ITINERARY
Start in charming Hanoi , Vietnam’s artistic and intellectual capital. Explore the fascinating Old Quarter and its hundreds of specialty shops selling silk clothing, lacquerware, embroidered linens, furniture, bamboo, cooking utensils, ceremonial objects and more
Walk around Hoan Kiem Lake, ride a cyclo to dinner, and watch a performance of at the Thang Long Water Puppet Theater.
Then you have the chance to visit Pu Luong, Pu Luong is a new sightseeing and exploration destination for your adventure in the north of Vietnam. You will be highly impressed by the scenery and wild beauty of Mai Chau and Pu Luong Village, especially the terraced rice fields and primeval forests located here. In particular, there is ample time to enjoy peaceful villages, beautiful valleys, local culture and see first-hand, the daily life of the Thai and Muong ethnic minorities.
Take an overnight cruise on a junk in Halong Bay, where thousands of limestone rock sculptures jut dramatically from the sea and numerous grottoes have created an ephemeral, fantastic landscape.
Visit Hue, the former Imperial capital that is a quiet city renowned for the magnificent architecture of its citadel, palaces, royal tombs, pagodas and temples, built under the Nguyen dynasty on the banks of the Perfume River.
Visit atmospheric Hoi An, a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site and riverfront port town crammed with historic homes, tiny museums, cafes, and bustling silk and fish markets.
Fly from Da Nang to HCMC (formerly Saigon), the country’s commercial center and home to a growing number of upscale restaurants and shops. Visit Chinatown, the Thien Hau Pagoda, the Reunification Palace, the Opera House and Hotel de Ville. Explore colorful outdoor markets and Dong Khoi Street, the city’s most upscale shopping boulevard with boutiques selling clothes and accessories by new Vietnamese designers, hill tribe crafts, high-quality linens, and housewares. Take a day trip to the Cu Chi Tunnels and watch an unusual, spend the day cruising the narrow canals of the Mekong Delta.
Stay several days at the beachfront Resort in Phu Quoc Island at the end of the trip.
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Day 01: Hanoi Arrival
Arrive at Noi Bai International Airport. You will be warmly welcomed by our guide and driver. Transfer to the hotel in about 35 minute drive. Check in and have a restful overnight stay at the hotel. If check-in is earlier in day time, then the rest of the day is at your own leisure.
Meal: None
Tour guide: English speaking guide
Day 02: Hanoi City Tour
This full day tour will take you around Hanoi’s most interesting sights, including the Ho Chi Minh Complex,Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum and his Stilts House, the Presidential Palace, the One Pillar Pagoda nearby and the Old Quarter, known for its maze of 36 streets and former craft guilds.
Also on the tour, you’ll visit the Temple of Literature, find the Lake of the Restored Sword, Ngoc Son Temple, and Ethnology Museum. Enjoy water puppet show. Overnight in Hanoi.
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch
Tour guide: English speaking guide
Day 03: Hanoi – Mai Chau
8:00 AM – pick up from your hotel. On the morning drive to Mai Chau, we’ll leave the city behind and pass through craggy, mountainous landscape. We drive up a massive pass and end in the mountainous circus of Mai Chau around noon time. Lunch will be served in Mai Chau Ecolodge.
In the afternoon, we’ll have a small walk around Mai Chau valley before getting a quick transfer to a small remote village of Mai Hich. Weather permits there’s a chance for a small cycling around the green village. Afterward, we return for dinner and overnight in Mai Chau.
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Tour guide: English speaking guide
Day 04: Mai Chau – Pu Luong Retreat
Following breakfast you begin a soft trek in this beautiful valley, going from one village to another and have a chance to get in touch with local villagers going about their daily business tilling the fields, logging or herding the buffalo. The driver will meet you at Lac village for transfer to Pu Luong Nature Reserve.
PM: You will be transferred to a place, it about 12 km from the Retreat, where you will start your walk to suspension bridge over the Cham River, afterward you will walk follow the river, the landscape of the river, rice field and the village were widen in your eyes, walk from village to village in search of stunning water wheels. Get up close to each wheel and discover how water is moved from river to handmade bamboo aqueducts via simple constructions of all sizes.
Arriving at Chieng Lau village, where you can take a rest and enjoy tranquil streamside scenery. Walk to the main road to be transferred back to Pu Luong Retreat for dinner.
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Tour guide: English speaking guide
Day 05: Pu Luong Retreat
AM: Start early to descend into the beautiful valley facing the Retreat where you walk around tumbling rice terraces. Trek through small paths shrouded in vegetation to slowly reveal a picturesque village sitting at the base of a towering mountain.Your camera will not be able to sit still!
Continuing to the base of the valley, you weave between roads and farmland, villages and wild fields, ponds and rivers, mountains and open land. Savour the ever-changing scenery as you trek to a beautiful spot to enjoy a simple picnic lunch.
PM: After enjoying delicious food, you have free time to explore the refreshing water to the nearby river, before moving to our pick up point to be transferred back to the Retreat.
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Tour guide: English speaking guide
Day 06: Pu Luong – Ninh Binh
After breakfast at Pu Luong Retreat, you will leave Pu Luong for Ninh Binh to continue on your journey to visit the ancient capital of Hoa Lu – the capital of Vietnam in the 10th century, admire the architecture of the two temples dedicated to the kings of the Dinh and Le dynasties. Then, hop aboard a sampan boat to explore Trang An Complex grottoes (Halong Bay on land), enjoy the spectacular scenery whilst gliding along the river amongst rice paddies and ranges of the limestone mountains that tower above (2 hrs). You can cycle around paddy field and Tam Coc area. Overnight in Ninh Binh.
