Day 1:        Hanoi arrival day

There are many direct flies to Hanoi, Vietnam via Bangkok, Cambodia, Singapore, Malaysia and other destinations. According to your arrival time, our guide will be pleased to give you some suggestions what to do on your first day or afternoon in Hanoi. In the evening followed by a welcome dinner for our first night in Vietnam. Overnight in Hanoi

Meals: Welcome dinner

Day 2:        Water Puppet

In the morning, we will explore Ba Dinh district, to the west of the city, containing edifices of very different period, such as Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum (closed on Monday & Friday and usually in October & November for embalming maintenance), the Presidential Palace, the One Pillar Pagoda standing in an elegant lotus pond, Ho Chi Minh Museum, Ho Chi Minh’s House on stilts, a refreshing spot set in a mango-filled parkland around a small pond and the Temple of Literature, the Vietnam’s first university founded in 1070 in honour of Confucius, a fine and opulent architectural complex. Then we will visit Quan Thanh Pagoda and Tran Quoc Pagoda. In the afternoon, we will explore the Old Quarter by cyclo, an area characterised by narrow roads and alleys and a lot of attractive old buildings as well as the relaxing Hoan Kiem Lake area, situated in the heart of Hanoi, with the nice Ngoc Son Pagoda on an island accessible by an old red wooden bridge, the Bridge of the Rising Sun. Our last spot will be the Thang Long Water Puppet Theater where we will enjoy a performance of the traditional art of roi nuoc or water puppetry. Overnight in Hanoi

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 3:            Cycling in Dong Ngac Cultural Village

Pick up at our hotel at around 8.30 AM, we will take a short drive to Dong Ngac Cultural Village which is 15 Km away from the city centre. On arrival, we will firstly stop at a local market to see a morning market of local people then to purchase some offering for families we visit. After that, we take a short walk to the hosting family’s house for a welcome drink and get ready for the biking around the village. We start biking and venture deeper into the village such as Communal House, the grounds and architecture of which are built in the shape of a dragon, the oldest house in the village belongs to the Do family and is more than 300 years old or the Nguyen family with a house given by the King; passing by the oldest school in the village built in 1921. After that, we are back to the host then join her cooking demonstration. After all our efforts, we can reward ourselves with delicious lunch.

In the mid-afternoon, catch your Van for a short drive to Lien Mac flower village. We will visit a local family and take your bike to cycle around Lien Mac village, a beautiful vegetables and flowers growing area. We have a chance to join the farming activities and interact with local along the way. We will be driven back to the city centre and have the rest of the day at your hotel. Overnight in Hanoi

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 4:        Hoa Lu Ancient Citadel & Tam Coc Grottos

After breakfast, we will drive to Van Lam where we will take a boat for a three hour cruise along the watery landscape and through the three long caves of Tam Coc, also known as “Halong Bay on land” because of its karst outcrops rising majestically from a sea of green rice fields. We will also visit the nearby Bich Dong or Jade Cavern, a unique 15th-century pagoda cut into the side of a karst outcrop. From there, we will enjoy the stunning view of the misty mountains, the rice fields in the valley and the waterways. In the afternoon, we will visit the historic site of Hoa Lu. This city was established in AD 968 by Emperor Tien Hoang De, the founder of the Dinh Dynasty and homes a massive palace and citadel and two temples. Then, we will drive to Haiphong city, the north’s most important port of Vietnam, where we will arrive at the end of the afternoon. Overnight in Haiphong

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 5:        Halong Bay

We will spend some time in the morning at Haiphong before to drive to Halong City and board to a traditional junk. The journey will start and Lunch will be served while cruising into Halong Bay. We will stop in one of the numerous limestone caves formed by a selective erosion over the millennia and filled with many strange-shaped stalactites and stalagmites. We will anchor for the night in a secluded bay where you will have the chance to enjoy a swim in the emerald waters (weather permitting) before enjoying our dinner on board during sunset. Overnight on cruise

