Day 1
- Hanoi Airport Pick-up
Welcome to Hanoi! Upon arrival at Hanoi Airport you will be met and transferred to your hotel. The afternoon can be spent exploring the wide, tree-lined streets of Hanoi, resplendent with French colonial architecture and the scenic Hoan Kiem Lake. Overnight in Hanoi.
Transport: Mini-Van
Day 2
- Hanoi City Tour
To start our holiday, enjoy a traditional Vietnamese breakfast, with a bowl of steaming Pho at one of Hanoi's most popular eateries. After enjoying the national dish we take a stroll around Hoan Kiem Lake, a focal point for many of the local residents who gather there each day to practice Tai Chi, play badminton and do aerobics.
We’ll then visit a local coffee shop to observe how Hanoi locals enjoy sipping Vietnamese bitter sweet coffee at Café Giang. Start the tour at the historic Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, an imposing monument lavishly built using marble and granite, and where the preserved body of “Uncle Ho” resides. (Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is closed every Monday & Friday, all afternoons and from early September until mid November). A short walk from the mausoleum is Ho Chi Minh's stilt house & the lotus shaped One Pillar Pagoda – resting on a single stone pillar emerging from the water. Wind your way afterwards to the Temple of Literature, the first University for the sons of mandarins, for an overview about Hanoian culture and appreciation for ancient Vietnamese architecture.
Then cap off the day with a show at the water puppet theatre - a uniquely northern Vietnamese art form depicting scenes of rural life and episodes of national history. Back to your hotel. The remainder of today is at your leisure. Overnight in Hanoi.
Meal: L, B
Transport: Mini-Van
Day 3
- Crusing on Halong Bay
Early this morning journey north to Halong Bay (approx 4 hour drive), stopping for refreshments en route. UNESCO Listed Halong Bay is undoubtedly one of Vietnam's most spectacular regions. Thousands of karst limestone and jungle covered peaks and isles, rise dramatically out of the emerald waters of the bay.
Spend the day cruising around the islands onboard a traditional Junk boat. Stopping to explore caves and coves and to swim in the emerald waters. You can also take a row boat to visit the floating fishing village of Vung Vieng - where you'll gain a fascinating insight into the daily life of the local people. Enjoy a scrumptious buffet lunch and set dinner whilst onboard. Overnight in Halong Bay Junk.
Meal: L, B, D
Transport: Mini-Van, Boat, Cruises/ Junk, Kayak
Day 4
- Halong Bay to Danang
Enjoy the fresh air and the gentle breeze of the bay this morning as you relax onboard the Junk. There will be more opportunities to swim and explore hidden caves before returning to port. Our next stop is Dong Ho Village, famous for its long-preserved art of making pictures. We’ll visit a studio in village, where you can watch the procedure of carving and printing these paintings and learn about the local folk tales represented in the paintings.
Heading to the Hanoi Airport for our flight to Danang in central Vietnam. Upon arrival, we are met and transferred to our hotel. Overnight in Danang.
Meal: L, B
Transport: Mini-Van, Flight
Day 5
- Ancient Hoi An
Recently declared a World Heritage site, Hoi An and its delicate beauty is being restored and preserved. Known as Faifo to early Western traders, it was one of South-East Asia's major international ports during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Today, parts of it look exactly as they did more than a century ago; it's the sort of place that grows on you the more you explore it by yourself.
Meal: B
Transport: Mini-Van
Day 6
- Tra Que Organic herbs - Cooking Class
The local tour guide will meet and the hotel and instruct us to visit Hoi An’s colorful market, and experience the amazing sights, sounds and aromas of this busy market. We will have the opportunity to interact with the local sellers and purchase some of the ingredients to be used in the cooking lesson later. Arrive at the local farm in Tra Que Village by car or bike. Take a trip around the vegetable garden and join the farmers in preparing the land and fertilizing it with seaweed. Continue gardening activities such as raking, sowing, watering greens, picking greens etc. After farming activities that you will be shown how to prepare Tam Huu, a local delicacy before sitting down for a home cooked meal including banh xeo a specialty savoury pancake wrapped in rice paper. The cooking lesson runs for about 1 hours – each dish is first demonstrated by our “chef” before we prepare the same dish ourselves. Back to Hoian ancient town.
Meal: L, B
Transport: Mini-Van
Day 7
- Sizzling Saigon
Fly to Saigon today and transfer to your hotel. Saigon is known as Vietnam's most lively, modern and cosmopolitan city. This afternoon, enjoying an orientation tour of the city, visiting Notre Dame (from the outside as renovations are taking place), an impressive neo-Romanesque Cathedral, the Central Post Office Building, Dong Khoi Street, formerly the center of haute couture and China Town. Overnight in Saigon.
Meal: B
Transport: Flight, Mini Van
Day 8
- Cu Chi Tunnels
Leaving the southern hub city for Cu chi tunnel located 70 km from Ho Chi Minh City in the Northwest. It also is the special architecture lying deeply underground with many stratums, nooks and crannies as complex as a cobweb, having spares for living, meeting and fighting with total lengths over 200 km. Thanks to systems of tunnel ways, fortifications, combat trenches, soldiers and people of Cu Chi fought very bravely creating glorious feat of arms. You will even have a chance to crawl through the tunnels. Journey back to Sai Gon in the later afternoon.
Meal: B
Transport: Mini-Van
Day 9
- The Mekong Delta Full Day
Enjoy a 2hour drive to explore the beautiful Mekong Delta today! Early this morning drive to My Tho to travel overland through the beautiful countryside of the Mekong Delta where we take a traditional sampan boat ride to explore the peaceful waterways. During the boat trip, visit a local cottage industries, coconut husking factory, orchards, …Walking along the village roads. In the afternoon, we travel back to Saigon. Overnight in Saigon.
Meal: L, B
Transport: Mini-Van, Bicycle, Rowing Boat, Local Boat
Day 10
- Saigon Departure
Today is departure date. You may enjoy your own leisure or simply amble along downtown and shops before a transfer to the airport for the flight onwards.
Meal: B
Transport: Mini-Van
