In-depth Vietnam Discovery Tour – 13 Days

Day 1: Vietnam Discovery Tour from Saigon to Hanoi via Hue, Hoi An, Halong bay: Arrival – Saigon – Free & Easy

Arrival Tan Son Nhat Airport, you will be free till the time for pickup to the airport for your flight to Saigon.

The rest of time, you’ll be free on your own.

Overnight in Saigon.

Day 2: Vietnam Discovery Tour from Saigon to Hanoi via Hue, Hoi An, Halong bay: City Tour + Cu Chi (B)

Today we spend a half day exploring the captivating Ho Chi Minh City. The most places of interest are located near the town center. We pass by the now-demolished wartime American Embassy on our way to the Reunification Palace. This famous edifice was a former residence of the President of Southern Vietnam until end of April 1975. Close to the palace are some striking French colonial structures including the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Old Sai Gon Post Office.

We follow these with a visit to the Jade Emperor Pagoda and the War Remnant Museum with a wealth of images from the notorious conflicts. The sightseeing ends up with a walk around the retail Ben Thanh Market where anything and everything is for sale!

Afternoon: Transfer about 30km north-west of Ho Chi Minh City to Cu Chi town. Cu Chi tunnels were used as the base from which the Vietnamese mounted their operations of the Tet Offensive in 1968. The incredible underground network in Cu Chi stretched over 200 kilometres and became legendary during the American war. T

he extensive tunnels have been specially constructed with living areas, weapon factories, filed hospitals, command centres, plus accommodation. Today we have an excursion to Cu Chi Tunnels to visit an exposition hall and a widened section of the tunnels to get a feel of the underground life. There are also possibilities to fire off rounds from an AK47 or MK16 at the nearby rifle range

O/N in Ho Chi Minh City.

Day 3: Vietnam Discovery Tour from Saigon to Hanoi via Hue, Hoi An, Halong bay: Saigon – Cai Be – Can Tho (Group Tour) (B/L/D)

08:00 – 08:30 AM, Pick up at your hotel & start to Mekong delta tour. On arrive in My Tho, visit Vinh Trang Pagoda. Board a wooden motor boat (20 minutes) to Unicorn Island. On this boat along the river’s bank, you’ll be passing through natural creeks, interesting fisherman’s port, stilt houses (half on land, half on water).

From there, we’ll take you to a bee farm where you have a chance to taste a tasteful cup of authentic honey tea. After that we walk around quiet villages and watch the life of rural people in Mekong Delta. We are divided into many groups and get on small row boats. During this 15 minutes trip, you’ll witness all kind of interesting transportation modes that local people use to move around,

Have a lunch at noon time. You’ll cruise a canal whose 2 long sides are orchards. After that, we cruise to a village where the sweat smell coconut candies are in the air. To satisfy your curiosity, we’ll get to a village that has many small shops that make coconut candy and handcrafted items from coconut trees of Mekong Delta. You might learn that those people can amazingly make dozens of useful products out of coconut trees. It is indeed inseparable from the villagers’ life.

One of the boat’s stops during this trip is at a seasonable orchard that has many different types of tasty tropical fruits for your enjoyments. You can enjoy the fruits for free while checking out the folk music that is typical to only the people in Southern Vietnam.

Proceed to Can Tho. Overnight in the hotel (family home-stay with dinner can be arranged on request). Free time to visit bustling Can Tho market. 

Day 4: Vietnam Discovery Tour from Saigon to Hanoi via Hue, Hoi An, Halong bay: Can Tho – Saigon – Night train to Da Nang (B/L)

After breakfast, around 6:45 am, we board a boat and travel for about 40 minutes to get to our first spectacular landscape —- Cai Rang floating market…

This is the largest of its type in the whole Mekong delta. During this visit, you’ll have a chance to board a merchant boat that sells pineapples which come from Can Tho City.

After that, we continue on our riverine route for 5-7 minutes and then on foot for about 5 minutes to reach a noodle and a rice paper factories.

The next stop is a rice processing factory where you’ll learn the many steps that transform “rice with a brown cover” to the delicious and beautiful rice grain that we consume daily. The time now should be around 12 noon. Time for lunch! Let’s go back to Can Tho for that.

We end our sightseeing trip at downtown Can Tho. On the way back to Ho Chi Minh by bus, we’ll have a stop at an interesting point to rest and also have photographs.. Finish trip in Ho Chi Minh at 19.00 pm.

You will be dropped off at your hotel, and then free till 8 pm for pickup to the train station for SE4: 22:00PM – 11:22AM+

Overnight on Train. 

