Itinerary
- Day 1
Hanoi
Your private driver meets you at Hanoi airport and takes you to the hotel. After settling in, you have the afternoon and evening to walk around the historic streets at your own pace. There's plenty to see with local architecture and shops scattered throughout the older neighborhoods, so just wander around and get a feel for the city before heading back to rest.
Optional Activities
- Explore the historic streets of Hanoi Old Quarter
- Day 2
Hanoi
The guide picks you up at 7am for the 120km drive to Ninh Binh province. You'll check out Hoa Lu's ancient temples dedicated to King Dinh and King Le, then take a 45-minute cycling tour through nearby villages to see how locals live. After a buffet lunch with regional dishes, a boat trip takes you through the limestone caves and tunnels at Trang An (it's a UNESCO site). You're back in Hanoi by evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Buffet lunch with local foods including goat meat and fried rice, vegetarian options available)
Included Activities
- Visit Hoa Lu ancient capital and temples of King Dinh and King Le
- Cycling tour around the village
- Boat trip to Trang An UNESCO World Heritage Site to explore cave system including Sang Cave, Toi Cave, and Nau Ruou Cave
Landmarks/POIs Hoa Lu Ancient Capital Trang An - Day 3
Hanoi to Sapa
Pickup from Hanoi Old Quarter happens at 6am for the drive to Sapa Town. You'll pass through Lao Cai with a couple rest stops along the way, then arrive around 1:30pm. After lunch, you head down to Cat Cat village where the Black H'mong people live. The trek covers about 4km over 2 hours and takes you past a waterfall and the old French Hydraulic Power Station. Dinner and your overnight stay are in Sapa.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Local Vietnamese dishes), Dinner
Included Activities
- Trek to Cat Cat village and experience Black H'mong ethnic people's daily life
- Walk to waterfall and French Hydraulic Power Station
- Welcome beverage and itinerary overview
Landmarks/POIs Cat Cat Village Fansipan Peak - Day 4
Sapa to Hanoi
You'll have breakfast and check out, then take the modern cable car up to 2800 meters. There's a spiritual pagoda to visit, and then you hike about 600 steps to reach Fansipan peak, which locals call the Roof of Indochina. The views are great for photos. Later you're back in Sapa for lunch and free time before catching the bus back to Hanoi, arriving around 9:30pm.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (At local restaurant)
Included Activities
- Cable car ride to 2800 meters altitude with scenic views
- Visit pagoda at high altitude
- Hike to Fansipan peak (approximately 600 steps) and enjoy views from the Roof of Indochina
Landmarks/POIs Fansipan Peak - Day 5
Hanoi to Halong Bay
After hotel breakfast, the cruise operator picks you up for a scenic drive across the Red River Delta, where you'll see emerald rice paddies. Once you reach Halong Bay, you board the cruise and start exploring the limestone rocks and karst formations. Seafood lunch is served on the boat, then you visit a famous limestone cave with the option to kayak or swim near floating villages. Back on the boat for early dinner and whatever evening activities interest you.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Seafood lunch on the boat)
Included Activities
- Cruise exploration of Halong Bay limestone rocks and karst grottoes
- Visit to famous limestone cave with opportunity for kayaking or swimming
- Visit to floating villages and shops
Optional Activities
- Activities taking place on the boat during evening leisure time
Landmarks/POIs Halong Bay - Day 6
Halong Bay to Hoi An
Wake early to catch the sunrise and breathe in the ocean air while having breakfast on the boat as you cruise through Halong Bay. You'll stop at a floating fishing village to learn about how the fishermen work and live. Later you cruise back to Halong City pier for lunch, then it's back to Hanoi by 3:30pm or 4pm. From there you transfer to the airport and fly to Da Nang, arriving in time to check into your Hoi An hotel with the rest of the day free.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Served on the boat while cruising through Halong Bay), Lunch
Included Activities
- Breakfast cruise through Halong Bay with island views and photo opportunities
- Visit floating fishing village
Landmarks/POIs Halong Bay - Day 7
Hoi An
Sleep in and have breakfast whenever you'd like, then spend your free morning relaxing with coffee or wandering around on your own. At 2:30pm your guide meets you to start a walking tour of Hoi An's historic sites. You'll see the busy market, the Phuc Kien Chinese Assembly Hall with its colorful details, old houses like Phung Hung and Tan Ky, and the Folk Culture Museum. The 400-year-old Japanese Bridge is on the route too. After checking out local handicraft shops and winding streets, you take a boat on the Thu Bon River to release flower lanterns as a prayer ritual.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Hoi An Market
- Visit Phuc Kien Chinese Assembly Hall
- View ancient houses: Phung Hung Ancient House and Tan Ky Ancient House
- Visit Museum of Folk Culture
- Attend art shows at Hoi An Traditional Performing Arts House
- Visit Japanese Bridge (over 400 years old)
- Explore handicraft shops and artwork galleries
- Boat ride on Thu Bon River with flower lantern release
Landmarks/POIs Hoi An Market Phuc Kien Chinese Assembly Hall Phung Hung Ancient House Tan Ky Ancient House Museum of Folk Culture Hoi An Traditional Performing Arts House Japanese Bridge - Day 8
Ba Na Hills - Hoi An
