Vietnam Tour 14 Days

DAY 01: SAIGON ARRIVAL (D)

Arrive at Tan Son Nhat International Airport; you will be welcomed by our guide and transfer to the city center. Check-in hotel and then relax or have your first-hand discovery of the bustling and hustling city.

Dinner at a local restaurant. 

Overnight at hotel in Saigon.

DAY 02: SAIGON – CU CHI TUNNELS – CITY TOUR (B.L.D)

After breakfast at hotel, head out to Cu Chi Tunnels which are an immense network of connecting underground tunnels located about 60km from Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), and are part of a much larger network of tunnels that underlie much of the country. The Cu Chi tunnels were the location of several military campaigns during the Vietnam War. It is legendary for its tunnels system of over 200km. You will have an opportunity to crawl in hundreds meters of the tunnels system in some levels with innumerable trap doors, storage facilities, weapon factories, field hospitals, kitchens and command centers. Also, you can participate in fire off rounds from an AK47 or MK16 at the nearby firing range (at your own cost).

Then, transfer back to Saigon, start city tour by walking along Dong Khoi St, which used to be known as the Rue Catinat, the first street built by Frech. Next visit European style architectures including Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office.

Later, dip into the modern history at Reunification Palace which is also called Independence Palace or Doc Lap Palace in Vietnamese. The Palace was stormed by tanks of the liberation army on April 30 1975. Nowadays, Reunification Palace has been a historic and cultural relic. Continue the trip to War Remnants Museum which preserves the items and documents in the Vietnam – American War.

DAY 03: SAIGON – VINH TRANG TEMPLE – MY THO – TRA VINH (B.L.D)

Our guide and driver pick you up at your hotel; head out to My Tho in Mekong Delta. Dip into the beauty of rice fields along the way. Firstly, visit Vinh Trang pagoda which is the “must visit” site in Tien Giang. The pagoda is an ancient Southern gem with the combination of Asian and European architecture including Renaissance period and Romanesque style.

Next, continue to My Tho, up on arrival, take a boat trip on Mekong River to visit farmer’s house and garden. View the fishing port, the traditional stilt houses and boat building workshops and islands including Dragon, Phoenix, Unicorn and Tortoise.

Enjoy lunch on the beautiful island.

Next, ride horse and carriage around villages to see the local life; taste tropical fruits and honey tea at bee-keeping farm; listen to traditional music and visit coconut candy manufacturer. Roam on village path with fruit orchards and bonsai garden. Meet the locals to get deeper understanding about their daily life in the watery area.

Continue your trip to Tra Vinh Lodge where you will immerse in the peace and beauty of the countryside. Enjoy the beauty of countryside during your travel by boat to Tra Vinh Lodge. After check-in the bungalow, have a short bike ride or wander around the area surrounded by orchards, rice fields, canals and lines of coconut tree. After that have a cooking demonstration in which you can learn to make Vietnamese food.

Diner and overnight at Tra Vinh Lodge. 

DAY 04: TRA VINH – CAN THO – CON SON ISLAND - HOMESTAY (B/-/D)

After your breakfast, head out to the center of Tra Vinh. Visit Ao Ba Om (Ba Om Lake), Khmer Culture Museum, Co (Stork) and Hang (cave) temples. Continue traveling to Can Tho to visit Ong Pagoda which is one of the most important religious sites of Chinese community in Can Tho. It is built in the late 19th century to worship Kuang Kung, a deity symbolizing loyalty, justice, reason, intelligence, honor and courage among other merits. Then, visit Binh Thuy ancient house. Binh Thuy ancient house was built in 1870 with French style in architecture but still remained traditional features of Southern style. This is the private property of Duong’s family, it however has been acknowledged as a valuable construction of the city and nation for its architectural and historical values.

Later, take the boat to Con Son island where you have overnight at homestay and stay away from the bustling and noisy city. Here, you will see the real authenticity with farming activities. There are only under 100 households on the isalnd. There is no vehicle here and people have to walk from this place to others. Before dinner, you can join cooking with the host to learn Vietnamese dishes. Overnight at homestay in Can Tho.

DAY 05: CAI RANG FLOATING MARKET – SAIGON – DANANG – HOI AN (B/-/-) – by flight

Have breakfast and then you are going to visit Cai Rang floating market in the morning. The landscape is very beautiful: hundred sampans with full of rice, fruits and handicraft products…they are here to exchange their products. We will then visit the central market and explore the local activities. After leaving the market, we are going to visit a luxuriant orchard of Ms Little Hien and enjoy fresh fruits.

Return directly to the airport in Saigon for the flight to Danang. Upon arrival, be welcomed and picked up by our guide and then travel to hotel in Hoi An which was recognized by UNESCO as being World Cultural Heritage in 1999. Hoian used to serve as an active port of trade with the Japanese, Dutch, Portuguese and Chinese people during the 17th and 18th centuries. Have dinner on your own and stay overnight in Hoian

DAY 06: HOI AN WALKING TOUR (B/-/-)

After breakfast at hotel, start your tour by visiting the Japanese Covered Bridge, Chinese temple and the Tan Ky ancient house. Have lunch at local restaurant. In the afternoon, you will take a cruise on boat on Thu Bon River to visit Ceramic and Carpenter Villages. Explore the life of the local people. Take free walk in the small street of Hoi An which is famous for its numerous tailor-made clothing shops.

