Saigon and The Deck Saigon suit a relaxed group night.
Beyond the city
The Cu Chi Tunnels and the Mekong Delta are both day trips from District 1, leaving after breakfast and back in time for dinner.
A morning market on a street in Hanoi's Old Quarter
Shopfronts and scooters on a street in central Hanoi

Lakes, French boulevards and the Old Quarter

Hanoi

The capital is best covered on foot. The Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake, the Temple of Literature and the Opera House sit close together, and the evenings are full of street food. The Ngoc Son Temple stands on a small island in the lake, reached by the red Huc Bridge, and a walk round the shore makes an easy first evening.

Hanoi's large hotels fall into two areas. Historic and mid-city hotels such as the Sofitel Legend Metropole, Pullman Hanoi and Lotte Hotel Hanoi are near the lake and the Old Quarter. Newer towers at My Dinh and Nam Tu Liem, to the west, hold the biggest ballrooms, close to the Vietnam National Convention Center, which seats about 3,500.

Where groups stay
Choose the lake side for walking programmes and the west for conferences with large plenaries.
The Old Quarter
Streets once named for the guilds that traded on them, now full of shops, cafes and food stalls, and best explored in small groups with a guide.
Heritage
The Temple of Literature, founded in 1070, is the city's most visited traditional site.
Beyond the city
Ha Long Bay is about three hours away by expressway, so many programmes add a night on the water.
Cruise boats on emerald water between limestone cliffs in Ha Long Bay
Limestone islands rising from the water in Ha Long Bay

A World Heritage seascape of limestone islands

Ha Long Bay

Ha Long Bay lies in the Gulf of Tonkin, in Quang Ninh province. It has been a World Heritage site since 1994 and holds close to 2,000 limestone islands and islets, spread over about 1,550 sq km of water.

Almost all visitor hotels, the cruise port, a cable car and a Ferris wheel are at Bai Chay. An overnight Ha Long Bay cruise for a group leaves from Tuan Chau Marina or Cai Rong Harbour, so ICE India confirms which terminal a boat uses before coaches are booked. Sightseeing tickets need each guest's passport details, which ICE India collects along with the visa data.

Sung Sot Cave
The bay's largest cave, on Bo Hon Island, with three vast chambers, and a stop on almost every cruise.
Ti Top Island
A beach and a viewpoint reached by about 425 steps, good for a group photograph and a swim on the beach below.
The classic format
Two days and one night, with caves and Ti Top on day one and morning tai chi and kayaking on day two. Floating fishing villages fit in between.
A night ashore
Bai Chay is the best base for a night before or after the cruise, so a group can dine on the seafront and board in the morning.
The long sandy sweep of My Khe Beach in Da Nang with palm-lined road and city skyline
Visitors crossing the Golden Bridge held up by two giant stone hands at Ba Na Hills

Beach resorts and the Golden Bridge

Da Nang

A coastal city on the central coast, with long beaches such as My Khe and Non Nuoc and a skyline that lights up along the Han River. The Marble Mountains, five limestone hills with caves and pagodas, rise close to the sea, an easy stop on the road to Hoi An.

Resorts on the Son Tra peninsula and the southern coast suit incentive groups that want beach and meeting space together. Da Nang is also the base for Ba Na Hills and for Hoi An, so one stay can mix a conference with a day of sightseeing. Allow half a day for Ba Na Hills, because the cable car queue and the hilltop park take time.

Son Tra peninsula
The InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula sits on a forested headland, about 30 minutes from the airport.
The southern coast
The Sheraton Grand Danang is a beachfront resort with the largest ballroom in the city.
Ba Na Hills
A cable car climbs to a hilltop park and the Golden Bridge, a 150-metre footbridge held up by two giant stone hands, opened in 2018.
Dragon Bridge
The steel dragon over the Han River is lit up each night, an easy stop on the way back to the hotel after dinner.
Yellow-walled shophouses with lanterns on a corner in Hoi An Ancient Town
Lantern boats and a lit riverbank on the Thu Bon River at night in Hoi An

A lantern-lit ancient town and tailors

Hoi An

A preserved trading port, listed as a World Heritage site in 1999, with more than 1,100 timber-frame buildings and Chinese assembly halls built by merchant communities from Fujian and Guangdong. It is about 30 km from Da Nang's airport and 40 to 50 minutes from the resorts, and since July 2025 it has been part of Da Nang city.

Groups walk the lantern-lit lanes past the Japanese Covered Bridge, which reopened fully in late 2024 after restoration, and shophouses turned into cafes and galleries. It makes an easy evening or half-day from any Da Nang resort, and a good break between conference sessions. Many groups end with dinner in a courtyard restaurant, then release wish lanterns on the river.

