Includes internal flights, twin shared accommodation, English speaking guides, private cars, sightseeing and meals listed. Excludes visa and travel documents, travel insurance, international flights, local tipping, etc.
This itinerary is to give you a flavor of what is possible. We can tailor this trip to suit your specific needs and expectations. You may alter any aspect of the itinerary from excursions to accommodation.
Welcome to Vietnam! Upon arrival in Hanoi, our guide will greet you at the airport welcome area and transfer you to the hotel for check-in.
After check-in, enjoy a stroll on your own around Hoan Kiem Lake outside your hotel. Feel free to also pick up a souvenir at the night markets or at one of the many trinket shops in the alleys and small roads of this historic part of town.
Accommodation: Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi
Day 2: Hanoi | Impressions of Hanoi | Welcome Dinner
Meals:Breakfast, Dinner In the morning, you’ll be escorted to see the Tran Quoc Pagoda. This 1,400-year-old temple features ten tiers surrounded by gardens and which also hosts a bodhi tree grown from a cutting of the original Buddhist tree under which Buddha sat. Next, you’ll take a stroll around the Hoan Kiem Lake where you can see the Tortoise Tower sitting on the water. Then you’ll enjoy a half hour cyclo tour through the Old Quarter in Hanoi. The cyclo is a historic mode of transportation in the cities of Vietnam where a cyclist escorts you while you sit in a seat affixed to the front with a canopy over top.
Next, you’ll visit the One Pillar Pagoda – a pagoda situated on a pillar made of a single stone, in the middle of a lotus pond. This pagoda was built by a 9th-century emperor who saw it in a dream and regarded this as a divine inspiration to recreate the structure in the vision.
You’ll pass by the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum before visiting the highlight of this tour – The Temple of Literature. This ancient university was erected almost a millennium ago and has hosted many of the most prominent scholars through Vietnamese history. The site features many gardens, pools, buildings, and ancient trees where the best and brightest of Vietnam studied under the guidance of Confucius teachings.
Enjoy traditional Vietnamese cuisine at Home Restaurant – a historic French colonial residence restored in between the Old Quarter and the serene West Lake. Enjoy fine Vietnamese cuisine as you begin an enchanting journey through Vietnam. Once you finish your dinner, you’ll be escorted to your hotel.
Accommodation: Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi
Day 3: Hanoi – Halong Bay | Voyage to Emerald Halong Bay
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner In the morning, our guide and chauffeur will transfer you to Haiphong where you’ll enjoy some time at Orchid’s Private Lounge for refreshments until boarding. Then board Orchid Cruise.
Halong Bay Sunrise
Receive a safety briefing and check in your cabins. The boat sets adrift for Da Chong islet, home to an old French lighthouse. Enjoy a sumptuous feast in the panoramic dining hall while en route to the isles of Con Vit and Gia Luan. The bay opens up to you with stunning green karsts towering above the water. This area receives very few cruise ships as it has just been newly opened up. Continue to Ba Trai Dao beach of Lan Ha Bay. A paradise with perfect beaches and natural beauty. Stop at one of the beaches for swimming or kayaking during the afternoon.
As dusk approaches, welcome the sunset with a local specialty – “Ba Kich”(a liquor made from Noni fruit). Back on board, you’ll join a cooking demonstration to learn a few Vietnamese culinary secrets. Enjoy your creation! Then time for supper in the dining hall. Delicious Vietnamese cuisine and seafood in a romantic setting. After dinner, you may enjoy watching the stars from the sundeck, watching a movie in the restaurant, or give night squid fishing a try with the staff(subject to seasonal availability).
Accommodation: Orchid Cruise
Day 4: Hanoi – Ninh Binh | Sunrise Halong | Bai Ding Temple Sunset
Meals: Breakfast Rise early for one of the top best sunrises in the world. Then head to the sundeck for an invigorating Tai Chi session amongst a picture-perfect backdrop of karsts, sea, and nature. Enjoy breakfast in the dining hall before taking a journey to explore the area around Sang Tai sea cave via canoes.
Then disembark for a road transfer to Ninh Binh.
Check in at the Resort with stunning views all around.
