Vietnam Discovery

On arrival at Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport, you will be greeted by our airport representative, who will provide the private vehicle transfer to your hotel. The remainder of the day is at leisure.

Enjoy an early breakfast this morning, meet your driver and depart your hotel at 8:00 am for the 2.5-hour drive through rural northern Vietnam to the site of Vietnam’s first capital, Hoa Lu. Visit temples dedicated to Emperor Dinh Tien Hoang of the Dinh Dynasty (968-980), and Emperor Le Dai Hanh of the Le Dynasty (980-1009). The ancient Hoa Lu Citadel, most of which has since been destroyed, once covered an area of three square kilometres. Complete your visit to Hoa Lu, if time and energy levels permit, by taking a half-hour walk up one of the surrounding limestone karst hills. The climb is rewarded with spectacular views. In the late morning, depart for Tam Coc Town and enjoy a Vietnamese lunch. En route stop to take pictures of local villages and the stunning landscape.

After lunch, visit Trang An Landscape Complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enjoy a relaxing boat ride on a peaceful river passing through a series of caves. Trang An is a spectacular landscape of limestone karst peaks permeated with valleys, some of which are submerged and surrounded by steep, almost vertical cliffs. As the boat gently slices through the water, notice the enormous limestone karsts jutting out from the green rice fields giving rise to another name, ‘Halong on Land’. Officially designated as an ‘eco-tourism’ area, the only interruptions here are the sound of birds and the gentle paddle of the oar upon the crystal-clear river.

Meet your driver, and the transfer returns to the hotel and enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure.

Ninh Binh to HaLong Bay (200km): 4hrs

Following an early breakfast, leave Ninh Binh for a 4-hour, (approximately) 200km drive to HaLong Bay, Vietnam’s most popular UNESCO World Heritage site! The name ‘Ha Long’ means ‘Bay of Descending Dragons’ and owes its origins to a Vietnamese myth. The towering limestone karsts represent the dragon’s back, surrounded by jade green water creating an unforgettable sight. There are more than 1,600 limestone islands and islets with different shapes jutting out from the sea.

Arrive at the Ha Long Bay around noon and proceed with check-in formalities before boarding the junk boat for an unforgettable overnight cruise on Ha Long Bay. After being welcomed on board, a lunch of Vietnamese food is served while cruising toward the bay. In the afternoon, enjoy some visits and/or activities (depending on each boat’s itinerary) or just spend some time relaxing on board. Towards the end of the day, the boat sets anchor for the night among karst formations. Dinner is served on board the junk in Ha Long Bay (private cabin on-board the join-in boat cruise).

Enjoy the fresh morning in the middle of the bay as the sun rises and breakfast is served (brunch on some boats). Meanwhile, the vessels cruise slowly through the magnificent rock formations, back towards port. As you disembark, meet your driver, who will provide the private vehicle transfer to Hanoi.

Arrive in Hanoi late in the afternoon, and enjoy a leisurely one-hour tricycle tour through the streets of this fascinating city, you will come face to face with the daily lives and activities of Hanoi’s streets as you pass through the congested, but delightful, Old Quarter. Ride past the fascinating streets, which still bear the names of shops that could be found in the 15th to 18th centuries

Afterwards, enjoy walking through Hanoi’s Old Quarter, also known as the ’36 streets’. This bustling area of narrow streets and alleys is home to thousands of small businesses and shopkeepers. It’s a great place to explore with plenty of photo opportunities all around you. End the day with a Water Puppet show. This is a uniquely northern Vietnamese art form depicting scenes from rural life and episodes of national history. At the evening’s conclusion, you will transfer to your hotel.

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel, meet your guide and begin a day of touring. Today you will visit The One Pillar Pagoda, which King Ly Thai founded To in 1049. This structure is one of Vietnam’s smallest but most iconic temples. Close by is the Mausoleum of the historic Father Figure of modern Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh, and the Former President’s House on stilts where he lived from 1958 to 1969. His former home illustrates the modesty of this Vietnamese revolutionary

(The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is closed Mondays & Fridays and from Jun.-Aug, you will view it from the outside). 

Lunch will be served at a local restaurant. 

One of the best things about northern Vietnam is while most provinces are rapidly modernizing, villages that boast histories spanning centuries can still be found here and there. What’s better, not only their architecture but also their ambience is also intact.

