Itinerary
Get ready to visit the creme dela creme of Vietnam a country with a distinct culture and diverse natural beauty. Across the 15 days we will amongst other things visit the floating market in the south, bow our heads in reverence at the unique and world famous Cao Dai temple and get into battle mode while exploring the Cu Chi tunnels just outside Ho Chin Minh city. In central Vietnam get mesmerised by the ancient town of Hoian with its ancient Chinese temples and pagodas and in the north cruise down the emerald waters of Halong Bay. A visual, cultural and historical delight this trip has something for everyone.
Day 1: Arrival Ho Chi Minh (Dinner)
Arrival at Tan Son Nhat airport, the tour guide will meet and transfer us to hotel then you are free time to relax. In the evening, we have dinner on the cruise on Saigon River. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City
Day 2: Ho Chi Minh – Cao Dai Temple – Cu Chi Tunnels (Breakfast/Lunch)
08:30: We pick up at lobby of hotel then start our full day tour to Cao Dai Temple & Cu Chi tunnel.
We drive to the region near the Cambodian border first. This is home to the unique Cao Dai sect whose patron saints include Joan of Arc, Victor Hugo and Winston Churchill to name but a few. This religion is an odd mix of Buddhist, Taoist, Confucianism and Christianity. Join Cao Dai worshippers for their daily noontide ceremony where hundreds of worshipers attired in lively red, yellow blue and white, chant religious hymns. We join the ceremonies at 12:00, a biggest one in a day.
13:00: having lunch.
14:00: We will continue to the Cu Chi tunnels, otherwise known as the “Iron Triangle” or “Iron Land”. At Cu Chi tunnel, we see a short introductory video showing how they were constructed, followed by an exploration of the maze of tunnels, some of which have been widened to allow tourist access. Also on display are various mantraps and the remains of an American tank as well as numerous bomb craters made by 500lb bombs dropped by B52 bombers. After that we transfer back to Ho Chi Minh City. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh
Note:
– Photo is permitted during the ceremony
– Trousers, skirts is required to cover the knees
– Shoes are asked to remove before entering
– Keep quiet during the ceremony
Day 3: Ho Chi Minh – Caibe – Vinh Long (Breakfast/Lunch)
Best departure time from Saigon: at 07:00AM to get the full view of Cai Be floating market.
Leaving busy Ho Chi Minh City we drive to Cai Be, boat through the busy floating market for seeing how people of lower Mekong Delta do business on the water. We then cruise through the lush green vegetation of the canals to an orchard, where we are treated to a delicious lunch complete with tropical fruits. After lunch we keep on cruising along river to see peaceful tranquil life of villagers, admire marvelous natural setting of Mekong Delta region. About 03:00PM, the boat will arrive at Vinh Long Market, walking around to explore Vinh Long Market. Then we come back to Ho Chi Minh City. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City
Day 4: Ho Chi Minh – Danang – Hoian Old Quarter (Breakfast/Lunch)
Flight to Danang at 0955/1110 by Vietnam Airlines
Today we will take the flight to Danang, the tour guide will pick us up and transfer us to Hoian. In the afternoon, with the tour guide picks up, we will start walking tour around the ancient town to visit the Japanese Covered Bridge, the Pottery Museum, Tan Ky old house, the Cantonese congregation, the silk street of Hoi An, the temples and pagodas of Chinese appearance. Overnight in Hoian
Day 5: Hoian Free Time (Breakfast)
Today free at leisure on beach.Overnight in Hoian
Day 6: Hoian Free Time (Breakfast)
Today free at leisure on beach.Overnight in Hoian
Day 7: Hoian – Hue City Tour (Breakfast/Lunch)
Our tour starts at 08:00 in the morning at the lobby of the hotel. We will be met and transferred to Hue. On the way, we will stop to visit Hai Van Pass, China South Beach and Marble Mountain. After 3 hour driving, we arrive in Hue and stop at the Wharf where we will cruise along the Perfume River to visit Thien Mu Pagoda (The Heavenly Lady pagoda) and surroundings. And boating to Tu Duc King’s tomb, which is one of the most beautiful works of Royal Architecture of the Nguyen Dynasty. The tomb lies in a boundless pine forest. Finally we visit Dong Ba market and back to hotel. Overnight in Hue
Day 8: Hue – Hanoi (Breakfast)
Flight to Hanoi at 1535/1645 by Vietnam Airlines
We have breakfast at hotel then go to visit Hue Citadel and Tomb of Khai Dinh King. Today we will take the flight to Hanoi. Arrival at Noi Bai airport, the tour guide will meet and transfer us to hotel, check in hotel and relax. Overnight in Hanoi
Day 9: Hanoi City Tour (Breakfast/Lunch)
We start our one day city tour from the lobby of the hotel at 8:30am with our tour guide & driver pick -up. We will drive to Ho Chi Minh Complex, where we will spend a couple of hour to visit: Ho Chi Minh’s museum, his Former Stilt-house Residence, the Presidential Palace and One Pillar Pagoda. Keep going to see the Temple of Literature: Originally built as a temple to Confucius, this is the site of Vietnam’s first university dating back to 1070. The temple highlights the importance that Vietnamese society placed then and now on education. Lunch will be at a fine local restaurant in Hanoi.
