Welcome to Vietnam!

After arriving at Noi Bai Airport, you will be picked up and transferred to the hotel in the city center. Hotel check-in is available from 2pm. The rest of the day is free for relaxing or discovering the city by yourself. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at your hotel. The first stop is the flower market of Quang Ba – the biggest flower market in the North of Vietnam. Arriving at the market, visitors will be fascinated by the stalls of colorful and fragrant flowers of all kinds. From common flowers like roses, chrysanthemums, and lilies, to the more unusual and wildflowers of Vietnam.

Then, we will drive to Tran Quoc Pagoda. The pagoda, now nearly 1,500 years old, is located on a small peninsula on the east side of West Lake, situated among lush greenery. It was the center of Buddhism in the imperial city of Thang Long (former name of Hà Nội) during the Ly Dynasty and the Tran Dynasty (11th – 15th centuries). After, we will drive back to the Old Quarter for a 1.5-hour walking tour, specially designed for a deeper insight into Hanoian daily life. We will visit the Ngoc Son temple which sits on a green islet in the middle of Hoan Kiem Lake, connected to the lakeside by a graceful scarlet bridge named The Huc. The temple is dedicated to Tran Hung Dao – the General who defeated the Mongols in the 13th century and Van Xuong De Quan – the patron of literature and examinations.

We will continue with a visit to a wellness center for a traditional therapeutic massage to energize and revitalize. After transferring back to the hotel, the rest of the day is free to rest or do your own exploration of the city. In the late night, our driver will pick up you to station for the night train to Sapa. Overnight in a comfortable cabin.

The train arrives in Lao Cai early at 6.00 am. We will have breakfast in a local restaurant before heading to Sapa. On arriving in Sapa, we will have a beautiful hike through the amazing scenery of Sapa valley. After a rest, we will leave our luggage at the hotel and begin our visit to ethnic minority villages. We will descend into the Muong Hoa Valley passing Y Linh Ho and Lao Chai villages inhabited by Black H’Mong and Ta Van village, home to the Day ethnic people. On the way, your eyes will be well rewarded with marvelous views of the terraced rice fields curving around the hillside, meandering rivers and streams sparkling on the sun.  Overnight at a local homestay in Ta Van village.

We will transfer to Bac Ha for the biggest local ethnic market of the region. Taking place every Sunday, Bac Ha Market is where tribal people from surrounding villages flock to exchange their products. Most still use horses to carry their loads, which means they must depart early to get to the market in time. If you come to visit Bac Ha during a spring weekend, it’s easy to meet locals in their most beautiful and colorful costumes heading to the market, as it’s the best time of the year for youngsters finding a partner for marriage. Despite the low temperatures, Spring is a joyful time because it’s the season of courting, dating and weddings. Nature also contributes to the atmosphere, vibrant red and white flowers blooming everywhere. It all truly makes for a unique setting. After a traditional lunch, you will leave the colorful market behind to follow a zigzag road along the mountain to visit Ban Pho 1 and Ban Pho 2 villages, inhabited by Flower H’Mong people. The car takes us to the car station for limousine going back to Hanoi. Overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast, depart for Ninh Binh. First stop is the Trang An complex which is a wonderful ecotourism destination with breathtaking natural landscapes, rich history and cultural significance. Take a rowing boat tour to immerse yourself in peaceful nature, passing beautiful limestone cliffs and picturesque landscapes. Also pass through the Trang An caves to explore the spectacular karst formations. Along the way, opportunities to stop and visit temples hidden in the mountains with the majestic scenery. Afterwards, we will take a bicycle ride and get lost on winding roads passing lotus ponds, temples, and cottages. We will stop to visit Bich Dong pagoda, which hides amongst the trees on a lush hillside. After that, we will go to Hang Mua, which literally means Dancing Cave because King Tran used to come here to enjoy dancing and singing shows performed in this cave. Overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the harbour of Ha Long Bay, whose name means ‘where the dragon descends into the sea’, already recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Accommodation in the furnished cabin with a splendid view of the bay, welcome drink and an information briefing during your stay on board. An exquisite lunch is served with fresh seafood. Free time to relax before the afternoon’s interesting activities.

