Vietnam Fascinating 12 Days 11 nights

Upon arrival Ho Chi Minh, the tour guide and the driver will pick up at the airport and then transfer to the hotel for checking in. (Check-in time 14:00 p.m). Check-in early is not included.

Night in Ho Chi Minh.

Am: 7h30 am. Our tour guide will pick you up at your hotel. Depart from Saigon to Cu Chi tunnels (about 50km). As you know, CuChi tunnels is one of the most famous historical Vestiges of Vietnam’s national liberation War. Its network consists of over 200km of tunnels linked to each other like a Cobweb. You go inside the tunnels which have the kitchens, food and ammunition storage caches, medic-care chambers (a small clinic), meeting room, commanding chambers ..etc. You discover the tunnels by entering inside it, about 15 m, 30m, 60m and 100m long belong to your health. At the end of the tunnels, you can eat Cassava (called Khoai Mi), which was the main food for Vietcong people during the war.

Say goodbye to the Cu Chi tunnels, back to Saigon for lunch.

Pm: Notre dame Cathedral, built between 1877 and 1883 by the French, most of the materials were transferred from Marseille (France). Next to the Church, you walk to visit the Central Post Office, built 1886 and ended 1891 by Gustave Eiffel. Your next destination is Reunification Palace which was built in 1868, named Norodom Palace and inaugurated in 1873. In 1963, this palace was heavily destroyed by bombs. On 30 April 1975, the tanks of the liberation army entered Independence Palace. After the liberation, Independence Palace became the headquarters of the City’s military Administration Committee.

You can discover the activities of war during the US war by visiting. The War Museum in which is an interesting collection of American Weapons. 

Night in Ho Chi Minh.

Pickup and drop off at Ben Tre Pier in town or Chet Say Pier ( 5 km from center ). Boating on Ben Tre river – one of tributaries of Mekong river- go along mangrove trees growing up ashore of waterway. Witness lively activities of town market on land and transfering on waterway as fishing boats, coconut cargo boats. Discover handmade local workshops and country in Nhon Thanh village.

Stop at traditional brickwork to see how to make bricks by hand. Turn on Cai Son canal winding through coconut jungle, visit coconut workshop, have a look stages of coconut processing from husk off, prize out to peel out by hand. Go on small waterway and stop at coconut candy workshop, have a look them making candy by hand, try some sweet, enjoy some fruits and listen to local music as well. Go on by boat and step ashore and take a shortwalk to farmer house who making sleepmats.

Hop on tuktuk through coconut grove, deeping on coconut jungle in country. Stop for lunch at local restaurant. Relax and keep going by rowing boat on shady palm tree canal.

Back to harbor. Pick up and transfer to Can Tho. 

Night in Can Tho.

Early in the morning, the tour guide meets you at your hotel. You are transferred by boat to visit the Cai Rang floating market (about 50 minutes from your hotel) where you can see the products hung on the bole of the boat. The local people just only sell and buy the tropical fruits at a cheap price. Next, you visit a factory where people make rice noodles. Say goodbye Can Tho city.

Then, transfer to Can Tho Airport to flight to Da Nang.

Upon arrival to Da Nang, the driver and the tour guide will pick up from airport to Hoi An.

Night in Hoi An.

In the morning, explore Hoi An old town. You will be escorted to the Japanese bridge, TanKy old house, assembly hall… to contemplate their special architectural features and hear your tour guide introducing the establishment and history of each place.

Continue to the town to the home of a craftsman in the village.Here we will have a brief introduction to the history, shape, and color of the lanterns as well as the many stages of making them. We can make our own lantern and keep it as a souvenir. After 1 – 1,5-hour learning and practicing. Back to the hotel.

Free and overnight at hotel in Hoi An.

After breakfast, I reached Hue. Arrive in DaNang: we will explore the Marble Mountains– A masterpiece of nature presented to Da Nang. Challenge yourself to climb up to over 120 steps to get to the Marble of Water (Thuy Son). After that, we will go to visit the Cham Sculpture Museum. It is a collection of various sandstone sculptures of the Gods in Hinduism of the Champa Kingdom.

In this fantastic and rich history museum, our tour guide will tell you a lot of stories about the lives and culture of Cham people, their gods, and their architecture as well.

Drive to Hue, spend time in LangCo beach enroute, taking photographs from HaiVan Pass (The pass of Sea and Cloud).

Overnight in Hue.

In the morning, Boat trip to Thien Mu pagoda: you get on the dragon boat. You will cruise along the Perfume River about 30 minutes. After that, the boat will stop at another boat station. Here you can freely visit Thien Mu pagoda,which is the oldest pagoda in Hue city.

