Vietnam Explorer

15 Days / 14 Nights

Day 1Arrive Hanoi

Upon arrival, you will be welcomed and transferred to your hotel near the Old Quarters, about 45min drive from the airport. Rest of the day is free to rest up from your long flight.

Overnight at Hanoi

Day 2Ba Dinh Square, Long Bien Bridge & Old Quarters

Rise early at Ba Dinh Square, a favorite place for many Hanoians to gather for morning exercise. You can join in with the locals for “Tai Chi” or walk along with them. View the Red River from the historical Long Bien Bridge built 1899-1902 by French architects Daydé & Pillé.

Return to your hotel for breakfast before enjoying a walking tour around the Old Quarter, filled with local shops, residential areas and interesting local food vendors operating along the pavements. Explore a local fresh market, narrow alleys and see how multiple families live together in this historic area.

Stop for a famous cup of “Egg Coffee” before meeting a local artisan who the 7th generation of Water Puppeteers in his family. Have a try at controlling the puppets while hearing about the artist’s family and watch a short performance.

Rest of the day is free to explore the Old Quarters on your own.

If your visit falls over the weekend Fridays to Sundays, we recommend exploring the bustling weekend night markets from runs through the Old Quarter from 7pm. Starting from Hang Dao Street to Dong Xuan Market, streets are closed for pedestrians and dotted with street vendors as well as lively gathering of local people enjoying the night out.

Overnight at Hanoi.

Day 3Full Day Trip to Ninh Binh Village and Caves

After breakfast, drive about 2 hours to the picturesque province of Ninh Binh. Known locally as the “Dry Halong Bay”, this charming area is surrounding by low mountains and traditional villages. Enjoy a bicycle ride around paddy fields to Dong Tam Village where you will be warmly welcomed by a local host family. Get to know more about your host family as you help to prepare lunch. After lunch, take a relaxing 2.5h boat ride on small rowboat along the river through But Cave complex. Explore the dry cave and other water caves surrounded by spectacular mountains.

Overnight at Hanoi

Day 4Hanoi City Highlights & Evening Vespa Foodie Tour

This morning explore the French Quarters, known during the colonial times as the “Paris of the East”. Continue to iconic historic sites including the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Presidential Palace and the famed Temple of Literature.

Stop by Maison Centrale, the famous Hoa Lo Prison built by the French in the early 20th century and was later named “Hanoi Hilton” by American prisoners of war, including John McCain who was imprisoned here for more than 5 years. Today the prison no longer exists but it houses a small museum.

Then enjoy lunch at the very popular KOTO Restaurant, a very successful hospitality training school for disadvantaged youth and hosted many foreign dignitaries including President Bill Clinton. Their menu includes a choice of delicious local and western dishes.

Have some free time to relax or explore the Old Quarters on your own.

This evening join your friendly Vespa driver guide for an exciting foodie tour. Explore hidden local alleys and sample favorite local dishes from the popular street vendors or eateries known only to locals. Starting first with a refreshing lemon tea at a local street café before heading to a famous eatery serving delicious “Bun Cha”, grilled pork with rice vermicelli and spring rolls. Cruise around French Quarter for night photos of the Opera House before your next foodie stop to sample “Banh Xeo”, a Vietnamese savory pancake. Zipping through the bustling traffic, arrive at hidden alleys to sample different versions of Hanoian “Pho”, noodle soup with rice noodles. Your final stop of the night is a local bar for a night cap before your driver takes you back to hotel.

Overnight at Hanoi

Day 5Halong Bay Cruise (3 Days / 2 Nights)

Journey this morning for about 2.5h drive to the boat pier for your luxury cruise around the spectacular Lan Ha Bay, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Halong.

During your 3 Days / 2 Night cruise, you can go on shore excursions that include cycling in small villages, sunbathing on beaches, kayaking or explore caves.

At night, enjoy a movie night in the dining room or join the crew fishing for squids.

Overnight at cruise ship

Day 6Halong Bay Cruise, Day 2

Rise early with a Tai Chi or yoga class before breakfast is served, then join in your cruise activity to explore the beautiful bay area and villages. There will also be free time to swim and sunbath at a secluded beach or just treat yourself to a pampering spa session onboard.

Overnight at cruise ship

Day 7Disembark from Cruise, Fly to Dong Hoi

Enjoy a relaxing morning with a sunrise breakfast before disembark from your cruise at about 11am. From the pier, it’s about 2 hours drive to Hanoi Airport for a flight to Dong Hoi, gateway to the famous caves at Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park

Overnight at Phong Nha

Day 8Paradise and Phong Nha Caves

Today you will explore two famous caves at Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Paradise Cave was discovered in 2005 by British Cave Research Association. This underground palace is the longest dry cave in Asia at more than 31.4km. You will take an electric car through a dense forest to the foothills of the cave for about 2km before climbing about 500 steps to the interior of the cave to admire the spectacular stalactites and stalagmites.

From Paradise Cave, it’s about a 30min drive to Phong Nha town for lunch at a simple local restaurant. Then take a short 1min drive to Son Son Pier for a private motorboat trip (40min each way) to the entrance of Phong Nha Cave.

