Itinerary
- Day 1
Hanoi
Your guide meets you at the airport in Hanoi and takes you to the hotel. After checking in, the rest of the day is yours to explore. Wander through the Old Quarter's narrow streets where locals run shops and street vendors set up their carts. It's a good way to get a feel for the city without any scheduled activities.
- Start point
- Hanoi, Vietnam (Hanoi International Airport (Column no 10))
Optional Activities
- Explore Old Quarter streets and street food vendors independently
- Day 2
Hanoi
Following breakfast, you'll join a walking tour through Hanoi's streets and busy markets. The morning takes you to West Lake, where you can see Quan Thanh Temple and Cua Bach Parish Church. Afterward, you have free time to relax at a café or continue exploring on your own.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Walking tour through Hanoi city
- Visit bustling markets and street vendors
- Leisurely stroll around West Lake
- Visit Quan Thanh Temple
- Visit Cua Bach Parish Church
Landmarks West Lake Quan Thanh Temple Cua Bach Parish Church - Day 3
Hanoi to Halong Bay
You drive down to Halong Bay and board your cruise ship. The afternoon involves sailing past towering limestone cliffs and small islands while having lunch on deck. After that, there's time for kayaking, swimming, or just relaxing. Later, you'll participate in a cooking demonstration to learn how to make traditional Vietnamese dishes before dinner as the sun goes down over the water.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Delicious lunch onboard), Dinner (Freshly prepared dinner with sunset views over Halong Bay)
Included Activities
- Scenic drive to Halong Bay
- Board cruise and explore UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Kayak through tranquil lagoons
- Swimming in crystal-clear waters
- Cooking demonstration - traditional Vietnamese dishes
- Overnight cruise anchored in Halong Bay
Landmarks Halong Bay 
- Day 4
Halong Bay to Ninh Binh
The morning starts early to watch the sunrise from the ship's deck, with an optional Tai Chi session available. You then visit Sung Sot Cave to see the stalactites and stalagmites. After brunch back on the ship, you cruise past more limestone formations before driving to Ninh Binh. You'll have time to check in and explore this area known for its dramatic landscape.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Brunch (Delicious brunch onboard cruise)
Included Activities
- Sunrise viewing over Halong Bay
- Visit Sung Sot (Surprise) Cave
- Explore cave chambers with stalactites and stalagmites
- Scenic drive to Ninh Binh province
Optional Activities
- Tai Chi session on sundeck
Landmarks Sung Sot (Surprise) Cave 
- Day 5
Ninh Binh
This day focuses on the Ninh Binh countryside with its rice paddies and limestone hills. You'll visit Hoa Lu Ancient Citadel and Dinh King Temple to see the intricate woodwork. Lunch features local food, and then you take a sampan boat through Tam Coc's three caves. The afternoon includes climbing Mua Cave up to Ngoa Long Mountain for views of the whole valley before heading back to your hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Delicious local lunch at traditional restaurant with authentic Ninh Binh cuisine)
Included Activities
- Guided tour through northern Vietnamese countryside
- Visit Hoa Lu Ancient Citadel
- Visit Dinh King Temple
- Local lunch at traditional restaurant - authentic Ninh Binh cuisine
- Sampan boat ride along Ngo Dong River in Tam Coc
- Drift through three natural caves - Hang Ca, Hang Hai, Hang Ba
- Climb Mua Cave and Ngoa Long Mountain
- View panoramic scenery of Tam Coc valleys and rivers
Landmarks Hoa Lu Ancient Citadel Dinh King Temple Tam Coc Mua Cave - Day 6
Ninh Binh to Hanoi
After breakfast, you drive back toward Hanoi, passing through small villages and green fields. Once you reach the hotel and settle in, the day is open for whatever you'd like to do. You might grab coffee at a local café, take a walk around Hoan Kiem Lake, or check out the shops and food stalls in the Old Quarter.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Scenic drive through charming villages and green fields
Optional Activities
- Relax at cafe
- Stroll around Hoan Kiem Lake
- Explore Old Quarter shops and street food stalls
Landmarks Hoan Kiem Lake - Day 7
