Morning, take a full-day city tour beginning with Ho Chi Minh Complex which features the life of Ho Chi Minh, the nation’s founder. At the complex, visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, where the nation’s founder’s body is preserved (closed on Monday, Friday, and through October - November), the colonial Presidential Palace, originally the French Governor Office and a fine example of French architecture in Hanoi, and the rural style Ho Chi Minh’s house on stilts where Ho Chi Minh lived and worked. Stop by one of Hanoi’s icons, the One Pillar Pagoda, built in the 11th Century in dedication to Buddha of Compassion and reminiscent of a lotus blossom rising from a pond. Continue to the Temple of Literature, known as the first university of Vietnam built in 1070 by the Ly Dynasty to honor Confucius, sages and outstanding Vietnamese scholars. 

Afternoon, continue the tour to one of the following museums of choice namely the Museum of Fine Arts, the National Museum of Vietnamese History, the Museum of Revolution, the Museum of Military History or the Museum of Ethnology. Go to Hoan Kiem Lake, the center point of Hanoi whose name “The Return Sword Lake” originated from a legend of a sacred sword and home to a rare endangered giant turtle species and visit Ngoc Son Temple on the lake. Next, take a one-hour cycle tour of the Old Quarter of Hanoi with its ancient streets representing traditional trades from the past. Finish the tour at the Thang Long Opera Theatre with a traditional Vietnamese water puppet show.

Meal: Breakfast
Overnight at hotel in Ha Noi

Morning pickup at 8:00 AM from your hotel for transfer to Ha Long Bay, which is about 160 km or 3.5-hour drive away. On the way, you will see some rural areas of the Red River Delta with plenty of chances to take photos of Vietnamese farmers working in paddy fields. Stop half way to visit a handicraft workshop of fine clothes and embroidered paintings. Arrive in Ha Long City at 11:30 AM and check in aboard the booked junk right after the welcome drink is served. Start cruising while having lunch on board and enjoy the mighty bay view.

Ha Long Bay means Descending Dragon Bay in Vietnamese as legend has it that it was where a holy dragon landed down from sky. The bay, famous as one of the world’s wonders and heritage sites whose formation dates back 500 million years, consists of around 2,000 karst islands and islets scattered over an area of 1,553 km2. The bay cruise will continue with up close sightings of Dinh Huong Island, Ga Choi Island, Dog Island, Sail Island, a visit to Sung Sot Cave and a swimming stop at Titov Beach. Relax to enjoy the bay view at sunset, have dinner after, go fishing at 09:00 PM and spend a night on board.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight on cruises in Ha Long Bay 

Wake up at 06:30 AM and refresh your body and mind with a Tai Chi exercise on the sundeck. Tai Chi is an ancient internal martial art often practiced in soft and gracefully slow moves to enhance internal harmony and vitality. Have tea and coffee onboard before proceeding to Titov Islet or SoiSim Island to trek and swim. Check out at 09:30, have a buffet brunch while cruising back to shore. Disembark at 11:00 AM to transfer to Hanoi. Free at leisure until meet our guide then transfer to the airport for flight to Hue.
Arrival Hue airport, meet our guide & driver then transfer to the Hue city

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch (or 1 Brunch)
Overnight at a hotel in Hue

Morning, meet our guide at your hotel and take a full day tour of Hue City, the former Imperial Capital of Vietnam for the 1802-1945 period and the last refuge of Vietnamese feudalism. A natural scenic landscape and an extensive variety of historical relics characterize the city’s beauty. Begin with Hue Citadel, a well-known UNESCO-recognized World Heritage Site which is a 520 ha fortress-like grand complex built in the early 1800s and featuring three enclosures separated by heavy ramparts namely Kinh Thanh Hue (Civic City) as the outer, Hoang Thanh (Royal City) as the middle and Tu Cam Thanh (Forbidden City) as the inner. Continue to Khai Dinh Tomb, the burial site of Vietnam’s second-to-last king, and the most elaborate compared to other kings’ tombs. The tomb shows a vivid European influence in architecture despite its Asian style. 

Afternoon, you will take a boat cruise along the Perfume River to enjoy the open view of the river and its surroundings. Stop along the way and land on shore to visit two prominent historical landmarks namely the Minh Mang Tomb, where the 2nd Emperor of the Nguyen dynasty was buried, and Thien Mu Pagoda, an active Buddhist monastery overlooking the river from a vantage point with its origin dating back to 1601. Last destination is a stop for shopping at Dong Ba market, which is the city’s traditional commercial center.

Meal: Breakfast
Overnight at hotel in Hue

Check out and you transfer to Hoi An via the Hai Van Pass (Ocean Cloud Pass). Enjoy a stunning headland-and-bay panoramic view from the pass, which for miles hugs the mountainside along the shoreline and overlooks the Pacific Ocean. On the way, you will stop to visit the Museum of Cham Sculpture built in 1915 and housing the world’s most extensive collection of Cham ethnic sculpture artworks and the Marble Mountains, whose peaks represent the five basic elements of the universe.

Meal: Breakfast
Overnight at hotel in Hoi An

Morning, meet our guide at your hotel in Hoi An Town (or Da Nang) and transfer about 40 km West of Hoi An to visit My Son Sanctuary, another UNESCO-recognized world heritage which was once a religious center of Cham people where royal ceremonies and burials were performed.  One site that you cannot fail to visit while in Hoi An. My Son is a great sample of the ancient Champa civilization which was an independent state from around the 2nd to the 17th century, at which time it was occupied by the South part of Vietnam. The impressive Hindu-themed ruins feature many beautiful stone sculptures, temples and towers in tropical jungle surroundings. My Son was also a political center and a royal burial ground and the complex consists of more than 70 structures devoted to Hindu gods and goddesses and the most noticeable one, Shiva, was considered the protector of the Champa’s kings. Their skillful use of red bricks and sandstone is remarkable. In general, this Hindu sanctuary reminds you of other similar sites in Southeast Asia including the great Angkor Wat in Cambodia. This is a must-visit for those who love history.