Then visit Minh Mang King’s Tomb: Considered as the most majestic of all Nguyen Dynasty royal tombs, Minh Mang Tomb is a complex of 40 constructions: palaces, temples, pavilions, etc. Many say that it’s a perfect combination of man-made and natural beauty in Hue, where architecture fits harmoniously into the surrounding landscape.

In the afternoon,  visit  Khai Dinh tomb and Imperial Citadel where Nguyen Dynasty ruled between 1802 and 1945 with numerous of attractive places to see like Flag Tower, Noon Gate, Nine Dynastic Urns, Nine Holy Cannons, Thai Hoa Palace, and Forbidden Purple City. Thai Hoa Palace.

The tour ends by shopping at Dongba Market - Dong Ba market is the biggest and most significant central market of Thua Thien Hue province and the adjacent regions. 

Transfer to Hue airport for flight to Hanoi . Pick up at Hanoi airport and transfer to the hotel. 

Overnight in Hanoi 

Morning:

8:00 AM: Pick up at your hotel and start the city tour.

Visit Trấn Quốc Pagoda, the oldest pagoda in Hanoi, located on the picturesque West Lake. This Buddhist temple is a serene spot with beautiful architecture and scenic views.

Stop at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, a monumental site dedicated to Vietnam’s national hero. You’ll admire the imposing architecture and learn about the life and legacy of Ho Chi Minh (Note: only an outside visit).

Visit the Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s first university, which was originally built to honor Confucius. This historic site is a symbol of Hanoi’s long tradition of education and culture.

Train Street Coffee

Enjoy a unique experience at Hanoi’s famous Train Street. Watch the train pass by within inches of the houses and have coffee at one of the local cafes right next to the tracks.

12:00 PM - 1:30 PM: Lunch

Enjoy a traditional Vietnamese lunch at a local restaurant, savoring the flavors of Hanoi cuisine.

Afternoon:

Visit Ngọc Sơn Temple, located on a small island in Hoàn Kiếm Lake. The temple is a symbol of peace and is dedicated to General Trần Hưng Đạo. You’ll also have time to walk around Hoàn Kiếm Lake, the heart of Hanoi.

Explore the vibrant Hanoi Old Quarter, a maze of narrow streets and alleyways with bustling markets, local crafts, and street food. Enjoy the unique charm of Hanoi's historic trading hub.

End the tour with a cup of traditional Vietnamese egg coffee at a famous local café. This creamy and sweet coffee is a must-try when visiting Hanoi.

5:30 PM: Drop off at your hotel. Night at hotel in Hanoi.

In the morning, journey through verdant farmlands on your way to boarding a traditional wooden junk boat and an overnight journey on the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Halong Bay. Visit the Surprise Cave, and maybe take a invigorating swim or hike on Titov Island. There are many optional activities that can be booked locally including a cookery class, massage, and kayaking. 

Overnight on cruise.

You may start the day with Tai Chi on the sundeck, followed by breakfast, before exploring the Dark and Bright Caves. A tasty brunch will be served as the boat winds through the limestone landscapes. Disembark and journey to Hanoi.

Check in arriving and overnight at hotel in Hanoi.

Have breakfast at the hotel.

Departing from Hanoi, it takes about 2 hours by car via National Road No 1. Upon arriving in Ninh Binh, the tour guide will take you to visit the ancient capital of Hoa Lu. You will learn about the history and the over a thousand-year-long struggle for independence by our ancestors. Visitors will tour the temples of King Dinh and King Le. Additionally, Hoa Lu is situated in a semi-mountainous area, serving as a transition zone between the mountains and the plains, and it is home to many caves and beautiful landscapes. Every year, Hoa Lu attracts a large number of tourists. Have lunch at a restaurant.

In the afternoon, the next destination is Tam Coc, also known as the "Second Best Cave of the Southern Sky." Tam Coc is a system of caves consisting of three main caves: Hang Ca, Hang Hai, and Hang Ba. Through millions of years of weathering, these unique caves have been formed. You will take a boat ride along the green Ngo Dong River with its picturesque mountains and water scenery, making you feel as if you are entering a fairyland. With its magnificent scenery and thousands of surrounding limestone mountains, Tam Coc is also known as the "Ha Long Bay on Land." This place is very popular with domestic tourists and especially with international visitors.

Then return to Hanoi.

Night in Hanoi.

Free at leisure in morning time. At the appropriate time, you'll transfer to the airport to catch your flight home. Have a nice flight and see you next time!