Day 1: Arrival in Ho Chi Minh City (-)
Upon your arrival in Ho Chi Minh City, our driver will pick you up and take you to the hotel for check-in.
Free time for the rest of the day.
Day 2: Ho Chi Minh City – Mekong Delta – Panorama River Cruise (B, L, D)
After breakfast, we will head to Can Tho or Cai Be. You will then board a comfortable wooden river cruise vessel around noon. After a refreshing welcome drink, the crew will show you the on-board facilities and your cozy cabin. Lunch will be provided while you watch the fantastic scenery and the daily life in the Mekong Delta.
In the afternoon, you will disembark and go on a leisurely stroll through a village. There you will see the surrounding fruit orchards and rice fields. Also have a chance to meet the friendly locals and taste local exotic fruits and products.
Get back on board and enjoy a drink at the bar or relax on deck as the sun sets over the magnificent water landscape of the Mekong River. The boat will anchor for the night and you will finish your day with a delicious dinner onboard.
Overnight on the boat in a peaceful area in the middle of the Mekong Delta.
Day 3: Cai Rang – Cai Be Floating Market – Can Tho – My Tho – Ho Chi Minh City (B, L)
After breakfast, we will board a sampan boat to Cai Be or Cai Rang floating markets, the busiest and liveliest in the region. Marvel at the sheer abundance of exotic fruits and vegetables and admire the skillfully handcrafted regional products. You will be able to talk and bargain with the merchants who are selling their goods from their boats. Visit a local candy workshop and a cake-making factory or cruise on boat through the green water landscape to see local houses, verdant orchards and ship-building yards.
After a brunch on board (Can Tho) or a lunch at Mekong Rest Stop near My Tho, we will take you back to your hotel in Ho Chi Minh City.
Free time for the rest of the day.
Day 4: Ho Chi Minh City – City Tour – Cu Chi Tunnels (B, L, D)
This morning, we will discover some of the major landscapes of Ho Chi Minh City: Independence Palace, War Remnants Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, and Ben Thanh Market.
Lunch at a local restaurant.
In the afternoon, we will drive for 60km until reaching the site of Cu Chi Tunnels. This vast underground system was created in 1948 to assist the Viet Minh in their battle against the French. Afterwards, the tunnel complex kept being built and extended over 25 years. Indeed, it played a big role during Vietnam War and acted like a real underground city with living areas, kitchens, storage units, field hospitals, weapons factories, and command centers. At its peak, it housed around 10,000 people who virtually lived underground for years, with some getting married and giving birth to children inside the tunnels.
Later, we will drive back to Ho Chi Minh City and have dinner.
Free time in the evening.
Day 5: Ho Chi Minh City – Da Nang – Hoi An (B)
After breakfast you will have free time before being taken to the airport for your flight to Da Nang.
Upon arrival, you will be picked up and taken to Hoi An, where you will check-in at your hotel.
Free time for the rest of the day.
Day 6: Hoi An – Tra Que Vegetable Village – Hoi An (B, L)
After breakfast, our tour guide will take you for a short bike ride to visit Tra Que village. There, you will experience the daily life of local people and learn more about their work on vegetable fields. After a relaxing foot massage and a remarkable cooking class, you will have lunch with a local family.
In the afternoon, we will head back to Hoi An for a walking tour to visit the ancient city, including major landmarks like the Japanese bridge and Tan Ky House among others.
Dinner on your own and free time in the evening.
Day 7: Hoi An (B)
Free day in Hoi An to go to the beach and for shopping (or optional visits).
Day 8: Hoi An – Da Nang – Hue (B, L)
Have a good breakfast and enjoy free time in the morning to discover Hoi An on your own.
In the afternoon, we will drive to Hue, the former capital of Vietnam. On the way, we will stop to visit Marble Mountains, Cham Museum in Da Nang, and take a break at the top of Hai Van pass to observe the splendid panorama. After taking a few pictures at the beautiful Lang Co beach, we will reach Hue.
Check-in at the hotel and free time in the evening.
Day 9: Hue – City Tour (B, L)
The day will be dedicated to an exciting full-day visit of Hue.
After breakfast, we will go to Perfume River tourist port, where we will cruise along the peaceful river and its stunning scenery. After, a visit to Thien Mu Pagoda and The Citadel. Lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, we will visit the tombs of Emperors Minh Mang and Khai Dinh.
After going back to the city, we will visit Duc Son pagoda, which is also an orphanage home to hundreds of children who are cared for by the monks.
Dinner on your own and free time in the evening.
Day 10: Hue – DMZ in Quang Tri – Quang Binh (B, L, D)
Have a nice breakfast at your hotel before we head for a drive on national road No1. We will reach Dong Ha and go west to the Ho Chi Minh Road. We will then visit Dak Rong Bridge, a Pa Co ethnic minority village and the famed Khe Sanh Combat Base. This is the site of the Demilitarized Zone, which divided Vietnam in two (South Vietnam and North Vietnam) at the 17th parallel. We finish our visit of the DMZ before going back to Dong Ha for lunch.
In the afternoon, we will continue on national road No1. On the way, we will visit Vinh Moc Tunnel and Hien Luong Bridge. When we reach Dong Hoi City you will check-in at a resort.
Dinner at a restaurant and free time during the evening.
Day 11: Dong Hoi – Visit to Phong Nha Cave – Paradise Cave – Dong Hoi (B, L)
After a good breakfast at the resort, we will drive to Phong Nha Cave, a marvelous World Natural Heritage site. You will board on a tiny boat and cruise through the river while catching a glimpse of the daily life of local people. After approximately 25 minutes, we will finally reach Phong Nha Cave. You will have time to admire the beauty of the mineral and rocky formations of this splendid cavern. Some of them have been given nicknames such as “Lion”, “Unicorn”, “Fairy Caves”, “Royal Court”, “Kneeling Elephant”, and “Buddha”.
