Vietnam Highlights 11 days 10 nights

Today you will have a day tour to visit Hanoi’s featured sights. Start with a visit to the memorial complex for the historic figure and father of modern Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh. Here you will visit the mausoleum (viewed from outside; closed Mon and Fri and from Oct to Nov), the presidential palace and his humble house on stilts where he lived for the last 11 years of his life. Nearby is the little One Pillar Pagoda, one of Vietnam’s most iconic temples built from 1049 by Emperor Ly Thai Tong.
Continue to another landmark of the city, Temple of Literature – Vietnam’s first university that built from 1076 where for incredible more than 700 years, Vietnamese intellectuals were educated and names of those received Doctor Laureate through Royal examinations still remain on huge stone steles that stand on turtle’s backs. The picturesque West Lake and the sixth century Tran Quoc Buddhist Pagoda will be visit next before having lunch at local restaurants.
After lunch, take a visit to the fascinating Ethnology Museum, which are both a research centre and a public museum exhibiting the ethnic groups of Vietnam. You will then enjoy a cyclo ride through the Old Quarter also known as the ‘Hanoi’s 36 streets’. This bustling area of narrow streets and alleys is home to literally thousands of small businesses and shopkeepers. It’s a great place to explore with plenty of photo opportunities all around you. Finish the day with a Water Puppet show, a uniquely northern Vietnamese art form depicting scenes from rural life and episodes of national history.
Meals: Breakfast – Lunch

Leave Hanoi for more than two hour drive to Ninh Binh, a province in the south of Hanoi that famous for its stunning rural scenery and karst landscapes. Visit to Hoa Lu ancient capital and temples dedicate to Kings of the the Dinh dynasty (968 -980) and the Early Le Dynasty (980 – 1009).
Proceed to Tam Coc through stunning country landscapes of mountains, rice fields and villages. After lunch, in the afternoon board a small sampan and gently glide on the water along rice paddies, natural tunnels and spectacular mountain landscapes of Tam Coc or Thung Nang. This area, dubbed as the Halong on land, surely give you a great impression about natural beauty and authentic local life.
Continue with a visit to Bich Dong Pagoda dating to 1428 and comprising three structures on the mountain cliff. This place described as second most beautiful place under the Viet sky by the Lord Trinh Sam in 1770.
Back to Hanoi in the late afternoon and free at your leisure to explore Hanoi at your own pace. Overnight in Hanoi.
Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner

Depart Hanoi for a 3 ½ hour drive through the rich farmlands of the Red River Delta to Halong Bay. Dubbed as one of the most beautiful places on Earth, the natural wonder Halong Bay is a huge body of emerald water that dotted with thousands of limestone islands of special shapes that formed by winds and waves through millions of years. The place was twice recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage for its exceptional natural and cultural values. Board the wooden junk and enjoy sumptuous fresh seafood lunch as you wind your way through spectacular bay of dramatic islands, floating villages and mirror like water. Visit a huge limestone cave with full of stalactites and stalagmites and enjoy the rest of the day to swim and paddle kayak or just simply relax on the top desk in spectacular sunset.
Dinner and overnight in great comfort under romantic stars live sky.
Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner

Get up early if you want to have the spectacular view of the bay at sunrise with a cup of coffee or tea. The boat will then set sail for another part of Halong bay whilst you enjoy your breakfast. Discover more spectacular landscapes enjoy lunch before you disembark the boat at Halong harbor at early noon. There your driver will meet you for the transfer to Noi Bai Airport for the flight to Danang, gate way to Hoi An. En route visit to ceramic village in Dong Trieu. After a short flight to Da Nang, transfer 30 minutes to Hoi An. This charming little city by the bank of Thu Bon River use to be a major Asian trading port in the 17th and 18th centuries whose architecture and relaxed lifestyle has changed little over the years.
Overnight in Hoi An.
Meals: Breakfast – Lunch