In the afternoon, we will visit one of the most interesting museums in Vietnam, Museum of Ethnology, which is widely acknowledged as the best in the country and has an extensive display dedicated to Vietnam’s 54 Ethnic minority people. Following by that we will wander around the city by car to see the real life of Hanoi as well as the difference parts the city.
After that we get back to city center where we take one-hour cyclo around the Old Quarter, known as the 36 streets, this bustling area of narrow streets is home to literally thousands of small businesses and shopkeepers. Before we come back hotel, we will have chance to enjoy the unique Water Puppet show to hear to know Vietnamese traditional instruments and singing from the live musicians who play throughout the show. Overnight in Hanoi
Notes:
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum opening time: Open from Tuesday to Thursday and weekends from 8am to 11pm. Closed on Mondays and Fridays. The mausoleum is closed for two months of the year, usually October and November, when Ho Chi Minh’s body is maintenance. Ethnology Museum is closed on Mondays.
Day 10: Hanoi – Moon Garden Homestay (Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner)
Today we will leave Hanoi at 8am to Moon Garden Homestay.
10:00 Arrive at Moon Garden Home stay in Ky Son village. Welcome drink with local fresh green tea. Free time for discovering Moon garden Home stay and Ky Son village by yourself (local market, kindergarten)
11:00 Cooking Class
12:30 Lunch
13:30 Hand Spa– Enjoy having your fingers dipped in a fragrant lime bowl and the traditional herbal hand massage
Then, free time for relaxing or further conversation with the host family about local snacks, sharing cultures, and learning about traditional customs. If you want to learn Vietnamese, one of the family members can teach you.
15:00 Take a bicycle ride to discover the Ky Son, Tam Son, Van Minh, and Cham farming communities and stop at any home you like for a cup of tea. Visit the kindergarten (if open). Chat with local people about their daily life and farming. You can help with plowing or making rice beds, transplanting seedlings, harvesting rice (or cassava, corn, sweet potatoes…) depending on the harvest season, collecting tea and all medicinal herbs needed for your steam bath later in the afternoon and the foot “spa” in the late evening.
17:30 Return to the Moon Garden for happy hour. While waiting for your steam bath to be prepared, you can enjoy our local drink and taste some of the local products such as maize, sweet potato, cassava, peanuts…(depending on season) or some traditional desserts.
18:30 Traditional, refreshing steam bath with fragrant herbs (Lemon grass, pomelo leaves, holy basil leaves).
19:00 Observe the evening Buddha worship.
19:30 Dinner then enjoy your foot bath in warm water with ginger, salt and mugwort medicinal herbs before bedtime, which brings you a deeper sleep. Stay overnight in Moon Garden Village
Day 11: Moon Garden Homestay – Hanoi (Breakfast/Lunch)
7:00 Joining Yijinjing traditional exercises
7:30 Breakfast
8:30 Bike ride along the ritual paths of Thang thac village with local guide to discover the Ngo Quyen tomb, Phung Hung temple, Duong Lam ancient village, and Mia pagoda. Then return to the house.
