HO CHI MINH CITY - ARRIVAL

Upon arrival at Tan San Nhat international airport in Ho Chi Minh city, you will be welcomed by the tour guide and transferred to your hotel in the city center to check in. Relax after a long journey. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh city.

HO CHI MINH CITY- MEKONG DELTA

Depart from your hotel, it takes only two hours of a pleasant drive to Ben Tre Province. On arrival in Hung Vuong Pier, hop on a motorized boat on Ben Tre River – one of tributaries of Mekong River while sight-seeing lively activities along the river such as fishing or water transferring. Our first stop is at brick kiln to see how bricks are traditionally made by printing and baking. Continue to visit one of the many coconut processing workshops located along the canal. Return to the boat and go through natural scissors creeks to a village to enjoy some local fruits and to see how locals produce sleeping mats. Take a motorized cart (tuk tuk) or bicycle on shady paths, with beautiful green rice fields and vegetable plains on two sides. This gives you a chance to be able to get close to the local lifestyle and find out about typical culture from interacting with the peasants. Have lunch at a local riverside restaurant. After lunch, we take a rowing-boat along the beautiful water palm creek before returning to the motorized boat and head back to the pier where you will be transferred back to Ho Chi Minh City. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

HO CHI MINH CITY - HUE

After your breakfast at the hotel, depart for a city tour. It will give you a chance to visit the city's most significant destinations. You will very much enjoy the narrow streets of China town, the Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, or the Old Centre Post Office. If you would like to, your tour guide can drop you off at Ben Thanh Market for shopping. Transfer back to airport for an afternoon flight to Hue city. Upon arrival, our guide will check you in the hotel. Overnight in Hue.

HUE SIGHTSEEING

Start your day by visiting the city of Hue, former capital of Vietnam from 1802 to 1945 during the reign of the Nguyen dynasty emperors. It was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1993. 

We first visit the Dong Ba local market where all kinds of items from fresh seafood, vegetable, to ready-to-made clothes and beautiful typical Hue conical hats, are sold. Continue the visit to Hue Imperial Citadel, exploring the Flag Tower, Ngo Mon Gate, Nine Dynastic Urns, Nine Holy Cannons, Thai Hoa Palace, and Forbidden City.

In the afternoon, drive through the village lanes to visit a typical handicraft village (about 5km) where you can take part in some daily work with a host. Learn how to make traditional  rice crackers, and dry them. Enjoy some tea and rice crackers while chatting with the host to understand more about their traditions and daily life. The next stops are Tu Duc King Mausoleum and Thien Mu Pagoda. Then you board a cruise downstream back to Hue city. Enjoy the sunset on the romantic Perfume river (if weather permits). Overnight in Hue.

HUE – HOI AN, LOCAL SIGHTSEEING

After your breakfast at the hotel, we drive to Hoi An - Vietnam's famous old merchant town. On the way, we will pass by the Lang Co beach, the Hai Van Pass and the Marble Mountain. Hoi An is where the heritage streets beckon exploration and you would be tempted by the art galleries, hand crafted woodwork, ceramics, lanterns, embroidery and express tailor shops. Lunch at a local restaurant (Hotel check-in after 14:00)

This afternoon, we have a walking tour through historic Hoi An. We follow narrow lanes of centenary old buildings, ones that imprint the influences from the Chinese, Japanese and European Architectures. We also visit the town’s market and riverfront area. Visit a lantern making workshop in the village. Here, you will get a brief introduction of the history, shape, color of the lanterns. Choose your favorite samples of lantern and learn how to make them with the skillful craftsman. Keep the lantern as a souvenir. Return to the hotel in the late afternoon. Overnight in Hoi An.

HOI AN – HANOI, LOCAL SIGHTSEEING

After breakfast at the hotel, check-out and you will be escorted to Danang airport for a 1-hour flight to Hanoi city. Meet your guide and head to your hotel. This afternoon, you will visit the iconic sites of the city. 

Explore Van Mieu- Quoc Tu Giam (Temple of Literature & Vietnam’s first university). Constructed in the 11th century, Van Mieu- Quoc Tu Giam, with its colorful gardens and well-preserved buildings, offers a historical glimpse into Vietnam's past. Continue to visit Hoa Lo Prison museum or the Museum of Vietnamese Women.

Next up, we walk slowly through the narrow and busy Hanoi Old Quarter. It is where each street is named after the specific goods it once sold. Then, we stop to visit a local wet market before enjoying a Water Puppet show - a uniquely Northern Vietnamese art form depicting scenes from the rural life and episodes of national history. The skills of artists make the Water Puppets seem like human beings will amaze you. Overnight in Ha Noi.

HANOI – NINH BINH: HOA LU – TAM COC – BICH DONG

Depart at 7.30AM from your hotel in Hanoi for a 2-hour drive to Ninh Binh Province. Our first visit is to Hoa Lu - Vietnam’s former capital before it was move to Thang Long (now named Hanoi) in 1010 - and the remains of Dinh & Le Kings’ temples.

After lunch, get on small rowing boats to travel along the canals amid local village and green fields. Enjoy the beauty of Tam Coc (meaning 3 caves and also usually called “Ha Long Bay on land”). Go through the stunning caves before rowing back. Upon disembarking, visit Thai Vi Temple, then take an ox-cart ride through the peaceful countryside, rice fields and green mountains. Overnight in Ninh Binh.

NINH BINH – HA LONG BAY

Depart from your hotel for a 4.5 hour journey to Ha Long Bay – a UNESCO World Natural Heritage. This is where thousands of spectacular limestone islets and grottoes rise from the clear emerald Gulf of Tonkin. Upon arrival, have welcome drink on board prior to your check-in. Lunch with fresh seafood will be served while the boat is cruising through many stone islets, floating villages, and small beaches. Visit a floating fishing village, talk and meet local villagers prior to swimming or relaxing on the sundeck. Dinner will be ready at the time the boat anchors at a quiet designated overnight area. Overnight on board in Halong Bay.

Note: Itinerary is subject to change without prior notice according to weather conditions or local administration regulations. 

HA LONG BAY- HANOI

Breakfast is served while the junk boat cruises around Ha Long Bay. We will pass by many islets named by their shapes such as Dog, Incense Urn, Fighting Cock, or Finger islets. The boat will make a stop at Surprise Cave so you can explore this stunning attraction of Ha Long Bay. Brunch is served on boat while the junk boat continues cruising towards the wharf. Be ready to disembark from boat at about 10.30am prior to a bus ride back to Ha Noi. En-route, stop at a famous traditional ceramic craftsmanship village named Dong Trieu. Arrive at your hotel in the late afternoon. Overnight in Hanoi.

DEPARTURE FROM HANOI

Breakfast at the hotel and have some free time before heading to the airport for departure.