Vietnam Tour 18 Days 17 Nights ( VN18 )

Welcome to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, your guide and driver will be waiting for you at the arrival lounge, holding up a sign with your name on it and taking you straight to your hotel in the city centre.

Afternoon free to relax and get acquainted with your new surroundings. After a brief introduction to your tour with your guide, you will have dinner at the Restaurant, enjoying local cuisine.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City

Morning: You wake up early to visit Ho Chi Minh City in the early morning by cyclo (rickshaw) and private car with a guide who will take you away from the traffic jams during rush hour.

Get on a cyclo (three-wheeled bicycle) and start the tour to Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office (designed by Gustave Eiffel).

Visit the local Tao Dan Park. Get off the cyclo and enjoy a cup of coffee while admiring the natural scenery in the park, where ornithologists gather with their precious birds.

Visit the memorial site dedicated to Buddhist monk Thich Quang Duc. Then the tour guide will take you to eat pho at a famous restaurant (Pho Viet Nam).

The car takes you along Nguyen Dinh Chieu street to visit a traditional market, you visit the stalls and the daily life of the local people here.

Visit the secret weapons bunker used to hide the arsenal of the Saigon Commandos. Among them are about 2 tons of weapons, prepared for the Tet Offensive (January 1968).

End the morning with a walk around Ho Thi Ky Flower Market, you will feel lost among hundreds of flowers and before the natural beauty. Then, the car will take you back to the hotel, rest or freely visit.

Evening: Saigon becomes more vibrant! You can rent a car to explore the splendid Saigon at night.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City

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Morning: After breakfast, check out, your tour guide and car will pick you up from the hotel and take you to Cai Be town.

Upon arrival, you will board the Bassac, a sophisticated wooden boat with the style and elegance of the traditional rice barges typical of the Mekong Delta.

Depart for Cho Lach on the Tien Giang River, cruise on the river, enjoy lunch on board. Relax on the sundeck.

Afternoon: Cruise, the boat will glide into Cho Lach canal, between markets and churches, giving you a unique experience.

Then, get off the boat and walk around the villages to learn about the daily life of the people here such as how they grow rice, fruits and vegetables. Visit the local handicraft industries operating along the riverbank, bringing life to the people living along the river.

You will board the boat again, you will be given a free drink to welcome you back to the boat. Relax on deck and watch the sunset. In the evening, enjoy dinner on the boat along the Mang Thit River. Finally, the boat anchors just downstream of Tra On for the night.

Overnight on Bassac Boat

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Morning: Wake up early to watch the sunrise. Then have breakfast on board.

• Bassac continues to Can Tho, passing Tra On.
• Upon arrival in Can Tho, you will transfer to a small boat and then depart for Cai Rang floating market, a floating market with hundreds of boats loaded with local fruits and vegetables for sale.
• Visit a rice vermicelli factory, where you will see the production process of vermicelli until the product is ready.

Finally, Bassac arrives at Ninh Kieu wharf, where the driver will be waiting to take you back to Ho Chi Minh City. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant on the way.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City

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Morning: After breakfast, your car and tour guide will pick you up and take you to Cu Chi, famous for its network of underground tunnels and historical relics.

• Upon arrival, you will watch original documentary footage and a boat tour of this historical relic, if you are traveling in a large group, visit the secret tunnels with accommodation, storage rooms, temporary hospitals and kitchens… .
• Try some of the main dishes used during the resistance against the Viet Cong with cassava served with sour tea.
• Leaving Cu Chi, you will go to Cao Dai Temple in Tay Ninh Province, explore the sacred temple and learn more about the Cao Dai religion, inspired by Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam and Taoism. Afterwards, you will attend a noon mass, admire the monks in colorful costumes and listen to enchanting hymns.

Afternoon: After enjoying lunch at a local restaurant, you will travel to Ho Chi Minh International Airport to catch a flight to Da Nang in Central Vietnam.

Upon arrival at Da Nang Airport, you will be met by your guide and transferred to your hotel in Hoi An, a UNESCO heritage town. Hoi An has two beaches just 5 km (3 miles) away with many beautiful beach resorts.

Overnight in Hoi An

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Morning: Get up early to enjoy the scenery and breakfast at the hotel.

Afternoon: The tour guide will pick you up and take you to Hoi An Ancient Town, you will walk to visit places such as: Ong Pagoda, Tan Ky Ancient House, Phuc Kien Assembly Hall and Japanese Bridge.

