A Combination of History, Culture & Nature

Upon arrival in Hanoi Noi Bai International Airport, you will find your guide and driver waiting for you outside the customs with a welcome board bearing your name. After a warm greeting, you will be taken to the well-selected hotel. You will have a short break in the hotel and afterwards, this 14-day Vietnam tour will begin immediately.

First, we will come to the Hanoi Opera House, which is an important architectural symbol during the French colonial period in Vietnam. It took ten years to build and was considered the pride of French colonial culture and architecture for a long time. Then we will come to the Old Quarter, where you can buy various kinds of goods, such as shoes, hats, leathers and etc. There are 36 streets and each street has one particular product for sale. That is a distinctive spot and you can surely find favorable souvenirs here. Then we will head for the Hoan Kiem Lake, where you could relax yourself and get close to the local people. On the small Yushan island by the shore of the Hoan Kiem Lake stands the Ngoc Son Temple, which is an ancient building with over 100 years' history.

At last, a big dinner will be arranged for you in a local popular restaurant. After that, your guide will escort you back to the cozy hotel.

Meals: Dinner

Today's journey will begin with the Ba Dinh Square, which is an important place for holding ceremonies and rallies located in the city center of Hanoi. Following the Ba Dinh Square will be the West Lake nearby, which enjoys the reputation of the most beautiful sights in Hanoi. Then visit the Ho Chi Minh's Former Residence, Stilt House and Presidential Palace in succession, from which you will have a better understanding of Ho Chi Minh, the founding father of Vietnam. Afterwards, proceed to the One Pillar Pagoda, which is built on one single stone pillar in the middle of a pond, looking like a water lotus. Then it's time for the last stop in the morning, the Temple of Literature, which was built in 1070 and is said to be the first college in Vietnam. It is a Chinese-style building, in which the Confucius and many Confucian sages are enshrined.

In the afternoon, we will visit the Museum of Ethnology, which displays Vietnamese arts and folk customs and fully demonstrates the diversity of Vietnamese culture. Then visit the Quan Thanh Temple, which is a Chinese-style construction with some Vietnamese characteristics in decoration. The next stop will be the Tran Quoc Pagoda, which is listed as a national historical and cultural heritage with great value.

Before leaving for the next city - Lao Cai, you will enjoy a puppet show, which is the quintessence of Vietnam culture with about 1,000 years' history. After that, your guide will take you to the railway station and help you board the overnight sleeper train to Lao Cai.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: Overnight Soft Sleeper Train

Upon arrival, you will meet your experienced local guide at the exit of Lao Cai station and then be escorted to the hotel in Sapa, a county in Lao Cai. After a short break, your guide will accompany you to hike through two famous villages, Cat Cat and Sin Chai. During the journey, you can appreciate the beautiful terraced rice fields that stretch continuously in the valley, have a glimpse of local people's life and participate in the unique rural activities.

Friendly Notice:
Today, you will walk through some steep stone and muddy trails. Therefore, please wear comfortable shoes and follow your guide. Nowadays, the Cat Cat village becomes more and more commercialized and there will be many locals dressed up in traditional tribe outfits with wicker hearts selling some hand-made goods on the way. If you are not interested in the goods, you could talk to your guide and she/he will refuse them directly to keep them away from you.

Meals: Breakfast

Today, we will explore the villages of H'mong, Dzao and Dazy around Sapa, which is a great way to view the beautiful landscapes and experience the local folk customs. In H'mong village, you will have a chance to meet some older women with black teeth. In their traditional idea, black teeth is a sign of maturity, beauty, and civilization. There are three routes for you to choose, measuring 2 miles, 3.7 miles, and 7.5 miles. You can talk with your guide and pick any of them according to your physical condition or preference. For today's lunch, you will enjoy an authentic Vietnamese food with fresh local ingredients. After finishing the trekking, we will transfer you to Lao Cai to take the overnight train back to Hanoi.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: Overnight Soft Sleeper Train

Upon arrival, you will meet your guide and driver at the station exit and then be taken to the nearby Cosiana Hotel to have breakfast and take a short rest. After that, you will be transferred to the Halong Bay. After around 3 hours, you will arrive and get onboard the cruise.

In the afternoon, we will go ashore to visit one of the caves among Thien Cung, Dau Go and Sung Sot, where you can view colorful and bizarre stalactites. The remainder of the day will be at your disposal. You can either continue to enjoy the scenery on the ship leisurely or join some recreational activities, such as go kayaking, swimming and diving.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

You may get up early to have a Tai Chi class and then enjoy morning tea or coffee on the sundeck. After that, take a traditional wooden boat to explore the neighboring islands, which will be an unforgettable experience. After the exploration, return to the cruise to have brunch while the cruise sails back to Halong Bay wharf. At noon, disembark the boat and your guide will pick you up and accompany you to the Hanoi Airport and help you board the flight to Hue. After landing, you will be warmly welcomed by your professional guide and then be escorted to the well-selected hotel.