Lantern boats
A night cruise of about 30 minutes on the Thu Bon River, with floating wish lanterns sold by riverside vendors.
Tailors
Shops on Nguyen Thai Hoc Street make clothes to measure in about 24 hours, so a fitting on arrival means finished garments before departure.
Cam Thanh coconut village
A basket-boat tour of about 90 minutes through water-coconut palm channels.
Timing
Evenings are busiest and most atmospheric, so coaches are booked for late afternoon and guests return to the resorts after dinner.

Flights from the main Indian cities to Vietnam

Indian flights land in Ho Chi Minh City (SGN, 6 to 8 km from District 1) or Hanoi (HAN, 27 to 35 km from the centre). Da Nang (DAD) is 20 to 25 km from the Son Tra resorts.

Reaching Vietnam
FromAirportNon-stop flightsOne-stop routes
MumbaiChhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International (BOM)Air India, VietJet, Vietnam Airlines, IndiGo and Akasa Air, about 5h to 5h 30mNon-stop
DelhiIndira Gandhi International (DEL)Air India, IndiGo, Vietnam Airlines and VietJet, about 4h 30m to Hanoi and 5h 30m to Ho Chi Minh CityNon-stop
BengaluruKempegowda International (BLR)VietJet to Ho Chi Minh City, about 4h 45m, and Vietnam Airlines to HanoiNon-stop
HyderabadRajiv Gandhi International (HYD)VietJet to Ho Chi Minh City, about 4h 25m, and Vietnam Airlines to HanoiNon-stop
KolkataNetaji Subhas Chandra Bose International (CCU)IndiGo to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, about 3 to 4 hoursNon-stop
AhmedabadSardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (AMD)VietJet to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and Vietnam Airlines to Hanoi from 3 November 2026Non-stop
KochiCochin International (COK)VietJet to Ho Chi Minh CityNon-stop
ChennaiChennai International (MAA)No non-stop serviceOne stop, 7 to 9 hours in all
Pune, Jaipur and other citiesLocal airportChange at Mumbai or Delhi on one bookingNon-stop

Hotels and venues for groups in Vietnam

Eleven properties in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Da Nang, with ballrooms for groups of 150 to 1,100.

Selected corporate venues in Vietnam
HotelAreaRoomsEvent venuesLargest indoor venue (sq ft, theatre)
Sheraton Saigon Grand Opera HotelDistrict 1, Ho Chi Minh City50014Grand Ballroom: about 7,750 sq ft, 1,000
Vinpearl Landmark 81 Autograph CollectionBinh Thanh, Ho Chi Minh City22310Grand Ballroom: about 10,980 sq ft, 1,000
The Reverie SaigonDistrict 1, Ho Chi Minh City28615La Scala Ballroom: about 6,650 sq ft, 600
Park Hyatt SaigonDistrict 1, Ho Chi Minh City25310Ballroom: about 5,920 sq ft, 450
JW Marriott Hotel HanoiNam Tu Liem, Hanoi45018Grand Ballroom: about 10,760 sq ft, 950
InterContinental Hanoi Landmark72Nam Tu Liem, Hanoi35910Grand Ballroom: about 10,330 sq ft, 1,000
Lotte Hotel HanoiBa Dinh, Hanoi318Not availableCrystal Ballroom: about 8,830 sq ft, 1,000
Pullman HanoiCat Linh, Hanoi2428Van Mieu Grand Ballroom: about 6,250 sq ft, 600
Sofitel Legend Metropole HanoiHoan Kiem, Hanoi3646Thang Long Hall: about 2,100 sq ft, 150
Sheraton Grand Danang ResortNgu Hanh Son coast, Da Nang25814Grand Ballroom: about 13,640 sq ft, 1,100
InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula ResortSon Tra peninsula, Da Nang1897Reception Hall: about 4,260 sq ft, 304

Where to hold the evenings

Venues in Vietnam for the gala, Indian dinners and team activities that suit a full group.

  • Gala dinner venues

    Hotel ballrooms and one cruise boat. Capacities are for seated dinner.

    • La Scala Ballroom, The Reverie Saigon: 350
    • Grand Ballroom, Vinpearl Landmark 81: about 800
    • Grand Ballroom, JW Marriott Hotel Hanoi: about 700
    • Grand Ballroom, InterContinental Hanoi Landmark72: about 650
    • Grand Ballroom, Sheraton Grand Danang Resort: about 900
    • Dinner on deck on a Ha Long Bay cruise boat

  • Indian restaurants for groups

    Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi both have Indian restaurants that cook for groups, and Jain menus are arranged in advance.

