Itinerary
- Day 1
Hanoi
Touch down in Hanoi and get settled at your hotel. This evening you'll head to Ngon restaurant for dinner, where they serve a wide range of Vietnamese dishes. After that it's an early night to adjust to the time zone.
- Meals
- Dinner (Dinner at famous Ngon restaurant with many specialties of Vietnam)
- Day 2
Hanoi
After breakfast, you'll walk through the Literature Temple and Quoc Tu Giam, Vietnam's first university dating back to 1070. Then a cyclo takes you through the Old Quarter's narrow alleys. From 11:30am to 2:30pm you'll do a street food tour hitting over 5 spots, trying pho and local market goods. Later in the evening watch a water puppet performance, then head to Cha Ca La Vong for their specialty dishes.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Street food tour including pho, local market tour with exotic ingredients, Vietnamese ca phe or che and local sweets), Dinner (Dinner at Cha Ca La Vong, the Hanoi specialty food)
Included Activities
- Visit the Literature Temple
- Visit Quoc Tu Giam (Vietnam's first University constructed in 1070)
- Cyclo ride through the Old Quarter of Hanoi (36 streets)
- Street food tour (3.5 hours, 11:30am to 2:30pm) including pho, local market tour with exotic ingredients, 5+ venues, Vietnamese ca phe or che and local sweets
- Water puppet show
Landmarks/POIs Literature Temple (Van Mieu) Quoc Tu Giam Hoan Kiem Lake - Day 3
Hanoi to Halong Bay
After breakfast, the drive takes you south through the Red River Delta farmlands toward Halong Bay. You'll board a traditional wooden junk and sail into the UNESCO World Heritage area where limestone karsts rise from the water. There's time for swimming, and you'll spend the night on the boat under the stars.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Drive through Red River Delta farmlands
- Sail on traditional wooden junk in Halong Bay UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Swimming in Halong Bay
- Overnight on junk deck
Landmarks/POIs Halong Bay Red River Delta - Day 4
Halong Bay to Hoi An
Start early with a Tai Chi session on deck while you catch the sunrise over Halong Bay. Next you'll explore Surprise Cave, then cruise back to shore having brunch along the way. Later you'll fly to Danang and transfer to Hoi An for dinner at Fullmoon restaurant, set in a replica of the ancient town.
- Meals
- Brunch (Buffet brunch while cruising back to dock), Dinner (Dinner at Fullmoon restaurant – a miniature of Hoi An ancient town with pastoral decoration and culinary characteristics of Vietnam cuisine in 300 year ancient houses)
Included Activities
- Morning Tai Chi session on sun deck
- Sunrise viewing over Halong Bay
- Visit Surprise Cave
- Buffet brunch while cruising back to dock
Landmarks/POIs Surprise Cave (Sung Sot Cave) - Day 5
Hoi An
Begin with a welcome drink at Hai Café, then travel by minivan to Tra Que Organic Village where you'll walk through the market gardens and pick fresh herbs. At the village market, you'll shop for ingredients like star anise and cardamom. The cooking class at Red Bridge Cooking School has you preparing 4 Vietnamese dishes including pho, which you then eat. After that, cruise along the Hoi An River and finish with dinner at a riverside restaurant in a French colonial building.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Dishes prepared during Red Bridge Cooking School class - 4 famous Vietnamese dishes including Pho), Dinner (Dinner at local Hoi An restaurant in a riverside French colonial house with lush landscaped garden)
Included Activities
- Welcome drink at Hai Café
- Minivan transfer to Tra Que Organic Village
- Walk through market gardens and pick fresh saw-tooth coriander and Vietnamese mint
- Herbal drink at local home
- Shopping at local village market
- Cooking class at Red Bridge Cooking School - prepare 4 famous Vietnamese dishes including Pho
- Meal featuring dishes prepared during class
- 25-minute leisurely cruise along Hoi An River
Landmarks/POIs Tra Que Organic Village Hoi An River - Day 6
Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh City
Spend the morning walking through Hoi An's ancient town, checking out the art and craft shops and tailors. You'll visit a traditional house, the Hoi An Museum, and a Chinese Assembly Hall. The Japanese Covered Bridge, built in the mid-16th century, is also on the list. After lunch you head to Ho Chi Minh City, arriving in time for a sunset dinner cruise on the Saigon River.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Dinner while cruising on Saigon River)
Included Activities
- Walking tour of Hoi An ancient town
- Visit traditional ancient house
- Visit Hoi An Museum
- Visit Chinese Assembly Hall
- Visit Japanese Covered Bridge
Landmarks/POIs Hoi An Ancient Town Japanese Covered Bridge (Cau Nhat Ban) Hoi An Museum Saigon River - Day 7
Ho Chi Minh City
Walk Dong Khoi Street to see French colonial buildings like the Municipal Theatre, City Hall, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Central Post Office. Then visit the Reunification Palace and War Remnants Museum, with a stop at Red Door Deco for shopping. Following lunch, you'll take a cooking class where you'll make seasonal Vietnamese dishes using traditional equipment, then eat a 3-course meal with seasonal dessert.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (3-course meal with seasonal dessert prepared during cooking class, using traditional Vietnamese cooking techniques and Vietnamese kitchenware)
Included Activities
- Walk along Dong Khoi Street
- Visit Municipal Theatre
- Visit City Hall
- Visit Notre Dame Cathedral
- Visit Central Post Office
- Visit Reunification Palace
- Visit War Remnants Museum
- Shopping at Red Door Deco
- Cooking class with English-speaking Vietnamese Chef - prepare seasonal traditional Vietnamese dishes
- 3-course meal with seasonal dessert prepared during cooking class
Landmarks/POIs Dong Khoi Street Municipal Theatre (Opera House) City Hall (Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Building) Notre Dame Cathedral (Saigon Notre-Dame Cathedral) Central Post Office (Saigon Central Post Office) Reunification Palace War Remnants Museum - Day 8
Departure from Ho Chi Minh City
It's transfer day to the airport for your onward flight.
