Hanoi - Sapa - Ninh Binh - Halong - Hoi An - Hue - Ho Chi Minh City - Cu Chi - Mekong Delta
The medium long trip, which is based on the length of the country, brings you to beautiful places in different geographical regions and gives you opportunities to be in touch with locals, experience attractive activities, and enjoy delicious food. Starting your tour from the historic capital city of Hanoi, you will trek through villages, blend yourself in the colorful kermis of the hill tribes in Sapa, kayak through rocks and islets in the magical Ha Long Bay - a UNESCO World Heritage - admire the unique architecture of Hue citadel, tombs, and the old streets of Hoi An, row a sampan through peaceful tropical orchards in Mekong Delta, and go shopping in the bustling Ho Chi Minh City.
DETAILED ITINERARY
Day 1: HANOI – ARRIVAL (D)
You are arriving in our one-thousand-year-old capital of Hanoi. Your guide will welcome you at Noi Bai International Airport and escort you to your hotel in the heart of the city. Welcome dinner. Overnight in Hanoi.
Day 2: HANOI – NIGHT TRAIN TO LAO CAI (B)
Let’s start your morning by visiting Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (viewed from outside on Mondays, Fridays and every afternoon only), his Residential Are with House on Stilt, One-Pillar Pagoda, TranQuoc Pagoda.
In the afternoon, it is your choice to visit one of the following spots including Hanoi Hilton Prison orFine Art museum or Ethnology Museum. Continue your afternoon to Temple of Literature - the firstVietnam National University, then stroll around the Ha Noi Old Quarters for sightseeing and shopping. Your today visit ends with a Water Puppet Performance – a unique art form with puppets from Northern Vietnam depicting rural life scenes, national history episodes or country legends. In the evening, transfer to the central Railway Station for a night train to Lao Cai.
Overnight aboard the train.
Day 3: LAO CAI – SAPA- SOFT TREK TO HILL TRIBE VILLAGES (B)
Arrive at Lao Cai railways station early morning and take a drive uphill to the mountainous town of Sapa where the monotony of the expansive green landscape is enlivened by the color of its hill tribes. Take a short break and breakfast at a local restaurant after a long journey on train before taking your four kilometre transfer out of Sapa to Ma Tra. This valley is close to the town but uniquely quiet with its inhabitants here are still living their own well preserved traditional way. Trek through several hamlets of the Hmong minority scattering on hill sides for two hours. Continue downhill gradually for one hour to Ta Phin village - home to Red Yao people. Car pick up and transfer you back to Sa Pa in the afternoon.
Overnight in Sapa.
Day 4: SAPA – HILL TRIBE VILLAGES – NIGHT TRAIN TO HA NOI (B)
Drive to Black Hmong’s Lao Chai Village to begin your today visit. Start another light trek through Muong Hoa Valley with beautiful scenery to Ta Van Village of Dzay ethnic people. Pick up at TaVan Village and drive back to Sapa for a short stop in town for shopping before departing to Lao Cai railways station and take the overnight train back to Hanoi. Overnight aboard the train.
Day 5: HANOI - NINH BINH- TRANG AN- TAM COC (B/L)
Arrive in Hanoi early in the morning, you will check in a mini hotel for breakfast and shower. After breakfast, you will visit the typical countryside of Northern Vietnam - Ninh Binh Province. Upon arrival in Trang An Eco Tourism complex, you’ll take row boat from long dark caves to green picturesque cannels, cruising along a stream to 5 main grottos of extraordinary stalactites (from 70 to 320 meters long). Lunch at Tam Coc Center, then take a short bike ride to Bich Dong Cave which is some 4km from Tam Coc. Overnight stay at hotel in Tam Coc/Ninh Binh.
Day 6: NINH BINH - HA LONG BAY – OVERNIGHT ON BOARD (B/L/D)
After breakfast, depart from your hotel for a three hour and a half transfer to Ha Long Bay – UNESCO World Natural Heritage – where thousands of spectacular limestone islets and grottoes rising from the clear emerald Gulf of Tonkin. Upon arrival, welcome drink on board prior to your check-in. Lunch with fresh sea food will be served while boat is cruising through many stone islets, floating villages, small beaches. Visit a floating fishing village, talk and meet with local villagers prior to your swimming or free time at your own on the sundeck. Dinner would be ready at the time the boat anchors off at a quiet designated overnight area. Overnight on board in Halong Bay.
Note: Itinerary is subject to change without prior notice according to weather conditions or local administration regulations.
Day 7: HA LONG BAY – LATE FLIGHT TO DA NANG- HOI AN (Brunch)
Tai Chi class is available on the sundeck for early risers, then your breakfast served while boat continues cruising around Ha Long Bay. She would lead you through many islets named by its shapes such as Dog, Incense Urn, Fighting Cock, Finger … and so on. Follow your boat staff to explore one of the most magnificent caves – Surprise Cave, then return to your boat to cruise towards wharf. Your vehicle is ready awaiting your disembarkation at approximately 1030 for direct transfer from Ha Long to Airport in Hanoi for a domestic flight to Da Nang. On Danang arrival, you will be met and greeted by your tour guide, and transferred to Hoi An. Overnight in Hoi An.
