12 DAYS DISCOVERING AWESOME VIETNAM

OUTLINE ITINERARY:

Day 1  Ho Chi Minh - Arrival [Guide]

Day 2  Ho Chi Minh - Cu Chi Tunnel [Guide/B]

Day 3  Ho Chi Minh - Mekong Delta [Guide/B/L]

Day 4 Ho Chi Minh - Flight To Da Nang [Guide/B]

Day 5  Hoi An - Coconut Forest [B/L] – Group tour 

Day 6  Hoi An – Biking & Cooking [Guide/B/L]

Day 7  Hoi An - Flight To Hanoi [Guide/B]

Day 8  Hanoi City Tour [Guide/B/L/D]

Day 9  Hanoi - Ninh Binh [Guide/B]

Day 10  Hanoi - Ha Long [B/L/D] – Shuttle bus 

Day 11 Ha Long Bay - Hanoi [B/Br] – Shuttle bus

Day 12  Hanoi - Departure [Guide/B]

DETAILS ITINERARY:

DAY 1 HO CHI MINH - ARRIVAL [GUIDE]

Arrival in Tan Son Nhat International airport, our guide will pick you up from airport to hotel for check in and take a rest. 

Check in Saigon. 

DAY 2 HO CHI MINH - CU CHI TUNNEL [GUIDE/B]

Depart in the early morning for a 2hr drive northwest to the Cu Chi Tunnels. The ingenious tunnel complex was initially started in 1948 to protect the Viet Cong guerrillas from the French air and ground sweeps. The tunnels also served as communication routes, storage facilities for food and weapon caches and contained hospitals and living quarters for guerrilla fighters throughout the American War.

Lunch at local restaurant. 

Then you will come back HO Chi Minh and discover Ho Chi Minh city.

The first stop is Reunification Palace – a landmark of HO Chi Minh city, built in French colonial period. Besides, you will discover other exciting French style architecture like Dong Khoi Street, Opera House and Old post office. Visiting War Remnant Museum – display Vietnam war items. 

Then back to hotel & discover night time of Ho Chi Minh city by yourself.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh 

DAY 3 HO CHI MINH - MEKONG DELTA [GUIDE/B/L]

The program will start with a visit of Vinhlong market in the town. This is the best choice for you to take pictures of fish, shrimps, prawns, crabs, snakes, rice-field rats, tropical fruits, vegetables...

Mekong Travel boat will take you downstream on Mekong River seeing many floating cages for farming fish. Then, the first stop to visit the local workshop to see how to make rice paper, coconut candy, pop-rice... Enjoy some sweets with a cup of hot tea. 

The rowing boat will take you deeper into the countryside on smaller canals to enjoy the peaceful time. Then, we’ll walk to visit the orchard & traditional house of Ut Trinh family. Here, we will enjoy some kinds of fruits and tea when listening to the traditional music. The optional lunch can be served at this local house. 

Biking can be made for a leisure! It will be so amazing to do cycling on village paths to see the daily life of the rural people: orchard, school, church, pagoda, traditional houses... On the way back to VinhLong city, we can make one more stop to visit the brick kilns where you can see how the local people create beautiful potteries from clay.

The cruise will go back VinhLong city. Back to Hochiminh.

DAY 4 HO CHI MINH - FLIGHT TO DA NANG [GUIDE/B]

Breakfast at hotel, then our guide will pick you up to airport for flight to Da Nang.

Arrival in Da Nang, our guide will pick you up to hotel for check in.

In the the late afternoon, Take a walking tour through the narrow winding streets of the ancient town centre, visiting Chua Ong Pagoda, the Chinese Assembly Hall, the 200-year old Tam Ky ancestral house and the famous Japanese Bridge. 

Back to hotel and take a rest

Overnight in Hoi An. 

DAY 5 HOI AN - COCONUT FOREST [B/L] – GROUP TOUR 

Pick you up at your hotel by private car and transfer you down to PHƯỚC HẢI- CỬA ĐẠI Fishing Village 

Board  Jack Tran’s  boat cruise and commence cruising on CỬA ĐẠI River

Enjoy Thúng Chai basket boat demonstration by Jack Tran’s crews.

Learn to paddle the unique Vietnamese bamboo basket boats and join in a basket boat racing for fun while exploring waterways palm coconut canals waterways of a past war and hear of the extreme conditions endured by soldiers of both sides of V.C & US army. Enjoy your fun catching purple crabs 

Join local fishermen life on the river and enjoy hands-on experience cast net fishing

Enjoy learning and experiencing cultural folk music of singing and rowing Bả Trạo with local fishermen  

Keep arriving to an islet fisherman for big net fishing            

Back on-board our boat, enjoy lunch and cold beer or soft drink.

Then come back hotel and take a rest. 

DAY 6 HOI AN – CYCLING & COOKING [GUIDE/B/L]

8.00-8.45: Cycle to Tiger Temple market (approximately 2km), buy some spices and vegetables for the cooking class

8.45-9.45: Cycle through rice field and peaceful villages that display the areca gardens to Tra Que village (approximately 5km)

9.45-10.15: Take a pleasant walk through the garden and learn the different types of culinary herbs and vegetables.

10.15-11.45: Meet your chef, learn the recipes; and cook Banh Xeo – a Vietnamese pancake, famous Vietnamese spring rolls, and Tam Huu salad.

12.00-13.30: Lunch with the food you made and have time to relax.

13.30-14.15: Cycle back to the hotel.

DAY 7 HOI AN - FLIGHT TO HANOI [GUIDE/B]

Free & Easy then our guide will pick you up to airport for flight to Hanoi.

Arrival in Hanoi, check in at hotel and take a rest. 

