Itinerary
- Day 1
Hanoi
Hanoi- Accommodation
- Hotel 4* (Flower Garden Hotel)
Optional Activities
- Street food tour of Old Quarter exploring Dinh Liet and Ta Hien Street with local vendor stops
- Welcome meeting with tour leader at 5pm
Landmarks Hanoi Old Quarter Dinh Liet Street Ta Hien Street - Day 2
Hanoi - Bat Trang - Halong Bay
Hanoi - Bat Trang - Halong Bay- Meals
- Breakfast (Traditional Vietnamese pho at local stall with beef bones simmered overnight in rich broth, served with thinly sliced beef flank or brisket, flat rice noodles and fresh herbs)
- Accommodation
- Hotel 3* (New Star Ha Long 2 Hotel)
Included Activities
- Breakfast at local pho stall with traditional Vietnamese pho
- Egg coffee (ca phe trung) tasting
- Visit to One-Pillar Pagoda
- Visit to Temple of Literature
- Visit to Presidential Palace grounds and Ho Chi Minh's teak stilt house
- Cookery course in Bat Trang village learning to make cha gio (spring rolls), cha la lot (beef-stuffed betel leaves), and thit xien nuong (grilled meat skewers)
- Local insights into Bat Trang village history from resident
Landmarks One-Pillar Pagoda Temple of Literature Presidential Palace Bat Trang village - Day 3
Halong Bay
Halong Bay- Meals
- Lunch (Delicious seafood lunch served onboard charter boat)
- Accommodation
- Hotel 3* (Van Long Green Hotel)
Included Activities
- Charter boat cruise through Halong Bay limestone islands
- Visit to limestone caverns
- Seafood lunch onboard
Landmarks Halong Bay - Day 4
Ninh Binh
Ninh Binh- Meals
- Lunch (Farm-fresh meal prepared on farm with local produce)
- Accommodation
- Sleeper Train (Overnight Train to Dong Hoi)
Included Activities
- Boat cruise on Van Long reservoir
- Visit to traditional villages
- Cookery lesson with local family learning com chay (burnt rice)
- Farm work participation including rice cultivation, banana leaf cutting, and garden tending
- Farm-fresh lunch prepared from local produce
- Leisurely bike ride through rice paddies visiting pagodas and small villages
- Overnight train journey on Reunification Express in soft-sleeper four berth cabin
Landmarks Van Long reservoir - Day 5
Dong Hoi - Phong Nha
Dong Hoi - Phong Nha- Meals
- Lunch (Barbecued seafood lunch with river prawns, grilled fish, marinated BBQ pork and freshly prepared Vietnamese salad)
- Accommodation
- Hotel 3* (Muong Thanh Hoilday Quang Binh)
Included Activities
- Breakfast at local hotel
- Visit to Phong Nha National Park
- Wooden boat journey on Son River
- Phong Nha Cave exploration with stalactites and stalagmites
- Barbecued seafood lunch with river prawns, grilled fish, marinated BBQ pork and Vietnamese salad
- Swimming time in river
- Paradise Cave visit with boardwalks and lighting through 7km limestone formation
Landmarks Phong Nha National Park Phong Nha Cave Paradise Cave Son River - Day 6
Dong Hoi - Hue
Dong Hoi - Hue- Meals
- Dinner (Private dinner with local family sampling local specialties)
- Accommodation
- Hotel 3* (Thanh Lich 2 Hotel)
Included Activities
- Visit to De-Militarised Zone (DMZ) and 17th parallel
- Exploration of Vinh Moc underground tunnel network and village
- Visit to Quang Tri Citadel
- Ben Hai River crossing
- Private dinner with local family sampling local specialties
Landmarks De-Militarised Zone (DMZ) Vinh Moc village Quang Tri Citadel Ben Hai River - Day 7
Hue
Hue- Meals
- Dinner (Home-cooked dinner with local family including va tron (Hue fig salad), banh beo (water fern cakes), and bun bo (spicy beef and pork noodle soup))
- Accommodation
- Hotel 3* (Thanh Lich 2 Hotel)
Included Activities
- Visit to Dong Ba Market
- Exploration of Imperial Citadel
- Cooking lesson with local family to make green bean cake (TET specialty)
- Visit to Thien Mu Pagoda
- Visit to Tu Duc Tomb
- Dinner with local family sampling va tron (Hue fig salad), banh beo (water fern cakes), and bun bo (spicy beef and pork noodle soup)
Landmarks Dong Ba Market Imperial Citadel of Hue Thien Mu Pagoda Tu Duc Tomb - Day 8
Hue to Hoi An
Hue to Hoi An- Meals
- Lunch (Lunch prepared during cooking class with local dish)
- Accommodation
- Hotel 3* (Thanh Binh Central Hotel)
Included Activities
- Drive over Hai Van (Sea Cloud) Pass with scenic stop
- Visit to Tra Que Herb Village
- Meeting local farmers and learning about produce grown without pesticides
- Herbal foot soak made from locally grown herbs
- Cooking class preparing lunch with local dish
- Walking tour of Hoi An including Japanese Bridge and Chinese Meeting Hall
Landmarks Hai Van Pass Tra Que Herb Village Japanese Bridge Chinese Meeting Hall Hoi An - Day 9
Hoi An
Hoi An- Accommodation
- Hotel 3* (Thanh Binh Central Hotel)
Optional Activities
- Visit to My Lai village massacre memorial site with emotive photography exhibition
- Cast net fishing trip on Thu Bon River Delta with local fishermen learning traditional fishing techniques
- Bamboo winches hauling experience for drop nets from river
- Vietnamese basket boat (circular bamboo boat) rowing experience
Landmarks Japanese Bridge Old Town Hoi An My Lai village massacre memorial Thu Bon River Delta - Day 10
Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh City - Mekong Delta
Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh City - Mekong Delta- Accommodation
- Home-stay (Ut Trinh Homestay - Ben Tre)
Included Activities
- Sampan journey through narrow Mekong Delta waterways
- Visits to villagers making local delicacies
- Tasting of baked potato cakes, Vietnamese doughnuts, and suong sam (Vietnamese jelly)
- Cycling alongside palm-fringed canals
- Meal preparation with hosts making ca loc nuong trui (grilled snakehead fish), banh xeo (rice pancakes), and banh la mit (jackfruit leaf cake)
Landmarks Mekong Delta Ben Tre - Day 11
Mekong Delta to Ho Chi Minh City
Mekong Delta to Ho Chi Minh City- Meals
- Lunch (Lunch following snack preparation at local house)
- Accommodation
- Hotel 3* (Alagon Central Hotel)
Included Activities
- Boat exploration of Mekong Delta
- Visit to local market with fish, vegetables and exotic fruits
- Snack preparation at local house using market ingredients
- Street food tour of Old Saigon/Ho Chi Minh City
Landmarks Mekong Delta Ho Chi Minh City (Old Saigon) - Day 12
Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City- Accommodation
- Hotel 3* (Alagon Central Hotel)
Included Activities
- Morning at International Barista School learning about coffee making and Vietnam's coffee history
- Coffee tasting and latte art lesson
- Walking tour of Ho Chi Minh City including Opera House, Hotel de Ville, Notre Dame Cathedral, and GPO building
Landmarks International Barista School Opera House Hotel de Ville Notre Dame Cathedral GPO building - Day 13
Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City
