Vietnam family culture discovery

Upon arrival in Hanoi, you will be welcomed by our tour guide and transfer to your hotel in Ha Noi. Free & leisure for refreshment. In the evening our guide will pick up you for welcome dinner 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. In the evening, see water puppetry show at Thang Long theater. Overnight in Ha Noi..

After breakfast, take 3.5 hours drive to Halong bay, a World Heritage Area of outstanding natural beauty. Journey takes you through the rich farmlands of the Red River Delta. You observe daily life of Vietnamese Villages as you see famers work on their rice fields, transplant rice seedling, plough the fields with water buffaloes and take live pigs to market on bicycles or motorbikes. 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. 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 returning to the Wharf. Disembark around 10:30-11.00am. 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.

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, and 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

Take morning flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Upon arrival, heading to Cu Chi tunnels, the “Iron Triangle”, which was more than 250 KM long and three levels deep, were important for our Viet Cong basement in the American war. Back to Hochiminh city for a quick view of the busiest city of Vietnam by visiting the Independence Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral and Post office, last stop at China Town. Check in hotel and overnight in Hochiminh city.

In the morning we pick you up at your hotel in Saigon and take you to Can Tho or Cai Be. You board the traditional junk 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 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

Free time for last minute shopping before going to Tan Son Nhat airport for departure flight. End of service