Ovenight in Hanoi

DAY 8 HANOI CITY TOUR [GUIDE/B/D]

Explore the charming city of Hanoi, often referred to as the ‘Paris of the East’, with its yellow ochre colonial buildings, tree-lined boulevards and scenic lakes. Visit the historic Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, an imposing monument of marble and granite built to house the preserved body of beloved revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh, affectionately known to the Vietnamese as “Uncle Ho”. Visit the One Pillar Pagoda, a Buddhist temple built in 1049 of wood in the shape of a lotus blossom and set on a single stone pillar. 

Continue to the Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s first national university built in the late 11th century. The picturesque temple is an example of well-preserved traditional Vietnamese architecture and is featured on the back of the 100,000 Vietnamese dong banknote.

Lunch by your own account 

In the afternoon, you will visit Thang Long Imperial Citadel - a complex of historic buildings associated with the history of Vietnam located in the centre of Hanoi, Vietnam. Its construction began in 1010 and was completed in early 1011 under the reign of Emperor Lý Thái Tổ of the Lý dynasty.

You will visit Hoan Kiem Lake with Ngoc Son Temple – the temple of the Jade Mountain. 

Then you will enjoy train street – a typical thing of Hanoi and explore awsome street food in Hanoi. 

Below is some suggestion for you: 

1. Banh My – a simple Vietnamese baguette 
2. Bun Cha – made of grilled pork & noodle, a well-known local food in Hanoi. 
3. Banh Trang Tron – Rice Paper Salad – one of best street food
4. Tasting Egg Coffee or Sweet Soup (chè) 
5. Nem Lui – Grilled ground pork on stick 

Overnight in Hanoi.

DAY 9 HANOI - NINH BINH [GUIDE/B]

Breakfast at hotel, then our guide will pick you up from hotel to Ninh Binh in around 2.5 hours.

Arrival in Ninh Binh, you will visit Hoa Lu, an ancient capital dating back to the 10th century, packed with temple & fortress ruins. 

Then you will visit the Temple of King Dinh and King Le and learn more about Vietnamese history under the Dinh, Le, and Ly Dynasties.

Lunch at local restaurant 

In the afternoon, you will visit Tam Coc, known as “Halong Bay on the land”, where you can spend 1.5 hours on the bamboo boat to explore this area. On this excursion down the Ngo Dong River, you will pass through the beautiful paddy fields, limestone karst formation, and a stunning cave system including Hang Ca, Hang Hai, and Hang Ba for an unforgettable experience. 

We continue to visit Mua Cave, also known as the “Great Wall of China” in Vietnam, and climb 500 steps to reach the peak of Ngoa Long Mountain, overlooking the amazing view of the city and Tam Coc below.

Then back to Hanoi.

Overnight in Hanoi

DAY 10 HANOI - HA LONG [B/L/D] – shuttle bus 

On the way, you will stop for refreshments, and upon arriving in Halong City, you will take a tender transfer to your junk and set sail through the bay while lunch is served. As you cruise the magical bay, you will notice thousands of sculpted limestone islands rising from the waves like dragons' teeth. Later in the afternoon, you'll visit a fishing village with the opportunity to interact with fishermen who have been living in the bay for almost three generations. Back on board, you'll enjoy cocktails or a cooking class while watching the sunset, and later you can unwind at a restaurant with a lavish dinner. To end the day, you can enjoy some evening activities such as movie night, board games, or a beauty treatment, before an overnight stay on the junk.

***Special Note: Cruise Itineraries may be subject to change due to weather condition without prior notice.

DAY 11 HA LONG BAY - HANOI [B/BR] – shuttle bus 

Wake up on the bay to the sounds of waves and bird welcoming the new day. You will have an opportunity to view the sunrise over the bay. After breakfast, visit a beautiful limestone grotto then walk back to the boat for a final glimpse of Halong Bay while cruising back to the dock.

Disembark on cruise, then back to Hanoi.

Arrival in Hanoi, take a rest and discover Hanoi by yourself.

Overnight in Hanoi 

DAY 12 HANOI - DEPARTURE [GUIDE/B]

Free & easy until our guide pick you up to airport for flight home.

End of trips! 

We look forward to seeing you again on your next adventure with Vinasoul Travel!

SERVICE INCLUDES

+ Private door-to-door pick-up & drop-off services; 

+ All private transfer and transportation

+ Accommodation shared in Twin/Double room with daily breakfast 

+ Tissues and water on coach; Services charges and government tax; Exclusive and personalized single agent/single customer service; No extra charge after services confirmation; 24/7 hotline support guaranteed;

+ All Meals as stated in the itinerary (B: Breakfast ; L: Lunch ; D: Dinner)

+ Halong Bay cruise program as specific

+ Domestic Flights: Saigon to Da Nang, Da Nang to Hanoi,  Economy class 

+ Experienced English-speaking guide during all tours and transfers

+ Private boat trip for sightseeing as mentioned in the program, Entrance fees for all visits as mentioned in the itinerary

SERVICES EXCLUDES

+ International flight tickets

+ Evisa Assistance to Vietnam (35usd/PAX) – including stamping fee at airport 

+ Meals, if not specified in the itinerary

+ Tipping for guides, drivers, hotel staff, restaurant staff, boat rider, etc. Personal expenses, such as laundry, telephone, drinks, etc. All other services not specified in the itinerary Surcharge for Peak season, Tet Lunar New year holidays, and compulsory dinner at some hotel & resort on Xmas and New year’s Eve

+ Travel insurance (we highly recommend that you purchase adequate insurance).

Suggestions for tipping and gratuities: 

+ Group under 6 pax: 20 USD per Group per day.

+ Group from 6 pax up: 3 - 5 USD per pax per day 

+ Group under 6 pax: 10 USD per Group per day. 

+ Group from 6 pax up: 2 USD per pax per day