Phong Nha Cave is 7,729 meters long and contains 14 grottoes, as well as a 13,969 meters of underground river. While scientists have surveyed 44.5 km of passages, tourists are only allowed to explore the first 1.5km. After your motorboat ride to the cave entrance, you will need to switch to a small row boat to explore the cave interior for about 20min. You can take short walks inside the cave before returning to the cave entrance, followed by 40min motorboat ride back to boat pier.

Overnight at Phong Nha

Day 9Drive about 3.5h to Hue via Vinh Moc War Tunnels

Located close to the DMZ where North Vietnam used to be, Vinh Moc War Tunnels were dug during the American War by villages to escape from the constant shelling and bombing. The surrounding village was a staging point for delivery of military supplies to the island of Con Co just outside of the coast. Stretching tens of meters underground, this is not suitable for anyone who might be claustrophobic as it can get very tight. You will explore some tunnels used as residential, medical and meeting purposes.

Lunch will be taken at a simple local restaurant before continuing about 2 hours drive to Hue, the former Royal Capital City in Central Vietnam.

Overnight at Hue

Day 10Hue City Highlights and Tha Om Garden House

This morning, take a cyclo ride from your hotel over the famous Trang Tien Bridge and past the Dong Ba Market. The cyclo will take you around the ancient citadel of Hue, through local streets and shops for an overview of daily life. Stop at the Noon Gate of the Imperial Citadel, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where the Nguyen Dynasty ruled between 1802 and 1945. Visits include the Flag Tower, Noon Gate, Nine Dynastic Urns, Nine Holy Cannons, Thai Hoa Palace, and the Forbidden Purple City.

Continue to Tha Om Garden House, former home of a mandarin under the reign of Emperor Khai Dinh (1916-1925). Meet your friend host who is a royal descendant and enjoy delicious traditional Hue delicacies for lunch.

Your final stop is Khai Dinh Mausoleum, built for the 12th Emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty, the last dynasty of Vietnam. This beautiful mausoleum took 11 years to build from 1920 to 1931 and is one of the most unique royal tombs in Hue with a blend of western and eastern influences. To get to the main palace, you will have to climb 127 stairs, but you will be rewarded with impressive art work and architectural designs.

Overnight at Hue

Day 11Drive about 3h to Danang & Hoi An

In the morning depart for Hoi An via Danang on a scenic 3-hour drive over the Hai Van Pass for breath taking views over the coastline and surrounding mountains. Stop at the famous My Khe Beach where American marines take their vacation during the Vietnam War.

Afternoon explore the Old Town of Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Highlights include an ancient merchant house, the Phuc Kien Assembly Hall, the 400-year-old Japanese Covered Bridge and the vibrant riverside market. Visit one of Hoi An’s famous lantern workshops and learn how make a lantern.

This evening is free to explore the vibrant night market easily on your own.

Overnight in Hoi An

Day 12Hoi An Artisan Village and Tra Que Herb Village

This morning, take a peaceful boat trip on the Thu Bon River to Thanh Ha pottery village where you can see traditional pottery making techniques. Then cruise to Kim Bong Village where you will visit a shipbuilding yard, followed by a walking or cycling tour through the village. See a number of traditional handicrafts including coracle boat makers, mat weavers and some ancestral temples, dating back several hundred years.

Afternoon visit Tra Que Herb Village for a delicious local lunch prepared with fresh ingredients from its gardens. After lunch, you can visit the gardens with your host farmer before enjoying a relaxing herbal foot bath.

Before returning to your hotel, stop at some old Japanese tombs. Although not elaborately constructed, they are of historical significance since they are the only known tombs of Edo-era Japanese merchants outside of Japan proper.

Rest of the day is free to explore the old town on your own or visit a tailor shop. Hoi An is very famous for custom tailoring at lightning speed and reasonable price.

Overnight at Hoi An

Day 13Fly Danang to Saigon, Afternoon Saigon City Highlights

Today you will take a short one hour flight to Saigon in the far South.

Afternoon, visit various historic sites located around the city center including the Reunification Palace, the former Presidential Palace of the Southern Vietnamese Government before 1975. Admire the last remaining colonial architecture including the Central Post Office, City Hall and Opera House.

Head up to the observation deck at the Bitexco Financial Building for a bird’s eye view of Saigon at 627 feet high. Continue to the historic Ben Thanh Market to shop for souvenirs or enjoy some local street snacks.

Overnight at Saigon

Day 14Private Mekong Delta Day Cruise

Early morning drive about 1.5 hours towards the Mekong Delta region to explore the quiet waterways of Ben Tre province with a private sampan boat. Your cruise will take you through quiet inner canals that hardly sees any visitors and visit small villages to see traditional livelihoods.

Stops will be made along the cruise to explore by bicycles or siting at the back of a motorbike so you can access the narrow village lanes. Make several visits to homes or small workshops see traditional crafts making bricks, rice noodle, rice paper, wooden boats and sticky rice. Visit a former Vietcong soldier who survived two years fighting the Khmer Rouge.

Overnight at Saigon

Day 15Depart from Saigon

Transfer to airport for onward journey