One Week in Vietnam

Good morning! Today will be devoted to visiting the must-see sites in Hanoi. We’ll start in the city center with Ba Dinh Square, the most important place for Vietnamese people to hold rallies and celebrate festivals. First walk west to pay respect to Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum, where the remains of President Ho Chi Minh are preserved. “Uncle Ho”, who brought freedom and liberation to Vietnam, is the father of this nation. Please note that the mausoleum is closed on Mondays, and Fridays and for annual maintenance from August to October, when we can only see the exterior. Continue to the backside of the mausoleum to approach the Presidential Palace, within which you will see the main building, a grand three-story yellow villa in French style, and visit Ho Chi Minh's Stilt House, a simple two-story wooden structure where Uncle Ho met visitors, worked and lived. Rather than the extravagant main building, he preferred to live and work in the stilt house. Then, visit the nearby One Pillar Pagoda, amazing for being supported by one large pillar elegantly jutting out from the water. After that, wander in the Temple of Literature, a cultural symbol of Hanoi dedicated to Confucius and many Confucian sages and almost a fixture of all foreign leaders' visits to Vietnam.

After lunch, continue to visit the Museum of Ethnology, where you will learn the histories and traditional cultures of Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups; ethnic costumes, musical instruments, and daily tools are all among the exhibits. Later, explore the Old Quarter of Hanoi, the life-buzzing destination on every itinerary to Hanoi. Vietnam's handmade manufacturing industry is well developed with low labor costs and so gradually replacing China to become the "world’s factory", and the Old Quarter is a microcosm of the country’s prosperous industry. It will take you back to the 11th century, when the old streets and alleys were as boisterous as they are now, packed with handicrafts and guilds. Intriguingly, their names are after the industries they focus on, such as Hang Tre Street (Street of Bamboos) and Hang Dong (Street of Bronze). And we will dive into many to experience the crowds and the swarms of motorcycles. There are also some remaining temples, and if time permits, ask your guide to accompany you to seek a quiet moment there.

In the evening, enjoy a short traditional Water Puppet Show, an ancient treasure of Vietnam. You will watch cute figures performing to live traditional music, depicting the daily life of rice farmers, students returning hometown with success, dances of ethnic Cham people, etc., which are actually manipulated by puppeteers behind the scene. After the curtain falls, the puppeteers will walk from behind to the front stage to give thanks, with their lower bodies submerged in water. After the show, you will be transferred back to the hotel.

Today, you will witness Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. In the morning, pack your luggage and check out of the hotel with the help of your guide. After around a 2.5-hour drive, you’ll arrive at Ha Long Bay Wharf and board the cruise. Later, receive a brief introduction about the boat facilities, safety instructions and itinerary arrangements. After that, have lunch in the dining room.

★ Our Special Service in Ha Long Bay Cruise

Unlike other travel agencies that take you to tour the crowded and heavily commercialized waters of Ha Long Bay, we arrange an in-depth tour for you to explore a secluded bay with pristine karst caves and islands. You will choose one from two luxury cruises we carefully selected: the five-star Indochine Cruise which will take you to the tranquil Lan Ha Bay and its Dark and Bright Cave (Bat Cave); and the four-star Signature Royal Cruise which will escort you to unlock the Bai Tu Long Bay and the Vung Vieng floating fishing village. What’s more, you can choose to kayak, swim and join other activities onboard, including traditional Vietnamese cooking class and night squid fishing. Have a delightful buffet dinner, and drift off to sleep lulled by the gentle lapping of the waves.
Please Note: The itinerary can be subject to the cruise companies.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Indochine Cruise-Junior Suite (5 stars) or Signature Royal Cruise-Junior Suite (4 stars) or similar

Wake up and take part in the Tai Chi class on the sundeck. Morning tea and coffee are served as well. Then, with the Indochine Cruise, you will visit the Trung Trang Cave, used as a hospital during the Vietnam War, on Cat Ba Island; and if you take the Signature Royal Cruise, explore the Thien Canh Son Cave. You'll need to climb 200 steps to explore the latter for stunning stalactites and stalagmites. After that, return to the ship and have a big brunch while the ship sails back to Ha Long pier. Upon your arrival, your guide will pick you up and then transfer you to Hanoi airport for the flight to Ho Chi Minh City, the former Saigon. Upon arrival, your local guide will meet you at the airport and escort you to the hotel for a good rest.

► Free-Time Activities Recommended in Ho Chi Minh City
Head to the restaurant Bo To Quan Moc for some authentic Vietnamese food. Have a taste of their beef rice paper roll and fried chicken with fish sauce. A delicious panna cotta dessert will be served for free. It costs around VND 300,000 (USD 12) per person on average. After dinner, walk 25 minutes northeast for a stroll through Vietnam's oldest market - Ben Thanh Market. Here, you will find a wide range of goods, including dry goods, handicrafts and clothes. Why not bring some authentic Vietnamese coffee beans and cashew nuts home? Don’t be shy to bargain here, for at least half of the price.