In the early afternoon, enjoy a 45-minutes drive from the hustle and bustle of the city to visit the 200-year-old Nom Village. The centre of this little town reveals a beautiful architectural complex consisting of a common house, an ancient well and a banyan tree. Meet with the head of the village, explore the narrow brick roads and visit another antique house. Engage in a conversation with the host over a cup of traditional tea to learn more about local life and the traditions that define this community. The visit ends with a visit to the holiest place in the village, Nom Pagoda, embedded in a century-old pine forest that is famous for its ancient Buddhist statues.

In the late afternoon, you will be transferred to your hotel and enjoy the evening at leisure. 

Enjoy some free time this morning before you meet your driver, who will provide the transfer to Noi Bai Airport for your domestic flight to Hue. Located in Central Vietnam, Hue is the only place in the country where many historical, cultural, architectural as well as artistic values have been preserved. Tangible cultural heritage – the system of historic monuments – and intangible cultural heritage – the Imperial court music – have their own national and international values that were acknowledged as World Cultural Heritages. Hue is also the site where the northern and southern ecosystems meet, the area of river hills, greenery, and beautiful landscapes.
On arrival at Phu Bai International Airport, you will be greeted by our airport representative, who will provide the private vehicle transfer to your hotel. Tonight, you will be brought back to the splendid history of ancient Royal time in Vietnam. Be charmed with the Royal style decoration of the Royal Dining room. The atmosphere of the diner that you are the King with royal wears, beside you are the Queen accompanied by the servants in traditional royal clothes, all wearing traditional royal clothes. All the food is served in royal dishes symbolizing the dragon, phoenix, or peacock. The table is decorated by Hue’s colourful silk and flowers, large candle lights, colourful lantern with dragon patterns and spotlights. All meticulously prepared to the finest details for a sumptuous dinner that is fit for royalty.

This morning meet your guide in the hotel lobby. You will then commence the day with a scenic boat trip on the Perfume River to Thien Mu Pagoda, one of the oldest ancient architectural structures for religious worship in Hue. Next, continue by exploring the Imperial City of Hue. The Hue Citadel is situated on the Northern bank of the Perfume River and was built by Emperor Gia Long. It was designed for the exclusive use of the emperor and his household. The Citadel is a square 2 km wall encompassing three walled enclosures: the Citadel, Kinh Thanh Hue, the Yellow Imperial city, Hoang Thanh, and the Forbidden Purple City, Tu Cam Thanh, where the emperor lived. The Hue royal complex has been officially recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

Hue’s environment is famous for its tombs of past emperors of the Nguyen Dynasty. Most of the tombs have courtyards, a temple for worship, statues of elephants and figures and a pond. Still, the layout of each is different, reflecting differing each king’s personality and style. They have a lovely peaceful atmosphere. Visit Khai Dinh Royal Tomb, considered one of the most beautiful mausoleums in Hue. Khai Dinh Tomb, Emperor of Vietnam from 1916 to 1925. The tomb represents a fusion of traditional Vietnamese style and modern influence. The construction of the tomb began in 1920 and lasted 11 years. On your return journey to your hotel, enjoy a stop at a village that is well-known for its production of typical Vietnamese conical hats.

Lunch today will be served at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, we start the spectacular drive south over the Hai Van Pass to DaNang, with a view of the Pacific Ocean and the famous Lang Co fishing village. Continue to the charming historic city of Hoi An, which lies on the banks of the Thu Bon River. Hoi An was one of the major trading centres of Southeast Asia in the 16th century and was declared a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999.

En route, you will visit the Cham Museum, the world’s foremost collection of the sculpture of the ancient Kingdom of Champa, and the Marble Mountain. Their peaks represent the five elements of the universe.

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel and meet your driver, who will transfer you to the meeting point. Chefs will highlight some of the daily produce sold at Hoi An’s colourful main market, such as fruits, vegetables, meat, and silkworms. Experience its sights, sounds and aromas, and you will have the opportunity to interact with the local sellers and to see and taste the wonderful variety of foods on display. The tour continues as you board the Red Bridge boat for a leisurely cruise (25 minutes) along the Hoi An River to the Red Bridge Cooking School. This is a chance to view local river life.

