From Ha Long Bay to the Mekong Delta

Hanoi / Arrival (D)

Arrival at Noi Bai International Airport.

Welcome by our English-speaking guide and driver. Transfer to your hotel in the city center. Time to rest for a while.

Hanoi, Vietnam’s thousand-year-old capital, has preserved the charm of the French colonial era. It is undoubtedly one of the country’s most charming cities, with its authentic atmosphere, wide shaded avenues, numerous lakes and well-kept gardens. 

Begin your discovery of Hanoi with a walk through the lively Old Quarter and its famous 36 guild streets, including Hang Bac and Ma May, as well as Dong Xuan Market, known for its colonial-style architecture.

Enjoy a one-hour cyclo ride through the Old Quarter.

Visit Ngoc Son Temple (Temple of the Jade Mountain), located in the middle of Hoan Kiem Lake.

Welcome dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight at the hotel in Hanoi.

Hanoi – City Tour (B/L/D)

Breakfast at the hotel.

Begin the day with a visit to the Temple of Literature (Van Mieu). Known as Vietnam’s “First University,” Van Mieu was built in 1070 under King Ly Thanh Tong. It was the country’s first university, originally intended for princes and mandarins. There were once 116 stone steles engraved with the names of successful doctoral candidates. Today, 82 steles remain. 

Then visit the beautiful Tran Quoc Pagoda, the oldest pagoda in Hanoi and one of the oldest in Vietnam, located beside West Lake. It is renowned as an important spiritual site in the capital as well as a remarkable cultural and architectural monument.

Lunch at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, visit the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology which presents impressive collections in welcoming spaces dedicated to bringing the cultures of Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups to life.

With 15,000 objects and 42,000 films and photographs, the Museum of Ethnology is a valuable showcase of Vietnam’s cultural diversity. Today, it serves not only as a museum for domestic and international visitors, but also as a venue for folk festivals, handicraft fairs and cultural exchanges between Vietnam’s ethnic communities.

Enjoy a water puppet show, a traditional art form originating from the Red River Delta.

Dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight at the hotel in Hanoi.

Hanoi – Mai Chau (B/L/D)

Breakfast at the hotel.

Depart for Mai Chau, a beautiful valley inhabited by the White Thai ethnic group, travelling via Hoa Binh and Thung Khe Pass, at an altitude of 1,200 meters. Photo stops in villages and mountain passes are planned along the way.

Arrival in Mai Chau around noon.

Lunch with a local family featuring traditional Thai dishes.

In the afternoon, enjoy a bicycle ride or walk through Thai ethnic villages, including Lac, Poom Coong, Nhot and Van villages.

This pleasant cycling route, which can be adjusted according to your physical condition, allows you to admire the valley’s beautiful rice fields and traditional stilt houses nestled beneath the trees.

There will be many opportunities to meet local White Thai people. With the help of your guide, you will gain a better understanding of the villagers’ peaceful way of life, customs and traditions.

Friendly dinner featuring local dishes.

In the evening, attend traditional Thai singing and dancing performances.

You will also have the opportunity to taste “ruou can”, a traditional rice wine sipped through a bamboo straw. Consumed both in everyday life and during important ceremonies, the drink is made from sticky rice combined with various plants and spices such as ginger, chili and guava leaves.

Overnight at a homestay in a traditional stilt house or at a hotel.

Mai Chau – Ninh Binh – Hoa Lu (B/L/D)

Breakfast at the homestay or hotel.

Continue by road towards Ninh Binh, located in the Red River Delta.

Situated southeast of Hanoi, Ninh Binh Province marks the southernmost part of Southeast Asia’s karst limestone plateau. It is one of the places in Vietnam where these limestone formations are most impressive.

Upon arrival at Hoa Lu, Vietnam’s ancient capital, visit two temples dedicated to the kings of the Dinh and Le dynasties.

Lunch at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, transfer to Tam Coc Wharf for a rowing boat trip along the Ngo Dong River.

The excursion lasts approximately two hours and takes you through three impressive caves surrounded by dramatic limestone formations rising from the water.

Option: Instead of the popular and more touristy Tam Coc boat trip, enjoy a two-hour rowing sampan excursion at Thung Nham, a site less affected by mass tourism.

At the end of the boat ride, visit Thien Ha Cave by rowing sampan, illuminated by the mysterious light of electric torches.

After disembarking, enjoy a bicycle ride through authentic villages to visit Bich Dong Pagoda and Thai Vi Temple.

