Hoi-an Old Quarter and Lanterns
Glimpse of Vietnam - 12 Days
A Private Tour visiting Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hoi An, Hue, Saigon, Cai Be & Can Tho
One traveller writes: "Of the 30 countries or so countries I have been to, Vietnam is easily the most beautiful. I saw more shade of green than I knew existed. Rice fields manually tended from dawn to dusk were always in view as were forest-covered mountains. I also frequently caught glimpses of pristine deserted beaches from the train window as we made our way along the coast..."
Visitors to Vietnam have their sense thrilled by all the sights, sounds, tastes and smells of a society born of over a century of contact between an ancient civilization and the ways of the West. There’s nothing quite like grabbing a delicious lunch of local delicacies at a food stall deep inside a market place, surrounded by tropical fruit vendors and legions of curious youngsters. Or sitting by a waterfall in the Central Highlands, sipping a soda with lemon juice and watching new wed couples on their honey moon tiptoe up to the stream bank in their “Sunday finest”. Or being invited by a Buddhist monk to attend the prayers at his pagoda conducted, according to ancient Mahayana rites, with chanting, drums and gongs.
Day 1: Arrival into Hanoi (D)
Our tour guide will meet and greet you upon arrival at Noi Bai International airport in Hanoi.
Check in hotel (After 14.00) free and easy until transferring to have a welcome dinner.
Overnight in Hanoi
Meal Dinner with buffet at Brother Café - Khai Silk
Day 2: FULL Day CITY (B, L, D)
After having breakfast, get ready for Hanoi city tour:
- The Ho Chi Minh Complex, including Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Ho Chi Minh Stilt House and the One Pillar Pagoda.
- Then heading to Truc Bach Lake is one of the many lakes in the city of Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. It is known outside Vietnam as the site where future United States politician John McCain landed during the Vietnam War after being shot down and
- Visiting Quan Thanh Temple.
In the afternoon, enjoy one hour cylco tour in Hanoi Old Quarter. After that, enjoy your Street food - 2 hours trip are Banh Cuon, Banh My, sticky rice, Hanoi coffee & special egg-milk coffee, “Chả cá lá vọng”, Bun Cha.
Evening highlight will be a Water Puppet Performance - the unique form of Vietnamese art derived from wet rice civilization of South East Asia.
Overnight in Hanoi
Meal Breakfast at hotel
Lunch at Indochina Hanoi restaurant or similar
Dinner with street food in Hanoi Old Quarter
Day 3: “Good Morning” Program - Mai Chai Ecolodge (B, L, D)
“ Tai chi” At Hoan Kiem Lake
“Pho Bat Dan” - Bat Dan Noodle
Bat Dan Noodle characterizes traditional Hanoi beef noodle, fragrant, juicy, pure water, fresh steak, soft, plump made attractive not only with Hanoian but also guests from near and far, inside and outside the country to find
Meet our tour guide at around 6AM in the early morning. Enjoy the morning exercise “Tai chi” with Hanoi people.
The next destination is the very famous restaurant that you could have a traditional breakfast like a Hanoian, you could enjoy “Pho Bat Dan”.
Back to hotel to take your luggage and transfer to Mai Chau eco-lodge for relaxing, enjoy traditional dance with local rice wine “Ruou Can” in the evening
Overnight in Mai Chau
Meal Breakfast with Pho Bat Dan
Lunch & Dinner at Mai Chau Ecolodge
Day 4: Half Day Biking Tour - Hanoi (B, L, D)
In the morning, cycle around the valley; explore the beautiful landscape and unique Thai culture in the villages: Nà Thia, Chiềng Sại, Cha Village, Cha Long, Tong Dau, and Văn Village. Soak up the tranquil daily life by seeing the farmers working on their lush green paddy fields: growing rice, vegetable, raising fish and grazing livestock depending on the seasons.
What to pack for biking tour:
• Sunscreen and hat in summer
• Comfortable walking shoes
In the afternoon, back to Hanoi
Overnight in Hanoi
Meals Breakfast at hotel
Lunch at Mai Chau Ecolodge
Dinner at Wild Rice Restaurant (or similar)
Day 5: Hanoi - Halong Bay - Hanoi (B, L)
Morning: the pick up at hotel and transfer to Noi Bai airport.
09:00: Board seaplane, departing Noi Bai airport to Tuan Chau Marina. After 15 minutes scenic flight over Halong Bay, land on water. Hai Au buggy to pick you up and drop off at L’ Azalee Cruise Café for check-in
11:30-11:45 Embark on L’ Azalee Classic Day Cruise
11:45-14:00 Arrive at Tung Lam Island Bay. After lunch is served while dropping anchor, continue cruising into the Bay, and pass several icons of Halong Bay such as: Thumb Island, Cock Fighting Island, Incense Island, Ba Hang Floating village and finally Dog Island.
14:30-16:00 Visit Thien Cung Cave (Paradise Cave). Weigh anchor again and cruise on the final leg to get back to Tuan Chau Marina
16:00-20:00 Private car to pick you up at L’Azalee Cruise Café to drive back to Hanoi. Arrive Hanoi downtown. Drop off at the hotel.
Overnight in Hanoi
Meals Breakfast at hotel
Lunch on Cruise
Day 6: Hanoi - Danang - Hoian Ancient Town (B, D)
In the morning, free until to transfer to the airport for the flight to Danang, then drive to Hoian.
Enjoy a walking tour through the Old Quarters to see the town's landmarks of Japanese Covered Bridge, ancient Assembly Hall, Phuoc Kien Temple and then we take a river trip and you will enjoy the scenery along the Thu Bon River and visit ceramic village of Thanh Ha.
