Itinerary
- Day 1
Hanoi
You'll get picked up from the airport and head to your hotel in Hanoi. After that, the day is yours to wander around Vietnam's capital. The old city is fairly walkable, so you can check out the tree-lined streets, visit some of the ancient pagodas, and get a sense of the historic neighborhoods on your own pace.
Optional Activities
- Explore Hanoi's tree-lined avenues
- Visit ancient pagodas
- Explore the historic old city
- Day 2
Hanoi
After breakfast, you're joining a backstreets tour that kicks off with a taxi ride to a street market full of giant trees and plants. From there, you'll stroll through the Vinh Phuc area and grab coffee at a spot tucked away in an alley. Then comes the fun part, riding pillion on taxi-motorbikes through narrow streets and along Ho Tay Lake. Your guide arranges lunch with local street food, and in the afternoon you'll see Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum from outside, walk through the Temple of Literature, and check out Hoa Lo prison. The day winds down with a bia hoi (beer) at a roadside spot. There's also a welcome meeting at 5pm.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Local Hanoi street food specialty)
Included Activities
- Backstreets tour of Hanoi
- Visit street market northwest of the city
- Explore Vinh Phuc neighbourhood
- Coffee at a local coffee shop
- Taxi-motorbike ride through backstreets and along Ho Tay Lake
- Local lunch with Hanoi street food specialties
- View Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum (exterior only)
- Explore Temple of Literature
- Visit Hoa Lo prison (Hanoi Hilton)
- Roadside bia hoi (beer)
Optional Activities
- Travel by air-conditioned car/taxi instead of taxi-motorbike (at no extra cost)
Landmarks Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum Temple of Literature Ho Tay Lake Hoa Lo Prison Vinh Phuc District - Day 3
Hanoi to Halong Bay
This morning you're transferred to Halong Bay and boarding a traditional junk boat for an overnight cruise. Lunch happens onboard with views of the water all around you. Later you'll visit Trinh Nu Cave to see the stalactites and stalagmites, and there's time for kayaking and swimming if you want. Before dinner, there's a Vietnamese cooking demonstration on the sundeck, followed by a seafood meal.
- Meals
- Lunch (Onboard junk boat), Dinner (Sumptuous seafood dinner)
Included Activities
- Transfer to Halong Bay
- Halong Bay junk boat cruise overnight
- Lunch onboard
- Visit Trinh Nu Cave
- Kayaking (optional during cruise)
- Swimming (optional during cruise)
- Vietnamese cooking demonstration on sundeck
- Seafood dinner
Landmarks Halong Bay Trinh Nu Cave 
- Day 4
Halong Bay to Hue
Start with an optional tai chi class or traditional massage on the sundeck, then explore Sung Sot cave and its two large chambers before returning to port. The transfer back to Hanoi gets you there by mid-afternoon. You'll take a cyclo ride through the French Quarter, seeing the Opera house and Ly Thai To Park, then walk through the 36 streets of the old quarter. Later, after freshening up at your hotel, you'll board the overnight sleeper train (4 berth, basic standard) heading to Hue on the Reunification Express. Flying is also an option if you prefer.
Included Activities
- Explore Sung Sot cave (Surprise Grotto)
- Cyclo (rickshaw) ride through Hanoi's French Quarter
- Visit Opera house
- Visit Ly Thai To Park
- Walk through the 36 streets of the old quarter
- Overnight sleeper train to Hue
Optional Activities
- Tai Chi class on the sundeck
- Traditional massage
- Fly from Hanoi to Hue instead of train
Landmarks Sung Sot Cave Hanoi Opera House Ly Thai To Park 
- Day 5
Hue
You arrive in Hue and get transferred to your hotel. A local guide takes you on a sightseeing tour of this 19th-century capital city. You'll see Thien Mu Pagoda which has the city's oldest monastery, explore the citadel with its ramparts and moats, and visit the Imperial Purple Palace, which copies the Forbidden City in Beijing. Then it's out to the countryside to see Emperor Tu Duc's elaborate mausoleum at the Royal Tombs. As evening comes, there's an optional cruise along the Perfume River with nighttime lighting.
Included Activities
- Transfer from train to hotel
- Guided sightseeing tour of Hue
- Visit Thien Mu Pagoda
- Explore the citadel
- View Imperial Purple Palace
- Visit Royal Tombs of Nguyen kings
- View mausoleum of Emperor Tu Duc
Optional Activities
- Long boat cruise along the Perfume River at sunset
Landmarks Thien Mu Pagoda Hue Citadel Imperial Purple Palace Royal Tombs of Nguyen Kings Mausoleum of Emperor Tu Duc Perfume River - Day 6
Hue to Hoi An
You're heading to Hoi An this morning, driving over the Hai Van Pass with its views of beaches and green hills. There's a stop at China Beach, known from the 'Apocalypse Now' film, where you can take a walk and swim if you feel like it. After continuing south to Hoi An, the rest of the day is free. This old trading port has cobbled streets, traditional homes, small shop houses, plus boutique restaurants, modern cafes, craft shops and some of the best tailors in Asia for custom work.