    • Haldi, Ho Chi Minh City
    • Tandoor, Ho Chi Minh City
    • Ganesh, Ho Chi Minh City
    • Namaste Hanoi, Old Quarter
    • Dalcheeni, West Lake, Hanoi
    • Rasoi, Da Nang

  • Team activity venues

    Team-building and incentive activities that work for a whole group.

    • Cu Chi Tunnels, with an optional firing range
    • Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre, Hanoi
    • Landmark 81 SkyView, Ho Chi Minh City
    • Ba Na Hills cable car and Golden Bridge, Da Nang
    • Lantern boats on the Thu Bon River, Hoi An
    • City team challenges through old Saigon

What groups do in Vietnam

  • Cu Chi Tunnels

    A former tunnel network with trapdoors, kitchens and command rooms. An excursion takes five to six hours with travel.

  • Reunification Palace

    The 1960s presidential palace in Ho Chi Minh City, kept as it was, with its war room and rooftop.

  • War Remnants Museum

    A museum of the war years in Ho Chi Minh City, which many leadership groups find a useful talking point.

  • Water puppet show

    A traditional show of wooden puppets on a pool in Hanoi, with live music. Seats are blocked for a group evening.

  • Ba Na Hills and the Golden Bridge

    A cable car ride to a hilltop park near Da Nang, and a 150-metre footbridge held by two stone hands.

  • Saigon team challenge

    A city-wide quest in which teams solve clues across Ho Chi Minh City. It mixes seniors and juniors without forced icebreakers.

A sample programme in Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi for 80 to 150 guests: a Mekong day, a gala dinner and an Indian dinner. Each brief changes the details.

5 nights, 6 days

  1. Notre-Dame Basilica and the Central Post Office in District 1, Ho Chi Minh CityDay 1

    Arrival and old Saigon

    Guests are met on arrival at Tan Son Nhat, whichever office's flight they took. Check in at a hotel in District 1, then walk to Notre-Dame Basilica and the Central Post Office before a welcome dinner.

  2. Retreat guests on a tank at the Cu Chi TunnelsDay 2

    Cu Chi Tunnels and strategy sessions

    An optional full-day excursion to the Cu Chi Tunnels, with lunch at an Indian restaurant such as Haldi. Guests who stay behind use the hotel meeting room for sessions, so the group splits by choice.

  3. Boats loaded with fruit at a floating market in the Mekong DeltaDay 3

    Mekong Delta and gala dinner

    A morning cruise through orchards and canals to the floating market, then back to the city. The gala dinner is in a hotel ballroom such as La Scala at The Reverie Saigon, with an awards ceremony.

  4. The gate and tiger relief at the Ngoc Son Temple on Hoan Kiem Lake in HanoiDay 4

    Fly to Hanoi and the Old Quarter

    A flight of about two hours to Hanoi. In the afternoon the group walks around Hoan Kiem Lake to the Ngoc Son Temple, then dines at an Indian restaurant such as Namaste Hanoi.

  5. A sailing junk framed by limestone cliffs in Ha Long BayDay 5

    Ha Long Bay cruise

    Coaches leave Hanoi for Ha Long Bay, about three hours away. The group boards a cruise boat for lunch, a stop at a cave and dinner on deck as the islands go dark.

  6. The main gate of the Temple of Literature in Hanoi, seen along a brick pathDay 6

    Temple of Literature and departure

    Back in Hanoi, a final visit to the Temple of Literature, last shopping in the Old Quarter, then coaches to Noi Bai for the flights home.

Food, souvenirs and shopping in Vietnam

Food and gifts turn up along the route in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, so a dedicated shopping day is not usually needed.

  • Local food to try

    Each city has its own dish, easily tasted at street stalls and long-running cafes.

    • Pho, rice noodles in beef broth, in Hanoi
    • Bun cha, grilled pork with noodles, in Hanoi
    • Egg coffee at Cafe Giang, Hanoi
    • Banh mi, filled baguettes, in Ho Chi Minh City
    • Cao lau, a noodle dish, in Hoi An
    • Mi Quang, turmeric noodles, in Da Nang

  • What to bring home

    Coffee, silk and lacquerware go home as gifts for colleagues and family.

    • Vietnamese coffee beans and phin filters
    • Tea, especially lotus and jasmine
    • Silk scarves and clothes made by Hoi An tailors
    • Lacquerware boxes and trays
    • Embroidery and handicrafts
    • Conical hats

  • Where to shop

    Markets for gifts, tailors for clothes, and malls for brands.

