14 Day Vietnam Discovery Tour

Itinerary

Day  1: Hanoi arrival 

Transfer from the airport to your hotel (with guide).

Welcome drink upon arrival at hotel. 

Meals: None

Accommodation: Silk Path Hotel/Premium Deluxe (City View) 

Day  2: Hanoi

HANOI FULL DAY CITY TOUR 

With ochre-colored colonial buildings, tree-lined boulevards and scenic lakes, Hanoi is full of charm. Start the tour at the Ho Chi Minh’s House. The simple house where Ho Chi Minh lived and worked is made of wood and enjoys a tranquil setting, with a view of a lotus pond. Ho Chi Minh’s belongings are on display and you can walk up the steps of his house to see his bedroom. Wind your way afterwards to the Tran Quoc Pagoda, the oldest of all pagodas in Hanoi – located beside the dazzling West Lake; and Quan Thanh Temple with its spacious and charming landscape helps highlight the ancient and romantic beauty of this area. Quan Thanh Temple is dedicated to Saint Huyen Thien Tran Vu who guarded and administered the north of the country. In the afternoon, visit the Temple of Literature, the first University for the sons of mandarins, for an overview about Hanoian culture and appreciation for ancient Vietnamese architecture. Continue to visit the Hoa Lo prison (“Hanoi Hilton”) and learn about the decades preceding its use as a place for holding American POWs. It was used by the French to imprison Vietnamese patriots. Then cap off the day with a show at the water puppet theatre – a uniquely northern Vietnamese art form depicting scenes of rural life and episodes of national history.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Silk Path Hotel/Premium Deluxe (City View) 

Day  3: Hanoi – Halong (By car) 

Depart for a 3.5 hour drive to Halong Bay with a quick rest stop at Dai Viet Center – the best place to stop and stretch your legs en route. On arrival in Halong Bay, board your junk, settle into your cabin and prepare your appetite for an enjoyable buffet lunch on deck. Mid-afternoon, enjoy a rowing boat trip in Vung Vien area. It was once the fishing village, however most of them have moved on land for their children’s future due to the lack of education system and access to vital information.  A cooking class is offered with the chef if you are interested in before a wonderful dinner on board tonight. Retire to your cabin or join the squid fishing program. 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Bhaya Cruise

Day  4: Halong – Hanoi (By car) 

             Hanoi – Hue (By flight, flight TBA) 

Wake up early and partake in a Tai Chi class which is held on the upper deck. Then explore Sung Sot grotto where stalactites hanging from the high ceiling takes on numerous shapes and forms. Return to your boat where buffet brunch is waiting. Arrive at the jetty late morning and transfer back to Hanoi airport with light snack provided en route. Opt to visit a traditional pottery workshop en route.

Take a flight from Hanoi to Hue. 

Upon arrival Hue, transfer from airport to your hotel (with guide). 

Meals: Brunch

Accommodation: Pilgrimage Village Boutique Resort & Spa/Deluxe 

Day  5: Hue

CITY HIGHLIGHTS TOUR

Hue served as an imperial capital to the Nguyen Lords, a feudal dynasty which reigned from the 17th to the 19th century. With splendid emperors’ tombs, ancient pagodas and the remains of the Citadel, the city retains its royal charm. Start from your hotel with a 10-minute cyclo ride from your hotel to the Imperial Citadel, a UNESCO listed site. Enter through the towering main gate and you will appreciate the magnificent architecture and gardens while your guide explains about the events and the intrigue of the former royal court. Despite being bombed heavily, there are some incredibly well preserved sections still intact and others which are being lovingly restored. From there, the vehicle will take you to visit Thien Mu pagoda, Hue’s best-preserved religious monument. Standing on the riverbank with its seven-storey tower, the pagoda is a sight to behold. In the afternoon, drive out 30 minutes to the elaborate Khai Dinh Royal Tomb. Its architecture and atmosphere showcase elements of eastern art and western designs. Continue to the serene Tu Duc Royal Tomb, designed to blend in with its natural surroundings and built on principles of feng-shui. Transfer back to your hotel with an optional stop en route at an incense stick making house.                                                                                   

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Pilgrimage Village Boutique Resort & Spa/Deluxe 

Day  6: Hue – Hoi An (By car) 

Transfer from your Hue hotel to a Hoi An hotel (with guide).

