Highlights of Vietnam

9 days 8 nights

Ho Chi Minh – Mekong Delta – Hue – Hoi An – My Son – Ha Noi – Ha Long Bay

Day 1: Arrival in Ho Chi Minh City

Day 2: Ho Chi Minh City – Cu Chi Tunnels (B/L)

Day 3: Ho Chi Minh City – Mekong Delta – Flight to Hue (B/L)

Day 4: The imperial of Hue (B/L)

Day 5: Hue – Hoi An Ancient Town (B)

Day 6: Hoi An – My Son Sanctuary – Da Nang – Flight to Ha Noi (B/L)

Day 7: Hanoi city tour (B)

Day 8: Hanoi – Halong (overnight on boat) (B/L/D)

Day 9: Halong – Hanoi airport – Departure (B)

Day 1. Arrival in Ho Chi Minh city

Welcome to Ho Chi Minh city, the largest metropolis of Vietnam!

Upon arrival, you will be welcomed by our guide and escorted to your hotel in the city center, where you will have time to freshen up and relax after a long journey. Late afternoon, embark on a sunset cruise along the Saigon River. Enjoy a glass of wine while cruising along the different neighbourhoods of the city. Head back to your hotel and enjoy the rest of the evening on your own.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh city.

Day 2. Ho Chi Minh – Cu Chi Tunnels (breakfast/lunch)

Today, you will travel to Cu Chi to visit the famous tunnels built during the wars by the Viet Cong. Touring the extensive underground tunnel network will provide a better understanding of the Vietnamese resilience during combat despite the incredible hardship of life in the tunnels. Once back in the city, take a stroll to major sights such as the colonial Notre Dame Cathedral, the Old Saigon Post Office, the Opera House, Dong Khoi Street and more. After that, visit Fito Museum, known as Vietnam’s first traditional medicine museum, where you will discover many documents and information about traditional Vietnamese medicine.

Return to your hotel and spend the evening at your leisure.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh city.

Day 3. Ho Chi Minh city – Mekong Delta – Ho Chi Minh city – Flight to Hue (breakfast/lunch)

After breakfast you will depart from Ho Chi Minh city to explore Ben Tre in Mekong Delta. Take a boat for a cruise along the river  and make some stops along the way to discover different local workshops, allowing you to better understand the local specialities. Wander around the village on a bicycle or tuk tuk to learn about rural life and the industry created around coconut products before stopping at a small local restaurant to taste a delicious lunch made of regional specialities, such as “elephant ear” fish, freshwater shrimps.

Return to Ho Chi Minh city to catch a short flight to Hue city, the former imperial capital of Vietnam.

Overnight in Hue.

Day 4. The imperial of Hue (breakfast/lunch)

Spend a morning exploring Hue’s bucolic countryside. Set off early in the morning in order to capture the villages at their most lively.

On the outskirts of the city stop at Thanh Toan, a remarkable bridge built more than 200 years ago. One of only two covered bridges in Vietnam, Thanh Toan has stood the test of time, lasting through wars, floods and numerous storms.

Carry on through the countryside to Thanh Tien. For hundreds of years the residents of this village have made beautiful paper flowers including chrysanthemums, orchids and lotus designs. Witness the locals crafting these delicate creations and learn about their role in traditional Vietnamese culture.

Nearby is Sinh, a scenic village situated on the lower stretch of the Perfume River. Visit family-run workshops where skilled craftsmen make woodblock prints, another of Central Vietnam’s ancient art forms. These hand-made items are used during the Lunar New Year as burning effigies for ancestor worship. See the prints being made from start to finish, using techniques handed down from generation to generation.

Return to town with a relaxing trip along the Perfume River, or better known as The Perfume River. The boat drops you off at the beautiful Thien Mu Pagoda, dating back from the year 1601, which is also home to many young people who want to try out and learn from life as a monk.

In the afternoon, explore the ancient capital of with stops at the Imperial Citadel and the last resting place of the 12th King Khai Dinh, he left behind a magnificent and huge burial idyllically located in Chau Chu Mountain just outside of Hue, home to a mix of eastern and western architecture. It took 11 years to build his final resting place and was completed in 1931.

Overnight in Hue.

