Vietnam classic tour - 15 days

On arrival you are met by our guide then she/he takes you to hotel for check in. It is much depending on your arrival time and if the time is permitted, you will take an orientation tour of Ho Chi Minh City (or so called Saigon) and also visit some highlight buildings such as: Notre Dame Cathedral, Central Post Office, City Hall and Opera House, or just relax at your hotel.

Today, we drive out to Cu Chi tunnel which is the most complicated tunnel system in Vietnam built in early 1948 and completed its 250km long around 1960.

First place on our visiting list is the original private entrance of the tunnel which is 25cm width and 30cm length, then we head to Fighting bunker where we get down the tunnel.

Next, we will have a chance to view all kinds of traps that were used by guerrillas to stop the attack from their enemy.

The smokeless Hoang Cam kitchen where we will have a chance to taste the guerrilla’s food, the steamed cassava associated with peanut, salt and sugar is an incredible bunker to visit.

Cu Chi tunnel- the smokeless Hoang Cam kitchen

We drive back to Saigon and visit The War Remnant Museum to learn more about the sorrow of this war that left unpleasant effects on the people and environment for years.

We finish our day at Thien Hau temple in China town and Binh Tay Market.

Today, we will enjoy the beautiful scenery in Mekong Delta area with hundreds of canal, river system, and the most productive farm in Vietnam. On arrival in Cai Be town, we take a boat ride to Cai Be floating market which is very interesting and popular in Mekong region. This floating market is usually very busy early in the morning and its function is as the wholesale market.

After visiting this market, we continue our boat trip to local village to learn how local people making coconut candy, rice–paper, popcorn, and crafts. We enjoy our lunch at local restaurant.

After lunch, we get on our boat for a short ride to Vinh Long town, then drive to Can Tho City, the fourth largest Cities in Vietnam and the biggest City in Mekong Delta area.

Early morning, we will take a boat trip to Cai Rang floating market. Just enjoy a beautiful buffet breakfast on board while we are cruising to the market.

At midday we check out the hotel, then drive to Ho Chi Minh City.

Suggestion: Join the afternoon tea at Caravel hotel or have a drink at Roof Top Garden Bar at Rex hotel

We just take a short flight from Ho Chi Minh city to Danang, then proceed Hoi An. Hoi An, a lovely old seaport city located on the bank of Thu Bon River, is not only famous for its architecture, temples, pagodas, ancient trading houses, tailor shops, but also the hospitality and friendly people.

Hoi An old town (Source collected)

We just spend our day to stroll along the streets, talking to local people, visiting some local attraction sites; Thien Hau Temple, Japanese Bridge, and Tan Ky House.

Late in the afternoon, we take an hour boat ride on Thu Bon River, and this is a time for us just enjoying the scenery.

Morning, we take a half day trip to a World Cultural Heritage site, My Son Sanctuary of Champa Kingdom, which was very powerful and prosperous Kingdom in Southeast Asia from 4th century to 11th century.

 My Son Sanctuary of Champa Kingdom

We drive 2 hours through rural areas, rivers, paddy fields, mountains to visit this fantastic monument of the Cham people. Enjoy Champa Traditional Dance show.

After visiting this site, we drive to Danang City for our lunch, and then visit Cham Museum which all artifacts were collected in My Son area.

We drive to the Marble Mountains to visit Huyen Khong Cave, which was used as the hospital during the American and Vietnam War. Continuing our way up the steps to Thien Phuoc Pagoda for a panoramic ocean view. Finishing our day at the stone carving village.

We drive back to our hotel and enjoy our free time.

Today, we will enjoy the most beautiful distance in Central part of Vietnam from Hoi An to Hue. Hue city, a lovely and romantic city located on the bank of Huong (perfume) River, is the old capital of Vietnam from 1802 to 1945. This city is famous for its Citadel, Imperial City, Forbidden City, and the Royal tombs of the Nguyen Dynasty, the last feudal regime of Vietnam.

After checking in our hotel, we start our excursion by taking a boat trip to Thien Mu pagoda which was built in 17th century on the top of the hill overlooking Huong River and Truong Son Mountain range.

Hue - Thien Mu pagoda (Source collected)

Then we visit the Imperial and Forbidden City, most of the royal buildings were destroyed during the turmoil of the war but there is still the sense of grace and majestic of the rulers. Entertaining Vietnamese royal court music show that is considered World Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

We drive to the royal tombs of Nguyen Dynasty and visit King Tu Duc’s tomb and King Khai Dinh’s tomb.