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 6:        Boat Cruise

This morning, you will enjoy your breakfast overlooking the bay. We will spend the day cruising around spectacular Halong Bay, a labyrinthine seascape of about 2,000 pinnacles-shaped limestone and dolomite outcrops, isolated caves and sandy coves. According to legend, the bay was formed by a gigantic dragon plunging into the sea which gave its name to the bay as ha long means descending dragon. In the morning, we will explore some more caves; in the afternoon, we will relax on the Junk, by reading, sunbathing or swimming. Overnight on cruise

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 7:        Halong Bay - Hanoi 

This morning, we will see some more beautiful islands, stunning rock formations and floating villages before enjoying our last lunch on the Junk. We will disembark at around midday and transfer to our awaiting vehicle for the 4 hours driving back to Hanoi. We will arrive in the capital city at the end of the afternoon where the remainder of your day will be at leisure. Overnight in Hanoi

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 8:        Handicraft villages

This morning, we will drive about 30km Northeast of Hanoi to visit some traditional villages. Your morning will start to visit Bat Trang Ceramic village. This is This ceramic village was dated back from 15th century and soon became one of the most famous ceramic and pottery villages in the North of Vietnam. In the afternoon, we will drive to Vong Nguyet village to learn about silk production and see weavers in action. You will see how to grow mulberry, breed the silkworms, and extract the silk, the spinning and looming. After this educational tour, we will spend some more time walking along the lanes before driving back to Hanoi. Overnight in Hanoi

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 9:        Hanoi flight to Hue

Time will be free until our car arrives to take us to the airport to board the noon flight in Hue. On arrival, we will be met and driven to our hotel. After that, we will visit The Imperial Citadel where the Nguyen Dynasty ruled between 1802 and 1945, after exploring the ruins of this wonderful monument. We will then depart to the Hue Royal Fine Art Museum, which is housed within the former Dien Long An Royal Palace. We will finish our day with the local Dong Ba Market to see the daily life of local people. We will spend the night in Hue.

Meals: Breakfast and lunch

Day 10:      Cooking Class at Thuy Bieu Ancient Village

Pick up at hotel in Hue, we will take a short drive to Toa Kham wharf for a leisurely cruise along Perfume River to visit Thien Mu Pagoda – the symbol of Hue located by the river. We then stop at Dong Ba market and buy necessary ingredients for the cooking class before continue cruising to Thuy Bieu village – the Garden of Eden in Hue. On arrival, we walk or bike around the village with stops to visit a local garden, old ancestral temple and communicate with local people. Stop at an incense-making family and the locals working strenuously with joy and enthusiasm. Continue to a joss-paper making family, chat over a cup of green tea with the family and see they’re talking about the joss paper, other known as ghost money offering to the dead. Lastly, we stop at a paper-painting family to see countryside painting of young local artists.

Back to Thuy Bieu restaurant for a hands-on cooking class with chief’s instruction, sit down and sample your effort of some traditional Hue dishes. Relax by soaking your foot in a medical herb water and enjoy an excellent massage by the blind people before our car transfer us back to the hotel. Overnight in Hue

Meals: Breakfast only

Day 11:      Hoi An

After breakfast at the hotel, we travel by vehicle to Hoi An along scenic highway 1A. Along the way, we will stop to contemplate the stunning views North, to Lang Co Beach and South to Danang city.

On arrival in Danang, we will have a brief visit at Cham Museum – the houses of the most complete collection if Cham Artifacts anywhere in the world; China Beach – where the American named and used to have their Rest and Relaxation; and the Marble Mountain – the five elements of the Universe (water, wood, air, fire and earth). We will arrive in Hoi An in the afternoon. The rest of the day will be free for strolling in the town, lazing on the beach, or whatever takes your fancy. We’ll spend the night in Hoi An