Take a half day trip to visit My Son Holy land, another World heritages sites 40km west of Hoi An. Built between the 4th and 13th centuries in a lush valley sounded by high mountains, My Son is a unique cultural site which owes its spiritual origins to Indian Hinduism and was the religious and political capital of the ancient Champa Kingdom before it became part of Vietnam.
This place is graphically illustrated by the remains of a series of impressive red brick towers and sanctuaries considered to be in the same league as some of Southeast Asia greatest archaeological sites including Angkor in Cambodia, Bagan in Myanmar, Ayutthaya in Thailand and Borobudur in Indonesia. Enjoy a Cham traditional music and dance performance, wander through the site for sightseeing and to learn about the place. On the way back to Hoi An we will stop to visit Tra Kieu, formerly known as Simhapura, the capital of Champa between the 4th and 8th centuries. Some of the finest sculptures in Danang’s Cham Museum originated from here. Back to Hoi An and in the afternoon you will take a walking tour of the ancient town with visits to the colorful central market, ancient temples and pagodas, former merchant houses, museum and so on… During the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, this place was one of important trading ports in Asia where merchant ships from both East and West gathered for business, making it a very hustle and prosperous town. Today, remains of ancient architectures, traditions and life style are very well preserved producing this unique heritage site and make it one of the biggest attraction in Vietnam.
Overnight in Hoi An.
Meals: Breakfast – Lunch

Take a scenic drive through green lands, pristine beaches, spectacular lagoons and verdant mountains to Hue with stops for Marble Mountains, the Cham Museum (optional) a panorama view form the top of Hai Van Pass. Located in Central Vietnam, Hue is the old imperial capital and the treasure of the country’s royal past and known for its both historical values and beautiful natural landscapes.
In the afternoon you will take a visit to the Imperial Citadel and Forbidden City. Built from 1804 to 1833 and was the administrative head quarter of the country from 1802 to 1884 and nominally until 1945, the fortress-like citadel encompasses three courts covering 6 km that is surrounded by massive brick walls and protected by a moat system. This place reflects the pomp and ceremony of the dynastic rulers as well as the scars of many years of turmoil, both ancient and modern (the Royal Citadel was badly damaged in the latter stages of the war) but retains a sense of grace and majesty even today.
Royal dinner this evening (optional) would be a great experience in this former imperial city.
Meals: Breakfast – Lunch

Board a “dragon boat” and float on the Perfume River to visit to iconic Thien Mu pagoda, the oldest pagoda and, symbol of Hue with its 7-storeys Phuoc Duyen tower. This place houses the huge bell from early 18th century whose sound can be heard from miles away and an Austin car that used by Buddhist monk Thich Quang Duc on his journey to Saigon centre where he burnt himself to death to protest Buddhism discrimination policy by the Ngo Dinh Diem regime in 1963.
Continue with a visit to one of Emperor Tombs of special architecture that built in line of Royal city within a beautiful natural setting. In the afternoon take time to stroll around Dong Ba Market for sightseeing of locals buying and selling in this central market of plenty colorful products. Why not getting a ‘non la’ as a souvenir for your visit to Hue and try some ‘banh khoai’ that Hue is famous for.
Overnight in Hue.
Meals: Breakfast – Lunch

Transfer to the airport for to take a flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Formerly known as Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City is the largest city and a commercial hub of the country that characterized by a vast array of sights and sounds with people rushing about their life from early morning until midnight. The city contains in it a fascinating blend of old and new, East and West and is home to great local cuisine. In the afternoon you will glide through busy Saigon streets and catch up interesting moments of local life. Explore the War Remnant Museum and admire the gothic style of century-old Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Central Post Office, the Independence Palace (former Presidential Palace of the South of Vietnam) and troll through the Ben Thanh Market where an incredible display of fresh produce is offered.
Overnight in hotel in Ho Chi Minh City
Meals: Breakfast – Lunch

This morning, after breakfast we will leave bustling Ho Chi Minh for more than 2-hour drive to the delta town of Cai Be, a little beautiful town by the bank of Mekong River that is home to a colourful floating market, vast emerald rice fields, luxuriant orchards and lush back waterways. Upon arrival, we will take a boat cruise to visit to Cai Be floating market.
Here, at the confluence of the Mekong River and its branch, hundreds of boats gather for selling and buying making a stunning scene on the water surface. Sample products are hung on a pole in front of each seller boats to attract customers and make it easier for people to see from afar what is on offer. There are also little mobile cafes or restaurant serving food and drink to people. Get off the boat for a visit to local village where you will observe locals making traditional stuffs such as rice paper cakes, fish sauce and pop rice. Continue your cruise along meandering canal for sightseeing of local life on water and the two banks. Visit to local home, orchard and sample fresh tropical fruits. Lunch with local specialties of Mekong and enjoy a sampan rowing along shady creek.
Drive back to Ho Chi Minh City in the afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast – Lunch

Today is departure day. Enjoy some free time for last purchases or simply relax before your transfer to the airport for your onward flight.