Vietnam Insight

DAY 1: ARRIVAL IN HANOI

Included meals: No

Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi

 

Welcome to Hanoi, Vietnam!

Upon arrival at Noi Bai airport, you are welcomed and greeted by Custom Vietnam Travel tour guide and taken to your hotel by private transfer. The rest of the day will be free to relax or explore at your own leisure.

DAY 2: HANOI - NINH BINH (TRANG AN & HANG MUA)

Included meals: Breakfast/ Lunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Ninh Binh

You will be picked up by our tour guide and driver at your hotel in Hanoi at 7.30 AM. The drive through the Red River Delta to Ninh Binh takes you about 2,5 hours. Upon arrival at Trang An boat operation station, you will get on a small sampan boat and enjoy 3 hour row on a little river which goes through many small limestone caves. This is a very interesting discovery! The scenery is spectacular as you are rowing in between the towering karst formations of this newly recognized Unesco’s heritage. After the row, your lunch is served at a local restaurant where you will enjoy a Vietnamese meal with the local specialties.

 

After lunch, you will jump on a bike for a stunning ride along the back roads through the beautiful scenery of towering karsts on the ground of ponds, rice paddies and rural villages in the area.

On the bike, we will have as many stops as you want to take photographs. Arrive at Hang Mua, park your bikes at the entrance and walk to Ngoa Long  Mt. for a hike up to the summit. The hike consists of about 500 steps, it is a bit challenging for some senior visitor on a hot day. Once you are on the top, it is really worth your hard work. The bird-view scenery over the limestone mountain is incredible.

After that, get back and keep pedaling to Tam Coc to finish the biking tour. Check in a hotel, relax and dinner.

DAY 3: CUC PHUONG NATIONAL PARK

Included meals: Breakfast/ Lunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi

Have breakfast at the hotel.

Get transferred to Cuc Phuong National Park. The drive takes about 1.5 hours away.

On arrival, after get the permit, continue on driving 30 more minutes inside the forest to Bong Sub-center.

Embark on 3-hour trek on a small trail into the dense forest, enjoying the rain forest atmosphere & admiring the diversity of the tropical flora system with some some ancient trees.

Drive back to the park's headquarter.

Having a set menu lunch at the park's restaurant.

Followed by a visit to the Endangered Primate Rescue Center where you'll have a chance to watch some different species of Vietnam's rare langurs, learn about the center's rescue program. Thence on with the Turtle Conservation Center, this is another flagship for efforts to protect tortoise and freshwater turtles in Vietnam.

After that, start driving back to Hanoi.

DAY 4: HANOI - SAPA

Included meals: Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel in Sapa town

Approx. 2,5 hr/ 6 km

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Having breakfast at the hotel as usual.

Meet your private tour guide and and driver again for the morning travel to Sapa on the HW Noi Bai – Lao Cai. This is the longest highway in Vietnam. The scenic drive from the Red River Delta, through the midland to Lao Cai province will be a good start for your trip. Arrive in Sapa around  noon. Have lunch at a restaurant in town. After that, take some time to walk around the main square of to get a taste of the town before transferring to the trekking point to Y Linh Ho village at Muong Hoa Valley. Muong Hoa is the biggest valley in Sapa region and bottomed by a rocky river

To start, you trek downhill the valley, the scenery of the rice terraces along your way is very beautiful and this will be the highlight of the day. Crossing the river on a small suspension bridge and continue the trek uphill on a concreted path. This is rather challenging when it is wet but definitely offers you spectacular view over the valley.

Finish your afternoon scenic trek at Lao Chai Village where your private vehicle awaits you. Get on your car and drive back to Sapa town the night.

DAY 5: SAPA - BAC HA

Included meals: Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner

Accommodation: At a Homestay in Bac Ha

Approx.  2hr trek (7km) - 1,5hr trek (5km)

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This morning you will embark on another trek to Sa Xeng Valley - a less-traveled path in the region. Your driver transfers you up over the big road before the trek starts. At the beginning, it is a bit steep but most of the way is gently downhill, makes it fairly moderate.

On the path, beside the beautiful mountain views, you will enjoy watching daily life of Black H'mong rustics at peaceful villages along the way.