Hanoi to Sapa
A bus takes you from Hanoi north to Sapa, a mountain town known for its misty peaks and steep terraces. Along the way, you pass through beautiful landscapes in the Hoang Lien Son Mountains. In the afternoon, you trek about 7 km through rice paddies and bamboo groves to reach Ta Van Village, where you meet people from the Zay ethnic group and learn about how they live.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Scenic bus journey through mountain landscapes
- Trek to Ta Van Village (7 km, easy to moderate)
- Walk through terraced rice fields and bamboo forests
- Meet local villagers and observe daily life
- Cultural insights into Zay people traditions
Landmarks Ta Van Village Hoang Lien Son Mountains Muong Hoa Valley 
- Day 8
Sapa
After a mountain breakfast, you explore villages near Sapa. Cat Cat Village has stone pathways and traditional houses where residents weave fabrics. You then head to quieter Xin Chai Village to see traditional ways of life. The day also includes seeing Tien Sa Waterfall and an old French power station. As you return to Sapa, misty hills and rice terraces surround you.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Guided tour of charming villages surrounding Sapa
- Visit Cat Cat Village
- Observe traditional fabric weaving
- Visit Xin Chai Village
- View Tien Sa Waterfall
- Visit old hydroelectric power station from French colonial era
- Walking tour approximately 7 km, basic to medium difficulty
Optional Activities
- Enjoy Sapa at own pace with relaxed exploration
Landmarks Cat Cat Village Xin Chai Village Tien Sa Waterfall 
- Day 9
Sapa to Hanoi
Your last morning in Sapa is quiet and peaceful, with mist covering the surrounding mountains and rice fields. You then drive back to Hanoi, taking in the mountain views as you descend from the highlands. Once at your hotel, you can rest and think back on your time in northern Vietnam.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Scenic drive back to Hanoi with descent from highlands
Optional Activities
- Relax and soak in Sapa's serene atmosphere
- Day 10
Hanoi to Hoi An
After breakfast, you transfer to Noi Bai Airport for a flight to Da Nang on the coast. Your driver picks you up and takes you to Hoi An, a historic town that's a UNESCO site. Once you check in at your hotel, you can relax or take a casual walk through the streets lit by colorful lanterns.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Flight from Hanoi to Da Nang
- Transfer from Da Nang to Hoi An
Optional Activities
- Stroll through lantern-lit streets of Hoi An
Landmarks Hoi An Ancient Town 
- Day 11
Hoi An
Start at Hoi An Market early to see the action and get oriented. From there, you'll head to Phuc Kien Chinese Assembly Hall with its ornate details, then walk through preserved ancient houses like Phung Hung and Tan Ky to see how people lived centuries ago. The Museum of Folk Culture sits in a 150-year-old merchant house and gives good context for what you're seeing around town. Catch a traditional performance at the Performing Arts House in the afternoon, and make sure to visit the Japanese Covered Bridge before spending your remaining time wandering through local galleries and handicraft shops where you can see lanterns, embroidery, and woodwork being made or sold.
Included Activities
- Visit Hoi An Market
- Guided tour of Phuc Kien Chinese Assembly Hall
- Explore ancient houses (Phung Hung and Tan Ky)
- Visit Museum of Folk Culture
- Attend traditional performance at Hoi An Traditional Performing Arts House
- Visit Japanese Covered Bridge
- Explore local art galleries and handicraft shops
Landmarks Hoi An Market Phuc Kien Chinese Assembly Hall Phung Hung Ancient House Tan Ky Ancient House Museum of Folk Culture Hoi An Traditional Performing Arts House Japanese Covered Bridge - Day 12
Hoi An
This day is yours to explore Hoi An at your own pace. A leisurely morning walk through the ancient town lets you appreciate the soft sunlight hitting the yellow-walled houses and colorful lanterns without rushing. Stop by a riverside café for Vietnamese coffee and just sit there watching daily life happen around you. The rest of the afternoon and evening are open, so you can backtrack to places that caught your eye, grab lunch somewhere local, or simply relax.
