Vietnam has been a country on our bucket-list for quite some time. We recently got to explore some of the highlights of the country with VinFast Canada, and they truly gave us the red carpet experience!
In today’s blog post we will be talking all things Vietnam, about our press tour and the brand new Electric SUVs that will be hitting the North American market in late 2022!
Who is VinGroup and VinFast?
VinGroup is one of the largest conglomerates in Vietnam, and together they own many companies including VinFast, VinPearl, VinUniversity and many more!
During our Vietnam tour, we had the pleasure of touring many of their state-of-the art facilities and campuses. Including the VinFast manufacturing complex, VinUniversity and VInHomes. We also got to witness the 5-star luxury of the VinPearl Resorts in various locations around Vietnam!
Our Vietnam Itinerary
Day 1 – Ha Long Bay
After a 16-hour long charter flight from San Francisco to Ha Long Bay, we arrive in Vietnam! The VinFast team quickly ushers our group of Content Creators to the bus where we are arrive at the VinPearl Ha Long Bay Resort docks. This Resort is on a private island and is a short boat ride over from the docks.
From here, we have some leisure time to explore the Resort, regain our composure after such a long flight, try some delicious Vietnamese food at the buffet and prepare for our exciting evening ahead!
We shower and drink one more Vietnamese Iced Coffee, and then we head to the private yacht that is taking us on a dinner cruise around Ha Long Bay during sunset. Ha Long Bay is one of the natural wonders of the world and we are so excited to be able to cross it off our bucket list in style! VinGroup has many different vendors onboard showcasing local art, culture, and games throughout the evening. Our evening finishes with an epic dance party on the yacht lead by one of the top DJs in Vietnam!
Day 2 – Hai Phong & Hanoi
An early wake up and checkout to start the day, as we head to the VinFast manufacturing complex! We arrive at the massive 360+ acre complex that has been built on uninhabitable land in only 21 months!
VinFast recently transitioned to all electric vehicles from combustion vehicles, and they are developing some incredible and affordable Electric SUVs that will be arriving in North America in late 2022! We tour the battery pack complex, the body shop and general assembly.
We learn more about the SUVs, including all of the exciting features that they will be offering with purchase over lunch and then we head to our new hotel for the night!
Old Quarter in Hanoi is one of the most popular neighborhoods of the Capitol of Vietnam and we are staying at the Sofitel Metropole, right in the heart of it! Surrounded by French inspired architecture, little coffee shops, and a beautiful lake, we decide to take a walk. A short walk away is one place that has been on our bucket list for SO long! The world-famous Hanoi Train Street. The Train Street is a long row of tiny coffee shops, markets and bars along passenger train, train tracks! The train runs through a few times a day and is such a cool experience to see! This is a must visit, bucket list place in Hanoi.
In the evening, we jump on an electric VinBus to a Water Puppet show, which is a traditional Vietnamese form of entertainment in Hanoi! After the show, we get a tour of Hanoi at night via a Vietnamese Cyclo!
Day 3 – Hanoi & Nha Trang
Day 3 starts early with a tour of VinUniversity and VinHomes! Our tour shows us all of the incredible amenities VinHomes offer such as a man-made salt water lake, a shopping mall, parks and picnic areas. VinHomes includes townhouses and apartment buildings for a variety of incomes and is located just outside of Hanoi city center. VinUniversity is a campus close-by offering world class education to students all over the world. We hear stories from current students and they are so proud of their school. It was a heartwarming experience!
After our tours, we hop on a bus to head to the airport! We board a charter flight and fly to Nha Trang for our final stop on the tour!
VinPearl Nha Trang is a resort like we have never seen before! This private island resort has multiple hotels, a white sand beach, endless entertainment, and an amusement park! We arrive and enjoy a buffet dinner, explore the resort and then head to VinWonders, the amusement park, for a TaTa Show! The TaTa show is the VinWonders 3D laser and light show to music with dancers. The show and the amusement park are incredible and we highly recommend adding this to your list of things to do during your visit to Nha Trang!
Day 4 – Nha Trang
Day 4 begins with a quick bite to eat and a press meeting. VinFast announces their new partnership with Iron Man Triathlon Series!
After this exciting announcement, we head to the test track to finally test out the VinFast VF 8 and VF 9 SUVs! This is one of the highlights of our trip. The test track was around one of the most scenic roads on the island and our entire drive overlooked lush gardens and the ocean! The VF 8 SUV seats 5 and the VF 9 seats 7 and is perfect for larger families! Both SUVs have plenty of trunk space for groceries, shopping, or even car camping! Both have large LED displays and sleek interiors. We seriously cannot get enough of these cars!
After an exciting morning of test driving, we break for lunch and then have some free time in the afternoon! We decide to take a tour through on of the Luxury Villa options at the Resort and it is hands down one of the most beautiful Villas we have ever seen! There are 3 bedrooms (perfect for families and groups), a large infinity pool overlooking the ocean and the villa is right on the beach! Not to mention the beautiful balconies overlooking the beach and mountains.
Into the evening we attend a beach party to celebrate the amazing week we have had with VinGroup and VinFast! There are live shows, including some of the biggest singers in Vietnam right now and acrobats. We have an incredible buffet dinner, a drink with the CEO of VinFast and then wrap up the evening with a DJ set!
After hours we find ourselves in the Karaoke Bar and Bowling Alley located on the Resort, having the time of our lives until the wee hours of the morning with some new friends!
Day 5 – Nha Trang
Our last full day in Vietnam is spent relaxing by the pool, enjoying the beautiful white sand beach, renting a Jet Ski and a visit to VinWonders!
In the evening, one final dinner served is like street food found on the streets of Vietnam! This is a long-standing tradition in Vietnam and was one of our favorite nights of the trip. All of the food was incredible, Jake even tried Crocodile!
Day 6 – Nha Trang & Home
Our final morning is spent enjoying the luxurious resort. Jake found a Flamingo floaty that was too perfect not to relax on.
We then packed up our things and headed to the airport for our Charter Flight back to San Francisco!
Things VinFast is Doing We Think You Should Know About
Refundable Reservations
For only $250, you can reserve either a VF 8 or a VF 9 for when they arrive in North America. Change your mind, the $250 is FULLY refundable!
Charged Up Program
With your reservation, you receive an electric vehicle charger for your home, a $1000 home installation credit and 3 YEARS of public charging for free!!! It’s a limited time offer that ends September 30th, 2022.
Monthly Battery Subscription Service
This is one of our favorite parts of what VinFast is offering! You can purchase either a VF 8 or a VF 9 without the battery and pay into a battery subscription service. This means you are paying to “lease” the battery, and anytime your battery falls to a 70% charging capacity, it is replaced with a new battery.
This is HUGE! This means as Electric Vehicle technology improves, you will receive a newer and better battery every time the battery capacity falls! How amazing is that!
