Itinerary
- Day 1
Arrival in Hanoi
Your driver meets you at Noi Bai airport and takes you into Hanoi, dropping you at your hotel in the Old Quarter. After you settle in, the rest of the day is yours to wander around the historic Old Quarter and its 36 streets. You can explore at your own pace, getting a feel for the narrow alleys, street food vendors, and local shops that make this area so distinctive.
- Start point
- Noi Bai International Airport, Sóc Sơn, Huyện Sóc Sơn, Hanoi 140800, Vietnam (Our driver will pick you up and take you to hotel in Hanoi old quarter)
Optional Activities
- Discover Hanoi Old Quarter
- Explore 36 streets
Landmarks/POIs Hanoi Old Quarter 
- Day 2
Ninh Binh: Bai Dinh Pagoda & Trang An
Your hotel pickup happens at 8:00 AM for the drive to Ninh Binh, which takes about 2 hours. At Bai Dinh Pagoda, you'll see one of Vietnam's largest pagodas with hundreds of Buddhist statues and a 10-meter bronze Buddha. After lunch with local goat meat dishes, you'll spend 2-3 hours on a boat trip through Trang An, paddled by local boatmen through caves and turquoise river waters. The day ends at a local homestay.
- Meals
- Lunch (Local restaurant with Ninh Binh traditional dishes from goat meat)
Included Activities
- Visit Bai Dinh Pagoda with Buddhist statues
- Boat trip through Trang An cave complex (2-3 hours)
Landmarks/POIs Bai Dinh Pagoda Trang An Tourism Complex Hoa Lu Ancient Capital - Day 3
Ninh Binh to Ha Long Bay Cruise
Early departure at 7:00 AM from Ninh Binh takes you through the Red River Delta toward Ha Long City, about 2 hours away. You'll board your cruise at midday with a welcome drink and safety briefing. Lunch happens while cruising through Bai Tu Long Bay. Then you visit Thien Canh Son cave with its stalactites and stalagmites, followed by optional swimming and a cooking class. Vietnamese dinner is served onboard, and the evening is free for relaxing at the bar or night fishing. You'll stay overnight on the boat.
- Meals
- Lunch (Lunch while cruising in Bai Tu Long Bay), Dinner (Vietnamese style set dinner served onboard)
Included Activities
- Halong Bay cruise
- Visit Thien Canh Son cave
- Cooking class onboard
- Swimming in Ha Long Bay
Optional Activities
- Night fishing
- Bar activities
Landmarks/POIs Ha Long Bay Bai Tu Long Bay Thien Canh Son Cave - Day 4
Ha Long Bay to Hanoi & Overnight Train to Da Nang
After breakfast, you catch the sunrise over Ha Long Bay. A bamboo boat takes you to Vung Vieng floating village for about an hour to experience village life surrounded by rocky mountains. Lunch happens while cruising back through Ha Long Bay. You disembark at 11:30 AM and drive back to Hanoi, taking roughly 2 hours with a refreshment stop along the way. You'll arrive by 4:00 PM and have free time before boarding your overnight train to Da Nang. The 16-hour train journey has soft sleeping beds and passes through Vietnamese countryside with rice fields, mountains, and rivers.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast onboard), Lunch (Lunch while cruising back through Ha Long Bay)
Included Activities
- Sunrise viewing on Ha Long Bay
- Visit Vung Vieng floating village by bamboo boat
Landmarks/POIs Vung Vieng Floating Village - Day 5
Da Nang to Hoi An
You arrive in Da Nang at around 1:00 PM after your overnight train. Transfer to Hoi An takes you to your hotel for check-in. The rest of the day is free for you to explore this charming historic town at your own pace, wandering the streets and getting oriented.
Optional Activities
- Explore Hoi An
Landmarks/POIs Hoi An Ancient Town 
- Day 6
Hoi An: Fishermen & Waterways Tour
Hotel pickup at 8:00 AM takes you out on the Hoi An waterways for an early morning fishing tour with local fishermen. You'll learn authentic Vietnamese fishing techniques and paddle traditional bamboo basket boats along coconut-palm lined waterways. The fishermen will cook your catch for you, giving you a hands-on cultural experience showing what local Vietnamese life is really like. This works well for all ages.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Fish caught during the tour cooked for you)
Included Activities
- Traditional fishing techniques with local fishermen
- Paddle Vietnamese bamboo basket boats
- Explore coconut-palm waterways
Landmarks/POIs Hoi An Waterways - Day 7
Hoi An to Da Nang: Marble Mountains & Monkey Mountain
Hotel pickup at 7:30-8:00 AM takes you about 30km to Da Nang and the Marble Mountains. You'll explore stone sculpture factories showing traditional handicrafts, then climb to the top (elevator available) to see 19th-century pagodas and visit Huyen Khong and Tang Chon caves. After learning about Buddhist philosophy in the Am Phu cave, you'll have lunch with local Vietnamese cuisine. Next comes Monkey Mountain to see the Lady Buddha statue and walk through gardens with bonsai, mountains, and fresh breezes. You'll be back at your hotel by 1:00 PM, then transfer to the airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City. After arriving, you'll transfer to your hotel and have free time.
- Meals
- Lunch (Local restaurant with local and authentic Vietnamese cuisines)
Included Activities
- Visit Marble Mountains stone sculpture factories
- Climb Marble Mountains to pagodas
- Visit Huyền Không and Tàng Chơn caves
- Explore Âm Phủ cave
- Visit Monkey Mountain and Lady Buddha statue
- Explore bonsai gardens
Optional Activities
- Elevator at Marble Mountains
Landmarks/POIs Marble Mountains Huyền Không Cave Tàng Chơn Cave Âm Phủ Cave Monkey Mountain - Day 8
Ho Chi Minh City: Cu Chi Tunnels
The Cu Chi Tunnels tour starts with a 60km drive from Ho Chi Minh City to this UNESCO site from the Vietnam War. An introductory video explains tunnel construction, then you'll spend about an hour walking through the 200km network that functioned as underground cities. You'll see trap doors, living areas, storage facilities, weapons factories, field hospitals, and command centers showing the fierce 1960s battles. Traditional guerrilla food with tea and cassava is included. You'll return to Saigon in the afternoon.
