Highlights of Vietnam

Day 1: Arrive Hanoi, Vietnam

Upon arrival at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, you will be welcomed and transferred to your hotel in the city centre (depending on your arrival time, regular check-in time at hotel starts after 2.00pm). The rest of your day is at your leisure.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 2: Hanoi

After breakfast, visit Ho Chi Minh’s before exploring his house on stilts and lush garden. A short walk from the mausoleum is one of the great symbols of Hanoi, the One Pillar Pagoda, a 11th-century wooden temple built on a single stone pillar in the water. It was designed to resemble a blooming lotus. Pass by the Presidential Palace to the West Lake where you will visit one of the oldest pagodas in Vietnam named Tran Quoc, meaning “protecting the country”. Visit the Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s first university,  built in 1077.

Stroll through Hanoi’s Old Quarter from Hang Be market to Thanh Ha wet market. Along the way  discover local delicacies, strange food items and Vietnamese food practices. These busy eclectic markets are alive with the sights and sounds of Hanoi and are the essence of Vietnamese culture. Continue to Dong Xuan market to sample some local treats such as beef or chicken noodle (Pho), Bun Cha (Grilled Pork with noodle), Hanoian sandwich and Green Papaya Salad. Continue walking deeper to the Old Quarter and its bustling 36 streets, stopping at a famous dessert shop to taste “che” – fresh fruit or bean cooked with sugar. Finish your street food journey with a black or brown coffee in local style – strong and bitter or egg coffee – Vietnamese cappuccino.

In the afternoon, take a cyclo tour (rickshaw) around the Old Quarter which were named after the specific goods once offered for sale at these places. Stop at Hoan Kiem Lake, Ngoc Son Temple to learn about legend of the lake. The day ends with a water puppet show.

Overnight: Hanoi
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Day 3: Hanoi

After breakfast, depart for a 2-hour drive to the Ninh Binh Province. Visit Hoa Lu (Vietnam’s former capital before it was moved to Thang Long- Hanoi in 1,010) and the remains of Dinh & Le Kings’ Temples. Travel in small rowing boats along the canals through local villages, green fields and Tam Coc (3 caves) which is called “Ha Long Bay on land”.

After lunch at a local restaurant, this afternoon ride a bicycle along country road and rice field to Bich Dong, Tam Coc, which was conferred by a King the title “Vietnam’s second most beautiful grotto”. Climb up the Ngu Nhac Son (Buddha’s Palm Mountain) and enjoy scenery that includes mountains, rivers and pagodas.

Overnight: Hanoi
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Day 4: Hanoi – Ha Long Bay

After breakfast, take a 2.5-hour drive to Ha Long Bay. This is one of the world’s natural areas of significance, recognized by UNESCO.  Here there are over 3,000 spectacular limestone islands rising from the clear, emerald sea in the Gulf of Tonkin.

Check into your overnight cruise and after a safety briefing enjoy lunch with stunning views as the boat cruises towards the southeast of Halong Bay. Visit Luon Cave, and popular Titov Island – where you can swim or hike to the top for another stunning, panoramic view of the Bay. Tonight you are welcome to join a traditional Vietnamese cooking class before dinner. After dinner is the perfect time to relax with a spa treatments or enjoy a cocktail (own expense) or perhaps try squid fishing or singing karaoke.

Overnight: Cruise
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 5: Ha Long Bay – Hanoi – Hue

Start the day with a Tai Chi lesson on the sundeck with a breathtaking sunrise view of Halong Bay. After breakfast, stop at Sung Sot Cave, one of the biggest caves in Ha Long Bay with beautiful stalactites stalactites and stalagmites formed over millions of years. Check out of the cruise and return to Tuan Chau Island. After disembarking, return to Hanoi Airport for your flight to Hue. On arrival in Phu Bai Airport, you will be met and transferred to downtown Hue.

Overnight: Hue
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Day 6: Hue

After breakfast, explore the Vietnamese ancient architecture of the Imperial Citadel including the Flag Tower, Ngo Mon Gate, Nine Dynastic Urns, Nine Holy Cannons, Thai Hoa Palace, Forbidden Purple City (Tu Cam Thanh). Take a boat upstream the Perfume River, enjoying the beauty of Hue city along the riverbank. Disembark at Thien Mu Pagoda (“Heavenly Lady”), built in 1601 between a river and a pine forest, this is one of the oldest and prettiest religious buildings in the country.

After lunch at a local restaurant, drive 12km South of Hue city to King Minh Mang’s tomb. This tomb was built in 1840 under the order of King Minh Mang himself. It’s a perfect combination of manmade and natural beauty, where architecture fits harmoniously into the surrounding landscape. Then visit the tomb of King Khai Dinh, the twelfth Emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty that is a combination of the Western and Eastern architecture.