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Tour guide: English speaking guide
Day 07: Ninh Binh – Halong Bay
After breakfast, you will be transferred to Ha Long Bay and arrive the jetty around 11.30 p.m. Have lunch on cruise through the bay. Depends on which cruise you choose, the detailed itinerary will basically include a visit to the cave, kayaking, swimming in crystal water. Dinner and overnight on the cruise.
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Tour guide: English speaking guide on board
Day 08: Halong Bay – Hanoi – Danang
Wake up on the bay to the sounds of waves, fresh air, and breeze. After breakfast, visit a beautiful limestone grotto then walk back to the boat for a final glimpse of Halong Bay while cruising back to the dock. The boat arrives at the harbor by 11.30 am. Your driver is waiting to take you back to Hanoi airport for your flight to Danang.
Up on arrive in Danang, our driver & guide will pick you up & take you to hotel in Hoi An for check in.
Special note: Cruise itineraries and schedules are subject to change without pre notice depending on the weather and operating conditions.
Meal: Brunch
Tour guide: English Speaking Guide
Day 09: My Son Holyland – Hoi An Ancient Town
After breakfast, you take the half day private tour to My Son – the sanctuary of Cham culture. Wander around the ruins of ancient My Son holy land and imagine the Champa people’s glory days dating from the 4th to the 13th century.
Lunch will be served in a local restaurant. Afternoon we take a walking tour into the Old Quarter to visit the Chinese Embassy Halls, Japanese Covered Bridge. Phuc Kien Pagoda & Tan Ky House. Early evening will be free time for shopping or relaxation. Overnight in Hoi An.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Tour guide: English speaking guide
Day 10: Farmer to Fisherman in Hoi An
After breakfast, spend the rest of your day getting to know rural Vietnam. Start with a bike ride along green rice paddies to a nearby village where you will roll up your sleeves and help out the farmers. Head back to Hoi An and take a short river cruise to meet some fisherman for a hands-on lesson in net-fishing. Here you’ll gain a deep appreciation for how difficult (but amusing) it is to paddle bamboo basket boats.
Head back to your hotel early in the evening and either enjoy another night on the riverside promenade in Hoi An, or tuck in for an early night’s sleep.
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch
Tour guide: English Speaking Guide
Day 11: Hoi An – Danang – Hue
You will leave Hoi An for another World Heritage site, Hue, via the Hai Van pass. You will stop to visit the Marble Mountains and a handicraft village before arriving in Hue. Free at leisure time. Overnight in Hue.
Meals: Breakfast
Tour guide: English speaking guide
Day 12: Hue City Tour
Breakfast in hotel and meet up with our local guide again to start a day exploring the charms of The Citadel in this former Imperial City with many well-preserved royal monuments in Hue. Board a dragon boat to cruising the Perfume River and stop at Thien Mu Pagoda to visit one of the most ancient and historic Buddhist place. After a lunch served in a local restaurant, continue to visit the most famous Tu Duc’s tomb and Hue’s biggest Dong Ba Market. Overnight in Hue.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Tour guide: English speaking guide
Day 13: Hue – Ho Chi Minh City
This morning, our driver will pick you up at the hotel and transfer to airport for the morning flight to Saigon. On arrival, welcome by our guide and driver then drive to downtown and check into your hotel. In the afternoon, we start our half-day city tour of Ho Chi Minh City. Highlights includes The Old Post Office, Notre Dame Cathedral, Independence Hall, War Remnants Museum and the bustling Ben Thanh Market. Evening time is at your own leisure and overnight in HCMC.
Meals: Breakfast
Tour guide: English speaking guide
Day 15: Mekong Delta for a day to Ben Tre
Ben Tre is the best option for a day trip to the Mekong Delta from Saigon, since it is only around 2 hours away, and 15 minutes from My Tho. However, this wonderful destination retains an authenticity which has been somewhat lessened in nearby My Tho.
This picturesque and friendly Mekong Delta town has historically seen very few travelers, but the recent opening of a bridge connecting Ben Tre and My Tho has made it far easier for day trippers to visit from Saigon.
Our one-day cruise excursion starts at 8:00 am from the lobby of your hotel in Saigon with a drive to Ben Tre. While there, you can take a walk along the waterfront, lined with French era shops and houses, and you’ll see plenty of coconuts being unloaded from boats for dispatch around the country. Then, jump on a boat for a couple of hours of cruising on the Mekong River. You will enjoy your delicious lunch at a local restaurant or on board. The excursion will end at around 4:00 pm where the vehicle will await you for your transfer back to Saigon.
*The itinerary may vary depending on which Mekong program you choose.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Tour guide: English speaking guide
Day 15: Saigon – Cu Chi Tunnel – Fly to Phu Quoc Island
After breakfast at hotel, you will drive to the Cu Chi Tunnels, which consist of more than 200 km of underground tunnels. This main axis system has many branches connecting to underground hideouts, shelters, and entrances to other tunnels. The network included innumerable trap doors, specially constructed living areas, storage facilities, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers and kitchens. Today the remaining tunnels have become a major tourist attraction giving the visitor a unique experience and a feel of what underground life was like during the U.S.-Vietnam War.
In the afternoon, you will be transferred to the airport for flight to Phu Quoc. Upon arrival Phu Quoc, you will be greeted and transfer to hotel for check in and you are free at leisure. Overnight in Phu Quoc.
Meals: Breakfast
Tour guide: English speaking guide
Day 16: Phu Quoc Island
Breakfast at hotel Free at leisure. And Overnight in Phu Quoc.
Meals: Breakfast
Tour guide: None
Day 17: Phu Quoc Island
Breakfast at hotel Free at leisure. And Overnight in Phu Quoc.
Meal: Breakfast
Day 18: Phu Quoc – Ho Chi Minh – Departure
There is no activity planned for today so you are free until transfer to the airport for your onward flight.
Meal: Breakfast
