This tour offers a thorough exploration throughout Vietnam. You will enjoy variously beautiful sceneries, lively daily life and traditions. After this tour, you have become an expert of Vietnam!

 

 

Day 1: HANOI

Arrival in Hanoi, meet your guide and transfer for hotel check in (official check-in time: 14:00).

Time at leisure. Overnight in Hanoi

 

Day 2: HANOI TOUR (B)

Full day for exploring the fascinating city of Hanoi where old and new things blend together, Vietnamese, Chinese and French cultures mix together.

Enjoy a pleasant walk around the peaceful Ho Chi Minh area, visit HCM Mausoleum (close on Monday and Fridays, Oct - Nov), HCM’s stilt house and garden, the One Pillar pagoda. Take another pleasant walk at the beautiful Temple of Literature, visit the Ethnology museum, the Hanoi Hilton Prison Museum.

Afternoon enjoy a fantastic rickshaw ride through the bustle and hustle of Hanoi Old Quarter. Finally take a fascinating walk through the famous 36 busy streets of the Old Quarter and shopping

Overnight in Hanoi

 

Day 3: HANOI – MAI CHAU (B-L-D)

8:00 Depart from Hanoi to Mai Chau – an idyllic valley home to many hill tribes including the Dzao, Muong and Thai. Arrive in Mai Chau around noon, check in your room and enjoy lunch.

In the afternoon,  explore Mai Chau beautiful ethnic villages including Na Thia, Nhot, Pom Coong, Lac and Chieng Chau villages. Be welcomed by the friendly local people, talk with them and discover their traditional culture. Total walking time is around 2.5 – 3 hours on flat village paths. Take it all in: the spectacular scenery of Mai Chau and the relaxed rhythm of local life.

Back to Mai Chau Eco-lodge for dinner. Enjoy a traditional dance show and taste Ruou Can, a local rice wine. Overnight at Mai Chau Ecolodge.

 

 

Day 4: MAI CHAU – SON LA – DIEN BIEN PHU (B)

Morning transfer to Son La. Stop in Son La to visit Thuan Chau colorful market.

Arrival in Dien Bien, check in a hotel and relax

Overnight in Dien Bien

 

Day 5: DIEN BIEN PHU – LAI CHAU (B)

Morning visit the famous historic sites in Dien Bien Phu: the Dien Bien cemetery and the museum, the Headquarter of General Giap, the bunker headquarters of French Commander Colonel Christian de Castries and the Memorial dedicated to French soldiers.

Transfer to Lai Chau. On the way, make stops to visit hill tribe villages of H’Mong, Thai, etc.

Arrival in Lai Chau, check in a hotel and overnight.

Overnight in Lai Chau.

 

Day 6: LAI CHAU – SAPA (B)

Morning check out the hotel and transfer to Sapa. Visit Tam Duong market (on Thursday). Visit Binh Lu market. Visit hill tribe villages on the way.

Today route is one of the most scenic routes in Vietnam, passing by beautiful rice terraces, Hoang lien Son Mountain Range, Tram Ton pass (the longest pass in Vietnam – 54km), Silver Waterfall, etc.

Arrival in Sapa, check in a hotel and relax

 

 

Day 7: SAPA – LAO CHAI – TAVAN VILLAGE (B)

9:00 Transfer to a point where you will start the 4 km light trekking to Lao Chai village of Black H’mong People on easy path, mostly down hill, altitude is between 1,400m – 1,600m. There will be many photo stops on the way.

Depending on guests’ conditions, they can walk to Y Linh Ho village as well.

13:00 Transfer back to Sapa by car. Time at leisure

Overnight in Sapa.  

 

Day 8: SAPA – MA TRA – BAC HA (B)

9:00am: After breakfast, have another trekking tour to Suoi Ho village (walk or go by car from Sapa to Suoi Ho, depending on the guests’ condition) and walk to Ma Tra village inhabited by the H’Mong people.

Then transfer to Bac Ha, enjoy walking around Bac Ha, visit Ban Pho village and Na Hoi village of Flower H’Mong people

Overnight in Bac Ha

 

Day 9: BAC HA – HA GIANG (B)

Morning enjoy colorful market of Bac Ha on every Sunday.

Then transfer to Ha Giang

Arrive in Hagiang, hotel check in and free time on your own.

Overnight in Ha Giang

 

 

DAY 10: HA GIANG – DONG VAN – LUNG CU (B)

After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to Dong Van District which is recognised as a World Geographic Park by Unesco, passing Sky gate in Quang Ba. Continue to Dong Van, enjoy breath-taking scenery. Visit the Palace of Vuong Chi Sinh.

Afternoon transfer to visit Lung Cu – the Northern tip of Vietnam. Arrive in Lung Cu, walk to the Flag tower on the top of Lung Cu mountain, view the valley from the top.

