Full Itinerary
Day 1: Hanoi Arrival – Welcome Dinner (D)
Activities: Arrive in Vietnam and have free time in Hanoi. Be entertained by the Water Puppet show and enjoy a hearty welcome dinner. Your Vietnam 10 day holiday starts with your arrival at Hanoi Airport.
Arriving in Hanoi, our guide will pick you up at the airport and head straight to Hanoi center for your hotel check-in. The rest of the day is your leisure time.
In the late afternoon, our guide will pick you up from your hotel for a walking tour of some nearby beautiful places such as Restored Sword Lake and the Old Quarter of Hanoi with its 36 ancient streets - the oldest and busiest commercial district of Hanoi for centuries. Enjoying the fresh air and people-watching will help you relax after your long flight.
After that, we will walk a short distance to the Water Puppet Theater to enjoy a Water Puppet Show - a unique Vietnamese Art form hailing from Southeast Asia’s wet-rice culture. The skills of artists make the Water Puppets seem like human beings will amaze you.
Enjoy a delicious welcome dinner at a local restaurant.
Have free time to relax or walk around lovely Hanoi during the evening. Stay overnight in Hanoi.
Day 2: Hanoi City Tour (B, L, D)
Activities: Visit some must-see destinations in Hanoi and enjoying the best street food in Vietnam.
Exploring wide tree-lined boulevards, French colonial architecture, peaceful lakes and ancient oriental pagodas in Hanoi is always the best way to experience Vietnam’s charming capital.
We will stop to visit the Ho Chi Minh Complex including Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum (closed on Monday & Friday and from October to November), Ho Chi Minh's House on Stilts, the One Pillar Pagoda (unique architecture in a tranquil garden), and the Presidential Palace.
After that, we will have a chance to explore the first university of Vietnam - the thousand-year-old Temple of Literature. The Temple of Literature is a symbol of the studious spirit of the Vietnamese people.
Next, we will choose between a visit to the History Museum or the Ethnology Museum. The History Museum preserves artifacts reflecting thousands of years of Vietnamese culture and history, whereas the Ethnology Museum exhibits demonstrate the costumes, culture and daily life of Vietnam's 54 ethnic groups.
Later we return to Hanoi's Old Quarter to walk around and sample different street foods, also learning how to make and enjoy those tasty dishes.
Day 3: Hanoi – Halong Bay Overnight Cruise (B, L, D)
Activities: Drive to Halong Bay, board our overnight boat and begin our cruise in one of the world's most beautiful places.
Halong Bay overnight trip always attracts all clients when they visit Vietnam. Halong Bay 1 night cruise will be the highlighted trip in your 10 dayS itinerary in Vietnam for you.
After having breakfast at the hotel, we will take an approximately 3.5-hour drive to Halong Bay - the UNESCO World Heritage Site, where we will begin our traditional Junk Cruise in this natural wonderland of jutting limestone islands and sparkling turquoise water.
Enjoy a fresh seafood lunch on board while soaking in the incredible views of this mystical bay.
In the afternoon, we will cruise around some of Halong's well-known islands and pay a visit to one of the largest caves in Halong Bay – Sung Sot Caves.
At some point, we will stop at an island featuring a sheltered white-sand beach to enjoy the warm waters of the Gulf of Tonkin (if the weather is suitable).
Stay overnight on the junk.
Notes: The itinerary is a sample of one cruise. The itinerary will be different if you choose a different cruise.
Day 4: Halong Bay – Hanoi – Fly to Da Nang – Hoi An (B, L)
Activities: Explore Halong Bay by rowboat or kayak. Transfer to the airport for the flight to Danang.
Start your day with Tai Chi exercises (a Chinese system of physical exercises) or just watch the sunrise over the bay's towering islands and enjoy coffee or tea. Afterward, we will explore the nearby islands by rowing boat or kayak. Using these smaller boats, you can discover some of the hidden corners of Halong Bay.
Turn back the junk towards the harbor and contemplate the beauty of the amazing rock formations of the Bay before returning to Halong City. Our driver will pick you up there for the transfer to Noi Bai Airport to catch your short flight to Da Nang.
Upon your arrival in Danang, our tour guide and driver will transfer you to the hotel in the ancient city of Hoi An for check-in. You will have a wonderful time in Hoi An exploring this charming, old-world trading port of narrow streets and traditional houses, and the beach with its luxurious resorts and a long stretch of clean white sand. Hoi An will be the best place for relaxing for your Vietnam 10 day holiday.
Day 5: Hoi an – Rural Cycling Half Day (B, L)
Activities: Cycle to the more rural area just outside of Hoi An to try bamboo boat rowing, and experience the life of the local fishing people. Learn how to cook Banh Xeo (pancakes) in Quang Nam Style.
Our tour guide will pick you up with bicycles for a trip to enjoy the scenic, peaceful countryside of Vietnam, far away from the noise of the city.
Passing through the town, we will cycle among rice fields on tranquil roads. We will stop to see Ba Le market, rice fields, cemeteries, and schools... before reaching Van Lang Fishing Village and Bay Mau Water Coconut Forest. The forest was the hiding place for local people and soldiers during the Vietnam War. Nowadays, it is famous for the seafood diversity within its 7 hectares of mangrove forest, canals, and houses covered in water coconut leaves.
When we arrive, our host and his family will welcome us with green tea, after which, we will be free to walk around to explore the village.
