VIETNAM TRIP 21 DAYS: AUTHENTIC EXPLORATION ALONG THE COUNTRY

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 a hotel in Hanoi.

We will start the day with a trip to the Tran Quoc Pagoda. You will then visit the Temple of Literature, constructed in 1070 to worship Confucius, which was also used as the first Royal National University of Vietnam. There are 82 stone steles, carried by tortoises, engraved with names, birthdates, and birthplaces of honored doctorates from 1442 to 1779.

In the afternoon, you visit the Museum of Ethnology (closed on Mondays, the alternative on this day is the History Museum). The museum offers a wide range of informative and well-documented displays of the 54 ethnic groups in Vietnam. The outdoor display is an impressive collection of traditional houses of various minorities from the north to the central Highlands.

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. You will also 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 (meaning the early sunlight welcoming place).
Overnight at a hotel in Hanoi.

After breakfast, depart for Mai Chau via the winding and steep passes at Thung Khe, Thung Nhuoi. The landscape slowly changes from the hustle and bustle of the capital, becoming more and more rural, countryside as far as the eye can see, green expanses of rice paddies, all around hills and houses built of bamboo canes and dirt roads. Arrive and check in at your hotel. Pass through the villages of Na Phon, Na Tang, Lac, Pom Coong, on a bicycle or walking tour. The route passes pristine landscapes of rice paddies and the extraordinary surrounding mountains, and you will meet local inhabitants with the opportunity to visit their homes. Our guide explains the local cultural identity, the unique characteristics of the life of the Thai, Dao or H’Mong ethnic group.

Dinner at the hotel, enjoy a popular folkloric music show in the evening. Tasting wine made from fermented rice with typical straws (the ‘Can’).
Overnight at a hotel or homestay in Mai Chau.

In the morning, we will drive to Pu Luong. The road leading to Pu Luong Nature Reserve takes you to breathtaking mountain passes and offers fascinating bird’s- eye views of the whole valley. We will reach Pu Luong right in time for a delicious lunch.
In the afternoon, we will transfer 12km from the hotel to the starting place of our walking journey. After crossing the suspension bridge over the Cham River, we will follow the stream and walk across rice fields, from village to village hunting beautiful water wheels. You can approach the wheels to investigate how water is conducted from the river to handmade bamboo aqueducts by simple devices of all sizes. On arriving in Chieng Lau village, we will take a rest and enjoy the peaceful streamside scenery. We will then walk to the main road and take the car back to your hotel.
Overnight at a hotel in Pu Luong.

In the morning, we will drive 140km to Tam Coc also known as “Dry Halong Bay”. We will have the chance to pass by some of the most picturesque scenery in Vietnam. You will visit two ancient temples dedicated to Dinh Tien Hoang – the founder of the Dinh Dynasty (968-980) and Le Dai Hanh – the founder of Early Le Dynasty (980 – 1009).

In the afternoon, you will board a rowing boat for a peaceful navigation along Ngo Dong River and Tam Coc meaning “three caves”. During the boat trip, you will cruise among limestone mountains reflected in the emerald water, between rice fields and through three beautiful limestone caves beautifully decorated with stalactites and stalagmites of all sizes and shapes. We will spend the rest of the day riding a bicycle and getting lost on winding roads passing lotus ponds, temples, and cottages. We will visit Bich Dong pagoda, which hides among the trees on a lush hillside.
Overnight at a hotel in Ninh Binh.

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. Check-in in the furnished cabin with a splendid view of the bay, welcome drink and an crew’s briefing. An exquisite lunch is served with fresh seafood. Free time to relax before the afternoon’s interesting activities.

Start with an exploration of Luon Cave which is considered as one of the most ideal places in Halong for kayaking or rowing boat. After that, you can visit Titov Island, where you can go swimming or hiking to the top for another stunning, panoramic view of the Bay. Enjoy your special dinner in restaurants with the best view of Halong bay.

Free time to challenge yourself in the night squid fishing or enjoy the tranquility of the night on your cruise.
Overnight on board.

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

Your next excursion is a visit to the magnificent Sung Sot Cave, where you can take in the panoramic views across Halong Bay. You can also participate in a cooking class. The chef will show you the tricks of cooking our country’s typical dishes and then enjoy them with brunch.

Disembark from cruise around noon and meet our driver for the transfer to Hanoi.
Overnight at hotel in Hanoi.

After a delicious breakfast at your hotel, meet our driver and transfer to Noi Bai airport. Flight to Dong Hoi. Upon arrival, our driver will pick you up and go ahead to your resort in Phong Nha.

Overnight at a resort in Phong Nha.

