Itinerary
- Day 1
Arrival in Hanoi
Your private driver picks you up at Hanoi airport and takes you to your hotel in the Old Quarter area. From there, the rest of the day is yours to explore the neighborhood at whatever pace feels right after your journey, or simply rest up before things get going tomorrow.
Optional Activities
- Explore Hanoi Old Quarter at own pace
Landmarks/POIs Hanoi Old Quarter - Day 2
Hanoi Tea Plantation and Village Experience
Your guide arrives at 8:00 AM to collect you for a full day in the countryside. You'll head to Ri village where Duoc, a tea farm owner and Vietnam War veteran, welcomes you to harvest tea leaves on his 30-year-old plantation. After touring his tea workshop, you move on to Moc village for a cooking class where you prepare lunch from scratch. The afternoon includes time to walk through the village watching locals make tofu and conical hats, then a bike ride through rice paddies. Before heading back to Hanoi, you get a traditional herbal foot soak to end the day.
- Meals
- Lunch (Vietnamese dishes prepared during cooking class with local host family)
Included Activities
- Harvesting tea leaves on 30-year-old tea plantation
- Learning traditional tea production process at workshop
- Cooking class with local host family including lunch
- Village exploration and visit to local product makers (tofu, conical hats)
- Cycling through rice fields and villages
- Traditional herbal foot soak with Muong ethnic minority recipes
Landmarks/POIs Ri village Moc village - Day 3
Hanoi to Halong Bay Cruise
You check out of your Hanoi hotel and travel across the Red River Delta with its green rice paddies toward Halong Bay. Once aboard your cruise, the limestone karst formations and grottoes come into view. Lunch features fresh seafood on the sundeck, and later you can kayak or swim near the karst structures for a closer look. Dinner comes early onboard, leaving your evening free for whatever activities the boat offers.
- Meals
- Lunch (Seafood lunch on cruise sundeck), Dinner (Early dinner on cruise)
Included Activities
- Scenic drive across Red River Delta
- Halong Bay cruise with limestone rock and karst grotto views
- Seafood lunch on cruise
- Kayaking or swimming near karst grottoes
Optional Activities
- Onboard evening activities
Landmarks/POIs Halong Bay - Day 4
Halong Bay to Hanoi
Wake up early to catch the sunrise over Halong Bay while having breakfast in the dining room. Join a Tai Chi class on the sun deck to stretch and wake up properly. You'll visit a limestone cave with stalagmites and stalactites before checking out from the boat. Brunch happens while the cruise heads back to harbor, then a transfer takes you to your Hanoi accommodation.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast in dining room with sunrise views), Brunch (Brunch served during return cruise to harbor)
Included Activities
- Sunrise viewing at Halong Bay
- Breakfast in dining room
- Tai Chi class on sun deck
- Limestone cave exploration with stalagmites and stalactites
- Brunch during return cruise to harbor
Landmarks/POIs Halong Bay limestone cave - Day 5
Hanoi to Ninh Binh (Hoa Lu and Tam Coc Day Trip)
Your guide picks you up between 7:30 and 8:30 AM for the drive to Ninh Binh, about 120 km away. After a rest stop around 9:30 AM, you reach Hoa Lu to explore the temples of King Dinh and King Le from the 17th century. Lunch is a local buffet, then comes a 1.5-hour bamboo boat ride through Tam Coc's cave system and rice fields. You spend 45 minutes cycling around the village before heading back to Hanoi, arriving by 6:30 PM.
- Meals
- Lunch (Buffet lunch with local foods including goat meat and fried rice; vegetarian options available)
Included Activities
- Visit Hoa Lu ancient capital with temples of King Dinh and King Le
- Buffet lunch with local foods
- 1.5-hour bamboo boat trip through Tam Coc caves, paddy fields and waterway
- 45-minute cycling tour through village
Landmarks/POIs Hoa Lu ancient capital Tam Coc - Day 6
Hanoi to Hue
You get transferred to Hanoi airport for your flight to Hue. Upon landing, another transfer takes you to your hotel in Hue where you can settle in for the evening.
- Day 7
Hue Full Day City Tour
Your guide collects you between 8:00 and 8:30 AM for a full Hue city tour. A 30-minute dragon boat cruise on the Perfume River takes you to Thien Mu Pagoda, Hue's oldest. Back on land, you explore the Imperial Citadel and browse Dong Ba Market for souvenirs. After lunch with Hue specialties and a rest period, you visit the Royal Tombs including Khai Dinh and Minh Mang, get a herbal foot soak, and stop at villages known for conical hats and incense sticks. You'll be back at your hotel between 4:00 and 5:00 PM.