Day 5. Hue – Hoi An Ancient Town (breakfast)

This morning you leave for Hoi An through the spectacular Hai Van Pass which offers a superb panoramic view of the bay below. Stop en route at Lang Co Beach and then the Cham Museum, which homes the world’s finest collection of Cham statues and works of art.

Upon arrival, walk through Hoi An ancient town center and visit old merchant homes, the stunning 400-year old Japanese Bridge, and a Chinese communal hall filled with bustling vendors and colorful sights.

This afternoon, meet with a local lantern-making artisan whose family has been making lanterns for decades. Have fun with a hands-on lesson from the artisan on lantern making, choosing your own silk fabric, colours, and pattern. Overnight in Hoi An.

Day 6. Hoi An – My Son Sanctuary – Da Nang – Flight to Ha Noi (breakfast)

After breakfast, depart from Hoi An for My Son, the capital and religious center of the former Champa Kingdom which ruled the Central and Southern part of Vietnam. Walk through the old red brick towers that were created between the seventh and thirteenth centuries to learn about the history and culture of the now-defunct civilization.

In the evening, travel to Da Nang airport for a short flight to Hanoi. Overnight in Ha Noi.

Day 7. Ha Noi city tour (breakfast)

Set off on an exploration of Vietnam’s bustling capital.

First, you’ll visit the Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s first university, founded in 1076. Known locally as Quoc Tu Giam, this place of learning was established inside a temple to educate Vietnam’s nobles, scholars and society’s elites. Its well-preserved architecture and tranquil gardens offer intriguing glimpses into Vietnam’s past.

Next, continue to the One Pillar Pagoda, founded in 1049 by King Ly Thai To. Today this pagoda is widely recognized as one of Vietnam’s most iconic temples. Head to the nearby mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh, then to the former president’s house where Ho Chi Minh lived from 1958 to 1969. (The house can only be viewed from outside; closed Monday and Friday and from October to November.)

In the afternoon, take a walk around the Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem lake area to taste a wide variety of Hanoi authentic street food. Café culture is a huge part of Hanoi life, thus stopping at a coffee shop is highly recommended for coffee lovers!

Overnight in Ha Noi.

Day 8. Ha Noi – Ha Long Bay (breakfast/lunch/dinner)

After breakfast, depart by private vehicle for Ha Long Bay, Vietnam’s best-loved UNESCO World Heritage site! Meaning “dragon descending into the sea,” Ha Long owes its name to a Vietnamese myth. The 1,600-plus limestone karsts and islets that dot the bay are thought to be the dragon’s back poking out of the jade green water.

At around noon, you’ll arrive at the Halong Bay jetty. Here, you’ll hop aboard your boat and begin your join-in, overnight Halong Bay cruise.

In the afternoon enjoy various activities planned by the boat’s staff, or just relax on the sundeck.

Lunch and dinner will be served on board with an excellent menu of fresh seafood.

Overnight on the bay amongst the karst formations.

Day 9. Ha Long – Ha Noi airport – Departure (breakfast)

After spectacular dawn over the bay and breakfast onboard, you will continue your cruise trip to explore the limestone formations of Ha Long Bay. Enjoy a brunch during your returning back to the pier. Arrive at the pier and meet your local guide to travel ahead to Noi Bai airport for your onward flight.

End of services.

Inclusions services: 

• Hotel accommodation with daily breakfast
• Land transportation by private air-conditioned vehicles
• Experienced and skilled English-Speaking Guide
• All admission fee at attractions as mentioned in the itinerary.
• All meals as mentioned in the itinerary.
• Sharing cabins in Halong tour as mentioned in the itinerary.

Exclusions services: 

• Visa handling fee,visa stamping fee.
• Internal airfares in the tour (please refer to the airfare supplement)
• International airfare from/to Vietnam
• Any other meals not mentioned above.
• Any kind of drinks in meals
• All other services which are not mentioned in INCLUSIONS
• Early check-in and late check-out at all hotels
• Travel insurance in all kinds
• Personal expenses such as Bar, telephone, Laundry bills …
• Tipping/ Gratuities Guideline
• Any additional expenses caused by reasons beyond our control such as natural calamities (Typhoon, floods), flight delays, rescheduling or cancellations, any accidents, medical evacuations, riots, strikes etc.
• Surcharge for peak season/public holidays if any.