OUTLINED ITINERARY

Day 1 Arrive Ho Chi Minh city. Transfer hotel. O/N in HCMC

Day 2 Full day Ho Chi Minh city tour and Cuchi tunnel. O/N in HCMC

Day 3 Day trip to Mytho-Ben Tre. O/N in HCMC

Day 4 Flight to Danang. Visit Hoi An. Overnight in Hoi An

Day 5 Transfer to Hue. Afternoon Hue city tour. Overnight in Hue

Day 6 Morning Hue city tour. Flight to Hanoi. Transfer to Halong. O/N in Halong

Day 7 Morning Halong bay cruise. Afternoon transfer to Hanoi. O/N in Hanoi

Day 8 Full day Hanoi city tour. O/N in Hanoi

Day 9 Depart Hanoi. Transfer to airport.

EXTENSION SUGGESTIONS

1/Sapa mountain retreat (Departing & ending in Hanoi by train) – Minimum 3 nights (Pls see Nothern Vietnam module for pricing)

2/Nhatrang beach break (Between Saigon and Danang by airplane) – Minimum 2 nights (Pls see beach break for pricing+ current airfare surcharge Saigon-Nhatrang-Danang ISO Saigon-Danang, 80 USD surcharge/person)

DETAILED ITINERARY

Day 1 – Arrive Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

Arrive in Ho Chi Minh City and transfer to hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Day 2 – Ho Chi Minh City tour & Cuchi tunnel

In the morning, depart Ho Chi Minh City for a drive to the Cu Chi Tunnels. Leaving the bustling city behind the scenery begins to change; first to lush rice paddies, then to rubber plantations, and finally to villagers drying noodles by the side of the road and going about their daily chores. On arrival start the visit with the Ben Dinh or Ben Duoc sections of the tunnel, an immense network of connecting underground tunnels located in the Cu Chi district in the suburb of HCMC. Back to Hochiminh city for lunch at local restaurant.

After lunch, visit to War Museum which contains exhibits relating to the phase of the war against American and the former Presidential Palace that was the home and workplace of the President of Southern Vietnamese govenment during the Vietnam War, from there on you will go on foot (the car will be available at all times) to visit the major sights of colonial Ho Chi Minh City: the Notre Dame Cathedral, Old Saigon Post Office, Opera House and then enjoy funny shopping at the historic Ben Thanh market. Enjoy a cruise dinner which is a different experience and the perfect way to see the panoramic view of the vibrant city lights along the Saigon River with  live Vietnamese traditional music performace. Overnight in HCMC(B,L,D)

Day 3 – Ho Chi Minh City-Mekong Delta –Ho Chi Minh City

Head south to the Mekong Delta and reach Ben Tre, crossing the Mekong River with a private boat. From there take a ride by xe loi or horse cart, a local motorbike trailer, through the second biggest Vietnamese coconut tree orchard. There are stops along the way to discover the local life and for an explanation of the Vietnamese rice field process. After lunch in a local restaurant continue your Mekong discovery cruising small canals and arroyos lined with water coconut, walking through fruit orchards, enjoying honey tea, and taking a horse cart ride. Back to Saigon at late afternoon. Overnight in HCMC(B,L)

Day 4 – Ho Chi Minh City     Danang-Hoi An

After breakfast, transfer to Tan Son Nhat Airport for the short flight to the central port city of Danang. On arrival in Danang transfer to Hoi An, a major Asian trading port in the 17^th and 18^th centuries whose architecture and relaxed lifestyle has changed little over the years. Enjoy a walking tour of the ancient town centre to visit the former merchants’ homes, the 400 year-old Japanese Covered Bridge and the colorful market. Overnight in Hoi An. (B,L)

Day 5 – Hoi An-Hue

Leave Hoi An for Hue, the former imperial capital of Vietnam. The scenic route passes through Danang before climbing over the Pass of Ocean Clouds and dropping down to the wonderfully photogenic fishing village of Lang Co. In the afternoon visit the elaborate mausoleums of emperors Tu Duc and Khai Dinh and the Imperial Citadel from where the Nguyen Dynasty ruled between 1802 and 1945. Dinner with Hue cuisine and royal court music performance & overnight in Hue. (B,L,D)

