Itinerary
- Day 1
Hanoi
You'll arrive in Hanoi and have some free time to walk around the tree-lined streets, check out the lakes, and see the old pagodas scattered through the city. At 2pm, your guide meets you for a walking tour through the Old Quarter. You'll cover the '36 streets' including Silver Street, Silk Street, and Hang Ma street, learning about Vietnam's Full Moon Festival traditions along the way. There's a chance to try some traditional mooncakes as well.
Included Activities
- Walking tour of Hanoi's Old Quarter ('36 streets')
- Exploration of Silver Street, Silk Street, Comb Street, Paper Street
- Visit to Hang Ma street and Full Moon Festival history
Optional Activities
- Self-guided exploration of wide tree-lined avenues
- Visit to beautiful lakes
- Visit to ancient pagodas
Landmarks Hanoi Old Quarter Hang Ma Street 
- Day 2
Hanoi to Halong Bay
After breakfast, you'll transfer to Halong Bay and board a traditional wooden junk boat to explore the jade waters with their limestone islands. Lunch happens on board with great views all around. You'll visit Tien Ong Cave to see the stalagmites and stalactites, then return to the boat for a Vietnamese cooking demonstration on the sundeck. Dinner is a seafood meal served on board.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch aboard the junk boat), Dinner (Sumptuous seafood dinner)
Included Activities
- Transfer from Hanoi to Halong Bay
- Traditional wooden junk boat cruise
- Visit to Tien Ong Cave
- Vietnamese cooking demonstration
- Lunch aboard the junk boat
- Seafood dinner
Optional Activities
- Swimming in Halong Bay waters
- Kayaking in Halong Bay
Landmarks Halong Bay Tien Ong Cave - Day 3
Halong Bay to Hanoi to Hue
You can start with optional Tai Chi or a traditional massage on the sundeck. Then kayak through the Floating Village of Cua Van to see wooden houses and watch how locals live their daily lives. You'll return to Hanoi in the mid-afternoon and explore the French Quarter by cyclo, visiting the Opera house and Ly Thai To park. After walking through the '36 streets of the old quarter', you'll head to the train station to board the sleeper train to Hue (or take a flight as an option).
Included Activities
- Kayak exploration of Floating Village of Cua Van
- Cyclo tour of French Quarter including Opera house and Ly Thai To park
- Walking tour of '36 streets of the old quarter'
- Overnight sleeper train to Hue (4 berth cabin, basic standard)
Optional Activities
- Tai Chi class on sundeck
- Traditional massage
- Flight from Hanoi to Hue
Landmarks Floating Village of Cua Van Hanoi Opera House Ly Thai To Park - Day 4
Hue
You'll tour Hue, the old Nguyen empire capital from the 19th century. Start at Thien Mu Pagoda, which holds the city's oldest monastery and has a 21m high tower. The citadel is next, featuring the Imperial Purple Palace (a copy of Beijing's Forbidden City), ramparts, moats and imperial palaces. Then head out to the countryside to see the Royal Tombs of the Nguyen kings and Emperor Tu Duc's elaborate mausoleum. An optional sunset cruise on the Perfume River is available in the evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Guided sightseeing tour of Hue
- Visit to Thien Mu Pagoda
- Exploration of the Citadel with Imperial Purple Palace
- Visit to Royal Tombs of the Nguyen kings
- Visit to Emperor Tu Duc's mausoleum
Optional Activities
- Sunset cruise in long boat along Perfume River
Landmarks Thien Mu Pagoda Hue Citadel Imperial Purple Palace Royal Tombs of the Nguyen Kings Emperor Tu Duc's Mausoleum Perfume River - Day 5
Hue to Hoi An
You'll drive over Hai Van Pass (Road of the Ocean Clouds) with views of beaches and green hills. Stop at China Beach (from 'Apocalypse Now') for a walk and a swim if you want to. Then continue south along the coast to Hoi An, a charming old trading port with cobbled streets and traditional homes. On a short walking tour, you'll visit Chua Ong Pagoda, Chinese Assembly Hall, the 200-year-old Tam Ky house, and the 400-year-old Japanese Covered Bridge.
