Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive Hanoi (D)

Upon arrival at Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi, Our tour guide and driver are ready to welcome you at the airport exit gate.

On the way from the airport to the hotel, our tour guide will briefly introduce your tour program, general and necessary information for the time you are in Vietnam, double-check with you with things you may need to make clear, reconfirm with you for the next day pick up time.

If time permits, we have a cyclo around the old quarter, join the Water Puppet Show in the late afternoon, have welcome dinner.

Overnight at hotel in Hanoi.

Optional activities in the evening in Hanoi:

– Enjoy drinks at nearby café/ bar/ pub

– Wandering around Hanoi downtown area (Weekend walking streets from Friday night until Sunday around Hoan Kiem Lake and Old Quarter area)

– Take an evening motorbike/ scooter/ walking tour

Day 2: Hanoi – Halong (B, L, D)

After breakfast at the hotel, we leave Hanoi around 8.30 am for Halong Bay (180 km).

Arrive at the bay at noon when the junk crews welcome guests on board at Hon Gai Wharf.

Enjoy welcome drinks and check in your cabin, lunch with fresh local seafood while cruising into Halong Bay.

Get to Vung Vieng after 2 hours. Start exploring Vung Vieng fishing village and the hidden lagoons in Bai Tu Long Bay by kayak. Back to junk to enjoy relaxing or the sunset.

Dinner and overnight onboard nearby Vung Vieng village (or Trinh Nu cave).

Day 3: Halong – Ninh Binh (B, L, D)

AM: Early risers can enjoy the sunrise and the quiet breathtaking the beauty of Bay’s landscape. From 7.30 to 10.30, Ala carte serving (Guests can order any dishes in the menu whenever they want).

Around 8.00, Start discovering Ba Cua beach where the guests enjoy swimming, sunbathing or relaxing. Back to junk, arrange luggage and check out the cabin while cruising back.

Around 11.30: disembark.

PM: Transfer to Ninh Binh (200 km from Halong Bay).

Upon arrival in Ninh Binh, we check-in and relax before dinner and overnight.

Day 4: Ninh Binh – Hanoi (B, L, D)

After breakfast at the hotel, we start a full-day tour of Ninh Binh.

First, we visit Hoa Lu, the historic capital of Vietnam and the famous ancient temples of Le and the Dinh Dynasties. Then our vehicle will transfer you from Hoa Lu to Tam Coc (5 km). We take a trip to visit Tam Coc to see the beauty of the karst formations as you pass along their base and row into one of the many caves carved through the limestone.

Have lunch at a nearby restaurant.

In the afternoon, we take a boat trip to discover Trang An grottoes, which have forested limestone mounts contrasting in emerald water, caves, lowland, and rivers. We will visit 11-cave-network with beautiful stalactites of all shapes and colors.

Later in the afternoon, we get on the car for coming back to Hanoi for dinner.

Re-check in hotel and overnight in Hanoi.

Day 5: Hanoi – Da Nang – Hoi An (B, L, D)

After breakfast, we have half-day Hanoi city tour visit to Ho Chi Minh Complex: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Ho Chi Minh Stilts House, Presidential Palace, and One pillar pagoda.

We continue to visit Literature Temple, the first University in Vietnam in the 16th century.

 

Have lunch at a nearby restaurant then coming back to the hotel for checking out.

Early in the afternoon, we are transferred to the airport for afternoon flight to Da Nang. Upon arrival in Da Nang, our tour guide and vehicle will welcome and transfer travelers to the hotel in Hoian for checking in before dinner.

Relax and overnight in Hoi An.

Day 6: Hoi An full-day tour (B, L, D)

After breakfast, we take a walking tour to Hoi An ancient town. Visit Thang Loi Handicraft workshop in Phan Chu Trinh Street where we have the chance to experience all the typical traditional handicraft of Hoi An: wood carving, mat weaving, lantern making, silkworm raising, spinning and weaving, table cloth making and embroidery picture.

These handicrafts made great contribution to upgrade the living standard of local people since Hoi An turn to be a popular destination for the tourists.

Then, we take a walk to Hoi An ancient town. We will start the walk from small alley from Phan Chu Trinh Street to Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street. This is the typical ancient street of Hoi An, that can show you the great atmosphere of the ancient town. Visit the Japanese Cover Bridge – The symbol of Hoi An. After that, we visit Tan Ky, the most well known and authentic ancient house in town.

Then take a walk along the Nguyen Thai Hoc – The ancient street of Hoi An to the market of the town. Visit the local market of Hoi An and Phuc Kien Congressional Assembly Hall, the communal place for Chinese community from Fukien province in China as well the worshiping temple to Thien Hau, the Goddess protecting people on the sea – that was so important for the Chinese Merchant and Fishman in the past.

Then you have free time for discovering the town on your own or shopping.

Have lunch at the restaurant.

