The Best of Vietnam tours 12 Days

Day 1: Hanoi arrival

On arrival at NoiBai International Airport in Hanoi, we will be welcomed and transfer to our hotel. The rest of the day will be free to recover. Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 2: Dong Ngac Cultural Village & Hanoi Food Tasting Tour

After breakfast at hotel, we travel to Dong Ngac Cultural Village, which located about 15km from Hanoi center. This is an ancient village and a Cultural Heritage Site in honor of its educated and heroic people recognized by the kings of Vietnam. Here we embark on an interesting market tour, experience the bustling market and local life as the host; try to  purchase all the ingredients which we need to cook for our lunch today with the help of tour guides. After that, we transfer to the traditional house for welcome drink and leaving all stuffs we had bought at local market.

Take our bikes and venture deeper into the village: Visit Dong Ngac Communal House, the oldest house in the village belongs to the Do family and is more than 300 years old and Nguyen family with a house given by the King. Back to the traditional house, it is time for our cooking demonstration. After watching our host then practice ourselves and then the best part of all, try our dishes! After all our efforts we can reward ourselves and rest back into some reclining chairs in the fragrant retreat of our host’s village garden.

In the mid-afternoon, we will be back to the city centre and start our Food Tasting Tour. We first walk along the Old Quarters to get a closer look of the daily life of local people. With explanation and choice from our guide, we will taste many kinds of local food such as oil-fried pastry, tofu, egg coffee, rice pancake, pillow cake, sweet soup, stuff pancake with pork, draught beer… and one of our best surprised is a stop at Dong Xuan whole sales market where we know many kinds of ingredients being sold. Last but not least is our happy ending at the Rue Lamblot restaurant. From here, we enjoy our light dinner with Spring rolls, grilled pork with noodle, fried rice cake, banana flower salad. Trip ends around 8.00 PM and transfer back to our hotel for overnight accommodation.

Day 3: Hanoi –Dong Trieu –Paddy Homestay

Beautifully set in a picturesque scenery of rice fields, hills, mountains, fish ponds, vegetable gardens, Paddy Home is highly recommended for those who want to experience the authentic Vietnam and friendliness of the local people. Conveniently located in Doan Xa Village, Dong Trieu Town, Paddy Home is just 100 KM Northeast of Hanoi and 60 KM from HalongBay, it can be combined with one night homestay in the village and one night on boat.

Pick up at our hotel after breakfast, we will take a 2-hour drive to Dong Trieu Town. On arrival, we will be welcomed by our host family and enjoy a Welcome tea before check-in Paddy Home’s accommodation. Stretch our legs after a long drive; we can walk around the village, seeing local farmers working in the fields before having a delicious lunch with Vietnamese typical food.

In the afternoon, we will pick up our bike and ride to some other villages, cross the rice paddy with chances to interact with local people. Back to our Paddy home and relax by the pond, or entertain yourself with fishing by a pole, catching fish by lift-up fishing net or participate in cooking dinner with the host.Our free evening activities can be: teaching English for village’s kids or listening to the life experience stories of the host. Overnight in a bungalow.

Day 4: Paddy Home – Halong Bay

Wake up early in the morning to enjoy fresh air of the countryside, we can ride a bike or walk around the village to meet and talk with the local people. We then go back to the house for breakfast, check out and say Goodbye to the family before getting back in our car and drive to Halong Bay. Along the way, we stop at Dong Trieu ceramic factory, where we can discover the production of pottery.

On arrival, we will embark on V’Spirit Classic Cruise followed by a short cruise briefing. We will then savor a delectable lunch while V’Spirit Classic cruises among the limestone islands. In the mid-afternoon, we will kayak among the hidden areas of the bay, around the Bo Nau Cave area before going back to the V’Spirit Classic and continue cruising to Soi Sim Island. Go swimming and relaxing at the beach of Soi Sim or climb up to the top of the island for a panorama view of Halong Bay.In the evening, we will cruise back to the main boat for a shower before having dinner and spend the night onboard.