    • Ben Thanh Market, Ho Chi Minh City: gifts and coffee
    • Dong Xuan Market, Hanoi: textiles and household goods
    • Hang Gai Street, Hanoi: silk
    • Hoi An Ancient Town: tailors and lanterns
    • Hoi An night market: handicrafts and snacks
    • Dong Khoi Street, Ho Chi Minh City: boutiques

When to go

February to April is the safest window for the whole country, with the lowest rainfall and pleasant temperatures. Autumn also suits the north, and November to January is good in the south.

Lunar New Year, known as Tet, falls on 6 February 2027. Many shops, restaurants and attractions close for several days around it, so avoid those dates for a group programme.

February to April
Dry and comfortable in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang, and still cool in Hanoi and Ha Long Bay.
Autumn
October and November suit Hanoi and Ha Long Bay, with clear days and gentler temperatures.
Wet season
Showers are common in the south from May to October, so programmes keep an indoor option for each outdoor stop.

Vietnam from above

Vietnam from aboveHa Long Bay, the Mekong Delta and the cities from the air.

Events ICE India has run in Vietnam

  • Retreat guests gathered in front of the visitor map at the Cu Chi Tunnels

    Talwar Thakore & Associates

    A retreat for 150 partners and associates in Ho Chi Minh City in November 2024: e-visas tracked individually for every guest, group fares from three Indian cities, a Cu Chi Tunnels excursion and a city-wide team challenge.

  • We worked with ICE India for Confluence, our annual global partners meet. There were 4 other agencies who were pitching for this event and we finally chose ICE India due to their thorough understanding of our needs and the innovative ideas which they suggested for the event. Since this was the first time that we were working with ICE India for such a large scale event, we were a bit skeptical, but Mufaddal and his team were involved in every small aspect of the event and executed it seamlessly. The biggest thing that they bring to the table is the organized way in which they work, which leads to minimum last minute issues, which we all know is bound to happen in a large scale event. All in all it was a very good experience working with them.

    Ashwini NagarkattiCategory Marketing Manager - Godrej Appliances

  • Mufaddal & his team gave us a new insight & a different perspective about our event. They showcased it beautifully, gave us invaluable tips and made it a huge success. Our event is a multi-faceted one and not easy to understand & implement. They were very professional, creative and worked hard to meet our deadlines. Thank you very much Mufaddal and all the best to you & your team.

    Kusuma RaoPresident, Rotary Club of Bombay Powai (Powai Fest 2017)

  • I've had the pleasure of working with ICE India on multiple events in the past 5 years. Mufaddal gives a special touch to every event with his innovative ideas, personalized service and kick­ass execution! The ICE India team is easily accessible and attentive to our needs. I've found them to be very organized, creative and thoughtful of all aspects leading up to the event and the event day itself. Mufaddal gets personally involved in all matters from ideation to execution and uses his experience to execute all events seamlessly and always has a "plan B" in place for any potential issues. They have a good vendor partner group and have been able to accommodate all event planning seamlessly, exceeding our expectations every time. I would highly recommend ICE India for event planning and have referred them to other companies in my contact sphere.

    Sopan UpadhyayChief Manager - Marketing, IDBI Federal Life Insurance Co. Ltd.

Planning an event in Vietnam: questions

Can Vietnam handle a 300-guest incentive trip?

Yes. Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Da Nang each have hotels with ballrooms for 600 or more. A group of 500 can be split across two neighbouring hotels, with one ballroom booked for the plenary and the gala dinner.

How do vegetarian and Jain guests manage in Vietnam?

Hotel kitchens and caterers are briefed ahead, restaurants are visited first and menus are adjusted every day. Vegetarian and Jain guests are fed properly, with main dishes rather than sides.

Is a group trip to Vietnam possible in four nights?

Yes. Four nights covers one city and one extension, for example Ho Chi Minh City with the Cu Chi Tunnels and a Mekong day, or Hanoi with a Ha Long Bay cruise. The sample programme above uses five nights for two cities.

Do you work with travel agencies that need a Vietnam supplier?

Travel agencies and PCOs looking for a destination partner should start at our destination representation page. This page is for companies planning their own event.

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Photographs via Wikimedia Commons: Vyacheslav Argenberg and Jakub Hałun (CC BY 4.0); Steffen Schmitz, Jpatokal and Bùi Thụy Đào Nguyên (CC BY-SA 4.0); lumoplank (CC0). Other photographs are from Unsplash and public sources, and remain the property of their owners.