Itinerary
- Day 1
Arrival in Hanoi
Your private driver meets you at the airport and takes you to your hotel in Hanoi's Old Quarter. The rest of the day is yours to explore the neighborhood at your own pace or rest after your flight.
Optional Activities
- Explore Hanoi Old Quarter at your own pace
- Relax at the hotel
- Day 2
Hanoi City Tour
Your guide picks you up at 8:00 AM for a full day of Hanoi's highlights. You'll see Tran Quoc Pagoda on Golden Fish Island, walk through the Ho Chi Minh complex with his mausoleum and residences, and visit the One Pillar Pagoda. After the Vietnam Ethnology Museum, you'll have lunch with authentic Vietnamese food before checking out the Temple of Literature and Hoa Lo Prison Museum.
- Meals
- Lunch (Vietnamese cuisine with 8 delicious dishes)
Included Activities
- Visit Tran Quoc Pagoda
- Ho Chi Minh complex tour including mausoleum and residences
- Visit One Pillar Pagoda
- Vietnam Ethnology Museum (or Women Museum if closed)
- Visit Temple of Literature
- Visit Hoa Lo Prison Museum
- Lunch at restaurant with Vietnamese cuisine
Landmarks/POIs Tran Quoc Pagoda Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum One Pillar Pagoda Vietnam Ethnology Museum Temple of Literature Hoa Lo Prison Museum - Day 3
Halong Bay Cruise
You check out and head to Halong Bay, driving through the Red River Delta with its green rice paddies. Once on the cruise, you'll explore the limestone formations and karst grottoes. After lunch, you visit a famous cave and can kayak or swim near floating villages. The evening includes an early dinner on the boat with optional activities.
- Meals
- Lunch (Seafood lunch), Dinner (Early dinner on boat)
Included Activities
- Cruise on Halong Bay exploring limestone rocks and karst grottoes
- Visit limestone cave
- Seafood lunch
- Early dinner on boat
Optional Activities
- Kayaking near floating villages
- Swimming
- Onboard activities
Landmarks/POIs Halong Bay - Day 4
Halong Bay to Hue
Breakfast comes early on the boat before you visit another limestone cave with stalagmites and stalactites. The cruise returns to port and you're transferred back to Hanoi for a short break, then head to the airport for your flight to Hue. A driver picks you up in Hue and takes you to your hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Hearty breakfast)
Included Activities
- Breakfast on boat
- Visit limestone cave with stalagmites and stalactites
- Day 5
Hue City Full Day Tour
Your guide arrives at 8:00 AM for a full Hue city tour. You'll take a dragon boat cruise on the Perfume River to see Thien Mu Pagoda, explore the Imperial Citadel where Vietnam's last royal dynasty lived, and browse Dong Ba Market. After lunch, you visit the royal tombs of Khai Dinh and Minh Mang. Later, you'll enjoy a herbal foot bath and visit Conical Hat and Incense Stick villages where you can try making these traditional crafts.
- Meals
- Lunch (Lunch with Hue dishes)
Included Activities
- Dragon boat cruise on Perfume River
- Visit Thien Mu Pagoda
- Visit Hue Imperial Citadel
- Visit Dong Ba Market
- Lunch with Hue dishes
- Herbal foot bath
- Visit Khai Dinh King's Tomb
- Visit Minh Mang King's Tomb
- Visit Conical Hat village with practical experience
- Visit Incense Stick village with practical experience
Landmarks/POIs Thien Mu Pagoda Hue Imperial Citadel Dong Ba Market Khai Dinh King's Tomb Minh Mang King's Tomb - Day 6
Hue to Hoi An
After breakfast, you're driven from Hue to Hoi An by private car. The route takes you across Hai Van Pass with views of mountains and sea. You'll check into your hotel in Hoi An and have free time to explore the area.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Breakfast at hotel
Optional Activities
- Explore Hoi An at your own pace
Landmarks/POIs Hai Van Pass - Day 7
Hoi An Coconut Forest & Eco-Village Experience
This day focuses on Hoi An's coconut forest and eco-village experiences. You'll explore a local colorful market to learn about ingredients and meet sellers, then take a bamboo basket boat through Cam Thanh Eco-Village. You'll try catching fish with a throwing net and hunting purple crabs, then learn traditional Vietnamese cooking by preparing five dishes yourself. Handmade gifts from nipa palm leaves are available to purchase.