Afternoon, transfer for a city tour in Hoi An - the city recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. It is now popular as a city of peace with well-preserved architecture, lifestyles and traditions. Your visiting will be impressed by an enchanting fusion of culture from Vietnam and also outside world including China, Japan, Thailand and the Philippines. Today, to explore almost the main attracting spot in Hoi An, our guide will take you to the iconic 400 year old Covered Bridge which a Japanese-styled temple is based on. Then continue to the Museum of Trade Ceramics – a Vietnamese Style wooden house which has showcased antique ceramic artifacts since 1858, the Tan Ky House which has had a long lasting of 200 year old – an ancient Chinese merchant residence, the Ong temple for worshiping an ancient Chinese general who had been admired as his loyalty, bravery and justice - Guan Yu, which is built in 1653 by the Chinese settlers. Finish tour, our guide takes you to see the colors activities in the local market.

Meal: Breakfast

Overnight at hotel in Hoi An

Free at leisure until transfer to Danang airport for flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Arrive at Tan Son Nhat International Airport, welcome by our guide and transfer to your hotel. Ho Chi Minh City, formerly named Saigon, is the largest city and economic center of Vietnam, always bustling with activities of modern life. It is where businesses converge and shoppers indulge themselves into unlimited choices. However the city also carries with it a rich historical legacy in contrast with its dazzling glamor.

Meet our guide take a city tour to visit the War Remnants Museum which features a comprehensive collection of the machinery, weapons, photos, and documentation of Vietnam War with the both the French and Americans and the Reunification Palace which was the former residence of the President of South Vietnam until end of April 1975. Last, stop for shopping at the French-built Ben Thanh Market which dates back to 1870 and whose main entrance clock tower has become a city’s symbol.

Meal: Breakfast
Overnight at hotel in Ho Chi Minh 

Morning, transfer to Tay Ninh province, 99 km Northwest of Ho Chi Minh City to visit the Great Temple also known as The Holy See Temple of a rare religion named Cao Dai native to the province. Cao Dai was established in 1926 as a monotheistic religion with its name meaning “Way of the Highest Lord” and its symbol of the left eye standing for the Highest Lord’s clairvoyant power and wisdom. However it incorporates some aspects of Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and even Catholicism. The Great Temple, which was built in 1933, has a unique cross-architectural style akin to the religion’s blended nature. Players are conducted for times daily in the Great Temple (suspended during Tet). It is worth visiting during prayer sessions at noon that is most popular. There are about a few hundred prayers on weekdays but up to several thousand may attend during festivals.

Afternoon, we transferred to Cu Chi, the famous Cu Chi Tunnels, which were once a major underground hideout and resistance base of Viet Cong forces during the two wars against the French and the Americans. The tunnels, entirely hand-dug, formed a highly intricate network of interlinked multilevel passageways at times stretched as far as the Cambodian border and totaling over 120 km in length. Its complexity was beyond imagination, containing meeting rooms, kitchens, wells, clinics, schools, depots, trenches and emergency exits all aimed for guerrilla warfare. The tunnels were deep and strong enough to withstand destructive bombings and self-contained enough to outlast prolonged sieges. At the present, the section of the tunnel system open to visitors is a few hundred meters only. It is 50m long and about 1.2m high and 80 cm across. Some travelers find them too claustrophobic for comfort but experience to know more about the war in Vietnam.

Note: Please wear respectfully inside the temple; no shorts or sleeveless T-shirts.

 And in case you want a VC veteran who lived and fought during the Vietnam War in this area to know more about the tunnels and their lives during the war. Please request our sales expert to add on the tour for you.

Meal: Breakfast
Overnight at hotel in Ho Chi Minh

Vinh Long is the gateway to island life including Cai Be floating market, rural homestays and abundant orchards, which can be a highlight of a Mekong Journey. Today, meet with your guide at your hotel then transfer about 136 km to Vinh Long. The driving time is approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes.

Vinh Long is not the largest town in Mekong Delta but as a major, noisy and chaotic transit hub. Embark a boat cruise to the lively Cai Be floating market where sellers and buyers bargain and exchange goods from their boats. One thing you won’t see at other floating markets is the huge Catholic cathedral on the riverside – a memorable backdrop for photographs. Proceed through a fascinating maze of shady canals to Hoa Binh Phuoc Island. Beautiful landscape of lush vegetation, zigzag canals, peaceful villages and activities of rural life will make you a delightful sight. There on the island, visit some local farmers’ homes, interact with warm-hearted hosts and learn about their trades of bonsai gardening, tile and ceramic production and rice paper and coconut candy making. After the tour, we will transferv back to Ho Chi Minh.

Note: it’s best to arrive early in the morning to see Cai Be floating market in the busiest time when wholesalers on big boats moor and hang samples of their goods from tall wooden poles.   

Meal: Breakfast
Overnight at hotel in Ho Chi Minh

Leisure time until transfer to Phan Thiet by private car with driver. Arrival Mui Ne beach, check in and free at leisure.

Meal: Breakfast 

Overnight at hotel in Mui Ne

Free at leisure time in Mui Ne beach

Meal: Breakfast
Overnight at hotel in Mui Ne

Free at leisure time in Mui Ne beach

Meal: Breakfast
Overnight at hotel in Mui Ne

Morning, transfer back to Ho Chi Minh airport by private car, take flight departure

Meal: Breakfast