The Magic of Vietnam: A 12-Day Journey

Breakfast at the hotel. 

The day is dedicated to discovering the city of Hanoi, starting with a visit to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex, which includes: the Mausoleum (exterior only, closed on Mondays and Fridays), the Presidential Palace, Uncle Ho’s house on stilts, and the One Pillar Pagoda, built of wood in 1049, which rests on a single pillar and represents the purity of the lotus flower. The first day’s tour continues with a visit to West Lake—the city’s largest natural lake—and the Tran Quoc Pagoda, which stands on the eastern shore of the lake.

Free lunch.

You will begin the afternoon with a “xich lo” ride through the Old Quarter, the historic center of the city—a place with a thousand-year history teeming with vitality and commerce. The Quarter is composed of 36 streets, each dedicated to the sale of a specific product and thus bearing the name of that product; for example: spice street or shoe street. These streets often carry the prefix “Hang…” followed by the product name (e.g., Hang Ma). You will pass through a very lively city market to head to the Lake of the Restored Sword (Hoan Kiem). You will visit the Ngoc Son Temple, an oasis of peace and tranquility, which offers a beautiful view of the Tortoise Tower (Thap Rua). Return to the hotel. 

Check-in and overnight stay at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel and departure for Ninh Binh, located about 100km from the capital. During the journey towards Ninh Binh, we will cross landscapes of lush vegetation growing along the banks of the Red River. The province of Ninh Binh is immersed in a breathtaking landscape of rivers and limestone formations covered in flourishing flora.

The first destination is Tam Coc, where you will board a traditional boat to admire the karst hills and rice paddies even more closely. This place, whose beauty some say surpasses that of Ha Long Bay, has also become famous under the name “Inland Ha Long.” Only the singing of birds distracts attention from this “otherworldly” scene. Near Tam Coc, it is possible to visit the Bich Dong Pagoda, a series of cave temples dating back to the 15th century situated on a hill. The excursion lasts about a couple of hours, during which you will travel 2 km along the river where three caves carved by the water are located.

The day continues with a visit to Hoa Lu, crossing rural villages, limestone formations, and breathtaking rice fields. Hoa Lu was the ancient capital of Vietnam for nearly 41 years during the Dinh and Le dynasties. Although most of the buildings are irreparably destroyed, you can still admire two evocative temples, including Dinh Tien Hoang and Le Dai Hanh.

NOTE: On the return from Hoa Lu to Tam Coc, you can opt for a very pleasant bicycle ride.

08:00 – 08:30 AM. Departure for Ha Long by cruise company shuttle bus/private car.

Magnificent and mysterious, fascinating and majestic: words alone cannot do justice to the natural wonder that is Halong Bay. The bay is considered one of the wonders of the world and a UNESCO World Heritage site. It features thousands of limestone pillars and islets, making it a highly picturesque location and a destination for thousands of tourists every day. A visit to the floating village of Vung Vieng allows you to appreciate the lives of the local people, who live in perfect harmony with the water.

The journey to Ha Long takes 4 hours and includes a short stop. Arrival in Ha Long around noon; boarding and accommodation on a boat for a cruise in the bay. Visit to the Surprise Cave (Hang Sung Sot), which features limestone formations of various shapes, with stalactites and stalagmites. To access the three halls, you will need to climb more than a hundred steps. Relax at a beach with the possibility of swimming, or you can climb to the highest point of the island to enjoy a panoramic view of the bay. Meals on board based on seafood. Overnight stay on board the same junk in a private cabin (with air conditioning and shower).

NOTE: The cruise itinerary in Halong Bay depends on the junk company, sea conditions, and the decision of the Bay Authority. The guide on board will be English-speaking. A guide for the transfer from Hanoi is available at a supplement. Please consult the “Supplements” section.

Breakfast on the boat’s terrace, where you can enjoy a dreamlike scenario while recharging for a new day of adventure. Spend the morning relaxing on the cruise among the magical landscapes of Bai Tu Long Bay. Brunch on board. Disembarkation and return to Hanoi. Stop to visit the Phu Lang porcelain village or the But Thap Pagoda (this visit is only scheduled for groups traveling by private car).

At 3:30 PM, meeting and private transfer to Hanoi airport for the flight to Hue. Arrival in Hue, welcome by the driver (without guide), and transfer to the hotel. Check-in and overnight stay at the hotel.

NOTE: The cruise itinerary in Ha Long Bay depends on the junk company, sea conditions, and the decision of the Bay Authority. The guide on board will be English-speaking. A guide for the transfer from Hanoi is available at a supplement. Please consult the “Supplements” section.

Breakfast at the hotel. 

The day begins with a boat excursion on the Perfume River to the Thien Mu Pagoda, the symbol of the city whose name means “Celestial Lady.” Return to the city by car to visit the Imperial City and the Forbidden Purple City, which is located within the former. Free lunch.

In the afternoon, continue with a visit to the Tomb of Minh Mang and, if time permits, the Tu Hieu Pagoda. Return to the hotel. Check-in and overnight stay at the hotel.

The city of Hue stands along the banks of the Perfume River and was founded in 1687 under the name Phu Xuan. It became the capital of the southern part of Vietnam in 1744 and maintained this role from 1802 to 1945, under the reign of the 13 emperors of the Nguyen Dynasty. Hue is an almost mandatory stop for anyone visiting Vietnam. Not only was it the nation’s political and cultural capital for nearly 150 years, but it also houses spectacular imperial tombs, pagodas, and temples—not to mention the culinary aspect: Hue is the refined gastronomic capital of the country.

