Day 1: Saigon arrival (-/-/-)

Saigon - Airport: 7km, ~20min drive

Upon arrival at Tan Son Nhat Airport, meet your guide and driver who then escort you to the city centre. After making sure of successful hotel check-in, you have free time for your own exploration of the largest city of Vietnam otherwise referred to as “Pearl of the Far East” with its wide elegant boulevards and historic French colonial buildings.      

Meals Included: None
Accommodation: Hotel in Saigon

Day 2: Saigon City - Cu Chi Tunnels (B/L/-)

Saigon - Cu Chi: 60km, ~1h20m drive

After breakfast at the hotel, we depart for the famous Cu Chi Tunnels, which were an incredible underground network constructed by Vietnamese fighters during the long struggle for independence. The tunnels contained hospitals, accommodation, schools and were used as a military base for the Viet Cong in the Vietnam War. Upon arrival, we proceed to an underground hut to watch a short video and presentation about Cu Chi tunnels before having a real hands-on experience of what it was like to live here. If you’re a war history buff this is an interesting experience and provides an excellent alternative perspective.

We return to Saigon for lunch at a popular local restaurant. In the afternoon, we visit some major sights of the city. We pass through the now-demolished wartime American Embassy before visiting the Reunification Palace which was the former residence of the President of South Vietnam until the end of April 1975.  Notre Dame Cathedral and the Old Saigon Post Office are out next stops. After seeing the Jade Emperor Pagoda and the War Remnant Museum- Vietnam War, we continue our trip to the bustling Ben Thanh Market which is a fantastic place for bargains of every kind. There are a number of vendors and food stalls in the market food section that offers guests many freshly delicious dishes. You also can find many goods for daily use as well as a variety of eye-catching local crafts and souvenirs here.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Saigon

Day 3: Saigon - Ben Tre Mekong Delta (B/L/D)

Saigon - Ben Tre: 107 km, ~2h drive

After breakfast at the hotel, we leave the bustling city of Saigon behind and we depart for the Mekong Delta otherwise known as Vietnam’s biggest rice basket. Upon arrival at Hung Vuong pier in Ben Tre, you embark a boat to cruise along Ben Tre River, a tributary of the great Mekong. Float along and explore the local lifestyle and the daily hustle and bustle. Stop at the brickfield to see how bricks are made by hand in Vietnam including a coconut candy home factory. You will then have the opportunity to taste bee honey tea at a local honey farm and a variety of tropical fruit that grow amply in the orchards of the Mekong Delta. You can then walk or cycle through the coconut groves and green rice paddies to soak up and relax in the tranquil countryside atmosphere.

After lunch at a local restaurant, we will take a trip on small rowing boats through a maze of waterways lined by two rows of palm trees and along Cai Coi creek. We will stop to see rice workshop before driving back to Ben Tre town. Tonight, you have a chance to enjoy dinner with Mekong family atmosphere and Mekong Music show.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Homestay in Ben Tre

Day 4: Ben Tre - Cai Be - Saigon - Overnight train to Nha Trang (B/L/-)

Saigon - Nha Trang: 435 km, ~7h on train

The morning after breakfast, we drive to Cai Be and take a motor boat to visit the floating market. We continue the row boat zigzagging through a maze of canals shadowed by coconut trees to a great orchard where you can taste many seasonal fruits of Vietnam and observe the daily life of the local folks. There’s a visit to a family workshop to see how coconut candy, crispy rice cake and ceramic are made. You will then further enrich your experience by taking a bicycle ride roaming through villages to check out several rural shops or just relax on a hammock for a short rest before moving on to a marketplace where you are encouraged to interact with the vendors and see how friendly and respectful they are. We return to Saigon in the afternoon. Tonight, our driver will transfer you to Saigon station to experience a night train in a carriage to Nha Trang. The train leaves at 20:30 and arrives at 05:30 a.m the following day. Dinner that evening will be at your own cost.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Overnight on train

Day 5: Nha Trang (B/L/-)

After we arrive early in Nha Trang, our guide and driver will meet and transfer you to the hotel for breakfast and to relax.

