Essentials of Vietnam

Brief itinerary

Day 1 : Arrive to Ho Chi Minh city 
Day 2 : Ho Chi Minh city ½ day – Cu Chi half day tour ( B/L )
Day 3 : Ho Chi Minh city – My Tho – Ben Tre ( B/L/D )
Day 4: Ben Tre – Cai Be – Vinh Long – Ho Chi Minh( B/L)
Day 5 : Ho Chi Minh – Fly to Danang – Hoi An ( B/L )
Day 6 : Hoi An – My Son half day tour ( B/L )
Day 7 : Hoi An – Danang – Hue ( B/L )
Day 8 : Hue city tour – fly to Hanoi ( B/L)
Day 9 : Hanoi – Hoa Lu – Trang An grottoes ( B/L ) 
Day 10 :  Hanoi city tour full day ( B/L )
Day 11 : Arrive to Hanoi – Halong ( B/L/D )
Day 12 : Halong – Hanoi ( Brunch ) 
Day 13 :  Arrive to Hanoi - Departure

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 1 : Arrive to Ho Chi Minh city

Upon arrival to Tan Son Nhat airport, your group is picked up and transfer to your hotel. Relax after a long flight. O/N at hotel in Ho Chi Minh City.

Day 2 : Ho Chi Minh city ½ day – Cu Chi half day tour ( B/L )

AM: HCM City: We start the trip by visiting Notre Dame Cathedral, the historic Central Post Office, followed by exploring the Reunification Palace, and the remarkable site of the War Remnants Museum, (optional Ben Thanh Market - only drop off).
PM: Cu Chi Tunnels
Visit Cu Chi tunnels - an incredible system including numerous trap doors, specially constructed living areas, storage facilities, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers & kitchens. Visiting here, you will find out why Vietnam was the winner in the war. Return toSai Gon. 

Meals: Breakfast. Lunch 
Accommodation: HCM Hotel
Activities: HCM City tour - Cu chi tunnels

Day 3 : Ho Chi Minh city – My Tho – Ben Tre ( B/L/D )

7.30am: Departure from Ho Chi Minh city to Mekong delta.
The program will start at MY THO, travel around Dragon-Unicorn-Turtle-Phoenix Islands. Stop & visit Phoenix Island of BenTre where we have the opportunity to know about “Coconut Religion”. At Turtle Island, we will see the process of making coconut candy and enjoy it. Then, we will enjoy the peaceful landscape on the horse carriage, drink honey tea & fruits when listening to traditional music… 
   Come back the cruise with a special lunch served on board when we are toward Vinh Long. Check in Ut Trinh homestay (or other homestay on An Binh Island). 
Cooking some dishes with the owners. We enjoy diner & overnight in a private room of local house on Minh Island

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: HCM Hotel
Activities: Mekong boat trip

Day 4: Ben Tre – Cai Be – Vinh Long – Ho Chi Minh( B/L)

Have breakfast then boat to visit Cai Be floating market which is full of fruits and vegetables. Then, an optional stop can be made at local workshops where you can see how to make rice paper, and pop-rice, pop-corn ... 
One more thing to do in this trip is biking! It will be so amazing to bike on village paths to see the local farms, houses, real life and the ancestral ways to pick up fruits in Mekong Delta.
Our boat will end at  Vinhlong market in the town. This is the best choice for you to take pictures of fish, shrimps, prawns, crabs, snakes, rice-field rats, tropical fruits, vegetables...
And then, our private car will pick up again and transfer back to Ho Chi Minh city. O/N at hotel in Ho Chi Minh city.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: HCM Hotel
Activities: Floating market, boat trip

Day 5 : Ho Chi Minh – Fly to Danang – Hoi An ( B/L )

Have breakfast at your hotel and then transfer to the airport to get a short flight to Danang.
Upon arrive to Danang airport, our tour guide will transfer you to Hoi An, the most bustling international port from the 6th to 16th century, Hoi An is recognized as an UNESCO world heritage. You will enjoy a short walking tour through the narrow winding street of the ancient town, visit Tan Ky ancestral house, the Japanese Bridge, Phuc Kien Chinese Temple.
Overnight in Hoi An and leisure time to discover Hoi An at night with hundreds of lanterns.

