Itinerary
- Day 1
Hanoi
Your driver meets you at Hanoi airport and takes you to your hotel, where check-in happens at 14:00. After getting settled, the afternoon is yours to walk around and get a feel for the city at whatever pace works for you.
Optional Activities
- Explore Hanoi city independently
- Day 2
Hanoi
You'll spend the full day seeing Hanoi's cultural sites. Start at Tran Quoc Pagoda on Golden Fish Island, then head to Ho Chi Minh Complex to see his mausoleum and where he lived. From there it's on to One Pillar Pagoda, the Vietnam Ethnology Museum (or Vietnamese Women's Museum if the first is closed), Temple of Literature, and finish at Hoa Lo Prison. Lunch includes Vietnamese food with vegetarian choices available throughout the day.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Vietnamese cuisine at local restaurant. Vegetarian foods available.)
Included Activities
- Visit Tran Quoc Pagoda
- Visit Ho Chi Minh Complex including mausoleum and residences
- Visit One Pillar Pagoda
- Visit Vietnam Ethnology Museum
- Visit Temple of Literature
- Visit Hoa Lo Prison
Landmarks/POIs Tran Quoc Pagoda Ho Chi Minh Complex One Pillar Pagoda Vietnam Ethnology Museum Vietnamese Women's Museum Temple of Literature Hoa Lo Prison - Day 3
Hanoi to Halong Bay
The drive to Halong Bay takes you through the Red River Delta with its emerald rice paddies. Once there, you'll board a cruise to explore limestone rocks and karst grottoes. Seafood lunch comes while you're on the water, and you'll visit one of the famous limestone caves before heading back to the boat for an early dinner. The evening is free to do what you like, whether that's optional activities on board or simply relaxing.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Seafood lunch), Dinner (Early dinner on boat)
Included Activities
- Cruise on Halong Bay
- Explore limestone rocks and karst grottoes
- Visit limestone cave
Optional Activities
- Attend optional activities on the boat
Landmarks/POIs Halong Bay - Day 4
Halong Bay to Hue
If sunrise appeals to you, there's a tai chi session on deck, or you can just have coffee or tea and watch Halong Bay wake up. Brunch is served on the ship before you head back to Halong City from the sundeck. Your driver picks you up at the dock for the transfer back to Hanoi, and then at 16:00 a private car takes you to the airport for your flight to Hue City. Once you arrive, your driver meets you and takes you to your hotel, where you can check in and rest.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Brunch on ship)
Included Activities
- Brunch on ship
Optional Activities
- Tai Chi session on top deck at sunrise
- Day 5
Hue
This full day starts with a dragon boat cruise on Perfume River to visit Thien Mu Pagoda, which is the oldest pagoda in Hue. After that you'll tour the Imperial Citadel, where the last Nguyen Dynasty ruled. Dong Ba Market gives you a look at local life and a chance to pick up souvenirs. Following lunch with Hue specialties, you'll have a herbal foot bath, then visit Khai Dinh King's Tomb and Minh Mang King's Tomb to see their architecture. Before heading back, stop at Conical Hat Village and Incense Stick Village where you can try making these crafts yourself.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Hue specialty dishes)
Included Activities
- Dragon boat cruise on Perfume River
- Visit Thien Mu Pagoda
- Visit Hue Imperial Citadel
- Visit Dong Ba Market
- Herbal foot bath
- Visit Khai Dinh King's Tomb
- Visit Minh Mang King's Tomb
- Visit Conical Hat Village with practical craft experience
- Visit Incense Stick Village with practical craft experience
Landmarks/POIs Thien Mu Pagoda Hue Imperial Citadel Dong Ba Market Khai Dinh King's Tomb Minh Mang King's Tomb - Day 6
Hue
After breakfast you can explore the city however you want until 14:00. Then your guide and driver meet you for an afternoon tour of Tam Giang Lagoon. You'll see Uncle Ho's memorial at Duong No village or the Thanh Toan tile-roofed bridge depending on what appeals to you. Ru Cha primeval mangrove forest, which is over 100 years old, is next, followed by Dam Chuon Lagoon where you can try fishing with local people. Dinner happens at a lagoon restaurant, and you'll take a sunset boat ride before returning to the city center.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Seafood dinner at Dam Chuon Lagoon restaurant)
Included Activities
- Visit Uncle Ho memorial site at Duong No village or Thanh Toan Bridge
- Explore Ru Cha mangrove forest
- Visit Dam Chuon Lagoon
- Fishing activities with locals
- Sunset boat ride
Optional Activities
- Explore Hue city independently in the morning
Landmarks/POIs Tam Giang Lagoon Thanh Toan Bridge Ru Cha mangrove forest Dam Chuon Lagoon - Day 7
Hue to Hoi An
Check out of your hotel after breakfast and meet your driver at 7:00 AM. The Heritage Train leaves at 7:45 AM from Hue toward Da Nang, passing through mountains, villages, and the iconic Hai Van Pass with views of the East Sea. You arrive in Da Nang at 10:35 AM, and your driver takes you to Hoi An (check-in is after 14:00). At 14:00, you join your guide for Cam Thanh Coconut Village to learn lantern-making and make your own traditional lantern. A boat trip through the coconut forest follows, along with traditional fishing and bamboo basket boat rides. You'll even see basket-boat performances and try catching crabs. Dinner at a local restaurant, then back to your hotel by 18:30.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Dinner at local restaurant)
