Itinerary
- Day 1
Hanoi
Your driver meets you at Noi Bai International Airport with a nameplate and takes you to your hotel. From there, you'll have the rest of the day to explore on your own. The Old Quarter's 36 Streets are great for wandering, or you could check out Hoan Kiem Lake, Ho Chi Minh's former stilt house, the Temple of Literature, or the Fine Arts Museum if you want to see Vietnam's ethnic cultural heritage.
Optional Activities
- Stroll through the 36 Streets of the historic Old Quarter
- Visit Hoan Kiem Lake
- Visit Ho Chi Minh's former stilt house
- Visit the Temple of Literature
- Visit the Fine Arts Museum
Landmarks/POIs Hoan Kiem Lake Ho Chi Minh's Former Stilt House Temple of Literature Fine Arts Museum Old Quarter - Day 2
Hanoi
This morning you'll start early on a guided photography tour, capturing peaceful views of Hoan Kiem Lake from the New Hanoi newspaper office. Then you'll walk through St. Joseph Cathedral and French colonial streets before heading to Ta Hien beer street while it's still quiet. After passing through O Quan Chuong gate into the busy Dong Xuan market, you'll continue to Long Bien Bridge and the historic train station. The tour ends at legendary Train Street where you'll have rich egg coffee while waiting to see the train pass by.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Photography tour of Hanoi landmarks with English-speaking guide
- Visit Hoan Kiem Lake (framed from New Hanoi newspaper office)
- Visit St. Joseph Cathedral and French colonial streets
- Explore Ta Hien beer street
- Visit O Quan Chuong gate
- Tour Dong Xuan market
- Visit Long Bien Bridge and train station
- Experience Train Street with egg coffee
Landmarks/POIs Hoan Kiem Lake St. Joseph Cathedral Ta Hien Street O Quan Chuong Gate Dong Xuan Market Long Bien Bridge Train Street - Day 3
Hanoi to Halong Bay
After breakfast, you'll head to Tuan Chau Marina and board your overnight cruise to Halong Bay, arriving around noon. Check in on the boat, grab lunch, and then spend the afternoon kayaking around a former floating village, swimming, or taking a cooking class to learn making Vietnamese spring rolls. In the evening, join the sunset party on deck with relaxing music and nice bay views while you hang out with other passengers.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Tasty lunch served on the cruise), Dinner
Included Activities
- Transfer to Tuan Chau Marina
- Halong Bay overnight cruise
- Kayaking around former floating village
- Swimming in Halong Bay
- Cooking class demonstration (deep-fried spring rolls)
- Sunset party on upper deck
Landmarks/POIs Halong Bay Tuan Chau Marina - Day 4
Halong Bay to Hoi An
Get up early to catch sunrise photos or a Tai Chi demonstration on the upper deck. You'll explore Sung Sot cave, which has beautiful sparkling formations, then cruise past numerous islands and islets for panoramic views. After lunch, check out from your cabin and return to Hanoi by bus. From there, you'll transfer to the airport for a flight to Da Nang, then head to Hoi An Town for your overnight stay.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Sunrise photos or Tai Chi demonstration
- Sung Sot cave exploration
- Cruise past islands and islets in Halong Bay
Landmarks/POIs Sung Sot Cave Halong Bay - Day 5
Hoi An
Your hotel pickup brings you to a local market where you'll learn to bargain and pick fresh ingredients for cooking class. Next you'll go to the charming village of Cam Thanh with its coconut palm trees and take a traditional coracle boat ride along the Thu Bon River. You'll watch local artists perform and learn palm leaf souvenir crafting. Then you and the chef will prepare fried spring rolls, crispy rice pancakes, papaya salad with chicken, and Cao Lau noodles, followed by a comfortable ride back to your hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Delicious feast prepared during cooking class: fried spring rolls, crispy rice pancakes, papaya salad with chicken, Cao Lau noodles)
Included Activities
- Local market visit and bargaining lesson
- Travel to Cam Thanh village
- Traditional coracle boat ride along Thu Bon River
- Local artist performance
- Palm leaf souvenir crafting lesson
- Cooking class with chef
Landmarks/POIs Cam Thanh Village Thu Bon River - Day 6
Hoi An
You'll spend your day walking through the charming town of Hoi An, which is known for its well-preserved old town, colorful lantern-filled streets, boutique restaurants, and tailor-made clothes shops. Walking is really the best way to see this small town. Wander through the lively market streets, try a Vietnamese coffee, and find some quiet moments by the riverside. If you like beaches, you can bike about 5 km to An Bang Beach to relax in the sun.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Explore Hoi An Old Town
