Vietnam Escapes 17 Days/16 Nights

“Xin Chao” Welcome to Vietnam! On arrival at the airport, you will be picking up and transfer to your hotel. . After checking in the hotel, take a rest from the flight or enjoy some facilities at the hotel. Overnight in Hanoi city.

Take  the morning flight to Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam since A.D.1010. Hanoi has washed up on the shores of the 21^st century with much of its charm intact.

Enjoy a guided tour to Hochiminh Complex which includes Hochiminh’s Mausoleum, the Presidential Palace, Hochiminh’s House on stilts and the One Pillar Pagoda. Afterward winds our way to the Temple of Literature which is worship to  confucious and also known as the first national university of Vietnam. Enjoy lunch at Cha Ca La Vong restaurant which is justifiably famous as a grilled fish restaurant in Hanoi.

In the afternoon, we will make a visit to the infamous Hanoi Hilton which is home to US pilot during the Vietnam War. You might also want to make a visit to some museums in Hanoi such as the Vietnam Fine Art museum or Vietnam National Museum of Ethnology, an attractive collection of displays and information exploring aspects of 54 ethnic minorities in Vietnam.

Tonight, we take the overnight train from Hanoi to the border town of Laocai. Sleep aboard the train in 4-person soft berth deluxe comfort cabin with Air-conditioner.

Upon arrival in Laocai Train Station you will be picking up then transfer to Sapa, the home of six different hill-tribes. Enjoy breakfast at your hotel then take a morning walk to Sapa Central Market where you can find all local ethnic minority‘s arts and crafts.

Today, we will explore the stunning scenery of the Muong Hoa River by the walk to the village of Laochai which is inhabited by the Black H’mong families amongst an amazing valley. Continue to Tavan Village, the home of Zay minority.

Stop by a nice house for a cup of tea. After 3 hours trekking through this beautiful villages, drive back to Sapa Town. Overnight in Sapa.

This morning will be at your leisure to enjoy Sapa’s Orchid & Flower garden or taking a leisurely walk down to Catcat valley to see the daily lives of the Black H’mong tribe.  In the afternoon, enjoy another guided walking tour to Ma Tra & Taphin villages, this lovely villages were set up amongst a wide valley and surrounded by rice paddies.

Ta Phin is a Red Dzao community where the women are particularly striking with large red turbans often covered with old coins or jewellery. We will visit one of a Red Dzao household and learn about their cultures and way of life before heading back to Sapa.  

Return to Lao Cai station for the overnight train to Hanoi. On the way back, pause at the border gate between Vietnam and China to see traders exchange their wares. Tonight, embark the train for the journey back to Hanoi. Overnight on the train.

About 5am in the morning you will arrive in Hanoi. Have breaksfast at hotel before being driven along lush green rice paddies of the Red river delta to Halong city. Board our traditional wooden junk boat at around noon time for the journey into awe-inspiring Halong Bay.

Sip on a refreshing welcome drink upon check in before you begin your cruise zigzag amongst a thousand of Karsts limestone islands and islets of Halong Bay. Feast on a delicious lunch on board as you cruise leisurely toward the Western part of the Bay. In the afternoon, take a swim in azure water of Halong Bay or just relax on one of the sandy beach. Tonight, enjoy your sumptuous dinner with fresh seafood on board and spend your night aboard our traditional junk in this famous world heritage listed site.

Enjoy the fresh air of the bay in the morning and start your day with a Tai Chi lesson upon a sun-deck; tea or coffee and the hearty breakfast will be serve on board. Afterward, we will get into a smaller cruise for the day trip to Lan Ha bay where you can explore some untouched parts of the bay on your own kayak.

Take a swim in azure water of the bay at three peaches beach. We will get back to the Pelican Cruise in late afternoon and enjoy another night amongst thousands of Karst Limestone islands & islets of the most famous world heritage listed site. Overnight on board in Halong bay.

Enjoy the fresh air of the bay in the morning and start your day with a cup of tea or coffee and the hearty breakfast on board. Sail through the stunning scenery of Ha Long Bay and arrive at the Surprise Cave area.

Situated in the centre of the UNESCO – declared World Heritage area, the Surprise Cave is on Bồ Hòn Island, and is one of the finest and widest grottoes of Ha Long Bay. After lunch onboard, we will cruise back to Halong city and then transferred back to Hanoi. The rest of the day is at your leisure. Overnight in Hanoi.

