16-DAY ESSENTIAL VIETNAM

Day 1: Hanoi Arrival

Our guide and driver will pick you up in the airport and transfer you to your hotel. Free at your leisure. Overnight in Hanoi.

Meal: NA

Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi

Day 2: Hanoi City tour – Vietnamese water puppet show

Pick you up at your hotel. We start to visit Ho Chi Minh complex, including Ba Dinh Square, Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum – the final resting place of Vietnamese great father or Uncle Ho, President Ho Chi Minh’s stilt house – where Uncle Ho lived and worked from 1958 to 1969, then visit Ho Chi Minh Museum where tourists will learn about his devotion for Viet Nam.

We continue our trip to One Pillar pagoda, Hoan Kiem lake, Hanoi Old Quarter with a highlight of Dong Xuan market . We drive to Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam, which is considered to be the first university in Viet Nam. It is an ancient architecture, built with a fairly big scale that still exists until present time in Hanoi capital.

Van Mieu (Temple of Literature) had been built in October 1073 to worship Confucius, the founder of Confucianism and Chu Van An – headmaster of Quoc Tu Giam (Imperial College) – representing the high moral philosophy and ethics of Vietnamese education.

After lunch, have a short break and then move to the theater to enjoy the Traditional Water Puppet show.

The rest of the day is for you.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi

Day 3: Hanoi – Halong Bay

After breakfast, you’ll take a 3.5-hour-drive to Halong Bay, one of the great natural wonders of the world and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Upon arrival, the boat crew will welcome you and transfer you to the junk for check-in and enjoy a cruise around Halong Bay.

At the same time, you can behold thousands of limestone islands and grottoes rising from the clear, emerald water. After lunch you’ll join some activities on a boat to discover the beauty of the bay such as visiting a cave, kayaking or enjoy swimming in the sea before getting back to the junk for relaxing and dinner. In the evening, you can join night fishing with locals. Overnight on board.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Cruise on Halong Bay

Day 4: Halong Bay – Hanoi

In the morning, your breakfast will be served while floating on the sea to explore the beauty of Halong Bay before disembarking time. Joining some more activities on the boat and then checking out the cabin. The early lunch will be served before getting back to the main dock and you’ll then be transferred back to Ha Noi. Stay overnight in Ha Noi.

Meal: Brunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi

Day 5: Hanoi – Hue – City tour

Morning flight to Hue. Arrive in Hue, join a city tour. First, visit Khai Dinh tomb, the Emperor Khai Dinh (1885-1925) ruled Vietnam for 9 years. His tomb took 11 years to complete. Construction began in 1920 and was completed in 1931. Under Khai Dinh, Western culture and influence began to seep into Vietnam. Visit Tu Duc tomb, the most beautifully designed complex among the tombs of the Nguyen dynasty.

Continue to visit Citadel then Thien Mu Pagoda (Heavenly Lady). Then cruise on the beautiful Perfume River by dragon boat viewing daily life along the way, visit the sampan village and do not miss sunset on the Perfume .Embedded in a lush pine forest and you continue to visit conical hat and incense stick making village. Return to the city center and have lunch

Meal: Breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel in Hue

Day 6: Hue – Hoi An

Depart to Hoi An, via Danang, on the way, stop at Lang Co Beach, take a photo, after that, we take you over the beautiful Hai Van Pass – Vietnam geographical and psychological boundary between north and south. The peak of the pass lies perpetually shrouded in clouds. Check in the hotel. Free time of you

Meal: Breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel in Da Lat

Day 7: Hoi An – Tra Que Cooking Class

Take part in a cooking class is not only a fun activity but also offers great insight into local culinary culture. In addition to learning awesome recipes, you get to make delicious food and memories to last a lifetime.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Hoi An

Day 8: Hoi An – Da Nang – Saigon – City tour

Morning with a flight to Saigon. Arriving in Saigon, check in your hotel.
In the afternoon, join a city tour which includes the War Museum, Reunification Hall, formerly known as the Presidential Palace. It was towards this modern building that North Vietnamese tanks seized on the morning of April 30 1975, as Saigon fell.

This fascinating building is filled with history still fresh in the minds of many. Continue to the Old Post Office, the Notre Dame Cathedral. The last stop is Ben Thanh – the central market for the city and one of its liveliest and most colorful areas.

Meal: Breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel in Saigon

The rest of the day is for you.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi

Day 9: Saigon – Cu Chi Tunnels

Take a morning flight to Ho Chi Minh City and have a rest.

In the afternoon, depart to Cu Chi Tunnels. At its height, the tunnel system stretched over 250 km. From Saigon to the Cambodian border was three levels deep. The network included innumerable trapdoors, specially constructed living areas, storage facilities, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers and kitchens.