This is an excellent opportunity for local encounters, photography and discovering the area’s natural beauty and limestone peaks.

Dinner at a restaurant. Overnight at the hotel in Tam Coc.

Hanoi – Halong Bay – Cruise and Overnight on Board the Junk (B/L/D)

After breakfast, depart for Halong Bay via the Red River Delta, with photo stops along the way.

Arrival in Halong around noon. Board the junk boat for an unforgettable cruise through Halong Bay, a world-famous natural site recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site since 1994.

Legendary Halong Bay, whose name means “Descending Dragon,” is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This magical place, often described as the “eighth wonder of the world,” resembles a giant geological museum. Across an area of approximately 1,500 square kilometers, more than two thousand karst islands, islets and reefs of many different shapes, dotted with caves, rise from the sea.

The three areas of Halong Bay, Bai Tu Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay—the latter forming part of Cat Ba—make up what is sometimes called the wider maritime Halong Bay area. Bai Tu Long and Lan Ha Bays are less touristy than Halong Bay itself.

After a welcome drink offered by the crew, settle into your cabin.

Lunch with seafood is served on board as the junk sails deeper into the bay.

During the cruise, admire islands and islets of various shapes and sizes rising from the emerald waters.

Stop to visit natural caves on one of the islands. Swimming at the beach may also be possible.

Seafood dinner and overnight on board the junk in the bay.

(The exact cruise programme may vary depending on the season and tide levels.)

Halong Bay – Hanoi – Overnight Train to Hue (B/L/D)

Early in the morning, enjoy Tai Chi practice on the upper deck for those who wish to participate.

Then have a light breakfast with bread and croissants while admiring the beautiful natural scenery.

The junk continues cruising towards other parts of the bay.

At around 09:30, check out of your cabin and enjoy some relaxation time on the upper deck, admiring the islands and islets before an early brunch at around 11:00.

Disembark around noon and return by road to Hanoi.

Dinner at a local restaurant before transfer by private vehicle to Hanoi Railway Station to board the overnight train to Hue in an air-conditioned four-berth soft-sleeper cabin.

Overnight on board the train.

Hue – City Tour (B/L/D)

Transfer to a local restaurant for breakfast, then continue to your hotel to leave your luggage.

Hue was the capital of Vietnam from 1802 to 1945, one of the most eventful periods in the country’s history. Its well-preserved architectural and historical heritage deserves special attention.

Then begin the discovery of the historical and cultural sites of the former imperial capital.

Hue was the capital of Central Vietnam, formerly known as Annam during the French colonial period, between 1802 and 1945.

Hue has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993. Built as an imperial city under the Nguyen Dynasty, it is today an important cultural and intellectual center, with its palaces, pagodas and royal tombs.

Discover the Hue Citadel and its three main enclosures: the Civic City (Kinh Thanh), the Imperial City (Hoang Thanh) and the Forbidden Purple City (Tu Cam Thanh).

Built under Emperor Gia Long, this vast and impressive complex combines principles of Chinese geomancy with French architectural influences. The result is a harmonious ensemble of palaces, temples, walls, bastions and moats.

Lunch at a local restaurant featuring regional specialties.

After lunch, visit the Imperial Tomb of Tu Duc.

Located amid a pine forest, Tu Duc’s Tomb, also known as Khiem Lang, is one of Hue’s most famous and beautiful royal tombs.

Its peaceful setting has a poetic beauty and blends harmoniously with nature. Its approximately 50 architectural structures do not strictly follow traditional symmetrical layouts commonly used in Vietnamese royal architecture.

On the way back to the city center, make several stops to visit a village specializing in incense-stick making and traditional conical hats.

Upon returning to the city center, stop to visit Thien Mu Pagoda, the sacred Pagoda of the Celestial Lady, located beside the river.

Transfer to your hotel.

Dinner at a restaurant in the city and overnight at the hotel in Hue.

If your group has 10 people or more, you may enjoy a Royal Dinner: you will dress in costumes representing emperors, queens, princes and princesses and enjoy imperial-style dishes accompanied by traditional music.

Hue – Hai Van Pass – Hoi An (B/L/D)

Breakfast at the hotel.

Depart for Hoi An via the famous Hai Van Pass, where you can enjoy panoramic views over the sea and Da Nang, described here as Vietnam’s fourth-largest city.

Stop in Da Nang to visit the Museum of Cham Sculpture.

