Day 1: Arrival in Hanoi, Airport pick-up
Welcome to beautiful Vietnam. After you get off the plane, go through the customs and retrieve your luggage, you will see your private guide and driver waiting for you at the exit, holding a sign with your name on it. After a warm greeting, you will be driven to the carefully selected hotel. For the rest of the day, you are free to explore the city on your own, or rest at the hotel.
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Day 2: Hanoi highlights with the Old Quarter
The whole day will be devoted to visiting the must-see sites in Hanoi. We will start in the city center with the Ba Dinh Square, which is the most important place for Vietnamese people to hold rallies and celebrate festivals. On the west side of the square stands Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum Complex, where the remains of Ho Chi Minh are preserved. Ho Chi Minh, who brought freedom and liberation to Vietnam, is the father of this nation. At the backside of the mausoleum stands the Presidential Palace, a grand three-story yellow villa in French style. It is also known as the Independence Palace or the Reunification Palace, where you can learn about how a regime goes down. Inside the Presidential Palace locates the Ho Chi Minh's Stilt House, a simple wooden stilt house where President Ho Chi Minh met visitors, worked and lived. After that, we will visit the One Pillar Pagoda and the Temple of Literature nearby. The One Pillar Pagoda, built on one large pillar, is the most distinctive pagoda in Hanoi, looking like a rising lotus from a distance. The Temple of Literature, dedicated to Confucius and many Confucian sages, is almost a fixture of foreign leaders' visits to Vietnam. After Lunch, continue to visit the Museum of Ethnology. The rich collections here will give you more information about Vietnam's abundant history, custom, culture and development. Later we will explore the Old Quarter of Hanoi, which is the most popular destination for tourists. The staggered narrow alleys are always full of crowds and motorcycles, bustling and lively. You can take your time here for shopping and gourmet snacks. In the evening, we will head to enjoy a short traditional Water Puppet show and then you will be transferred back to the hotel. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
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Day 3: Drive to Halong Bay via highway, Halong Bay Cruise
When you plan this trip, you must have learned something about Halong Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. Today, we will go to see this beautiful place with our own eyes. In the morning, you need to pack your luggage and check out of the hotel with the help of your guide. Then we will drive there, which takes around 3 hours. Upon arrival, board the Signature Cruise and then your exciting cruise journey begins. Lunch is arranged at 13:00 in the dining room. Before that, you will receive a brief introduction about the boat facilities, safety instructions and itinerary arrangements. In the afternoon, a shore excursion to Cua Van Fishing Village will be arranged and there are some optional activities, such as going kayaking or taking a small bamboo boat to visit the village. Then return to the cruise ship and have a short rest freely. Later, you may join in the cooking class which is held on board and learn how to cook traditional Vietnamese food. That would be interesting to try something different. The buffet dinner is arranged at around 19:30. After that, you may enjoy your own time to relax or attend some on board activities. Afterwards, you will stay overnight on the cruise. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Day 4: Continue the Halong Bay Cruise, Fly 2h to Ho Chi Minh City
The Tai Chi class will be held on the sundeck this morning. If you wake up early, you are welcomed to take part in and do some morning exercises. Then you could enjoy morning tea or coffee. At about 07:45, the ship will stop at a nearby island and you will be invited to have a walking excursion here. You may either enjoy the beach or swim as you like. After that, return to the ship and have a big brunch while the ship sails back to Halong pier. You will arrive at about 11:00 and your guide will pick you up and then transfer you to the airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh city, which used to be called Saigon. Upon arrival, your guide will meet you at the airport and escort you to the hotel for a good rest. Meals: Brunch
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Day 5: Ho Chi Minh City tour with the War Remnants Museum
Today we will have a full day trip to explore the prosperous Ho Chi Minh City, which is considered the largest city in Vietnam. Firstly, we will head to visit Thien Hau Temple, which was built in the 19th century by Vietnamese Chinese to enshrine and worship Mazu, the goddess of the sea. Next we will go to the famous Binh Tay Market, a big local market, which is always busy and lively. You will get a real experience of the local life when shuttling between stalls that sell various goods like flowers, fresh fruit, food, clothes and daily supplies. Take your time to search for something you like and have lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, we will come to the War Remnants Museum, which mainly introduces the history of Vietnam War. The exhibition are divided into indoor and outdoor two 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 various poison gas bombs used during the Vietnam War. After visiting this museum, you will have a deeper feeling and understanding of how precious peace is. After that, we will head to the Reunification Palace, the former Presidential Palace, the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Central Post Office, the Opera House, as well as the Ho Chi Minh City Hall, which are located in the city center and very close to each other. These constructions are all built during the French colonial period, with strong French style. After finishing the visit, you will be transferred back to the hotel to have a good rest. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
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Day 6: Drive to Ben Tre, Cruise trip to Mekong Delta
The floating market at the Mekong Delta must be the highlight of your journey in Ho Chi Minh City. Today, you need to get up early and after breakfast, we will set off to Ben Tre, where your exploration will start with a boat tour. Sailing along the Ham Luong River, you will pass by many local boats which sell fruits, fresh vegetables and some handmade goods. Halfway through, you will have a chance to pay a visit to the local orchards and workshops and afterwards, stop at a village to visit a farmer's house and see how the local people live. Here, you could also take the traditional tricycle or ride a bicycle to further explore the countryside. Today's lunch will be arranged at a nice local restaurant. Afterwards, we will return to the dock by sampan and sail back to Ben Tre. Upon arrival, you will see your driver waiting for you at the pier and then you will be driven to the hotel in Ho Chi Minh. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
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Day 7: Departure from Ho Chi Minh City, Airport see-off
Time flies and now it's the last day of your Vietnam holiday. 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. Meals: Breakfast
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