TRIP HIGHLIGHTS:
§ A trip that takes you all over the country, from North to South across the major destinations.
§ A discovery tour of cultural, traditional discovery of an incredible heritage, and visit of the most beautiful sites.
§ Opportunities to touch the 8th wonder of the world: Halong Bay, and world heritage such as: the ancient capital of Hue, Hoi An old neighborhoods.
§ Opportunities to discover the Red River Delta to the Mekong Delta.
§ Actual contacts with local via the floating market and exchanges during the drive.
Brief itinerary
Day 1 Arrival in Hanoï.
Day 2 Hanoi city tour
Day 3 Hanoï – Hoa Lu – Tam Coc
Day 4 Tam Coc – Ha Long
Day 5 Ha Long – Hanoï. Flight to Hue
Day 6 Hue city tour
Day 7 Hue – Da Nang – Hoi An
Day 8 Hoi An – Tra Nhieu – Tra Que – Hoi An
Day 9 Hoi An – Da Nang. Flight to Saigon
Day 10 Saigon – Ben Tre – Can Tho
Day 11 Can Tho - Saigon Guide
Day 12 Saigon Departure
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Day 1: Arrival in Hanoi.
Arrival at Hanoi airport, the guide and the driver will welcome you and proceed to the transfer to the city center to check in.
Day 2: Hanoi city tour.
At about 8:00 am, we pick you up from your hotel and take you to visit the Ho Chi Minh Complex, which includes Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum – the final resting place of the beloved national hero, Uncle Ho – and President Ho Chi Minh’s stilt house. Then you’ll visit the One Pillar Pagoda, which is actually a group of structures that collectively make up a pagoda built over the water in the middle of a square lake.
After that, you’ll have a chance to explore the Tran Quoc Pagoda on the shore of west lake. From there, we continue to see the Temple of literature, which was Viet nam’s first university and is dedicated to Confucius.
12.30: you have lunch at a restaurant in the Old Quarter. Afterwards, You’ ll stop in at MUSEUM OF ETHNOLOGY.This superb museum showcases the depth of Vietnamese cultural diversity with an astounding collection of 15,000 artifacts gathered from throughout Vietnam. Maps, displays and dioramas are labelled in Vietnamese, French and English.Displays portray a typical village market, the making of comical hats and a Tay shamanic ceremony; videos show the real thing. Then, you will attend a water puppet show. This is a traditional Vietnamese art that combines folk music and actions of wooden puppets.
Included meals: Breakfast, lunch.
Day 3: Hanoï – Hoa Lu – Tam Coc
(100km/ 2.5h journey).
Arrive in Hoa Lu, visit the ancient capital of Vietnam under the Ly and Le Dynasty. Discovery of two temples dedicated to the Kings Dinh Tien Hoang and Le Dai Hanh. Lunch in a local restaurant. After lunch, take a rowing boat on a river to see the beautiful countryside with limestone mountain and caves. The boat trip will last approximately 1.5 hours. Finally visit Bich Dong Pagoda.
Overnight at the hotel/resort or homestay.
Included meals: Breakfast and lunch
Day 4: Tam Coc – Ha Long
(200 km/ 3h30 - 4hr).
Breakfast and departure to Ha Long.
Halong Bay is known as the 8th wonder of the world thanks to its magnificent landscapes, beautiful caves, pure air and rich of biodiversity. Having a 1500 square meters area, more than 2000 limestone islands, Halong Bay is a truly surprising destination.
You will cross all the northern basin of the Red River to reach Halong Bay. Upon arrival, you will embark on a cruise in Halong Bay and admire its thousands of islands and islets that emerge from the water in fantastic shapes. Overnight on board.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 5: Ha Long – Hanoï.
Hanoi-Thang Long means the dragon in flight while Halong Bay means the descent of the dragon. According to the legend, it would come down in the Bay to domesticate marine currents. With the movements of his tail, he deeply gashed the mountain. It is a nice story explaining the origin of the Bay and its thousand of islands, islets and limestone.
You will continue the cruise in junk while you will be exploring places and participating in interesting activities. After lunch, back to Hanoi and then transfer directly to Noi Bai airport for a flight to Hue. On arrival you will be greeted by English speaking guide and driver and be transferred to hotel.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch.
Day 6: Hue city tour
Hue is the ancient capital of Vietnam under the Nguyen Dynasty. Hue has a simple beauty, taciturn and quiet with the sun covering the red roofs of the royal palaces. Perfume River increased the romance of the city every sunset.
After breakfast, you will board at the Toa Kham wharf for a cruise on the Perfume River. You will disembark to visit the Thien Mu pagoda - the symbol of Hue city. The pagoda is situated on the hill, you then will walk step by step on the stairs listening to the legend of the heavenly Lady. The river is like a mirror embracing the pagoda.
Lunch on site and following the visit of Hue with the historical sites : the Imperial City, the mausoleum of Tu Duc, Minh Mang mausoleum.
Back to Hue city, overnight at the hotel.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch.
Day 7: Hue – Da Nang – Hoi An
(126km/ 3h journey)
You will continue your tour to Hoi An - one of the main ports of Vietnam in the 17th and 18th centuries. You will ascend the hill of Hai Van (Hill of clouds). From above, you will be able to watch the beautiful coastal landscapes of the Centre. Stop at Da Nang - colonial Touran to visit the Cham Museum, which houses a large collection of sculptures typical of Champa Kingdoms.
On arrival in Hoi An - the ancient town regarded as one of the 8 heritages of Vietnam by UNESCO. Passengers, travelers, merchants... there are lots of people but older homes are still hiding in a quiet space. Yellow walls and small shops represent the traditional face of Hoi An.