Overnight in Hoian
Meals Breakfast at hotel
Dinner at Fullmoon Restaurant (or similar)
Day 7: Cooking Class at Tra Que Village (B, L)
Welcome you at the hotel’s lobby. Riding bicycle to Hoi An’s colorful central market. Here you will have the opportunity to interact with the local sellers and learn about the ingredients to be used in the cooking lesson later. So make sure your camera is handy. Bike to Tra Que vegetable village. Welcome drink for rest and walk through the vegetable gardens where local farmers work on their fields, using the traditional methods of hundreds of years ago, no electrical machinery here. Go to the restaurant & work together with the chef. Learn the traditional ways of preparing and cooking Vietnamese food. After the lesson, enjoy what you have cooked.
Recipes:
• Tra Que vegetable salad Tam Huu dish
• Banh Xeo (Vietnamese Pancake)
• Hoi An spring rolls
Transportation: Bicycle
Departure time: 08:00 am & 14:00 pm
Overnight in Hoian
Meals Breakfast at hotel
Lunch at cooking class in Tra Que village
Day 8: Cham Island (B) - SIC Tour
8:00: local tour guide will pick you up at the hotel’s lobby, transfer to Cua Dai harbour. Relax in fresh cool wind and enjoy the beautiful landscape on the speed boat to Cham island. Visit Au Thuyen where the local boats are hidden in storms. Walking along the rice field to visit the over-100-years-old temple of Hai Tang Pagoda and fishing village. Transfer to Bac island for snorkeling. Here you can swim, see the forest of nice coral under the sea. Go back to Bac island for relax, swimming, sunbath and enjoy lunch with fresh seafood.
14:00: Return to Hoi An.
• Transportation: A/c bus, speed boat
• Departure time: 08:00 am
• Duration: 06 hours
• Activities: Explore the Cham Island, swimming and snorkeling.
Overnight in Hoian
Meals Breakfast at hotel
Lunch with seafood at restaurant.
Day 9: Danang - Saigon After Dark Tour by Vespa (Scooter) (B, D)
In the morning, free until to transfer to the airport for the flight to Saigon.
Night time, enjoy : “Saigon After Dark” tour - 6:30pm - 10:30pm:
Part night excursion, part street food adventure. VVA pick up guests at hotel and first stop is to Café zoom to "watch the world goes by" (quoted by The Lonely Planet) and enjoy cocktail and appetizer (inclusive) before adventuring into favorite local eating spot. Guests experience the nightlife of Saigon the way locals do, all from the back of a vintage Vespa scooter. The tour will start with a ride to part Chinatown and then heading to District 4 through busy streets and alleys to see the night life of locals and enjoy street sea- food and cold drinks, places that foreigner won't be found. Leaving district 4 to district 3 the tour pass through downtown district 1 to take in the sights on the way to Banh Xeo, specialty of Saigon, and southern food with the locals. Then the tour will continue to a hidden Vietnamese-style coffee shop to have a taste of Vietnamese music (live) as a local. After this the tour will bring guest to a lively music venue to enjoy the drinks with live music. Guests ride pillion behind our drivers.
• Notice: Minimum age of children travel with parents is from 6 years of age.
• Includes: Vespa, drivers, English speaking tour guide, dinners (2 stops), local music venues and café (3 stops), at least one drink at each stop.
Overnight in Saigon
Meals Breakfast at hotel
Dinner in Vespa tour
Day 10: Saigon - Cu Chi Tunnels by Jeep - Half Day City Tour (B, L)
Your army Jeep and guide will meet you at hotel and take a drive to Cu Chi Tunnels.
Upon arrival, you will watch a short introductory video about land and then visit various mantraps, the remains of an American tank and numerous bomb craters; you even can explore the tunnels by yourself. (You may like to try out war- era guns, check it out at shooting range at your own expense).
Leaving Cu Chi Tunnels, you will visit Mr. Mushroom’s farm & restaurant. Visit the farm with explanation about vegetables and herbs there. After the farm tour, enjoy your meal with fresh ingredients picked from his farm.
Get back to Saigon, you will start city tour, visiting: the Reunification Palace, the former residence of the President of South Vietnam; then leaving the city center heading to District 5, the oldest part of Saigon with the large Chinese community has been settled for centuries. In ChoLon, you will spend time visiting the bustling Binh Tay Market.
Overnight in Saigon
Meals Breakfast at hotel
Lunch at local restaurant
Day 11: Saigon - Mytho (B, L)
After breakfast at the hotel transfer to outskirt of Saigon and begins the tour on the beautiful countryside road. Start at Tourist Boat Station (My Tho), cruising on Tien (Mekong) river and seeing four islands: Dragon, Unicorn, Tortoise, Phoenix. Enjoy fresh coconut juice. Visit the fish floating market and Fish-craft village along Tien River. Stop at Thoi Son Island, go walking around countryside road, seeing orchards, enjoy tropical fruits and listen to traditional music. Take a rowing boat on small canal with beautiful scenery of country side, to visit honey-bee farm and enjoy honey-tea. Stop at Phoenix Island to visit Coconut Monk Temple and Crocodile-pond.
Overnight in Saigon
Meals Breakfast at hotel
Lunch at Mekong Rest stop restaurant (or similar)
Day 12: Departure from Saigon (B)
Breakfast at the hotel: Free time till departure transfer to airport for your departure flight.
End of service
Price for Private Tour: From $2495 per person + Internal Flight - low season (based on Deluxe accommodation).
For a precise quote please let us have your dates of travel, number in party, and desired standard of accommodation.
Enquire Now
