Itinerary
- Day 1
Hanoi
You'll land at Hanoi Airport and connect with your private driver for the transfer to your Old Quarter hotel, which takes about 45 minutes to an hour depending on traffic. Check-in starts at 2pm, though you might get into your room earlier if they have availability. The rest of the evening is yours to settle in and rest up before things get going tomorrow.
- Day 2
Hanoi
Your guide picks you up at 8am for a full day of Hanoi's most significant sites. You'll start at Tran Quoc Pagoda, which dates back to the 6th century and holds the distinction of being the oldest pagoda in the city. From there, you head to Ho Chi Minh Complex to see his mausoleum and former residences, then continue to the distinctive One Pillar Pagoda. The Vietnam Museum of Ethnology gives you insight into the country's 54 ethnic groups, and you'll also walk through Temple of Literature, where Vietnam's first university operated. Before wrapping up, there's a stop at Hoa Lo Prison Museum. Lunch at a local restaurant with traditional Vietnamese dishes is included throughout the day.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Vietnamese cuisine with 8 delicious dishes)
Included Activities
- Visit Tran Quoc Pagoda
- Visit Ho Chi Minh Complex including mausoleum 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 Vietnamese cuisine
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 Temple of Literature Hoa Lo Prison Museum - Day 3
Hanoi to Ninh Binh
You'll leave your Old Quarter hotel at 7am for a 110km bus ride through the countryside with a brief rest stop along the way. After arriving in Ninh Binh, you explore Hoa Lu Ancient Citadel, which features 17th century temples dedicated to Dinh King and Le King. A local lunch follows, and then it's time for the Trang An Grottoes where you'll take a traditional sampan boat through the caves and valleys. There's a trek up Mua Cave to reach Ngoa Long Mountain peak for views across the rice valley, and by evening you'll transfer to your bungalow in Ninh Binh for dinner and an overnight stay.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Local Vietnamese cuisine), Dinner (Dinner with the host)
Included Activities
- Visit Hoa Lu Ancient Citadel with Dinh King Temple and Le King Temple
- Lunch at local restaurant
- Trang An Grottoes sampan boat ride through caves (Lam Cave, Vang Cave, Dai Cave, Thanh Truot Cave)
- Visit Cao Son Temple, Suoi Tien Temple, Vu Lam Temple
- Trek to Mua Cave and climb Ngoa Long Mountain
Landmarks/POIs Hoa Lu Ancient Citadel Trang An Grottoes Mua Cave Ngoa Long Mountain - Day 4
Ninh Binh to Halong Bay
After breakfast, you'll transfer by limousine shuttle at 7am to Halong Port, arriving around 11:30-11:45am. You'll check in for your cruise and settle in with seafood lunch while the boat starts exploring the islands and limestone formations. The afternoon brings activities like swimming, kayaking, and a cooking class, followed by sunset viewing from the deck. Dinner features Vietnamese seafood with vegetarian options if needed, and you'll spend the night onboard the cruise.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Seafood lunch on cruise), Dinner (Vietnamese seafood cuisine with vegetarian options)
Included Activities
- Halong Bay cruise visiting islands and limestone rocks
- Swimming activity
- Kayaking
- Cooking class
- Sunset sightseeing
- Welcome drink on cruise
Landmarks/POIs Halong Bay - Day 5
Halong Bay to Da Nang
The morning starts relaxed on deck with breakfast while you take in the bay's landscape as the boat moves past the karst islets. You'll visit a cave either by small bamboo boat or kayak, then enjoy lunch back on the boat. After cruising back to Halong wharf, you transfer to the airport for a 1-hour flight to Da Nang. Your driver meets you at the airport and takes you to your hotel, where you'll have time to explore the city and settle in for the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Halong Bay morning activities and cave visit by bamboo boat or kayak
- Lunch on boat
Landmarks/POIs Halong Bay - Day 6
Da Nang to Hoi An
The morning is free for Da Nang's white sand beach where you can swim, sunbathe, or try water sports. You'll check out at noon, and then at 3:30pm head to Five Marble Mountain, a cluster of five limestone peaks. From there, you continue to Hoi An Ancient Town, a World Heritage site, for a walking tour through the narrow winding streets of the Ancient Quarter. You'll see Chua Ong Pagoda, Chinese Assembly Halls, the 200-year-old Tam Ky ancestral house, and the Japanese Bridge. After the guided portion, you have free time to either relax at the beach or wander through town on your own. Dinner happens in Hoi An where you'll stay for the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Five Marble Mountain
- Walking tour of Hoi An Ancient Quarter
- Visit Chua Ong Pagoda
- Visit Chinese Assembly Halls
- Visit Tam Ky ancestral house (200 years old)
- Visit Japanese Bridge
- Dinner in Hoi An
Optional Activities
- Swimming at Da Nang beach
- Sunbathing at Da Nang beach
- Water sports at Da Nang beach
Landmarks/POIs Five Marble Mountain Hoi An Ancient Town Chua Ong Pagoda Japanese Bridge - Day 7
Hoi An
Your guide meets you at 7:30-8am at the hotel. You'll head to Bay Mau, a seven-hectare coconut forest with water coconut trees, where you explore by basket boat and learn about how local residents live and work. You'll discover the process of making coconut products and pick up some cooking techniques for traditional Hoi An food. Lunch comes at a local restaurant, and then you return to Hoi An with the afternoon free to explore at your own pace.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Visit Bay Mau coconut forest
- Basket boat tour through coconut forest
- Learn about coconut products and production
- Cooking class for traditional Hoi An food
- Lunch at local restaurant
Landmarks/POIs Bay Mau Coconut Forest - Day 8
Hoi An
You'll have free time until it's time to head to the airport for your departure flight. This marks the end of your tour.
- Meals
- Breakfast