12:30 Lunch
13:30 Free time: You can make yourself at home relaxing on the hammock in our garden, taking pictures with Vietnamese traditional cloths and chatting with people or further discovery of the Ky Son village and around until your departure time for Hanoi. Overnight in Hanoi
Day 12: Hanoi – Halong Bay (Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner)
08:00: The tour guide will pick us up at hotel, expect to depart in a fine day from Hanoi, with our convenient coach, tourists will be tremble with excitement while enjoying sightseeing through the coach window on the way to the picturesque Halong bay. Tourists will have a half-way stop for relaxing.
12:15: Arrive at Tuan Chau Marina pier, Tuan Chau island, Halong city, Tourists will be surprised at the charming beauty of Ha Long Bay- the complex of eco-diversity with shinning blue water and ready to discover the marvelous journey perfectly when put the fisrt step on our luxury Gray Line Halong cruise boat.
12:30: Boarding to the Gray Line Halong cruise junk. Welcome drink. Briefing and check in cabins for tourists.
13:00: Enjoy lunch set on cruise. Junk will run heading to Vung Vieng Floating Fishing village.
14:30: Arrive to the Vung Vieng fishing village and visit this village by local rowing boats. Tourists will have 2 options to discover this village: by joining rowing bamboo boat or kayaking. Tourists will pass through floating houses of 65 families, a floating school & floating information centre.
15:45: Come back to the cruise and continue cruising to Drum cave.
16:45 – 17:30: Enjoy swimming around the cruise. Tourists now can relax on the sundeck for sunbathing with fantastic views and can’t miss to take some sunset snapshots. Enjoy our personal charged-service such as: nail, massage…
18:30: Cooking demonstration will be on the sundeck. Let’s see how to make the fresh fried spring rolls and mix fish-sauce. Tourists are unable to forget these delicious dishes, which is unique in Ha Long or how to make a flower from carrot by our skillful chefs.
19:30: Under the magnificent night sky, in magic atmosphere in Ha long Bay, tourists will ẹnjoy luxury buffet dinner served with a variety of BBQ seafood at nice stars terrace. Dinner is served with a variety of Vietnamese cuisine on sundeck.
– Above 15 pax: BBQ seafood dinner on sundeck,
– Less than 15 pax: Set menu dinner on sundeck.
– Drinks are served by sundeck bar – Stars bar.
21:00: Take part in a huge number of evening activities include: film entertainment in the dining room. Board and card games are available or join the squid fishing on boat with our crew. Karaoke singing on Star bar – sundeck, with variety languages: English, Spanish, Russian, French….Or simply, you can enjoy the Halong bay at night, which is now like a floating city, with twinkle of light from hundred Cruises, so great.
22:00: Overnight anchorage near Drum cave area. Now it’s time for tourists to relax comfortably and have a deeply sleep on our king beds with beautiful dreams as in a fair-tale story. End of the program of Day 1
Day 13: Halong Bay – Hanoi (Breakfast/Brunch)
06:30: Greeting dawn on the Bay. Tourists can join the Tai Chi class, if the weather condition allows or upon guest’s request.
07:30: Have breakfast include Coffee, tea and Bakeries on board.
08:30: Visit Amazing cave discovered by the French in 1901 and opened to tourists since 1936 and symbol for geology value of Halong. This cave with colorful lights attracts millions of tourists every year.
09:30: Keep all the precious moments in mind, Tourist will check out of cabin and relax on the sundeck or in the dining room enjoying the bay scenery as we approach the pier.
10:00: Farewell Buffet brunch and hope to serve tourist soon again. Tourists will be hard to forget this memorable moment.
11:30- 11:45: Disembarkation at Tuan Chau Marina, Tourists return to Hanoi.
16.00: Arrive in Hanoi. Overnight in Hanoi
Day 14: Hanoi Free Time (Breakfast)
Today we are free time to relax or go shopping.Overnight in Hanoi
Day 15: Hanoi Departure (Breakfast)
We are free time to relax before the tour guide will transfer us to airport for departure flight. End of services!
