Itinerary
- Day 1
Arrival in Hanoi
You'll arrive at Hanoi Airport where a private driver meets you for the 45-minute to 1-hour ride to your hotel in the Old Quarter. Check-in happens at 2pm or earlier if they have a room ready. After you settle in, the rest of the day is yours to relax and get acclimated to the city.
- Day 2
Hanoi
Your guide picks you up between 8am and 8:30am for a full day covering Hanoi's key spiritual and cultural spots. You'll start at Tran Quoc Pagoda, then head to the Ho Chi Minh Complex and One Pillar Pagoda. After that, you'll see the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology (or Women Museum if the other's closed), visit the Temple of Literature, and finish at Hoa Lo Prison Museum. Lunch happens at a local restaurant somewhere during the day, and there's an optional water puppet show available.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Vietnamese cuisine with 8 delicious dishes at local restaurant)
Included Activities
- Visit Tran Quoc Pagoda
- Visit Ho Chi Minh Complex including mausoleum, gardens, and residences
- Visit One Pillar Pagoda
- Visit Vietnam Museum of Ethnology
- Visit Temple of Literature
- Visit Hoa Lo Prison Museum
- Lunch at local restaurant with 8 Vietnamese dishes
Optional Activities
- Water Puppet Show with taxi return to hotel
Landmarks/POIs Tran Quoc Pagoda Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum One Pillar Pagoda Vietnam Museum of Ethnology Women Museum Temple of Literature Hoa Lo Prison Museum - Day 3
Ninh Binh
Depart at 7am for a 110km bus ride through countryside toward Ninh Binh. You'll explore Hoa Lu Ancient Citadel and its historic temples, then grab lunch at a local restaurant. Later, a traditional sampan boat takes you through Trang An Grottoes, paddling past caves and temples. You'll trek up Mua Cave to the top of Ngoa Long Mountain for views across the rice valley. By evening, transfer to your bungalow and have dinner with the host family.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Great local cuisines at restaurant), Dinner (Dinner with bungalow host)
Included Activities
- 110km bus journey through countryside
- Visit Hoa Lu Ancient Citadel with Dinh King Temple and Le King Temple
- Lunch at local restaurant with regional cuisine
- Sampan boat tour through Trang An Grottoes visiting Lam Cave, Vang Cave, Dai Cave, Thanh Truot Cave, Cao Son Temple, Suoi Tien Temple, and Vu Lam Temple
- Trek to top of Mua Cave/Ngoa Long Mountain for rice valley views
- Dinner with bungalow host
Landmarks/POIs Hoa Lu Ancient Citadel Trang An Grottoes Mua Cave - Day 4
Halong Bay
Head out at 7am by limousine shuttle bus toward Halong Port, arriving around 11:30am to 11:45am. Check into your cruise and enjoy special seafood lunch onboard. The afternoon involves cruising around the bay with activities like swimming, kayaking, a cooking class, and sunset sightseeing. Dinner features Vietnamese seafood cuisine and you'll stay overnight on the boat.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Special seafood lunch on cruise), Dinner (Vietnamese seafood cuisine with vegetarian options on cruise)
Included Activities
- Transfer to Halong Port by limousine shuttle bus
- Check-in to cruise
- Seafood lunch on cruise while exploring bay islands and limestone rocks
- Swimming in Halong Bay
- Kayaking in Halong Bay
- Cooking class on cruise
- Sunset sightseeing on cruise
- Dinner on cruise with Vietnamese seafood cuisine
- Welcome drink on cruise
Landmarks/POIs Halong Bay - Day 5
Halong Bay to Da Nang
Start with breakfast on deck and time to relax while taking in the bay. You'll visit a cave using a small bamboo boat or kayak as the cruise passes through karsts and islets. Have lunch on the boat before heading back to Halong wharf. From there, a car takes you to Hanoi Airport for a 1-hour domestic flight to Da Nang. Staff greets you upon arrival and transfers you to your Da Nang hotel, where you can explore the city's vibe in the evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch on boat during cruise)
Included Activities
- Relax on deck with views of Halong Bay
- Cave visit by small bamboo boat or kayak
- Cruise passes through karsts islets
- Lunch on boat
- Transfer to Halong wharf
- Domestic flight Hanoi to Da Nang (1 hour)
- Day 6
Ba Na Hills
Pickup happens at 8am for transfer to Ba Na Hills. You'll take a cable car up to visit Vong Nguyet Hills, Linh Ung Pagoda, and old French villas. Another cable car ride gets you to Nui Chua Mountain where you'll see Nghinh Phong top, Le Nim Villas, and an Orchid Garden. Try out Vietnam's first and unique funicular hill climbing train and tour an old French cellar. Stop by the flower garden Le Jardin D'amour and Linh Ung Pagoda again. Buffet lunch is included at the restaurant. You'll then have 2 hours at Fantasy Park, Vietnam's third largest indoor games zone with 4-5D films and a dinosaur park. Transfer back to Da Nang at 3:30pm.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Buffet lunch at Ba Na Hills restaurant)
Included Activities
- Cable car to Ba Na Hills station
- Visit Vong Nguyet Hills
- Visit Linh Ung Pagoda
- Visit Old French Villas
- Cable car to Nui Chua Mountain (top of Ba Na range)
- Visit Nghinh Phong top
- Visit Le Nim Villas
- Visit Orchid Garden
- Hill climbing train (funicular experience)
- Visit Debay Ancient Wine Cellar (old French cellar)
- Visit Le Jardin D'amour flower garden
- Buffet lunch at restaurant
- 2 hours at Fantasy Park with games and entertainment
Landmarks/POIs Ba Na Hills Linh Ung Pagoda Fantasy Park - Day 7
Da Nang to Hoi An
Spend your morning at leisure on Da Nang Beach with its white sands and clear waters, perfect for swimming, sunbathing, or water sports. Check out of your hotel by noon. At 3:30pm, transfer to Five Marble Mountain, a cluster of five limestone peaks. Then continue to Hoi An and walk through the narrow winding streets of the Ancient Quarter, checking out Chua Ong Pagoda, Chinese Assembly Halls, the 200-year-old Tam Ky ancestral house, and the Japanese Bridge. You'll have free time to wander the town or hit the beach again. Dinner is in Hoi An.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Dinner in Hoi An)
Included Activities
- Free time on Da Nang Beach for swimming, sunbathing, and water sports
- Transfer to Five Marble Mountain
- Visit Five Marble Mountain limestone peaks
- Walking tour through Hoi An Ancient Quarter
- Visit Chua Ong Pagoda
- Visit Chinese Assembly Halls
- Visit 200-year-old Tam Ky ancestral house
- Visit Japanese Bridge
- Free time on Hoi An beach or wandering town
- Dinner in Hoi An
Landmarks/POIs Da Nang Beach Five Marble Mountain Chua Ong Pagoda Japanese Bridge Hoi An Ancient Town - Day 8
Departure from Hoi An
You have the day free until your airport transfer for your departure flight. Safe travels home.
- Meals
- Breakfast
