DAY 1: SAIGON ARRIVAL
On arrival in Saigon, transfer to your hotel with our representatives. Then, get connected with your tour leader at a tour briefing and welcome drinks. Consequently, the remaining time will be free at your leisure to rest or explore. You also can grab a map from reception and discover your own first impressions of holiday in Vietnam.
DAY 2: SAIGON CITY TOUR AND CUCHI TUNNEL
The tour today will be a sketch of Vietnam history, plus some distinctive features of Vietnam culture.
Tt’s great to start the day with the monuments and architecture with wandering along the city’s historic Dong Khoi Street, the former Rue Catinat, the Reunification Palace. A deeper look into Vietnam war will be made by visiting War Remnant Museum.
We visit the Thien Hau temple to show you the local belief in life expectation and walk at Cho Lon for a culture approach as seeing local etiquettes at a local market, before having lunch.
In the afternoon, the amazing works at Cu Chi tunnel will tell a lot of untold stories about the Vietnam war, and the guerilla fighting techniques as well.
DAY 3: MEKONG BOAT TRIP
Heading to the wet land of Mekong Delta Basin across rice farms. After arriving, and get inspired by Vietnam’s rural life with a day among the rivers, canals, water coconut, and orchards. Among the feeling of getting lost at the maze of water ways, your travel experience also gets enriched by the forklore music. This has been acknowledged by UNESCO as immaterial world heritage. Enjoy more Mekong with local special dishes, or just a rest with a honey tea cup by a canal.
DAY 4: FLIGHT TO HOI AN, MARBLE MOUNTAIN AND HOIAN WALKING EXPERIENCE
A 60 minute flight to Danang to start a day with a different breath: the peaceful ancient town. Hoian Ancient town is the living museum with charming traditional houses, temples, the iconic Japanese Bridge. It is also great thanks to the well preserved Vietnamese lifestyle from the 16th century. More feeling of old days will also come with no-power nights (candles and lanterns instead), the night festivals, the street foods and other heavenly recipes.
Before that Hoi An town experience, the drive from Danang to Hoian will take you to Marble Mountain. Climb up some steps to caves to enjoy the Buddhism religious atmosphere of Vietnamese. Further walking can take you to the spectacular view to the China beach.
Check in hotel to have a rest. After that, take a walk into the Hoian Ancient Town and see the true values of this live museum via communal houses and private residences.
DAY 5: HOI AN RURAL DAY
This morning, take some cycling on push bikes (other vehicles can be available for whom could not cycle) to visit the beautiful villages of Hoian. The first one is the cycling to Tra Que vegetable village where herbs and vegetables are planted as an everlasting income for the local people for centuries. The cycling also take you to the rice farms, lotus ponds, buffalo rest and Vietnam countryside. After a walk thru the trails at the Tra Que vegetable farm and some talks with local farmers, we cycle to Thanh Ha pottery village. We can sit down and practice the job of the farmer here, after some visiting around.
In the afternoon, we will jump on a conical boat and see how the local can ride this special kind of boat, among the lush green beauty of coconut forest.
DAY 6: HUE ROYAL PALACE, THIEN MU PAGODA AND PERFUME RIVER
Drive North to the lovely countryside and spectacular coastal scenery on your way to Hue, the former imperial capital of Vietnam. We also stop at Hai Van pass for its spectacular view to Pacific. After lunch, we visit the Hue Royal Palace too understand further the oriental belief, ancient architecture techniques as well as the amazing stories of Vietnamese royal life.
Visit the palaces of last kings of Vietnam
A visit to Thien Mu pagoda is great to touch the heart of Buddhism land here. Enjoy the breath-taking view to the Perfume river from the pagoda before peacefully return to the city center by downstreaming along the beautiful river on a dragon boat.
DAY 7: KING’S TOMB, HANOI RICKSHAW AND PUPPETSHOW
We start early just to have time to visit Tu Duc Mausoleum and understand the journeys of the kings after they died.
The fly to Hanoi later on will bring you to another ancient city which is Vietnam capital today, and long time ago. The next special experience of the holiday in Vietnam is a cyclo tour. This ride on three wheels is to show you the proud Old Quarter of Hanoi people. After all, we attend a delightful water puppet performance, a cultural activity at a frequent flood land like here.
See what the water puppet is
DAY 8: HOCHIMINH MAUSOLEUM, TEMPLE AND PRISON
Learn all about the life and stories of ‘Uncle Ho’ at his mausoleum, enjoy the guard changing parade are the great and unique experience in Vietnam.
Further walking in the ancient Temple of Literature will be the answer how university in a Kingdom happened a thousand year ago. Make a visit to the well know ‘Hanoi Hilton’ prison and we end the day trip at KOTO restaurant where your food is cooked and served by former street children. You get your free time in the afternoon for your own exploration.
DAY 9: HALONG BAY CRUISE WITH OVERNIGHT ON BOAT
Sit back and relax as you watch farmers working their land on the drive to enchanting Halong Bay. After arrival, get on board and cruise among the thousands of limestone islands. Certainly enjoy the freshest seafood, the great beach, the lovely tea on board among the sunset. Find further your favorite activities like gathering at the roof top and drink, read your favorite book among the breeze and the fade run ray of a tropical region, swimming under the sky full of stars, or just do nothing. Are those good for a holiday in Vietnam?
DAY 10: HALONG BAY KAYAKING
Wake up in the morning in your own room, open the window and listen to the sound of the wave splashing into your boat. Then, have breakfast then start to explore further by visiting the caves and going kayaking along the streams. In the afternoon going back to Hanoi for the farewell dinner.
Kayak in Halong Bay
DAY 11: DEPARTURE
Enjoy free time until your departure transfer. Meet your tour guide again for a transferring to the airport. Then say goodbye and hope to see you again. Safely arrive home and end the best holiday in Vietnam.
YAY! Mekong Trails win travelers’ choice award 2024