Overnight: Hue
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Day 7: Hue – Hoi An

After breakfast, travel along the most beautiful coast of Vietnam to Hoi An (approximately 3 hours). Stop at Hai Van pass for a panoramic view of the beach, sea and mountains. Lunch will be at a local restaurant. Arrive in Hoi An and take a guided walking tour around the ancient town visiting the Japanese Covered Bridge, Chinese Assembly Hall and local market. Hoi An has numerous art galleries, as well as souvenir and tailor shops where you can get some express made-to-order clothes if you like!

Overnight in Hoi An.

Day 8: Hoi An

After breakfast, travel about 50km from Hoi An to My Son sanctuary. It includes many Champa temples, in a valley roughly two kilometers wide, surrounded by mountain ranges. My Son was the site of the religious ceremony of kings of the Champa dynasty and was also a burial place of Champa royals and national heroes. It is one of the foremost temple complexes of Hinduism in South East Asia and is the foremost heritage site of its type in Vietnam. While it has been destroyed over time, you can still see many ancient ruins of temples in the area.

On the way back to Hoi An, take a boat trip along Thu Bon River to Cam Kim carpentry village. Here you can see handicrafts and many other items crafted from wood. Disembark at a pier in Hoi An town and transfer to your hotel. Lunch will be at a local restaurant before spending your afternoon at your leisure with time to explore more.

Overnight: Hoi An
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Day 9: Hoi An – Ho Chi Minh City

After breakfast, you have free time before transferring to Danang airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City. On arrival you will be met and proceed visit the Cu Chi Tunnels 70 km northwest. These tunnels were created in 1948 to assist the Viet Minh to combat the French. This underground city has living areas, kitchens, storage, weapon shops, field hospitals and command centers. During the American/Vietnam War, the entire area of Cu Chi was designated a fire free zone and was heavily bombarded. Since 1988, two sections of the tunnels have been open for visitors.

Lunch will be at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, you will explore Ho Chi Minh City’s highlights including the Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, Old Centre Post Office and Ben Thanh market.

Overnight: Ho Chi Minh City
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Day 10: Ho Chi Minh City

After breakfast, drive 2-hours to Ben Tre province crossing Rach Mieu bridge. Upon arrival in Hung Vuong Pier, hop on a motorized boat on Ben Tre River – one of the tributaries of the Mekong river while sightseeing lively activities along the river such as fishing and boats transferring fruits, flowers and rice to local markets. Our first stop is at a brick kiln to see how to make bricks traditionally by printing and baking. These kilns are open in summer time only when there is enough sunshine to dry bricks. Continue to visit a coconut processing workshop along the canals before travelling by boat through natural scissors creeks to a village.

Take a Tuk-Tuk (motorized cart) or bicycle on shady paths, passing by green rice fields and vegetable plains to see local life and culture. After lunch at a local riverside restaurant, take a rowboat along beautiful water palm creek to meet the motorized boat and transfer back to the pier.

Overnight: Ho Chi Minh City
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Day 11: Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnem) – Siem Reap (Cambodia)

Today you will have free time before proceeding to the airport for your flight from Ho Chi Monh City to Siem Reap. On arrival in Siem Reap International Airport, you will be met and transferred to your hotel in the city. This evening enjoy a dinner with Apsara Dance Show included.

Overnight: Siem Reap
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Day 12: Siem Reap & Angkor Wat

After breakfast, head to the South Gate of Angkor Thom atop 4 giant faces that religiously represent compassion, sympathy, equanimity, and charity. Stroll around Bayon Temple, consisting of more than 200 smiling faces in stone, with interesting temples including Baphuon, Phimeanakas, the terrace of leper king and terrace elephant. Then visit Ta Prohm Temple that is adorned with amazing tree roots where Lara Croft’s Tomb Raider was filmed.

This afternoon, continue to the incredible Angkor Wat – the world’s heritage listed by UNESCO in 1992 and the largest unrivaled monument in the world. Built by Suryavarman II in the 12th Century, Angkor Wat is considered one of Asia’s top destinations. Learning the amazing history, architecture and see the fine carvings dating back to the Khmer Empire, which dominated the largest parts of Southeast Asia.

Overnight: Siem Reap
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Day 13: Siem Reap & Tonle Sap

Enjoy a boat ride on the Tonle Sap Lake, Southeast Asia’s largest permanent freshwater lake that flows into the Tonle Sap River, which joins the Mekong in Phnom Penh. You will see a fishermen’s “floating village” with floating schools, a floating police station, etc. It is the same as a big village floating on a lake and it moves from place to place following water levels and currents. In the afternoon, walk around the town with your guide, visit the local market and try local street food.

Overnight: Siem Reap
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Day 14: Depart Siem Reap, Cambodia

Your trip ends today. After breakfast at your hotel you have free time before your transfer to Siem Reap Airport for your onward flight (international flight additional cost).

Meals: Breakfast

There are many options on ways to fly to Vietnam and Cambodia depending on your departure point and if you want to add a stopover in another city in Asia such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok or others.

Contact our team to discuss and add international flights to this tour.