Day 5: Vietnam Discovery Tour from Saigon to Hanoi via Hue, Hoi An, Halong bay: Danang – Hoian – Walking Tour

Arrival to Danang’s station, you will be picked up and have a transfer to Hoian for checkin.

In this afternoon, you will take a step back in time on a walking tour in Hoi An Ancient Town – a UNESCO World Heritage site. Hoi An ancient town today is a special example of a traditional port city in Southeast Asia which has been well preserved. Discover Hoi An with our half-day city tour to have an overview about Hoi An’s architecture and people lifestyle easily.

On this full-day city tour you’ll see a series of architecturally interesting lanes lined with historic houses that have been preserved in their original state. Our guides are friendly, lovely, knowledgeable and willing to tell you anything about Hoi An as well as their own life. Just feel free to ask them anything you care.

Overnight at hotel in Hoian.

Day 6: Vietnam Discovery Tour from Saigon to Hanoi via Hue, Hoi An, Halong bay: Hoi An – Biking – cooking at Tra Que village (B/L)

Bicycle across rice paddy fields 3 km to Tra Que village to visit this 200 year old organic vegetable village

Organic farm visit includes learning to plant & tender different vegetables

Harvest some vegetables used in preparing Cooking Class dishes at Tra Que Village

Three dishes preparation & cooking are taught by the Teacher

Class ends by 12.30 pm with lunch eating dishes created

Itinerary can be shortened on the day to Guests wishe

Tour Detail:

08:00: local guide will see you at your hotel. A short stroll will take you around the vegetable garden. Join the farmers as they prepare the land, fertilizing it with seaweed from the local lake. Watch and participate in raking, sowing, watering the greens, picking vegetables, and more. Spend the morning working the land, until it’s time to prepare some special foods with a local family. Sample tam huu spring rolls, and banh xeo, a pancake from central Vietnam. Tour ends at 1.00 PM

Overnight at hotel in Hoian.

Day 7: Vietnam Discovery Tour from Saigon to Hanoi via Hue, Hoi An, Halong bay: Hoi An – free (B)

After having breakfast at hotel, you’ll be free on your own to explore Hoi An (No Guide & No Car)

Overnight at hotel in Hoian.

Day 8: Vietnam Discovery Tour from Saigon to Hanoi via Hue, Hoi An, Halong bay: Hoi An – Da nang – Hue Sightseeing Tour (B)

Breakfast at your hotel, you will be picked up around 8 am for a transfer to Hue for checkin.

Pm: After lunch, you will visit the Imperial City was the place where Nguyen Dynasty’s Emperor and royal family worked and lived from year 1802 to 1945 including many palaces and architectures and surrounding: Noon Gate, Thai Hoa Palace, Purple Forbidden City, Nine Dynastic Urns, The Temple…

Then you will visit Thien Mu Pagoda – one of the oldest and prettiest religious buildings in Hue and Vietnam and make a boat trip on Perfume River to enjoy a tranquil atmosphere and beautiful scenes on two river’s banks on the way back to your hotel. Check in hotel. Free to have your own dinner. At night, you have free time to wander around Hue for more exploration by wandering along Truong Tien Bridge with colorful lights or souvenir shops for more enjoyment and experiences of local life. Overnight at hotel in Hue.

Day 9: Vietnam Discovery Tour from Saigon to Hanoi via Hue, Hoi An, Halong bay: Hue Sightseeing Tour – Afternoon flight to Hanoi VN 1546 (16:50 – 18:05)

Breakfast at your hotel, you will check out and our guide and driver will welcome you at Phu Bai airport and transfer to the downtown for visiting Minh Mang Mausoleum which is harmonious with natural surroundings to get some experiences of one of the most famous Emperors in Nguyen Reign.

After that you will have a transfer to the airport for a short flight to Hanoi.

Upon arrival at Noibai Airport, you’ll be met by our tour guide & transferred to your hotel in Hanoi for a Check-in.

The rest of time, you’ll be free on your own.

O/N at Hotel in Hanoi.

Day 10: Vietnam Discovery Tour from Saigon to Hanoi via Hue, Hoi An, Halong bay: Hanoi City Tour (B)

In the morning, our guide & driver will pick you up at your hotel in Ha Noi Old Quater. Then visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Museum. You can enjoy the architectural and historical aspects of Uncle Ho’s final resting-place. Just next door is Ho Chi Minhs house on stilts.

 Lying to one side of the Mausoleum is the One Pillar Pagoda founded by King Ly Thai To in 1049 the structure has become an important symbol for the people of Hanoi. Continue to visit Buddhist Tran Quoc Pagoda on West lake (One of the oldest in Vietnam).

