10 Days Hanoi – Halong – Hoian – Da Nang – Hue – Saigon – Ben Tre

Arrival at Hanoi Airport. After clearing customs, you’ll collect your luggage and meet our staff outside the international arrivals hall for the transfer to your hotel (Please note: Rooms are only available after 2:00 PM). Check in to your hotel. Free time to relax. Overnight stay at your hotel in Hanoi.

Meals included: None

After breakfast at the hotel, board the bus and drive to the Ba Dinh Historical Complex. Visit Ba Dinh Square, where the late President Ho Chi Minh declared Vietnam’s independence on September 2, 1945, and the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. Continue to the One Pillar Pagoda, Hanoi’s must-see monument: an ancient Buddhist pagoda built in the early 11th century during the reign of King Ly Thai Tong. The entire structure is supported by a single pillar, reminiscent of a Buddhist lotus. Visit Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam (Temple of Literature, the first imperial school in Vietnam), built in 1070 during the Ly dynasty.

This afternoon, we’ll travel to a village on the outskirts of Hanoi to visit a typical local family, a family of three generations living together, to learn more about the traditional Vietnamese way of life. After visiting the village pagoda, you’ll dine as the locals do every day to understand their daily lives. After dinner, transfer to Hanoi city center for overnight stay at your hotel.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Depart in the morning for Halong Bay. Arrival is expected around noon. Board immediately for a 2-day/1-night cruise on Halong Bay. Lunch and dinner will be served on board, featuring a menu featuring delicious fresh seafood. Overnight stay on board the cruise.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

In the morning, the cruise along the bay continues. Meals on board. Disembark and transfer to Hanoi airport. Take the flight to Da Nang. Upon arrival, meet our guide and transfer to your hotel in Hoi An ancient town. Overnight stay in Hoi An.

Meals included: Brunch

Breakfast at the hotel. Departure for a visit to My Son, the ancient “Holy City” of the Champa kingdom, a contemporary and rival of the great Angkor Empire, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In a superb rocky amphitheater cloaked in lush, wild vegetation, the ancient Cham rulers built their brick and sandstone sanctuaries between the 6th and 14th centuries. For centuries, rites honoring Shiva and Vishnu were celebrated here. Lunch. Return to Hoi An. Visit the historic center of Hoi An. You will then walk to the Japanese Bridge, the ancient merchants’ residential houses, and the Chinese Assembly Hall. The city was an important trading center thanks to its ancient port, especially in the years between the 16th and 17th centuries, when the city was home to Chinese, Japanese, Dutch, and Indian communities. And it is this mix of cultures that has created a special style unique to Hoi An. Overnight at hotel in Hoi An. 

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast at the hotel, you’ll be picked up from the hotel lobby and transferred to Vong Nhi village. You’ll receive your bicycles and begin cycling through the village (about 6 km). Along the way, you’ll admire numerous breathtaking landscapes, such as the tranquil surrounding countryside, the green-watered coconut groves and shrimp and snapper farms, or immerse yourself in the rustic beauty of the rice paddies.

We’ll arrive at Thanh Dong Organic Farm, a 10,000-square-meter organic garden that supports 10 local families. We’ll take a short stroll through the garden, listening to the stories of the farmers who have changed their lives since they began adopting organic methods of growing aromatic herbs.

Afterwards, we’ll join the farmers to perform some gardening tasks, such as preparing and applying organic fertilizer to the soil, raking the soil, planting aromatic herbs, watering, and harvesting vegetables.

We’ll then leave the farm for a sailboat ride along the Do River to The Field restaurant. Along the way, you can admire the beautiful scenery or observe the daily life of the villagers fishing.

Before returning to the hotel, we’ll take a short cooking class (demonstrating how to make traditional Banh Xeo pancakes) and enjoy a Vietnamese family-style lunch.

In the afternoon, transfer to Hue. Overnight at a hotel in Hue.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast, you’ll embark on a morning boat trip along the Perfume River, offering a serene and scenic journey. Your first stop will be the iconic Thien Mu Pagoda, a historic Buddhist temple known for its elegant architecture and tranquil atmosphere.

Next, we’ll continue our exploration by driving to the Mausoleum of Emperor Ming Mang and Khai Dinh, an important historical site. Admire the grandeur of the mausoleum, which pays homage to Emperor Ming Mang and Khai Dinh, and learn about the rich history of this royal figure. After lunch, we’ll visit the imposing Imperial Citadel, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Discover the Citadel’s fascinating history and architectural beauty by exploring its various monuments, including the Flag Tower, the South Gate, the Urns of the Nine Dynasties, the Nine Sacred Cannons, and the Thai Hoa Palace. To complete your cultural experience in Hue, you’ll have free time to explore and shop in the vibrant Dong Ba Market. Overnight stay at a hotel in Hue.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast, transfer to Hue Airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Upon arrival, take a 2-hour drive northwest to the Cu Chi Tunnels, an underground network used by guerrillas during the war. Explore the tunnels, learning about their role as shelters, communication routes, and storage areas. Return to Saigon and check into your hotel. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

At 8:00 AM, your tour guide will pick you up from your hotel in central Ho Chi Minh City and drive to Ben Tre. You’ll be met at the foot of Phong Nẫm Bridge, then taken along the Chẹt Sậy River to enjoy the view of moving cargo boats and traditional coconut processing plants on the riverbank. You’ll visit the kiln, where you’ll experience the traditional way locals make bricks and see how coconut husks are used in the charcoal kiln to produce activated charcoal. You’ll also learn about the traditional coconut processing techniques, including coconut husking, coconut crushing, coconut cutting, and coconut shaving. Enjoy fresh coconut water as the boat takes you to the Cái Sơn Canal, where you’ll see locals fishing along the river. Visit the coconut candy bakery: enjoy warm baked coconut candy, and try seasonal fruit with honey tea. Visit the mat-weaving village in Nhon Thanh. Bus or bicycle will take the group through the village to a restaurant for lunch. Pedal through the coconut water canal, and a motorboat will take you to Hung Vuong pier. In time, return to Ho Chi Minh City.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Breakfast at the hotel. Begin your tour of Ho Chi Minh City. Visit the Opera House (exterior), the former Hôtel de Ville (now the headquarters of the People’s Committee, not accessible to the public), Notre Dame Cathedral (exterior, interior open from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM), the Central Post Office, and the former Presidential Palace. Explore the War Remnants Museum and Thien Hau Pagoda.

In due time, transfer to the airport for your departure flight. End of service.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch