Day 1 – Arrival in Hanoi VN
Arrive in Hanoi, welcome by your driver and transfer to hotel. The rest of the day is at your leisure to recover from your long flight. Overnight in Hanoi.
Hanoi is the second largest city of Vietnam and is referred as the cradle of culture. The capital of Vietnam is a city of lakes, shaded boulevards and public parks. The Old Quarter is a maze of narrow streets evolved from an archaic craftsmen village where workshops were organized by trades or guilds. Hanoi still retains the charms of the past mixed up with the buzzing urban lifestyle. However, you will be surprised not only because of it’s art and history but also deeply impressed by the everyday life, which often takes place on the street.
Day 2 – Hanoi - Halong Bay
Following breakfast leave Hanoi for a 3hr30mins drive to Halong Bay including a 20-minutes stop on the way. Arrive at your jetty in Halong City towards noon and proceed with check-in formalities. After your welcome onboard, a lunch will be served while cruising towards the bay itself. In the afternoon, enjoy some visits and/or activities (depending on each boat’s itinerary) or just spend some time relaxing on board. Towards the end of the day the boat sets anchor for the night among the karst formations. Dinner is served on board. Overnight on Halong Bay.
Listed by UNESCO as a World’s Heritage Site, Ha Long Bay is a natural wonder with exceptional beauty of submerged limestone mountains and karst pillars. A bay cruise in Halong offers an opportunity to see magnificent scenery and splendid caverns. The magnificent Halong Bay will surely leave a deep impression on you.Cruise on traditional wooden junks past the hundreds of islands would be unforgettable memories.
Day 3 – Halong Bay - Hanoi
Enjoy your fresh morning in the middle of the bay, the sun rises on Halong in the morning and breakfast is served (brunch on some boats) while the vessels cruises slowly through the magnificent rock formations and back towards port. Disembark and transfer back to Hanoi.
Day 4 – Hanoi – Mai Chau
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 explore Mai Chau in your own style.
You perhaps choose to cycle or trek to 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.
Mai Chau is a district in Hoa Binh province located 135km southwest of Hanoi. It comprises a small town surrounded by quaint villages, home to White Thai, H’mong, Muong and Tay ethnic people. The key appeal of Mai Chau lies in its idyllic landscape of a verdant valley wrapped by mountains and clouds. Towering peaks, lush rice fields, purely fresh air and emerald forest, Mai Chau makes an ideal place to get closer to the nature.
Although most tribal people in Mai Chau no longer wear traditional costumes in daily life, they still keep their ancient culture alive. The way they build their stilt houses, the way they cultivate rice on paddies flooded by streams and water wheels, and the way they raise fish in small ponds near their homes, all remain unchanged. With picturesque scenery and endearing culture, Mai Chau makes a fantastic destination to escape the city bustle, and to live a relaxed and happy life amongst a splendid natural setting.
Day 5: Relax at Mai Chau Ecolodge
After breakfast, spend full morning to relax with the comfort of your room or unwind at our swimming pool & massage centre. You can also choose to explore the surroundings on your own.
Day 6 – Mai Chau - Hanoi – Hue
Enjoy the morning time in Mai Chau until transfer to the airport for your departure flight to Hue in Central Vietnam. On arrival, meet your driver and then transfer to your hotel for check-in and have the afternoon time at your leisure.
Famously being one of Vietnam’s seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the Imperial City of Hue has long been a must-see attraction for tourists visiting a hidden charm of Vietnam. The city is famous for the magnificent tombs of the Nguyen emperors and the ruins of the Citadel. The Imperial City of Hue, a masterpiece of architecture was actually a walled fortress and palace belonged to the ancient city of Hue which was a capital city of the Nguyen Dynasty for 140 years date back from 1805 until 1945. This peaceful town on the Perfume River offers beside palace and mausoleums a beautiful landscape for strolling around and hiking.
Day 7 – Hue - Danang - Hoi An
After breakfast at your hotel, journey from Hue over the scenic Hai Van Pass to Danang. Briefly pass My Khe Beach, a famous spot for American soldiers during the Vietnam-American War. Continue south to Hoi An, and then enjoy yourself with a walking tour of the old town.