We then enjoy Nha Trang City tour starting a drive to Cau Da for a visit the Vietnam Oceanographic Institute to see the whole collection of sea creatures in Nha Trang Bay. After that, you will go to Long Son Pagoda, Cathedral or Stone Church built in French colony time.

The next destination is Chong Promontory Rocks and the Po Nagar Temples. The tour ends after the visit to local Dam Market before going back hotel.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Nha Trang

Day 6: Nha Trang - Flight to Danang - Hoi An (B/L/-)

Nha Trang - Danang: 520km, 1h flight 

After breakfast at the hotel, our driver will meet and transfer you to the airport for flight to Danang. Upon arrival, you will be picked up by our guide and driver for a drive to Hoi An which was originally a Cham seaport but has been influenced down centuries by a myriad of traders from various cultures. After our arrival in Hoi An, we will visit this delightful and tranquil town, including the famous Japanese Covered Bridges, the Pottery Museum, the 200-year-old Tan Ky House, the Chua Ong Pagoda, and a vibrant market.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Hoi An

Day 7: Hoi An - My Son Holy Land & Craft Village (B/L/-)

After breakfast, we drive towards the archaeological site of My Son (45km, ~1h drive). This is the former capital of the ancient Cham civilisation that ruled central Vietnam between the second and thirteenth centuries. Hinduism from India heavily influenced the religion. Located 60 km from Danang, My Son is considered one of the best-preserved Cham structures in Vietnam. The complex is comprised of seventy Hindu-like towers and temples dating from the second century. This site is a must-see for people who are interested in architecture and ancient civilisations. Not surprisingly, it is one of four World Heritage-listed sites in Vietnam.

In the afternoon, we enjoy a comfortable ride to Thu Bon river to board a river cruise. Sailing down the river, you can experience the local daily life along the river, such as fishing, farming and even catching clams. We then visit Thanh Ha ceramic village to admire its intricate pottery and see old men who produce jars, vases and many other objects. Getting back to the boat, we cruise down to the Cua Dai bay for a spectacular view of the sun setting over Thu Bon River and the sea before returning back to the harbour where our driver is waiting to take you back to the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Hoi An

Day 8: Hoi An - Danang - Hue (B/L/-)

Hoi An - Hue: 140km, ~2h30m drive

Pick up from your hotel at 08.00 and we drive to Hai Scout Café – our meeting point for cooking class.

We then visit Hoi An’s colorful main market, and experience its amazing sights, sounds and aromas. We will have the opportunity to interact with the local sellers, to see and taste the wonderful variety of foods on display.

After that, we board the Red Bridge boat for a leisurely cruise (25 minutes) along the Hoi An River to the Red Bridge Cooking School. This is a chance to view local river life, so make sure your camera is handy.

On arrival, we explore the cooking school’s herb and vegetable garden, before learning about some of Hoi An’s and Vietnam’s best-known dishes. The cooking lesson runs for about 2 hours – each dish is first demonstrated by the Red Bridge chef’s, before we prepare the same dish ourselves.

Included in the class is a brief introduction to Vietnamese food carving (plate decoration).

After the lesson, we sit down and eat exactly what we have cooked.

After the cooking class, we will depart for Hue. We then follow the road crossing over the scenic Hai Van Pass before arriving in Hue, the last imperial capital of Vietnam.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Hue

Day 9: Hue Imperial City - Overnight train to Hanoi (B/L/-)

Hue - Hanoi: 700 km, ~11h on train

After breakfast at the hotel, we visit the Citadel containing the Imperial City and the Forbidden Purple city, which was the Emperor's private residence. We then embark on a boat cruise along the Perfume River which providing unparalleled views of the scenic countryside. The next stop of our trip is the elaborate royal tomb of Emperor Tu Duc which was built between 1864 and 1867 by 3000 soldiers and workers. It includes 50 monuments surrounded by a 1500m long wall.

After lunch at a local restaurant, we return to the city for a walk to the bustling Dong Ba Market passing many fantastic eating spots where you have a chance to sample some local delicacies.

