Itinerary
- Day 1
Arrival in Hanoi
You'll land in Hanoi and your private driver meets you at the airport with a nameplate, taking you straight to your hotel in the Old Quarter. After settling in, the rest of the day is yours to either walk around the neighborhood or rest up from your flight.
Optional Activities
- Explore Hanoi Old Quarter at your own pace
- Relax at hotel after flight
- Day 2
Hanoi City Tour
Your guide picks you up from the hotel and you'll start with Tran Quoc Pagoda on Golden Fish Island, then move through the Ho Chi Minh Complex including the mausoleum and historic residences. The One Pillar Pagoda comes next before heading to the Vietnam Ethnology Museum (the Women's Museum if the first is closed). After lunch at a local spot, you'll check out the Temple of Literature and finish at Hoa Lo Prison before heading back to your hotel.
- Meals
- Lunch (Vietnamese cuisine at local restaurant with vegetarian options available)
Included Activities
- Visit Tran Quoc Pagoda
- Visit Ho Chi Minh Complex including mausoleum and historic houses
- Visit One Pillar Pagoda
- Visit Vietnam Ethnology Museum or Vietnamese Women's Museum
- Visit Temple of Literature
- Visit Hoa Lo Prison
- Lunch at local restaurant with Vietnamese cuisine
Landmarks/POIs Tran Quoc Pagoda Ho Chi Minh Complex One Pillar Pagoda Vietnam Ethnology Museum Vietnamese Women's Museum Temple of Literature Hoa Lo Prison - Day 3
Hanoi to Halong Bay
You'll check out and drive toward Halong Bay across the Red River Delta where rice paddies stretch out on both sides. At the pier you board your cruise and take in the limestone formations and karst grottoes as you sail. Seafood lunch comes on the boat, and later you'll have time to kayak or swim to explore the grottoes from the water. After dinner onboard, you can relax or join activities happening on the ship.
- Meals
- Lunch (Seafood lunch), Dinner (Early dinner on boat)
Included Activities
- Halong Bay cruise with limestone rock and karst grottoe viewing
- Seafood lunch
- Kayaking or swimming at secret location
Optional Activities
- Optional onboard activities in the evening
Landmarks/POIs Halong Bay - Day 4
Halong Bay to Hue
Wake early to catch the sunrise, then have breakfast in the dining room. You'll explore a limestone cave with stalagmites and stalactites before checking out and having brunch while sailing back. Once at the harbor, you transfer to Hanoi for your flight to Hue, where your driver meets you at the airport and takes you to your hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast in dining room), Brunch (Brunch during cruise sail back to harbor)
Included Activities
- Sunrise viewing
- Breakfast in dining room
- Limestone cave exploration with stalagmites and stalactites
- Brunch during return sail
- Day 5
Hue City Tour
Your guide meets you at the hotel and you'll start with a boat trip on the Perfume River to Thien Mu pagoda. From there, head to the Imperial Citadel where the Nguyen Dynasty ruled and check out the Royal Antiques Museum. The Dong Ba market is next before lunch. In the afternoon you'll see Khai Dinh's Tomb and Minh Mang's Tomb with stops at conical hat and incense villages along the way, returning by evening.
- Meals
- Lunch (Delicious Vietnamese lunch)
Included Activities
- Boat trip on Perfume River to Thien Mu pagoda
- Visit Imperial Citadel
- Visit Royal Antiques Museum
- Browse Dong Ba market
- Visit Khai Dinh's Tomb
- Visit Minh Mang's Tomb
- Visit conical hats village
- Visit incense sticks village
- Vietnamese lunch
Landmarks/POIs Thien Mu Pagoda Imperial Citadel Dong Ba Market Khai Dinh's Tomb Minh Mang's Tomb - Day 6
Hue to Hoi An via Hai Van Pass
After breakfast at your hotel, your private car takes you to Hoi An through the Hai Van Pass, a road with great views of mountains and sea the entire drive. Once you arrive in Hoi An, you'll check in at your hotel and have free time to walk around and get familiar with the area.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at hotel)
Included Activities
- Breakfast at hotel
- Private car transfer through Hai Van Pass
Optional Activities
- Explore Hoi An surrounding area
Landmarks/POIs Hai Van Pass - Day 7
Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh City
You'll have your final morning in Hoi An, then your driver takes you to Da Nang airport for the flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Upon landing, your driver meets you and brings you to your hotel downtown. You have the rest of the day free to either rest or explore on your own.
Optional Activities
- Explore Ho Chi Minh City at leisure
- Day 8
Mekong Delta Excursion
After breakfast, you head to the Mekong Delta with your guide driving you from the hotel to My Tho. You'll board a sampan and cruise around four islands (Dragon, Unicorn, Phoenix, and Tortoise). At Unicorn Island you walk through country lanes and orchards, then visit fruit plantations for tasting and local folk songs. A hand-rowed sampan takes you through Thoi Son canal where you'll see family workshops and honey-bee farms, trying honey tea and coconut candies along the way. Traditional lunch follows, then you either bike around Tan Thach village to meet people or relax in a hammock before heading back.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Hearty breakfast), Lunch (Traditional Vietnamese lunch)
Included Activities
- Breakfast at hotel
- Sampan cruise around Dragon, Unicorn, Phoenix, and Tortoise islands
- Walk Unicorn Island country lanes and orchards
- Visit fruit plantations with tropical fruit tasting
- Local folk song music performance
- Hand-rowed sampan through Thoi Son canal
- Visit family workshops
- Visit honey-bee farm
- Honey tea and coconut candy tasting
- Traditional Vietnamese lunch
- Cycling around Tan Thach village or hammock relaxation
- Meet local villagers
Landmarks/POIs My Tho Thoi Son Canal Tan Thach Village - Day 9
Departure from Ho Chi Minh City
On your final day, you'll have breakfast and check out of your hotel. Before heading to the airport, you have time to visit local markets and pick up souvenirs. Your driver then takes you to the airport for your flight home.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Healthy breakfast)
Included Activities
- Breakfast at hotel
Optional Activities
- Visit local markets for souvenirs
