Vietnam Impressions

Arriving at Tan Son Nhat International airport, be welcomed by your tour guide and driver, then transferred to your hotel for check in.

economic centre, with nearly eight million people. The most prominent French legacy can be seen today in the colonial buildings of the downtown area, District 1. Our tour includes the former Presidential Palace, the Notre Dame Cathedral and the historic City Post Office, former US embassy which is now US consulate.
In the afternoon you will go to the underground tunnel complex at Cu Chi. At its height during the war, this place housed an extraordinary network of over 200km of underground tunnels from which guerrillas infiltrated Ho Chi Minh City to carry out attacks or to spy on the American bases that ringed around the city. It was equipped with bunkers, trenches, kitchens, dining rooms, water wells, hospitals and many other facilities necessary for the guerrillas’ survival underground for weeks on end. You will walk the ground, have a closer look at the tunnel system and even crawl through parts of the complex. Return to hotel in the afternoon. Remainder of the day is at leisure.

Mekong delta is a vast maze of rivers, islands and swamps, home to floating markets, Khmer pagodas, and villages surrounded by rice paddies. You will travel southwest today for almost two hours to reach Cai Be town and board a private motor boat to explore the fertile delta. The boat tour will expose you to the daily life along the river, watching the floating houseboats on the river bank, houses built by the rivers. Then you will stop at an orchard and sample different types of local fruit. The walking tour though the lush green island give you up-close look at different small family –run businesses such as coconut candy and crispy rice popcorn, handicraft workshops.. . Next, visit Binh Hoa Phuoc island, the “green pearl” of Vinh Long town, where you can immerse yourself in nature and enjoy a lunch of freshest ingredient grown locally, served in a tropical garden setting while listening to traditional southern Vietnamese folk music. Take a nice walk through the bonsai garden at the end of the tour, then bus to Can Tho city.

The watery world of Mekong with numerous rivers and crisscrossing canals has created an ideal environment for transportation by boats among local people. As a result, floating markets at rivers’ intersections are commonly found here. And a tour to visit the Cai Rang floating market early in the morning is a must. You can find all kinds of local produce in the market. Big vessels are often wholesalers, run by a family. The boats function both as shops and shelters as well. In the meantime, smaller boats are retailers. All of them anchored in the middle of rivers’ intersection so that local buyers can see and get access to them from any directions. Every boat hangs one of each available items for sales on a tall bamboo poll as advertisement for their shop. People still keep the habit of getting up early to go to market so they can go to work later so most markets start at day’ break and finishes around 8am. Cruise around the market, watch the local people trading, take pictures, enjoy the colorful sight and sound before return to hotel for breakfast. Then, check out the hotel and visit an ancient house in a village by car before returning to Ho Chi Minh City.

Free at leisure until departure for your flight to Da Nang. Your guide and driver will welcome you to Da Nang city, visiting the famous Cham’s museum then drive to Hoi An ancient town for check-in at hotel.
In the afternoon, you will take a walking tour around this delightful UNESCO World Heritage town, visiting the Japanese Covered Bridge, the local market, Tan Ky House and the Phuc Kien Assembly Hall. The town is a paradise for local artists and there are galleries galore. Hoi An is also particularly well known for its tailors.

We start the day with a leisure bike ride to explore rustic countryside of Hoian. This scenic route will take you through lush green fields and gardens and different villages, giving you a great view of the daily life activities. Next, you will arrive a fishing villages and expose to daily life here. You will have opportunities to visit local homes, interacting with friendly villagers, learning about their daily life. Next, try the interesting ride on ‘ thuyen thung” or basket-shaped boat made by bamboo before returning to town for lunch at a local restaurant.
The rest of the day is free for relaxation at beautiful beach or further exploration of the town.

