Best of Vietnam 14D/13N

Upon your arrival, you will be welcomed by our guide and transfer to Hanoi. After refreshment and relax, you will start discovering old quarter of Ha noi with one hour cyclo tours. We then stop at Thang Long theatre for enjoying Water puppets show. Welcome dinner will be arranged at Vietnamese restaurant.

After breakfast at hotel, take a full day city tour of Vietnam’s capital- Hanoi: Hanoi was referred as “Paris of orient” with tree-lined boulevards, French colonial architecture, peaceful lakes and oriental temples. The city tour includes such sights as Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum (view from outside on Mondays, Fridays and afternoons as it closed for maintenance),and his house on stilts, the One Pillar Pagoda, the Temple of Literature, first University of Vietnam founded 1070. After lunch in town continue to the Museum of Ethnology. Transfer to Lao Cai in the evening to catch night train to Sapa.

Upon arrival in Lao Cai around 5:30 AM, our local guide will welcome you and we drive the 35kms to beautiful and romantic Sapa town at 1600 m above sea level ( Early check in not guarantee, depend on availability) . The ride gives you a glimpse of the stunning vistas and impressive rice terraces fields and colour of ethnic minority people’s attires. After have breakfast in local restaurant, visit Hamrong mountain.
In the afternoon, take a 2km trek to Cat Cat Village, home of H’mong Ethnics. Meet & talk with locals to learn more about their daily life, back to the town to visit the local market. Overnight in Sapa.

In the morning, take a drive to visit Lao Chai village – home of Black H’Mong – here you trek through terraced rice fields to villages, meet and talk with locals to learn more about their daily life and habits. You trek through Ta Van village – home of Dzay hill tribe and get on car back to Sapa. Free time for relax before transferring to Lao Cai for night train to Hanoi.

Arrive in Hanoi very early in the morning (round 04:40am) you will be transfer to hotel for freshen up and have breakfast before pick up for Ha long trip (08:00am). Journey takes you through scenic landscape of Northern Delta where you can see daily life of villagers: transplant their rice seedling, plough their rice field with water buffalo or carry pigs or fish trap on motorbikes. Upon arrival, embark on a junk /boat for a cruise around Ha Long Bay. While the junk cruising caves, grottoes, floating villages and beaches on the bay, having fresh seafood lunch on boat. Stop for a while for an excursing to explore one of the most beautiful grottos among others and swimming, if weather permitted. Have dinner on board.

In the morning, your breakfast or brunch will be served while doing further cruise to explore the beauties of the Bay before returning to the Wharf. Disembark around 10:30-11.00am. Transfer to Noi Bai airport to catch fight to Hue. Upon arrival in HUE airport, you are welcomed by our tour guide to hotel in HUE city for overnight.

In the morning, your breakfast or brunch will be served while doing further cruise to explore the beauties of the Bay before returning to the Wharf. Disembark around 10:30-11.00am. Transfer to Noi Bai airport to catch fight to Hue. Upon arrival in HUE airport, you are welcomed by our tour guide to hotel in HUE city for overnight.

Today, we will have full day city tours of former imperial capital city of Vietnam which was acknowledged 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 atmosphere of regal serenity remains in tact. In the morning we will visit Imperial Citadel and visit Thien Mu, a beautiful pagoda located right on the bank of Perfume River. Then we will drive through countryside and visit Tu Duc and Khai Dinh Royal tombs. Back to Hotel and the rest of time at your own leisure. Overnight in Hue

This morning we drive to Hoi An ancient town, another world heritage sites in Vietnam. Hoi An was major Asia trading port in 16 th-17th centuries. Hoi An offers ancient Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese architecture and traditional Vietnamese hospitalities. We will cross Hai Van Pass where you will have magnificent view of the China Sea. Stop at Lang Co to have break. We wisit the fascinating Cham Museum where you will see intensive and diverse collection of Cham breathtaking sculptures dating from 7thto the 15th centuries en route to charming Hoi An. 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.

Hoi An is not famous for ancient city, but also special dishes as ” Cao Lau”, ” My Quang”. To day, we have a chance to discover art of culinary. Be ready at 8:00 at the Hai Scout Café in Hoi An’s old streets to meet the chef. Visit Hoi An’s colourful market, and experience the amazing sights, sounds and aromas of this busy market. We will have the opportunity to interact with the local sellers and learn about all the ingredients to be used in the cooking lesson later. We board the Red Bridge boat for a leisurely cruise (25 minutes) along the Hoi An River to the Red Bridge Cooking School. This is a chance to view local river life, so make sure your camera is handy.
On arrival, we explore the cooking school’s herb garden, before learning about some of Hoi An’s and Vietnam’s well-known dishes. The cooking lesson runs for about 2 hours – the Red Bridge chefs first demonstrate each dish before we prepare the same dish ourselves. Included in the class is a brief introduction to Vietnamese food carving (plate decoration). After the lesson, we will enjoy results of excellent foods we just cooked. Your free time in the afternoon for exploring the ancient town of Hoian.

Take morning flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Upon arrival, You are welcomed by our guide at Tan Son Nhat airport and then be transferred to your hotel in the center of city. Half day city tour visit Reunification Palace, War Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral with the passing Ben Thanh market. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

To day, we travel to Tay Ninh, 100 km from Ho Chi Minh city to discover Cao dai religion which was offically established in Tay Ninh, southern of Vietnam in 1926 . Cao dai is the third largest religion in Viet Nam (after Buddhism and Roman Catholicism). “Cao” means “high”; “Dai” means “palace”. Caodai refers to the supreme palace where God reigns — that is the Kingdom of Heaven. The word is also used as God’s symbolic name. On arrival to the head quarter of Cao Dai religion, you will have a chance to witness the daily ceremony at Cao Dai Holy See, and meet followers come to attend the ceremony wearing colored robes, a symbol of the curious combination of the Confucianism, Taoism, Christianity and Buddhism. Having lunch at a local restaurant then continue the trip to Cu Chi, visit the incredible underground tunnel network constructed by Vietnamese fighters during the long struggle for independence. Overnight at Ho Chi Minh City.

Depart early in the morning. Upon arrival at Cai Be, embark a private boat to cruise around Cai Be Floating Market. Visit a local garden and house to see orchard, rice crisp production process, .. Have lunch at an Ancient garden house, then proceed to Vinh Long, passing small and beautiful canal with peaceful tranquil villages, the unique natural setting of Mekong Delta region. Stop at An Binh islet to visit some of the famous fruit orchards. See how local people make ceramics, popcorn and rice paper… A nice chance for bicycle riding through the village and its handicraft shops. Another stop at Vinh Long market before driving to Can Tho for overnight stay.

Start from Ninh Kieu boat quay, cruise along the small and picturesque tributaries by a rowing boat, visit the Cai Rang floating market (the nicest one with heaps of rowing boats). See the beautiful scenery and daily activities of the locals. Walk around a village, visit a rice husking mill and have lunch at local restaurant before transfer back Ho Chi Minh

Free times shopping before transfer to airport