Vietnam Highlights - 11 Days

Your Vietnam adventure begins with your arrival in Hanoi. Your private driver will meet you at the airport, holding a signboard with your name. He will escort you to your accommodation right in the heart of the city, with the fascinating Old Quarter at your fingertips. You can easily explore the city at your own pace or relax at the hotel after the flight. Overnight in Hanoi.

8:00 - 8:30 AM: Our tour guide and bus will pick you up from your hotel and start to discover Hanoi City. 8:45 AM: Visit the Ho Chi Minh Complex, the final resting place of Vietnam's great leader, Uncle Ho. You'll have a chance to see his embalmed body, then walk around the garden to see the two houses where he lived and worked from 1954 to 1969. Then visit the One Pillar Pagoda, which worships the Goddess of Mercy - it's one of the most unique pagodas in the world. 10:15 AM: Visit the Vietnam Ethnology Museum to learn about the culture of Vietnam's 54 ethnic groups. 12:30 - 12:45 PM: Have lunch at our restaurant, with vegetarian options available. 1:30 PM: Visit Tran Quoc Pagoda located on West Lake. It's the oldest pagoda in Hanoi, built in the 6th century. 2:30 PM: Continue to the Temple of Literature, Vietnam's first university, founded in 1070. 3:30 PM: Visit Hoa Lo Prison, also known as the "Hanoi Hilton", a former French prison that is now a war museum. 4:30 PM: Return to the hotel. Overnight in Hanoi. Note: Please dress modestly by covering your shoulders and knees when visiting the Mausoleum, temples, and pagodas. The Mausoleum is closed on Mondays and Fridays, and for maintenance from June 15 to August 15. If the Ethnology Museum is closed on Mondays, we'll visit the Vietnamese Women's Museum instead.

7:30 - 8:30 AM: Our tour guide will pick you up from your hotel and take you to Ninh Binh province, about 120 km from Hanoi. 9:30 AM: Have a short 20-minute break to relax. 10:30 AM: The first destination is Hoa Lu ancient capital, the first capital of Vietnam. Visit the temples of King Dinh and King Le, the first and second emperors of ancient Vietnam, built in the 17th century. Feel the ancient atmosphere in Hoa Lu. 11:45 AM: Have a buffet lunch with local foods like goat meat and fried rice. Vegetarian options are always available. 1:00 PM: Take a 1.5-hour bamboo boat trip in Tam Coc. Be amazed by the charming beauty of the paddy fields, river, water, clouds, sky and stunning cave system - a masterpiece Vietnamese people call "Halong Bay on land". 2:30 PM: Continue the tour with a 45-minute bicycle ride around the village to discover local life. 3:30 - 4:00 PM: Return to the shuttle bus to Hanoi. 6:30 PM: End your memorable Hoa Lu - Tam Coc day trip. Get dropped off at your hotel in Hanoi. Overnight in Hanoi.

Check out of your hotel in the morning and get picked up by the cruise. Take a scenic route across the Red River Delta with emerald green rice paddies stretching as far as the eye can see. Upon arrival in Halong, enjoy a cruise on the bay to explore the limestone rocks and karst grottoes. After your bay exploration, enjoy a delicious seafood lunch. Then visit a famous limestone cave in Halong Bay, where you can spend time kayaking or swimming to get closer to the floating villages and shops. In the evening, return to the boat for an early dinner, followed by leisure time. You can attend activities on the boat or relax. Overnight on the cruise.

Enjoy a hearty breakfast. The boat will make its way back to the port, stopping at a limestone cave full of stalagmites and stalactites. Later, you'll be transferred back to Hanoi for a short rest before heading to the airport for your flight to Da Nang. Upon arrival, you'll be transferred to your hotel in Hoi An. Overnight in Hoi An.

Our English-speaking guide will meet you at the hotel around 8:00 AM and take you on a cycling trip through the countryside and rivers around Hoi An. Enjoy the beautiful views and friendly greetings from local people along the way. Next, explore the Eco-Village of Cam Thanh, associated with the heroic history of the anti-French and anti-American wars, by taking a paddle boat trip in a unique Vietnamese bamboo basket boat along the waterways of a coconut palm paradise. Meet and engage with local fishermen, try your hand at traditional net fishing and catching "Purple Crabs" in the canal, and get some handmade gifts from nipa palm leaves. After the boat trip, enjoy a delicious lunch at our restaurant and cycle back to your hotel. Overnight in Hoi An.

Enjoy a free day to explore Hoi An at your own pace. The best way is to rent a bicycle at the hotel and cycle around the town towards the riverside or the beach. Relax with a fresh fruit drink at one of the small cafes after a swim in the warm, calm sea. You can also visit a tailor shop to have new clothes, bags or shoes made overnight. In the evening, walk around the Old Town area when the shops light their lanterns - it's a charming, fairy-tale-like atmosphere. Don't miss the colorful street performances. Overnight in Hoi An.

Relish the remaining moments in Hoi An before your private driver escorts you to the airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Upon arrival at Tan Son Nhat Airport, your driver will pick you up and transfer you to your accommodation in Ho Chi Minh. The rest of the time is free at leisure. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh.

8:00 AM - 2:30 PM: Cu Chi Tunnels is a legendary underground system of over 220 km of tunnels, a must-see for those interested in the history of the Vietnam War. The tunnels are now a historical structure of Vietnam and were crucial in the resistance to US forces. The tunnels are located approximately 60km from Ho Chi Minh City. Enjoy the scenery along the way, passing lush rice fields and water buffaloes swimming in the rivers. It's hard to imagine the area was once almost completely destroyed by bombs and mines. Once we arrive, walk through some of the tunnels, discover hidden corners and imagine life for the resistance soldiers. You can try cooking with the smokeless stoves used by soldiers, and even sample the foods they lived on. For the brave, you can try shooting an AK-47, one of the guns used during the war. Head back to the city in the afternoon; the tour finishes at 2:30 PM. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh.

Leaving Ho Chi Minh City, depart for My Tho, a town on the left side of the Mekong River. Upon arrival, visit Vinh Trang Pagoda, dating back to the late 19th century. Then board a sampan and cruise down the river around the four beautiful islands - Dragon, Unicorn, Phoenix, and Tortoise. Stop at Unicorn Island, walk around the country lanes and see the orchards. Enjoy tropical fruits and folk song music performed by the local people. Visit a fruit plantation. Take a hand-rowed sampan through Thoi Son canal and immerse yourself in the beauty of the countryside. Visit family workshops and a honey-bee farm, and taste some honey tea and coconut candies. Have lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, cycle around Tan Thach village and meet the local villagers to experience daily life in the Mekong Delta. For those who don't want to cycle, relax in a hammock and enjoy the cool breeze. Return to Ho Chi Minh City. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh.

Relish a healthy breakfast on your final day. Complete the hotel check-out formalities, then you can visit local markets to buy souvenirs. Later, your private driver will transfer you to the airport for your flight home. Trip ends.