At this end of the day, transfer to Hue station to catch overnight train to Hanoi, carriage of 4 berths. The SE4 train leaves Hue at 16:47 and arrives Hanoi at 05:30a.m the following day.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Overnight on train

Day 10: Hanoi City (B/L/-)

After an early arrival in Hanoi, our staff will meet and escort you to your hotel for breakfast and freshen up. We start the day trip with a visit to the Ho Chi Minh Complex. This famous site compromises Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum (closed on Mondays & Fridays), his former stilt-house residence, the Presidential Palace and Ho Chi Minh Museum. We then visit the Temple of Literature constructed in 1070 to worship Confucius, which was served as the first University of Vietnam. The site honors the eighty-two Vietnamese doctorates who passed a number of rigid exams in the medieval ages. Their names, birthdays and birthplaces are engraved in head-stones perched on stone tortoises. It is widely believed that touching the heads of these tortoises will bring luck. With its well-maintained lawns, gardens and lotus ponds provide you with a tranquil hideaway from the city’s bustle and heat. Lunch will be served at a nice local restaurant.  

In the afternoon, we visit Museum of Ethnology (closed on Mondays, the alternative is the History Museum) dedicated to Vietnam's 54 officially recognized ethnic groups with both indoor and outdoor sections. While the in-house exhibition is particularly informative, the outdoor display continues in the museum’s garden with fascinating examples of traditional houses of numerous minority groups. You will gain an understanding of from the Kinhs to the ethnic groups of the Central Highlands. We then enjoy a 45-minutes-cyclo tour to the Old Quarter where you can see streets with century-aged trees and French Colonial buildings. We then head to Ngoc Son Temple set on a tiny islet in the middle of Hoan Kiem Lake. Ngoc Son Temple dates back to the 13th century and the lake itself is the picturesque heart of Hanoi, frequented by tourists and locals alike.

In the evening, we will enjoy the water puppet show, the unique Vietnamese traditional art. This art is originated from rural festivals in Vietnam. The artist men and women stand waist-deep in the water to manipulate the puppets, making them move, talk, laugh and even dance on the surface of the water.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi

Day 11: Hanoi – Drive to Mai Chau - Homestay (B/L/D)

Hanoi - Mai Chau: 160km,~ 4h drive

After breakfast at the hotel, we depart for the valley of Mai Chau, home to many hill tribes including the Dzao, Muong and Thai. We stop on the way to visit a Muong village in Thung Khe. After arriving at the homestay, you will have lunch prepared by the host. We will then spend the afternoon walking around the villages of Mai Chau and the surrounding countryside. The peaceful life, verdant landscapes and friendly and hospitable people of this site will leave you with unforgettable memories.

In the evening, you have a chance to enjoy the friendliness of the people by participating in a traditional dance show of Thai ethnic people.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Homestay in the traditional stilt house

Day 12: Mai Chau – Drive back Hanoi - Overnight train to Lao Cai (B/L/-)

In the morning after breakfast, we take a pleasant walk to nearby village, we also have chance to visit the local morning market.

We will have lunch in the village and we head back to Hanoi in the afternoon.

You will be free until time to transfer to the train station to catch the overnight train to Lao Cai.

After lunch, we will be transferred back to Hanoi. Tonight, we take soft sleeper & AC train to Lao Cai.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Overnight on train

Day 13: Lao Cai - Sapa - Cat Cat – Ma Tra Village (B/L/-)

Lao Cai - Sapa: 40km, ~1h drive

Arrival Lao Cai Train Station at around 6:00a.m, our guide and driver will meet and transfer you to Sapa, situated just 40km from Lao Cai. After breakfast, we will explore Sapa town, founded by the French as a holiday resort. 

In the afternoon, we will visit Cat Cat village, home to H’Mong people. They are excellent “tho cam” weavers, a kind of brocade fabric. The “tho cam” of Cat Cat village is of especially high quality, as it is dyed with natural colors, polished with beeswax and embroidered with unique designs. Cat Cat silver jewelry such as necklaces, bracelets, rings and earrings are known for their sophisticated production techniques. A walk through this old village offers a glimpse into traditional customs and practices of the ethnic Black Hmong. We will stop at a beautiful waterfall and the remains of a hydroelectric plant built by the French during their colonisation of Vietnam.

