Grand Vietnam - 16 days

Highlights

- The cruise on Halong Bay - a UNESCO World Heritage Site - and its breathtaking landscapes
- The sumptuous landscapes throughout the circuit

Description:

A complete immersion into Vietnam! This tour will lead you from busy Hanoi across the most important cultural and historical sites of the central Vietnam to discover magnificent pristine beaches of Nha Trang and rural villages in Dalat, before it takes you to explore the flat South with the fast-paced Ho Chi Minh City as your base.

Day 1: Hanoi

Pick up at Hanoi Noi Bai International Airport and transfer to hotel for check-in.

Depending on arrival time, a city tour in the afternoon will include one or more of the following sites: Hoan Kiem Lake, Ngoc Son Temple, the Old Quarter of Hanoi.

Accommodation in Hanoi.

Day 2: Hanoi

Full-day city tour including visits of the most remarkable sites: Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum (closed on Mondays, Fridays and from October to November for maintenance), his former residence, One-Pillar Pagoda, and Army Museum (closed on Mondays, alternatively, visit Ethnology Museum).

Continue visiting Temple of Literature, built in the 11th century as Vietnam’s first university, the Fine Arts Museum, and Quan Thanh Temple.

Enjoy the Water Puppet Show in the evening, a unique Vietnamese traditional art form.

Accommodation in Hanoi.

Day 3: Hanoi – Mai Chau

Depart from Hanoi for Mai Chau. This scenic drive takes around 3.5 hours and will provide you with lots of photo opportunities.
Arrive at Mai Chau around noon.

In mid-afternoon, start exploring the valley with a walk around nearby villages, meet people of Thai ethnic minority in Lac and Pom Coong villages.

Accommodation in Mai Chau.

Day 4: Mai Chau – Ninh Binh

Wake up in the middle of Mai Chau valley.

Start exploring surrounding villages, the market, rice paddies, and local way of life on bicycle.

Drive to Ninh Binh, also called "the Dry Halong Bay" and row a sampan along the limestone rocks lying on rice fields and forming a landscape similar to that in Guilin, China. Continue to visit Bich Dong pagoda. Visit the ancient capital of Hoa Lu with temples of Dinh and Le dynasties.

Accommodation in Ninh Binh.

Day 5: Ninh Binh – Halong

Drive to Halong passing the seaport town Hai Phong. Short sightseeing tour in Hai Phong, including Du Hang Pagoda and Hang Kenh Temple.

Continue to Halong. Upon arrival in Halong, board a traditional junk. You are ready to discover the Halong Bay listed as a World Heritage Site for its outstanding natural beauty. “The Dragon descending to the sea“ as it is known in Vietnamese, the picturesque Halong Bay has more than 3,000 limestone islets rising from clear emerald waters, many of them containing beautiful grottoes. Seafood lunch on board.

Cruise in the Halong bay to admire the imaginative limestone islets and caves. You will also have a chance to swim on a nice beach or kayaking (optional).

Overnight on board.

Day 6: Halong bay – Hanoi

In the morning, continue your sightseeing and cruise around the peaceful bay. Enjoy an early lunch before disembarkation and transfer back to Hanoi.

Note: The cruise itinerary might change slightly depending on the cruise company and weather conditions.

Day 7: Hanoi – Hue

Transfer to airport for flight to Hue, the royal city of Vietnam’s last ruling dynasty. Upon arrival in Hue, take a boat trip on the Perfume River to visit Thien Mu pagoda, Imperial City and King Tu Duc’s tomb.

Stroll around the central Dong Ba market at the end of the day, if time permits.

Accommodation in Hue.

Day 8: Hue – Kim Long village

A journey around Kim Long village by bicycle is a journey back in time to retrace the glory of the “Great City” (1636-1687) with a cluster of important cultural relics. At some stops at the garden houses hiding themselves after the evergreen hedges, you can listen to the echo of the past through the stories of the hosts.

