Vietnam highlight 10 days 9 nites

You are arrival at our thousand years old Capital – Hanoi city. Our guide will welcome you at Noi Bai airport. After freshen up, we will start discovering Hanoi daily life with one hour Cyclo around the old quarter and stop to visit Ngoc Son temple. Back to your hotel for overnight in Hanoi.

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.

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, 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, take 2 hour drive southwest of Ho Chi Minh City to the Mekong Delta which is known as the rice bowl of Vietnam as it produces three crops of rice per year. The fertile Mekong Delta is also famous for its tropical fruits and flowers. The Delta area marks the end of a 4,500 km journey made by the Mekong River after flow through six countries. Upon arrival, take a boat cruise along islets and tropical orchards through the canal of Vam Xep to reach a small islet, followed by a relaxing walk along shady and palm fringed trails passing by local villages where you can see their peaceful daily life. Stop en route to sip special tea with honey and sample fruits with a local family and share their stories of life in the Mekong Delta. They will guide you on a walk through their orchard and explain how tropical fruits are grown. Then continue the journey with a paddled sampan through the narrow, tree-lined canals of Mekong River. Enjoy lunch at the islet then visit handicraft villages and a coconut candy factory. We also visit Dong Tam snake farm on the way back to Ho Chi Minh City.

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