Place of interest: Saigon, Mekong Delta (Cai Be, Can Tho), Hoian, Hue, Hanoi and Halong Bay
Tour brief:
Day 1: HCM city arrival
Day 2: HCM city tour – best attractions in the city
Day 3: Saigon – Mekong Delta – Cai Be – Vinh Long – Can Tho
Day 4: Can Tho – Cai Rang Floating Market – Saigon
Day 5: HCM city fly –Danang-drive to Hoian
Day 6: Hoian acient town
Day 7: Hoian drive – Hue city tour
Day 8: Hue fly- Hanoi
Day 9: Hanoi city tour – key attractive sites
Day 10: Hanoi – Halong Bay – Overnight on cruise boat
Day 11: Halong bay – Hanoi
Day 12: Hanoi departure
Itinerary
Day 1: HCM Arrival.
Welcome to Vietnam’s modern metropolis: Ho Chi Minh City. Arrive in the late morning and enjoy an orientation tour through Saigon’s bustling streets en route to the hotel. Enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure to recover from jet lag and explore the city on your own. Overnight in hotel in Saigon.
Day 2: Saigon City Tour (B).
Enjoy a full day to tour Saigon’s diverse attractions. Start with a visit to Saigon’s China Town, then learn about traditional Vietnamese medicine at the FITO Museum and browse through the amazing array of goods at Ben Thanh Market. Stop for lunch then continue on the city tour with a visit to the War Remnants museum and former Presidential Palace. You conclude the day exploring the city’s French colonial architecture, stopping at the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Old Post Office. Overnight in hotel in Saigon.
Day 3: Saigon – Mekong Delta – Cai Be – Vinh Long – Can Tho (B,L).
Today you leave Saigon and travel to the Mekong River Delta. Enjoy an early breakfast at the hotel before driving to the riverside town, Cai Be. Along the way, stop at a candy factory and orchard garden, where you have an opportunity to listen to traditional music. Enjoy a relaxing lunch at a riverside restaurant, then cross the river by motorized boat to visit some fluvial islands and explore the countryside by bicycle. Your driver will meet you at Vinh Long pier and take you to Can Tho City for the night. Overnight in hotel in Cantho city.
Day 4: Can Tho – Cai Rang Floating Market – Saigon (B).
Wake early and leave the hotel to visit the famous Cai Rang floating market by motor boat. Continue the boat ride to visit the Mekong Delta’s famous orchards and sample the fresh, exotic fruit. Then venture deeper into the country side, passing traditional houses made of wood and palm leaves as you observe the activities of the local people. Return to Can Tho for lunch then drive back to Saigon, arriving in the late afternoon. Overnight in hotel in Saigon.
Day 5: Saigon – Danang – Hoian (B)
After breakfast, you are transferred to the airport for your internal flight to Danang. Your guide and driver will meet you at the airport and take you on the short drive to the sleepy riverside town, Hoian. Take a half-day walking tour through the narrow winding streets of the ancient quarter, visiting Chua Ong Pagoda, the Chinese Assembly Hall, the 200-year old Tan Ky ancestral house and the famous Japanese Bridge. End the day with a relaxing sunset boat trip. Overnight in hotel in Hoian.
Day 6: Hoian (B).
Today you embark on a family run “fisherman eco-tour”. Explore Hoian’s surrounding farmland and countryside then try your hand at local fishing techniques as you learn to navigate a basket boat through narrow waterways. Return to Hoian in the afternoon for a private cooking class. Overnight in hotel in Hoian
Day 7: Hoian – Danang – Hue (B).
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel then check-out and drive over the 500m-high Hai Van pass to Hue. Enjoy a stop at the scenic Lang Co Beach for a drink before continuing on to Hue – a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Vietnam’s former capital. Spend the afternoon on a leisurely walking tour through the ancient city. Visit the Royal Citadel, the Imperial Museum, as well as the Mausoleum of King tu Duc (a replica of the king’s palace built for the next reincarnation of the king). Overnight in hotel in Hue
Day 8: Hue – Fly to Hanoi (B).
Spend the morning on a private boat cruise down the romantic Perfume River to visit the Lady Pagoda (Thien Mu Pagoda), Dong Ba Market and the ornate Minh Mang’s tomb. Drive to the airport in the afternoon to catch your short flight to Vietnam’s capital city, Hanoi. Upon arrival, get transferred to your hotel in the city centre. Free at your leisure. Overnight in hotel in Hanoi.
Day 9: Hanoi City Tour (B).
Today you have a full day to explore Vietnam’s charming capital. With its wide tree-lined boulevards, French colonial architecture, peaceful lakes and ancient oriental pagodas, Hanoi is an eclectic mix that offers something for everyone. Your city tour will take you to Hanoi’s key sites: the Ho Chi Minh Complex (Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum and stilt house), the Presidential Palace, the nearby One Pillar Pagoda; the Temple of Literature; West Lake including the sedate Tran Quoc Pagoda & Quan Thanh Temple; and one of the city’s museums (a choice between the History Museum and the Ethnology Museum). Later in the afternoon, enjoy a traditional Water Puppet Performance – a unique Vietnamese art form hailing from wet-rice culture in Southeast Asia. Overnight in hotel in Hanoi.
Day 10: Hanoi – Halong Bay – Overnight on cruise (B,L,D).
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel, before setting out on a 3 to 4 hour drive to the UNESCO World Heritage Site: Halong Bay.
* The following Halong Bay itinerary is a sample for our standard service on a 3 star junk/ cruise. Different programs are available through our luxury cruise itineraries on the Violet, Jasmine, Ginger, Paradise or Au Co. Please contact us for more details.*
Spend 24 hours on a traditional Junk Cruise in the amazing bay: a natural wonderland composed of jutting limestone islands and sparkling turquoise waters. Arrive at the dock around noon and board your junk. Savor a gourmet lunch of fresh seafood onboard as you sail out into the mystical bay. In the afternoon, cruise around some of Halong’s many islands, including Dinh Huong and Ga Choi. Along the way visit one of the bay’s 3 largest caves (Thien Cung, Dau Go or Sung Sot). Stop at an island cove with a sheltered white-sand beach and take a dip in the warm waters of the Gulf of Tonkin (weather permitting). Pass the night on your junk, lulled to sleep by the gentle rocking of calm waters. Overnight in boat.
Day 11: Halong Bay – Hanoi (B).
Awake early and participate in Tai Chi on the top deck or simply relax and enjoy the sunrise over the bay’s towering islands. Enjoy a morning cup of coffee or tea, before setting out to explore the nearby islands by rowboat. Return to the junk for brunch then take advantage of the sundeck and admire the amazing rock formations of Bai Tu Long Bay as you navigate back to Halong City, where your driver will meet you at the dock and take you back to your hotel in Hanoi. Overnight in hotel in Hanoi.
Day 12: Hanoi Departure (B).
Free today at your leisure for last minute shopping or sight-seeing before driving to the airport to catch your departure flight home.
| Tour includes: | Tour excludes: |
| – Accommodation (3 star hotel) | – Travel insurance |
| – Meals as mentioned in itinerary | – International flights |
| – Transportation by private a/c car | – Vietnam visa |
| – English speaking guide | – Gratuities for tour guides/drivers |
| -2 domestic flights | – Beverages & other personal expenses |
| – Entrance tickets, boat trips, performance |