Return to the Cooking School, and the chefs will explain how to prepare some of Hoi An’s and Vietnam’s best-known dishes. The cooking lesson runs for about 2 hours – each dish is first demonstrated by the Red Bridge chef before you prepare the same dish yourself. Finally, enjoy the meal you have prepared. In the afternoon, you will discover Hoi An – known to early Western merchants. Hoi An was one of the major trading centres of Southeast Asia in the 16th century. Hoi An has a mixed Chinese-Vietnamese atmosphere with low, tile-roof houses and narrow streets. Having been through many ups and downs in the past, the original structures are still virtually intact. This is the main reason to persuade UNESCO to recognize Hoi An as a World Heritage in 1999. Besides, the surroundings of Hoi An, especially the countryside, are one of the highlights that visitors should experience during their stay in Hoi An. One of the best ways to discover Hoi An and its surroundings is by a walking tour. During your leisurely walk, you will visit some of the historic merchant and community houses, places of worship, the famous Japanese Covered Bridge, the daily life of the local people, green paddy fields, vegetable gardens, markets, temples, historic houses, fishermen and stunning countryside.

Now enjoy “the TOP world-best show” and “A feast for the eyes” – Hoi An Memories Show. The setting is sprawling and magnificent, grandly depicting the nearby mountains, the sodden river flood plains that typify Vietnam and the old port of Hoi An. The music is exquisite, the lighting hi-tech and the choreography superb. The traditional performing art is not simply a tale that balances legend with history, tradition with progress, and peace with turbulence but also a way to help enrich the community of which they’re a part of. The Show will remain with you, an enthralling experience that brings one closer to Vietnam’s unique spirit and time-honoured traditions. It acts as a door to the larger world of performing arts by staging high-quality productions and attracting anyone who loves the arts.

After the show, you will be transferred back to your hotel.

Domestic airfare from Danang to Ho Chi Minh is included.

Enjoy the morning at leisure before you meet your driver, who will provide the private vehicle transfer to DaNang Airport for your domestic flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Upon arrival at Tan Son Nhat International Airport, you are warmly welcomed by your local guide, who will provide the transfer to lunch at a local restaurant.

This afternoon you will explore the city and visit sites such as Independence Palace (Reunification Palace) and War Remnants Museum. Then, stroll through the major sights of colonial Ho Chi Minh City, such as the Old Saigon Post Office and the Notre Dame Cathedral. Inaugurated in 1880, it became the spiritual and cultural crucible of the French presence in the Orient, as was the Post office designed by Gustav Eiffel and resembling a grand railway station. You will also visit Dong Khoi Street (formerly Rue Catinat), Continental Hotel, Opera House and Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee (formerly Hôtel de Ville). This is one of the most photographed buildings in Vietnam, notable for its gardens, ornate facade and elegant interior lit with crystal chandeliers. In the late afternoon, you will be transferred to your hotel, and the remainder of the day will be at leisure. 

This morning, meet your local guide in your hotel lobby to embark on a drive to My Tho, the heart of the Mekong Delta, famous for its vast rice fields and most beautiful landscapes. Visit the Vinh Trang Pagoda en route and stop by the bank of Tien Giang River. Enjoy a boat trip on the Mekong River to Phoenix Island, where local handicrafts and sweets from coconut are produced. Enjoy fresh seasonal fruits and traditional live music performances. Next, take a short ride on a horse carriage to a typical local house to taste some homemade honey tea. Finally, proceed by small sampan boats through the small canals and side arms of the river to observe the daily life along the riverbanks with a stop and short leisurely walk at Turtle Island. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant before driving back to your hotel in Ho Chi Minh City.

This morning, enjoy the 75 Km journey from Ho Chi Minh City to the Cu Chi Tunnels, a complex of an incredible underground tunnel network constructed by Vietnamese resistance fighters (Viet Cong) during both the French and American wars. More than 200 km of tunnels comprise a main axis system with many branches connecting to underground hideouts, shelters, and other tunnels. You have the chance to crawl through this amazing system of tunnels. For a more “thrilling” experience, you can even test your shooting skills on original AK47s and other guns from past war times (subject to a surcharge).

Lunch will be served at a local restaurant, and in the afternoon, you will be transferred back to Ho Chi Minh City.

Enjoy your last few hours at leisure in Ho Chi Minh City before meeting your driver at a pre-arranged time. They will provide the private vehicle transfer to Tan Son Nhat International Airport for your onward flight.