Vietnam Sweet & Slow

Breakfast at the hotel.

Pick up by the guide for a visit to the Ethnology Museum (closed every Monday), which offers a unique opportunity to explore the cultural richness of the numerous ethnic groups present in Vietnam. After the museum, it will be the turn of the Temple of Literature (Quoc Tu Giam); considered the first national university of Vietnam, it was built under the Ly dynasty in the 11th century. The complex served as a place for the worship of Confucius and as a school to teach royal children.

Free lunch in a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (from the outside only, as it is closed on Mondays and Fridays) before taking a pleasant walk in the botanical gardens and visiting the Presidential Palace, Ho Chi Minh’s stilt house where he lived and worked, and Ba Dinh Square, the place where Ho Chi Minh read the declaration of Vietnam’s independence from the French in 1945. Then, a stop will be made at the One Pillar Pagoda, considered one of the city’s most important symbols.

Afterward, continue to the Tran Quoc Pagoda, dating back to the 6th century under the dynasty of Emperor Ly Nam De. Finally, you will take a rickshaw ride of about 40 minutes (xich lo) around Hoan Kiem Lake (the Lake of the Restored Sword), which evokes the legend of a giant turtle and a magic sword used to drive the Chinese out of Vietnam, and the Old Quarter of Hanoi with its famous narrow streets teeming with life.

The day ends with a water puppet show, where the daily life, culture, and beliefs of the Vietnamese people are told through puppets on water.

Free dinner and overnight stay at the hotel in Hanoi.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Departure for Ninh Binh (110km ~ 2 hours); the site is a jewel enriched by historical, cultural, religious, and natural wonders. During the journey, you will pass through the Red River Delta, where you can stop if you wish to capture the beauty of the place.

Upon arrival in Hoa Lu, the former capital of Vietnam from the 9th to the 10th century, you will visit the temples dedicated to Emperor Dinh Tien Hoang of the Dinh dynasty (968-80) and Emperor Le Dai Hanh of the Le dynasty (980-1009), who played a vital role in gaining the country’s independence after it was ruled by China for a thousand years.

Free lunch in a local restaurant.

Next, you will visit the Trang An complex, the first and only site in the world to be recognized by UNESCO in 2014 as both a cultural and natural heritage site. Upon arrival at the pier, you will board a traditional boat rowed by local people and sail on the river through a series of caves, some of which are 300-400 meters long. Each section will offer you a new hidden world made of isolated and peaceful valleys. You will disembark from the boat for a walk through pagodas and temples dedicated to the mandarins of the famous Tran dynasty. Finally, a short stop at the Am Tien cave where you can enjoy a breathtaking panoramic view of Tuyet Tinh Coc.

Free dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.

NOTE: Upon return, you can take a bicycle trip to best enjoy the landscape and the surrounding vegetation.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Meeting with the cruise company staff at 08:00-08:30 AM at the hotel reception.

Shared transfer (private upon request with a supplement) via the cruise company’s bus to Halong port (approx. 4h with an intermediate break).

Halong Bay, in Vietnamese “the bay where the dragon descends into the sea,” is an enchanting bay with thousands of limestone islands, karst caves, stacks, and islets that make it a picturesque and charming place. Magnificent, mysterious, and majestic, Halong Bay has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1994 and is considered one of the new seven wonders of the world.

Day 1 of the 2D1N cruise program.

Meals included as per the program and overnight stay on the cruise.

IMPORTANT NOTE

• Lunch and dinner with seafood tasting on board the junk (included – drinks not included).
• Overnight stay on board in a private deluxe cabin (with AC and shower).
• The cruise program may vary without notice based on weather conditions or local authority decisions.
• There is only one English-speaking guide provided by the cruise company on the junk.

Breakfast on the cruise.

Day 2 of the 2D1N cruise program:

Return on board for check-out.

Brunch on board.

Return to the port. Shared transfer (private upon request with a supplement) by the cruise company bus to Hanoi.

Free dinner and overnight stay at the hotel in Hanoi.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Transfer with the driver to Noi Bai airport for the flight to Dong Hoi.

Arrival at Dong Hoi airport, welcome by the tour guide and driver for the province of Quang Binh, the narrowest part of Vietnam and famous for the Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park, which was declared a World Heritage site in 2003. With an area of 85,754 hectares of exceptional geological and ecological value, the site will allow you to immerse yourself in the sumptuous landscape of karst plateaus and rainforests, revealing hundreds of dotted caves, many of extraordinary size and length, as well as spectacular underground rivers, discovering the abundance of endemic species. It can be said that Phong Nha is every speleologist’s dream.