- Meals
- Lunch (Hue specialties)
Included Activities
- Dragon boat cruise on Perfume River to Thien Mu Pagoda
- Visit Hue Imperial Citadel
- Dong Ba Market visit
- Lunch with Hue specialties
- Herbal foot bath
- Visit Khai Dinh King's Tomb
- Visit Minh Mang King's Tomb
- Practical experience at conical hat village
- Practical experience at incense stick village
Landmarks/POIs Thien Mu Pagoda Hue Imperial Citadel Dong Ba Market Khai Dinh King's Tomb Minh Mang King's Tomb - Day 8
Hue to Hoi An
A car transfers you from Hue to Hoi An. Once you arrive, check into your hotel and have the rest of the day to get oriented.
- Day 9
Hoi An Market and Cooking Experience
At 8:30 AM you head to Vy's Market Restaurant to start a guided market tour through Hoi An's central market in small groups. An English-speaking guide shows you around the fresh noodles, fish, spices, and exotic fruits. At Vy's, you move through 10+ interactive stations learning about banh mi, dumplings, and wartime rationing foods. A hands-on 2.5-hour cooking lesson follows where chefs demo dishes before you prepare cabbage parcels with shrimp, BBQ chicken, mango salad with prawns, and crispy Hoi An pancakes. You eat what you've cooked and take home recipes plus a Vietnamese cooking tool.
- Meals
- Lunch (Meal consisting of dishes prepared during cooking class: Cabbage leaf parcels with shrimp mousse, BBQ chicken with lime leaves, Mango salad with prawns, Crispy Hoi An pancakes (vegetarian substitutes provided))
Included Activities
- Central market walking tour with guide
- Interactive food counter exploration at Vy's Market Restaurant
- Hands-on cooking class (approximately 2.5 hours)
- Preparation of: Cabbage leaf parcels with shrimp mousse, BBQ chicken with lime leaves, Mango salad with prawns, Crispy Hoi An pancakes
- Meal consisting of dishes prepared during cooking class
- Recipes and Vietnamese cooking utensil to take home
Landmarks/POIs Hoi An Central Market Vy's Market Restaurant - Day 10
Hoi An Free Time
Your schedule is completely open today. Hoi An's ancient town has Japanese merchant houses, pagodas, temples, and antique warehouses to wander through. Or find one of the laid-back riverside cafes along the Thu Bon River and just take things slowly.
Optional Activities
- Explore Japanese merchant houses
- Visit pagodas and temples
- Browse antique warehouses
- Relax at riverside cafés
Landmarks/POIs Hoi An Ancient Town Thu Bon River - Day 11
Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh City
Transfer to Hoi An airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City. A transfer meets you on arrival and takes you to your hotel.
- Day 12
Ho Chi Minh City to Mekong Delta (Cai Be and Tan Phong Island)
You're picked up at 7:30 AM and driven to Cai Be where a boat takes you to explore the Tien River's floating wholesale market and see the orchard gardens nearby. Small villages along the way show you ancient houses and local culture. You stop at a family business making coconut fudges and crispy rice popcorn, then enjoy fresh fruit and local folk music. After paddling through small canals, you visit Tan Phong Island before lunch cooked in a local garden. Cycling follows through orchards and village paths where you meet islanders and visit Ba Kiệt's ancient house. The boat returns to Cai Be, then a bus transfer takes you to Can Tho City for the night.
- Meals
- Lunch (Lunch prepared by locals and served in garden setting)
Included Activities
- Boat ride to floating market site on Tien River
- Village exploration with ancient house visits
- Visit to family business making coconut fudges and crispy rice popcorn
- Fresh fruit tasting
- Southern Vietnamese folk music experience
- Canoe paddling through small canals
- Visit to Tan Phong Island
- Lunch cooked by locals in garden setting
- Cycling through orchards and village paths
- Interaction with local islanders
- Visit to Ba Kiệt's ancient house
Landmarks/POIs Cai Be floating market Tien River Tan Phong Island - Day 13
Can Tho Mekong Delta Exploration
Breakfast at your hotel comes first, then a leisurely boat ride takes you through the Lower Mekong River tributaries and the Bassac River. Cai Rang Floating Market is the main stop for its vibrant activity. You tour a local noodle factory on foot, then visit Munir Ansay Pagoda with its distinctive Khmer architecture. A boat moves you to Con Son to visit a fruit plantation where you can taste seasonal fruits. Lunch happens before the transfer back to Ho Chi Minh City.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at hotel), Lunch (Lunch (location not specified))
Included Activities
- Leisurely boat ride on Bassac River tributaries
- Visit to Cai Rang Floating Market
- Walking tour of local noodle factory
- Visit to Munir Ansay Pagoda (Khmer temple)
- Boat trip to Con Son tourist area
- Fruit plantation visit
- Seasonal fruit tasting
Landmarks/POIs Cai Rang Floating Market Bassac River Munir Ansay Pagoda Con Son tourist area - Day 14
Cu Chi Tunnels
An English-speaking guide picks you up to drive to Cu Chi Tunnels about 1.5 hours outside Ho Chi Minh City. You learn about the tunnel network that once stretched to Cambodia and contained meeting rooms, kitchens, and triage areas. The tour covers the difficult conditions residents faced like food shortages, oxygen scarcity, insects, and cramped spaces while fighting invading forces. After touring, you try manioc, the staple food guerrilla fighters ate during the war. Shooting ranges are available if you want to fire AK47s, MK16s, or machine guns.
