Enchanting Vietnam Highlights

Welcome to Ho Chi Minh City, which is the financial hub of Vietnam! Your guide will await you at the airport holding a banner bearing your name. After a warm greeting, you will be transferred to the hotel by a comfortable private vehicle. For the rest of the day, you will be free to explore the city on your own.

You will have a full day tour today to visit the attractions in Ho Chi Minh City, which is also well known as Saigon. First, let's start from Ho Chi Minh City's China Town - Cholon, where you may visit some of the Temples dedicated to the worship of Tin Hau, Avalokitesvara, and Buddha. Later, you will be guided to the first Museum of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine (FITO). Apart from the unique building and ornaments, you will also learn about the history of the development of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine. The displays here are exquisite and stunning and you are sure to find them really interesting. Then we will go for the Ben Thanh Market to browse the goods on offer for some small gifts.

After lunch, we will head to the War Remnants Museum and the former Presidential Palace to learn more about Vietnam's history. As a conclusion of the day, you will have time to visit some French colonial architecture such as the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Old Post Office.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Today you will have an excursion to the Mekong River Delta to experience the diverse culture and gain a close appreciation of the local lifestyle. In the early morning, your guide and driver will meet you at the hotel at the appointed time and then transfer you to Ben Tre. After a two-hour's drive, your tour will start by the cruise on the Ham Luong River. You will pass by various local barges stuffed with fresh fruits, vegetables and other kinds of products. You may even ask your guide to stop and try some of the local fruits which are really sweet and cheap. Later, you will get off the boat and visit some local workshops. 

In the afternoon, the boat will take you to a village where you will disembark and walk to a local family to get in touch with the rural life. Then you will have the chance to admire the picturesque sceneries by "Xe Loi", a kind of rickshaw or bicycle. After that, you will reach Ben Tre by boat. The sightseeing will end here and we will drive back to the hotel in Ho Chi Minh City.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

In the morning, you will take a flight to Da Nang and upon arrival, you will be picked up and escorted to the ancient town Hoi An, which was a well-preserved traditional trading port of Southeast Asia thriving from the 15th to the 19th century. It is attractive with the mixture of architectural style and local features. The town is even more enchanting when countless lanterns along the streets lighten up in the evening. 

Today, we will have a half-day walking tour through the winding streets with some stopovers at attractions including Chua Ong Pagoda, Chinese Assembly Hall, the 200-year old Tam Ky ancestral house and the famous Japanese Bridge. Finally, a short relaxing experience on the river by boat will conclude today's journey. The evening will be free for you to have a cup of coffee and enjoy the charming night scene.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast this morning, you will check out of the hotel and then we will drive to Hue by a private car. The scenery along the way has been nominated as one of 50 must-see places by the National Geographic magazine. You will go through Hai Van pass which is over 500 meters (1,640 feet) high to overlook the spectacular view of the coastline. And have a drink at the beautiful Lang Co Beach before continuing to Hue. Hue is another ancient town with a long history. We will spend the whole afternoon walking around the town and visiting some attractions including the Imperial City (The Citadel), Hue Royal Palace, and the Mausoleum of tu Duc. Stay overnight in Hue.

Meals: Breakfast

The poetic and picturesque Perfume River is the mother river of Hue. This morning, you will have a private boat cruise down the river to visit Thien Mu Pagoda, a famous and important monastery in Vietnam situated by the river. The place where the monastery stands is said to be the Dragon Vein of the Nguyen Dynasty. Later spend some time at the busy Dong Ba Market and the ornate Minh Mang's tomb before boarding the flight to Hanoi. Upon arrival, your guide will meet you at the airport and transfer you to check in at the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast

As the capital city of Vietnam, Hanoi has a long history and is rich in cultural relics and historic sites. Today you will have a full day to explore this ancient and charming city thoroughly. First, we will arrive at Ba Dinh Square area, which is the center of the city. The square can accommodate one or two hundred thousand people and is the main site for celebrating festivals. From here you will visit the nearby attractions to Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum, his stilt house, the One Pillar Pagoda, the Presidential Palace and the Temple of Literature. Then we will go to the West Lake area to enjoy the enchanting scenery as we walk around. You will also pay a short visit to the sedate Tran Quoc Pagoda and Quan Thanh Temple by the lake. In the afternoon you will visit the History Museum or the Ethnology Museum. The tour today will end by enjoying a special Water Puppet Performance at Hoan Kiem Lake area. It is a unique folk art with a long history, something you may not see anywhere else in the world. We will then transfer you back to the hotel or you may continue to enjoy some time at Hoan Kiem Lake on your own.

Meals: Breakfast

The breathtaking and elegant Halong Bay will be a highlight of your Vietnam trip. It is 3 to 4 hours driving time away from Hanoi, but you will find it worth the lengthy transfer. Have a big breakfast at your hotel and set out early in the morning.

Halong Bay is on the list of the UNESCO World Heritage sites. You will appreciate the beauty of this natural wonderland by spending 24 hours on a traditional cruise. Board the cruise at around noon time and have lunch onboard while sailing out into the mysterious bay. After lunch, you will be free on the cruise to enjoy the relaxing time with comfortable sunshine, gentle breeze on your face and the majestic sight of the group of soaring limestone islands coming into view. This afternoon, the islands that we will cruise around are Dinh Huong and Ga Choi. We will also visit one of the 3 largest caves among Thien Cung, Dau Go and Sung Sot. Later, get off the cruise and have a short spell of free time on a white-sand beach of the Gulf of Tonkin. Stay overnight on the cruise.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

You may find it interesting to participate in Tai Chi class on the top deck or enjoy the sunrise if you could wake up early. Then after a morning cup of coffee or tea, you will take a rowboat to explore some of the nearby islands. Then back to the cruise for brunch while heading back to Halong City. The return journey is easy and relaxing and you may take your time to have a rest or enjoy the gorgeous picturesque setting of Bai Tu Long Bay along the way. Upon your arrival at the dock, your guide and driver will meet you and transfer you to Noi Bai International Airport for your departure flight home. Your memorable Vietnam travel will end here. Bon Voyage.

Meals: Brunch