Check in a hotel. Walk to Dong Van ancient town.

Overnight in Dong Van

 

Day 11: DONG VAN – MEO VAC – BA BE (B-D)

After breakfast, transfer to Meo Vac. This drive offers one of the most spectacular views of the journey along the Nho Que River and Ma Pileng point.

Continue to Ba Be lake, known for its national park and its eponymous lake.

Check in the home stay of Tay People in Pac Ngoi village. Dinner at the home stay (included).

Overnight in Ba be.

 

DAY 12: BA BE LAKE (B-L-D)

9:00 After breakfast at the home stay, then start discovering the subtle and imposing beauty of the area just on the local boat. We glide along the lakes, river and through the pretty cave to Dau Dang powerful waterfall, the whole journey offers great natural scenery. After lunch at a food stall nearby the waterfall, we boat back into the tranquil Ba Be lakes for its majesty. Relax at the home stay. Dinner then sleep the second night at the house on stilts.

 

 

DAY 13: BA BE LAKE – LANG SON (B)

Full day drive Lang Son

Arrive in Lang Son, hotel check in and free time on your own.

Overnight in Lang Son

 

Day 14: LANG SON – HALONG  (B/L/D)

8:00 Transfer to Halong Bay.

12:00 Arrival in Halong, check in a shared deluxe junk and enjoy the cruise with gorgeous scenery, delicious meals, visiting a cave, cooking class aboard, etc.

Overnight on the cruise

 

Day 15: HALONG – NINH BINH (B/BR)

Early morning, doing Tai chi on the boat. Enjoy breakfast, continue the cruise around the beautiful bay.

9:00 check out the rooms and pay the bills.

10:30 have brunch on the boat

11:30 Disembark the boat and transfer to Ninh Binh

Arrival in Ninh Binh, enjoy a nice boat ride to visit Thien Ha caves and Bich Dong pagoda.

Check in a hotel and overnight in Ninh Binh   

 

 

Day 16: NINH BINH – DONG HOI (B)

Morning visit the Hoa Lu temples dated back to the 11^th century to worship King Dinh and King Le.

Transfer to Dong Hoi

Check in a hotel and overnight in Dong Hoi

 

Day 17: DONG HOI – PHONG NHA – HUE (B)

8:00 Check out and transfer to Phong Nha – Ke Bang national park, a world heritage site

9:30 Visit Thien Duong cave – The Paradise Cave, one of the most beautiful caves in Vietnam. Take a cable car to the park. Start walking up a high slope of about 600m. Enter the magnificent cave of about 1,000 m long.

Afternoon transfer to Hue

Overnight in Hue

 

Day 18: HUE TOUR (B)

8:00 enjoy Hue’s typical features: peaceful, traditional and beautiful.

Take a lovely boat trip on the Perfume River to the beautiful Thien Mu pagoda, visit King Tu Duc Tomb. Afternoon, visit the Imperial Citadel where the last monarchy of the Nguyen Dynasty was seated. You will have great chance to learn about the Vietnamese history and traditional architecture as well as enjoy the meditative atmosphere of this place. And you should not miss the interesting Dong Ba market.

Overnight in Hue

 

 

Day 19: HUE - HOIAN (B)

9:00 Check out the hotel and transfer to Hoian by car, via the Hai Van pass, Danang city.

Arrival in Hoian, enjoy a city walk around the ancient town. Visit the History Museum, the Fujian temple, the Tan Ky ancient house, the Japanese Pagoda bridge.

Transfer to hotel check in. Time at leisure

Overnight in Hoian

 

Day 20: HOIAN– COUNTRYSIDE TOUR  (B/L)

8:00 Start a very interesting day with a nice bike ride from the hotel to Co Co river. Get on a boat and enjoy cruising through a fishing area. You can join in the fishing activities with local fishermen.

Then get on small bamboo baskets to row into a palm plantation and have fun with catching crabs.

Arrival at a fisherman’s home to enjoy some tea, sweet and talking to the hosts.

11:00 Continue to bike to Tra Que village where you will be welcome with a nice fresh drink. Take a walk around the vegetable village famous for herbs. The villages still use century-old traditional techniques to plant vegetables and herbs manually.

Then change into farmer’s clothes and pick up farmer’s tools to join farmers working in the fields.

Our farmer describes the traditional farming methods while we help fertilize the garden using seaweed from the local river, and then water it using huge tin cans strapped to our back. Then we pick vegetables and herbs, and learning how to wrap them to prevent damage.

Many of the local herbs are used by the farmers for traditional village medicines. You will have a chance to enjoy the herbal foot massage with a real farmer concept.

It's now time to try making the village specialties named “Tam Huu” spring rolls - using the local herbs and vegetables we have just picked or Xeo Cake (Banh Xeo). We then sit down and enjoy a lovely local meal.

Bike back to the hotel and rest.