Start with an exploration of Cap La Island, the most beautiful island in the bay. This is also the best time to enjoy a kayak ride through the breathtaking karst nature and dive into the emerald water. Later in the cruise, you can enjoy a beautiful sunset. Dinner is served on board. Free time to challenge yourself in night squid fishing or enjoy the tranquility of the night from your boat.

Wake up early to witness an enchanting sunrise. For those interested, a short Tai Chi lesson on the sundeck will refresh your mind and body. In the morning, you can also enjoy a cup of tea or coffee while admiring the extraordinary landscape.

After breakfast, do not miss a visit to the hidden cave of Thien Canh Son. You will also participate in a demonstration cooking class. The chef will show you the tricks of cooking our country’s typical dishes and then enjoy them with brunch.

Disembark from the ship around noon and meet our guide for the transfer to Noi Bai airport. Flight to Hue – our imperial city. Arrival and check-in your hotel.

In the morning, we will take a boat trip on the poetic Perfume River. Our first visit will be to Thien Mu Pagoda (Celestial Lady Pagoda) built in 1601 on the bank of the river. With its seven-storey Phuoc Duyen tower, Thien Mu Pagoda became the symbol of the ancient capital and has often been mentioned in folk rhymes about Hue. We will continue cruising upstream and arrive at Minh Mang Mausoleum, one of Hue’s finest royal tombs. The complex, built from 1840 to 1843 by more than ten thousand workers and soldiers, comprises 40 buildings including palaces, temples, and a pavilion. After a traditional lunch at a local restaurant, we will drive to visit Hue Imperial City. We will visit beautiful structures including the Flag Tower, Nine Holy Cannons, Ngo Mon Gate, Thai Hoa Palace, Nine Dynastic Urns and the Forbidden Purple City. We will then continue to visit the Tomb of Emperor Tu Duc designed by himself before his death. The Tomb includes 50 monuments arranged unsymmetrically and shows the perfect harmony of buildings and nature. Overnight at the hotel.

After a yummy breakfast, we will transfer to Da Nang by the mountainous road to arrive at Ba Na hill. After checking in at the ticket counter, we will walk to Hoi An Station. We will take a cable car which reaches a height of nearly 5,000 feet (1,487m), stretching over three and a half miles in length (5,771m). We will admire the truly spectacular views of luscious dense rainforest and beautiful waterfalls below, above you at the peak can be seen enormous stone hands holding the magnificent Golden Bridge. On arrival at Marseille Station, it’s time to enjoy an amazing view from the mountain to the beach below, while strolling on the recently world-famous Golden Bridge at 150m in length and at a height of 1,414m above sea level. After wandering through D’Amour flower garden and Debay Wine Cellar, another cable car ride will take you to the French Village, a romantic replica of a classical French town. Don’t forget to visit Ba Na’s spiritual attractions such as Linh Ung Pagoda, Rain Sheltering Teahouse, Linh Phong Stupa, the Holy Mother Shrine, etc. You will also have free time to enjoy the attractions at Fantasy Park – The “Entertainment Paradise”, discover the ghost house before going to your hotel in Hoi An.

After a delicious breakfast, we will take a bicycle to Tra Que village. Thanks to the special condition of rich soil and water, the village has long been known for growing many kinds of vegetables: lettuce, salad, houttuynia, fragrant knotweed, basil, and coriander vegetables etc, with which the traditional specialities of Hoi An have gained part of their fame. We will have a yummy lunch and participate in daily activities with the local farmers.

In the afternoon, we will take a half-day walking tour of Hoi An ancient town. In this UNESCO-classified world heritage site, we will visit Chua Ong Pagoda (dedicated to “Quan Thanh De Quan” – an ancient Chinese general), the 200-years-old Tan Ky house (with Japanese and Chinese influenced architecture), and the Japanese Covered Bridge (built by the Japanese then living in Hoi An to connect their quarter to that of the Chinese).

Say goodbye to Hoi An and flight to Saigon. On your arrival to Ho Chi Minh City (former name is Saigon), you will be welcomed by our tour guide and driver. After transferring to your hotel at the city center (Check-in is available from 2pm), there will be time for your free exploration of the largest city in Vietnam. We will visit Notre Dame Cathedral, constructed between 1877 and 1880 by the French. We will take a few steps from the Cathedral to the General Post Office to admire its interior with the arched roof and curved windows, reminiscent of early European railway stations.