Today the remaining tunnels have become a major tourist attraction giving the visitor a unique experience and a feel of what underground life during the U.S. – Vietnam American must have been like.

Meal: Breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel in Saigon

Day 10: Saigon – Mekong Delta

Departure to My Tho, get the boat on Tien River, you can see the fishing village and Four Island of Long, Lan, Quy, Phung. To Thoi Son Island, pay a short visit to a coconut candy factory and savor the taste of this special, visit a local house to enjoy the taste of honey tea and fresh fruits while listening to traditional music “Tai Tu” – the lovely and romantic melody of one of the tribes in Mekong Delta.

Relax on a sampan through one of the small canals of Mekong River. Lunch will be served at the restaurant. Come back to the boat station. Transfer back to Saigon

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Saigon

Day 11: Saigon – Da Lat

Free time for you and then check out and transfer to the airport for a flight to Da Lat. Arriving in Da Lat, visit Truc Lam Zen Monastery – the largest Zen Monastery of Vietnam, Bao Dai Summer Palace. You can be free to explore Dalat’s night market at night. Overnight in Da Lat.

Meal: Breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel in Da Lat

Day 12: Da Lat

Free at your leisure or you can choose some optional tour as below:
Lang Biang Mountain by jeep car

Visit Lang Biang Mountain by jeep car. Lang Biang consists of the two highest peaks of Lam Vien Highland: Lang Biang (2,167m) and 2,287m high Bidoup Ban, which is often regarded as the roof of Dalat. The mountain is famous for its spectacular nature, as well as its marvelous view of the whole wide area of Dalat City, the forest, the rivers and houses of tribal people.

Standing on the top of Lang Biang Mountain, tourists can see the Golden Stream and Silver Stream, or observe the fanciful Dalat, which looks like a lush green valley with two pieces of silver silk (the Golden and Silver Stream). Back to your hotel

Da Lat Easy Rider: Leaving the romantic city, you will explore the beauty of the Dalat countryside.

• Flower plantations – See the large display of colorful flowers on the local farm.
• Coffee plantations – At the weasel coffee farm you can enjoy a cup of Vietnamese coffee at the local café with panoramic views of the coffee plantation. At the weasel coffee farm you can enjoy a cup of Vietnamese coffee at the local café with panoramic views of the coffee plantation.
• Cricket farm Experience the full chorus on approach to the local cricket farm and learn how crickets are raised. Afterwards try a taste of the fried cricket with lemongrass and chili sauce.
• Rice wine distillery Visit a rice liquor distillery and learn about the process of wine making before sampling a cup of the produce.
• Silk factory Learn about traditional silk producing methods and watch the skillful workers process the silk to make the scarves you can buy in the stores.
• Elephant Waterfall and Pongour waterfall

Meal: Breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel in Da Lat

Day 13: Da Lat – Nha Trang

Breakfast at the hotel. Free till transferring to the airport for a flight to Nha Trang. Arrive in Nha Trang, check in at the hotel and the rest of the day is for you.

Meal: Breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel in Nha Trang

Day 14: Nha Trang

Free at your own leisure or:

The journey begins with pickup from the hotel and departure from the pier. The first stop is Mun Island, where guests can relax, sunbathe, swim, and explore the rich coral reefs.

Next, the group heads to Mot Island for lunch, accompanied by an entertainment program featuring music, singing on board, and a floating bar offering mulberry wine and pineapple.

The tour then continues to San Beach, known for its smooth pebbles perfect for a foot massage, where guests can relax and enjoy water sports activities (at their own expense).

The final destination is the floating fish farms and Tri Nguyen Aquarium, showcasing a variety of ocean fish. Guests can also rent bamboo baskets to paddle around on the water (at their own expense) before returning to the hotel in Nha Trang.

Meal: NA

Accommodation: Hotel in Nha Trang

Day 15: Nha Trang

The journey begins with hotel pickup and departure for the pier. First, visit Mun Island for relaxing, sunbathing, swimming, and exploring coral reefs. Then, head to Mot Island for lunch and enjoy onboard entertainment with music, singing, and a floating bar offering mulberry wine and pineapple. Next, visit San Beach for a foot massage on smooth pebbles and optional water sports. Finally, explore floating fish farms and Tri Nguyen Aquarium, with an option to rent bamboo baskets to paddle around, before returning to the hotel in Nha Trang.

Meal: NA

Accommodation: Hotel in Nha Trang

Day 16: Nha Trang Departure

Check out and transfer to the airport for your flight home.

Meal: Breakfast

Accommodation: NA