Upon arrival, pick up at the airport then transfer to your hotel for check-in. Free at leisure. Overnight in Hanoi.
Day 02
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. Overnight in Hanoi.
Day 03
Hanoi – Overnight Train to Lao Cai (B, L)
Transfer to visit the Ho Chi Minh Complex and the One Pillar pagoda. After that, visit the Temple of Literature, the first university of Vietnam and the Museum of Ethnology where you can learn different life aspects of 54 ethnic minorities in Vietnam. After lunch, enjoy a cyclo tour to visit the Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem lake then watch the traditional water puppet show. In the evening, take an overnight train to Lao Cai.
Upon arrival, pick up for breakfast then transfer to Cat Cat village, home of the H’Mong ethnic minority people. Here, you will enjoy a walking tour through the village, you will meet & talk with the local minority people and you will also have the opportunity to share cultural experiences when you visit some families that live in the area. In the afternoon, you have free time to relax or discover the town by yourself.
Day 05
Sapa – Lao Cai – Overnight Train to Hanoi (B, L)
Transfer for a walking tour through some hill tribe villages: Lao Chai and Ta Van: home of Black H’mong and Dzay people as well as Ta Phin village, home of Red Dzao people. This is an absolutely spectacular walk through stunning scenery inhabited by some of the friendliest people you can meet. Once stood in the valley, you can really appreciate the wonderful scenery that surrounds you. In the evening, take an overnight train back to Hanoi.
Day 06
Hanoi – Halong Bay (B, L, D)
Upon arrival at the train station, pick up to a mini hotel for rest & breakfast then 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 07
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 09
Hue – Hoian – Countryside Tour & Sunset Cruise (B)
Leave Hue for Hoian. After check-in and short rest at the hotel, transfer by jeep through the countryside to a pier then take a boat trip to a local fishing village where you will enjoy the river culture, local farming and the other daily activities of the local people.
Day 10
Hoian Ancient Town & Tra Que Village (B, L)
Enjoy a walking tour to visit the ancient town then transfer to a home of a craftsman where you will discover the daily life of local people and see how they make a lantern. Later, take a short ride through the countryside to Tra Que village where you will observe a cooking class, enjoy a traditional foot massage then learn how to plant vegetables like local farmers.
Day 11
Hoian – Flight to Ho Chi Minh City (B)
Free at leisure to relax on the beach or explore more Hoian until transfer to the airport in Da Nang for a flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Upon arrival, pick up and transfer to the hotel for check in.
Day 12
Ho Chi Minh City – Cu Chi Tunnels (B, L)
Driver to Cu Chi district to visit the amazing complex of underground tunnels at Cu Chi. After lunch, transfer back to the city to visit the main sights including the Opera House, Town Hall, Notre Dame Cathedral, Reunification Palace and War Remnants museum.
Day 13
Ho Chi Minh City – Mekong Delta (B, L)
Transfer to Mekong Delta then take a boat trip to discover Caibe floating market. Visit a village to watch the process of making local products, observe daily activities, enjoy traditional music then take a small sampan rowing by hand of a local to feel the real Mekong river. After lunch, take another boat to Vinh Long, the center of tropical fruits then transfer to the hotel in Can Tho.
Day 14
Mekong Delta – Ho Chi Minh City (B, L)
Wake up early to visit the famous Cairang floating market by a boat trip. Continue the boat ride to visit the Mekong Delta’s famous fruit orchards and sample the fresh, exotic fruit. Then explore deeper into the countryside, passing traditional houses made of wood and palm leaves as you observe the activities of the local people. After lunch, drive back to your hotel in Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 15
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.