- Meals
- Lunch
Included Activities
- Drive along Hai Van Pass (Road of the Ocean Clouds)
- Walk along China Beach
- Walking tour of Hoi An historical town
- Visit to Chua Ong Pagoda
- Visit to Chinese Assembly Hall
- Visit to 200-year-old Tam Ky house
- Visit to 400-year-old Japanese Covered Bridge
- Exploration of merchants' homes
Optional Activities
- Swimming at China Beach
- Hoi An Street Eats optional add-on (Vespa tour with local cuisine)
Landmarks Hai Van Pass China Beach Chua Ong Pagoda Chinese Assembly Hall Tam Ky House Japanese Covered Bridge - Day 6
Hoi An
Today is the Full Moon Festival. You'll take a rickshaw to a local home outside Hoi An where a family will teach you about their lantern-making tradition and you'll make your own lantern for tonight. You can explore market stalls and lantern shops, then have free time to visit tailor shops, row a boat down the river, or relax at the hotel pool. By evening, you'll head to the riverbank with local people to release your lantern and watch hundreds of lights float down the water.
Included Activities
- Rickshaw ride to local home
- Lantern-making workshop with Ha Linh family
- Exploration of local market stalls and lantern shops
- Lantern release ceremony on the river during Full Moon Festival
Optional Activities
- Visiting tailor shops
- Rowing boat trip down the river
- Hotel swimming pool
Landmarks Hoi An - Day 7
Hoi An to Tra Que Village
This morning you'll ride by bicycle into the countryside heading to Tra Que village (other transportation options available if cycling isn't for you). You'll learn about traditional farming methods and medicine, put on a conical hat, and try your hand at actual farming work in the fields. There's a cooking demonstration, and then you'll help prepare lunch which you'll eat there.
- Meals
- Lunch (Tasty lunch prepared with hands-on cooking assistance)
Included Activities
- Bicycle ride to Tra Que village
- Learning about age-old farming practices
- Learning about traditional medicine
- Farming experience in the fields
- Cooking demonstration
- Hands-on cooking and lunch preparation
Optional Activities
- Alternative transportation instead of bicycle at no extra cost
Landmarks Tra Que Village - Day 8
Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho
Early morning flight from Hoi An gets you to Ho Chi Minh City, then you drive to the Mekong Delta, known as Vietnam's 'rice bowl' for its tropical fruits, flowers, and rice. You'll take a sampan through the waterways to watch daily life with colorful trading boats, houseboats and children in the water. Stop at local cottage industries that make popcorn, coco candies and paper. Lunch is served in a traditional wooden home on Dong Hoa Hiep Island.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch in a traditional wooden home on Dong Hoa Hiep Island)
Included Activities
- Flight from Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh City
- Drive to Mekong Delta
- Sampan cruise from Cai Be through waterways
- Visit to local cottage industries
- Lunch in traditional wooden home on Dong Hoa Hiep Island
Landmarks Mekong Delta Cai Be Dong Hoa Hiep Island - Day 9
Can Tho to Ho Chi Minh City
Early morning means heading to the busy Cai Rang floating market where melons, pineapples, greens, rice and toys get tossed between sampans. Then drive back to Ho Chi Minh City, the former Pearl of the Orient, where you'll see modern buildings, good restaurants and colonial-era landmarks. You'll walk past Notre Dame Cathedral and the Old Post Office, then visit the War Remnants Museum. The evening is yours to do what you want.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit to Cai Rang floating market
- Walking tour of Ho Chi Minh City
- Visit to Notre Dame Cathedral
- Visit to Old Post Office
- Visit to War Remnants Museum
- Drive from Can Tho to Ho Chi Minh City
Landmarks Cai Rang Floating Market Notre Dame Cathedral Old Post Office War Remnants Museum - Day 10
Ho Chi Minh City
Your final day is free time in Ho Chi Minh City before your airport transfer. You could get a foot massage, shop for souvenirs at Ben Thanh Market, or visit Independence Palace to see the secret bunker and military command center. If you want, there's an optional day trip to the Cu Chi Tunnels where you can explore the tunnel network, see booby traps, and even try shooting at a firing range.
Optional Activities
- Foot massage
- Shopping at Ben Thanh Market
- Visit to Independence Palace
- Optional day trip to Cu Chi Tunnels
- Exploration of tunnel network at Cu Chi
- View of booby traps and trap doors
- AK 47 firing range experience
Landmarks Ben Thanh Market Independence Palace Cu Chi Tunnels