With the help of the locals, you can row a boat and learn how to fish in the water coconut forest.
Turning back to the host’s house, we will help them to prepare dinner for all. There will be some special dishes that you may have never tasted before such as Tam Huu spring rolls, Banh Xeo (local pancakes), grilled fish in banana leaf, and many other Vietnamese delicacies. If you are interested, you can learn how to cook these tasty dishes for yourself.
Have lunch before coming back to our hotel or resort. You will have free time in the afternoon. You may do shopping in Hoi An or just relax. Hoi An is a good place for relaxing in the halfway of your 10-day itinerary in Vietnam.
Day 6: Hoi An – Drive to Hue passing Hai Van pass and Lang Co beach (B, D)
Activities: Drive from Hoi An to Hue, paying a short visit to Lang Co Beach and then enjoying the local street food in Hue.
After breakfast at the hotel, we will check-out and drive to Hue - the ancient capital of Vietnam, traveling through the 500 meters high Hai Van pass. After that, we will stop at the scenic Lang Co Beach (known as one of the most beautiful beaches in Vietnam) for a break.
Heading straight to Hue - recognized as one of the World Heritage Sites by UNESCO, we will arrive in time for check-in and some free time in Hue.
In the late afternoon, our tour guide will pick you up for a walking tour to see the local street life. Hue is famous for different delicate food dishes, so we will enjoy the different local street food here.
Stay overnight in Hue.
Day 7: Hue City Tour (B, L)
Activities: Boat cruise on the Perfume River. Explore the Citadel, Thien Mu Pagoda and Minh Mang Tomb and then take a rest on the edge of the Perfume River.
The Perfume River is the first place we will visit today. With a boat trip on the river, you can have a chance to experience its poetry and romance.
Next, we will stop to visit Thien Mu Pagoda - one of the most famous pagodas in Hue. We will also visit the Imperial City - an ancient walled palace within the citadel of the city and the former imperial capital of Vietnam.
After that, take your time to visit The Forbidden Purple City and the Royal Fine Arts Museum to learn more about the history of romantic Hue.
We will enjoy a lunch break on the banks of the Perfume River before continuing to Minh Mang tomb. Minh Mang is one of the most well-known kings in the Nguyen dynasty. Visiting here, we will learn more about the Nguyen dynasty as well as its unique architecture. Then we will go to Dong Ba market to shop and see more of the local life. In the afternoon, we will go back to the hotel and have free time in Hue. Stay overnight in Hue.
Day 8: Hue – Fly to Saigon – City Tour Half Day (B)
Activities: Transfer to the airport for the flight to Ho Chi Minh City and visit some must-see destinations there.
Have breakfast at the hotel before driving to Phu Bai Airport for the flight to Ho Chi Minh City (also called Saigon) - a truly bustling city.
As soon as we arrive in Ho Chi Minh City, on the way to the hotel, you will notice the very busy streets. After check-in and a rest, we will visit some of the famous attractions in Ho Chi Minh City such as the Reunification Palace (an important national relic for its historical and architectural value),and the War Remnants Museum, where you can find diverse collections of weaponry, military aircraft, and war photographs to better understand Vietnam's military history.
We will spend some time walking around the city visiting the Notre Dame Cathedral, the City Post Office, and Ben Thanh Market. As we walk you will see how the local people live and shop, and you can shop for souvenirs and try bargaining in the Vietnamese way.
Day 9: Ho Chi Minh City – Mekong Delta Boat Trip Full Day (B, L)
Activities: Experience the local lifestyle in My Tho, the capital of Tien Giang province and an important market town in the Mekong Delta, visit Unicorn Island and Ben Tre Province.
After breakfast, we will start our day tour to the Mekong Delta. We will stop at My Tho, get on our boat and travel downstream where we can walk around Dragon Island to see the daily activities of a fish farm such as how to raise and then catch the fish.
Then, we will pass through the Xep canal (natural) to reach a traditional village of fascinating local industries. Here you can enjoy some fruit and honey tea and listen to local music played on traditional instruments.
After that, you will have a chance to travel by horse cart through village paths to reach the small rowing boats on the river.
Have lunch in the restaurant by the river.
We will stop at a workshop and taste some coconut candy before going back to My Tho.
In the afternoon, turn back to Ho Chi Minh City and have some leisure time. Stay overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 10: Ho Chi Minh City – Cu Chi Tunnels – Departure (B, L)
Activities: Explore Cu Chi tunnels and then transfer to the airport for the flight home.
In the morning, our driver will pick you up for a visit to Cu Chi Tunnels - a man-made underground maze with many bamboo traps used by the military in the past.
Most of you will feel so amazed by the hard work and difficult life of the Vietnamese people in the war.
Enjoy the lunch near the Cu Chi tunnels then head back to the city. We will transfer you to the airport for the flight home.
End of the 10-day itinerary in Vietnam! Hope to see you again!
Inclusion
– Accommodations
– Meals as mentioned in the itinerary
– Airport pick-up/ drop-off by AC vehicles
– Transport by vehicles with AC
– 01 night on Halong Bay cruise
– Boat trip in Hue and Mekong
– English speaking guides on the tour
– Water ( 02 bottles/pax/tour day)
– Entrance fees per itinerary
Exclusion
– Meals or drinks not mentioned in our itinerary
– Travel insurance
– Personal expenses
– Tips for guide and driver