Overnight in Hoi An.

 

Day 21: HOIAN – MY SON (B)

8:00 After breakfast, transfer to My Son Holy Land to admire the ruins dated back to the 2nd century, which is another World Cultural Heritage site. Transfer back to Hoian.

Afternoon time at leisure

Overnight in Hoian.

 

 

Day 22: HOIAN – KONTUM – PLEIKU (B)

After breakfast, transfer to Kontum, visit the wooden church and orphanage.

Continue transfer to Pleiku.

Check in a hotel and overnight in Pleiku

 

Day 23: PLEIKU – BAN ME THUOT (B)

After breakfast, transfer to visit 2 villages of Jarai Pleiphun, Pleikep in Yamnong where guests witness the community Rong house, the grave’s cultural statues.

Arrival in Ban Me Thuot, check in a hotel and rest.

 

Day 24:  BAN ME THUOT – HCMC (B)

Morning transfer to visit Draysap waterfall and Dray Nu waterfall, 2 of the most beautiful waterfalls on the Central Highlands.

Then transfer to visit Ban Don Village, home to a number of ethnic groups including: Mnong,  Ede

visit house of Amakong, old suspend bridge of bamboo on Serepok river, the house of the first King Hunter of elephant and his tomb.

Travel back to Buon Me Thuot

Visit Akodhong village (the local guide will help to arrange a personal visit inside the house of the chief), local market and tea break at Trung Nguyen coffee village (on your account).

Transfer to the airport to take an evening flight to HCMC

VN1417  BMV  SGN  22:00  22:50

Upon arrival in HCMC, meet guide and transfer to check in a hotel.

Overnight in HCMC

 

 

Day 25: HCMC – CU CHI TUNNELS (B)

8:00 Meet our guide and transfer to Cu Chi and visit Cu Chi Tunnels where human knowledge has been enriched by experiencing a web-like tunnel system of more than 200km in length which provide shelters for Vietnamese guerrillas during the Vietnam War against American troops.

Back to HCMC, city tour in the biggest city of Vietnam with visits to the Binh Tay market and Thien Hau temple in China town, the War museum, The Hundred Years Red Cathedral (Notre Dame Cathedral), The Old Post Office and The People’s Committee Hall which were all built during the French colonial period.

17:00 Enjoy the unique water puppet show

Overnight in HCMC

 

Day 26: HCMC – CAI BE – CAN THO (B/L)

08:00 transfer to Cai Be located on the Upper Branch of the Mighty Mekong River.

10:30 Arrival in Cai Be, get on a boat and visit the Cai Be floating market and many workshops of making rice paper, salt, soya sauce, coconut candies, popcorn, pop rice, etc.

Get back on the boat and have lunch served with local food on the boat (included).

Continue to Vinh Long by boat along rivers, fruit gardens etc.

Enjoy a nice sampan row through Luc Cu canal.

Enjoy a walk for 15 minutes along fruit gardens and villages to visit Ut Trinh garden. Enjoy fruits and local traditional music.

Continue the boat tour to Vinh Long town, visit a local market

Then transfer to Can Tho by road.

Arrival in Can Tho. Check in a hotel and relax

 

Day 27:  CAN THO – TRA SU – CHAU DOC (B)

7:00am After breakfast, check out and transfer to visit Cai Rang floating market. Then visit a rice noodle factory, a rice husk factory, Thanh Binh market.

Transfer to Chau Doc via Long xuyen.

Continue to visit Tra Su, enjoy the tours by motor boat, rowing boat, on foot. See the birds (many birds can be spotted late in the afternoon, before dark)

Transfer to Chau Doc, check in a hotel and relax

Overnight in Chau Doc 

 

 

Day 28:  CHAU DOC – SA DEC – HCMC (B)

After breakfast, check out and transfer to take a boat tour on Vinh Te canal to Chau Doc city. Visit a floating house where local people raise fish under the house boat.

Transfer to Sa Dec city. Visit the old house of Huynh Thuy Le which is mentioned in the famous novel "the Lover" by Marguerite Duras.

Visit Sa Dec market. Then transfer back to HCMC.

Overnight in HCMC

 

Day 29: HCMC – DEPARTURE (B)

After breakfast, time at leisure until transfer to the airport for your departure flight.

 

 

Inclusions:

• Hotel accommodation with breakfast (based on double/ twin sharing )
• Meals indicated in the program (B= Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=dinner)
• All ground transport on tour with A/C cars, boats, bike, trishaw
• 1 domestic flight: BMV – SGN
• Entrance fees for sightseeing and show
• Local English guides
• Daily cold bottles of water and towels

 

Exclusions:

• International flight tickets to and from Vietnam
• Personal travel Insurance
• Vietnam visa
• Personal expenses such as: other meals, drinks, laundry, tips, etc.
• All other accounts not mentioned in the above inclusions.