Included Activities
- Transfer through Hai Van Pass (Road of the Ocean Clouds)
- Stop at China Beach
Optional Activities
- Stroll along China Beach
- Swimming at China Beach
- Explore Hoi An's cobbled streets
- Visit boutique restaurants and cafes
- Shop at craft shops
- Visit bespoke tailors
- Hoi An Street Eats add-on (vintage Vespa tour with local cuisine)
Landmarks Hai Van Pass China Beach Hoi An Old Town 
- Day 7
Hoi An
This morning a local guide meets you for a leisurely bike ride through countryside to Tra Que village (other transportation options are available at no charge). You'll learn about traditional farming and medicine practices, put on a conical hat and help out in the fields and gardens. There's a cooking demonstration and you'll help prepare lunch. After eating, you cycle back to Hoi An. Later this afternoon, a short walking tour covers highlights like Chua Ong Pagoda, the Chinese Assembly Hall, the 200-year-old Tam Ky house, old merchants' homes and the 400-year-old Japanese Covered Bridge.
- Meals
- Lunch (Cooked lunch at Tra Que village)
Included Activities
- Bike ride to Tra Que village
- Learn about traditional farming practices and traditional medicine
- Tend fields and gardens
- Cooking demonstration
- Cooking and tasty lunch
- Walking tour of Hoi An highlights
- Visit Chua Ong Pagoda
- Visit Chinese Assembly Hall
- Visit Tam Ky house
- Visit former merchants' homes
- Visit Japanese Covered Bridge
Optional Activities
- Alternative transportation to Tra Que village instead of cycling (at no extra cost)
Landmarks Tra Que Village Chua Ong Pagoda Chinese Assembly Hall Tam Ky House Japanese Covered Bridge 
- Day 8
Hoi An
Today is free, so you can rest or explore more if you want. Options include a slow rowboat journey along the river, relaxing by the beach or your hotel pool. If you prefer organized activities, you can visit the UNESCO-listed My Son sanctuary or go to Ba Na Hills mountain resort to ride one of the world's longest cable cars and walk the Golden Bridge. These excursions and local activities are booked and paid for on site.
Optional Activities
- Rowboat journey along the river
- Beach time
- Hotel pool time
- Excursion to UNESCO-listed My Son sanctuary
- Day trip to Ba Na Hills mountain resort
- Ride the second longest cable car in the world
- Walk along the Golden Bridge
Landmarks My Son Sanctuary Ba Na Hills Golden Bridge - Day 9
Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh City
An early flight takes you from Danang Airport to Ho Chi Minh City. Once there, you'll meet a local guide and travel to the Mekong Delta, sometimes called Vietnam's rice bowl. This region produces tropical fruits, flowers and rice with fantastic water views. You'll take a sampan from Cai Be and cruise through waterways, seeing how people live on the river with colorful trading boats, houseboats and kids swimming. Stops include local cottage industries making popcorn, coco candies and paper. Lunch is served at a traditional wooden home on Dong Hoa Hiep Island.
- Meals
- Lunch (Traditional wooden home on Dong Hoa Hiep Island)
Included Activities
- Flight to Ho Chi Minh City
- Transfer from airport to Mekong Delta
- Sampan boat cruise through Mekong Delta waterways
- Visit local cottage industries
- Lunch in traditional wooden home on Dong Hoa Hiep Island
Landmarks Mekong Delta Cai Be Dong Hoa Hiep Island 
- Day 10
Mekong Delta to Ho Chi Minh City
Early this morning you visit Cai Rang floating market before driving back to Ho Chi Minh City. The city was once called the Pearl of the Orient and today it mixes modern elements like tall buildings, upscale restaurants, designer shops and fancy bars with older pagodas, colonial landmarks and street markets. On a walking tour you'll see Notre Dame Cathedral and the Old Post Office, then visit the sobering War Remnants Museum.
Included Activities
- Visit Cai Rang floating market
- Walking tour of Ho Chi Minh City
- View Notre Dame Cathedral
- View Old Post Office
- Visit War Remnants Museum
Landmarks Cai Rang Floating Market Notre Dame Cathedral Old Post Office War Remnants Museum - Day 11
Ho Chi Minh City
This morning takes you to the Cu Chi Tunnels, which the Viet-Cong used during the 1960s. After a short video, you'll walk the bush trails to see trapdoors, booby traps, living spaces, weapon factories and kitchens. You can safely crawl through tunnel sections that have been widened for tourists and stand inside bomb craters that remain as they were created. Then it's back to Ho Chi Minh City with the rest of the day free.
Included Activities
- Visit Cu Chi Tunnels
- Video presentation about the tunnels
- Walk around bush trails
- Crawl through tunnel sections
- View bomb craters
Landmarks Cu Chi Tunnels 
- Day 12
Ho Chi Minh City
Today you explore more of Ho Chi Minh City starting with the Reunification Palace, former home of the South Vietnamese president until the city fell on April 30th, 1975. It's now a museum and wedding venue where you can see the famous War Room where the North Vietnamese army took control. Next comes Giac Lam Pagoda, the city's oldest and one of its most beautiful temples. You'll learn about Vietnam's medical past at the FITO Museum, the country's first traditional medicine museum with over 3,000 items. The day finishes at Ben Thanh Market where you can shop and practice haggling.
Included Activities
- Visit Reunification Palace
- View the War Room
- Explore Giac Lam Pagoda
- Visit FITO Museum
- Visit Ben Thanh Market
Landmarks Reunification Palace War Room Giac Lam Pagoda FITO Museum Ben Thanh Market - Day 13
Ho Chi Minh City
Your tour ends today. After breakfast, you'll be transferred to the airport for your departure flight.
- Meals
- Breakfast