Day 5: Halong –Hanoi –Overnight Train to Hue

Wake up early in the morning and start your day with Tai Chi exercises or a photo hunt before having breakfast. After that, we will explore the amazing Sung Sot Cave – the nicest cave in Halong Bay. After that, we will return to the boat, freshen up and check out of your cabin. Continue your cruise exploring the Bay, passing Ba Hang fishing village, Dog Islet, and more. While heading back to the harbor, watch the cooking demonstration before enjoying a traditional Vietnamese lunch. We will disembark at round noon and find our car is waiting and take us back to Hanoi.The rest of the day will be free for refresh, dinner (on your own account) before our car drives us to Hanoi Railway Station to board the overnight train to Hue (SE1, 19.30 – 08.48)

Day 6:Hue –River boat & Royal Tombs

On arrival in Hue at around 8.48 AM, we will have breakfast with Bun Bo Hue (Hue’s Noodle with beef), a special dish of Hue that we should not miss. After that, we will leave luggage at the hotel before boarding the Dragon Boat on the romantic Perfume River heading out for the countryside. Being the ancient capital, Hue is surrounded with ancient tombs of emperors past, and a visit to the most beautiful tombs will be on the itinerary for today. The charming Lady Pagoda (Thien Mu Pagoda) will be the first stop of the day. We will enjoy a great view on the Perfume River and surrounding area. Thien Mu Pagoda is considered the symbol of Hue, and of Buddhism in Vietnam. From here we rejoin our van and go visit King Tu Duc's Tomb.

We then visit Dong Thien Pagoda, one of the most ancient pagodas in Hue built from 18th century. Our guide will explain us about the Buddhism in Vietnam before introducing us the Monk Monastery in the pagoda where we will have delicious vegetarian lunch with tus seeds, potatoes, carrots, muang beans, mushrooms and soy sauce…In the afternoon, we visit the Imperial Citadel where the Nguyen Dynasty ruled between 1802 and 1945, after exploring the ruins of this wonderful monument before ending our day in the local Dong Ba market. Overnight in Hue.

Day 7: Hue –Danang –Hoi An

After breakfast at the hotel, we travel by vehicle to Hoi An along scenic highway 1A. Along the way, we will stop to contemplate the stunning views North, to Lang Co Beach and South to Danang city.

On arrival in Danang, we will have a brief visit at Cham Museum – the houses of the most complete collection if Cham Artifacts anywhere in the world; China Beach – where the American named and used to have their Rest and Relaxation; and the Marble Mountain – the five elements of the Universe (water, wood, air, fire and earth).We will arrive in Hoi An in the afternoon. We will start our walking tour around the ancient town to visit the Japanese Covered Bridge, the Pottery Museum, Tan Ky old house, the Cantonese congregation, the silk street of Hoi An, the temples and pagodas of Chinese appearance. Then we are back to our hotel.

Day 8: Hoi An Farming and Fishing Eco Tour

We have an early start this morning as we head off to our Farming & Fishing Life Eco Tour. Starting at TraQue Village, we will get a personal insight into the local farming communities. We set about joining the farmers in preparing their land for sowing, helping to fertilize the garden using seaweed from the local river and watering it in using huge tin cans strapped to our backs. Following this, we will begin our leisurely cycling tour through the countryside witnessing local Vietnamese rural life first hand. Late morning we will board our Hoi An Eco-tour boat for a river cruise. Here we will meet and witness local fishermen working their craft, before enjoying a hands-on experience of traditional net fishing. We then transfer to a Vietnamese bamboo basket boat for a quick race and ride down a coconut palm lined waterway. Lunch today, is on board our boat, which is prepared using vegetables picked earlier at TraQue Village.

