Itinerary
- Day 1
Ho Chi Minh City
Your private driver meets you at Ho Chi Minh City airport with a nameplate and drives you to your hotel downtown. Once you're settled in your room, the rest of the day is open. You can rest after your flight, explore the neighborhood around your hotel, or just relax and get oriented to the city.
- Start point
- Tan Son Nhat International Airport, Trường Sơn, Ho Chi Minh City, 72100, Vietnam (Tan Son Nhat International Airport Pick Up)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Queen Ann Hotel or similar), Hotel (Alagon Saigon Hotel & Spa or similar), Hotel (The Myst Dong Khoi or similar)
Optional Activities
- Explore Ho Chi Minh City at your own pace
- Relax at the hotel
- Day 2
Mekong Delta
After breakfast, your group guide picks you up around 7:15-7:30 am and you head to the Mekong Delta. You'll get to My Tho and board a sampan boat cruising past four islands: Dragon, Unicorn, Phoenix, and Tortoise. On Unicorn Island, you'll walk through country lanes, see orchards, and sample tropical fruits while listening to folk music. Next comes a hand-rowed sampan ride through Thoi Son canal where you can stop at family workshops and a honey-bee farm to try honey tea and coconut candies. A traditional Vietnamese lunch follows, then you have the choice to cycle around Tan Thach village and chat with locals or relax in a hammock. By evening you're back at your Ho Chi Minh City hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Hearty breakfast at hotel), Lunch (Traditional Vietnamese lunch)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Queen Ann Hotel or similar), Hotel (Alagon Saigon Hotel & Spa or similar), Hotel (The Myst Dong Khoi or similar)
Included Activities
- Cruise down the Mekong River around four islands
- Walk around Unicorn Island and see orchards
- Visit fruit plantations
- Take hand-rowed sampan through Thoi Son canal
- Visit family workshops and honey-bee farm
- Cycle around Tan Thach village or relax in hammock
- Meet local villagers and experience daily life
Landmarks Mekong Delta My Tho Dragon Island Unicorn Island Phoenix Island Tortoise Island Thoi Son Canal Tan Thach Village 
- Day 3
Ho Chi Minh City to Hoi An
Start with breakfast at the hotel, then drive about ninety minutes to Cu Chi Tunnels. An introductory video shows how the tunnels were built and how people lived during wartime. You'll walk through the tunnel systems and see living areas, kitchens, bedrooms, storage rooms, weapons factories, field hospitals, and command centers. Hidden trap doors and security traps demonstrate the ingenuity of those times. Special tea and cassava (guerilla food) get served. Afterward, head back to collect your luggage, then transfer to the airport for your flight to Da Nang. When you land, your driver takes you to your hotel in Hoi An.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at hotel)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Kim An Hotel Hoi An or similar), Hotel (Silkotel Hoi An or similar), Resort (Palm Garden Hoi An or similar)
Included Activities
- Explore Cu Chi Tunnel systems and remaining areas
- View introductory video about tunnel construction and wartime survival
- See living areas, kitchens, bedrooms, martial facilities, storage, weapons factories, field hospitals, and command centers
- Discover hidden trap doors and dangerous traps
- Taste special tea and cassava
Landmarks Cu Chi Tunnels 
- Day 4
Hoi An
Eat breakfast at the hotel and meet your guide around 8:30 am. First stop is a local food market where you shop for ingredients like residents do, picking out what you'll cook for lunch. From there, head to Cam Thanh eco-village to experience the countryside. You'll cruise down the river through palm forests in a traditional Vietnamese basket boat, then try fishing using local techniques. Back at the village, you'll learn how to prepare Vietnamese meals and eat what you've cooked. After lunch you can rest, and your guide gets you back to the hotel around 1:00 pm.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at hotel), Lunch (Traditional Vietnamese lunch prepared by you at the eco-village)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Kim An Hotel Hoi An or similar), Hotel (Silkotel Hoi An or similar), Resort (Palm Garden Hoi An or similar)
Included Activities
- Shop at local food market
- Explore Cam Thanh eco-village countryside
- Cruise down river through palm forest on Vietnamese basket boat
- Fishing experience using local methods
- Learn to cook Vietnamese meals
- Prepare and enjoy cooked lunch
Landmarks Cam Thanh Eco-village - Day 5
Hoi An
This day is yours to explore Hoi An on your own. Rent a bicycle from your hotel and ride around town, heading toward the riverside or beach. At the beach you'll find small cafes where you can sit with a fresh fruit drink after swimming in the warm, calm water. Consider stopping at a tailor shop where craftspeople make custom clothes, bags, or shoes overnight. In the evening, walk through the Old Town as shops light their lanterns, and watch the colorful street performances that happen at night.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Kim An Hotel Hoi An or similar), Hotel (Silkotel Hoi An or similar), Resort (Palm Garden Hoi An or similar)