The “Old Quarter” of Hanoi has been a shopper’s paradise since the 15^th century, when the 36 streets of the 36 Guilds were first created. You are likely to find boutiques selling exquisite silk clothing, intricately embroidered table cloths, hand-painted wooden sandals or a fine art gallery…

Enjoy enjoy a rickshaw ride rambling through the maze of Hanoi’s old quarter or wander the narrow streets in the Old Quarter to see its merchants’s shops, still bustling 600 years after dozens of guilds claimed differents stretches of road to market their wares.

In the afternoon, you will be transferred to the airport to take a short flight to Danang then travel further south to Hoian. Overnight in Hoian.

Hoian is a dreamy old southeast Asian trading port, renowned for its timeworn merchant’s homes, grid of riverfront  streets, and Chinese Assembly halls. Today enjoy a guided walking tour in the ancient town of Hoian to the Japanese Covered Bridge, Phung Hung Ancient House, Phuc Kien Assembly Hall and Chua Ong Pagoda.

This UNESCO World Heritage Site is the mix combination of Chinese and Japanese architecture as well as traditional cultural values. In the afternoon, enjoy a peaceful boat ride along the Thu Bon River to Thanh Ha Ceramic village.

Tonight, enjoy your cooking demonstration at Hai Scout Café, one of Hoian famous restaurant. Overnight in Hoian.

Today, you will have free time for your own exploration in Hoian or just simply relax on Cua Dai Beach or at the hotel spa to reload some energy. Marked by palm-fringed white sands, local seafood restaurants and with views of limestone islands in the distance, Cua Dai is a relaxing beach to spend a few days.

Hoian is also famous as a popular shopping & tailoring spot for Vietnam. Enjoy your free time or stroll around the local stores for shopping and tailoring.  Overnight in Hoian.

Transfer to Danang airport for the flight to Ho Chi Minh City, meet your guide on the arrival then transfer to your hotel – Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City

After breakfast, you will be greeted by our local tour guide and then immerse yourself in the charms of Saigon. See Reunification Palace, an eerie place where time stopped on 30th April, 1975 and the War Remnant Museum, one of the most popular museums among the Western visitors.

Visit Dong Khoi, or ‘People’s Revolution’ Street where the iconic photograph was taken of the helicopter lifting people out during the ‘Fall of Saigon’.

See the magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral and the former Opera House in the square which tells tales of the history of the city. Your last stop is the Ho Chi Minh People’s Committee, formerly the Hotel de Ville, one of the most photographed buildings in Vietnam.

End up your day with a visit to Ben Thanh Market before returning to your hotel. Overnight in Ho Cho Minh City.

Today, we leave the bustling Saigon for Cai Be where you will board your wooden river cruise vessel around noon. After a refreshing welcome drink we show you our on-board facilities and your cosy cabin.

As lunch is served, the boat starts cruising. Sit back and watch the fantastic scenery and the daily life of the Mekong people. In the afternoon you can disembark for a guided leisurely stroll through a village and the surrounding fruit orchards or rice fields.

Meet the friendly locals and taste the local produce and fruits.. The day ends with a delicious on-board dinner. Overnight in Can Tho.

Wake up well rested to the sound of the Mekong river and get ready for another exciting day of sightseeing in the Mekong Delta. At 6.30h the cruise vessel sets off for a sunrise cruise.

Watch the locals go about their daily work drying exotic fruits and building ships on the wooden yards while enjoying an early breakfast. After breakfast, we will board a sampan boat to Cai Be or Cai Rang floating market, the region’s busiest and most lively markets.

Marvel at the sheer abundance of exotic fruits, vegetables and skillfully handcrafted regional products. We will pull up to the boats for talking and bargaining with the merchants.

We will also visit some of the local candy and cake making factories or boat through the green water landscape to see local houses, verdant orchards and ship-building yards. Disembark the boat at around 11.00 – 11.30h on the pier and enjoy lunch in town then heading back to Ho Chi Minh City.  

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Today, our tour guide & driver will pick you up at your hotel or residence in Saigon and start the day with a tour to the famous Cu Chi Tunnels, which were an incredible underground network constructed by Vietnamese fighters during the long struggle for independence.

The complex system of underground tunnels contained innumerable trap doors, specially constructed living areas, storage facilities, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers and kitchens.

Today the remaining tunnels have become a major tourist attraction giving the visitor a unique experience and a feel of what underground life in the American/Vietnam war must have been like. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

A free day for shopping in Ho Chi Minh City – Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City

Today, you will have some free time for your own activities in Ho Chi Minh City then you will be transferred to the Tan Son Nhat international airport for your departure.