Highlights of Vietnam 

VIETNAM HIGHLIGHTS  ITINERARY

Day 1: Hanoi arrival. 

Arriving at Noi Bai airport in Hanoi, you’ll be met and driven to your hotel.

This evening, attend a water-puppet theatre performance. The art of water puppetry began a thousand years ago, possibly in the flooded rice fields of Vietnam. Puppeteers today stand in waist-high water and manipulate their charges in such a way that you can’t help but be swept up in the legend being told.

Welcome dinner tonight is at the local restaurant. 

Day 2: Hanoi City tour 

In the morning, we head to the Ho Chi Minh Complex, including Ba Dinh square, and his modest stilt-house which provide valuable insights into the life and times of one of the most successful leaders of the 20th century; as well as the Old Pillar pagoda. After that, we'll visit the historical Temple of Literature - Vietnam's first university, which was established in 1070.

In the afternoon, drive to the excellent Ethnology Museum for an overview of Vietnam's 54 distinct ethnic groups and enjoy a performance of traditional Water Puppetry, an art form unique to northern Vietnam at the museum outdoor stage (a good, light-hearted introduction to our rural culture).

As we return to the Old Quarter, you’ll cruise ride around the Colonial and Old Quarters on a cyclo to discover the city’s architectural mixture of French colonial style, social realism (mostly public buildings - designed or influenced by the USSR), pagodas and communal houses with many Chinese features, merchants’ residences, ‘tube’ dwellings, modern buildings and vernacular houses. Overnight in Hanoi

The day program includes a visit to a religious architecture; it’s advisory to wear long trousers/blouse (enough to cover your shoulders/knees)

Day 3: Hanoi - Halong

7:45 – Pick up from hotel to Handspan office for tour check-in procedure.

8:00 - Depart from Hanoi for a 3.5 hours drive to Halong City through the Red River Delta. Upon arrival, get on board of the Treasure Junk and start the cruise to the boundaries of Halong bay while lunch with fresh seafood is served (vegetarian and kids menus available).

After lunch, just make yourself at ease and relax. Limestone rock formations will parade all around us for about 2 hours before our first stop. We reach the perfect spot, where the waters of Halong and Bai Tu Long hit and wave together. Let's get ready for a closer look to the water and explore the bay in depth with your own kayak & paddle.

We’ll get back on the Treasure board before sunset refresh and an aperitif on the sundeck. The boat cruises to its anchorage area. Dinner is served either inside or outside depending on weather conditions. Overnight on board in a cozy air-conditioned cabin with en-suite bathroom facilities. 

The transfer from Hanoi to Halong is by shuttle bus. On the way to Halong we will stop at a place with food, beverages and souvenirs for sale. This is not to trick you and that will be the only times of the whole trip you may feel in the tourism mass. But that is the only place on the way, where you, your driver and your guide can use clean toilets without being forced to buy anything. Thanks for your understanding.

Day 4: Halong – Hanoi. Flight to Hue

6:30 AM - Coffee, tea and cakes will be served. Wake up smoothly while witnessing the silence of beautiful misty bay. A 30-minute Tai Chi session will be organized, energize your body and soul or just allow yourself some relaxing time on a sunbath with a cup of coffee.  

About 7.45 AM, we hop on bamboo boats to go visiting a secluded floating village surrounded by the mountains. We trace our way between numerous floating houses and small rowing boats that serve the everyday life as vehicle, itinerant shops, fishing utility, sometimes overnight shelter.

Back on treasure before 9 AM, we start cruising back to the pier. From 9.30am, a brunch will be served. Take a last glance at the rocks, standing still as the eternal guardians of a kingdom, we are about to reach the pier.

11:30 AM – Transfer back to Halong harbor. In the afternoon, we drive back to Hanoi and onto Noi Bai airport for your evening flight to Hue. Meet up at Hue airport and driven to your hotel in the centre by our tour guide and driver Spend your night in Hue. 

Day 5: Hue City tour

This morning, board a boat for a trip on the Perfume River to return to Thien Mu Pagoda, one of the most famous of all Vietnamese landmarks. Legends explain how the pagoda came to be: one has it that an old woman instructed Lord Nguyen Hoang in 1601 to walk along the river with a lit incense stick and build a city at the spot where the incense stopped burning.

Nestled in the lush valley of the river stand seven tombs built for seven Nguyen emperors. Each is an expression of the unique personality of the man whose remains it holds. Each is comprised of three elements: a temple dedicated to the worship of the deceased emperor and his queen; a stele made of stone that records the biographical and historical high points of his life; and the royal tomb itself. We will continue to visit two tombs of Minh Mang and Tu Duc.