• Visit the Precious Heritage Museum, where the Precious Heritage Collection of Réhahn is permanently displayed.
• Visit the Reaching Out Tea House, a small oasis of peace and tranquility in the middle of the bustling Old Town, you will be treated to delicious cakes and wonderful oriental tea.
• Continue to the house of a lantern artisan, you can observe the lantern maker’s techniques before practicing each stage of making a lantern under the guidance of the craftsmen: From bending the lantern into the frame, cutting the fabric, gluing, to finishing the lantern. Before the end of the trip, you will have a lantern made by your own hands.
• Explore Hoi An street food. With your guide, enjoy a meal with the locals at the stalls, at 4pm every day, the streets of Hoi An are filled with countless street food carts, stalls and vendors. The street food tour is a great opportunity to taste some of Hoi An’s local specialties, introduce you to the faces behind the broth and show you how the locals handle those spice trays!

Overnight in Hoi An

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You will join a fishing and farming tour in the countryside around Hoi An.

(Note: if you do not know how to ride a bicycle, please use our “XE OM” scooter service with a small additional fee)

• You will cycle around Hoi An through the rice fields and see the countryside scenery, experience the life of the countryside people with herds of buffalo leisurely grazing, and record the beautiful scenes.
• Your first stop is Tra Que Vegetable Village, where you will participate in farming activities, you will learn traditional methods of plowing, planting and watering vegetables. Surely, you will have the opportunity to practice some fun activities.
• From Tra Que Village, you row along the palm-lined roads through the rice fields, admire the scenery, you can ride a water buffalo in the rice fields and enjoy the freshest air of the countryside beauty.
• Then board a wooden boat and head to the river mouth, where it merges into Cua Dai Beach for a fishing experience, you will learn how to row a bamboo basket boat and row along the waterways, the local fishermen will teach you some traditional net fishing techniques that will definitely be fun to try.
• Enjoy a Vietnamese lunch on the boat, with delicious dishes delicately decorated from palm leaves.

Return to the hotel where you can relax.

Overnight in Hoi An

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Spend a day relaxing in this UNESCO heritage town, which is known for its food, beautiful architecture and shopping. Hoi An is the perfect place to stroll around, shop at the many tailor shops and dine at the town’s fine restaurants. In this town, you can have a suit/tuxedo tailored within 24 hours at a reasonable price. You can also join a cooking class to learn about Vietnamese culinary arts, visit the local market, choose ingredients and prepare, cook Hoi An specialties. It’s fun.

Overnight in Hoi An

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Morning: After breakfast, your guide will pick you up and take you (approximately 4 hours) to Hue Imperial City via Da Nang, passing Hai Van Pass. Along the way, you will stop to visit the Marble Mountains, the Cham Museum in Da Nang and the sunny white sand My Khe beach.

• Arrive in Hue around noon and check into your hotel in the city center.

Afternoon: Your guide and car will pick you up and take you to the pier for a romantic dragon boat ride on the Perfume River. During the boat trip, you will stop to visit the iconic Thien Mu Pagoda – a famous religious site in Hue. Explore the pagoda’s landscaped gardens, the seven-story octagonal tower and watch monks chanting sutras.

• Visit Dong Ba Market located along the north bank of the Perfume River. Here, you will have the opportunity to discover a Noddle shop that was a favorite of Anthony Bourdain – the world-famous chef and television producer. Taste the best Bun Bo Hue “Bun Hue Soup”.

Return to hotel in late afternoon. Free time to sightsee

Overnight in Hue

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Morning: After breakfast, you will explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hue, where your car and tour guide will take you to visit Hue’s famous landmarks such as:

The ancient and atmospheric walled Citadel including the former Royal Palace and the Forbidden City.

• The Hue Museum of Royal Antiquities houses a stunning collection of royal antiques.
• The impressive tomb of Emperor Tu Duc
• Vietnam’s only ancient Roman arena; where elephant and tiger fights took place.
• Visit the local Buddhist temple where you will be served a vegetarian lunch by nuns. Learn about Buddhism or just get to know your friendly hosts.

Afternoon: Visit Truc Chi Garden, a bamboo paper handicraft workshop. You will have the opportunity to meet the students there and get a hands-on experience to learn how to use bamboo pulp carving techniques to create works of art.

