Itinerary
- Day 1
Hanoi
You'll land at Noi Bai International Airport and meet your private driver for the ride into Hanoi. The transfer takes you to your hotel in the historic old town, where you'll have views of Hoan Kiem Lake right there. The rest of the evening is open, so you can settle in, get some rest after your flight, or take a casual walk around the neighborhood to get oriented.
Optional Activities
- Explore French Quarter's old-world charm
- Wander around Hoan Kiem Lake and surrounding gardens
Landmarks/POIs Hoan Kiem Lake Noi Bai International Airport - Day 2
Hanoi
Your guide picks you up for a full day exploring Hanoi's main sights. You'll see the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Temple of Literature, and Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, then check out the One Pillar Pagoda and Ngoc Son Temple. In between, you'll have Vietnamese coffee and a traditional lunch. The afternoon brings a cyclo ride through the Old Quarter streets, and by evening you'll catch a water puppet show before heading back to your hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Vietnamese coffee), Lunch (Traditional and tasty Vietnamese lunch), Dinner (Local beer)
Included Activities
- Visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
- Visit Temple of Literature
- Visit Vietnam Museum of Ethnology
- Visit One Pillar Pagoda
- Visit Ngoc Son Temple
- Cyclo tour of Old Quarter
- Water puppet show
Landmarks/POIs Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Temple of Literature Vietnam Museum of Ethnology One Pillar Pagoda Ngoc Son Temple - Day 3
Hanoi to Halong Bay
After leaving Hanoi, you'll arrive at Halong Bay and board your junk cruise around noon. The afternoon has a swim in the emerald waters at Tra Bau in Lan Ha Bay. You'll participate in onboard activities like cooking demonstrations and squid fishing as the day winds down. Dinner and the night are spent aboard the cruise with meals included and views of the limestone formations all around you.
- Meals
- Lunch (Delicious food onboard), Dinner (Exquisite drinks and delicious food onboard)
Included Activities
- Transfer from Hanoi to Halong Bay
- Junk cruise board
- Swimming in Tra Bau, Lan Ha Bay
- Cooking demonstrations
- Squid fishing activity
- Overnight cruise
Landmarks/POIs Halong Bay Lan Ha Bay - Day 4
Halong Bay to Hoi An
You start early with kayaking in the Ao Ech area to explore Lan Ha Bay's quieter spots and hidden corners. After brunch on the boat, you'll transfer back to Hanoi and head to the airport for your flight to Da Nang. Once you land, your guide and driver meet you for the drive south to Hoi An, which takes a couple hours along the coast.
- Meals
- Brunch
Included Activities
- Kayaking in Ao Ech area
Landmarks/POIs Lan Ha Bay Ao Ech - Day 5
Hoi An
You'll cycle out through paddy fields and shrimp farms to reach Tra Que vegetable village. Here you get your hands dirty literally, digging, sowing, planting, and harvesting vegetables with traditional tools. The day includes trying E Water, a local specialty, and continuing by bike through rice fields and villages. You'll learn how traditional lanterns are made and create your own to take home before returning to town.
Included Activities
- Bicycle tour through paddy fields and shrimp farms
- Visit Tra Que vegetable village
- Farm activities: digging, sowing, planting, harvesting vegetables
- Tasting E Water specialty
- Bicycle ride through rice fields and villages
- Visit traditional lantern-making artisans
- Make your own lantern
Landmarks/POIs Tra Que Vegetable Village - Day 6
Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh City
Your driver picks you up in Hoi An and heads to Da Nang for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City. At the airport, your guide meets you with your driver for the transfer to your hotel. You'll have the rest of the day to walk around the city, grab dinner somewhere, or just rest up after traveling.
Optional Activities
- Explore Ho Chi Minh City at leisure
- Day 7
Ho Chi Minh City
The morning takes you about 20 miles out to Cu Chi to walk through the 75-mile network of underground passages dug by the Viet Cong. Back in the city for lunch, you'll have traditional Vietnamese food. The afternoon tour covers Reunification Palace, the French Colonial architecture scattered throughout, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Central Post Office, City Hall, and the Saigon Opera House. You'll stroll along Dong Khoi Street and Nguyen Hue Boulevard, check out Bitexco Tower, and finish at Ben Thanh Market.