The nostalgic architecture of the garden houses, the family atmosphere, the delicacies and especially Hue etiquette will open up a cultural space in which you will truly perceive Hue’s art of living. Your experience will be more memorable when you are cycling on the paths lined with vegetables, flowers and rice fields on both sides, promising moments of utmost peace.

Note: Alternatively tour by cyclo.

Accommodation in Hue.

Day 9: Hue – Danang – Hoi An

Drive to Danang via scenic Hai Van Pass (Pass of the Ocean Clouds), enjoying spectacular views of the sky and the sea.

Visit Cham museum before proceeding to Hoi An.

Take a walking tour to discover the historic town that used to be a prosperous seaport city during the 16th to 18th centuries. Visit the Hoi An market, Tan Ky old house, Fukien Assembly Hall, and Japanese covered bridge.

Transfer to hotel.

Accommodation in Hoi An.

Day 10: Hoi An

Embark on an explore tour to see a different Hoi An. This will be a unique experience that will help you merge with the local fishermen community. You will see how tricky it is to spread the “ro” nets in the water in a perfect circle, how difficult to lift them and what is the way to control the round basket boat to get the fish out.

Meet your local guide at hotel and transfer to the fishing village where you will start preparing the fishing equipment: net, basket boats, fishing rods and where you will be instructed on how correctly to spread the net.

Throughout this experience you will have a plenty of opportunities to interact with locals and share your experiences with them. Seafood lunch included. After lunch, transfer back to the hotel.

Accommodation in Hoi An.

Day 11: Hoi an – Danang – Nha Trang

Drive to Danang and transfer to airport for flight to Nha Trang. Upon arrival, visit Po Nagar Cham Towers, a sacred Hindu site dating back to the 2nd century AD. The tower was built between the 7th and 12th centuries and is still used today as a place of pilgrimage by Cham and Vietnamese Buddhists.

Continue sightseeing at Long Son Pagoda.
Transfer to hotel.

Accommodation in Nha Trang.

Day 12: Nha Trang – Dalat

Leave Nha Trang for Dalat, a cool mountain resort. Dalat is one of the most enjoyable places in Vietnam due to its beautiful lakes, scenic waterfalls, evergreen forests and gardens and cool temperatures.

Upon arrival in Dalat, visit the summer Palace of Emperor Bao Dai, Xuan Huong Lake and the old colonial style train station. Pay a visit to “Crazy house”, if interested in a local take on surrealist architecture.

Accommodation in Dalat.

Day 13: Dalat – Ho Chi Minh city

Visit the Dalat flower garden and depart for Ho Chi Minh City with a stopover at the Prenn waterfall. On the way stop by to see tea, coffee, and rubber plantations.
Arrive in Ho Chi Minh City and transfer to hotel.

Accommodation in Ho Chi Minh City.

Day 14: Ho Chi Minh city tour

City tour including History Museum (closed on Mondays, if Day 13 falls on a Monday, this site may be replaced by another), former Presidential Palace, Central Post Office, and Notre Dame Cathedral.

In the afternoon, visit Thien Hau temple, Chinatown, and Binh Tay market.

Accommodation in Ho Chi Minh City.

Day 15: Ho Chi Minh city - Tay Ninh / Cu Chi tunnels

Pick up at hotel, drive to Tay Ninh to visit the centre of Cao-Daism, religion that combines Buddhism, Christianity, Taoism and Confucianism.

Lunch en route. Continue to Cu Chi Tunnels, an amazing complex of the underground tunnels used during the Vietnam War. Drive back to Ho Chi Minh City.

Accommodation in Ho Chi Minh City.

Day 16: Ho Chi Minh city – Departure

Free time at leisure until transfer to Tan Son Nhat International Airport for departure

All our tours are customizable.
Do not hesitate to contact us if you wish to discover Vietnam

Included:

- Transportation in air-conditioned car / minibus / coach
- Transportation from/to your accommodation
- All entrance fees to visits
- Guide
- Double room with air conditioning in selected or similar rooms
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Not included:

- Personal expenses
- Gratuity

Useful information:

- Please contact us by email via the contact form if you wish to get more information about this tour