Get picked up at the other side by your driver and heading down to Lao Cai City for lunch at a restaurant.

Afternoon, continue driving to Bac Ha. On arrival at the homestay, check into your room, take a short rest, then set out for 1,5 hour hike to visit Ban Pho Villag. Ban Pho is located nearby Bac Ha Township, it is a typical one where the colorful Flower H'mong minority live. Back to the homestay, refreshment, dinner and stay overnight.

DAY 6: BAC HA - HANOI (SUN)

Included meals: Breakfast/ Lunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi

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Enjoy the breakfast at the family. This morning, the tour guide will walk you around the Sunday Market of Bac Ha.

The hill tribe market is very colorful and really like a local festival. Here you will see Flower Hmong, Phu La, Dao, Tay, Nung… the hill-tribe groups gather around for trading. It is an awesome experience of seeing colors, understanding traditions and feeling the atmosphere. The market offers a variety of local products includes colorful embroidery, handicrafts and all types of daily necessary stuffs.

Here also available animal market where people sell and buy or barter animal such as dogs, pot-bellied pigs, cows, buffaloes and so on.

After lunch, you will spend the whole afternoon driving back to Hanoi. Arrive in Hanoi early in the evening.

DAY 7: HANOI CITY TOUR

Included meals: Breakfast/ Lunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi

 

This day tour to learn about the capital city of Vietnam occupies your whole day with featured sites, including Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, his house-on-stilts, One Pillar Pagoda, Temple of Literature - Vietnam’s first university for the morning. Your lunch today is served at a restaurant in town with local tastes. In the afternoon, the tour continues with a visit to one of the following museums (you can pick the one you like): the Ethnology Museum, Army Museum, National Fine Arts Museum, Hanoi Hilton prison or Vietnam Women Museum). Followed by a short walk or a cyclo ride in the Old Quarter. End the day tour with a traditional Water Puppet show. Spend your second night in Hanoi.

DAY 8: HANOI - HALONG BAY

Included meals: Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner

Accommodation: Overnight on a boat

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Halong Bay, in northeast Vietnam, is known for its emerald waters and thousands of towering limestone islands. Designated a World Heritage site in 1994, the bay is a "must-see" place for any visitor to Vietnam, especially an overnight trip on a traditional wooden junk.

Take the morning transfer to Halong Bay pier.

Around noon - Board your boat and start the cruising itinerary with lunch and dinner aboard. Some interesting activities are available include kayaking, swimming, sunbathing on the sun deck. Overnight at a en-suite cabin on boat.

DAY 9: HALONG BAY - FLY TO DONG HOI

Included meals: Breakfast/ Lunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Dong Hoi

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This morning get up early this morning for some fresh-air on the open deck and join the Tai-chi class for some gentle moves if you wish. Otherwise, you are able to remain in your cabin until breakfast time. After breakfast, the crew will pull up the anchor, start the engine again for more cruising to other part of the bay. After visiting a big limestone cave, the boat is gently heading back to the pier. The early lunch (Brunch) will be served aboard. Around noon, you are ferried in and take the afternoon drive to the airport for your evening flight to Dong Hoi in the center of Vietnam. Get picked up on arrival and transferred to the hotel for the night.

DAY 10: PHONG NHA & PARADISE CAVES

Included meals: Breakfast/ Lunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Dong Hoi

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After breakfast, your tour guide and driver will meet you at your hotel at 8 a.m. and transfer Phong Nha for you to discover the 2 amazing limestone caves: Paradise Cave and Phong Nha Cave.

The morning, you will take your time to explore the most impressive cave – Paradise. This is the longest dry cave in Asia.

Lunch is served at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, you will embark on a 25-minute boat trip upstream the Son River to Phong Nha Caves. It takes you a couple of hours to see the cave. This cave is called as water cave, is famous for its rock formation which has been given names such as the “Lion”, the “Fairy Caves”, the “Royal Court”, and the “Buddha”. Back to your hotel for the second night.