After having lunch at a local restaurant, you will continue discovering the beauty of the city. The guide will take you to the pagoda Phuc Thanh - the oldest one in Hoi An which was built in 1454 by a Chinese monk, in addition with the Japanese bridge, the town hall Phuoc Kien, and the traditional house of Tan Ky. You’ll be able to taste the specialties of Hoi An. Overnight at the hotel.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch
Day 8: Hoi An – Tra Nhieu – Tra Que – Hoi An
After breakfast, you will arrive at the pier for a 15 minutes cruise to the village of Kim Bong carpentry. You will visit the shipyards, learn the traditional way of production of the local. Take a bike ride to the village of Tra Nhieu lying in the middle of the Thu Bon river. By visiting this place, you will listen to the stories of the territory, look at the daily activities of fishermen.
Short walks in the peaceful and quiet village. Exploring mats production workshops.
On the road to your hotel you will pass through the Whale temple. Short stop to take pictures. You will join Mr. Minh and his family of three generations. A house close to a quiet natural garden. Welcome cocktail. You will learn tyring to know them, they are open and welcoming. They will explain you their daily lives.
You will walk around the village to visit a garden and watch agricultural activities. You will also try to grow vegetables. Back to the homestay, you will join a cooking “class”, cook the traditional, regional dishes, such as the nem Hoi An, Huu Tam or grilled fish... before tasting it.
Little nap. Relaxation with a massage with medicinal herbs. Return to Hoi An. Dinner in town and overnight at the hotel.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Day 9: Hoi An – Da Nang. Fly to Saigon
Free time until the transfer to the airport for your flight Danang - Saigon.
Speaking of Saigon, we immediately think of a big city, bustling with shopping malls, tall buildings, which never sleeps. But in depth, the city reveals its "precious pearls" - historical, cultural testimonies expressing the life and spirit of the local people.
Arrival in Saigon. Meeting with guide and driver.
Lunch in a local restaurant.
In the afternoon, you will visit the city, including Cho Lon is very well known by visitors. It was founded in the 17th century by Chinese migrants, it has attracted many traders from other countries. Until now, Cho Lon and its surroundings are the cohabitation of space and trade of Chinese, Indian and Vietnamese. By visiting the region of Cho Lon (market), you'll discover another face of the city of Saigon, a multi-cultural place.
Visit a Hindu Temple Mariaman : the temple is located in the middle of Saigon, we recognize it through its native architecture and mystical. It is appreciated as a famous heritage among three current Hindu monuments in Saigon. This is the place where we practised the Mariaman cult - an Indian woman genius. By visiting this temple, visitors can watch the statutes, sculptures, antiques, listen to the story of the foundation, and discover the spirits of the temple.
Then you will head to the mosque at number 66 Dong Du Street. The mosque is one of the Islamic centers, which was built as early as in 1935. The mosque attracts many believers and tourists. Its architecture is simple, spacious and airy with arches, columns and long corridors that symbolize the typical Indian art. Outside the religious function, the mosque is still the place where public activities are organized and where children learn about the ideologies of the Quran. You will be able to go and watch believers pray every friday. A Muslim spectacle in the heart of Saigon.
In the evening, we'll take you on the Indochina junk for a romantic dinner. You will spend a romantic moment in a charming and intimate space. You will make a 2-hour cruise on the Saigon River and admire the city on the other side. While tasting wine and specialties, you will look at the buildings full of lights as bright as crystals. You’ll feel a romantic and poetic Saigon. Overnight at the hotel.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 10: Sai Gon – Ben Tre – Can Tho
(> 180km/ > 4h journey)
In Vietnamese, the Mekong is called Song Cuu Long which means the river of the Nine Dragons, referring to its nine major tributaries that flow into the East Sea. This region is known as the biggest "rice bowl" of Vietnam, Mother Nature delivers its benefits besides. Rich and fertile land, clear water and fish, dreamy landscapes, nothing is missing.
Breakfast at the hotel, around 8.00am, you will head to Ben Tre province in the middle of the Mekong Delta. After 2.30pm, you will go to the Vietnam capital of coconut trees. From the pier of Hung Vuong, you will take a motorized sampan trip on the Tien river towards Ben Tre. A quick stop in the brick-making workshop and a workshop production of coconut candies.
You’ll continue the tour to the village of Thanh Nhon, where you will visit the mats workshop. Then you will take "xe loi" or the bike for a ride through the coconut gardens, rice paddies and vegetable fields to discover the local life. Lunch in a local restaurant.
In the afternoon, you will make a rowing boat cruise through the canals of water surrounded by palm trees. Transfer by boat back to the pier and landing.
Drive to Can Tho, overnight at the hotel.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch.
Day 11: Can Tho – Sai Gon
(> 180km/ 4h journey)
At 34 km away from Vinh Long south-west, on the banks of Song Hau (River Hau), Can Tho is located in the heart of the Mekong Delta and is the main city of the province of the same name. This is the most important political, economics and universitary center of the region. Can Tho is a good base to go by boat to discover the Mekong arm, villages and floating markets.
After breakfast at the hotel, you will ride a motor boat to visit the floating market of Cai Rang - one of the liveliest floating markets of the Mekong Delta. You will have to go at dawn. Hundreds of boats gather on the decorated water over splendid sun. The sellers wearing conical hats will be happy to choose, from the pyramids of fruit piled up in their boats, ripe fruit, that they will peel the skin off and prepare before your eyes.
Transfer to orchards where you will enjoy seasonal fruits. Then you will visit the ancient house in Binh Thuy. The driver will wait for you here, and then come back to Saigon. Check-in at the hotel. Dinner and second night in Saigon.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch
Day 12: Sai Gon departure
You will have some free time in Saigon until the transfer to Tan Son Nhat airport for your departure flight.
Included meals: breakfast
END OF THE TRIP
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