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch  

Day 12:      My Son  

We drive to the temple complex of My Son, considered to be one of the best-preserved Cham centers in Vietnam. My Son is the former capital of the ancient Cham civilization that ruled Central Vietnam from the second to the thirteenth century. Their religion was primarily derived from Indian Hinduism, although, like Angkor Wat, the tower structures are dedicated to the former divine Cham monarchs themselves. The complex is comprised of seventy Hindu-like towers and temples dating from the seventh century. This site is a must-see for those people who are interested in architecture and ancient civilizations and is now one of the five World Heritage-listed sites in Vietnam. Overnight in Hoi An

Meals: Breakfast only

Day 13:      Overnight train to Nha Trang

You will have a free day to explore the city on your own. In addition to the numerous monuments, the town has a wide array of delightful shops – especially for hand-tailored clothes as you can get a new wardrobe in 24 hours but also for handicrafts such as handmade lanterns, silk products or pottery, antiques and paintings – as well as an excellent roadside cafés where you can relax and enjoy a selection of appetizing dishes and great drinks. You may like to take a boat ride with one of the local women across the Thu Bon River. Or you could hire a bicycle and head off on a scenic ride to Cua Dai beach or An Bang beach, about 4 km away, stopping along the way at some of the neighboring villages. There's even the chance to improve your culinary skills with a Vietnamese cooking lesson!

Late afternoon, we will transfer to the Danang Railways Station to take the 8pm night train to Nha Trang.

Meals: Breakfast only

Day 14:      Free at leisure

We will arrive at about 8:30am in Nha Trang, Vietnam’s primary beach resort. You will have a whole free day and you can decide either to relax on one of the numerous beaches scattered along the sandy shoreline or in one of the pretty islands that lie just out to sea or to explore the city and its surroundings. An elegant promenade by the seafront overlooks the Municipal Beach, inside the city, you can visit the busy central market, Cho Dam, Long Son Pagoda dominated by a giant white sculpture of the Buddha, Nha Trang Cathedral constructed in provincial French Gothic style, Alexandre Yersin Museum which displays the lab equipment, desk and books of the physician, Cai River Estuary that you can cross to see the Po Nagar Cham Towers from the 8th century. You can also join a boat trip to the islands for swimming, snorkeling and sunbathing. Overnight in Nha Trang

Meals: Breakfast only

Day 15:      Free at leisure

Your day will be will be free for strolling in the town, lazing on the beach, or whatever takes your fancy. Overnight in Nha Trang

Notes: There are many optional tour activities can be arrange for a day in Nha Trang, our tour guide can help you to organize the optional tour if you wish to do any tours.

Meals: Breakfast only

Day 16:      Dalat

We will drive to Dalat, a former colonial hill station and sanatorium set in cool, spring-like weather altitude with beautiful surroundings of pine forests, waterfalls and lakes. We will arrive in Dalat at the beginning of the afternoon and check in at our hotel. Then, we will make a short city tour visiting first the old Dalat art deco cremaillere railway station, passing near many European style villas and chalets. The line to Nah Trang is closed since bombing during the Vietnam War but a Russian engine carries passengers on a picturesque run to the little village of Trai Mat, 17 km away. From where we will walk along the Xuan Huong Lake - created by a dam in 1919 and a popular place for paddling in swan-shaped pedal-boats – to the town’s Flower Gardens housing beautiful orchids. If we still have enough time, we will stroll around the colourful Central market before going to dinner. Overnight in Dalat

Meals: Breakfast only

Day 17:      Bao Dai’s Summer Palace

We will first visit Lam Ty Ni Pagoda, an eccentric place where Vien Thuc, a Buddhist monk, produces his abstract paintings, casts concretes busts and writes Zen poetry. Our second post will be Bao Dai’s Summer Palace, constructed bin 1933 in a sort of Art Nouveau style for the last Nguyen Emperor. From here we will visit the rather bizarre and very aptly named Crazy House (Hang Nga guesthouse), a brightly painted concrete house which winds itself around trees, mimicking their shapes and the Dalat Cathedral built with pink bricks.