We will visit the Reunification Palace, formerly known as the Presidential Palace. After a prepared lunch, you will take a guided cycle tour for 2-3 hours to learn a deeper understanding of Saigon daily life. We will visit some local markets with several stops arranged at Ho Thi Ky flower market; The medicinal plant store; the Thien Hau Temple in the Cho Lon town, 5th district. Overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast, we will drive about 100km to Tay Ninh province to visit the Cathedral Cao Dai. Being the 3rd largest religion in Vietnam, Caodaism blends Buddhism, Catholicism, Taoism, Confucianism, and Islam. The most suitable time for visitors to visit this Cathedral is 12 o’ clock in the afternoon.

After lunch at a local restaurant, we will go to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels. The underground system was built from 1946 to 1968 by local inhabitants and soldiers using simple tools. During the American bombings and attacks, they were turned into an underground tunnel, which could house up to 10,000 people, with trapdoors, living areas, kitchens, storage facilities, armoury, hospitals, and command centres. We can enter some parts of the subterranean tunnels to understand the systems better. Afterwards, we will return to Saigon. Overnight at the hotel.

After a yummy breakfast, we will leave the hotel at 8am and make our way to Ben Tre Province in the Mekong delta. Upon arrival at Hung Vuong Pier (90km from Saigon), we get on a boat and cruise along the Ben Tre River. The boat will stop at a traditional brick factory for you to explore its imposing ovens.

We will have a short break at a coconut candies workshop, where you will observe how coconut flesh is used and processed. A short tuk-tuk ride on the winding small road of the countryside will take you into the green villages and we will stop at a family braiding mats. The local restaurant will prepare typical dishes of the Mekong delta for your lunch. Following this, we will board a rowing boat to join the maze of canals and return to the landing stage. We will then transfer to Can Tho province. Overnight at the hotel or homestay in Can Tho.

We will be early birds and take a morning boat trip to Cai Rang floating market. The largest in the region, Cai Rang floating market offers boats bursting with fruit and vegetables freshly gathered every day. After exploring the busy market, you will take a walk in Mr. Tu Dung’s orchard to taste fresh local tropical fruits. The following visit is to a workshop where you will see how the local (canna indica) vermicelli is made. Then, we will travel back to the mainland by boat, then we will drive to Chau Doc. On the way, you will stop at the Bang Lang Stork Garden (the largest bird sanctuary in the Mekong delta). The breathtaking view from the platform overlooks the whole forest, with hundreds of beautiful storks and herons nesting. We will arrive in Chau Doc late afternoon, where you will visit Chua Hang on Mount Sam – an exceptional pagoda combining the dissimilar cultural and religious influences of the region. Its exquisite architecture and panoramic view are worthy of a cinematic setting.

In the morning, we will visit the simply spectacular Tra Su forest. This mangrove is composed of cajuput trees and home to 70 species of birds, 140 plant species, and 20 species of reptiles, to name a few. We will then hop on a small boat sailing on a river covered by freshwater (floating on the denser saltwater below), lotus hearts and water lilies. To get the full breathtaking view of the forest and our neighbor Cambodia, we will climb the six floors of the observation tower. After that, you will transfer to Ho Chi Minh City.

After breakfast, transfer to Mui Ne by limousine in about 2.5 hours. Mui Ne boasts one of the 4 most beautiful seas in Vietnam and it is worth staying here to enjoy the ultimate in relaxation, the smell of the sea and the beauty of its white beaches.

Arrival and check-in at your seaside hotel.

Free on beach

The morning is free on the beach.

In the afternoon, check-out for the return to Sai Gon. The drive takes approximately two or three hours. Arrive in Sai Gon and check in at your hotel.

Breakfast will be served in your hotel. Depending on your departure time, you will have free time to relax or buy souvenirs for your relatives or friends. Our driver will take you to Tan Son Nhat International Airport at least 3 hours before departure.

Thank you very much for travelling with Asia Viva Travel.

Have a safe return flight!