You may also enjoy relaxing under the sun on the beach of Cua Dai. Overnight at hotel in Hoi An.

DAY 07: HOI AN – DANANG – OCEAN CLOUD PASS - HUE (B/-/-)

Enjoy your free time in Hoian before travelling to Hue ancient capital. On the way, visit the Marble mountain which is a cluster of five hills made from limestone and marble, Marble Mountains are a well-known pilgrimage site with peaks, caves, tunnels and temples all just waiting to be discovered. Named after the elements metal, wood, water, fire and earth, Marble Mountains exist in a coastal area. Then continue to Hue through small villages and emerald green rivers in the blue water of Lang Co Beach. We will conquer the 10-km long, 500 meters high Hai Van Pass (pass of the Clouds). At the summit, explore French and American forts, while enjoying panoramic views of the coast. Arrive in Hue, check in hotel and overnight at hotel in Hue.

DAY 08: HUE IMPERIAL CITY TOUR – HANOI (B/-/-) – by flight

In the morning, start Hue city tour today by exploring the Imperial Citadel of Hue (the home of Vietnam’s last royal dynasty, the Nguyen Dynasty (1802 – 1945). Have boat ride along the Perfume River and the countryside through rarely visited villages to Thien Mu Pagoda (one of the most atmospheric and picturesque places in the former imperial capital, listen legend story about Thien Mu pagoda). Next, visit the tombs of Minh Mang (is impressed by the majesty and symmetry of the architectural constructions. Learn more about the Royal’s life, and Vietnam’s conception of death) and Khai Dinh (a blend of Western and Eastern architecture).

Later, depart to the airport for flight to Hanoi. Upon arrival, you will be picked up by our guide and driver and then depart to hotel in center. Check in hotel and overnight in Hanoi.

DAY 09: HANOI CITY TOUR – DUONG LAM - LAO CAI (B/-/-) – by overnight train

Pick up at your hotel for full day tour of Hanoi, a blend of the modern with the mystery and charm of past centuries, Hanoi offers an air of elegance and harmony with nature. Today’s sightseeing begins with a visit Ba Dinh Square to see Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum (outside only), the museum to his life and the simple cottage where he lived and worked. Then visit Presidential Palace, house on stilts and One Pillar pagoda (locally known as Chua Mot Cot) originally built in 1040 A.D. on a pillar constructed of a single large tree trunk.

Then also visit Van Mieu or Temple of Literature, which dates back to 1070 and is dedicated to the cult of Confucius. Later, experience a part of Vietnam that is quietly romantic, has resisted modernization, and provides a window to the past. In the morning, you will be taken to Duong Lam, an ancient agricultural village approximately 40 miles (65 kilometers) west of Hanoi on the northern Red River Delta. The charming village has a history that dates back 1,200 years, and many of the village's houses were built over 400 years ago. Take your chance for the discovery by walk or bike to see old houses of red laterite and rammed earth. Visit the town hall of the village. Finally, transfer to Hanoi railway for overnight train to Lao Cai.

DAY 10: LAO CAI - SAPA – Y LINH HO – LAO CHAI – TA VAN - HOMESTAY (B/-/D)

Upon arrival at Lao Cai railway station, be picked up by our guide and then transfer to the center for breakfast at hotel before traveling to Sapa. Beginning of the Sapa trip is the moment for admire the panorama view of the town and then the valley from the main road. After 4km on the main road, we start going down to the valley by the small trails through the terrace rice fields to get to Y Linh Ho hamlet, a small village of the Black Hmong people.

From Y Linh Ho village, we go along the river to go to Lao Chai village (means "old village" in the local dialect). It is time for you to visit the local families, listen to your guide's explanation about the local culture: how they live, way of building the traditional house, and techniques of making clothes... or listen about the way of treatment for a sick person. Stop for lunch. The lunch is served in one of the local refreshment restaurants on the side of the river.

In the afternoon, we leave Lao Chai to continue to Ta Van village, the Giay people's residence. The guide to bring you into some family: listen about their life, enjoy some green tea, and learn about the differences of their culture from the other hill tribes even they leave close to each other. Finally, check in homestay. You can join the cooking time with the host and then enjoy local dishes. Overnight at homestay.