The beautiful city remained relatively untouched by the Vietnam War. Hoi An is known worldwide for its colorful lanterns, narrow streets and low wooden buildings with peculiar tiled roofs, dating from the first half of the 19th century. Many buildings have already been recognized as historically significant. The old town was from the 17th to the early 19th century, one of the most important port cities of Southeast Asia.
Day 8-9 – Free days in Hoi An
You may also want to join a Boat Trip to Cu Lao Cham where you will experience a variety of activities like swimming at Bai Chong and snorkeling at Bai Xep. You can also relax at the white sands of Cua Dai and enjoy other recreational sea sports. If you wish to try your hand at fishing, you can learn how to catch crabs using traditional techniques and even taste your fresh catch of seafood for the with our Hoi An Fishing with Lunch package! Learn how to cook authentic Vietnamese food by joining a short cooking class for delicious recipes that you can take back with you when you embark on a Bike and Cook at Tra Que Villagepackage.
Day 10 – Hoi An - Ho Chi Minh City
Be met at the hotel in the morning and driven to the airport in Danang for your flight south to Hoi Chi Minh City (Saigon). On your arrival, you will be picked up by your driver and enjoy a city tour by yourself.
Ho Chi Minh City has grown to be Vietnam's largest metropolitan and the commercial capital. It’s a city of extraordinary energy with busy streets with countless street vendors, cyclos, food stalls, shops and markets. Hotel de Ville, General Post Office and Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica, these landmark buildings are perhaps the most ornate of all colonial structures in the city.
Day 11 – Hochiminh – Cai Be – Tra On
In the morning, depart for Cai Be. Arrival in Cai Be
-12h00pm boarding, up for cruise to continue to Can Tho via Cho Lach and Tra On.
-Up to river tide, disembark and make a pleasant walking or biking on the footpaths of the countryside to discover tropical fruit orchards and the local people's activities, especially some orchards with its famer in Quoi An – Mang Thit – Vinh Long.
-Lunch on board.
-Cruise to continue to Tra On. Enjoy the magnificent sunset on the river. Leisurely cruise up the Mekong River while enjoying the beautiful scenery and the aperitifs, sunset cruise.
-A wonderful day with picturesque ferry crossings over Mekong River branches.
-Dinner and night on board in Tra On.
The Mekong Delta is one of the great natural wonders of Vietnam, covering more than 15,000 square miles of South West Vietnam where the river meets the East Sea. And it’s not just the geography that’s attractive. The Mekong is a way of life and the river is surrounded by fertile soil that supplies a huge proportion of Vietnam’s agricultural production. The Mekong Delta is known as the southern rice bowl of the country. Life in the delta rotates around the waterways and the best way to see that is to visit one of the many colorful floating markets. It’s a great adventure going on a boat tour of the Mekong river.
Day 12 – Tra On – Can Tho – Vinh Long – Sa Dec
-The noise of the floating market wake you up early in the morning. After breakfast, the cruise to continue to Can Tho. Enjoy the magnificent sunrise on the river. Leisurely cruise up the BASSAC river while enjoying the beautiful scenery.
-Arrive Can Tho, a small boat will take you explore the Cai Rang market one of the most bustling floating markets in Mekong Delta with hundreds of small boats barging and jostling for space as owners attempt to sell their goods. And through the palm-shaded creek to see local houses and green orchards.
-Lunch on board.
-Embark on a pleasant walk on the footpaths of the countryside to discover tropical fruit orchards and the local people's activities. Visit a cottage industry, a local farm and sample seasonal fruits in Xuan Hiep – Vinh Long.
-Boarding back, complimentary drink as a welcome back on board. Open bar and rest on the deck enjoying the sunset. The crew will serve dinner while cruising Co Chien river.
-Dinner and night on board in Sa Dec.
Day 13 – Sa Dec – Hochiminh City
-Breakfast on board while seeing activities on Mekong River in Sa Dec in the sunrise.
-Visit the lively Sa Dec food market and primary school headed by Magueritte Duras, Huynh Thuy Le Old House, Kien An Cung, Cao Dai Temple.
-Walks along the village path and get yourself acquaintance with rural activities as farmers farm their fields & orchards.
-10h00am: disembark then get back the car for Hochiminh City.
Day 14 - Ho Chi Minh City - Departure
Free until transfer to the airport for your flight back home.