Morning, we take a short flight to Hanoi Capital, a raddle of Vietnamese culture. This thousand – year - old city is definitely a great place for us to stroll around 36 old commercial streets that are named based on the products that are sold such as: Hang Bac, Hang Giay, Hang Dieu, Hang Đao... On our arrival, we will take an hour cyclo ride (pedicab) to the old quarter of Hanoi. We finish our ride at Thang Long theatre. We walk around Hoan Kiem, then visit Ngoc Son temple.

Check in the hotel, we enjoy our free time.
In the evening, we will entertain the water puppet show, a unique Northern Vietnamese art performance.

Hanoi - Ngoc Son temple (Source collected)

Today, we visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Uncle Ho’s house on stilt where he lived and worked from 1958 -1969, his fishing pond and his garden.

Uncle Ho’s house

We visit One Pillar Pagoda built in 1049 by King Ly Thai Tong who ruled from 1028 to 1054. Continuing our excursion, we visit Van Mieu, the temple of literature dedicated to Confucius and his four best disciples built in 1076. This is also the first university in Vietnam to educate Vietnamese bureaucrats, nobles, royalty, and other members of the elites from 1076 to 1779. The interesting thing is the collection of steles of doctorates whose name, birthplace, year of the examination, and the rank of diploma, were engraved onto the marble stone stele placing on the top of the turtle. There are 1307 graduated doctor names on 82 steles in this place.

 One Pillar Pagoda built in 1049 by King Ly Thai Tong (Soure: collected)

 After visiting this wonderful place, we will have lunch at a local restaurant.

Later in the afternoon, we visit Ethnology Museum which is very good collection about the ethnic groups in Vietnam. The simple agriculture stools, fish traps, hand weaving cloths, crafts, festivals, folk arts, traditional houses, and lively activities of each tribe, are all here for us to discover. Finally, we visit history Museum, the exhibits from stone age, bronze age, and rehistoric era, to the modern age to show how the Vietnamese has been strugling for the independence, peace, freedom, and love.

An exciting new day waiting us to discover, we depart for Ha Long, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site.

There are a lot of photo opportunities on our way to Ha Long as we drive through the rural area, street markets, paddy fields, vegetable farms, poultry farms, and lotus farms. We take a rest stop at Hong Ngoc shop after a 2- hour drive for a coffee break, and then continue to Ha Long Bay.

Ha Long bay, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site

At midday, we board the junk for an overnight cruise. Have a welcome drink on board, then enjoy a pleasant cruise. Seafood lunch is served on board while the junk is slowly going among the islands and islets.

There are some activities for us to join in this afternoon such as: visiting the cave, swimming at Ti Top beach, climbing up the top of Ti Top Island for panoramic view of the bay, kayaking, and joining squids finishing at night. The junk is anchored in a quiet bay for overnight. Dinner and overnight on board.

Morning just join the Tai Chi Class on sundeck for half an hour and then we will have breakfast. We visit Sung Sot cave, fantastic stalactites and stalagmites. Enjoy a pleasant cruise back to the pier for disembarkation then drive back Ha Noi. On arrival Ha Noi, we have free time then take an overnight train Sapa.

Early morning we get to Lao Cai railway station then transfer to Sapa town. Sapa is a hill station resort built during the French in 1880s and a lovely town located at 1600m above the sea level. Sapa is very famous for hill tribe markets, mountainous and fabulous Hoang Lien Son Mountain range in which Fan Si Pan, at a height of 3314 meters above the sea level. Fan Si Pan is considered as the highest peak of Indochina peninsula. We enjoy our breakfast at hotel then, trekking to Ta Van and Lao Chay village.

Late in the afternoon, we drive back to the hotel and check in. Rest of the day is free at leisure.

Fan Si Pan

Morning, we trek to Cat Cat village for 2 hours then free at leisure. Late in the afternoon, we drive to Lao Cai railway station for an overnight train to Ha Noi.

En route, we visit to Ta Phin the home of the Red Dao people.

We also have a chance to visit the border gate between Vietnam and China in Lao Cai City before getting on the train.

Dinner is at local restaurant.

Early check in the hotel in Ha Noi and we have our free time.

There is no activity for today. Just pack up and relax until your departure flight. The guide and driver will pick you up then transfer you to Noi Bai Airport.