Day 8: HOI AN TOWN – MY SON SANCTUARY (B)
Enjoy your breakfast at Hotel before departing to My Son, built from 7 to 13 centuries, located in a lush valley at 40 km southwest of Hoi An. My Son – recognized as UNESCO World Heritage in 1999 – was a capital and religious center of Cham people, with red brick towers and sanctuaries. The vegetation has now largely been cleared away, yet the tangible sense of faded majesty still hangs over the molding ruins.
In the afternoon, take a light excursion to go around the small town of Hoi An: 400 years old Japanese Bridge, 300 years old Chinese temple, 200 years old Vietnamese former merchants' house. Overnight in Hoi An.
Day 9: HOI AN- DANANG - HUE (B)
After breakfast, leave Hoi An Town for Hue Imperial City which is about 130km.
On your way to Hue, take a break from the top of the cloudy Hai Van Pass to grab your own Vietnam central coast panoramic view, or another stop at Lang Co beach for visiting fishing village. Check in your hotel upon arrival. In the mid-afternoon, you will board a cruise upstream Perfume River for visiting Thien Mu Pagoda,and Minh Mang King’s Tomb.
Overnight in Hue.
Day 10 HUE- HO CHI MINH CITY (B, D)
In the morning, take a guided visit to the Hue Imperial Citadel with exploration of Flag Tower, Ngo Mon Gate, Nine Dynastic Urns, Nine Holy Cannons, Thai Hoa Palace, Forbidden City.
Take flight to Ho Chi City. Met by your local guide and go to the city for check-in your hotel room. In the evening, have dinner at a fine dining restaurant in the city.
Overnight in Ho Chi Minh city.
Day 11: HO CHI MINH CITY- CU CHI TUNNELS (B)
Transfer to Da Nang Airport for a flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Welcomed by your tour guide and depart for Cu Chi Tunnels where Vietnamese used to dig themselves up to 12 metres down deeper to the hard ground out of harm’s way, using only rudimentary tools in the late 1940s. The tunnel was used as a base from which they could launch strategic attacks on the French and American in Saigon which is 70 km away from their location to the northeast. Today visitors can drop to their hands, and knees and squeeze underground for an insight into life as a tunnel dwelling resistance fighter once did.
Return to the city for visiting Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, Central Old Post Office in colonial architecture. From there, you could visit Ben Thanh Market for your shopping if you wish. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 12: HO CHI MINH CITY – MY THO - BEN TRE – CAN THO (B/L)
Depart from your hotel at 08:00, it takes only 2 hours pleasant drive to Ben Tre. On arrival in Hung Vuong Pier, hop on a motorized boat on Ben Tre River – one of tributaries of Mekong river while sight-seeing lively activities along river as fishing, water transferring. Our first stop is brick kiln to see how to make bricks traditionally by printing and baking. Continue to visit one of plenty of coconut processing workshops located along canal. Return to the boat and go through naturalscissors creeks to a village and see some local houses making sleeping mats and enjoying some fruits. Take a motorized cart (tuk tuk) or bicycle on shady paths, pass by green rice fields and vegetable plains to be able to touch on real life and find out about tropical culture from peasants. Have lunch at local a riverside restaurant. After lunch, we take a rowing-boat along beautiful water palm creek before meeting up the motorized boat and transfer you back to the pier for your transfer to Can Tho. Overnight in Can Tho.
Day 13: CAN THO - HO CHI MINH CITY (B)
Cruising along the small and picturesque tributaries by a rowing boat, we will see the Cai Rangfloating market (the nicest one with heaps of rowing boats). See the beautiful scenery and daily activities of the locals. Walk around a village, visit a rice husking mill. Disembark at Ninh Kieu quay, visit an Ancient house (in Binh Thuy, 10 km from Can Tho). Return to Ho Chi Minh City via My Tho town. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 14: HO CHI MINH CITY - DEPARTURE (B)
Free time for shopping before departing to Tan Son Nhat International Airport for international flight.
QUOTATION (LAND SERVICE ONLY)
Tariffs and conditions for this private tour service:
Net prices in USD per person, based on double or twin room, Validity: 30 august 2019
Optional Flight Tickets:Accommodation: Below hotels or similar
- Hanoi – Danang: US$ 110 per person per way
- Hue – Ho Chi Minh: US$ 110 per person per way
Kindly note that: airfares are subject to change without prior notice.
Notes: Prices above are not inclusive of airfares and visa to Vietnam.
Tour price includes:
- Private door-to-door pick-up & drop-off services
- All private transfers and transportation
- Accommodation shared in Twin/Double room with daily breakfast
- Experienced English speaking guide
- Private boat trip
- Meals as stated in the itinerary (B: Breakfast ; L: Lunch ; D: Dinner)
- All sightseeing tickets
- Round trip train tickets Hanoi-Laocai-Hanoi (in a shared 4-berth cabin)
- Tissues and water on coach
- Services charges and government tax
- Exclusive and personalized single agent/single customer service
- No extra charge after confirmation
- 24/7 hotline support guaranteed
Tour price excludes:
- International flights
- International departures taxes
- Personal expenses, tips and gratuities
- Travel insurance
- Beverage
- Peak season or public holiday surcharge if any
- Compulsory gala dinner on Christmas or New Year (if any)
- Vietnam visa
- Other services not mentioned above
