Day 01: Ho Chi Minh Arrival ( No Meals )
Upon arrival in Ho Chi Minh City, Our driver picks you up at the airport and heads downtown to check-in at your hotel. Free at leisure
Day 02: Mekong Delta Cruise ( B, L )
8:00 – 8:10 AM Our tour guide will transfer you to the City of My Tho by bus. During 1.5 hours bus drive to My Tho join activities of local people and enjoy nice scenery of green rice paddy fields. We visit Vinh Trang pagoda – the biggest pagoda in the Mekong delta. Continue going to My Tho, where we take a boat trip along the Mekong River. During a boat cruise along the Mekong River, you can see fish cages, floating houses on the river.
The boat takes you to a small canal, where is the place you totally escape from the busy town. The boat cruise in the coconut trees canal takes you to a coconut island in Ben Tre. We disembark and have a walk around the village. Stop at a local family to enjoy tropical fruit, taste honey tea, honey wine and listen to Vietnamese traditional music, performances by the villagers.
Continue walking on the village’s road to the coconut candy shop, learn how to make candy, show some handicrafts made by coconut trees. Take a walk through the village with two sides there is so many kinds of fruits, flowers, trees, local houses, children in Mekong delta, take your time to have nice photos and enjoy nature scenery. Then, we head to the local restaurant. Lunch is set with special Vietnamese food here. Enjoy lunch under tree shadow you will feel the life is so beautiful.
After lunch you relax half an hour to walk around the village or biking, travel on the river to back the ferry, transit to the bus back Ho Chi Minh, arriving in HCM at around 16:30.
Day 03: Cu Chi Tunnels Tour – Train to Da Nang (Hoi An) (B )
8:00 – 8:10 AM We depart from Ho Chi Minh City to Cu Chi Tunnels for 60km from Ho Chi Minh City. Cu Chi is now considered a heroic district for its role in the anti – American war in Vietnam. It is legendary for its tunnels system of over 220 km and is a popular spot for both Vietnamese and foreigners.
The peacefully rural rice paddy scenery contains ducks and water buffaloes swimming in the rivers along the side of the road. You will find it hard to imagine the destruction, damage and defoliation all over the area, caused by bombing and mines when Cu Chi was “A Free Target Zone “. The remnants you will see that Cu Chi still has her evidence to prove the fierce battleground that took place there. Ever wonder what it feels like to fire an AK-47? Visit Cu chi tunnels, you have a chance to find out!
At 14:30 we’ll travel by bus back to Ho Chi Minh City and be free until 21:00. Then we’ll transfer to the train station for an overnight train to Da Nang (Hoi An).
Day 04: Danang – Hoi An ( No Meals )
At 13:35 You’ll arrive at Da Nang train station and transfer to Hoi An.
You are free to discover the ancient town: Japanese Bridge, lantern road, traditional tailor shop, and enjoy the local specialties. We highly suggest seeing the sunset at Cua Dai beach.
Overnight in Hoi An.
Day 05: My Son Hollyland Tour ( B, L )
8:00 – 8:30 AM Our guide picks you up at your hotel and departs to My Son Holyland – the world cultural heritage.
9:30 Arrive at My Son and we’ll have 2 hours to discover the site by walking throughout the landscape, learning histories with our local English-speaking guide, enjoying the Champa’s traditional performances.
11:30 Get back to the minivan and move to a local house to learn how to make rice paper, you will enjoy your own hand-making product later on!
12:00 Back to the van and have lunch at another local house, relax with cold herbal tea, nice foods, and fresh air.
13:00 Take a boat trip to Hoi An with nice and cool breeze onboarding, beautiful river scenery on the biggest river in the Central of Vietnam named as Thu Bon River.
14:00 Arrive in Hoi An, we will drop you at your hotel. Tour ends!
Overnight in Hoi An.
Day 06: Hoi An – Danang – Hanoi ( B )
Breakfast at the hotel. Free at your leisure.