Your minivan and guide arrive early morning to drive you to Ba Na Hills using the modern cable car system. At 2800 meters, the views stretch across Quang Nam and Da Nang. You'll visit the Dream Stream Cable Car Station, a spiritual pagoda, and the famous Golden Bridge pedestrian walkway. There are nine gardens called Le Jardin D'amour and the Linh Ung pagoda to see as well. After another cable car ride, the French Village has street performers, art statues, and carnival activities. A buffet lunch is included, then you spend time at Fantasy Park with the Lava Train, water attractions, a dinosaur park, and 5D rides before returning to Hoi An.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Buffet lunch at restaurant)
Included Activities
- Cable car ride to 2800 meters altitude with panoramic views
- Visit Dream Stream Cable Car Station
- Visit spiritual pagoda
- Explore the Golden Bridge
- Visit Le Jardin D'amour (9 gardens)
- Visit Linh Ung pagoda
- Explore French Village with street music, art statues, Campanile, Nine Floor Goddess Shrine, Tombstone Temple, and Carnival Performance Show
- Ride on Slide of Tube Car (free)
- Take Lava Train to new attractions including Helios waterfall, Time Gate, and The Moon Kingdom
- Explore Fantasy Park: Fairy Forest, Dinosaur Park, 5D wild west, 4D death race ride, 3D mega 360 degrees show, Journey into the underground, Jurassic Park, Freefall Tower, Horror House, and 90+ free games
Landmarks/POIs Ba Na Hills Golden Bridge - Day 9
Hoi An to Hue to Da Nang/Hoi An
The guide and car pick you up at 7am to travel to Hue along one of the world's best coastal roads, either Hai Van Pass or Hai Van Tunnel depending on conditions. You'll stop for 30 minutes at the peak to photograph Lap An lagoon and Lang Co bay. By 11am you're at the Khai Dinh Tomb, then lunch features traditional Hue specialty dishes. The afternoon includes the Imperial Citadel and Thien Mu Pagoda, which is the largest in Hue. You're back in Da Nang by 6pm or Hoi An by 7pm.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Hue specialty dishes at local restaurant)
Included Activities
- Stop at Hai Van Pass peak (30-minute stop)
- Photo stop at Lap An lagoon
- Visit Khai Dinh Tomb
- Visit The Imperial Citadel
- Explore Thien Mu Pagoda (Hue's largest pagoda)
Landmarks/POIs Hai Van Pass Lap An Lagoon Khai Dinh Tomb Imperial Citadel of Hue Thien Mu Pagoda - Day 10
Hoi An
Today is yours to explore Hoi An however you want. The ancient town has Japanese merchant houses, pagodas, temples, and old warehouses to check out. You might relax at one of the riverside cafes along the Thu Bon River, or spend time discovering whatever interests you most about this place.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Hoi An Eco Tour: Guided countryside and river tour visiting local people, fishing villages, experience traditional net fishing, paddle boat trip in Vietnamese bamboo basket boat through coconut palm waterways
Landmarks/POIs Hoi An Ancient Town - Day 11
Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh City
After breakfast at the hotel, you catch a flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Once you check in at your hotel, the rest of the day is yours to rest and recover from traveling.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Day 12
Mekong Delta - Ho Chi Minh City
Pickup is at 7:20am for the full-day Mekong Delta tour. You travel to My Tho on the left bank of the Mekong River and board a sampan to cruise around four islands called Dragon, Unicorn, Phoenix, and Tortoise. At Unicorn Island you walk the country lanes, see orchards, sample tropical fruits, hear folk songs, and visit plantations. Hand-rowed sampans take you through Thoi Son canal where you see family businesses and a bee farm with workshops for honey tea and coconut candy. Lunch comes next, then you cycle through Tan Thach village to meet locals and experience daily Mekong Delta life, or you can relax in a hammock instead if you prefer.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (At local restaurant)
Included Activities
- Sampan cruise around four islands (Dragon, Unicorn, Phoenix, Tortoise Islands)
- Walk around Unicorn Island orchards
- Experience traditional net fishing and folk song performances
- Visit fruit plantation
- Hand-rowed sampan ride through Thoi Son canal
- Visit family business
- Visit honey-bee farm with honey tea and coconut candy workshop
- Cycling tour around Tan Thach village or hammock relaxation
Landmarks/POIs Mekong Delta My Tho - Day 13
Ho Chi Minh City
After breakfast, you start exploring Ho Chi Minh City's highlights at 7:30am. The neo-Romanesque Notre Dame Cathedral (built by the French in the 1800s) and the historic Central Post Office designed by Gustave Eiffel are first with their intricate maps and designs. Then you tour the Reunification Palace, the former presidential palace that represents Vietnam's complicated history. In the afternoon you travel about 75km (1.5 hours) to the Cu Chi Tunnels, a major Vietnam War site that spans over 200km. You walk through the complex underground system with trap doors, living quarters, storage areas, weapon factories, hospitals, command centers, and kitchens. They serve simple wartime food so you can experience what conditions were like.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Visit Notre Dame Cathedral
- Visit Central Post Office (designed by Gustave Eiffel)
- Visit Reunification Palace
- Explore Cu Chi Tunnels complex including trap doors, living areas, storage, weapon factories, field hospitals, command centers, and kitchens
- Sample simple wartime cuisine from the tunnel era
Landmarks/POIs Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon Central Post Office of Ho Chi Minh City Reunification Palace Cu Chi Tunnels - Day 14
Departure
Your final day starts with a healthy breakfast at the hotel. After you complete checkout, there's time to visit local markets for souvenirs to bring home for people. Then you head to the airport to board your flight home.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Visit local markets for souvenir shopping