Enjoy an hour’s drive passing through the rural countryside. Enter the national park and explore the Phong Nha cave. Discovered in 1994, this famous cave is known for its underground river and its system of fantastic stalactites and stalagmites. From the pier, begin the spectacular boat excursion through the Phong Nha Cave starting from Son Trang village, following along the Son River to the giant cave entrance. Enjoy a walk to admire the natural masterpieces while passing through some secret corners: Bi Ki Cave, Celestial Palace.

Enjoy lunch at a small local restaurant.

In the afternoon, discover the Paradise Cave (Thien Duong cave). New surprises await you. Discovered in 2005 and opened to the public only in 2011, with a length of 31.4 km, a height of 60 m, and a width of 30-100 m, it is considered the longest in Asia. After a short walk in the forest, the discovery of this earthly paradise begins through the various halls that will amaze you with grandiose, mystical, and extraordinary stalactites and stalagmites.

Return to Dong Hoi. Accommodation and overnight stay at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. 

Departure for the DMZ zone crossing the Hien Luong bridge and the Ben Hai river where the border that divided Vietnam into 2 parts was located: South Vietnam and North Vietnam, the 17th parallel. You will visit the Ancient Citadel of Quang Tri and the War Museum. During the war it was a military stronghold and now it is a very famous historical monument. In the afternoon, depart to visit the Dakrong bridge before reaching Khe Sanh Base – one of the most famous battlefields in the war along the Vietnam – Laos border. The last stop of the day will be at Ta Con airport where the ruins of the war are preserved and tell the history of Vietnam. At the end of the visits, transfer to Hue. 

Free dinner and accommodation in the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

The day begins with the Thien Mu Pagoda, one of the oldest pagodas in Hue, dating back to 1601. It is the spiritual highlight of the city and well known for its majestic octagonal tower and splendid view over the Perfume River. The next stop is the Hue Citadel, the only symbol of the remains of what was the imperial city of Vietnam. It is inspired by the Vauban fortification. The city is composed of three parts: Kinh Thanh (the capital), Hoang Thanh (the imperial city), and Cam Thanh (the forbidden city).

Free lunch in a local restaurant.

The rest of the afternoon will be dedicated to the traditional incense village of Thuy Xuan, where talented artists preserve day after day the tradition of the “soul” of the Vietnamese nation, and then the imperial tomb of Tu Duc, the most representative monument of Nguyen dynasty architecture and also one of the most wonderful constructions of the 19th century. The day concludes with the Dong Ba market.

Free dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Departure for Hoi An (125km ~ 3 hours) via the Mandarin Road and the Hai Van Pass. During the long drive, stop at the top of the Hai Van Pass (Ocean Cloud Pass) to enjoy the breathtaking view of the Lang Co fishing village, the ocean, and the city of Da Nang.

Arrival in Hoi An, check in at the hotel. Break for lunch (excluded).

In the afternoon, discover the old quarter. The first stop is Cam Pho – it was built following traditional Chinese architecture, a building that serves as a center for worship, trade exchanges, and negotiations, as well as cultural interactions between locals and Chinese and Japanese merchants. Take a short walk to the symbol of the city of Hoi An – the Chua Cau or the Japanese Covered Bridge, built in the 17th century to allow access to the Japanese quarter from the Chinese quarters. Continue toward the ancient house of Quan Thang – one of the most authentic ancient houses in Hoi An; the lively and refined architecture and sculptures were created by craftsmen from the famous Kim Bong carpentry village in Oriental style. The house offers a glimpse into the daily life of a Hoi An family. Afterward, visit the Phuc Kien or Fujian Assembly Hall, built in the 17th century; it is the meeting place for residents, merchants, and visitors from a specific area of China called Fujian. Then, if you like, you can visit a lantern craft factory and you will have the opportunity to participate in the production of a lantern with local artisans.

Free dinner and overnight stay at the hotel in Hoi An.

Breakfast at the hotel.