8:30 AM Car pick you up at your hotel, transfer you to the airport for the flight to Ha Noi.
12:00 Arrive in Hanoi, airport picks up and transfers Hanoi Old Quarter.
Overnight in Ha Noi.
Day 07: Hanoi – Halong Bay Cruise ( B, L, D )
7:30 – 7:45 AM Our guide will meet you at your hotel in the morning. Enjoy the peaceful scenery as we travel by bus or car through the countryside, farmlands, and Red River delta – get your camera ready to take photos. The time from Hanoi to Halong bay is approximately 3 ½ hours.
Arriving Tuan Chau marina around 12:00. Welcome aboard the cruise. Refresh with our welcome drink. Meet the captain, crew in the cruise briefing. Check into your cabin. Time to refresh and unwind and we’ll set sail as lunch is served.
In the afternoon, arrive at Surprising Cave (Hang Sửng Sốt), explore the cave and find out how the cave was named. Head to Titop island area. Drop anchor in the calm water surrounded by beautiful islets. Visit Titop island for swimming and snorkeling or do the short trek to the top of the island to have an overview of Halong bay from here.
Head back toward the sleeping area in the early evening. Relax on the sundeck watching the sunset and enjoy a sunset party. An authentic Vietnamese menu will be served. After dinner, reward yourself with a large selection of cocktails at our bar or take for you one of our onboard activities: book reading, games, movies, and squid fishing…
Overnight on Cruise Halong Bay.
Day 08: Halong Bay – Hanoi ( B, L )
For the early risers, join us for a Tai Chi session on the sundeck at 6:30 AM. Tai chi helps focus the mind and condition the body, joining Tai Chi sessions to full charge your energy for the day.
7:00 – 8:00 Local breakfast is served.
Enjoy the stunning views of the bay and its dramatic limestone islets as we sail through the calm emerald waters heading to Luon Cave (Hang Luồn). You can either explore the cave yourself on a kayak or comfortably on a bamboo boat rowed by the locals. At 9 am, check out of the cabins, at your leisure while our cruise takes you past other beautiful highlights in the bay.
Next, join our short class of Cooking demonstration, how to make spring rolls before an early lunch is served. Return to the shore and disembark from the cruise as our crew says farewell.
Transfer to minibus or private and return to Hanoi.
Arrive back at your hotel at approximately 16:30 – 17:00.
Overnight in Ha Noi.
Day 09: Hanoi City Tour ( B, L )
7:45 – 8:00 Our bus & tour guide will pick you up at the hotel in Ha Noi old quarter depart to Hanoi city tour full day.
9:00 Visiting first place named Tran Quoc pagoda on the West Lake the oldest pagoda in Vietnam.
9:30 Visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Museum to explore the architectural and historical aspects of Uncle Ho’s final resting-place. Just next door is Ho Chi Minh’s house on stilts and lying to one side of the Mausoleum is the One-Pillar Pagoda which was founded by King Ly Thai To in 1049 – the structure has become an important symbol for the people of Hanoi.
11:00 Visit the Bat Trang Pottery Village
In the afternoon:
13:00 Bus takes you to a local restaurant in Hanoi Old Quarter, have a rest, and enjoy lunch.
14:00 Visit Temple of Literature, the most famous temple situated in Hanoi, also functioned as Vietnam’s first university. It was first constructed in 1070 under King Ly Nhan Tong and dedicated to Confucius, sages, and scholars. A vast structure that has existed to the present day.
15:30 Drive to legendary Hoan Kiem Lake, visit Ngoc Son Temple dedicated to Van Xuong saint and former general commander Tran Hung Dao for his struggle against Mongolians. You also see the beautiful Vietnamese and French architecture around the lake.
16:00 Arrive back at your hotel. Tour ends!
Overnight in Ha Noi.
Day 10: Hanoi Departure ( B )
Free time in the morning
Transfer to the airport for the flight back home. See you again!