In the afternoon, we depart for a cyclo trip to Cam Nam Village. The cyclo will take you from the town to Cam Nam Bridge. You will have the first stop for the photo opportunity of the activities and scenery on the Thu Bon River.

Then the cycle will take you along the Thu Bon River where you can have another photo stop for a panorama view of Hoi An from another side of the river. You will ride along the riverside and cycle through local villages of Cam Nam. This is the untouched area by tourism with very friendly and hospitable local people. You can see their daily life activities or even viewing the interior of their house and their life through always opened doors. The cyclo trip will be ended at a green small canal covered by water coconut trees.

Embark on the boat and take a cruise to Thu Bon River. You can experience the local daily life along the river, such as fishing, farming, catching clam,...

Come back to Hoi An around sunset time for dinner.

Overnight in Hoi An.

Day 7: Hoi An – Tra Que Village – Da Nang – Saigon (B, L, D)

After your breakfast at the hotel, we start biking tour to Tra Que Village.

We will cycle to a local farm in Tra Que village. A short stroll will take you around the vegetable garden and then you can join the farmers in preparing the land and fertilizing it with seaweed from the local lake following steps are raking the ground, sowing, watering, vegetable picking, and many other gardening activities. After all these activities, we will take a short rest before getting to preparing lunch with a local family.

Our lunch will consist of many local delicacies including "Tam Huu" spring roll, Banh Xeo or local pancake of people in Vietnam middle region. you can join the cooking with the chef on these meals.

After your morning excursions and lunch, we will take a Vietnamese traditional postprandial nap before learning how to harvest and wrap the vegetables.

Return to hotel, check out and transferred to Da Nang airport for afternoon flight to Saigon – Ho Chi Minh City.

Pick up at Saigon airport and transfer to hotel for checking in.

Relax and have dinner yourselves. Overnight at hotel in HCM City.

Optional activities in the evening in Ho Chi Minh City:

– Enjoy soft drinks at nearby café/ pub/ bar

– Wandering around night walking street area (Bui Vien, De Tham streets)

– Take an evening motorbike or scooter tour

Day 8: Saigon – Mekong Delta – Saigon (B, L, D)

After your breakfast, we start a full day to explore the Mekong Delta. On the way (3 hours drive) we can see the green paddy fields stretching towards the horizon

Upon arrival in Cai Be, we board on boat for an exploration of lush vegetation of Mekong Delta and the lively floating market buyers bargaining.

Next, a rowing boat rides on the maze of shady canals to arrive at a local orchard to visit the daily activities the handicraft villages of local people. Break time for lunch at the fruit garden.

After lunch, we take a boat along the Mekong River to Vinh Long – a center of tropical fruit; stop in for a short visit to Vinh Long market. Travel across My Thuan suspension bridge and drop by Mekong Rest Stop before going back to Saigon.

Have dinner at the restaurant. Overnight in Saigon.

Day 9: Saigon city tour – Cu Chi Tunnels (B, L, D)

After breakfast, we start a full day HCM City and Cu Chi Tunnels tours.

We start with Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office. Notre Dame Cathedral was built between 1877 and 1883 and the stone used to create it was imported entirety from France.

Next to the cathedral stands the Central Post Office, construction finished in 1891. It is another fine example of French architecture and is Vietnam’s largest post office.

We continue with Reunification Palace which was the former residence of the President of South Vietnam until April 30, 1975.

Then, we visit the War Remnants Museum which has a wealth of images from the wars, the most moving being a gallery entitled ‘Requiem’ which is dedicated to Vietnamese and foreign journalists and photographers who perished during the French and American conflicts.

We have lunch in HCMC.

In the afternoon, we have an excursion to the famous Cu Chi tunnels. This network of tunnels, which stretched for over 200KM, became legendary during the 1960s. The Cu Chi tunnels played a vital part in the Vietnam War in that they allowed the Viet Cong to control a large rural area only 30 to 40 km from Saigon. At its height, the tunnel system stretched from Saigon to the Cambodian border. The network, parts of which were several levels deep, included innumerable trap doors, specifically constructed living areas, storage facilities, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers, and kitchens.

The tunnels have been widened for our benefit (otherwise we would not be able to enter). For those interested, there’s even the opportunity to try an AK47 or MK16 at the nearby rifle range.

We return to HCM City and have farewell dinner

Relax and overnight in HCMC.

Day 10: Saigon departure (B)

We have breakfast at the hotel. Our vehicle and tour guide will accompany the group for shopping at nearby famous markets then transfer to the airport for your home flight.

Home sweet home!

Inclusion

– Hotels at destinations as indicated in the program

– Halong Bay cruise

– All private land transfers

– Meals as indicated in program (B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner)

– English speaking tour guide

– Entrance fees

– Internal flight tickets: Hanoi – Hue and Da Nang – Saigon 

Exclusion

– Personal expenses

– International flights

– International travel insurances

– Other meals, drinks, tip…

– Other expenses not indicated in the program