Then, we will drive to south to Tuyen Lam lake, the most scenic lake in the area. We will continue to Truc Lam pagoda, a nice hillside monastery with a beautiful garden viewing the lake. We will head down to the lake before driving to Datanla waterfall. We will stroll through the forest until we arrive at this medium-sized fall and rapids. Overnight in Dalat

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 18:      Dalat - Saigon

This morning, we will leave Dalat and drive down the hills to Saigon. First with a stop at the picturesque Pongour waterfall which is 30m high and stretches 100m across in a semi-circular shape. We will have lunch at this spectacular place before continuing our journey through the forest and the tea, coffee plantations. In the afternoon, you will be free to discover Saigon City. Overnight in Saigon

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 19:      Cu Chi tunnels

We will first stop at the Cu Chi tunnels, a place of utmost significance during the Vietnam War. This elaborate network of very narrow tunnels was first dug by the Vietminh in 1948 to conceal weapons and stretched roughly 40 km. Since 1960, the Vietcong rehabilitated and enlarged the tunnel complex to 250 km in length. After lunch, we visit the Reunification Palace, the former Presidential Palace for the president of the South of Vietnam. After that we will visit War Remnant Museum, where we can see countless artifacts, photographs and pictures documenting about the second Indochina war. We also stop at Notre Dame Cathedral and Old Post office to get good shots for our memory of the big, modern city of Vietnam.  Overnight in Saigon

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 20:      Vinh Long

Today, we will leave Ho Chi Minh City to explore the Mekong delta, the southernmost region of Vietnam, famous for its rice production with three harvests per year as well as for its tropical fruits and flowers. The Mekong delta is also home to wildlife-rich marshlands and mangrove forests. This is the last stage of the Mekong River’s 4500 km long journey through China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia before flowing into the South China Sea. We will drive to the small city of Cai Be where our boat ride will begin. The tour starts by visiting Cai Be, the colourful floating market, packed with vendors selling a range of goods on boats. A small church looming over the shore near the market forms a scenic backdrop.
The trip will continue along the Mekong canals to Dong Hoa Hiep Island located between the cities of Vinh Long and Cai Be. From the boat, you will discover beautiful landscapes along the river and observe the typical Mekong delta rural life. Overnight in homestay

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 21:      Can Tho

After breakfast and having bid farewell to our hosts, our boat will take us to Vinh Long, passing between the evergreen islands which form a large network of meandering rivers. We will also visit some local home factories where we will see the production of bricks and pottery items and learn how fish sauce and soya bean sauce are made. We will arrive at Vinh Long for lunch and then we will resume our journey to Can Tho, the largest city on the Delta, where we will arrive during the afternoon. The rest of the day will be at leisure. Overnight in Can Tho

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 22: Saigon

We will take a boat to visit the morning market of Cai Rang, the largest of the floating markets around Can Tho. Traders paddle from boat to boat, selling a variety of goods amid traffic jam of sampans. Then, we will drive back to Saigon where we will arrive for lunch. Overnight in Saigon

Meals: Breakfast and farewell dinner

Day 23: End of tour

The tour end after breakfast, you will have free time to explore central town or relax at the hotel before flight out. There are international flights to Bangkok or Cambodia and many other Asian destinations.

Meals: Breakfast only

End of services…

Service included:

Entrance fees during guiding

Accommodation on twin share basis with all kind of taxes

An experienced English-speaking guide

All private transfer with air-conditioning vehicles

Boat cruise in Halong Bay

Train ticket

Boat trips as mentioned

Meals as stated on the itinerary

Water and cool napkin during the trip

Cyclo tour  

Homestay with villager

Arrival and depart transfer

Service excluded:

Personal travel insurance (compulsory!)

Donation during visit NGOs

Airfare, airport taxes & excess baggage charges

Visa & visa fees, passport & vaccination charges

All optional tours & activities during free time

Expenditure of a personal nature, such as souvenir, laundry, postage, Phone calls…

All beverages during the included meals

Tips

Experience Indochina, the local way…