Highlights
– Experience the former life of Vietnamese guerillas by trying creeping into the tunnel in Cu Chi
– Cruise in Halong Bay, UNESCO World Heritage and discover a unique natural beauty
– Discover the thick walls and opulent tombs of the historic emperors in Hue
– Visit My Son Holy land and explore the Hindu temples
– Visit Cham Museum to understand more about the former inhabitant's tradition
– Taste Vietnamese cuisines as well as enjoy an excursion in Ho Chi Minh City
Full Itinerary
Day 1: Hanoi Arrival
Welcome on arrival by our guide and then we will drive to Hanoi. Your room is at disposal from 14.00 onwards.
When arriving at Hanoi hotel, our guide will have a small discussion with you if you are not tired. It will be time to brief your holiday in Vietnam and you can ask our local guide any question.
Our local guide then will give you our comprehensive guide information for what to do, where to eat in highlighted sites in Vietnam. You will be very confident with our updated and accurate guideline. Enjoy your free time afterward.
Meals on your own. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 2: Full day exploring culture of Hanoi (B)
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel and then we will start the exploration around Hanoi city - The heart of Vietnam. First stop will be Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (closed on Monday and Friday) where the great President Ho Chi Minh rests in peace. We will visit the traditional stilt house and the respected One-Pillar Pagoda, the special pagoda with a particular structure.
Afterward, we will transfer to the thousand-year-old Temple of Literature, the famous first university in Vietnam to understand more about the culture of Vietnam in feudalism. It was constructed in 1070 under Ly Thanh Tong’s dynasty, first to honor Confucius and now to celebrate the doctorates and high ranking scholars of Vietnam.
After a short rest, visit around Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple as well as the Ethnology Museum (closed on Monday) where you can explore the diversity of Vietnam’s ethnic groups before enjoying a traditional water puppet show performed after the sunset.
Transfer back to the hotel. Meals on your own and take a sound sleep for the following day!
Day 3: Day trip to enjoy cruising on Halong Bay (B, L)
After breakfast, we will leave Hanoi for a 180-km journey to Halong Bay, one of UNESCO World Heritage site with its 2000 islands located in a background of limestone in Gulf of Tonkin. Coming to Halong, visitors will be impressed with the beauty of natural achievement and many wonderful types of scenery.
You will enjoy the cruise on a wonderful boat floating on Halong Bay and savoring a special menu of fresh seafood will absolutely bring you the best moment you have ever had. Cruise in Halong Bay, you will be impressed with the natural beauty of many limestone karsts slopped down into the water and are dotted with lush greenery as well as the aquamarine water of the Bay.
Transfer back to Hanoi by private vehicle and we will arrive at your hotel by early evening.
Dinner on your own. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 4: Hanoi – Fly to Hue – Explore The Forbidden City (B)
After your breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for flight to Hue.
Welcome on arrival and then we will catch a cyclo to the Royal Citadel – the World Heritage Site known as a not-to-be-missed destination for anyone in Hue.
Then we will visit the Phu Mong village and stop at a garden house containing in each a particular decorating and garden plumage style. The local houses usually reflect the traditions combine both garden and restaurant that permits local to grow some plants used in Hue’s imperial cuisine.
The route will lead us to the Purple City known as Forbidden City in the heart of the Imperial Citadel. Having built-in 1804 under the reign of King Gia Long III, the citadel continued to be built more until it was renamed in 1822 under the reign of King Minh Mang III. Inside the citadel, there are over 50 architectural monuments with different functions.
Being the accommodation of the King with family, Forbidden Citadel was strictly protected from not only the civilians but also unauthorized officials. Thus, the life inside the citadel has been a secret. The wall architecture is decorated with nature patterns that make it once the grand center of the ancient capital.
Transfer back to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 5: The emperor’s tomb in Hue – Hoian town (B)
Following the breakfast is a leisure tour to the impressive Emperor Khai Dinh’s Tomb completed in 1931 after 11 years of construction. The tomb’s architecture is vivid with its colorful ceramics and pottery elements. In the yard in front of the Mausoleum, there are many statues of troops and horses in the queue.
Leaving Khai Dinh Mausoleum, we will transfer to Hoi An for hotel check-in. The balance of the day is free at your leisure.
Day 6: The ancient town of Hoian (B)
The day will be devoted to exploring the attractive Hoian port town on a leisure walking tour with our tour guide.
In the 16th century, Hoian used to be the national trading center for East-West commercial itinerary. It seems to be the assembly point for the diversity of ancient streets and homes. Particularly, the quaint cobblestone streets with more than two-century-old Chinese houses are indispensable subjects to visit and explore.
Visit the 400-year-old Japanese Covered Bridge built by Japanese merchants in the 16th century, the Phuc Kien Assembly Halls, and the local fish market are some indispensable places that you should visit in Hoi An. Let’s stop off at a tailor-made shop to get yourself favorite clothes, suits or dresses.
Transfer back to the hotel and enjoy the rest of the day on your own. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 7: Excursion to My Son - A display of heritage (B)
Today, we will head to My Son, a concentration of abandoned and partially ruined Hindu temples constructed between the 4th and the 14th century AD by the kings of Champa. In this period, the valley at My Son was a site of religious ceremony for kings of the ruling dynasties of Champa, as well as a burial place for Cham royalty and national heroes.
Transfer back to the hotel with the remainder of the day free at your leisure.
You can walk down to the street and explore Hoi An on your own with thousands of lovely corners with small boutique restaurants, coffee house or souvenir shops.
Meals on your own. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 8: Fly to Ho Chi Minh City – An insight city tour (B)
Say goodbye to Hoi An in the morning, we will transfer to Da Nang airport for flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Welcome on arrival by your guide and then we will enjoy an exploration around the city which was named “Pearl of the Orient”.
Welcome on arrival and drive you to visit this dynamic metropolis. Let’s visit some historic sites of the city such as the Old Post Office of Saigon, the Notre Dame Cathedral, Dong Khoi Street and the Chinese District of Cho Lon, Thien Hau pagoda as well as astonishing Ben Thanh Market.
Transfer back to the hotel. Meals on your own. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 9: Cu Chi Tunnel – underground secret (B)
Today we will spend time visiting the famous Cu Chi Tunnel, the historic shelter of Vietnamese soldiers during the war.
We will pay a visit to the traps, the mysterious way-in, the network of bunkers and the underground hermitage. Furthermore, there gives you a unique and wonderful chance to use real guns and bullets at rifle range as well as even creep into the Cu Chi Tunnels to understand the historic harsh life of Vietcong guerrillas. Covering almost 250km, the tunnels system helped over 16.000 communist guerillas alive during the war.
Relaxing with green tea and tapioca as Vietcong in wartime, you will understand more about their former life.
Transfer back to the hotel. Free time at your leisure. Meals on your own. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 10: Ho Chi Minh City - Departure (B)
Enjoy your free time for shopping, or exploring Saigon’s coffee house and its busy street before you are transferred to the airport for your departure flight. Room is at disposal until noontime only. Meals on your own. End of the tour!
Inclusion
– Accommodation
– Internal flight in economy class (Hanoi - Hue; Danang - Saigon)
– Tours and transfers as mentioned by private air-conditioned vehicle
– Boat trips as mentioned in the itinerary
– English speaking guide
– Meals where mentioned (B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner)
– Entrance fees
Exclusion
– International flight ticket
– Single supplement surcharge
– Vietnam visa stamp fee
– Other meals than mentioned
– Other services than mentioned
– Drinks, other than water on activity days
– Personal expenses (laundry, telephone, drinks, tip...)
– Travel insurance