BUDGET conscious travellers can head off to Vietnam for a 12-day experience specially designed to be low on the dollars and high on the enjoyment of Asia travel.

Regional holiday specialist Helen Wong's Tours has announced its Highlights of Vietnam group tour for Australian travellers.

The cost is from $2400 per person, twin share, and includes return Vietnam Airlines fares from Sydney or Melbourne, nine nights of four-star hotel accommodation with daily breakfast and the night aboard a traditional Vietnam junk "Calypso", and most lunches.

The group will the capital Hanoi, experience the breathtakingly beautiful Halong Bay, the former capital Hue and UNESCO World Heritage-listed Hoi An. Cosmopolitan Danang and bustling Ho Chi Minh City, famous for the nearby Cu Chi Tunnels, are also toured in an air-conditioned coach along with the fascinating Mekong Delta with its stilted homes and seafood farms.

Aboard a sampan you will gain a closer view of life along the canals in the delta region.

"The creation of this tour came about after requests from consumers for a comprehensive itinerary at an affordable price with more flexibility to dine in restaurants of their choice on their own each evening," said Helen Wong, managing director and founder of Helen Wong's Tours.

"To book such a holiday costs less than $5000 a couple, including the return air fares, all ground transport, accommodation, daily breakfasts, most lunches and the services of an English-speaking guide."

For more tour information and to book, go to www.helenwongstours.com or contact your nearest travel agent.