- Meals
- Lunch (Traditional Vietnamese lunch at a local restaurant)
Included Activities
- Visit Cu Chi Tunnels
- Visit Reunification Palace
- View French Colonial architecture
- Visit Notre Dame Cathedral
- Visit Central Post Office
- Visit Ho Chi Minh City Hall
- Visit Saigon Opera House
- View Bitexco Tower
- Visit Ben Thanh Market
Optional Activities
- Shopping at Ben Thanh Market
Landmarks/POIs Cu Chi Tunnels Reunification Palace Notre Dame Cathedral Central Post Office Ho Chi Minh City Hall Saigon Opera House Bitexco Tower Ben Thanh Market - Day 8
Ho Chi Minh City to Ben Tre
You'll take a bus ride of about an hour and a half through rice fields along Highway 1 heading to Trung Luong district. From there, a boat takes you on the Ba Lai River in Ben Tre where you'll see how coconuts are processed and crafted. The day includes visiting charcoal ovens, rowing through coconut canals, and riding a tuk-tuk past groves to see traditional sleeping mat production. Lunch is a set menu of local Southern food at a family restaurant by the river, then you'll relax on another boat ride through palm canals before heading back to Saigon.
- Meals
- Lunch (Set menu of delicious Southern local lunch at a riverside family restaurant)
Included Activities
- Bus ride through rice fields
- Boat ride on Ba Lai River
- Visit coconut production facilities
- Visit coconut charcoal ovens
- Rowing boat through coconut canals
- Tuk-tuk tour through coconut groves
- Visit traditional sleeping mat production
Optional Activities
- Cycling alternative to tuk-tuk through coconut grove
Landmarks/POIs Ben Tre Ba Lai River - Day 9
Ho Chi Minh City to Chiang Mai
After breakfast you'll fly north to Chiang Mai. Your guide meets you at the airport and takes you to your hotel for check-in. Next, you head to Doi Suthep Temple sitting on a hilltop with views over the whole city. The temple holds a Buddha relic and has traditional Thai architecture throughout. You'll return to your hotel to rest, then in the evening attend the Khantoke Dinner, a northern Thai welcome dinner with hill tribe dancing.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Khantoke Dinner (northern welcome dinner) including hill tribe dancing)
Included Activities
- Flight to Chiang Mai
- Visit Doi Suthep Temple (Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep)
- View panoramic city views
- Khantoke Dinner with hill tribe dancing
Landmarks/POIs Doi Suthep Temple - Day 10
Chiang Mai
You spend half the day at the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary outside Chiang Mai where you'll work with rescued elephants in an ethical, abuse-free setting. You'll learn about each elephant's behavior and history. A Thai buffet lunch is included along with round-trip transfers from your hotel. You can choose whether to do the full day, just the morning, or just the afternoon depending on your preference.
- Meals
- Lunch (Thai buffet lunch)
Included Activities
- Half-day tour at Elephant Jungle Sanctuary
- Observe rescued elephants
- Learn elephant behavior and personal histories
- Thai buffet lunch
- Round-trip transfers from Chiang Mai hotel
Optional Activities
- Full day tour at Elephant Jungle Sanctuary
- Morning tour at Elephant Jungle Sanctuary
- Afternoon tour at Elephant Jungle Sanctuary
Landmarks/POIs Elephant Jungle Sanctuary - Day 11
Chiang Mai to Bangkok
After breakfast you transfer to the airport for your flight to Bangkok. When you land at Suvarnabhumi, your guide meets you at Gate 3 to start the day listening to monks chanting at Wat Pho, one of Bangkok's oldest temples. A tuk-tuk ride takes you through the city passing the Pak Khlong Talat Flower Market on the way to the Grand Palace. You'll take a long-tail boat along Thonburi's canals, stopping at Wat Arun, then have lunch at a local place. Later you'll cross the Chao Phraya River to explore Chinatown.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch at a local restaurant)
Included Activities
- Flight to Bangkok
- Listen to monks chanting at Wat Pho
- Tuk-tuk ride through Bangkok
- Pass Pak Khlong Talat Flower Market
- Visit Grand Palace
- Long-tail boat ride along Thonburi's canals
- Visit Wat Arun
- Explore Chinatown
Landmarks/POIs Wat Pho Pak Khlong Talat Flower Market Grand Palace Wat Arun Chinatown - Day 12
Bangkok
Your private guide takes you to explore two different markets. You'll drive west through rice paddies and salt fields toward Damnoen Saduak, about 110 kilometers away. Along the route you'll stop at a farmhouse to watch locals make sugar from coconut. A 30-minute speedboat ride follows along a fruit plantation showing you how people live there traditionally. You'll arrive at Damnoen Saduak Floating Market to browse the boats and hire a small one to shop for local products. Later you'll visit the Maeklong Railway Market, one of Thailand's biggest seafood markets, where the awnings move back when trains pass through. You'll return to your Bangkok hotel by evening.
