Overview

       Brief itinerary:

Day 1: Arrive in Hanoi

Day 2: Hanoi city tour (B)       

Day 03 : Hanoi – Ha Tay ( Vac village home stay ) (B, L, D)

Day 4 :  Vac village –  Perfume pagoda – Hanoi   (B,L)

Day 5 :  Hanoi – Halong  (B,L,D) 

Day 6: Halong – Hanoi (B.L)     

Day 7: Hanoi - Hue  (B)

Day 8: Hue – Hoi An   (B)

Day 9: Hoi An - cooking tour (B,L)         

Day 10: Hoi An – Danang - Saigon    (B)  

Day 11: Saigon – Tay Ninh – Cu Chi – Saigon (B)               

Day 12:  Saigon – Ben Tre Home Stay     (B,L,D)   

Day 13:  Ben Tre – Can Tho  (B)

Day 14:  Can Tho – Xeo Quyt – Saigon (B)

Day 15:  Saigon Departure (B)

        Highlight of the trip:

 - Enjoy the colonial French architecture of Hanoi

- Live with local families and experience the daily routines in rural areas along the Red River Delta and the Mekong Delta

- Cruise along Halong Bay with its other-worldly karst islands
- Visit the Imperial City in Hue and then take a dragon boat up the Perfume River  

- Stroll along the traffic free streets of Hoi An’s old town

- Learn how to cook traditional dishes at the famous Red Bridge Restaurant
- Experience the vitality of Saigon with its unique blend of history, culture and modern conveniences
- See how the Viet Cong lived during the war; take a guided tour through a portion of a tunnel.

- Observe the religious ceremonies of the flamboyant Cao Dai sect in their Great Temple.

- Wander along the Mekong Delta with its floating markets and lush water-side villages

- Marvel at the delicious fresh cuisine and decadent French pastries served by friendly and cheerful wait-staff.

Note: A home stay will allow you to live with a family in a traditional house in a rural village. You will have a private room with fan and mosquito netting and will share a bathroom. This is the ultimate way to experience life in Vietnam today and to really get to know the people.

Full itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Hanoi

Arrival in Hanoi. You will be met at the airport by your English speaking guide and transfer to your hotel in downtown Hanoi.

In the afternoon, visit Hoan Kiem Lake (The Restored Sword Lake) and the Ngoc Son Temple, which is on an island in the northern part of the lake. We will enjoy a Cyclo tour of the narrow streets of the Old Quarter of Hanoi. The Old Quarter includes 36 old streets with each name representative of the type of merchandise sold in it.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 2: Hanoi city tour (B)                                              

In the morning we will visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum & Museum, the One Pillar Pagoda, the French colonial styled Presidential Palace and the historical Temple of Literature, the first university of Vietnam, built in 1070 in honor of Confucius.

In the afternoon we will see the Museum of Ethnology, where we'll learn about the fascinating cultural diversity of this ancient land.

At sunset we will enjoy a short walk along the West Lake and a visit to Tran Quoc pagoda.

In the evening we will attend a traditional Water Puppet show. This art originates from rural festivals in Vietnam. The artists – men and women – stand waist deep in the water to manipulate the puppets, making them move about, talk, laugh and even dance on the surface of the water. The audience is meant to experience the atmosphere of a village festival.
Overnight in Hanoi

Day 03 : Hanoi – Ha Tay ( Vac village home stay ) (B, L, D)

After breakfast we drive southwest to Ha Tay Province along the Red River delta. Along the way we will visit Boi Khe pagoda and some traditional handicraft villages. We’ll enjoy a welcome lunch in Pho Vac village with our host family. After lunch you can explore the area by foot and bicycle and watch the local people as they make their famous fans and the conical hats and work the rice fields. Badminton is a favorite leisure activity which you will be invited to join. You can also join your host in preparing dinner after visiting the local market.

Overnight home stay in Vac village (B,L,D)

Day 4: Vac village – Perfume pagoda – Hanoi   (B,L)

Spend the morning helping the host family or continuing to explore the area to see how the local people live. You can again join your host in preparing lunch. After lunch, visit the Perfume Pagoda before returning to Hanoi.

Evening at leisure. Overnight in Hanoi

Day 5: Hanoi – Halong  (B,L,D)

After breakfast, drive to Halong Bay (3 hours), a UNESCO World Heritage site. Whoever comes to Vietnam should not miss the chance to visit Halong Bay, a picturesque blend of harmonious transition between the mountains and the sea.
Halong Bay is in the Bac Bo (Tonkin) gulf and stretches over an area of 1,500 km2 with three thousand green islands that look like jewels. Upon arrival at the harbor we will embark on a junk. We will enjoy a fresh seafood lunch on the boat while experiencing the majestic beauty of Halong Bay. The junk is a wooden sailboat designed in a traditional Vietnamese style while offering a full range of modern amenities. Visit the fascinating Dau Go Cave called “The Cave of Marvels” and Thien Cung Cave, the “Heavenly Palace cave” surrounded by spectacular stalactites and stalagmites.

After dinner, enjoy fishing with local fishermen. The reflection of the limestone outcrops, the sight of fishing boats lit up in the darkness; enjoy these precious moments in one of the most breathtaking landscapes in the world.
Overnight on board the junk.

Day 6: Halong – Hanoi (B.L)                       

After gazing at the sunrise, you will navigate through the numerous oddly shaped limestone outcrops. Stop by a cove for a panoramic view of Halong Bay. Seafood feast on board. On the afternoon return to Hanoi we’ll stop at Dong Trieu Village and visit a ceramic craft workshop.
Overnight in Hanoi

Day 7: Hanoi - Hue  (B)

After breakfast we depart to the airport for a short flight to Hue. Upon arrival in Hue, the guide will meet you at the airport and accompany you to the hotel. After check-in and some time for relaxation we continue with a visit to the Imperial City, an impressive royal complex built in the 17^th century based on the ancient feng shui practice of geomancy.  The Imperial City is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Overnight in Hue.