Included Activities
- Heritage Train journey from Hue to Da Nang
- Lantern-making class at Cam Thanh Coconut Village
- Boat trip through coconut forest
- Traditional fishing activities
- Basket boat rowing and performance
- Crab catching activity
Landmarks/POIs Hai Van Pass Cam Thanh Coconut Village - Day 8
Hoi An
The full day focuses on craft villages near Hoi An. Starting at 8:00 AM, you visit Thanh Ha pottery village where temples, museums, and exhibitions show you the craft, and you get to try pottery-making yourself. Kim Bong Carpentry Village on the Thu Bon River is next, where artisans create intricately carved pieces. You can watch them work, take a bicycle tour, and try your hand at farm work. Tra Que Vegetable Village, which has been farmed traditionally for 300 years, lets you participate in tilling, watering, fertilizing, and picking vegetables. Lunch features local dishes served throughout the day.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch at local restaurant)
Included Activities
- Visit Thanh Ha pottery village with pottery-making experience
- Visit Kim Bong Carpentry Village and workshops
- Visit Tra Que Vegetable Village with farm activities
Optional Activities
- Bicycle tour of Kim Bong Carpentry Village
- Farm work experience at Tra Que Vegetable Village
Landmarks/POIs Thanh Ha pottery village Kim Bong Carpentry Village Tra Que Vegetable Village - Day 9
Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh City
After breakfast you have a free morning to walk around the ancient town on your own or join an optional group tour to My Son Sanctuary. If you go on the optional tour, it leaves between 7:30 and 8:00 AM for two hours exploring the site with a local guide and Champa performances. You'll learn rice paper-making at a local house, have lunch with herbal tea, then take a boat back to Hoi An on the Thu Bon River, arriving by 14:00. Later, transfer to the airport for your afternoon flight to Ho Chi Minh City. After landing, your driver takes you to your hotel so you can rest before checking out the city's nightlife.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- My Son Sanctuary morning group tour including site exploration, rice paper-making, lunch at local house, and boat trip back to Hoi An
Landmarks/POIs My Son Sanctuary - Day 10
Ho Chi Minh City
The morning starts with a tour of Ho Chi Minh City's colonial buildings and war history. You'll see Independence Palace (Reunification Palace), a well-known city landmark, then beautiful French Colonial structures like Notre Dame Cathedral and the historic Central Post Office. The War Remnants Museum covers exhibits from the Indochina wars. After lunch at a local restaurant, you drive about 1.5 hours to Cu Chi Tunnel for an introductory video and exploration of the tunnel systems including living areas, kitchens, bedrooms, weapon factories, field hospitals, and command centers. You'll see hidden trap doors and security traps. There's break time for relaxation or an optional shooting range experience before returning to the city.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch at local restaurant)
Included Activities
- Visit Independence Palace
- Visit Notre Dame Cathedral exterior
- Visit Central Post Office
- Visit War Remnants Museum
- Cu Chi Tunnel exploration and introductory video
- Explore tunnel living areas, kitchens, bedrooms, weapon factories, field hospitals, and command centers
Optional Activities
- Shooting range experience at Cu Chi Tunnel
Landmarks/POIs Independence Palace Notre Dame Cathedral Central Post Office War Remnants Museum Cu Chi Tunnel - Day 11
Mekong Delta
This day trip to the Mekong Delta starts in Ho Chi Minh City. You'll visit My Tho town and Vinh Trang Pagoda from the late 19th century, then cruise around four islands (Dragon, Unicorn, Phoenix, Tortoise) on a sampan. Unicorn Island includes walks along country lanes, tropical fruit tasting, and folk music. You'll see fruit plantations and take a hand-rowed sampan through Thoi Son canal to visit family businesses and a honey-bee farm with honey tea. There's a coconut candy workshop, then lunch at a local restaurant. The afternoon involves cycling around Tan Thach village to meet locals and experience delta life (or you can relax in a hammock if cycling doesn't appeal). Return to Ho Chi Minh City happens in the evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch at local restaurant)
Included Activities
- Visit Vinh Trang Pagoda
- Sampan cruise around Dragon, Unicorn, Phoenix, and Tortoise islands
- Visit Unicorn Island and country lanes
- Tropical fruit tasting
- Folk song music performance
- Visit fruit plantation
- Hand-rowed sampan through Thoi Son canal
- Visit family business
- Visit honey-bee farm with honey tea tasting
- Visit coconut candy workshop
- Cycling around Tan Thach village or hammock relaxation
Landmarks/POIs My Tho Vinh Trang Pagoda Mekong River - Day 12
Ho Chi Minh City to Departure
On your final day, have a healthy breakfast at the hotel and finish check-out. Before your driver arrives for the airport transfer, you'll have time to visit local markets and pick up souvenirs for people back home before heading to the airport for your flight.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Visit local markets to buy souvenirs
