Vietnam Overview 7 days 6 nights

TRAVEL HIGHLIGHTS

– Discover the alluring streets of Hanoi and visit its historic and cultural landmarks, each of which has a story to tell.
– Head for a scenic cruise ride in Halong Bay, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, home to gigantic karst mountains rising from the ocean.
– Navigate Cu Chi Tunnels, the famous underground maze built during the American-Vietnamese War.
– Explore Ho Chi Minh City and its interesting sites.
– Enjoy a boat ride on Ben Tre River for a relaxing break from the city, see the floating markets of Mekong Delta, local villages on small islands and glide peacefully through palm-fringed back canals and hidden waterways.
– You don’t have to worry about any detail through this journey, just relax and enjoy the trip because we will provide you with a perfect smooth unforgettable trip

NOTES

Depart from Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh city as your option.
This itinerary is designed for your kind reference, and it can totally be personalized to match your time, budget and interests. Feel free to let us know your expectations for the trip and we take care of them for you.
Trips are personally tailor-made, with basic standards of daily JOIN-GROUP TOURS where-ever possible. If your budget allows, we recommend you upgrade to PRIVATE TOURS, when you are personally taken care of and be able to enjoy more private time on your own. Certainly, your trip can be a good mix of PRIVATE DAY TOURS and JOIN-GROUP DAY TOURS as you wish, just simply let us know!

TOUR INFORMATION

Tour Duration: 7 Days / 6 Nights
Tour Route: Hanoi – Halong Bay – Ho Chi Minh City – Cu Chi Tunnels – Mekong Delta
Dates: No fixed departure dates. You may go whenever you wish.
Starts/Ends: Hanoi Capital / Ho Chi Minh City
Group size: Group tour / Private Tours
Special package: USD 690 / person apply for 06 persons upward
Tour Customizable: Absolutely! (Tell us your specific requirements in the inquiry form)

What’s Included?

Hotel accommodation with daily breakfast
All Excursions
All transfer in AC vehicles
English speaking guide(s)
Domestic flights
Local boats
Meals as stated in the program

What’s Excluded?

International flights to/from Vietnam
Visa fees
Early check-in & Late check-out at all hotels
Insurance
Personal expenses
Tipping/Gratuities
Other drinks
Surcharge on special days & peak season (20 Dec to 05 Jan)
Any other services not clearly mentioned above

Day 1: Arrival in Hanoi

On arrival at Hanoi International Airport, you will be greeted by your private driver and guide, and transferred to your hotel for check-in. You will have some time free to rest and relax after your flight.

Overnight in Hanoi

Day 2: Hanoi – Fullday City Tour

After breakfast, dive into the sights, sounds, and aromas of Hanoi. Start with Ho Chi Minh Complex including his Mausoleum (Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is closed all afternoon, every Monday & Friday, and from late September until December), the Presidential Palace, the historic Stilt house, and the One Pillar Pagoda.

Continuing on your journey through Hanoi, you head to Tran Quoc Pagoda (which means “Stabilizing the Nation”), the oldest pagoda constructed in the sixth century in the Westlake and also a famous attraction for pilgrims.

From there, you will proceed to the Temple of Literature. Originally built in honor of Confucius by Emperor Ly Thanh Tong in 1070, a university was added to the grounds six years later. The university provided education to the royal family and children of the aristocracy or “mandarins”.

Around 12.30: you will have lunch at a local restaurant. Following lunch is aa short drive to the Museum of Ethnology, a museum of the 54 officially recognized Ethnic Groups in Vietnam (Ethnology Museum is closed every Monday).

Return to the City center to visit Ngoc Son Temple and Hoan Kiem Lake, the heart and soul of Hanoi.

End up your day with a fun cyclo/ rickshaw ride through the French Quarter and then enjoy a Water Puppet show, a uniquely northern Vietnamese art form depicting scenes from rural life and episodes of national history.

Around 18.00 – 18.30, return to your hotel where the rest of the day will be free at your leisure.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 3: Hanoi – Halong Bay

After breakfast you will leave the busy streets of Hanoi behind, bound for the serenity of Halong Bay where you will discover the UNESCO World Heritage-listed landscapes. The limestone karsts and tropical islets rising up from the emerald waters provide an ethereal backdrop for your leisurely cruise.

Once there, you’ll be welcomed aboard your traditional-style Vietnamese Junk boat, each with its own individual route, to begin your cruise around the bay’s rocky islands and hidden caves.

After lunch on board, you will take a small boat transfer to the Tien Ong Cave and Cua Van Fishing Village, whose residents still live in traditional floating houses.

