Itinerary
- Day 1
Hanoi
You'll arrive at Noi Bai International Airport and get transferred to Diamond Legend Hotel in central Hanoi. Check-in starts at 2:00 PM at this 32-room boutique property that combines modern amenities with traditional Vietnamese design. After settling in, the rest of your day is open, so you can either rest from your flight, take a walk through the Old Quarter, or just relax and prepare for what's ahead.
Optional Activities
- Stroll around Hanoi's Old Quarter
- Day 2
Hanoi
Chef Ai, a MasterChef Vietnam finalist, leads your cooking class starting at her family home. You'll walk to Vinh Phuc Local Market where she teaches you about Northern Vietnamese ingredients while shopping together. Back in her kitchen, you'll prepare three dishes of your choice covering a starter, main course, and dessert, then enjoy lunch in her garden. The afternoon and evening are yours to wander the Old Quarter, visit lakeside cafes, or browse boutique shops around the city.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Homemade three-course meal (starter, main, dessert) cooked during the class, choice of Menu 1 (Pomelo salad with shrimp, Hanoi royal grilled fish, Egg coffee), Menu 2 (Beef salad countryside style, Hanoi fried spring rolls, Jackfruit deep-fried with coconut milk), or Menu 3 (Mango salad with mango dressing, Mushroom curry with rice, Deep-fried banana wrapped in sticky rice with coconut milk))
Included Activities
- Private cooking class with Chef Ai (market visit, ingredient selection, three-course cooking lesson, homemade meal)
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off
Optional Activities
- Explore Hanoi's Old Quarter
- Visit lakeside cafés
- Browse boutique shops
Landmarks/POIs Vinh Phuc Local Market - Day 3
Hanoi to Halong Bay
After an early breakfast and checkout, you'll drive 2.5 hours through the Red River Delta to Tuan Chau pier. Board Le Journey Cruise, get a safety briefing and welcome drink, then have fresh Vietnamese lunch as limestone karsts appear around you. Spend your afternoon kayaking, taking bamboo boat rides through lagoons, swimming at secluded beaches, exploring caves, or relaxing on deck. Watch the sunset turn the karsts gold before dinner, then settle into your cabin for the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast (At Diamond Legend Hotel, Hanoi), Lunch (Fresh Vietnamese set lunch onboard as the ship glides past limestone karsts), Dinner (Multi-course Vietnamese feast in the dining room as night falls over the bay)
Included Activities
- Cruise embarkation and welcome drink
- Kayaking or bamboo boat among hidden lagoons (activity order may vary by weather and tide)
- Swimming off secluded sandy beach
- Cave exploration with stalactites
- Casual spring-roll cooking demonstration
- Tai chi onboard
Optional Activities
- Relax on sun-lounger on open deck
Landmarks/POIs Halong Bay - Day 4
Halong Bay to Hue
You'll wake to the sunrise over Halong Bay and enjoy light breakfast while the boat moves through the landscape. Join the cruise's organized sightseeing, which might include Sung Sot Cave with its stalactites, Ti Top Island for swimming or views, or Luon Cave for peaceful rides through limestone formations. After checking out and having brunch, you'll disembark around midday and transfer back to Hanoi, then fly domestically to Hue where your driver brings you to your hotel in this historic imperial city.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Light breakfast onboard Le Journey Cruise), Brunch (Brunch onboard while cruising back to harbor)
Included Activities
- Sunrise sightseeing trip (possible activities: Sung Sot Cave exploration, Ti Top Island visit, Luon Cave tour)
Landmarks/POIs Sung Sot (Surprising) Cave Ti Top Island Luon Cave - Day 5
Hue
Start your morning at the Imperial Citadel exploring ancient gates, royal halls, and courtyards from the Nguyen Dynasty. Take a cyclo ride through the Old City past Tinh Tam Lake, which has lotus ponds and student cafes. You'll visit Thien Mu Pagoda, one of Vietnam's oldest riverside pagodas, then after lunch explore the Tomb of Tu Duc with its garden palace setting and the Khai Dinh Mausoleum with its blend of Vietnamese and French design. End with a private dinner at Ngoc Son Princess House where the family shares traditional Hue cuisine and royal heritage stories.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Flavorful Vietnamese lunch at a local restaurant), Dinner (Traditional Hue-style feast at Ngoc Son Princess House in an ancestral garden home)
Included Activities
- Imperial Citadel (UNESCO site) visit and exploration
- Cyclo ride through the Old City past Tinh Tam Lake
- Thien Mu Pagoda visit
- Tomb of Tu Duc visit
- Khai Dinh Mausoleum visit
- Private dinner at Ngoc Son Princess House with traditional Hue-style feast and cultural stories
Landmarks/POIs Imperial Citadel Tinh Tam Lake Thien Mu Pagoda Tomb of Tu Duc Khai Dinh Mausoleum Ngoc Son Princess House - Day 6
Hue to Hoi An
Have breakfast at your hotel, then your driver picks you up for the scenic drive south to Hoi An. You'll travel along Hai Van Pass with sweeping views of mountains, sea, and coastline, and can stop at scenic viewpoints for photos. You'll arrive in Hoi An with check-in available from 2:00 PM. The rest of your day is free to wander the Ancient Town, sit at a riverside cafe, or cycle to An Bang Beach.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Photo stops at scenic viewpoints along Hai Van Pass
- Explore Hanoi's Ancient Town
- Relax at riverside café
- Cycle to An Bang Beach
Landmarks/POIs Hai Van Pass An Bang Beach - Day 7
Hoi An
Rent a bicycle and explore Hoi An at your own pace, cycling through quiet streets toward the riverside or An Bang Beach. Stop at beachfront cafes for a cold juice or take a swim in the warm waters. Browse local tailor shops where you can order custom clothing, shoes, or bags often ready by the next day. In the evening, walk through the lantern-lit Old Town as shops light up with soft glow and music. You might catch street performances or cultural shows, or just sit by the river soaking in the atmosphere.
