Vietnam Highlights

Welcome to Hanoi! Upon arrival at the Hanoi International Airport, make your own way to your hotel for check-in. While it may be the modern-day capital of Vietnam, Hanoi continues to retain its mystery and charm from past centuries. Narrow lanes and traditional shophouses invite visitors to explore the city, while many of its beautiful public spaces, lakes, parks, tree-lined boulevards, and monuments give the city an air of elegance and harmony with nature that is unique among Asian capitals.Overnight in Hanoi

This morning after the breakfast, our guide will pick you up from your hotel in the old quarter, driving to Tran Quoc Pagoda, which is located on an island east of West Lake (Tay Ho District) with a 1500-year history. It is famous for its sacred Buddha land, which attracts many Buddhists and visitors to Vietnam. Afterwards, continue your visit to the Ho Chi Minh complex (Ho Chi Minh mausoleum, the presidential palace, house on stilts final resting place of Uncle Ho, where He lived and worked from (1954 - 1969). Then, you will visit the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, the largest and undoubtedly the most interesting museum in Ha Noi and Vietnam. There is both indoor and outdoor section. While the in–house exhibition is particularly informative, the outdoor display and activities make the museum stand out from the rest. In the afternoon, you will follow the Temple of Literature, an ancient school of Thang Long and the first university in Vietnam, which is acknowledged as an ancient historical-cultural heritage which gives tourists a deeper understanding of Hanoi's years of culture and tradition. After that, make your way back to Hoa Lo Prison. It was built in 1899. The French kept mainly political prisoners awaiting sentencing at the nearby Court of Justice. American pilots who had been shot down and captured were kept as prisoners of war. The pilots called it, sarcastically, the Hanoi Hilton. John McCain was held here at various times during his five and a half years as a POW.

Back to your hotel later on.
Overnight in Hanoi.

Meal: Breakfast at the hotel, Lunch at a local restaurant.

Note:

- On Monday and Friday mornings, the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum and museum are closed. Visit the Vietnamese women's museum instead.

- You should not wear shorts or revealing clothing to come to the mausoleum and temple.


Overnight in Hanoi

This morning at 07:00 – 07:40 - Our guide will meet you at your hotel and start 110km on a shared deluxe van through the verdant landscape of the countryside. Short-break en route. 10:00 - Arrive at Glimmering Bai Dinh pagoda complexes, the largest pagoda, not only in Vietnam but also in Southeast Asia. It is scenically set on the foot hill of Dinh Mountain surrounded by amazing views of the exquisite river valley below and dotted limestone karsts which will take your breath away. These pagoda complexes stunningly boast an array of the most massive and magnificent architecture of Vietnamese tradition refined ever built that it takes a full day to explore everything. So you will visit some of the highlights that owned the national:500 stone statues of “La Han” (Arhats), 2 huge bronze bells, one weighs 27 tons, other weighs 36 tons. Visit The Quan Yin statue with thousands of arms and eyes and Visit the Gautama Buddha statue. 12:00 – Enjoy lunch at our restaurant with great local cuisine. 13:30 – Leave for the Trang An Grottoes, an outstanding natural beauty of majestic limestone massif at 20 square kilometres that rise dramatically from rice paddy fields. Deep into the linked chains of towering mountains are pristine places of mystical valleys, numerous freshwater ponds, and jungle. Embark on a traditional sampan gently rowed down the exquisite river through numerous caves: Lam Cave, Vang Cave, Dai Cave, Thanh Truot Cave, and Cao Sơn Temple, Suoi Tien Temple, Vu Lam Temple… 15:30 – Visit Mua Cave and start an amazing trek up to the top of Ngoa long mountain for watching the spectacular rice valley with a stunning view of the nature. 17:15 – Return to our bus and then come back to Hanoi at 19:30 – Drop you off at your hotel.


Overnight in Hanoi

From Hanoi, at 8 AM, a shuttle bus will pick you up and head East to Halong Bay, the pride of the Gulf of Tonkin, a Natural World Heritage as designated by UNESCO in 1994. Upon arrival in Halong, well take a big boat to cruise the Bay to discover the magnificent beauty of this “Ascending-dragon” bay, created by thousands of odd-shaped limestone rocks and karst grottoes. After a lunch of fresh seafood on board, we can visit the Surprising Grotto, stop for swimming or kayaking, pass floating villages and approach islets to enjoy their beauty in close distance. Back to the boat for dinner late afternoon. In the evening, attend activities on the boat or relax at your leisure.

Please note: The program may be a little varied on the cruise you choose. Only Vietnamese & International food is available on the boat.


Overnight in Halong

Wake up early to enjoy the dawn on the sea in the early morning. The Vietnamese call the \"East Sea\" by a point-oriented name \"Eastern Sea\", so you may guess how miraculous seeing the sunrise over the islets of the Bay is. After breakfast, our boat will continue to cruise in marvellous areas, where almost every islet has its own name, adopting its shape or reminiscent like Sail Island, Fishermans head rock, Butterfly rock or Turtle islet etc. Disembark at noon & land transfer to Hanoi airport to take the flight to Saigon. Upon arrival, our driver will pick you up and drive to your hotel to check-in


Overnight in Saigon

In the morning after the breakfast, you will visit Independence Palace, also known as the Reunification palace, which was built on the sight of the former Norodom palace. The Independence palace is a widely known landmark of Ho Chi Minh City and was designed by the architect Ngo Viet Thu. Continue seeing the beautiful structures from the French Colonial times such as the Notre Dame Cathedral and the historic Central Post Office. Followed by the remarkable site of the War Remnants Museum. It has a vast display of both the Indochina wars. After that, you will have lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, you will be picked up to depart for Cu Chi tunnels and arrive after a drive of 1,5 hours. Our tour guide will give you an overview introduction to Cu Chi and its legendary history. A documentary film about the tunnels will explain the tunnels' histories and how fierce the war was in the area. You will be guided to the tunnels system, including the weapon factory, hospitals, and kitchens, and crawl under the tunnels. After that, you will have a chance to try delicious manioc, the leading food for guerilla warriors in Cu Chi during the war. Then, you can try to fire off an AK47 or MK16 or machine gun at the nearby shooting range (guests own account). Leave Cu Chi tunnels and return to Saigon at the end of your trip


Overnight in Saigon

This morning after breakfast, depart for Cai Be by car/van via Trung Luong Expressway. Upon arrival in Cai Be, have a boat ride on the Tien River. There, you can realize how diverse the area is and how rich orchard gardens are, which makes it the basket of fruit in the lower part of the Mekong River. Ramble in small villages where you will uncover the beauty of an ancient house and learn about the indigenous culture. Make a short visit to a small family business where the locals make coconut fudges and crispy rice popcorn. Savor delicious fresh fruit and feel the slow rhythms of Southern Vietnamese folk music – a kind of music entwined with the life and culture of the Mekong Delta people. Paddle through small canals – an exciting experience since you can look around, unwind, and soak up the wonderful atmosphere of the Upper Mekong Delta. Additionally, after arrival on Tan Phong Island, immerse yourself in nature's tranquility. At lunch time, you not only enjoy luscious food but also get closer to the locals as it is a chance to learn how to prepare Vietnamese specialties. The meal is cooked on your own and served in the heart of the local garden. Cycle on the village path through orchards. Meet the local islanders to learn more about the local daily life in the Mekong Delta. Visit Ba Kiệts ancient house. Take a boat ride back to Cai Be and meet your bus for the trip back to Ho Chi Minh City.Overnight in Saigon

After breakfast, free at leisure for relax or shopping (your own arrangement) before transferring to the airport for your onwards flight back home.