The museum was inaugurated in 1919 at the initiative of the École Française d’Extrême-Orient, with the aim of bringing together sculptures discovered at archaeological sites, mainly in the southern part of Central Vietnam and the Central Highlands.

The works are displayed according to where they were discovered, with galleries dedicated to sites such as My Son, Tra Kieu, Dong Duong and Thap Mam.

Continue by road to Hoi An.

Upon arrival in Hoi An, visit a silkworm-rearing house, followed by a discovery tour of Hoi An Ancient Town, including an old traditional house, the Japanese Covered Bridge, the Phu Kien Chinese Assembly Hall and local craft quarters.

Hoi An was once Vietnam’s most important trading port and was formerly known as Faifo.

The town flourished during the 17th and 18th centuries, when Chinese and Japanese communities established their own quarters here.

It was also one of the places where early merchants from Portugal, the Netherlands, England and France arrived.

Today, this charming town attracts travelers with its peaceful lifestyle, architecture and authentic local atmosphere.

Lunch and dinner at restaurants featuring local specialties.

In the evening, enjoy free time walking among ancient houses decorated with hanging lanterns, creating a magical and colorful atmosphere.

You can also take part in traditional folk games and release floating lanterns together on the Thu Bon River.

Overnight in Hoi An.

Hoi An – Da Nang – Saigon (B/L/D)

Breakfast at the hotel.

A free half-day to relax by the pool or beach and explore Hoi An on your own.

Lunch at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, transfer to Da Nang Airport for the flight to Ho Chi Minh City.

Upon arrival at Saigon Airport, welcome by the guide and driver.

Transfer to your hotel in the city center. Check into your room and enjoy some free time.

Dinner at a restaurant in the city and overnight in Saigon.

Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) is often contrasted with “traditional Hanoi,” as this economic capital represents modern Vietnam and the country’s ambition for economic development following the wars.

Saigon – Cai Be – Vinh Long – Can Tho (B/L/D)

After breakfast, leave the bustling city of Saigon and head towards Cai Be, one of the gateways to the Mekong Delta.

Upon arrival in Cai Be, board a private boat for an excursion through the waterways and a passage through Cai Be Floating Market.

Then visit local workshops producing items such as puffed-rice sweets and caramel candies.

Lunch with a local family featuring traditional local dishes.

Continue the cruise towards Vinh Long, with fruit tasting on board.

Disembark in Vinh Long and continue by road to Can Tho, the largest city in the Mekong Delta.

Dinner at a restaurant in the city and overnight in Can Tho.

The Mekong River divides into nine major branches in southern Vietnam, forming a delta more than 100 kilometers wide.

The land is humid and flooded every year, producing lush and diverse vegetation.

The delta is vast and is best discovered by exploring its many sites, travelling along rivers and canals, visiting islands, experiencing local life and, above all, discovering its floating markets.

Can Tho – Cai Rang Floating Market – Saigon (B/L/D)

Breakfast at the hotel.

In the morning, depart by private sampan to visit Cai Rang Floating Market, one of the Mekong Delta’s most typical floating markets.

Located about 5 km from the center of Can Tho, Cai Rang is a wholesale market with countless boats and small vessels loaded with watermelons, mangoes, bananas, papayas, pineapples, onions and many other products.

The main goods sold here are agricultural produce and regional specialties.

Many farmers and producers come here to sell their harvest to wholesalers. While the first boats arrive very early in the morning, Cai Rang Market becomes especially lively around 7:00 or 8:00 AM.

Continue the excursion to an ecological garden featuring exotic tropical fruit trees from southern Vietnam.

Enjoy a fruit tasting on site, then disembark near An Binh local market.

Return by road to Saigon.

Upon arrival in Saigon, visit Chinatown.

Explore its old quarters, Binh Tay Wholesale Market in Cho Lon, and Thien Hau Pagoda, described here as one of the most beautiful pagodas in the city.

Dinner at a local restaurant and overnight at the hotel in Saigon.

Saigon – Departure (B/L/-)

Breakfast at the hotel.

Enjoy some time to continue exploring Saigon before your departure flight.

Visit the colonial quarter and discover its charming colonial buildings: Notre Dame Cathedral, City Hall; the Municipal Theatre / Opera House (exterior visit); the Central Post Office.

These are among the finest examples of French colonial architecture in Saigon.

Lunch at a local restaurant.

Free time for some last-minute shopping at Ben Thanh Market until your transfer to the airport for your return flight.