This afternoon, we are back to Hue city central. Kinh Thanh, the citadel, is perhaps the most well known site in Hué. Begun in 1805 by Emperor Gia Long, it is actually a complex comprised of the Imperial City, several museums, lakes, and lovely gardens, all laid out in a series of concentric circles. We also visit the Forbidden Purple City, originally built in the early 1800s for the personal use of the emperor and staffed by eunuchs who posed no  threat to the royal concubines. Nearly destroyed in the Tet Offensive, today the ruins house the Royal Library and the grounds flourish with mimosa plants and vegetable plots.

Overnight in Hue

Day 6: Hue- Hoian

In the morning, your car will drive you to Danang. On the way, you'll cross the Hai Van mountain pass. The views from the top are excellent – you should be able to see Lang Co beach and village, and the lagoon far below, with Danang spread out before you to the south.

We spend the afternoon for a walking tour around this enchanting port town. Follow the narrow lanes lined with centuries-old houses influenced by Chinese, Japanese, French and European architectures and visit its numerous places of interest: the 400-year old Japanese Covered Bridge, the Phuc Kien Assembly Halls, the local fish market. Around the town we can see a numerous art galleries and tailor shops, get some made-to-order clothes if you like.

Overnight in Hoian

Day 7: Hoian – free at leisure- Danang - Ho Chi Minh City

In the morning, free at leisure.

Late afternoon, our driver arrives and takes you to Danang airport for boarding a flight to Ho Chi Minh city.

Upon your arrival at Tan Son Nhat airport in Ho Chi Minh city, you’ll be met and driven to your hotel in the city centre. After checking in, you’ll be free for a preliminary wander around District 1.

Day 8: Saigon Orientation and Cu Chi tunnels

8:00 AM - We depart from your hotel to visit Cu Chi - a byzantine maze of underground passages, chambers, rooms and booby traps used during the war. You'll be able to get an idea of what it would have been like to live, sleep and eat in the underground passages and bunkers during the fierce battles above and below the surface. Return to the city for lunch at local restaurant in the city centre.

In the afternoon, you'll discover the Reunification Palace - a blend of traditional ritual and modern architecture, served as the presidential palace of South Vietnam until reunification in 1975. The building now functions as a museum, offering tours of the former state rooms, presidential office and library, living quarters of the president's family, and underground war rooms.

Our next destination is Binh Tay market and its surrounding area – known as Cholon or China town. The market is always busy, crowded and messy with small aisles selling all manner of goods, our main point is not for shopping but to enjoy the authentic Chinese atmosphere that has existed here for hundreds of years. There’s also time to visit Thien Hau pagoda before heading back to your hotel.

Day 9: Ho Chi Minh City - Can Tho

8:00 – 8:15 AM – pick up from your hotel by shuttle bus for an approximate 2.5 hour drive to our exploration area. We let the touristy spots behind and travel beyond, where very few other visitors have the chance to go.

We arrive at Cai Thia pier at about 10h30. Boat hits the waterways bring you to the village of Hoa Loc. We will cycle through the villages on the winding countryside to visit local houses en-route, with opportunities to learn about their local handicraft and/or be invited for a cup of tea with some local snack.

We later meet our boat again and ride further to a less busy area of the Mekong, where you’ll find a bamboo sampan (rowing boat) is waiting to take us deeper into the countryside of the Delta through its networks of small canals.

In the afternoon, we cruise toward Vinh Long with more stops at local workshops. 16:00 – a quick transfer from Vinh Long pier to Can Tho, where you check-in your hotel and enjoy the night in this “mega city” of the Mekong Delta.

***The cycling part is superb easy and short (30 minutes each way) and it is the best way to explore the island. For anyone who likes a longer cycling tour, it's possible to extend it to 2 hours. 

Day 10: Mekong Delta- Ho Chi Minh City

6:00 AM – An early start is necessary as you’d like to see the Cai Rang floating market at fullest. While our boat glides slowly through the market mayhem, please feel free to take photographs, talk or bargain with local vendors. There are fantastic photo opportunities amidst the variety of agricultural bounty on sale here. 

We’ll back to hotel for breakfast, and then check-out at around 8:00. A quick transfer brings you further to Phong Dien – the rustic area of Can Tho city. We’ll make our way to visit a blacksmith family and also a fruit orchards in Nhan Ai island. 

After lunch, saying goodbye to the hospitable host for a drive back to Ho Chi Minh city. Overnight in hotel in Ho Chi Minh city.

*** Option for cycling tour of the village is available without extra charge. Please confirm at booking if you want to do cycling tour (1.5 hour). 

Day 11: Ho Chi Minh City departure

Your time will be your own until your private car and driver arrives to take you to Tan Son Nhat airport for your departure flight.

Alternatively, if time permit, you can join one of our tour to the historical Cu Chi tunnel.

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