DAY 11: TA VAN - MA TRA – TA PHIN – SAPA – HANOI (B/L/-) – by bus

Enjoy breakfast before the tour. Stroll around the village and visit hospitable Red Zao families to learn about their culture. You will go off the main road, onto hilly mountainous trails. Your surrounding is filled with lush vegetation, pine forest and fresh air. You will experience the untouched beauty of the area. Ma Tra is about 3 km walking from Ta Phin which is the newly added location in a series of villages in Sapa that visitors can go to. The village is about 5km from the town of Sapa. This has around 50 households, resided by only H’Mong people. Ma Tra village has restored the traditional flax weaving loom, forging tools and carved silver production as part of tourism. Experience tribal life on mountain, see how the locals make clothes and handicrafts, and enjoy amazing scenery that you can never forget. Later, transfer back to Sapa for night bus to Hanoi. Upon arrival (about 10pm), be picked up by our guide then transfer to hotel for check-in. Overnight at hotel in Hanoi.

DAY 12: HANOI – HOA LU – GALAXY CAVES- TAM COC (B/-/-)

Enjoy your breakfast at hotel and then transfer to Thien Ha Cave, which is the 200-meter-high Tuong Mountain - part of the mountain range that helped to protect the Hoa Lu ancient capital from invaders in 10th century.

Although the mouth of the Thien Ha Cave is only about 4 meter across, the visitors who desire to go inside this cave will not be disappointed with its size. The entire cave is around 900 meters deep, but only 700 of those meters are accessible by foot, others are by boat as they are under water.

Get on the port in Tam Coc, take a bike ride to Bich Dong cave. This charming cluster of cave temples is a couple of kilometers north of Tam Coc. The Lower Pagoda is located at the base, from which 100 steps lead to the Middle Pagoda, then a shorter but steep ascent to the Upper Pagoda. Inside each cave temple, looming statues peer from the haze of burning incense. Outside offers incredible countryside views.

Finally transfer to homestay in Tam Coc for overnight.

DAY 13: NINH BINH – HALONG BAY – OVERNIGHT ON JUNK (B/L/D)

Around 8am, you will be picked and transferred by car to Halong Bay.

12.00: Arrive at Tuan Chau Island

12.30: Welcome Drink – cruise briefing, safety instructions, check-in cabins. Cruise and program commence

13.00 – 14.30: Serve Special Lunch on board while cruising and exploring Halong Bay passing by Soi Sim Beach, Coconut Three Island.

14.45 – 15.45: Exploring Cua Van Floating Village by rowing bamboo boat with local people or kayaking by yourself.

15.45 – 17.00: The Vessels will continuous cruising in Halong bay passing by Tien Ong Cave, Trong Cave, Ho dong Tien, Luon cave, Ti Top Island and Coconut Three Island for overnight stay. Enjoy spa at your leisure on-board.

17.00 – 19.00: Enjoying “Happy Hour” Buy one take one on selected beverages, while the vessels is anchoring at Coconut Three Island for overnight stay.

18.00 – 19.00: Enjoy cooking demonstration with Chef to discover the Vietnamese cuisine. Learn how to toast Vietnamese way through the evening’s toast of the local rice wine and follow the Pre – dinner cocktail on the sundeck serving assorted canapé and nuts.

19.30 – 22.00: Serve elegant dinner.

21.00 – 23.00: Evening Activities – relax at leisure; enjoy Movie Night and squid Fishing or Beauty Spa services.

DAY 14: SURPRISING CAVE – HANOI - DEPARTURE (B/Brunch/-)

6.30: Tai Chi session on Sundeck.

7.00 – 7.30: Coffee & tea with assorted homemade pastries.

7.30 – 8.30: Relax or Visit Sung Sot Cave – Hiking up and down 600 steps to the magnificent limestone formations of the most beautiful and biggest cave in Halong bay.

8.30: Serve Breakfast Menu.

9.30: Check-out cabins and settle bills.

10.30: Arrive at Tuan Chau Island.

10.30 – 12.00: Set lunch served on the cruise

12.15 – 12.30: Shuttle bus picks up guests to Hanoi.

16.30 – 17.00: Arrive at the meeting point in Hanoi, then be picked up by a private car for transfer to the airport for the departure.

………. END OF SERVICE……….

INCLUSION

• Private car for the whole trip with experienced, helpful, and skillful drivers
• Accommodation at mentioned 3/4/5-stars hotels and homestay or equivalent based on the availability
• Private competent, knowledgeable and inspired English-speaking local guides (unless otherwise state)
• Meals mentioned in the program (B: Breakfast, L: Lunch, D: Dinner)
• All entrance fees at the mentioned destinations
• 2 days 01 night on the beautiful and luxury cruise with all meals on boat (English speaking guide on cruise included)
• Overnight train Hanoi – Lao Cai and Bus Sapa - Hanoi
• Day boat trips in My Tho, Cai Rang floating market, Hue and Hoi An and Ninh Binh
• Flight tickets: Saigon – Danang and Hue – Hanoi (quoted separately – Vietnam airlines/E-class)
• Towels and mineral water

EXCLUSION

• Drinks during meals
• Visas and Immigration fees on arrival (can be done by our Visa service)
• International airfares
• Travel and/or Medical Insurance
• Tip and other personal expenses
• Services not mentioned in the program

NOTE: 

Hotel check-in: 14:00 and check-out 12:00

FOC for 01 people (at DBL/TWN room sharing) for group from 21 people