If time permits, visit Ma Tra Village. Located only about 5km to the south-east of Sapa town, Ma Tra Village was added recently into Sapa’s growing list of stunning destinations. The village is a new must-see for visitors when coming to the mountain town of Sapa and preferring a less commercial track. The Village is home to H’mong ethnic people and only boasts around 50 homes. They survive using their craft such as weaving brocade, silk, forging farming tools and carving silver. They generally only make such items to meet their own needs, but since the growth of tourism in Sapa, many H’mong women make decorated cloth to sell on the town’s main streets.

• Cat Cat: 3km, 2h30m walking
• Ma Tra: 3km, 2h trekking

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Sapa

Day 14: Lao Chai - Ta van - Train back to Hanoi (B/L/-)

After breakfast at hotel, we embark on a lovely walk that will take us along small paths and trails and through several hill tribe villages of Lao Chai and Ta Van, home to H'mong, and Dzay people. This is an absolutely spectacular walk through stunning scenery inhabited by some of the friendliest people will ever meet. We enjoy lunch at a family house in Ta Van village.  This is an excellent opportunity to meet with local people and study the art of making batik and local weaving villages, the textile tradition of craft women Black H'mong and Red Dzao. In the afternoon, we drive back to Sapa to prepare for overnight train to Hanoi.

• Distance: 8km
• Duration: 3h30m trekking
• Speed: Average

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Overnight on train

Day 15: Hanoi - Halong overnight on boat (B/L/D)

Hanoi - Halong: 180km, ~3h30m drive

Arrival at Hanoi train station in the early morning, our tour guide and driver will pick you up and transfer to mini hotel for breakfast & refreshment.

After breakfast, we depart for Halong Bay via Thai Binh and Nam Dinh. Sit back and enjoy the peaceful countryside symbolic of the Red River Delta. We will arrive at Halong Bay’s wharf around noon and embark an elegant wooden junk for a cruise through the limestone cliffs and emerald waters of Halong Bay. Here we enjoy the striking scenery of this World Heritage Site. While being on board, we will be served fresh local seafood lunch followed by swimming and exploring some of the limestone caves in this area. Witness one of the world’s best the sunsets before you sit down for a lush dinner. The captain then will anchor for the night nearby a remote island where you’ll have the option night fishing or just sit out on the deck and relax under the stars.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Overnight on Junk

Day 16: Halong Boat Trip - Ninh Binh (Br/-/-)

Hanoi - Halong: 200km, ~4h drive

After waking up surrounded by the tranquil beauty of the bay, we have time for an early morning dip. Then it’s time for breakfast whilst you watch the sun rise over Ha Long bay. The cruise continues to move around the bay for in order for us to discover more secluded areas; we then go kayaking and continue swimming around the bay. The boat will be near us at all times for those who prefer to relax on board. Around midday, we will return to the main harbour before transferring to our awaiting vehicle for the three-hour journey Ninh Binh.

Meals Included: Brunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Ninh Binh

Day 17: Ninh Binh - Hoa Lu Cycling to Tam Coc - Hanoi (B/L/-)

We begin our day by cycling around the countryside and head to Hoa Lu, which was the capital city of Vietnam under the Dinh Dynasty between 968 and 980 AD. Here there are many ancient sanctuaries and tombs that can still be seen today. Apart from the historical importance, the area surrounding Ninh Binh is naturally beautiful, referred to many as the “Halong Bay on land” with limestone peaks and fertile green valleys. We continue riding through the limestone peaks to Tam Coc, passing rice paddies and through the rural villages. Arriving in Tam Coc, we will enjoy lunch at a local restaurant overlooking the boat pier, which provides a great chance for photos. We drive transfer back to Hanoi for the night.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi

Day 18: Hanoi - Departure (B/-/-)

After breakfast at hotel, time is free until our driver meet and transfer you to Noi Bai airport for your flight to your next destination or back home. Thank you very much for travelling with us!

Meals Included: Breakfast