Day 8: Hue – Hoi An   (B)

In the morning we will take a dragon boat trip along the Perfume River. We will stop at the Thien Mu Pagoda, which is located on the southwest bank of the Perfume River and was the centre of Buddhism in Central Vietnam. Then on to the King Tu Duc tomb, which was built between 1864-1867.  The King’s tomb was laid out with palaces, statues and monuments in perfect harmony to form a natural poetic setting. We continue to Lang Co, which we will reach after approximately two hours. Optional lunch at the Lang Co Beach Resort. We head on to Hoi An with a photo stop on the summit of the breathtaking Hai Van Pass. Hoi An old town has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site as an example of a well preserved South East Asian trading port of the 15^th – 19^th century.  In addition to its unique architecture, it is also noted for its tailors and handicrafts, especially lanterns.

Evening at leisure to enjoy the sights of the illuminated old town.
Overnight in Hoi An.

Day 9: Hoi An - cooking tour (B,L)                              

After breakfast we start with a trip to a local market to purchase ingredients for today’s appetizing experience: a cooking class at the Red Bridge Restaurant. A short cruise on the Thu Bon River brings you to the restaurant and cooking school, where you will help to prepare five traditional dishes for lunch.

After lunch enjoy a walking tour of Hoi An Old Town. Visit the Japanese Covered Bridge, Tan Ky old house, a handicraft market where you can see the artists at work making beautiful silk lanterns, the Cantonese Assembly Hall, temples and pagodas in the Chinese architectural style, and the large colorful market.

Overnight in Hoi An.

Day 10: Hoi An – Danang - Saigon    (B)  

Free morning at leisure in Hoi An, then transfer to Danang airport and a short flight to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). On arrival we transfer to the hotel and then enjoy a city tour to visit Reunification Palace, Ben Thanh Market, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the beautiful French-style Post Office with its glass canopy and iron structure designed by Gustave Eiffel. Then, continue to Cholon, the Chinese quarter, and see Binh Tay Market with its big clock tower in the centre.  Discover the Thien Hau Pagoda, build by the Cantonese congregation in the 19th century. Evening at leisure. Overnight in Saigon

Day 11: Saigon – Tay Ninh – Cu Chi – Saigon (B)                       

Enjoy a morning drive through typical Southern Vietnamese countryside to Tay Ninh, a small town located 96km West of Saigon. Tay Ninh town is the headquarters of one of Vietnam’s most interesting indigenous religions, Caodaism, with architecture that could have come straight from a Walt Disney fantasy and where all the major faiths of the world blend together in a unique religious cocktail. The Cao Dai Great Temple at the sect’s Holy See is one of the most striking structures in all of Asia. Built between 1933 and 1955, the temple is a rococo extravaganza combining the perhaps conflicting architectures of a French church, a Chinese pagoda, Hong Kong’s Tiger Balm Gardens and Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum. Prayers are conducted four times daily in the Great Temple. Attend the noon ceremony in the Cao Dai Great Temple.
Enjoy a typical lunch at a Tay Ninh restaurant (paid by yourself)
After the lunch continue to the small town of Cu Chi, located 35 km from Saigon (1h30), an incredible underground tunnel network constructed by Vietnamese resistance fighters during the long struggle for independence.

Visit the famous Cu Chi Tunnel Network which became legendary during the 1960s for its role in facilitating Viet Cong control of a large rural area. At its height, the tunnel system stretched from the South Vietnamese capital to the Cambodian border; in the district of Cu Chi alone, there were over 250 km of tunnels. The network, parts of which were several stories deep, included innumerable trapdoors, specially constructed living areas, storage facilities, weapon’s factories, field hospitals, command centers and kitchens. The tunnels of Cu Chi were built over a period of 25 years beginning in the late 1940s.
In the afternoon, return to Saigon.
Overnight in Saigon.

Day 12:  Saigon – Ben Tre Home Stay     (B,L,D)        

After breakfast drive south into the heart of the Mekong Delta – Ben Tre province. We’ll enjoy a welcome lunch in Cho Lach with the host family. In the afternoon you can explore the area by foot and by bicycle, visiting Cai Mon church and Vinh Thanh traditional bonsai village. You can join the local people as they fish, harvest coconuts, work the rice fields, or play badminton. Join your host in a visit to the local market before preparing dinner. Traditional houses are wooden with coconut leaves on the roof.

Overnight home stay in Cho Lach, Ben Tre

Day 13:  Ben Tre – Can Tho  (B)

Spend the morning helping the host family or continuing to explore the area to see how the local people live. You can again join your host in preparing lunch. After lunch, depart to Can Tho, the largest city in the Mekong Delta.

Overnight in Can Tho.

Day 14: Can Tho – Xeo Quyt – Saigon (B)

Wake up early for a cruise to visit the famous Cai Rang Floating Market. It is a bustling wholesale market in the early morning hours. Enjoy some of the local fruits such as mangoes, oranges, pomeloes, jackfruit, longan and durian.

Stop at Xeo Quyt on the way back to Saigon. Discover the mystery of this area and it's tragic past. During the 'American War' the cajeput forest surrounding Xeo Quyt was used by resistance fighters as a Vietcong base. The old headquarters, meeting hall, and underground structures fortified with trenches and bomb shelters can still be seen.

Overnight in Saigon

Day 15:  Sai Gon  Departure (B)    

Free time for last minute shopping before transferring to the airport for departure home.

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