- Meals
- Snack (Tea, cassava (guerrilla's food during the war))
Included Activities
- Cu Chi Tunnels exploration (approximately 1 hour)
- Introductory video about tunnel construction
Landmarks/POIs Cu Chi Tunnels - Day 9
Ho Chi Minh City: Mekong Delta Floating Market
Departure is at 7:15 AM from your hotel for the Mekong Cai Be Floating Market tour. Around 8:30 AM you'll rest at Mekong gardens featuring Southern Vietnam landscapes and local cuisine. At Cai Be dock, you'll see the bustling floating market with boats packed with fresh fruits and agricultural produce (it operates until 10:00 AM). Cruising the Tien River shows villages with cottage industries like brick-making, crispy corn production, and rice wine manufacturing. Tan Phong Island is where you'll have lunch, then take a bicycle ride through village paths under orchard gardens growing jack fruits, rambutan, oranges, logans, and pomelos. Traditional hand-rowed sampan rides through peaceful creeks include folk music performances in an orchard garden. You'll return to Cai Be dock by 3:00 PM and arrive back in Ho Chi Minh City by 5:00 PM.
- Meals
- Lunch (Lunch on Tan Phong Island)
Included Activities
- Mekong Cai Be Floating Market viewing
- Cruise to villages along Tien River
- Bicycle ride around village paths and orchard gardens
- Hand-rowed sampan through creeks
- Traditional folk music performance in orchard garden
Landmarks/POIs Cai Be Floating Market Tan Phong Island Mekong Delta 
- Day 10
Ho Chi Minh City: Free Day
This day is free for you to explore Ho Chi Minh City on your own schedule. If interested, bike tours or foodie tours are options. Your travel consultants can offer suggestions and recommendations for what to see and do around the city.
Optional Activities
- Bike tour
- Foodie tour
- Self-guided city exploration
Landmarks/POIs Ho Chi Minh City 
- Day 11
Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh
After breakfast at your hotel, you'll have free time before taking an express shuttle bus to Phnom Penh. The 5.5-hour journey takes you across the border. Once you arrive, transfer to your hotel for check-in. You'll stay overnight in Phnom Penh.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Landmarks/POIs Phnom Penh 
- Day 12
Phnom Penh: Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda & Killing Fields
Start at the Royal Palace, built by King Norodom in 1866 with magnificent architecture and grounds. The Silver Pagoda gets its name from 5,000 silver floor tiles and holds treasures including a 90-kilogram solid gold Buddha and a 17th-century emerald and Baccarat crystal Buddha. Next is the National Museum (Musee des Beaux-Arts), designed in 1917 by French archaeologist Georges Groslier in Khmer style, displaying an extensive collection of Khmer sculptures and art. In the afternoon, visit Tuol Sleng Museum (S-21 prison), a former school used as a Khmer Rouge detention center where over 17,000 people were held before transport to the Choeng Ek camp. Drive 15km south to the 'Killing Fields' of Choeng Ek where approximately 17,000 people were executed between 1975-1978. Finish by shopping at Psar Toul Tom Pong (Russian Market) for souvenirs, curios, and silks.
Included Activities
- Visit Royal Palace
- Visit Silver Pagoda
- Visit National Museum (Musee des Beaux-Arts)
- Visit Tuol Sleng Museum (S-21 prison)
- Visit Choeng Ek Killing Fields
- Shopping at Psar Toul Tom Pong (Russian Market)
Landmarks/POIs Royal Palace Silver Pagoda National Museum Tuol Sleng Museum Choeng Ek Killing Fields Psar Toul Tom Pong - Day 13
Phnom Penh to Siem Reap
After breakfast, check out and transfer to the bus station. You'll take a bus to Siem Reap, then transfer to your hotel for check-in. You'll stay overnight in Siem Reap.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Landmarks/POIs Siem Reap 
- Day 14
Siem Reap: Angkor Archaeological Park
After breakfast, spend your full day exploring the ancient ruins of Angkor. Visit the South Gate of Angkor Thom with its colossal carved stone faces. Walk through Bayon Temple with its iconic towers and intricate carvings. Explore the Royal Enclosure, Phimeanakas temple, the Elephant Terrace, and the Terrace of the Leper King. At Angkor Wat, the largest and most complete temple, you'll see the 12th-century architectural masterpiece covering about 210 hectares with massive galleries, columns, libraries, pavilions, courtyards, and water-filled ponds reflecting the towering temple. Ta Prohm temple shows enormous fig trees and gigantic creepers embracing stone foundations, creating an incredible sight of nature reclaiming what humans built. You'll stay overnight in Siem Reap.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit South Gate of Angkor Thom
- Visit Bayon Temple
- Visit Royal Enclosure
- Visit Phimeanakas temple
- Visit Elephant Terrace
- Visit Terrace of the Leper King
- Visit Angkor Wat temple
- Visit Ta Prohm temple
Landmarks/POIs South Gate of Angkor Thom Bayon Temple Royal Enclosure Phimeanakas Elephant Terrace Terrace of the Leper King Angkor Wat Ta Prohm - Day 15
Departure from Siem Reap
After breakfast, you'll have free time to relax or explore at your leisure. Your driver will pick you up in time to transfer you to the airport for your departure flight home. Your tour ends here.
- Meals
- Breakfast
