Upon arrival, pick up at the airport then transfer to your hotel for check-in. Free at leisure. Overnight in Hanoi.
Transfer to visit the Museum of Ethnology where you learn the various life aspects of 54 ethnic minorities in Vietnam. Next, visit Ho Chi Minh complex with first stop at Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum then take a short walk to the Presidential Palace, House on Stilts and the One Pillar Pagoda. After lunch, visit the Temple of Literature which is the first university in Vietnam. Continue the excursion with a cyclo ride around the Old Quarter to observe the daily life of locals, as well as see how they manage in the incredible traffic then enjoy the traditional water puppet show.
Day 03
Hanoi – Ninh Binh – Hanoi (B, L)
Transfer to Ninh Binh – a mysterious area of land, mountain and river. The first visit will be Mua Cave, the most picturesque spot in Ninh Binh where you will climb around 500 steps to enjoy an amazing panoramic view of Tam Coc, rice fields and karst landscape. After lunch, you will take a traditional boat trip to visit Tam Coc, often called the “Halong Bay on land”, with its limestone peaks and rice paddy fields spread all along the way.
Day 04
Hanoi – Halong Bay (B, L, D)
Leave Hanoi for Halong Bay. Upon arrival, board an overnight cruise to discover the legendary Halong Bay. Enjoy full board meals and many indoor and outdoor activities. Overnight on the cruise.
Day 05
Halong Bay – Hanoi – Flight to Hue (B)
Join a Tai Chi session then enjoy an international breakfast while the cruise cruises among hundreds of islets before coming back to the pier. Drive back to the airport for a flight to Hue. Upon arrival, pick up and transfer to the hotel for check in.
Enjoy a boat trip on the Perfume river to visit Thien Mu pagoda, the oldest pagoda in Hue city, then discover the Imperial Citadel and the Forbidden Purple City where the Nguyen Dynasty ruled between 1802 – 1945. After lunch, continue to visit the elaborate tombs of emperors Tu Duc and Khai Dinh where you will learn about Royal’s life and their architecture.
Day 07
Hue – Da Nang – Hoian (B)
Transfer by car over the most spectacular Hai Van Pass to Hoian. En route, visit the Marble Mountain, Cham Museum and the Stone Village. In the afternoon, you are free to relax on the beach.
Day 08
Hoian Ancient Town & Basket Boat Tour (B, L)
You will visit Hoian’s vibrant market and ancient port to explore the rhythm of local daily life then enjoy a walking tour to visit the Hoian ancient town. After lunch, transfer to Cam Thanh, home to 7 hectares of coconut palm water to learn about the traditional art of making basket boats as well as the daily life of fishermen then take part in some hands-on activities in the basket boats that are fun, safe and interesting.
Day 09
Hoian – Flight to Ho Chi Minh City (B)
Free time to relax on the beach or explore more the ancient town on your own. Or you can contact our travel consultant for more activities such as countryside tour, cycling tour, cooking class, Golden bridge, My Son sanctuary, etc. In the afternoon, transfer to the airport in Da Nang for a flight to Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 10
Ho Chi Minh City Tour – Cu Chi Tunnels (B, L)
Depart to Cu Chi Tunnels which are a maze of underground passages used by the Vietnamese communists during the Vietnam War as protection against the American air raids. After lunch, visit the War Remnants Museum–it exhibited the old military equipment from the Vietnam War. Continue to visit the Reunification palace, formerly the Presidential palace that was the sight of South Vietnam’s surrender in April 1975. After explorations at those historical sites, walk down to admire the architecture of the Notre Dame Cathedral and the General Post Office.
Day 11
Mekong Delta (B, L)
You will explore Ben Tre through a scenic boat ride along the river, witnessing traditional brick making and exploring coconut workshops. Here you see how they make the coconut candy, sample sweets and fruits, and immerse yourself in local music. Then, you take a leisurely walk to a farmer's house crafting sleep mats, journey through coconut groves and local villages via tuk-tuk. After that, you will enjoy a rowing boat ride along palm tree-lined canals, followed by a lunch at a local restaurant before returning to Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 12
Ho Chi Minh City Departure (B)
Depending on your departure time, you will have some free time to relax or further explore this city on your own before a transfer to the airport for your departure flight.
