Day 1: ARRIVE IN HANOI
Upon arrival in Ha Noi, you will be picked up and transferred to your hotel for check in. You have free time to visit 36 Old Quarter streets, Hang Be market- a typical Vietnamese day market and enjoy a traditional water puppet show in the evening. Overnight in Hanoi.
Day 2: HANOI – HOA LU – HA NOI (B, L)
Departure from your hotel at 8:00 AM to Tam Coc, then cycling for 15 minutes on a country road takes you to Thung Nang, a small dock, for 1-hour rowing on sampan boat in the heart of “Inland Ha Long Bay”. Take in the beauty of the karst formations as you pass along their base and row into one of the many caves carved through the limestone. Stop for a short rest near a small shrine before returning to the boat and making your way back to the dock (1 hour). Cycle back to Tam Coc village for lunch. Then transfer to Hoa Lu to visit the historic capital of Viet Nam and the famous ancient temples of the Dinh and Le Dynasties. Drive back to Ha Noi. Overnight in Ha Noi.
Day 3: HANOI – HA LONG (B, L, D)
Departure from your hotel at 8:00 AM to Halong Bay. Enjoy the interesting 3-hour drive to Ha Long where along the way you will see rice fields and daily Vietnamese village life. You will then be transferred by tender to a luxury Junk and enjoy a welcome cocktail. A Vietnamese set menu lunch with fresh local seafood will be served on board while you embark on a cruise into the bay to see the incredible karst formations. We arrive by boat at Bat Cave (Hang Doi) where you will choose from optional tour program: visit local fishing village by tender or visit cave by rowing sampan or relax with beauty services or board. A Vietnamese dinner is served on board. Overnight on the boat.
Day 4: HA LONG – HA NOI – HUE (B)
At leisure or enjoy Tai Chi instruction and sunrise on the sundeck. Depart by boat to Surprise Cave. A brunch will be served from 8:30AM to 10:00AM. We will then start cruising in Halong Bay while you relax and take pictures. The cruise returns to Hon Gai, arrive in Halong at about 11:30AM. Back to Ha Noi around 16:00PM, then transfer to Noi Bai Airport to take short flight to Hue. Free time to explore the city. Overnight in Hue.
Day 5: HUE – HOI AN (B, L)
Depart at 8:00Am from your hotel, we will be visiting the Forbidden Purple City, where the Nguyen Dynasty ruled between 1802 and 1945. We then continue to take a morning boat trip on the romantic Perfume River to visit Thien Mu pagoda, Ming Mang and Tu Duc tombs. Following lunch, enjoy the scenic ride from Hue to Hoi An on the way. Free time in the ancient Hoi An town. Overnight in Hoi An.
Day 6: HOI AN (B, L)
After breakfast at your hotel, depart at 8:00 AM for a half-day cooking class at Tra Que, a charming village which supplies vegetables to kitchens all over the town. Spend the morning working with the villagers as they show you the ways to harvest and prepare fresh vegetables for meals. Cook a lunch of Vietnamese dishes with your hosts before enjoying the fruits of your labor. Return to Hoi An for walking tour of the ancient town to visit the former merchant’s houses, the 400-year-old Japanese Bridge, ancient pagodas, temples, the colourful market and shopping around. Overnight in Hoi An.
Day 7: HOI AN – DA NANG – HO CHI MINH (B)
Free time on the beach or shopping around. Transfer to Da Nang airport to take flight to You have free time to visit the central quarters of Saigon with many buildings constructed during French colonialism, the Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, Central Post Office, and Ben Thanh market. Continue to visit China town of Saigon, stopping at Cho Lon, Binh Tay market, Thien Hau pagoda, and Ngoc Hoang temple. Overnight stay in Ho Chi Minh
Day 8: HO CHI MINH – VINH LONG – CAN THO (L, D)
Depart for Vinh Long, visit My Thuan suspension bridge enroute. Take a boat trip on Mekong River to visit Cai Be floating market, a typical bustling trade on water of southern villagers. Continue to small channel of An Binh Islet. Visit ceramic tile factory, ceramics, coconut candy factory, and a rice husking business, stop to enjoy fruits in the orchards, home–made honey alcohol, local traditional songs or visit famous Bonsai of gaderner Sau Giao, sapling garden of Tam Ho. Transfer to Can Tho after lunch at local garden to visit Ninh Kieu wharf. Overnight on the boat.
Day 9: CAN THO – HO CHI MINH (B, L)
After breakfast, take a boat tour on Mekong River, enjoy splendid sceneries and daily activities on water of the southern villagers, watch from a viewing tower above the tree tops as thousands of egrets and herons arriving to roost in the branches. Visit Cai Rang floating market, orchards and enjoy fruits. After lunch return to Ho Chi Minh. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh.
Day 10: DEPARTURE (B)
Depending your departure time to explore the city or shop at your leisure until our car picks you up to take you to the airport and take a flight back home. Trip ends.