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel Royal Hoi An/Deluxe 

Day  7: Hoi An

IN THE MORNING, WALKING TOUR

Between the 17th and 19th centuries, Hoi An was a prosperous trading port. Today, this World Heritage-listed ancient town boasts well-preserved buildings, pedestrianized streets and unique cuisine, allowing visitors a glimpse of its illustrious past. The narrow lanes are ideal for a guided walking tour. There is plenty to visit including the old merchant’s houses with influences from Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese architecture; the 400-year-old Japanese Covered Bridge; the Assembly Hall of the Chaozhou Chinese Congregation with outstanding wood carvings; and the colorful market with stalls brimming with local specialties including silk, which can be turned into fashionable garments within a day or two.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel Royal Hoi An/Deluxe 

Day 8: Hoi An

Free day at leisure. 

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel Royal Hoi An/Deluxe 

Day  9: Hoi An – Nha Trang (by flight, flight TBA) 

Transfer from Hoi An to Danang airport. Take a flight to Nha Trang. 

Upon arrival Nha Trang, transfer from Cam Ranh airport to Nha Trang City Hotel (with guide).

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Mia Resort Nha Trang/Garden View Condos

Day 10,11: Nha Trang 

Free day at leisure. 

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Mia Resort Nha Trang/Garden View Condos

Day 12: Nha Trang – Saigon (By flight, flight TBA) 

Transfer from your Nha Trang city hotel to Cam Ranh airport (with guide) to take the flight to Saigon. 

Upon arrival Saigon, transfer from the airport to your hotel (with guide).

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Renaissance Riverside Hotel Saigon/Deluxe City View 

Day 13: Saigon 

CITY HIGHLIGHTS TOUR

Saigon is the country’s commercial center and, with over eight million inhabitants and four million motorbikes, a city that never sleeps. Despite the well-documented hustle and bustle, Saigon retains its connections with the past. A walking tour to admire Saigon’s historic landmarks is a must. Transfer to Dong Khoi street, or Rue Catinat as it was known in the time of the French occupation, to discover some of the beautiful French colonial buildings built in the late 19th and early 20th century. Appreciate the splendidly restored exteriors of the Opera House and the former Hotel de Ville which are still two of the finest buildings in Saigon. Wander up to the Notre Dame Cathedral, a red brick edifice with twin spires based on the original construction from Paris (it is only possible to visit inside when no service is being performed). Then head across the square to the Central Post Office, designed by the French architect, Gustave Eiffel, before he had risen to fame for the Eiffel Tower. The former Presidential Palace, the headquarters of the Saigon Government during the American war, is a short drive away and reveals the history of Saigon during its turbulent recent past. Continue to the City Hall (the former Hotel de Ville’s) which was completed in 1908 by the French. It remains as one of the most stunning colonial monuments especially when floodlit at night (outside visit). Then sit down at The House of Saigon coffee shop for a break and a little personal interaction with your guide over a cup of coffee. Your guide will give you some interesting tips such as how to cross the road without breaking a sweat or say a few simple words in Vietnamese as well as offer an insight of the local’s daily lives. In the afternoon, drive to the War Remnants Museum for a vivid glimpse of the American war through the local’s eyes (Please note that some of the photos are very graphic). Head to China town to visit Thien Hau temple, built by the Cantonese congregation in the early 19th century to honor the Goddess of the Sea. The temple’s ornate interior courtyard is always full of life as worshippers from the local Chinese community come to offer their prayers. Take time to make a wish, write it on a small card and attach it to one of the incense coils in the local custom. Continue your visit to FITO, the first museum of traditional medicine in Vietnam, offering an insight into how traditional medicine was used in the past. Return to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Renaissance Riverside Hotel Saigon/Deluxe City View 

Day 14: Saigon departure 

Transfer from your hotel to the airport (with guide).

Meal: Breakfast

End of Tour