Included Activities
- Local colorful market exploration
- Bamboo basket boat through Cam Thanh Eco-Village
- Fishing with throwing net and purple crab hunting
- Traditional Vietnamese cooking class
- Prepare 5 Vietnamese foods
Optional Activities
- Purchase handmade nipa palm crafts
Landmarks/POIs Cam Thanh Eco-Village - Day 8
Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh
Your last morning in Hoi An is free before your private driver takes you to the airport. You fly to Ho Chi Minh and are picked up for transfer to your hotel. The rest of the day is free for leisure.
Optional Activities
- Explore Hoi An
- Day 9
Ho Chi Minh City & Cu Chi Tunnels
You start by visiting Independence Palace (Reunification Palace), then see French Colonial structures like Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office. The War Remnants Museum shows extensive Indochina Wars displays. After lunch, you drive about 1.5 hours to Cu Chi Tunnels, learn about tunnel construction, and explore the maze-like systems including living areas, kitchens, and command centers. You'll try special tea and cassava (guerilla wartime food), with an optional shooting range.
- Meals
- Lunch
Included Activities
- Visit Independence Palace (Reunification Palace)
- Visit Notre Dame Cathedral
- Visit Central Post Office
- Visit War Remnants Museum
- Lunch at local restaurant
- Cu Chi Tunnels tour with introduction and video
- Explore tunnel systems and facilities
- Special tea and cassava tasting
Optional Activities
- Shooting range experience
Landmarks/POIs Independence Palace Notre Dame Cathedral Central Post Office War Remnants Museum Cu Chi Tunnels - Day 10
Mekong Delta
You head to My Tho on the Mekong River's left side and visit Vinh Trang Pagoda. A sampan takes you to four islands known as Dragon, Unicorn, Phoenix, and Tortoise. On Unicorn Island, you walk country lanes, see orchards, enjoy tropical fruits, and hear folk songs. You ride a hand-rowed sampan through Thoi Son canal and visit local businesses including a honey-bee farm where you can have honey tea and try coconut candy. After lunch, cycling around Tan Thach village lets you meet locals (or rest in a hammock), then you return to Ho Chi Minh City.
- Meals
- Lunch
Included Activities
- Visit Vinh Trang Pagoda
- Sampan cruise on Mekong River visiting Dragon, Unicorn, Phoenix, and Tortoise islands
- Walk around Unicorn Island orchards and country lanes
- Folk song music performance
- Hand-rowed sampan through Thoi Son canal
- Visit honey-bee farm
- Honey tea and coconut candy workshop
- Lunch at local restaurant
- Cycling around Tan Thach village
Optional Activities
- Hammock relaxing for those not cycling
Landmarks/POIs Vinh Trang Pagoda Mekong River - Day 11
Ho Chi Minh to Bangkok
After breakfast, you have the whole day free for shopping in Ho Chi Minh City before your flight to Bangkok. Your airport transfer is included. Once in Bangkok, you're picked up and taken to your hotel for check-in, then the rest of the day is yours to relax or explore.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Breakfast at hotel
Optional Activities
- Shopping in Ho Chi Minh City
- Explore Bangkok
- Day 12
Bangkok Temples
Your hotel pickup takes you through Bangkok's interesting areas and iconic temples. You'll see Wat Trimit with the world's largest solid gold Buddha (5.5 tons) and Wat Pho, Bangkok's oldest temple with the 45-meter Reclining Buddha. Wat Pho was Thailand's first university and remains important for traditional medicine and massage, featuring art throughout the complex.
Included Activities
- Visit Wat Trimit with golden Buddha
- Visit Wat Pho with Reclining Buddha
Landmarks/POIs Wat Trimit Wat Pho - Day 13
Floating Markets
You're picked up and driven to Maeklong Railway Market (Talad Romhoop) in Samutsongkram province, where trains push through the busy market as shopkeepers quickly pull their vegetable and meat tables away. Then it's on to Ratchaburi province and Damnoen Saduak Floating Market. A long-tailed boat takes you about 30 minutes through remote plantations and Thai villages along winding canals. At the floating market, you'll see local vendors selling food, tropical fruits, and handicrafts from boats, and can paddle your own boat. Lunch is at a local restaurant before returning to your hotel.