Day 6 – Hue    Hanoi-Halong Bay

Enjoy a boat trip on the romantically named Perfume River visits Hue’s best-known religious site, Thien Mu Pagoda, and the mausoleum of former emperor Minh Mang, in a tranquil setting of gardens and lakes. After lunch transfer to Hue airport for the short flight to Hanoi. On arrival at Noi Bai airport, met and depart for Halong Bay through the rich farmlands of the Red River Delta, enjoy the scenery of rice fields, water buffalo and everyday Vietnamese village life. Overnight in Halong. (B,L)

Day 7 – Halong Bay cruise-Hanoi

Board a traditional sailing junk to cruise into the exquisite waters, visit the famous stalagmites and stalactites of Thien Cung Cave (Heaven palace & Drift wood cave), continue cruising through Halong Bay, the boat will pass by very beautiful islets :Dog Islet, Incense Islet, Fighting Cock Islet…

Enjoy lunch with the regions fresh seafood while the boat is cruising back to Halong pier. Disembark then drive back to Hanoi, stop en route to visit But Thap Pagoda in Thuan Thanh, Bac Ninh province, known for its four-storey stone stupa and referred to as Vietnam’s first Buddhist centre. The pagoda, built in the 13^th century and rebuilt in 1647 by the Buddhist monk Chuyet Chuyet, is a complex of ten buildings over an area of 100 metres that houses ancient statues and artefacts. Arrival at your hotel at late afternoon. Overnight in Hanoi. (B,L)

Day 8 – Hanoi city tour

A full day city tour of Vietnam’s capital. Hanoi is a unique city with tree-lined boulevards, French colonial architecture, peaceful lakes and oriental temples. The city tour includes such sights as Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum and his house on stilts, the One Pillar Pagoda, the Temple of Literature, the Quanh Thanh Temple and the Tran Quoc Pagoda on the edge of West Lake. After lunch in town continue to visit the Museum of Ethnology for a better understanding of Vietnamese nation and end the afternoon with a visit to the Lake of the Restored Sword and a cyclo ride around the Old Quarter then enjoy the famous water puppet show. (B,L)

Day 9 – Depart Hanoi

Departure day. Free at leisure for shopping or visiting Hanoi until transfer to Noi Bai airport for onward flight. (B)

Tour Price:  869 USD per person ( apply for group of 2 people , If your group has more than 2 persons, pls contact us for a specific price (surely less then price for group of 2) base on the standard hotel option 

Notes: Rates vary frequently. Please contact us to get the best possible price based upon your travel period and specific touring needs.

 INCLUSION

•    Accommodations in Twin sharing with breakfast basis at mentioned hotels or similar ones if the mentioned hotels are not available
•    Meals as mentioned in the program B = breakfast, L= lunch, D=dinner
•    English speaking local guides during the whole trip
•    Entrance fees for all the mentioned visits
•    Private air-conditioned vehicle during the whole trip
•    Vietnam visa approval letter – COMPLIMENTARY (Values up to 20 USD per person)
•    Cyclo ride and water puppet show in Hanoi
•    Private boat trip in Mekong delta, Hue and Halong bay
•    Mineral water and cold tissue (2 small bottles+2 cold tissues per person per day)

EXCLUSION

•    International air tickets from/to Vietnam
•    Domestic air tickets Hcmc-Danang, Hue-Hanoi (Pls see airfares)
•    Vietnamese visa stamping fee (25 USD per person with Single entry and 50 USD per person with multiple entries,paid to the Immigration officers at the airport on arrival)
•    Meals other than mentioned
•    Laundry, telephone calls and expenditure of a personal nature
•    Tips to guides, drivers, hotel porters…
•    Any services other than mentioned

ACCOMMODATION

 ACCOMMODATION ( DELUXE OPTION)