Time to stretch your legs! Go with our guide to visit Bai Dinh Temple, the largest temple in Vietnam. This Buddhist temple was built into the mountain with 3 terraces and faces the river. Explore the many halls, rooms, carvings, and statues during the late afternoon. Our guide will then take you to the best place for watching the sunset over this untouched part of Vietnam. Shortly afterward, you’ll witness the 13-tier pagoda – Chau Bai Dinh – be lit up for the evening: a true spectacle to behold! Return to the resort for overnight and leisure.
Bai Dinh Pagoda Sunset
Accommodation: Emeralda Resort Ninh Binh
Day 5: Hanoi | Wonders of Ninh Binh | Return to Hanoi
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch
After breakfast, enjoy some time at the resort to relax and take in the stunning views. Check out late morning and then you’ll go to visit Hoa Lu, the ancient capital. In 968, Dinh Bo Linh declared himself as the King. Since then Hoa Lu existed as the capital for only 41 years. In 1010, King Ly Thai To moved the capital from Hoa Lu to Thang Long – present-day Hanoi. Hoa Lu became the old citadel. In Hoa Lu there are now two temples dedicated to two Vietnamese kings, which have been built on the grounds of the old royal palace. The visit offers a chance to learn more about the feudal dynasties and historical periods in Vietnamese history.
Next, you’ll take an amazing boat trip through Trang An Grottoes. A gathering of 31 valleys and 50 cross-water caves are home to 600 kinds of flora and over 200 kinds of fauna many of which are listed in the Red Book of Vietnam. Rowing through the Trang An Grottoes is a peaceful trip of serenity. The highland air is a respite from modern living and the sounds are only that of birds and the oars stirring the clear water. Towering overhead is magnificent forested mountains upon which you might catch a glimpse of grazing white-bearded goats. Then return back to Hanoi for overnight.
Accommodation: Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi
Day 6: Hanoi – Hoi An | Flight to Hoi An | Leisure
Internal Flight:Included Meals: Breakfast Board a morning flight to Danang. Upon arrival, our guide will greet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel near Hoi An ancient port town for check-in.
At the end of a long lane of sandy beaches, palms and the blue sea turns the Thu Bon River. Take a step back in time 300 years to cobblestone alleys and aged wooden and stone homes. Time stands still in this quiet part of the world where ornate doorways and bridges could keep the curious passerby entranced in amusement. The setting – a Far Eastern port that was forgotten in time. Japanese, French, Chinese and Vietnamese designs and styles melt together along every street.
Accommodation: Hotel Royal Hoi An – MGallery Collection
Day 7: Hoi An | 4th Century Cham Ruins and Hoi An Ancient Port Town
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch In the morning, you’ll transfer to the My Son Holy Land. Tucked in the mountains up winding roads with serene views, lay the 4th century My Son Holy Land Ruins. The surrounding mountains are strictly forbidden from living or development. The ruins lay in a beautiful surrounding mountainous landscape. You’ll enter the temples while your tour guide gives you the history and stories of the Cham and the site.
Hoi An Ancient Port Town
In the afternoon, you’ll continue to visit Hoi An Ancient Town. This town features the 16th-century Hoi An port town in it’s preserved state. You’ll start the day visiting the Museum of Trade Ceramics. This museum houses art and pottery dating from the 1,500s to the 1,700s.
Then you’ll briefly visit the Chua Ong Pagoda, a temple from the 17th century which features China’s influence in the region. You’ll continue through the Ancient Town as the streets take on a magic of their own with old lanterns, French-style houses, intricately carved wooden doors and more. You’ll take a stroll through the Old Tam Ky House to see it’s imperial styles meshed with French overtures. Continue on to stroll along the river and see traditional boats and locals on bicycles passing by. You’ll then approach the Japanese Covered Bridge. This bridge has connected the Chinese and Japanese sides of town over the waterway for centuries. The old wooden structure has shown amazing resilience for more than 400 years.
At dusk, enjoy walking along the riverside as colorful lanterns light up the town. After you’ve finished the tour, you will return back to your hotel.
Accommodation: Hotel Royal Hoi An – MGallery Collection
Day 8: Danang – Saigon | Leisure | Flight to Saigon
Internal Flight:Included Meals: Breakfast Morning is at your leisure to relax or explore the city on your own.
In the afternoon, take a flight to Saigon. Upon arrival, our guide will greet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel for check-in.