Included Activities
- Drive through rice paddies and salt fields
- Visit farmhouse for coconut sugar production demonstration
- 30-minute speedboat trip along fruit plantation
- Visit Damnoen Saduak Floating Market
- Hire boat at floating market
- Visit Maeklong Railway Market
Optional Activities
- Shopping at Damnoen Saduak Floating Market
- Shopping at Maeklong Railway Market
Landmarks/POIs Damnoen Saduak Floating Market Maeklong Railway Market - Day 13
Bangkok to Bali
Your guide meets you at your Bangkok hotel and transfers you to the airport for your flight to Bali. After landing at Ngurah Rai International Airport, your local Bali guide meets you to start your 4-day holiday. You'll transfer to your hotel for check-in and spend the night adjusting to Bali's pace.
Included Activities
- Flight to Bali
Landmarks/POIs Ngurah Rai International Airport - Day 14
Bali
After hotel breakfast you'll watch a Barong and Keris dance performance to see traditional Balinese culture. Next, you head to Celuk village to see skilled artisans working with gold and silver. Kintamani Village comes next for views of Mount Batur and Lake Batur with lunch served there overlooking the volcanic landscape. You'll visit the sacred Tirta Empul Temple with its holy spring waters in Tampak Siring, then continue to Goa Gajah Temple. Back at your hotel you'll have time to rest and reflect on everything you've seen.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at the hotel), Lunch (Lunch in Kintamani Village with views of Mount Batur and Lake Batur)
Included Activities
- Barong and Keris dance performance
- Visit Celuk village for gold and silver artistry
- Visit Kintamani Village
- View Mount Batur and Lake Batur
- Visit Tirta Empul Temple
- Visit Goa Gajah Temple
Landmarks/POIs Celuk Village Kintamani Village Mount Batur Lake Batur Tirta Empul Temple Goa Gajah Temple - Day 15
Bali
You start at Wanagiri to see views of the Tamblingan and Buyan sister lakes. From there it's on to Bedugul Mountain and Lake Beratan where the Ulun Danu Temple sits on the landscape. Lunch happens at a local restaurant by the lake. Next you'll venture to the terraced rice fields of Jatiluwih for views of Bali's green countryside. The day finishes at Tanah Lot Temple to watch the sunset before you head back to your hotel.
- Meals
- Lunch (Lakeside lunch at a local restaurant)
Included Activities
- Visit Wanagiri
- View Tamblingan and Buyan lakes
- Visit Bedugul Mountain
- Visit Lake Beratan
- Visit Ulun Danu Temple
- Visit Jatiluwih rice fields
- Visit Tanah Lot Temple
- Sunset viewing at Tanah Lot Temple
Landmarks/POIs Wanagiri Tamblingan Lake Buyan Lake Bedugul Mountain Lake Beratan Ulun Danu Temple Jatiluwih Rice Fields Tanah Lot Temple - Day 16
Bali
You'll have breakfast at your hotel and enjoy a leisurely morning before your guide arrives to transfer you to the airport for your flight home.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at the hotel)
Optional Activities
- Leisurely morning relaxation