Meal: Brunch
Accommodation: Hotel Nikko Saigon-Deluxe Room (5 stars) or Liberty Central Saigon Riverside Hotel-Deluxe Room (4 stars) or similar

Spend today exploring the prosperous Ho Chi Minh City, the largest city in Vietnam. Begin with a visit to Thien Hau Temple, which was built in the 19th century by Vietnamese Chinese to enshrine and worship Mazu, the goddess of the sea for Southeast Asia. You will learn the stories behind precious relics in the temple, such as a censer aged more than 500 years old, with its color never changed due to a magical anti-oxidation technique used in its production process. If you travel during the Vietnamese New Year (late January to early February), you may encounter dragon and lion dance performances. Next, go to the big, lively Binh Tay Market to experience real local life and move past stalls that offer various goods like flowers, fresh fruit, food, clothes and daily supplies.

In the afternoon, travel to the War Remnants Museum, which mainly introduces the history of the Vietnam War. We will explore both its indoor and outdoor parts. The indoor part mainly shows the pictures, maps and texts related to the war and the outdoor part mainly displays the aircraft, artillery shells and poison gas bombs used during the war. Seeing all these, you’ll have a deeper understanding of how precious peace is. Then, move on to the center of the city to admire the French style architecture complex built during the colonial period, including the Reunification Palace, aka Independence Palace, the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Opera House and the Ho Chi Minh City Hall, as well as the Central Post Office. In the post office, you can send some postcards to your friends and family - you can let the staff help you with it, or drop them into the mail box next to the ATM on the right of the door by yourself. After visiting, you will be transferred back to the hotel to have a good rest.

► Recommended Night Activity:
The Opera House's top-rated cultural dance drama AO Show is marvelous and you can consult your guide about how to book a ticket if you’re interested. The minimum price of the ticket is VND 800,000 (USD 32). It’s called "AO Show" because it’s so splendid that you can’t help saying “Ah! Wow!” while watching the show. With bamboo poles, bamboo baskets and whistles, the performers choreograph Vietnam's unique gymnastics skills in their folk dances and tribal stories. The performance usually starts at 18:00 and lasts for an hour. It may be a bit of a rush, but if you’re eager to see it, please contact us to tailor today’s schedule.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel Nikko Saigon-Deluxe Room (5 stars) or Liberty Central Saigon Riverside Hotel-Deluxe Room (4 stars) or similar

Today, we’ll drive 2 hours to Ben Tre, the "coconut town", dotted with dense coconut forests where the sugar production base lies. A Mekong River cruise awaits. Upon arriving at the pier, board the boat and feel completely refreshed by savoring a glass of coconut juice we’ve specially offered. Different from many other travel agencies’ arranging trips taking large boats to highly commercialized areas along the river, we carefully arrange a private boat for you to explore the less-traveled coconut grove, away from the hustle and bustle of the city and crowds of fleets. Imagine lush water coconut trees on both sides close at hand! Also pass by idyllic scenery and unique tropical flora and fauna, as well as various boats selling seasonal fruits, fresh vegetables and even handicrafts. Halfway through, you’ll drop by some fruit orchards, a coconut candy homemade factory and brick workshops. Afterward, stop at a village to visit a farmer's house, see how the local people make sedge mats, and be treated to tea and local fruits. Here, you could also take the traditional tricycle “Xe Loi” or ride a bicycle to further explore the countryside.

Today's lunch will be arranged at a nice local restaurant. You’ll taste the fried elephant ear fish, the signature delicacy in the delta region. Every part of the fish, even the bones, is crispy and you will see how the fish is held upright on the plate. Afterward, we will return to the dock by sampan and sail back to Ben Tre. Upon arrival, meet your driver waiting for you at the wharf, who will escort you to the hotel in Ho Chi Minh City.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel Nikko Saigon-Deluxe Room (5 stars) or Liberty Central Saigon Riverside Hotel-Deluxe Room (4 stars) or similar

Time flies and today sees your 7 days Hanoi and Ha Long Bay tour reaching its end. Before we set off to the airport, you are free to explore the city for a last-minute visiting or shopping. We will meet you at the hotel according to your departure flight schedule and then transfer you to the airport. Wish you a safe journey home.

► Free-Time Activities Suggestion:
While most cities in Vietnam are dotted with cafes here and there, Ho Chi Minh City is the only one to have a building all packed with coffee houses - the Coffee Apartment - and each has its own highlight. Grab the last chance to have a taste of Vietnamese-style coffee, like egg coffee and salt coffee. It should be noted that there is a charge for the elevator, at VND 3,000 (USD 0.1). But if you make a purchase in any of the cafés, you will be refunded the elevator fee.

An interesting fact is that lots of backpackers are lingering for a Vietnam tour for its marvelous natural sceneries and low cost of travelling. With merely a pair of slippers and a glass of cold beer, they can often stay for one or two months! If you would like to continue exploring other cities such as Hue, Da Nang, Nha Trang, as well as other Southeast Asian countries like Thailand and Cambodia, please contact us to tailor a private itinerary for you.

Meal: Breakfast