Hill Tribes, Halong Bay & Beyond - 13 days

Itinerary

1. Intro

   Introduction
2. Day 1

   Hanoi

   Hanoi Show on map

   Optional Activities

   • Visit Presidential Palace
   • Visit Ho Chi Minh's House on Stilts
   • Backstreets of Hanoi add-on: explore Cho Buoi, Hoang Hoa Tham and Vinh Phuc districts, ride behind a driver on taxi motorbikes through narrow streets and along Ho Tay Lake shore

   Landmarks
   Presidential Palace
   Ho Chi Minh's House on Stilts
   Ho Tay Lake

   

3. Day 2

   Hanoi to Mai Chau Valley

   Hanoi to Mai Chau Valley Show on map

   Meals

   Lunch (Traditional lunch at a family-run guesthouse on stilts in Mai Hich village)

   Included Activities

   • Drive to Mai Chau Valley
   • Leisurely walk through back roads and rice fields of Mai Chau Valley

   Optional Activities

   • Relax by the swimming pool at the lodge
   • Hire bikes to explore the countryside

   Landmarks
   Mai Chau Valley
   Mai Hich village

   

4. Day 3

   Mai Chau Valley - Hang Kia - Mai Chau Valley

   Mai Chau Valley - Hang Kia - Mai Chau Valley Show on map

   Meals

   Lunch (Traditional lunch in a wooden home)

   Included Activities

   • Drive to H'mong ethnic lands in Hoa Binh province and Hang Kia plateau
   • Meet H'mong locals
   • Easy-paced trek downhill to Mai Chau Valley

   Optional Activities

   • Road transfer back to lodge (alternative to trekking)

   Landmarks
   Hang Kia plateau
   Hoa Binh province

   

5. Day 4

   Mai Chau Valley to Hoa Binh to Hanoi

   Mai Chau Valley to Hoa Binh to Hanoi Show on map

   Meals

   Lunch (Traditional Muong lunch)

   Included Activities

   • Visit Muong Culture Museum
   • Traditional Muong lunch

   Optional Activities

   • Visit local Mai Chau market

   Landmarks
   Muong Culture Museum
   Mai Chau market

6. Day 5

   Hanoi to Halong Bay

   Hanoi to Halong Bay Show on map

   Meals

   Breakfast, Lunch (Tasty lunch onboard junk boat), Dinner (Sumptuous seafood dinner)

   Included Activities

   • Cyclo (rickshaw) ride around Hanoi's French Quarter
   • Traditional junk boat cruise in Halong Bay
   • Visit Trinh Nu Cave
   • Vietnamese cooking demonstration on sundeck

   Optional Activities

   • Kayaking in Halong Bay
   • Swimming in Halong Bay

   Landmarks
   Hanoi Opera House
   Ly Thai To Park
   Halong Bay
   Trinh Nu Cave

   

7. Day 6

   Halong Bay to Hanoi to Hue

   Halong Bay to Hanoi to Hue Show on map

   Included Activities

   • Explore Sung Sot cave (Surprise Grotto)
   • Leisurely walk around '36 streets of the old quarter' in Hanoi

   Optional Activities

   • Tai Chi class on sundeck
   • Traditional massage
   • Fly from Hanoi to Hue (instead of sleeper train)

   Landmarks
   Sung Sot Cave (Surprise Grotto)
   36 Streets of Hanoi Old Quarter

   

8. Day 7

   Hue

   Hue Show on map

   Included Activities

   • Guided tour of Hue
   • Visit Thien Mu Pagoda
   • Explore Imperial Purple Palace
   • Visit Royal Tombs of Nguyen Dynasty kings
   • Visit mausoleum of Emperor Tu Duc

   Optional Activities

   • Long boat excursion on the Perfume River

   Landmarks
   Thien Mu Pagoda
   Imperial Purple Palace
   Royal Tombs of the Nguyen Dynasty
   Mausoleum of Emperor Tu Duc
   Perfume River

9. Day 8

   Hue to Hoi An

   Hue to Hoi An Show on map

   Included Activities

   • Drive along Hai Van Pass (Road of the Ocean Clouds)
   • Walk and swim at My Khe beach
   • Guided walking tour of Hoi An
   • Visit Chua Ong Pagoda
   • Visit Japanese Bridge

   Optional Activities

   • Hoi An Street Eats add-on: ride vintage Vespa motorcycle with driver to local restaurants and enjoy all-you-can-eat local cuisine with free-flowing drinks
   • Explore cobbled streets and waterfront of Hoi An

   Landmarks
   Hai Van Pass
   My Khe Beach
   Chua Ong Pagoda
   Japanese Bridge

   

10. Day 9

    Hoi An - Tra Que Village

    Hoi An - Tra Que Village Show on map

    Meals

    Lunch (Tasty lunch prepared during interactive cooking demonstration)

    Included Activities

    • Bike ride to Tra Que village
    • Visit local farm in Tra Que village
    • Learn about traditional farming methods and medicine
    • Farm the fields
    • Interactive cooking demonstration with lunch

    Optional Activities

    • Alternative transportation to Tra Que village (no extra cost for those not wishing to cycle)

    Landmarks
    Tra Que Village

11. Day 10

    Hoi An

    Hoi An Show on map

    Optional Activities

    • Rowboat trip along the river
    • Relax on the beach
    • Shopping in Hoi An
    • Excursion to UNESCO-listed My Son sanctuary
    • Day trip to Ba Na Hills mountain resort with second longest cable car in the world and Golden Bridge (book and pay locally)

    Landmarks
    My Son sanctuary
    Ba Na Hills
    Golden Bridge

12. Day 11

    Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh City to Mekong Delta

    Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh City to Mekong Delta Show on map

    Meals

    Lunch (Traditional lunch in a wooden home on Dong Hoa Hiep Island)

    Included Activities

    • Flight to Ho Chi Minh City
    • Traditional sampan cruise in Mekong Delta canals
    • Visit home factories producing popcorn and sweets

    Landmarks
    Mekong Delta
    Dong Hoa Hiep Island

    

13. Day 12

    Can Tho to Ho Chi Minh City

    Can Tho to Ho Chi Minh City Show on map

    Meals

    Breakfast

    Included Activities

    • Cruise to Con Son Islet
    • Visit floating fish farm on Hau River
    • Stroll along floating bridges
    • Watch fish feeding
    • Fish massage experience
    • Walking tour of Ho Chi Minh City
    • Visit Notre Dame Cathedral
    • Visit Old Post Office
    • Visit War Remnants Museum

    Landmarks
    Con Son Islet
    Hau River
    Notre Dame Cathedral
    Old Post Office
    War Remnants Museum

    

14. Day 13

    Ho Chi Minh City

    Ho Chi Minh City Show on map

    Optional Activities

    • Day trip to Cu Chi Tunnels: crawl through tunnels and fire assault weapons at firing range

    Landmarks
    Cu Chi Tunnels