After lunch’s time, we will continue to visit the Ethnology Museum continue to visit the Literature Temple and Quoc Tu Giam. Vietnam”s first university constructed in 1070 it”s gardens and well-preserved architecture offers a relaxing glimpse into Vietnam”s past.  We will take you past Hoan Kiem Lake see the peaceful waters and visit Ngoc Son temple. For the end of the tour journey we will visit by coach trip along the Hanoi Old Quarter.  Free time for you to go shopping.

Day 11: Vietnam Discovery Tour from Saigon to Hanoi via Hue, Hoi An, Halong bay: Hanoi – Halong – Group Tour (B/L/D)

7:30 – 08:30: Our SHUTTLE BUS with tour guide will pick you up at your hotels (Note: This pick-up is just applied for those who use our shuttle bus service)

10h30: Stopover in Hai Duong city where you can experience our hand-made Vietnamese handicraft products.

12h30: Arrive in Tuan Chau Marina Pier (Tuan Chau Island). Followed by activities:

+ Boarding FLAMINGO CRUISE for departure.

+ Welcome drink will be served and cruise briefing, safety instructions, check-in cabins by Cruise Manager.

+ Great lunch is served while cruising passing by islets, through Hoa Cuong floating village.

+ Exploration of Halong Bay passing by Soi Sim Beach, Coconut Three Island. Then arrive in the area of Surprising Cave.

+ Kayaking & swimming or climbing up to the mountain and getting a complete view of Halong Bay at Titov Beach

+ Joining our COOKING CLASS on the sun-deck. Let’s see how to make the fresh/fried spring rolls and mix fish-sauce.

+ Enjoy sunset party with fruits and wine.

19:30: Under the magnificent night sky, our luxury set-menu dinner is served with a variety of Vietnamese and Asian foods.

Evening activities include:

+ Join the SQUID FISHING on boat with our crews. You can enjoy the squid cooked with assistance from our chef.

+ Or Laze yourself with our happy-hour drinks at the bar.

Overnight on Flamingo Cruise (Deluxe Cabin)

Day 12: Vietnam Discovery Tour from Saigon to Hanoi via Hue, Hoi An, Halong bay: Halong – Hanoi (B/L)

06:15: Tai Chi class on the Sun-deck.

07:15: Have breakfast with Coffee, tea and Bakeries on board.

08:00: Visit the SURPRISING CAVE (Hang Sung Sot) discovered by the French in 1901. Opened for tourists since 1936, now it is a must-to-see and a symbol for geology value of Halong.

09:30: Check out time. Then relax on the sun-deck or inside the restaurant to enjoy the bay’s scenery.

10h15: Enjoying a traditional Vietnamese lunch while cruising back to the pier.

12:00: Disembarkation at Tuan Chau Pier. Our car will be at your disposal to pick you up then drive back to Hanoi.

16:00: Arrive in Hanoi.
ON in Hanoi.

Day 13: Vietnam Discovery Tour from Saigon to Hanoi via Hue, Hoi An, Halong bay: Hanoi – Out

After breakfast, you are free till the time our guide & driver pick you up to Noi Bai airport for a departure flight to GO HOME.

End of Services!

* Inclusions:

+ 12 nights of accommodation with 10 nights in hotel, 1 night on the train, 1 night on Halong cruise

+ Domestic Flight ticket: Hue to Hanoi (Vietnam airlines)

+ Train ticket from Saigon to Da Nang (4-berth cabin shaing, soft sleeper, air-con)

+ Private car transfers with drivers at airports, train stations

+ English speaking guides

+ Biking & Cooking in Hoi An

+ Boat trips in Mekong Delta

+ Group Guided Tour to Halong bay 2 days 1 night on Flamingo Cruises

+ Tax and service charges 

 *3 Star Hotels in use:

• Hanoi: Silk Queen Hotel (Deluxe room) – http://silkqueenhotel.com/silkqueen/home.htm similar ones
• Halong Bay: Halong Flamingo Cruise (Deluxe Cabin) – http://luxuryflamingocruises.vn  or similar ones 
• Hoian: Hoian Green Boutique Resort & Spa (Delux room) – https://www.hoiangreenheavenresort.com or similar ones 
• Saigon: Ruby River Hotel – https://rubyriverhotel.com.vn or similar ones

*4 Star Hotels in use:

• Saigon: Paragon Hotel (Deluxe Room) – https://paragonsaigon.com or similar ones
• Halong Bay: Maya Cruise – http://mayacruises.vn or similar ones
• Hoian: Hoian Beach Resort – http://www.hoianbeachresort.com.vn or similar ones
• Hanoi: May De Ville Hotel (Deluxe room) http://www.maydeville.com/oldquarter/home.htm or similar ones