- Meals
- Breakfast (At hotel)
Optional Activities
- Rent a bicycle and cycle through backstreets
- Visit An Bang Beach
- Relax at beachfront cafés
- Visit local tailor shops for custom-made items
- Explore the lantern-lit Old Town
- Enjoy street performances and cultural shows
Landmarks/POIs An Bang Beach - Day 8
Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh City
Enjoy a relaxed breakfast at your hotel in Hoi An before your transfer to Da Nang Airport. You'll fly domestically to Ho Chi Minh City where your private driver meets you and brings you to your hotel in District 1. Check-in is available from 2:00 PM. The rest of your day is yours to take a short walk around the area or simply unwind and rest before your next activity.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Take a short walk around District 1
- Day 9
Ho Chi Minh City
Meet your driver-guide at 9:00 AM for a scooter journey through Ho Chi Minh City's backalleys and local markets. You'll ride through a 1960s residential district known for guitar workshops and family noodle stalls, then sample che at Ban Co Market. Travel through Districts 10 and 5 to see everyday local scenes, then explore Chinatown's Traditional Medicine Quarter on Hai Thuong Lan Ong and Trieu Quang Phuc Streets where herbal shops fill the air with scents. Visit Thien Hau Temple dedicated to the Sea Goddess, then sit down for lunch at a neighborhood spot trying com tam or bun bo. You'll return to your hotel around 1:00 PM with the afternoon free to rest or continue exploring on your own.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Southern-style lunch at neighborhood eatery featuring classics such as cơm tấm (broken rice) or bún bò (beef noodle soup))
Included Activities
- Scooter tour of Nguyen Thien Thuat Backstreet (Old Saigon in Miniature) with guitar workshop and noodle stall visits
- Ban Co Market visit and chè tasting
- Districts 10 & 5 exploration
- Chinatown's Traditional Medicine Quarter tour (Hai Thuong Lan Ong & Trieu Quang Phuc Streets)
- Thien Hau Temple visit
- Street-food lunch at neighborhood eatery
Optional Activities
- Walking itinerary instead of scooter (available on request)
Landmarks/POIs Nguyen Thien Thuat Backstreet Ban Co Market Thien Hau Temple - Day 10
Ho Chi Minh City to Mekong Delta
Your hotel pickup is at 7:20 AM for the journey to My Tho on the Mekong River's northern bank. Board a traditional sampan and cruise past Dragon, Unicorn, Phoenix, and Tortoise Islands. At Unicorn Island you'll walk through orchard paths, taste fresh tropical fruit, and listen to live Southern folk music. Visit a fruit plantation and ride a hand-rowed sampan through Thoi Son Island's narrow canals lined with palm trees. Stop at a local honey farm for fresh honey tea and watch coconut candy being made in a family workshop. Lunch happens at a garden restaurant in the delta, then you'll cycle around Tan Thach Village to meet locals and experience rural life, or relax in a hammock if you prefer. You'll return to Ho Chi Minh City by late afternoon.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Delicious local lunch at a garden restaurant in the heart of the Mekong Delta)
Included Activities
- Traditional sampan cruise along the Mekong River past Dragon, Unicorn, Phoenix, and Tortoise Islands
- Unicorn Island visit with orchard walk, tropical fruit sampling, and live Southern folk music
- Fruit plantation visit
- Hand-rowed sampan ride through Thoi Son Island canals
- Local honey farm visit, fresh honey tea tasting, and coconut candy-making observation
- Garden restaurant lunch in the Mekong Delta
- Cycling trip around Tan Thach Village with local interactions (or hammock relaxation for non-cyclists)
Optional Activities
- Cycling around Tan Thach Village (relaxation in hammock available as alternative)
Landmarks/POIs Mekong River Dragon Island Unicorn Island Phoenix Island Tortoise Island Thoi Son Island My Tho Tan Thach Village - Day 11
Ho Chi Minh City Departure
Have your final breakfast in Ho Chi Minh City, and depending on your flight time, you might squeeze in a last visit to a neighborhood market or savor another cup of rich Vietnamese coffee. When you're ready, your private driver will meet you at the hotel and take you to Tan Son Nhat International Airport for your departure.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Stroll through a nearby market
- Enjoy Vietnamese coffee
Landmarks/POIs Tan Son Nhat International Airport