Lunch at local restaurant in Phong Nha.
After a nice meal, we will drive to Paradise Cave. We will walk around for half an hour in a typical tropical forest before reaching this huge cave (31.4-km long and a height ranging between 30 m and 100 m).
After a fabulous discovery of the cave, we will drive back to the resort.
Free time for the rest of the day.
Day 12: Dong Hoi – Hanoi (B, L)
You will have free time until our driver comes back and takes you to the airport for your flight to Hanoi. Upon arrival, you will be picked up by bus and taken to your hotel for check-in.
In the afternoon, we will discover Hanoi’s Old Quarter including the Cathedral, Opera House, Hoan Kiem Lake, Ngoc Son temple, Dong Xuan Market, O Quan Truong gate, Long Bien Bridge, and Hanoi’s ancient water tower.
Then, you will enjoy an Egg Coffee.
Back to the hotel and free time in the evening.
(Note: visit of Hanoi night market on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays).
Day 13: Hanoi (City Tour) – Night Train to Lao Cai (B, L)
Enjoy a nice breakfast before continuing to discover the millennium city of Hanoi.
You will visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Ba Dinh square, Presidential Palace, One Pillar Pagoda, and the Temple of Literature.
Lunch at a local restaurant.
In the afternoon, visit to the Vietnam Military History Museum and West Lake. Finally, we will rejoice in seeing a very nice water puppet show.
Dinner at a local restaurant before taken to the train station. You will board the night train for Lao Cai (air-conditioned cabin shared by 4 persons, soft beds).
Day 14: Lao Cai – Bac Ha – Sapa (B, L, D)
Upon your arrival at Lao Cai train station in the early morning, a private bus will pick you up and take you directly to Bac Ha Market. This famous market is one of the biggest in the region and is known for being a place where different minorities gather (including the Black H’Mong, Flower H’Mong, and Red Dzao groups among others). They bring a lot of colors to this place, thanks to their bright and spectacular traditional costumes.
After visiting Bac Ha Market, you will have lunch at a local restaurant.
In the afternoon, we will walk about 3 km to visit Ban Ho Village (inhabited by the Tay ethnic minority) before getting back on the bus and heading off to Sapa.
Overnight in Sapa.
Day 15: Sapa – Lao Cai – Night Train to Hanoi (B, L, D)
Today, we will take a footpath to trek on the rim of the deep valley of Muong Hoa. During the trek, you will have the opportunity to see the most enchanting rice terraces of the area while also having the chance to meet the H’Mong hill tribes of Lao Chai Village and the Dzay hill tribes of Ta Van Village.
Right after, we will have lunch before being picked up by our bus to head back to Sapa.
Free time for the rest of the day before heading to Lao Cai station. You will take your night train to return to Hanoi (air-conditioned cabin shared by 4 people, soft beds).
Day 16: Hanoi – Ninh Binh (B, L)
Arrival early in the morning. Check-in at a small guesthouse near the train station for a nap and breakfast. Then, a 2-hour drive awaits us before reaching Ninh Binh.
Today, we will visit Ninh Binh, surrounded by many limestone mountains emerging from rice fields. Ninh Binh is known as “Ha Long Bay on land”. We will visit the Trang An grottoes, newly recognized as World Natural Heritage site by the UNESCO. There, we will board bamboo row boats and cruise along the stream through 9 grottoes including Ba Giot, Dia Linh, Toi (“Dark Cave”), Sang (“Bright Cave”), Ao Trai, and Seo. We will also visit the valleys of Tran Temple, May, Khong, and Nau Ruou.
Later, we will go to Bai Dinh pagoda, the biggest in Vietnam.
In the afternoon, you will be able to bike and discover the countryside.
Dinner on your own and overnight at the hotel, in the peaceful countryside.
Day 17: Ninh Binh – Ha Long Bay (B, L, D)
After breakfast at the hotel, we will drive to the Red River Delta through Ninh Binh, Nam Dinh, Thai Binh, and Hai Phong provinces.
At Ha Long tourist port, we will board and enjoy a fresh seafood lunch while cruising through the thousands of islands and islets that forms this incredible World Natural Heritage site. We will have the opportunity to swim in the bay, explore caves with beautiful stalactites and stalagmites or kayak and discover the hidden treasures of Ha Long Bay.
Dinner and overnight onboard.
Day 18: Ha Long Bay – Cat Ba Island (B, L)
Wake up early and enjoy breakfast onboard while observing the sunrise.
Then, we will continue sailing and sightseeing in Ha Long Bay before leaving the junk boat to embark on a day-boat and cruise to the beautiful Lan Ha Bay. On the way, you will be able to see wonderful islands and islets, such as Frog Islet and Chopstick Islet among many others. Afterwards, we will stop on a deserted beach and swim in emerald waters.
Later, we will arrive to Cat Ba Island, where you will check-in at the hotel before enjoying your free time for the rest of the day.
Day 19: Cat Ba Island – Cat Ba National Park (B, L)
This morning, we start a half-day walking tour inside Cat Ba National Park, a wonderful place known for its rich fauna and flora.
Trek to the top of a peak where you will be able to admire the great panorama of Lan Ha Bay.
Back to the hotel. Free time to relax for the rest of the day.
Day 20: Cat Ba – Hai Phong – Hanoi (B)
Free time in the morning.
In the afternoon, board a hydrofoil boat to get to Hai Phong. Our bus will pick you up and bring you back to Hanoi.
Check-in at the hotel and free time in the evening.
Day 21: Hanoi – Departure (B)
Free time until the bus picks you up and takes you to the airport for your departure flight.