• Then the car takes you to Hue train station to board the overnight Reunification Express to Hanoi. You will spend the night on the train in a four-berth soft sleeper cabin with air conditioning, beautiful and comfortable!

Overnight on the air-conditioned train

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Morning: Upon arrival in Hanoi, your car and tour guide will pick you up at the train station and take you to your hotel in the city centre for early check-in. Enjoy breakfast and relax as you wish after the long train journey.

Afternoon: Your car and tour guide will take you on a city tour, visiting the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the Presidential Palace, the historic Stilt House and the One Pillar Pagoda…

• From the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, you will take a leisurely walk through the small alleys towards Huu Tiep Lake. Explore the grounds of a 400-year-old temple, then stroll through the traditional local market streets to see the B52 crash site at the lake. This US bomber was shot down during the bombing of Hanoi in 1972, a poignant reminder of Vietnam’s recent history.
• Your car will take you to the outskirts of Hanoi to visit the Museum of Ethnology, which showcases the 54 officially recognised ethnic groups in Vietnam.
• Return to the City Center and continue to visit the Temple of Literature on the site of Vietnam’s first university.
• The tour ends at Hoa Lo (also known as the Hanoi Hilton), a prison used by the French colonialists in Vietnam to detain political prisoners, and later by North Vietnam for American prisoners of war during the Vietnam War.
• In the evening, your guide will take you to the Opera House to watch the spectacular Vietnamese Bamboo Circus show called My Village. This is a delicate combination of tradition and innovation, where the poetic beauty of Vietnamese village life with folk games and the lifestyle of the villagers is recreated through the traditional bamboo medium of our ancestors, in spectacular circus performances.

Overnight in Hanoi

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You visit Hanoi gives you a look at the capital with the daily life of Da Thanh people, explore different neighborhoods of Hanoi, go to local markets, you can enjoy great street food an experience by motorbike with friendly drivers will give you the most unforgettable feeling.

Note: If you do not like motorbikes, there is an alternative option for your family to ride an open-air wartime Jeep.

In the morning, After enjoying breakfast, the tour guide and car will pick you up at the hotel at the appointed time, the tour guide will introduce the next journey.

The first stop is the black market, where you will go through small winding alleys. Meet and interact with friendly locals. Stop at a food court at the back of the market and try some delicious street food.

Visit a local house where you are introduced to an old lady in her apartment to hear her life story.

Arrive at the railway tracks. Here, your guide has timed it so that you can see a Reunification Express train passing by! This is a great moment to capture the most beautiful views.

Back in the City, you will visit the French Quarter. You will pass by French-style villas, the Vietnam History Museum, the heritage Metropole Legend Hotel and the Opera House, etc.

Arrive in Hanoi’s Old Quarter (as opposed to the French Quarter) to explore the maze of small alleys and narrow streets. You will stop at various AUTHENTIC eateries and food stalls to enjoy the best of Hanoi including traditional dishes and local delicacies and specialties.

Continuing the journey, you will go to the historic Long Bien Bridge, a magnificent structure built by the French over a hundred years ago across the Red River.

From the bridge, you will go to Bai Giua, also known as Banana Island, a 24ha strip of land in the middle of the Red River covered with lush green banana, papaya and guava trees, interspersed with white reed flowers. This is a world away from the hustle and bustle of the vibrant city you have left behind.

After meeting the locals and having a personal experience, you will return to the City. The last stop will be a hidden Coffee Shop to enjoy a delicious cup of egg coffee.

Around noon, your guide will take you back to the hotel, where you will end the tour.

Afternoon: You are free to rest, relax and enjoy the comfort of the hotel or stroll through the hidden alleys of the Old Quarter.

Overnight in Hanoi

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The whole day will be free for you to explore more and enjoy everything that Hanoi has to offer.

• In the evening, your guide and driver will take you to Hanoi Railway Station on Tran Quy Cap Street, where you will board the overnight train to Lao Cai. You will spend the night on the train. The train departs at around 21:00 and arrives in Lao Cai City at 06:00 the next morning, where you will travel 1 hour to Sapa.

Overnight on the air-conditioned train

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Morning: Arrive at Lao Cai station, the car and tour guide will pick you up and take you to the hotel in Sapa. Check in early for comfort and arrange breakfast.

• After breakfast and rest, the car and tour guide will take you to Hau Thao village, home to the Black H’Mong ethnic minority. Here, you will start a moderate hiking trip of 2.5 – 3 hours. Along the way, you will see farms, orchards and rice fields carved into the mountains, enjoy breathtaking views and endless photo opportunities.