- Wander through market streets
- Enjoy Vietnamese coffee at local café
- Relax by the riverside
- Bike to An Bang Beach and swim or relax
Landmarks/POIs Hoi An Old Town An Bang Beach - Day 7
Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh City
Your driver takes you to Da Nang airport for a flight to Ho Chi Minh City. After checking in at your hotel, you'll explore Sai Gon on your own. Photograph the famous Notre Dame Cathedral next to the historic Central Post Office, check out the Reunification Palace, and visit the War Remnants Museum to learn about Vietnam's history.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Explore Notre Dame Cathedral
- Visit Central Post Office
- Explore Reunification Palace
- Visit War Remnants Museum
Landmarks/POIs Notre Dame Cathedral Central Post Office Reunification Palace War Remnants Museum - Day 8
Ho Chi Minh City to My Tho
You'll explore the Mekong Delta and visit My Tho, the region's vibrant capital known as the rice basket of Vietnam. Start at Vinh Trang Pagoda with its intricate mosaics made from broken pottery and a towering white Buddha. Take a scenic boat trip along the Mekong River past traditional stilted houses, fruit plantations, and fishing villages. After lunch, head to the village of An Khanh, which is famous for fruit orchards and coconut sweets. You'll enjoy seasonal fruits, honey tea, and coconut candies while listening to Southern Vietnamese folk music from local artists.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Delicious lunch at An Khanh village)
Included Activities
- Visit Vinh Trang Pagoda
- Scenic boat trip along Mekong River
- Visit An Khanh fruit village
- Taste seasonal fruits and coconut candies
- Listen to Southern Vietnamese folk music performance
Optional Activities
- Short bicycle ride through the island (depending on time)
Landmarks/POIs Vinh Trang Pagoda Mekong River An Khanh Village - Day 9
Ho Chi Minh City
You'll explore the Cu Chi Tunnels, a network of underground passages where Vietnamese guerilla soldiers operated during the war. The drive takes over an hour through green paddy fields where you'll see local farmers and buffaloes. Spend a couple of hours navigating the maze of tunnels, which include trap doors, storage facilities, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers, and kitchens. You'll taste cassava, which was the most popular food eaten during the war.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Cu Chi Tunnel tour with guide
- Explore tunnel network including trap doors, storage facilities, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers, and kitchens
- Taste cassava (popular wartime food)
Landmarks/POIs Cu Chi Tunnels - Day 10
Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap
You'll fly from Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap on a flight taking more than 2 hours. When you land at Siem Reap Airport, your driver escorts you to your hotel for check-in. The rest of the day is free, so you can explore Siem Reap on your own.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Explore Siem Reap
- Day 11
Siem Reap
After an early breakfast at your hotel, you'll start a full-day exploration of the Angkor Temples. Begin at the imposing South Gate of Angkor Thom with its four serene faces, then discover the Bayon temple, impressive Elephant Terrace, and Terrace of the Leper King. Exit through the North Gate to Preah Khan, a sprawling 12th-century temple complex. After a traditional Khmer lunch, visit Ta Prohm where nature has intertwined roots with ancient stones, and finish at Angkor Wat, the largest temple.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Traditional Khmer cuisine)
Included Activities
- South Gate of Angkor Thom
- Bayon temple
- Elephant Terrace
- Terrace of the Leper King
- Preah Khan temple complex
- Ta Prohm temple
- Angkor Wat temple
Landmarks/POIs Angkor Thom South Gate Bayon Temple Elephant Terrace Terrace of the Leper King Preah Khan Ta Prohm Angkor Wat - Day 12
Siem Reap
After breakfast at your hotel, you can take a short walk through a tranquil Siem Reap neighborhood to learn about the local way of life, or hop on a tuk tuk to Tonle Sap Lake to board a local boat for a cruise through the floating villages. Return to Siem Reap for lunch, then head to the airport to catch your departure flight.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Walk through tranquil Siem Reap neighborhood to learn about local way of life
- Take tuk tuk to Tonle Sap Lake and cruise through floating villages on local boat
Landmarks/POIs Tonle Sap Lake