The journey along the coastal line up north, as you travel from Hoi An to Hue, is one of the most beautiful during the tour with so many photo opportunities: Marble mountains and many marble stone factories, abundant fishing nets, spectacular views on the journey over the Hai Van Pass, a mountainous stretch overlooking the bowl-shaped Da Nang Bay, pristine Lang Co beach and Da Nang… Upon arrival, check in your hotel and have lunch.
In the afternoon, enjoy a tour of Imperial City, located in the Citadel. Erected in the early 19th century, the Old Imperial City was modelled after the Forbidden City in Beijing, and is home to a wealth of palaces and temples, as well as a library and a museum. Your tour includes visits to the Ngo Mon Gate, the principal entrance to the Imperial Enclosure and the central passageway reserved for use by the Emperor, the Palace of Great Harmony with its spacious hall and ornamental roof, the Halls of the Mandarins, the Nine Dynastic Urns, cast in 1835, and the ruins of the Forbidden Purple City.
Return to hotel and rest of the day is at leisure.

Today you will visit to the Tu Duc and Khai Dinh Mausoleums, the Royal Arena where fights between elephants and tigers were once staged, and a traditional Hue “garden house.” At mid-day we will enjoy a delicious vegetarian lunch at a Buddhist convent. This will be a great chance to learn about the daily life of the nuns, as well as the most popular religion in Viet Nam. After lunch we’ll drive to the tranquil Thien Mu Pagoda and then return to our hotel by dragon boat along the Perfume River.

This morning you will go to Phu Bai airport to fly to Hanoi. Meet with your guide and driver at Hanoi airport and onto the hotel in Hanoi.
In the afternoon, you will have an orientation tour of Hanoi with a visit to a Temple of Literature, Viet Nam’s first university, founded in 1070. Then a relaxing Cyclo ride to explore the hustle and bustle of Old Quarter of Hanoi followed by a Water Puppet Show. In the evening, you will visit a local home to meet the friendly host and enjoy the home-cooked dinner there.

Today you will depart for the famous Ha Long Bay which means “Descending Dragon Bay”. Located in the Gulf of Tonkin, this is a UNESCO World Heritage Site is an area of great natural beauty, with over 3,000 limestone islands rising dramatically out of the water. The islands assume intriguing formations and local legends and stories abound, inspired by their shapes which have been likened to chickens, dragons, sails or human heads. Upon arrival, board an elegant classic junk and start cruising the bay. After a seafood lunch on board, you will cruise to magnificent Bai Tu Long Bay, admire the fascinating formations on the way. Then arrive at Mua Hoa area to enjoy swimming or kayaking through the mystery Karst Mountains. Afterwards, back to junk for refreshment before having dinner on board.

Start a new day with Tai Chi on the sundeck and morning view of Bay’s landscape with a cup of tea or coffee. The junk cruises to Hon Co Island to explore well hidden Thien Canh Son Cave. The journey continues to Vung Dang area for swimming, relaxing on a beautiful hidden beach or kayaking around Da Xep geological park. Back to your boat for relaxing and having dinner.

One of the highlights this moring cruise this morning is a visit Vung Vieng floating fishing village by a rustic row-boat, meet the local people, pass through the floating school and fish farms. The village is well-chosen location as it is surrounded by mountains, thus providing natural protection during monsoon season. The slowly 45 minute boat ride around the village give you an excellent close-up look at the floating village’s daily life as well as amazing rock formations from different angle. Return to the junk to have buffet brunch while it cruises towards the harbor. Disembarking the junk and return by car to Hanoi.
Check in hotel and the rest of the day is at leisure.

It is common knowledge that the best food is found at a restaurant serving just one single dish, rather at a “everything is found here” menu. And there are many single dish restaurants in Hanoi which build excellent reputation for being the most delicious in its serving. And your local guide today will walk you through Old quarter, stopping at local restaurants, trying different foods, ranging from the popular Pho Bo- Beef noodle; Bun Cha- grilled pork with 5 spices, serving with noodle and dipping sauce; to the dipped coffee, bia hoi- local draft beer, fruit shake…..Part of the fun food is prepared right in front of you. A walk to the local market will help you understand more about the culture of shopping daily for the freshest food.
Return to hotel at noon. The rest of day is at leisure.

Full day at leisure until your transfer to your flight home.