Return to your Junk boat for a cooking demonstration with the chef or enjoy a mesmerising sunset on the top deck before enjoying a scrumptious dinner and a peaceful overnight stay in this UNESCO-listed natural wonder.

Note: If your time permits, we would highly recommend an additional night on board which gives you a lot more time to relax and take in the amazing landscape. You’ll get to cruise deeper into the Bay where it’s more beautiful and less crowded.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight on board in Halong Bay

Day 4: Halong Bay – Hanoi – Flight to Ho Chi Minh City (HCM City)

The graceful practice of Tai Chi eases you into your day as is the local custom. Join a ‘Local Specialist’ on the deck of the Junk boat for a morning class in exquisite natural surrounds. You’ll have time for an early morning swim at one of Halong Bay’s quiet beaches and, if you’re feeling energetic, a brisk walk to catch one last view of scenic Halong Bay before your drive to Hanoi Airport to catch your flight to Ho Chi Minh City, still called Saigon by the locals.

Upon arrival, you will be met by your tour guide and driven in a private vehicle to the hotel for check-in. The rest of the day will be free at your leisure.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Overnight in HCM City

Day 5: HCM City – Cu Chi Tunnels & City Sightseeing

After breakfast, we will travel over 70 kilometers to the legendary Cu Chi Tunnels, which was built by the Viet Cong in the war battles for the South of Vietnam. The tunnels are a sobering insight into the dedication of the Viet Cong who lived almost entirely underground in the narrow and claustrophobic tunnels, for up to 10 years!

Upon arrival, you will have a chance to watch a brief video that will introduce you to the Cu Chi tunnels, followed by a walk through the reserve. In this walk, you can see the Secret Entrance to the tunnels, workshops for the handmade weapons, the clinic bunker, the commander bunker, the meeting bunker and the kitchen bunkers, which are all open and above ground. Nearby is a chilling exhibition of the traps and weapons used during the war. You can experience the Cu Chi tunnels by crawling inside to see how difficult life must have been, and discover the 3 levels underground.

For those who do not like the claustrophobic atmosphere, you will not have to crawl into these tunnels! The small replica displayed outside will give you a perfect example of what the interior looked like.

Finish the tour and return to HCM City around noon for lunch at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, your guide will show you the most interesting sights that Ho Chi Minh City has to offer. You will begin with the Reunification Palace; this beautifully preserved palace was the residence of the President of the Republic of Vietnam. On April 30th, 1975 the American War officially came to an end here. Proceed to the War Remnants Museum, where you can see countless artifacts, photographs, and pictures documenting the second Indochina war.

Continue to visit the Notre Dame Cathedral, built in 1880, and the Old Post Office, which was built sometime between 1886 and 1891. It is one of the best examples of classical French colonial architecture. Next will be Jade Emperor Pagoda, nestled in a quiet enclave in downtown HCM City, the Pagoda offers a calming sanctuary from the bustle of the busy streets outside

The final stop will be Ben Thanh Market where you can practice your bargaining skills while shopping for souvenirs. You’ll find some of the friendliest, liveliest, most convivial people in the city here.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Overnight in HCM City

Day 6: HCM City – Mekong Delta (Ben Tre)

After breakfast, you will depart for a two-hour drive to Ben Tre Town, in the Mekong Delta, popularly known as the “rice bowl” of Vietnam, and is famous for its vast rice fields, orchard farms, coconut trees, numerous waterways, and beautiful landscapes.

Upon arrival you will embark on a motorized boat trip around the scenic Ben Tre River, viewing various local industries along the way. During the boat ride, you will stop to visit the small local factories where bricks and sleeping mats are made. Take a leisure walk along the village lanes visiting the local homes to try dry fruits, taste honey tea while enjoying a local Tai Tu music show. Continue to visit a coconut mill workshop where the local delicacy of coconut candy is produced and a range of coconut husk and fiber products are skillfully handcrafted.

You next take a small sampan boat through palm-fringed back canals, gliding peacefully along the hidden waterways surrounded by an immense variety of tropical plants. The quiet, rural setting is a welcome and restorative retreat to the frenetic buzz of Ho Chi Minh City which seems far, far away.

Enjoy sitting in the back a Motor Cart (xe lôi) passing rice and vegetable orchard farms while meeting with local people. Then head to a local restaurant for a simple lunch, after which you will be driven back to the city.

The rest of the day will be on your own. You can consider joining our recommended Optional experience below.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Overnight in HCM City

Day 7: HCM City – Departure

Your private transfer greets you at the hotel after breakfast and escorts you to Ho Chi Minh International Airport where you board your flight home or travel on to more adventures, we will help you with the planning.

Meals included: Breakfast