Afternoon: After a picnic lunch (prepared by the tour guide), you continue your trek to Sa Seng Village. Hidden in the beautiful Muong Hoa Valley, Sa Seng is home to the H’Mong people, you visit and experience the life of the people here.

• Walking along the length of the valley, you will pass through two other villages. Continue walking until you reach the top of the hill. From the high altitude, you can see the whole Muong Hoa Valley. Take a break here before heading to the main road, where the car is waiting for you and will take you back to your hotel in Sapa town.

You are free to explore and have a meal at one of the many great restaurants.

Overnight in Sapa

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Morning: After breakfast, you will meet your tour guide again and start your day with a 3km hike through the breathtaking scenery to Suoi Ho village.

• Continue hiking to Matra village. You will pass by the ancient church built in the early 20th century. Take a few minutes to explore this fascinating sight and take some photos if you like.
• Trek to Ta Phin village, home to the Red Dao ethnic minority, with their beautiful traditional embroidered costumes and the custom of shaving their hair and eyebrows as a sign of respect. Home to the Black H’Mong minority, experience the H’Mong culture.
• Stop at a Red Dao family and have a cup of tea, chat with them to learn about the way of life of the people here. Enjoy lunch at the homestay, cooked by the locals.

Afternoon: After lunch, you have time to walk around the village, take photos and shop. The Red Dao are famous for their expertise in herbal medicine as well as using plants from the land to treat many diseases. If you are a little sore after the day’s activities, try a traditional Red Dao herbal bath.

• Leaving Ta Phin, the car will pick you up and take you back to Sapa town. Take a rest before catching the five-hour limousine back to Hanoi.

Evening: Arrive at your hotel in Hanoi around 21:00. Pack your bags for the overnight trip to Lan Ha Bay tomorrow.

Overnight in Hanoi

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Morning: After breakfast, your car and guide will pick you up from your hotel and take you to the port city of Hai Phong, where you board a stylish Junk Boat, where you will spend the evening.

• Arriving around noon, you board your boat, each of which begins its journey around Lan Ha Bay, whose limestone outcrops are as beautiful as Ha Long Bay but more isolated and pristine.
• After checking in, you will be served a delicious lunch, enjoying delicious Vietnamese cuisine.
• Relax on the deck or private balcony and soak up the captivating atmosphere emanating from the surreal seascape.

Afternoon: Continuing the journey, you experience a Junk Cruise winding past the islands of Con Vit and Gia Luan, their limestone formations rising dramatically from the bay.

• In the late afternoon, you experience a bike ride to Cat Ba Island, visiting along the small paved roads towards Viet Hai village. Set in a valley within Cat Ba National Park and surrounded by forests and mountains, you will meet local residents, learn about the fruits and vegetables grown in the valley and sample some homemade wine.
• Return to the Junk boat to watch a cooking demonstration by the chef. Learn about local ingredients and how to prepare classic Vietnamese dishes.

Evening: As the sun sets, you will arrive at a quiet anchorage for the night. Here you can soak up the day’s adventures with a cocktail under the stars.

• After dinner, you can relax at the bar with a glass of wine, watch a movie in the cinema or have some fun squid fishing before retiring to your room.

Note: If time permits, we highly recommend staying an extra night on board to have more time to relax and take in the stunning scenery. You will be taken deeper into the Bay, where it is more beautiful and less crowded.

Overnight on board in Lan Ha Bay

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Morning: Wake up early and join a Tai Chi session on the deck to relax. Enjoy coffee, tea and pastries for breakfast to start the day.

• It’s time for the Junk to weigh anchor and head towards Frog Lake, a beautiful afternoon spot. Try a refreshing “swim in the bay” or explore the charming seascape by kayak. The cliffs stretch out for a captivating view.
• Return to the Junk to check out. Then, enjoy a full breakfast buffet as you sail back to the pier.

Afternoon: Alight at Got Wharf in Hai Phong City, your private driver is waiting for you and will take you back to Hanoi.

• After checking in at your hotel, you are free to explore, visit Hoan Kiem Lake & Ngoc Son Temple, a short walk from your hotel. This place is beautifully lit at night.

Overnight in Hanoi

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Check out of the hotel, transfer to Hanoi International Airport, you can take a flight home or continue your adventure, we will help you plan.

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