Highlight of Vietnam – 12 days 11 nights from Ho Chi Minh City

Vietnam is a nation going places. Fast. Its people are energetic, direct, sharp in commerce and resilient by nature. This is an outrageously fun country to explore, the locals love a laugh (and a drink) and you’ll have plenty of opportunities to socialize with them and hear their tales. The American War is over, and yet its impact endures – you’ll find reminders of that cataclysmic conflict everywhere you travel. That said, the country was never broken and emerged with its pride intact. Poor in parts but never squalid, Vietnam is developing at an astonishing pace. For travelers, there are issues to consider (including minor scams), but little real danger – on the whole it’s a safe, wonderfully rewarding and incredibly varied country to explore.

  • ROUTE: Saigon – Mekong delta– Hoi An– Hue – Ha Noi – Sapa – Halong

DAY 1: ARRIVE HO CHI MINH CITY

Pick up at the airport then transfer to our hotel. Stay over night at hotel.

DAY 2: SAIGON CITY TOUR (B, L)

After having breakfast at your hotel, the tour guide will come to pick up you to join Saigon city tour at 8.00am.
The first destination to visit is the Re-Unification Palace, the former palace of President Thieu and his predecessors. Today this building is a museum and venue for Government official receptions. Inside you can visit the President’s room. Nearby is the Central Post Office and the Notre Dame Cathedral, built between 1877- 1883 and is one of the city’s major landmarks. Neo-Romanesque in form, the Cathedral is the major seat of the Catholic religion in modern Vietnam. Continue to visit the War Remains Museum, where you can learn a lot about the Vietnam War.
After lunch in local restaurant, you will visit to Jade Emperor Temple, one of the oldest Chinese temples in Ho Chi Minh city. Continue to Binh Tay market in China Town and the last sight we will visit today is Ben Thanh market, where all kind of local goods are offered. At approximately 5pm we will return you to your hotel. You will have free time in the evening for having dinner, sight-seeing and shooping.

DAY 3: HCM – MY THO – BEN TRE – CAN THO (B, L, D)

Pick up at your hotel at 8.00am.
Leave Ho Chi Minh city, enjoy the scenic journey along the National Highway bordered by green rice fields. On arrived at My Tho, visit Vinh Trang pagoda, take a leisurely boat ride along the river, view stilt houses, fruit plantations and fishing villages along the river bank. Proceed to Tortoise islet, have lunch in the orchard garden. Then a boat ride to An Khanh – a less touristy attraction in Ben Tre, enjoy cruising on a hand-rowed sampan under the shade of the water coconut trees along natural canals. Have a short cycling tour (applied for private tour/if time permitted) then enjoy seasonal fruit & honey tea to the sound of “Southern Vietnamese folk music”, performed by the locals. Visit a family business which epitomizes the idyllic rural lifestyle, taste delicious coconut candy & observe the pastoral life as you roam through fruit plantations and villages. Proceed to Can Tho. Overnight in the bungalow or homestay. Free time to visit bustling Can Tho market.

cai rang floating market can tho ho chi minh
Floating Market

DAY 4: PHONG DIEN – CAI RANG – HCM – DA NANG – HOI AN (B, L)

Take a leisurely boat trip to explore the picturesque tributaries of the Lower Mekong river ( Bassac River), then proceed to visit Cai Răng floating market (& Phong Dien is optional), which are the liveliest in the whole religion.
Have you ever tasted Vietnamese vermicelli soup? Well, now go and see how it is made. Then wander around the village and meet the friendly local people and experience how to cross a “Monkey bridge” which is built by only o­ne stem of bamboo. Visit the orchard garden. Stop for lunch. On the way back to HCM city by bus the last stop is to see how incense sticks are made (optional visit to Mangrove forest which was a former Viet Cong base used by the guerillas during the War can be arranged on request).
5.00 PM End the tour. We will transfer you straight to the airport to flight to Da Nang.
Our car and driver will wait you at the airport in Da Nang and transfer you to Hoi An town. You will stay overnight in 3 star hotel in the town.

DAY 5: HOI AN – MY SON – HUE (B, L)

Have breakfast at hotel
7.30 AM Our guide picks you up and leave Hoi An for visiting My Son Holly Land – the ruins of Cham people and was an imperial city during Cham dynasty. Here you can have more chance to explore and understand of technique of Old Cham people in making red bricks to build Tower which still now a secret to everyone, you can see a large complex of religious relics that comprises more than 65 architectural works. It also surprises for those who are curious with architectural art. In 1999, UNESCO labeled the Cham architecture in My Son as a World Cultural Heritage Site. Moreover, you have chance to enjoy traditional music performed by Cham girls in their colorful uniforms. Then transferring you back about 30km, you will take a boat trip along the Thu Bon River to Hoi An Ancient Town. Have a light lunch at a local restaurant then back to Hoi An at 14.30pm. Pick up your luggage at hotel then depart to Hue by bus. Stay over night at hotel in Hue.

DAY 6: HUE CITY (B, L)

Have breakfast at hotel.
7.45 AM Our guide and driver pick up you at your hotel and then take a full day to discover Hue: visit Emperor Minh Mang’s Mausoleum, Emperor Khai Dinh’s Mausoleum, Performing Programs Of VO KINH VAN AN – Vietnam Traditional Kungfu and Emperor Tu Duc ’s Mausoleums. Stop on the way to see how conical hats and incense sticks are made. Enjoy buffet lunch at a local restaurant.
In the afternoon, visit Imperial capital during Nguyen Dynasty and the seven – storey Thien Mu Pagoda on the riverbank. Return by boat on the gentle Perfume River and do not miss the sunset on the river. You will come back your hotel at 17.30 PM to pick up your luggage.
Transfer to airport to take flight to Hanoi.
Our car and driver will pick up you at Noi Bai/Hanoi aiport then transfer you to hotel in the Old Quarter of Hanoi for staying.