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Cu Chi Tunnels complex
- Learning about tunnel network history and development
- Tasting manioc, the main food for guerilla-warriors during war
Optional Activities
- AK47 shooting at nearby shooting range
- MK16 shooting at nearby shooting range
- Machine gun shooting at nearby shooting range
Landmarks/POIs Cu Chi Tunnels - Day 15
Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh
Breakfast happens first, then a bus takes you from Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh. After checking into your hotel, you visit the Royal Palace which looks like a small town of royal buildings where the King and royal families live. Next is the Silver Pagoda holding cultural treasures including a 90 kg golden Buddha with 2086 diamonds. You finish at Wat Phnom Temple, an important pagoda built in 1373 on an artificial hill by a wealthy widow named Daun Chi Penh.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at hotel)
Included Activities
- Visit Royal Palace
- Visit Silver Pagoda
- Visit Wat Phnom Temple
Landmarks/POIs Royal Palace Silver Pagoda Wat Phnom Temple - Day 16
Phnom Penh Historic Sites and Sunset Cruise
After hotel breakfast, you visit Tuol Sleng Museum, a former school turned prison by Pol Pot where over 17,000 people were held. A drive takes you 15 km south to Choeng Ek's Killing Fields where approximately 17,000 people including men, women, children, and nine westerners were executed between 1975 and 1978. Russian Market comes next for its cheap clothing, Buddha images, woodcarvings, betel-nut boxes, and silver jewelry. The day ends with a sunset cruise where the Tonle Sap and Mekong Rivers split into four separate waterways.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at hotel)
Included Activities
- Visit Tuol Sleng Museum (S-21 prison)
- Visit Choeng Ek Killing Fields
- Visit Russian Market (Toul Tumpong Market)
- Sunset cruise on Tonle Sap and Mekong Rivers
Landmarks/POIs Tuol Sleng Museum Choeng Ek Killing Fields Russian Market Tonle Sap River Mekong River - Day 17
Phnom Penh to Siem Reap
Hotel breakfast comes first, then a bus transfers you to Siem Reap. After checking into your hotel, the afternoon includes visits to Wat Thmey or a Killing Field site with a glass-walled stupa containing Khmer Rouge victims' bones. You also see Wat Memorial Mountain before the day ends.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at hotel)
Included Activities
- Visit Wat Thmey or Killing Field site with glass-walled stupa
- Visit Wat Memorial Mountain
Landmarks/POIs Wat Thmey Wat Memorial Mountain - Day 18
Siem Reap Angkor Archaeological Complex
You start with hotel breakfast, then explore the Angkor Thom complex including the South Gate, Bayon Temple with its 54 towers built between the late 12th and early 13th centuries, the Royal Enclosure, Phimeanakas, the Elephants Terrace, and the Terrace of the Leper King. Ta Prohm comes next with its jungle-covered temple structure. Angkor Wat is the main attraction, the world's largest temple covering 200 hectares surrounded by a moat with walls measuring 1300 x 1500 meters. As evening approaches, a traditional Tuk Tuk takes you around Siem Reap town where Buddhist monks perform a blessing ceremony.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at hotel)
Included Activities
- Visit Angkor Thom complex including South Gate
- Visit Bayon Temple with 54 towers
- Visit Royal Enclosure
- Visit Phimeanakas
- Visit Elephants Terrace
- Visit Terrace of the Leper King
- Visit Ta Prohm temple
- Visit Angkor Wat temple
- Tuk Tuk town cruise around Siem Reap
- Buddhist monk blessing ceremony
Landmarks/POIs Angkor Thom Bayon Temple Ta Prohm Temple Angkor Wat Phimeanakas Elephants Terrace Terrace of the Leper King - Day 19
Siem Reap to Phuket
After breakfast at your Siem Reap hotel, you head to the airport and fly to Phuket, Thailand.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at hotel)
- Day 20
Phuket Leisure Day
Spend the day relaxing in Phuket's waters and enjoying the beach however you like. No structured activities, just time to unwind.
Optional Activities
- Beach activities
- Swimming in emerald water
- Day 21
Phuket Leisure Day
Another full day at your own pace with Phuket's beach and water waiting. Relax, swim, or explore the area as you prefer.
Optional Activities
- Beach activities
- Swimming in emerald water
- Day 22
Departure from Phuket
Have a healthy breakfast on your final morning. Check out of your hotel, then visit local markets to pick up souvenirs for people back home before heading to the airport for your flight.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Healthy breakfast)
Optional Activities
- Visit local markets for souvenirs