DAY 11: DONG HOI - HUE

Included meals: Breakfast/ Lunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Hue

Depart at 8:00 a.m. from your hotel, your destination today is Hue - Vietnam's last capital.
On the way, you will visit:

• Vinh Moc tunnels: an underground miniature village, the largest historical tunnel in the DMZ of Vietnam. Here, you will hear some stories about the tunnels and resilience against the enemy of Vietnamese people during the war.

• Hien Luong Bridge + Ben Hai River : located in 17th Parallel, was bisected between South Vietnam and North Vietnam in the war

Have Lunch in Dong Ha town

• La Vang Holy: a shrine located in Hai Lang district, Quang Tri Province. It is an important place of pilgrimage for Catholics of Vietnam

Arrive in Hue, get dropped at your hotel in Hue. The evening is yours.

DAY 12: TOUR OF HUE

Included meals: Breakfast/ Lunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Hue

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In the morning, breakfast in hotel as usual. Drive to visit King Minh Mang's tomb & King Khai Dinh tomb. Return to the city for lunch at a restaurant.

In the afternoon, discover the Ancient Citadel. The walk through the complex is very interesting and informative. Followed by a short transfer to visit the charming Lady Pagoda (Thien Mu Pagoda). Setting on the bank of rivers, it gives you a great view on the Perfume River and surrounding area. Ending the day by boarding on a private boat, cruising on the romantic Perfume River back to the city center.

DAY 13: HUE - HOI AN

Included meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel in Hoi An

Ancient and peaceful, Hoi An has to these days well preserved its most sacred treasure, the centuries-old architecture. The town used to harbor foreign traders back in the 17-18th, and once is an important heavily-frequented trading port in Southeast Asia.

The morning drive to Hoi An via Hai Van Pass will occupy half of your day. There are a few stops for photo opportunities such as at Lang Co Beach, Hai Van Pass you may want to take. Arrive at Hoi An ancient town. Check into your hotel. The remainder of the day is on your own discovery.

DAY 14: COOKING CLASS & OLD TOWN WALKING TOUR

Included meals: Breakfast/ Lunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Hoi An

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After breakfast, get picked up and make the way to the cooking class.

 

Start the day (8.15 a.m.) with a drink at Hai Scout Café (98 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Hoi An Ancient Town) – the meeting point. Visit Hoi An’s colorful market, and experience the amazing sights, sounds and aromas of this busy market. You will have the opportunity to interact with the local sellers and purchase some of the ingredients to be used in the cooking lesson later.  Boarding the Red Bridge boat for a leisurely cruise (25 minutes) along the Hoi An River to the Red Bridge Cooking School. This is a chance to view local river life, so make sure your camera is handy. On arrival, explore the cooking school’s herb and vegetable garden, before learning about some of Hoi An’s and Vietnam’s well-known dishes. The cooking lesson runs for about 2 hours – each dish is first demonstrated by the Red Bridge chefs, before you prepare the same dish yourself. Included in the class is a brief introduction to Vietnamese food carving (plate decoration). After the lesson, you will enjoy your excellent work.

After the cooking class, in the afternoon, the tour guide will join with you in a walking tour which offers you a chance to see how charming the Old Quarter area is. The sites include the Japanese Covered Bridge; Phuoc Kien Assembly; Tan Ky ancient house; Hoi An Culture and History Museum and Quan Cong temple. Evening is yours so that you can do your own things: chilling out at a riverside café or enjoying shopping with tailor-made clothing, shoes and lanterns...

DAY 15: HOI AN RURAL BIKE

Included meals: Breakfast/ Lunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Hoi An

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Breakfast at the hotel. Start your cycling tour at 8:30 from the hotel. The destination is Cam Kim island. It is a beautiful rural area, with a lot of vegetation, little temples and nice rice fields. Along the ride you will have chances to get some local interactions such as visiting local families and watch the traditional works of making noodle, home-made rice wine, weaving sleeping mats. Enjoy a soft lunch with traditional noodle soup. Ride back to the hotel in the early afternoon and relax for the rest of your day.

DAY 16: HOI AN - HO CHI MINH CITY

Included meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City

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This morning is easy for you to relax on the beach for do some shopping at the Old Quarter. Check out your hotel by noon.

In the afternoon, transfer to Da Nang airport for a short flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Get picked up on arrival and rest for the remainder of the day.