Day 6 : Hoi An – My Son half day tour ( B/L )

Drive to My Son, a World Heritage, 50 km south-west of Hoi An. Located in a lush valley, My Son was a capital and religious center of Cham people, now remaining with red brick towers and sanctuaries. My Son, considered to be in the same league as some of Southeast Asia’s greatest archaeological sites, including Angkor in Cambodia, Bagan in Myanmar, Ayutthaya in Thailand and Borobudur in Indonesia. These towers and sanctuaries was built from the 7 to 13 centuries. Return to Town by and have lunch. In afternoon, free go shopping in Hoi An Old Town. Overnight in Hoi An.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hoi An Hotel
Activities: Historic tour Hoi An

Day 7 : Hoi An – Danang – Hue ( B/L )

AM: transfer to Hue, over the 30km-long Hai Van pass with a stop at the scenic of Lang Co for a drink before proceeding to Hue. Visit Imperial Citadel of the Nguyen Dynasty, Dong Ba market. Overnight in Hue.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hue Hotel
Activities: Hoian City tour

 

Day 8 : Hue city tour – fly to Hanoi ( B/L)

Have breakfast at hotel. Boat trip on Perfume River to visit Thien Mu Royal Pagoda. After that, we will drive out Hue’s outskirt to visit Khai Dinh Royal Tomb. 
PM: Get a short flight to Hanoi. Free and easy. O/N at hotel in Hanoi.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hanoi Hotel
Activities: Boat trip, Hue flight

 

Day 9 : Hanoi – Hoa Lu – Trang An grottoes ( B/L )

Day 10 : Hanoi city tour full day ( B/L )

Hanoi, a city of lakes, shaded boulevards and public parks, is the capital of Vietnam. It is a very attractive city with French-style architecture. You have a full day of sightseeing ahead, including a visit to Ho Chi Minh complex and the Temple of Literature, founded by Emperor Ly Thanh Tong. Stop in the heart of Hanoi at Hoan Kiem Lake, which contains an islet with a tiny Tortoise Pagoda. After lunch at a local restaurant, visit the Opera House and St. Joseph Cathedral, Hoa Lo prison. Conclude with a visit to Bao Tang Lich, once the museum of l’Ecole Francaise d’Extreme Orient, which includes artefacts from Vietnam’s turbulent history. Water Puppet Show, Cyclo visiting Hanoi Old Quarter. Overnight in Hanoi.
Note: This Hanoi city tour is designed for private. If you join a group, the program will be changed a little bit.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hanoi Hotel
Activities: Hanoi City tour

Day 11 : Arrive to Hanoi – Halong ( B/L/D )

8:00 – 8:30, we’ll drive from Hanoi to one of the most magnificent scenic environments of the world, Halong Bay. Covering 577 square miles, this vast bay is filled with more than 3,000 limestone “peaks” or karsts that jut from the deep blue water as far as your eyes can see. We’ll spend a day and a half, including an overnight with dinner and breakfast onboard, exploring this overwhelming seascape from the decks of a traditional Vietnamese boat. Comfortable and intimate, your boat features hand-crafted wooden interiors including a dining room and pleasant air-conditioned cabins with private baths. Since we’re overnight on the water, we’ll be able to explore Ha Long Bay’s most beautiful spots with time to swim and even visit some of the largest rock formations and caves. This promises to be one of your most memorable travel experiences in Asia. Stay overnight on Boat.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Halong Cruise
Activities: Halong Cruise trip

Day 12 : Halong – Hanoi ( Brunch )

Meals: Brunch
Accommodation: Hanoi Hotel
Activities: Halong cruise trip

Day 13 : Arrive to Hanoi - Departure

 

Free at leisure until our driver transfers to Noi Bai airport for departure flight back to your home. End of services.