Saigon(officially Ho Chi Minh City) is a bustling metropolis of the South and the economic muscle of Vietnam. During the Vietnam War, it was the main base center of the US military with the largest airport in the region. Prior to that, it was under French colonial rule and was an Asian hub of sea trade. The city is based in the Mekong River Delta region – the rice basket of Southeast Asia and where many exotic fruits are cultivated. Full of history and culture, Saigon will certainly be an interesting visit. Accommodation: Renaissance Riverside Hotel Saigon
Day 9: Saigon | Cu Chi Tunnels and Saigon Highlights
Meals: Breakfast See the highlights of Ho Chi Minh City during this full day tour, which includes the Cu Chi Tunnels.
In the morning, your guide will greet you at the lobby and escort you to the Cu Chi Tunnels. An immense network of connecting underground tunnels used during the war, you’ll explore the complex and see the ingenious traps, bomb holes, and narrow tunnels between underground bunkers.
Then you’ll come back to Ho Chi Minh City to visit the Reunification Palace, which was the home to the President of South Vietnam during the War, and the place of the end of the war during the fall of Saigon.
Then you’ll go on to see the Notre Dame Cathedral constructed by French colonists during their settlement. Across the road is the Old Saigon Post Office, a neoclassical architectural building which is considered one of the main tourist attractions in the city.
The next stop is Cholon, the Chinatown of Saigon, a thickly settled district rife with tea-houses and pagodas, and the famous Binh Tay Market.
To finish the tour, you’ll visit the Emperor Jade Pagoda, also known as the Tortoise Pagoda. This figurine-filled site of worship is considered by many to be Saigon’s finest.
Once the tour is completed, you’ll be escorted to your hotel.
Accommodation: Renaissance Riverside Hotel Saigon
Day 10: Saigon | Mekong Delta Discovery: My Tho
Meals: Breakfast Discover the Mekong River, essential to life in the heart of Vietnam.
After you’ve finished breakfast at the hotel, we will take you to Vinh Long where you’ll embark on a boat cruise to the vibrant Cai Be floating market. Be prepared to see fresh spices, mints, and local fruits. If you’re adventurous, you can take one of the many colorful fruits in season.
The next stop is the Hoa Binh Phuoc islet, full of local homes where the families produce tiles and ceramics. You’ll visit the rice-paper kiln and coconut candy kiln where you can walk around and observe daily country life. You can have the opportunity to taste fresh made coconut candy which has a soft and chewy consistency.
When the tour is finished, you’ll return to Ho Chi Minh.
Vietnamese Floating Market
Accommodation: Renaissance Riverside Hotel Saigon
Day 11: Saigon – Con Dao | Flight to Can Dao Island | Relax
Internal Flight:Included Meals: Breakfast Board a morning flight to Can Dao. Upon arrival, our guide will greet you at the airport and transfer you to your resort next to the beach. Check in your private pool villa with the vista view of the ocean.
Accommodation: Six Senses Con Dao
Day 12: Con Dao | Snorkeling in Con Dao Island
Meals: Breakfast Travel in the morning heading to the south-east of Con Son island, passing a distance of 25 minutes by boat, then you will reach Tai islet. Here, you can see the panoramic landscape of Con Son afar and the surrounding islets, the boat will be moored for pleasure fishing, snorkel diving to view one of the most beautiful coral reef spots in the Con Dao island marine area, sightseeing of Marine Turtle Conservation Station, Red-faced monkey (Macaca arctoides: a very rare monkey species).
Accommodation: Six Senses Con Dao
Day 13: Con Dao | Relax on the Beach
Meals: Breakfast Today is at your leisure to simply relax on the beaches or enjoy resort’s spa, yoga, and other facilities.
Vietnam Tropical Island
Accommodation: Six Senses Con Dao
Day 14: Con Dao | Relax on the Beach
Meals: Breakfast Today is also at your leisure to relax.
Accommodation: Six Senses Con Dao
Day 15: Con Dao | Flight to Saigon | Farewell!
Internal Flight:Included Meals: Breakfast
Today board a flight to Saigon to catch up for your homeward flight. Our guide will transfer you to the airport and will bid you a fond farewell. Thank you for traveling with us!
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It's easier than ever to get going! Request a quote today!
One of our Travel Experts will reach out to you and assist you with an itinerary and quote. Also, feel free to leave your phone number and we will give you a quick call just to say hello and clarify any questions we have about your inquiry.
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