- Meals
- Lunch
Included Activities
- Visit Maeklong Railway Market
- Long-tailed boat ride at Damnoen Saduak Floating Market (approximately 30 minutes)
- Experience floating market with local vendors
- Lunch at local restaurant
Optional Activities
- Paddle your own boat at floating market
Landmarks/POIs Maeklong Railway Market Damnoen Saduak Floating Market - Day 14
Ayutthaya & Night Train to Chiang Mai
You visit Ayutthaya, Thailand's former capital 76 kilometers north of Bangkok. Founded in 1350 and ruled by 33 kings for 417 years before Burmese destruction in 1767, it's filled with ancient ruins. You'll see Wat Sri Sanphet (the former royal palace), Wat Phanancheong with its 19-meter Buddha, and Wat Mahathat with the iconic Buddha head in tree roots. Wat Yai Chaimongkol has an impressive chedi and gardens, or you might visit Wat Chai Wattanaram instead. A scenic boat trip takes you to Bang Pa-In, the former Royal Summer Residence, before returning to Bangkok for the night train to Chiang Mai.
Included Activities
- Visit Wat Sri Sanphet
- Visit Wat Phanancheong
- Visit Wat Mahathat
- Visit Wat Yai Chaimongkol or Wat Chai Wattanaram
- Boat trip to Bang Pa-In Royal Summer Residence
- Night train to Chiang Mai
Landmarks/POIs Wat Sri Sanphet Wat Phanancheong Wat Mahathat Wat Yai Chaimongkol Bang Pa-In Royal Summer Residence - Day 15
Arrival in Chiang Mai
You're transferred from Chiang Mai Train Station to your hotel and enjoy breakfast at a local restaurant. Your guide then picks you up to visit Wat Prathat Doi Suthep, the most sacred temple on a hilltop. The enormous Nagas Staircase has 306 steps, and inside the cloister is a copper-placed chedi topped with a five-tier gold parasol holding Buddha relics.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Transfer from train station to hotel
- Breakfast at local restaurant
- Visit Wat Prathat Doi Suthep
Landmarks/POIs Wat Prathat Doi Suthep - Day 16
Elephant Jungle Sanctuary
Choose a morning (07:00-12:30) or afternoon (13:30-18:30) visit to Elephant Jungle Sanctuary. You drive about 1.5 hours south through rolling hills and forests, change into traditional Karen clothing, and make medicine for the elephants. You'll meet, feed, and interact with them while learning about their behavior, join a mud spa, and bathe them in the river. A traditional meal is provided before saying goodbye and the 1.5 hour drive back.
- Meals
- Lunch (Traditional meal)
Included Activities
- Elephant Jungle Sanctuary visit
- Change into traditional Karen clothing
- Make medicine for elephants
- Feed and interact with elephants
- Mud spa with elephants
- Bathe elephants in river
- Traditional meal
Landmarks/POIs Elephant Jungle Sanctuary - Day 17
Chiang Mai to Phuket
After breakfast, you have a free day to relax and explore Chiang Mai at your own pace. Later, a private car with an English-speaking guide takes you to Chiang Mai Domestic Airport. When you arrive in Phuket, your guide meets you and transfers you to your hotel by private air-conditioned vehicle.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Breakfast at hotel
- Transfer to Chiang Mai Airport
- Transfer from Phuket Airport to hotel
Optional Activities
- Explore Chiang Mai
- Day 18
Phuket Leisure Day 1
You have the full day free to enjoy Phuket's beautiful beaches. Sunbathe, swim, and relax at your own pace.
Optional Activities
- Sunbathing on beaches
- Swimming
- Beach activities
- Day 19
Phuket Leisure Day 2
Another full day at leisure on this idyllic island. Spend your time swimming, sunbathing, or exploring the local area however you wish.
Optional Activities
- Sunbathing on beaches
- Swimming
- Beach activities
- Local exploration
- Day 20
Departure from Phuket
You enjoy a healthy breakfast on your final day, then handle hotel check-out formalities. Stop at local markets to buy souvenirs before heading to the airport for your departure flight home.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Breakfast at hotel
Optional Activities
- Visit local markets for souvenirs