We start the day by heading to Paradise Cave (or Dong Thien Duong), in Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park, UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site. Discovered by a local man, Ho Khanh in 2005, Paradise Cave is a 31.4km long cave, but only the first kilometre has been opened to tourists (since 2010). You will have the chance to see one of the largest and most impressive accessible caves in the area. After climbing 524 steps, you will be welcomed generously by cool breezes blowing from the small open door to the cave. In the afternoon, we will take a relaxing cruise along the Son River to visit Phong Nha cave (the most famous cave in the national park). Phong Nha Cave is recognised by the British Cave Research Association as the top cave in the world due to its four records: the highest and longest cave, the longest underground river, broadest and most beautiful sand beaches inside the caves, and the most spectacular stalagmites and stalactites.
Overnight at a hotel in Phong Nha

In the morning, we will transfer by car to the DMZ (demilitarized zone) to visit the Vinh Moc tunnel complex. Your tour guide will explain the history of the Vietnam War between 1954 and 1975. We will then take the national road 49 to follow alongside the coast. We will stop at Cua Viet to visit the historical sites: Hien Luong Bridge and Ben Hai River. We will carry on driving until we reach Hue – the ancient political, cultural and religious centre of Vietnam under the Nguyen dynasty from 1802 to 1945. The Perfume River is embedded through the city centre of the Imperial City and the Forbidden City, adding a touch of nature to this poetically beautiful old town.
Overnight at a hotel in Hue.

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 a hotel in Hue.

After breakfast, we will take the Mandarin Road from Hue to Hoi An. Along the road are stunning landscapes of beaches and dense tropical forest. We will stop to take photos of Da Nang Beach. We will visit the Marble Mountains and Cham Museum before arriving in Hoi An. We will have a typical lunch at a restaurant in the ancient town.

In the afternoon, we will explore the UNESCO world heritage and its highlights: the Japanese Covered Bridge (built by the Japanese then living in Hoi An to connect their quarter and the Chinese’s one), old Phung Hung house, Hoi An’s market and ancient port. We will make a special stop at the Reaching Out tea house – a tranquil oasis in the bustling centre of Hoi An.
Overnight at a hotel in Hoi An.

Remark: On the 1st and 15th of every lunar month, all the fluorescent lights will be turned off and the whole town will be illuminated with warm multi-colored lanterns.

After a delicious breakfast, our guide and driver will take you to My Son Sanctuary – the ancient city of the Champa Kingdom. The Sanctuary is considered one of the foremost Hindu temple complexes in Southeast Asia with more than 70 architectural works formed between the 4th and 14th centuries. The complex exhibits not only the mystery building technique but also the sophisticated art of sculpture on brick and stone with vivid images of gods, monks, dancers, flowers, animals, and sacrifices of Cham people.

In the afternoon, our guide and driver will take you to the fishing village of Cam Thanh to explore the daily life of the local fishermen. We will get on a boat to cruise downstream on Cua Dai River and drop in on a local fisherman to see how he catches fish by net. Then, we will try paddling in a Vietnamese bamboo basket boat to traverse a tranquil waterway bordered by coconut-palms.
Overnight at a hotel in Hoi An.

Free time for relax at your hotel or going to beach.

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. 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 a hotel in Saigon.

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 a hotel In Saigon.

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 a hotel or homestay in Can Tho.

After breakfast, depart for the Bang Lang stork garden, which is located about 60km from the centre of Can Tho. Famous for the image of thousands of white storks flying over the blue sky every day, the garden is a pristine site where the authentic beauty of the south-western countryside is preserved. After a stroll around the garden or a sampan ride (in the rainy season), we continue with a visit to Binh Thuy’s old house where the famous film ‘Lover’ was filmed, with a setting that blends modernity, antiquity and luxury. The house is special because although it was designed in a French style, its decoration and layout are typically Vietnamese. At the end of the visit, transfer to Long Xuyen.
Overnight at a hotel in Long Xuyen.

In the early morning, we will go on an excursion to the well-known Long Xuyen floating market. We take a sampan located on the Hau Giang River, the second arm of the Mekong River. Located in the heart of the Delta, the beauty of Long Xuyen floating market that there are not many tourists who visit this hidden wonder. After only a few minutes of arriving, you will experience an immense scene of boats laden with typical green agriculture. On the other side, there are houses on stilts surrounded by water hyacinths and water binders. We will then return to the wharf and drive to Chau Doc.  We will transfer to visit Tra Su Forest. The place is simply spectacular, with its mangrove composed of cajuput trees and home to over 70 species of birds, 140 plant species, and 20 species of reptiles. We will then hop on a small boat sailing on a river covered by lenses of freshwater, lotus hearts and water lilies. To get a breathtaking view of the forest, we will climb the six floors to the observation tower. After arriving at Chau Doc in the late afternoon, you will visit Chua Hang on Mount Sam – an exceptional pagoda combining the different cultural and religious influences of the region. Its architecture and panoramic view are worthy of a cinematic setting.
Overnight at a hotel in Chau Doc.

After breakfast, transfer to Sai Gon with our guide and private car. Stop in Sa Dec to visit the house of Huynh Thuy Le, made famous by Marguerite Duras’ novel ‘The Lover’, where you will discover traditional architecture and tropical plantations. Arrival in Ho Chi Minh city
Overnight at a hotel in Saigon.

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. See You Again !