Meals: Brunch

After breakfast, we will go to the Imperial City, which is in the heart of the old city of Hue. With over 200 years' history, it is now the largest and relatively complete ancient building complex in Vietnam, representing the highest achievement of ancient Vietnamese architectural art. Then the next stop will be Hue Royal Palace, which was modeled after the Forbidden City in China. Built in 1802, it witnessed the rises and falls of many emperors. 

Then we will go to the Tomb of Tu Duc, which is one of the most beautiful works among the Ruan Dynasty (1802 – 1945) complex. It's also known as the Modest Tomb and more than 50 buildings here have the word "Qian", which means modest, in their names. Afterwards, we will head to the Dong Ba Market, which is famous for its rice paper and silk painting. You can buy some as souvenirs for your relatives and friends.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast, we will take a short dragon boat trip along the Perfume River to visit the Thien Mu Pagoda, which is renowned for its extraordinary status as the imperial temple. Then you will be led to visit the Tomb of Minh Mang, which was built in 1843. It was clever designed to blend in with its surrounding mountains and rivers, very beautiful. 

After lunch, we will head to Hoi An by a 3.5 hours' car ride. Along the way, you can immerse yourself in one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world at Hai Van Pass, and pay a visit to the Cham Museum, which houses a large collection of Cham artifacts. Then we will visit the handicraft villages near Marble Mountain. You can learn the manufacturing process of the crafts closely in those villages. After arriving in Hoi An, check in the hotel to have a good rest.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

This morning, we will take a relaxing excursion to the largest religious site of the Cham Dynasty (192-1802), My Son Valley, which is also the most important religious shrine in Southeast Asia. Serenely standing in the valley, this exquisite but crumbling temple complex is a precious legacy of that ancient kingdom. The rest of the day is up to you. If you are still energetic, you can further explore the Hoian Ancient Town by viewing some places you are interested in.

Meals: Breakfast

Today you will leave for Ho Chi Minh city by air. At the appointed time, your guide and driver will escort you to Danang Airport and help you board the plane. After around 1.5 hours, you will arrive in Ho Chi Minh city and your guide will pick you up at the airport on time and transfer you to the hotel to have a short break.

The first station in Ho Chi Minh city will be the Reunification Palace, which was once the presidential palace. Then walk to visit the War Remnants Museum, where you will see the photos taken during the Vietnam War (1955 - 1975), the documents related to the war and the helicopters, bombs used in the war. After getting out of this museum, you will have a better understanding of the cruelty of war and the preciousness of peace. Next we will reach the Notre Dame Cathedral, which is a landmark building of the city, built in the 19th century. Opposite the cathedral sits the City Post Office, which was a French-style building built at the end of the 19th century and was the first post office in Ho Chi Minh City. Here, you can pick up some postcards and send them to your friends.

Then here comes the last stop of today, the Ben Thanh Market, which is Ho Chi Minh's largest trading market, selling various kinds of goods. If you want to buy some as souvenirs, please don't forget to bargain with those local sellers.

Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast today, we will head to the Cu Chi Tunnels, which is one of the main historical remains in Ho Chi Minh City. It looks like an underground village including wells, granaries, meeting rooms, as well as dormitories. Afterwards, we will come to the Cao Dai Temple. After Buddhism and Catholicism, Cao Dai is the third most common and popular religion in Vietnam. This exotic temple combines the Gothic spires and Chinese-style carvings, which is really worth a visit. Then your guide will take you back to the downtown area at the end of the day.

Meals: Breakfast

This morning, we will go sightseeing in the Mekong Delta. First, take a car ride for about 2 hours to Ben Tre, and then transit to a boat and sail along the Ham Luong River. In addition to the natural sceneries, you can also see local people exchanging and trading goods on the boat here. Halfway through, we will go to view some traditional workshops, where you can learn how the locals produce the bricks as well as coconut candy. After that, we will stop at a village where you can visit a local farmer's home and get a close look at the local life. Besides, you will also have a chance to admire the picturesque villages by the local tradition tricycle, "Xe Loi" or bicycle.

Later, a hearty lunch will be arranged in a local restaurant. After that, we will continue to appreciate the gorgeous tributaries of the Mekong River by sampan. Then we will go back to Ben Tre to disembark. Your guide will meet you at the shore and then take you to Can Tho and help you check in a well selected local hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

In order to expereince the busiest moment of the Cai Rang floating market, you need to get up early today and then we will take a boat for around 1 hour to Cai Rang. Upon arrival, you can explore the the biggest and most colorful floating market in the Mekong Delta. After that, your guide will send you back to the hotel in Ho Chi Minh City.

Meals: Breakfast

Your two-week Vietnam private tour will come to an end here. After breakfast, your guide will help you check out the hotel and escort you to the airport for your homeward flight. We wish you a nice journey home. If you want to extend your trip, please contact us freely. We will be pleased to help you.

Meals: Breakfast