After lunch, we have some free time to wander around Hoi An town, lazing on the beach, shopping or whatever takes your fancy. Overnight in Hoi An.In the afternoon, we will drive to the ancient Cham ruins of My Son which is 75 KM away from Hoi An. My Son is the former capital of the ancient Cham civilization that ruled Central Vietnam from the second to the thirteenth century. Their religion was primarily derived from Indian Hinduism. My Son is considered to be one of the best-preserved Cham structures in Vietnam. The complex is comprised of seventy Hindu-like towers and temples dating from the second century.Once there, we visit the TraKieu capital which was the former administration center of Champa Kingdom. Discover the majestic ancient ruins at My Son including ancient towers which were built from the fourth century. In the afternoon, we will return to our hotel for overnight accommodation.

Day 9: Hoi An –Danang –Fly Ho Chi Minh City –Cu Chi Tunnels –Vespa Tour

Today, we will take a morning flight to Ho Chi Minh City (VN 7113, 09.10 – 10.20) where we will be greeted on arrival and driven to visit Cu Chi Tunnels. At its height, the tunnel system stretched over 250 KM from Saigon to the Cambodian border and was three levels deep. The network included innumerable trap doors, specially constructed living areas, storage facilities, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers and kitchens. Today the remaining tunnels have become a major tourist attraction giving the visitor a unique experience and a feel of what underground life during the U.S.-Vietnam American must have been like.

We then return to Ho Chi Minh City and check in our hotel with free time at leisure. In the evening, our Vespa guide will pick us up at the hotel and we start the street food adventure in the back of a Vespa. Our first stop is Café zoom to "watch the world goes by" (quoted by The Lonely Planet) and enjoy cocktail and appetizer before adventuring into favorite local eating spot. Our vintage Vespa scooter take us to the Chinatown and then heading to District 4 through busy streets and alleys to see the night life of locals and enjoy street sea- food and cold drinks, places that foreigner won't be found. Leaving District 4 to District 3 the tour pass through downtown District 1 to take in the sights on the way to BanhXeo (Saigon Special Pancake), specialty of Saigon, and southern food with the locals. Then the tour will continue to a hidden Vietnamese-style coffee shop to have a taste of Vietnamese music (live) as a local. After that, the tour will bring guest to a lively bar to enjoy the drinks with live music. The tour ends at 10 PM and we will have a good night after a hectic day.

Day 10: Ho Chi Minh City– Mekong Rustic

After breakfast at hotel, we will escape from the lively Ho Chi Minh City and head to Cai Be in the Mekong Delta. On arrival, we visit the Cao Dai Cai Be Temple and Cai Be Cathedral right at the town to understand more about the religious life of Mekong people.We then embark on a tourist boat to visit the inland and floating markets of Cai Be, where we will be introduced the local agricultural, marine products and buy the ingredients for our own dinner. Continuing on boat to head to Mekong Rustic in Tan Phong Island, where we will check-in our room for relaxing and having lunch.

In the afternoon, we will take part in local activity of ditch fishing hook, which will bring us a rustic and great experience especially when catching fish on river for dinner. Back to the Mekong Rustic and join our chefs in the kitchen with Mekong Delta’s special dishes such as elephant ear fish, spring rolls…Overnight in the Mekong Rustic.

Day 11: Mekong Rustic -Ho Chi Minh City

After breakfast, our guide will guide us to explore more the Tan Phong Island by bike. We will visit the traditional handicraft workshops of handbags, rice papers along with wooden tables and chairs. Stopping at a local farmer’s house and talking to him to understand how local farmers take care for their gardens, then try plucking the fruits and tasting them.

The 2nd day tour continues with a visit to the ‘bang’ conical hat (nónbàng) workshop before going back to our lodge to fresh, check out and get back to our boat to transfer us back to the mainland where our car is waiting and take us to hotel in Ho Chi Minh City.In the evening, we will have Farewell dinner in a nice local restaurant. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Day 12: Ho Chi Minh City departure

Time will be free until our car arrives at the hotel to take us to the airport in good time to board our departure flight. Trip ends.

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