Optional Activities
- Rent bicycle and explore Hoi An
- Cycle toward riverside or beach
- Relax at beach cafes with fresh drinks
- Swimming at the beach
- Visit tailor shop for custom clothing or accessories
- Walk around Old Town area in the evening
- Watch colorful street performances in the evening
Landmarks Hoi An Old Town - Day 6
Hoi An to Hanoi
Spend your remaining morning and early afternoon in Hoi An before your private driver takes you to the airport for your flight to Hanoi. When you arrive at Noi Bai International Airport, your driver picks you up and takes you to your hotel in Hanoi's Old Quarter. The rest of the day is free to do whatever you'd like.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Mina Hotel and Spa or similar), Hotel (Tirant Hotel or similar), Hotel (Apricot Hotel and Spa or similar)
Optional Activities
- Final exploration of Hoi An before departure
- Day 7
Hanoi
Your guide picks you up between 8:00-8:30 am for a bus tour around Hanoi. At 8:45 am you visit Tran Quoc Pagoda on Golden Fish Island in West Lake, the oldest pagoda in Hanoi dating to the 6th century. Then you see Ho Chi Minh Complex, where Ho Chi Minh's embalmed body rests and where you can see the two houses he lived and worked in from 1954-1969. Next is the One Pillar Pagoda, built for the Goddess of Mercy. Around 11:15 am you'll check out the Vietnam Ethnology Museum to learn about Vietnam's 54 ethnic groups (or the Vietnamese Women's Museum if the first one is closed). Lunch happens at 12:45 pm with Vietnamese dishes and vegetarian choices available. From 2:00-2:15 pm you visit Temple of Literature, founded in 1070 as Vietnam's first university. After that comes Hoa Lo Prison, a French-built structure from 1886-1901 that's now a war museum. You'll be back at your hotel by 4:30 pm.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Vietnamese cuisine with vegetarian options available)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Mina Hotel and Spa or similar), Hotel (Tirant Hotel or similar), Hotel (Apricot Hotel and Spa or similar)
Included Activities
- Visit Tran Quoc Pagoda on Golden Fish Island
- Explore Ho Chi Minh Complex and embalmed body
- See two houses where Ho Chi Minh lived and worked
- Visit One Pillar Pagoda
- Visit Vietnam Ethnology Museum or Vietnamese Women's Museum
- Visit Temple of Literature (Van Mieu Quoc Tu Giam)
- Tour Hoa Lo Prison
Landmarks Tran Quoc Pagoda Ho Chi Minh Complex Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum One Pillar Pagoda Vietnam Ethnology Museum Vietnamese Women's Museum Temple of Literature Hoa Lo Prison - Day 8
Hanoi to Halong Bay
Check out of your hotel and the cruise team picks you up for the drive through the Red River Delta. You'll see emerald rice paddies stretching out endlessly before reaching Halong Bay. Board the cruise and enjoy views of limestone rocks and karst formations. A seafood lunch gets served, and you'll have time on the sundeck to take in the scenery. The boat stops at a secret spot for kayaking or swimming where you can explore the grottos up close. Evening brings an early dinner back on the boat, followed by optional activities or relaxation.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Seafood lunch), Dinner (Early dinner on boat)
- Accommodation
- Berth / Cabin (Le Journey Cruise or similar), Berth / Cabin (La Pandora Cruise Halong or similar), Berth / Cabin (Doris Cruise or similar)
Included Activities
- Scenic drive through Red River Delta
- Board cruise at Halong Bay pier
- Enjoy fantastic views of limestone rocks and karst grottoes
- Kayaking or swimming at a secret location
- Explore karst grottoes
- Time at leisure on boat
Optional Activities
- Participate in optional onboard activities
Landmarks Halong Bay Red River Delta 
- Day 9
Halong Bay to Hanoi
Get up early to watch the sunrise over Halong Bay and eat breakfast in the dining room. A Tai Chi class on the sun deck helps wake up your mind and body. Then you'll explore a limestone cave filled with stalagmites and stalactites. Back on the boat, you check out and enjoy brunch while sailing back toward the harbor. Later a transfer takes you back to your accommodation in Hanoi.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast served in dining room), Brunch (Brunch while sailing back to harbor)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Mina Hotel and Spa or similar), Hotel (Tirant Hotel or similar), Hotel (Apricot Hotel and Spa or similar)
Included Activities
- Watch sunrise at Halong Bay
- Attend Tai Chi class on sun deck
- Visit limestone cave with stalagmites and stalactites
- Explore the cave
Landmarks Halong Bay Limestone Caves - Day 10
Hanoi
Have a healthy breakfast on your final day. Complete your hotel check-out, then visit local markets to pick up souvenirs for people back home. Your private driver takes you to the airport for your flight home.
- End point
- Noi Bai International Airport, Sóc Sơn, Hanoi, 12200, Vietnam (Noi Bai International Airport Drop off)
- Meals
- Breakfast (Healthy breakfast)
Included Activities
- Visit local markets for souvenir shopping