Optional Activities
- Leisurely stroll through Hoi An Ancient Town
- Visit riverside café for Vietnamese coffee
- Day 13
Hoi An to Hue
You'll leave Hoi An's charming streets behind and head north to Hue, Vietnam's former imperial capital. The drive takes you along Hai Van Pass, which follows a gorgeous coastal route with great views. Once you arrive in Hue City, check into your hotel and settle in. The rest of the day is free, so you can relax, grab dinner at a restaurant nearby, or just get acclimated to the new surroundings.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Landmarks Hai Van Pass 
- Day 14
Hue
After hotel pick-up, you'll go to the boat station for a cruise along the Perfume River where you can take in the landscape that inspired poets and musicians over the years. The boat stops at Thien Mu Pagoda, Vietnam's tallest seven-tiered pagoda offering views of the riverbank and surrounding countryside. From there, you'll explore the Imperial Citadel of Hue, a UNESCO World Heritage Site showing off Nguyen Dynasty architecture and scale. The day wraps up at Dong Ba Market, Hue's oldest and largest market filled with handicrafts, souvenirs, and local street food if you want to grab dinner.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Cruise on Perfume River
- Visit Thien Mu Pagoda
- Guided tour of Imperial Citadel of Hue
- Explore Dong Ba Market
Landmarks Perfume River Thien Mu Pagoda Imperial Citadel of Hue Dong Ba Market - Day 15
Hue
Hue offers a leisurely day where history and tranquility mix well together. With no set schedule, you explore at your own pace and direction. Consider booking a traditional herbal spa treatment that combines ancient healing practices with aromatic herbs specific to the region, or simply find a riverside café, order Vietnamese coffee, and spend hours watching the city move slowly around you.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Traditional herbal spa treatment
- Relax at riverside café
- Day 16
Hue to Ho Chi Minh City
You'll move from peaceful Central Vietnam to the busier Ho Chi Minh City. After breakfast at the hotel, you're transferred to the airport for a short flight heading south. Upon landing, your driver meets you and takes you to your hotel in the city center. The rest of the day is free, so you can check in, rest up from travel, or get out and explore the immediate neighborhood if you have energy.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Day 17
Ho Chi Minh City
After breakfast, you'll drive from Ho Chi Minh City through peaceful countryside to reach the Cu Chi Tunnels. A documentary explains the tunnels' history during the Vietnam War, then you descend into this underground network where Vietnamese soldiers once lived, stored supplies, and stayed hidden. You get a break partway through to have boiled tapioca and hot tea, the simple wartime food eaten by local fighters. There's an optional shooting range (at your own cost) where you can fire an AK-47 or M16 if interested. Return to Ho Chi Minh City with the evening free to relax or explore.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Scenic drive through southern Vietnamese countryside
- Documentary viewing about Cu Chi Tunnels history
- Explore Cu Chi Tunnels underground maze
- Wartime snack experience (boiled tapioca and hot tea)
Optional Activities
- Shooting range experience with AK-47 or M16 rifle
Landmarks Cu Chi Tunnels 
- Day 18
Ho Chi Minh City
This is your day to explore Ho Chi Minh City at your own pace. The city's dynamic rhythm shows modern skyscrapers standing next to French colonial buildings and busy street markets. If you prefer something more relaxed, find a cozy café, book a spa treatment, or just wander through lively streets and take in the vibrant atmosphere without a specific plan.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Explore Ho Chi Minh City's markets and landmarks
- Relax at a café
- Spa treatment
- Day 19
Ho Chi Minh City to Departure
Your final morning starts with a leisurely breakfast at the hotel. Take time to relax or do last-minute souvenir shopping before your flight. When it's time, your driver picks you up and transfers you to Tan Son Nhat International Airport for your departure. The trip through Vietnam ends here after experiencing beautiful landscapes, cultural sites, and warm hospitality from local people.
- End point
- Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (Tan Son Nhat Airport)
Landmarks Tan Son Nhat International Airport