DAY 7: HANOI CITY TOUR (B,L)

After having breakfast the tour guide and shuttle bus will arrive to pick up you to join Hanoi city tour at 8.30am.
You will start the tour by visiting Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Museum. Enjoy the architectural and historical aspects of Uncle Ho’s final resting-palace. Just next door is Ho Chi Minh’s house on stilts where he used to live in the past. Lying to one side of the Mausoleum is the One Pillar Pagoda, built by King Ly Thai To in 1049 the structure has become an important symbol for the people of Hanoi. Continue to visit the Literature Temple and Quoc Tu Giam – Vietnam’s first University constructed in 1070. Its gardens and well-preserved architecture offer a relaxing glimpse into Vietnam’s past.
Have lunch at local restaurants. Proceed to visit the Ethnology Museum. After that we will take you to Hoan Kiem Lake, see the peaceful water, and visit Ngoc Son Temple.
5.00PM back to your hotel. It’s your free time now to have dinner and a short while to explore the streets of Hanoi.
8:00PM Mini bus pick up from hotel and transfer to train station to go to Sapa.
9:00PM Train depart and sleep the nights on train. Travel time approx 9 hrs.

DAY 8: SAPA– Y LINH HO – LAO CHAI – TA VAN ( B, L, D)

5.00AM: We will pick you up at Lao Cai railway station by bus, to take you to the township of Sapa which takes approx one hour arriving at.
After breakfast and a morning shower, continue on 6km of walking down to the south east of Sapa along the side of Muong Hoa valley to Y Linh Ho village of the Black H’mong. Continue on 2km of trekking down to Lao Chai village of the H’mong. Lunch at a local family, and then walk through terraced rice fields to Ta Van village of the Dzay minority people where we stay for the night. It gives you a worth chance for you to learn about the local house architecture which is full of their daily life styles and exclusive custom. Enjoy the landscapes. Overnight homestay.

vietnam tour 12 days sapa
Sapa

DAY 9: TA VAN – GIANG TA CHAI– SU PAN – SAPA (B, L, D)

Enjoy mountainous landscape with your sunrise coffee, then enjoy a delicious breakfast ready to trek through bamboo forests towards Giang Ta Chai waterfall, cross over a rattan suspension bridge and enter into Giang Ta Chai village which is inhabited by the Red Zao minorities.
Here we will experience their daily life then cross over the Muong Hoa River up the mountain to visit Supan village of the H’mong people. We then take the bus back to Sapa. Take a fresh shower in the hotel before heading to Lao Cai train station for the night train back to Ha Noi.
05.00AM Arrive at Tran Quy Cap station (Hanoi) for Bus transfer to hotel.

DAY 10: HA NOI– HA LONG BAY (B,L,D)

07.45 – 08.15 Pick up service at your hotel and depart for Ha Long city
11.45 – 12.00 At Halong city, You will board your Luxury Imperial Cruise, check into your cabin and enjoy first class lunch while you are cruising through thousand amazing islands and islet passing by Stone Dog Islet, Floating fishing Village, Incense Burner Islet, Fighting Cocks Islet…
14.45 Visit Surprising Cave ( the most beautiful one in Halong Bay)
15.45 – 18.15 Enjoy an hour or more kayaking through slide rock cliffs before swimming (weather permitted).
18.30 Board back the Cruise, take shower and relax on upper deck bar.
19.00 Enjoy a specially prepared dinner in a romantic atmosphere.
20.00 Evening activities – enjoy movie night, board games, and squid fishing or relax at leisure.

DAY 11: HALONG – CATBA ISLAND (B,L,D)

7.30 Enjoy breakfast while complimentary tea and coffee are served.
8.30 Stop Van Gia fishing village for taking photos. Then transfer to Viet Hai harbor by “Day Boat” for biking 30 minutes to Viet Hai village, which belongs to Cat Ba National Park. Have short break and discover the local life style there.
13.00 Lunch is served on “Day boat” then continues to cruise Monkey Island for sight-seeing and swimming.
15.30 Check in bungalow in Nam Cat island, private and nice beach.
19.00 Have dinner in bungalow and enjoy your night in bungalow.

DAY 12: HA NOI (B, L)

07:45 Breakfast, tea and coffee will be served
08:30 Start cruising to visit Van Gia floating village and passing by Halong Pearl Farm.
09:30 Keep cruising to visit Halong bay. Enjoy the cooking course after you pack your things and leave the cabin. Sail back Halong pier.
12:00 Have a lunch and take a bus back to Hanoi.
16.30 Arrive in Hanoi.
End of the journey.

Tour price includes:

  • Cookery demonstrations
  • Tai Chi Session in Halong Bay
  • Hotel, homestay and boat (Hue/Halong Bay/Mekong Delta) – safe, clean and beautiful
  • Kayakking
  • Room on boat with Air Conditioner
  • Fruits
  • Train tickets Ha Noi/Lao Cai return
  • All meals are mentioned in tour program (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner)
  • Transport as tour program
  • English speaking tour guide
  • All mentioned accommodations, entrance fees, security permits

Excludes:

  • Drinks
  • Phone call
  • Other private expenses

Note: Please bring along a good pair of walking/sport shoes, raincoat/small umbrella, jackets, inspect repellent and suncream

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