DAY 17: HO CHI MINH CITY - MEKONG DELTA

Included meals: Breakfast/ Lunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Can Tho

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The ‘rice bowl’ of Vietnam, the delta is carpeted in a dizzying variety of greens. It's a water world that moves to the rhythms of the mighty Mekong, where boats, houses, and markets float upon the innumerable rivers, canals and streams that criss-cross the landscape like arteries.

In the morning, 08:00 - Depart from the hotel and drive southward to Mekong Delta. The drive takes nearly 2.5 hours. Upon arrival in Ben Tre, embark on a motorized boat trip along the scenic Ben Tre River, viewing various local industries along the way. Have some stops to visit local workshops: making bricks by the kilns;  Making coconut candy; Sleeping straw mats. Take a motor cart passing fruit and vegetable fields. Ride a short sampan boat on a small creek of water-coconut trees. Lunch at a garden restaurant.

In the afternoon, Drive to Can Tho City which is considered as the capital of the Delta. Check in your hotel for staying overnight.​

DAY 18: MEKONG DELTA - HO CHI MINH CITY

Included meals: Breakfast/ Lunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City

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Have you heard about A Floating Market in Mekong? The watery world of the Mekong Delta is home to many bustling floating markets. This day is when you can feast your eyes on many interesting things on the water at Cai Rang Floating Market.

In the morning, have breakfast at your hotel and check out. 08:00 - Get to Ninh Kieu quay where you board a motorized boat to meandering through the market. Followed by a short ride to Ba Cong village to pay a visit to a family who specializes in making rice paper and noodle. Cruise back to the quay and make your way back to HCMC.

Lunch is at a restaurant on the way back. Arrive at your hotel, the remainder of the day is for relaxation.

DAY 19: SAIGON CITY TOUR & CU CHI TUNNELS

Included meals: Breakfast/ Lunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City

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Today you will spend the whole day to visit the featured sites of Saigon and the famous underground tunnel network in Cu Chi.

In the morning, 8:00 start with 1.5 hour drive to Cu Chi tunnels. Get the overview of Cu Chi by watching a documentary. Your guide walks you around to witness the traps, bunkers, trenches and experience crawling a piece of the underground tunnels. Drive back to the city for a set menu lunch at a restaurant.

In the afternoon, the city tour of Saigon consists of visits to the featured sites such as the War Remnants Museum; The former Presidential Palace; The Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Old Post Office. End the day with a stroll through Ben Thanh Market.

DAY 20: HO CHI MINH CITY - MUI NE BEACH

Included meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel in Mui Ne

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After breakfast, your private driver will collect you from the hotel and transfer you to the Railway Station to catch a four-hour train ride (Air-conditioned) to Phan Thiet. On this scenic train trip, you will get to lots of things in close-up; towns, farms, and local villages. The fun train journey will be definitely a great experience.
Upon arrival in Phat Thiet train station, you will be picked up by your private driver and transferred (15 minutes) to your resort in Mui Ne to check in. Your Beach Relaxation began!

DAY 21 - 22: MUI NE BEACH RELAXATION

Included meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel in Mui Ne

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Today is yours. You may just relax with sunbathing, swimming and enjoy the facilities of the hotel or take a optional tour to the surroundings.

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FYI, located about 180 km to the northeast of Ho Chi Minh City, Mui Ne is famous its beautiful scenery and clean beaches. The most interesting thing in Mui Ne is to visit the sand dunes, sand is stacked in hills and mountains, one after another like in a desert, running towards horizon, this is really a heaven for photo lovers, the best time to visit sand hills is in the late afternoon when sun is about to set, it is time to discover the magic of the sands, a lot of travelers stay overnight on the sands, in the tents just like nomadic people. You can also visit the local fishing villages and a fish sauce store to see how this delicious local delicacy is made.

DAY 23: MUI NE - HO CHI MINH CITY DEPARTURE

Included meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel in Mui Ne

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Today is your last day in Vietnam! Enjoy your morning at the hotel. Check out by midday and get picked up by your private transport, make your way back to Ho Chi Minh City airport. Take your flight home and goodbye Vietnam!