In the morning, departure for a visit to My Son, one of the best testimonies of Hindu civilization in Vietnam. It is the ancient “Holy City” of the Champa kingdom, which was a contemporary and antagonist of the great Angkor Empire, declared a “World Heritage” site by UNESCO. In a superb rocky amphitheater cloaked in thick and wild vegetation, the ancient Cham rulers had their brick and sandstone sanctuaries built between the 6th and 14th centuries, where rituals in honor of Shiva and Vishnu were celebrated for centuries. Enjoy the Champa musical performance. Take a walking tour to visit the legendary complex of Champa royal worship towers and temples. Enjoy the Champa musical performance.

The My Son sanctuary, located 50km from Hoi An, is the former religious center of the Cham kingdom from the 4th to the 12th centuries. The My Son sanctuary is a large complex of religious relics, including over 70 architectural constructions. These are temples and towers connected by red bricks. Here you can still see the traces of the lost Cham culture and their Hindu religion through typical statues and objects such as linga and yoni.

Return to Hoi An. Free dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Transfer to Danang airport in time for the domestic flight to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City).

Arrival at Tan Son Nhat airport, welcome by our guide at the exit (recognizable by the sign with your name), after baggage claim and completion of customs procedures.

The rest of the day is dedicated to visiting the Independence Palace, once the seat of the Presidents of South Vietnam. Our visit includes seeing the North Vietnamese tank that crossed the threshold of the presidential palace in 1975 to end the controversial Vietnam War. Not to be missed is the War Remnants Museum (Bao Tang Chung Tich Chien Tranh; also known as the War Museum), which offers a unique opportunity to learn about the Vietnamese perspective on the very bloody Vietnam War. Continue your pleasant tour toward the Nguyen Hue pedestrian street, walk to the city’s unmissable landmark, then the Saigon Central Post Office, a splendid building designed by the famous architect Gustave Eiffel. For the rest of the day, you are free to visit the most famous market in the city, the Ben Thanh Market, open since 1870.

Free dinner (not included) and overnight stay at the hotel in Saigon.

Breakfast at the Hotel.

Departure for Tay Ninh (approx. 100km ~ 2.5 hours), which scholars describe as a hybrid of Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and Christianity in a single faith. You will see the Cao Dai Temple, considered the largest of all Cao Dai temples in Vietnam. Built in 1926, the temple is a kaleidoscope of colors, with brightly painted walls, ceramic pillars, and religious icons.

Free lunch in a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, we set off again toward the most evocative site in the history of the Vietnam War: the Cu Chi Tunnels, a district that was heavily devastated, deforested, razed to the ground, bombed, and poisoned with chemical agents, including Agent Orange, during the war. During the excursion, you will visit a wide section of the tunnels 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.

Return to Saigon.

Free dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning journey toward Ben Tre, a beautiful region of the Mekong Delta, famous for its coconut candy production. Arrival at the Phong Nam Bridge for a boat trip on the Ben Tre River to discover local daily life. Stop at a kiln to observe traditional 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 its derivative products. Continue your boat trip along a canal to the village of Nhon Thanh. This will be an opportunity to taste fresh fruit. Take a bicycle ride (or Tuk tuk) along a small path through the villages and enjoy the views of coconut trees, rice fields, and vegetable gardens.

Lunch included in a small local restaurant (not included).

A short walk will help you discover local life more closely. This is followed by a boat ride on a small canal shaded by wild palms.

After the visit, transfer to Can Tho.

Free dinner and overnight stay at the hotel in Can Tho.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Today you will wake up to the sounds of the Mekong River!

You will start the day with a boat trip to reach the Cai Rang floating market – the largest and most vibrant in the Mekong Delta. Here you can observe the sampans laden with goods such as rice, fruit, and artisanal products, which merchants transport at dawn to sell in the floating market.

After the visit to the market, you will stop at a local family that has been hand-producing traditional “hủ tiếu” – typical Vietnamese noodles – for three generations. Thanks to their guidance, you can discover and try the preparation steps firsthand. You will then visit a fruit garden. Finally, you will stop at the suggestive ancient house of Bình Thủy, surrounded by an orchid garden, where some scenes of the film “The Lover” were filmed.

NOTE: The Cai Rang market is at its most beautiful from 5 to 7 in the morning.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Free time until the transfer without a guide to Tan Son Nhat airport for your flight back to Italy. We wish you a safe journey home!!!

NOTE: International flights require arrival at the airport 3 hours before departure, and domestic flights 2 hours before departure.