8 days Hanoi - Halong - Ho Chi Minh - Cu Chi - Mekong Delta

Welcome to Hanoi – Vietnam!

Upon arrival, the local driver will be welcoming you at Noi Bai airport; it takes us 35 minutes driving to the centre of Hanoi then check-in at hotel. Free at leisure rest of day. Overnight in Hanoi.

Please note: Standard check in time is 14:00. Early check in is subject to availability of the hotel

Night activities suggestion: enjoy local beer at Ta Hien Streets, experience the ambience of sleepless street with life music, the young people of Hanoi and also foreign tourists. Hundred of bars and pubs in the Old Quarter are also at your disposal or just simple spend your time at shopping malls or various boutique Shops.

Have breakfast at hotel and check out. 

From Hanoi, at 8AM, head East for more than 3,5 hours by shuttle bus to Halong Bay, the pride of the Gulf of Tonkin, a Natural World Heritage as designated by UNESCO in 1994. The road will pass by the Red River delta with green paddy fields and rural villages, where hard-work farmers are busy with their farming jobs, ploughing buffaloes or planting seedling. Upon arrival in Halong, we’ll take a big boat to cruise the Bay to discover the magnificent beauty of this “Descending-dragon” bay, created by thousands odd-shaped limestone rocks and karst grottoes. After a lunch of fresh seafood on board, we can visit the Surprising Grotto, stop for swimming or kayaking, passing floating villages and approach islets to enjoy their beauty in close distance. Back to the boat for dinner late afternoon. Evening attend activities on the boat or relax at your own leisure. Overnight on the boat near Titov Beach. 

Please note the program may be little varied upon the cruise you choose. Depending on the cruise, kayak will be included or not.

After breakfast, visit by boat to Luon Cave, a ring-shaped pool inside an island in Halong with absolutely tranquil landscape and emerald water. Back to the Wharf of Halong passing the most densely area with many islands that have been named like the Cock-Fighting Rock, Sail Island, Incense burner rock or Sea Dog Rock. Early lunch/brunch will be served on board. Arrive at Halong Wharf around 11.00. Return to Hanoi around 4PM and drop off at your hotel for check in. Free at your own leisure. Overnight in Hanoi.

Have breakfast at hotel. A 90km drive south of Hanoi will lead you to Ninh Binh, the site of the one capital city of ancient Vietnam before Hanoi took its leading role in 11th century. The area is featured by lots of well-known sceneries, which include Tam Coc Caves and Hoa Lu ancient capital with the old temples dedicated to King Dinh & King Le reigned in 10th century. The visit in Ninh Binh starts by a boat trip in Tam Coc where spectacular limestone karsts jut out from the green paddy fields reminding about Guilin (China) and Halong Bay of Vietnam, which gives this scenery the name “Halong-bay-on-land”. Further discovery in Ninh Binh will be continued in the site that used to be the kings’ palace in 10th century and now famous for the wooden relieves of the shady Dinh and Le temples. Lunch at local restaurant. Late afternoon back to Hanoi. Overnight in Hanoi. 

8.00 - 8.15: We pick you up from your hotel, start visiting first place named Tran Quoc Pagoda, a Buddhist relic and national heritage lying on the West Lake. 

9.00: Visit the Ho Chi Minh Complex, which includes Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum – the final resting place of the beloved national hero, Uncle Ho – and President Ho Chi Minh’s stilt house where he lived off and on from 1958 to 1969. 

9.30: You’ll visit the One Pillar Pagoda, which is actually a group of structures that collectively make up a pagoda built over the water in the middle of a square lake.

10.00: 

Departure on MON, FRI

Depart for Bat Trang ceramic village which is about 20 km away from Ha Noi, this is a pottery village with a half- millenary historic development (applied on MON, FRI)

Departure on TUE, WED, THU, SAT, SUNDAY

You’ll stop in at the MUSEUM OF ETHNOLOGY. This superb museum showcases the depth of Vietnamese cultural diversity with an astounding collection of 15,000 artifacts gathered from throughout Vietnam. Maps, displays, and dioramas are labeled in Vietnamese, French, and English. Displays portray a typical village market, the making of conical hats, and a Tay shamanic ceremony; videos show the real thing. You can also check out a traditional Black Thai house reconstructed in the museum. There's also a center for research and conservation where scientists from all over the world study traditional Vietnamese cultures (applied on TUE, WED, THU, SAT, SUNDAY).

12.30: You have lunch at a restaurant in the Old Quarter

13.30: Visit the Temple of literature, considering the first university of Viet Nam. The temple was first constructed in 1070 under King Ly Nhan Tong and dedicated to Confucius, sages, and scholars.

Afterward, you’ll visit Hoan Kiem Lake, the heart and soul of Hanoi, visit Ngoc Son Temple dedicated to Van Xuong Saint and Tran Hung Dao General Commander for his struggle against Mongolians.

15.30- 16.00: Come back to your hotel. 

Then the local driver picks up and transfers to the airport for the flight to HO CHI MINH CITY. 

Upon arrival, welcome at the airport then transfer to hotel for checking-in. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City. 

(start 8.00 – return 19.00 )

AM: HCM City

We start the trip by visiting Notre Dame Cathedral, the historic Central Post Office, followed by exploring the Reunification Palace, and the remarkable site of the War Remnants Museum.

PM: Cu Chi Tunnels

Located 60km from HCMC, Cu Chi is now a popular spot for both Vietnamese & foreign tourists - the network of over 200km of tunnels became legendary when they played a vital role in the War. In their heyday, the tunnels were functioning underground cities including numerous trap doors, specially constructed living areas, storage facilities, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers & kitchens.

Today, ducks and water buffalos happily co-exist in the rivers along the side of the road. However, the peaceful rural rice paddy scenery belies the area’s violent history. Visitors will find it hard to imagine the destruction, damage & defoliation over this whole area, caused by bombing and mines. There is plenty of evidence of the fierce battle that took place here during the 1960s when Cu Chi was a "Free Target Zone". 

Start our tour in the morning, before entering the tunnels visitors can watch a short introductory video showing how the tunnels were constructed. You will spend the next hour exploring the tunnels. Afterwards, enjoy tea, cassava (guerrilla’s food during the war). Return to HCMC. 

Free at leisure rest of day. Overnight in HCMC. 

Have breakfast at the hotel. Picked up at the hotel and join SIC tour to My Tho the homeland of coconut and family factories with local products like coconut candy, rice paper,… Upon arrival, embark on the boat cruising on the mighty Mekong River viewing the life to the local people live along the banks. We stop at one of 4 islands in the area for sightseeing. Enjoy the fresh tropical fruits served in the heart of the garden accompanied by traditional southern Vietnamese folk music at the plantation. After that, you will embark on the small boats rowed the local people through the small cannels with water coconut trees to visit the local factories. There you will taste the honey tea and see the local people produce the coconut candy milk and of course you also can try it or stroll in the garden where the locals feed honeybee. After that enjoy the horse-cart trip through the tranquil road of the village. We continue getting on the big boat to visit the vast area. Enjoy your light lunch at a local restaurant nearby Mekong River. Afternoon, drive back to Saigon with a stop to visit Vinh Trang pagoda, a famous pagoda in the area that its architecture is a mix of Chinese, Cambodian, and French culture. Drop off at your hotel and overnight in HCMC. 

Breakfast at hotel and check out. You are free until transfer to airport for departure flight. 

Please note: Standard check out time is 12:00. Late check out is not included.