Vietnam classic journey – 12 days

Upon arrival at Noi Bai international airport, you will be welcomed by your local tour guide and driver. Enjoy a welcome dinner at Cha Ca La Vong restaurant. Transfer to your hotel in the city center. Stay overnight at your hotel of choice in Ha Noi city.

Your breakfast at the hotel. Visit the Ho Chi Minh Complex, containing Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the Presidential Palace, Ho Chi Minh's house on stilts and One Pillar Pagoda. Continue to the Temple of Literature and Vietnam's first university. Lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, visit Hoan Kiem lake, Ngoc Son temple, Tran Quoc pagoda, Quan Thanh temple. Take a Cyclo ride around the old quarter streets from Hang Dau to Hang Gai Streets. Enjoy a water puppet show in the evening. Dinner on guest’s account. Stay overning hotel in Hanoi

Breakfast at the hotel. Take the shuttle bus for departing for Halong through the Red River Delta. Transfer to Dragon Pearl junk on arrival and enjoy a welcome drink and a splendid lunch of local seafood. Then begin a 4-hour cruise of the bay to see the amazing limestone karsts with different life-like formations such as Lion, Tea Pot, Toad, Dau Nguoi (Human Head) islets. Take a walk through Sung Sot, the "Amazing Cave". There is ample time for swimming and sunbathing (weather permitting), as the Dragon Pearl anchors for the night on the Bay. Enjoy a wonderful sunset dinner in the beautiful restaurant before retiring to the comfort of your cabin.

Get up early too enjoy a revitalizing swim in the cool and calm waters of the overnight anchorage. A buffet brunch will be served from 07:30 to 09:30am. Continue cruising, passing more interesting formations such as Titot and Soi Sim Beaches, Ngon Tay (Finger) islet, Thien Nga (Swan) islet and Ga Choi (Fighting Cocks) islet while returning to Halong City. Disembark at Halong Tourist Wharf for the return trip to Hanoi. Transfer to Noi Bai airport for boarding flight VN 1545 to Hue (20.10-21.20) . Pick up and transfer to your hotel. Dinner on guest’s account. Stay overnight at your hotel of choice in Hue city.

Breakfast at your hotel. Take a morning cruise on the Huong River to visit the royal tomb of Emperor Tu Duc, Thien Mu pagoda and the mausoleum of Emperor Minh Mang, in a setting of gardens and lakes. Enjoy at the local restaurant. In the afternoon, visit Dong Ba market, the Imperial Citadel from where the Nguyen Dynasty ruled between 1802 and 1945, and the ruins of the Purple Forbidden City. Enjoy a night boat trip on the Perfume River enlivened by a performance of Hue folk songs. Spend the night at the hoitel in Hue. 

Eat breakfast at the hotel. Depart for Hoi An, stop for photos and sightseeing at Hai Van pass, Lang Co beach and Marble mountain. Enjoy at the local restaurant. In the afternoon, stroll around town, visit the Japanese Covered Bridge, a Pottery Museum, Tan Ky old house, the Cantonese congregation, silk street of Hoi An and Danang-style temples and pagodas. Dinner at your own expense. Stay overnight at your hotel of choice in Hoi An.

After breakfast at the hotel, take a bicycle ride to a local farm in Tra Que village. You will be introduced to the history of the village, the cultivation of vegetables and discovering the use of vegetables in traditional Vietnamese medicine. You will take a trip around the vegetable garden and join the farmers in preparing the land, fertilizing it with seaweed from a local lake, raking the ground, sowing, watering, picking greens and many more gardening activities.Then spend the rest of the morning working the land in the time honored way, before breaking to prepare lunch with a local family. Your lunch will consist of many local delicacies including Tam Huu (spring rolls) and Banh xeo (local pancake of mid Vietnam region). After your lunch and the exertions of the morning, take an even more traditional Vietnamese nap before learning how to harvest and package the vegetables. Around 15.00, bid farewell to your host family before riding back to Hoi An. On the way back we will stop at Nhat tomb and historic Ba Le well. Dinner at your expense. Spend the night at the hotel in Hoi An.

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Danang airport to board flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Pick up and transfer to the hotel. Take a sightseeing tour to Reunification Palace, which was the office and residence of the South Vietnam’s President until the end of April 1975. Visit the two French colonial buildings- Notre Dame cathedral and the Old Central Post Office. Lunch at the local restaurant. Take a tour in the city and visit Thien Hau & Quan Am pagodas, and the War Remnants Museum. End the city tour at Ben Thanh market where you can find everything from local handicrafts, textiles, souvenirs, to fresh veggies, meat, live fish, and local cuisine. Dinner on your own. Spend the night at the hotel in Ho Chi Minh city.

Breakfast at the hotel. Drive west to Tay Ninh, headquarters of the Cao Dai religion. Caodaism is a symbol of the curious combination of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. On arrival, attend the fantastic mid-day temple service when followers fill the hall wearing colored robes. Lunch at the local restaurant/ On the way back, visit Cu Chi Tunnels, an underground network of tunnels constructed by Vietnamese fighters during the struggle for independence. The tunnels contained hospitals, accommodation, etc. and were used as a military base for the Vietcong during the American war. Return to HCMC. Dinner on guest’s account. Spend the night at the hotel in Ho Chi Minh city.

Following breakfast at the hotel, we depart for Cai Be by air-conditioned private car. Board LE COCHINCHINE boat. Enjoy a welcome drink. Explore the lively Cai Be floating market. Cruise through the intricate maze of waterways to visit handicraft villages, meet the local people, see inside their homes and sample various tropical fruits. Arrive at Vinh Long island where we embark on a walking or cycling sightseeing tour of Binh Hoa Phuoc islets. Next the Le Cochinchine sampan sets sail to Can Tho via Cho Lach and Tra On. Disembark at Cho Lach village and take a pleasant a stroll or cycle along paths in the countryside and discover tropical fruit orchards and enjoy the local people's activities. Visit a cottage industry, a local farm and sample seasonal fruits. Take a leisurely cruise along the Mekong River to Mang Thit whilst enjoying aperitifs and a magnificent sunset over the river. Dinner and overnight on board.

Wake to the sounds of the Mekong Delta coming to life at the start of another wonderful day. After breakfast, cruise along canals and visit Co Chien village to experience the lifestyle and hospitality of the local inhabitants. Take a leisurely cruise up the Bassac River (Hau Giang River) and enjoy the amazing scenery. On arrival at Can Tho, explore Cai Rang market, one of the liveliest floating markets in the Mekong Delta where hundreds of small boats laden with fruit jostle for space as owners attempt to sell their goods. Cruise along a palm-shaded canal to see traditional-style houses in which the local people live as well as lush orchards, busy ship-building yards and bustling markets where they make their livelihoods. It is now time to disembark from the boat. You will be met by a car and taken to lunch in a local restaurant. Lunch is at your own expense. Return to Ho Chi Minh City with a stopover at the bonsai gardens in My Tho. Arrive back in Ho Chi Minh City late afternoon. Dinner at your own. Spend the night at the hotel in Ho Chi Minh city.

Breakfast at your hotel. Free leisure time to explore until your transfer to the airport for departure. Finish your Vietnam classic journey tour.