Breakfast at the hotel and departure for the charming city of Hoi An, passing through Da Nang. Along the way, you will visit the fishing village of Lang Co, where you can admire the locals working with authentic traditional tools. You will then cross the Pass of the Clouds (Hai Van Pass), the geographical, climatic, and cultural border between North and South Vietnam, stopping to admire Da Nang from above. In Da Nang, you will visit the Cham Museum, the richest in archaeological artifacts from the ancient empire, housing splendid and highly significant works from this ancient people.

Just after leaving the city and heading south, you will drive along one of the most beautiful beaches in all of Vietnam and the granite mountains where pagodas and temples are immersed in a surreal landscape: the Marble Mountains, five marble hills from whose peaks you can enjoy a striking view of the surrounding panorama.

Arrival in Hoi An around midday. Free lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, you can visit the old town with the Japanese Bridge, built at the beginning of the 17th century, the Fukien Temple, founded by a Chinese congregation devoted to the Goddess of the Sea, and the Old House of Phung Hung. Check-in and overnight stay at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. 

“The most beautiful country in the world” seems like an ambitious statement for the village of Tra Que if you have never made your way to this splendid Hoi An countryside. Once you arrive there, you will understand why they might think of this name – Rehahn Photographer.

08:00 AM – In the morning, a bicycle ride towards the enchanting village of Tra Que (5km). We will arrive at a family home where we will have the chance to refresh ourselves before starting the cooking lesson. We will work together with our Family Chef to learn traditional Vietnamese cooking methods. We will prepare 4 famous dishes which will then be our lunch, so do your best! After lunch and before leaving Tra Que, you can relax with a herbal foot bath and massage.

Return to Hoi An and free time before the transfer to the airport for the flight to Saigon.

Arrival in Saigon. Welcome (without guide) and transfer to the hotel. 

Ancient Saigon, at the end of the civil war, took the name of Ho Chi Minh. Today it represents the beating heart of Vietnam, as well as its largest city, and reflects its essence with that unique fusion of indigenous culture and deep French and Chinese influences, perceptible at first glance in its architecture. Check-in and overnight stay at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel and departure to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels. 

Located about 30 km from Saigon, Cu Chi is the district that was most devastated during the war—deforested, razed to the ground, bombed, and poisoned with all possible chemical agents, including Agent Orange. In the 1940s, to escape mandatory conscription and French attacks, and to maintain contact between villages, underground tunnels began to be dug. In the 1960s, the Viet Cong extended the underground network to more than 250 km, and from then on, it became legendary during the American war. The network extended across different layers, up to 5-6 meters deep, housing dormitories, kitchens, schools, hospitals, and weapons factories; further down was the guerrilla level, with tunnels often equipped with traps in case adversaries managed to penetrate. During the excursion, you will visit a wide section of the tunnel to experience the sensations of underground life. Cu Chi is an excellent example of the spirit, strength, and determination of the Vietnamese people for peace and freedom.

In the afternoon, visit the city of Saigon: the Chinese Quarter with the Thien Hau Pagoda and the War Remnants Museum. 

Check-in and accommodation at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel and departure towards the Mekong Delta, considered the “rice bowl of Vietnam.” Arrival at Hung Vuong pier (in Ben Tre city) where you will board for an excursion along the Ham Luong River, one of the main tributaries of the Mekong River.

During the journey, you will admire lively local activities, fishing along the river, and the functionality of the irrigation canals. You will stop at a kiln to observe traditional-style brick making. Along the canal, you will visit one of the many coconut processing workshops where you can taste fresh coconut and see how every single part of this fruit is transformed into products. The final stop will be at a weaving workshop where straw mats are woven using hand looms. You will continue through the natural inlets of the delta to reach a village. A short walk to discover the daily life of the people in the Mekong Delta. Stop at a family home to taste tea and fresh local fruit.

Free lunch.

After lunch, you will board a sampan, navigating through the canals to reach a place where you will take a bicycle or a “Xe Loi” and go to the home of Mr. Khanh – a famous collector passionate about antiques. The house is full of unique artifacts from Vietnam and other Asian countries. He will also show you some family albums with photos dating back to the French colonial period.

Transfer to Can Tho. Arrival, check-in, and overnight stay at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel and departure by boat to visit the Cai Rang floating market, one of the most picturesque in the Mekong Delta.

It is a wholesale market where producers bring their goods to traders who will then sell them at the market. The transfer of goods from one boat to another occurs by passing items like balls, sometimes even two at a time. Amidst the traffic, curious tourists and small boats modified to hold a large pot of the inevitable soup called “pho” and other local delicacies circulate to satisfy the merchants. These would be entirely normal scenes, if not for the fact that they take place on a river. Vietnamese industriousness dictates that local markets take place very early in the morning; then, everyone returns to their tasks and begins the workday.

After the market, you will visit the Ba Cong orchard and the Binh Thuy ancient house, where the famous film “The Lover” was filmed. Leaving Can Tho, you will return to Saigon. On the way, a stop to visit the Long Dinh mat village. Arrival in Saigon, check-in, and overnight stay at the hotel.

NOTE: The Cai Rang market is at its peak between 5:00 and 7:00 in the morning.

Breakfast at the hotel. 

Free time in the city. Meeting and transfer to the airport for your return flight, concluding your 12-day trip to Vietnam. We wish you a safe journey home!!!

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