Vietnam impression 12 days 11 nites

You are welcomed by our guide at Tan Son Nhat international airport and then be transferred to your hotel in the center of Ho Chi Minh city, the city never sleep; everywhere you look there is colour and movement. In the afternoon, depend your arrival times, we can arrange half day city tour visit Reunification Palace, War Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral with the passing Ben Thanh market. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City

After breakfast, left bustling and hustle of city behind, you travel to Mekong delta wihch is known as rice bowl of Vietnam where produced three crop per year. You arrive Can Tho or Cai Be. You board the traditional junk boat around noon. After a refreshing welcome drink we show you our on-board facilities and your cosy cabin. As lunch is served, the boat starts cruising. Sit back and watch the fantastic scenery and the daily life of the Mekong people.

In the afternoon you can disembark for a guided leisurely stroll through the village and the surrounding fruit orchards or rice fields. Meet the friendly locals and taste the local produce and fruits.

Get back on board and enjoy a drink at the bar or relax on deck as the sun sets over the magnificent water landscape. The boat will anchor for the night. The day ends with a delicious on-board dinner

Wake up well rested to the sound of the River and get ready for another exciting day of sightseeing. At 6.30h the boat sets off for a sunrise cruise. Watch the locals go about their daily work drying exotic fruits and building ships on the wooden yards while enjoying an early breakfast.

After breakfast, we will board a sampan boat to Cai Be or Cai Rang floating market, the region’s busiest and most lively markets. Marvel at the sheer abundance of exotic fruits, vegetables and skilfully handcrafted regional products. We will pull up to the boats for talking and bargaining with the merchants. We will also visit some of the local candy and cake making factories or boat through the green water landscape to see local houses, verdant orchards and ship-building yards.

The boat trip ends at around 11.00 – 11.30h on the pier. After brunch, we will take you back to your hotel in Saigon

Leave hotel in HCMC after breakfast, you will take flight around noon to Da Nang. Upon arrival at Danang airport, greeted by our local guide and then transfer to Hoi An, one of world heritage sites. Hoi An was major Asia trading port in 16th-17 centuries. Hoi An offers ancient Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese architecture and traditional Vietnamese hospitalities. In the afternoon, take a walking tour of the ancient town centre to visit the former merchants’ homes, the 400 year-old Japanese Covered Bridge, a Chinese communal hall and the colourful market. Overnight in Hoi An.

Pick up at your hotel in Hoi An to My Son Sanctuary, a UNESCO World Heritage site, 40 km southwest of Hoi An. Located in a lush valley, My Son once was a capital and religious center of Cham people. With its impressive red brick towers and sanctuaries, My Son is considered to be in the same league as some of Southeast Asia’s greatest archaeological sites, including Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Bagan in Myanmar, Ayutthaya in Thailand and Borobudur in Indonesia. The remaining towers and sanctuaries were built from the 7th to 13th centuries. Transfer back to Hoian down town for a short rest.

In the afternoon, take a boat trip on Bon River to visit Thanh Ha Pottery village & Kim Bong Carpentry village. Return to Hoi an in the afternoon. Overnight in Hoi an.

We transfer to Hue in the morning with a visit to Cham museum where you will see intensive and diverse collection of Cham breathtaking sculptures dating from 7thto the 15th centuries.

We will drive through Hai Van pass to Hue- former imperial captial city of Vietnam which was acknowlged world heritage in 1993. Hue served as Vietnam’s capital under the emperors of the Nguyen Dynasty from 1802 to 1945. Although time and warfare have taken their toll, Hue’s atmostphere of regal serenity remains in tact. After a short rest, we get on boat for a cruise along Huong River to visit Thien Mu Pagoda, on the way back it is good time for watching sunset and take photos. Overnight in Hue.

Have breakfast at hotel. Then take a cyclo trip from your hotel to visit the Imperial Citadel of Hue – another UNESCO designated World Cultural Heritage site. Next you, short drive to visit King Minh Mang tomb. Later in the afternoon, we visit King Tu Duc’s tomb and Tu Hieu Pagoda. Overnight in Hue.

Leaving the Imperial city, you fly to Hanoi capital city of Vietnam. You will have a half day Hanoi city tour to visit the most attractions of Hanoi: The Temple of Literature, Hoan Kiem lake (the lake of the Restored Sword), Ngoc Son Temple & Old quarter streets. Enjoy our traditional cultural Water Puppet show. Overnight in Hanoi.

After breakfast at Hotel, we will drive 2 hours to Ninh Binh. Our first visit is Hoa Lu-ancient capital of Vietnam in the 10 century where remaining Dinh and Le Kings’ temples. Proceed to Tam Coc –“three caves”. Getting on small bamboo boats to travel along the canals amid local villages, green fields and natural beauty with limestone peaks, we are enjoying the “Ha Long On Land”. After 02 hours through 03 caves, we row back to the boat quay.
Take a short bike to Bich Dong cave, which was conferred by a King the title “Vietnam’s second most beautiful grotto” and which is some 2 km from Tam Coc. Climb up the Ngu Hanh Son Mountain (Buddha’s palm), charmed by the marvelous scenery offered by the mountains, rivers and pagodas. Return to Ha Noi and arrive at around 17:30pm. Overnight in Hanoi.

After breakfast, take 3.5 hours drive to Halong bay, a World Heritage Area of outstanding natural beauty. Upon arrival, transfer to a junk for a cruise around Ha Long Bay with a delicious local seafood lunch served on board. The cruise passes by many rocks and islets in many funny shapes. The cruise may stop for a while for visiting a beautiful case, if not today, you will do tomorrow according to each boat/junk’s itinerary. Again your dinner served on board. In the evening, enjoy the night fishing (optional) and later overnight on board.

In the morning, your breakfast or brunch will be served while doing further cruise to explore the beauties of the Bay before disembarking time.

On the return to Hanoi, we stop on the way in Bac Ninh, for visiting a special place and the cradle of Vietnamese folklore music in the Red River Delta. We will ride a horse-drawn cart through country lanes to visit the Dinh Bang Communal House and the Do Temple that was the place of worship for 8 (eight) of the kings of the Ly Dynasty (1010-1225). Following that, you will be invited to enjoy Quan Ho folk songs (duets of love songs) performed by local artists and singers. Drive back to Hanoi for overnight.

Leisure time before leaving for departure home. End of service.