Blazing the Trails of Classic 12Days & 11Nights
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DAY 1: HA NOI ARRIVAL
Welcome to Hanoi! The capital city of Vietnam which is over 1000 years old! You will be greeted with a warm smile as soon as you come out of the baggage claim and customs area. You will then be driven to your luxury hotel while you get an introduction to the motorbike frenzy from the comfort of your luxury transportation. We know traveling is tiresome so take the rest of the day to rejuvenate and prepare for Day 2.
DAY 2: HA NOI CITY TOUR
Your day of discovering will start with a drive through Hanoi where you will get to see the different cultural influences on the buildings and architecture. Our first stop is the Ba Dinh Square which includes the Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum and the One Pillar Pagoda. We will then make our way to the Temple of Literature which was built in the 11th century as Vietnam’s first university. Your day will continue with a romantic cyclo ride and walk through the Hanoi Old quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake. It’s better than a roller coaster ride! You will finish the afternoon with a water puppet show at Thang Long water puppet theatre where you will get a glimpse into the past and hear traditional Vietnamese singing and instruments. Your evening will conclude with a gastronomic exploration of elevated and mouth-watering traditional Vietnamese cuisine.
DAY 3: HA NOI – HA LONG BAY
After breakfast, travel through the Red River Delta to beautiful Ha Long Bay, one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World! You won’t believe what the locals transport on their motorbikes! The scenic drive will pass through Vietnam’s majestic countryside filled with rice paddies and farms before arriving to the World Heritage site of Ha Long Bay. Ha Long Bay has more than 3000 limestone karsts, which in 500 million years’ time, the wind and waves have sculptured into fantastic and breath taking shapes. No matter what the weather is, Ha Long Bay is always enchanting and mystical! You will visit a floating village by row boat and also have the opportunity for kayaking! Easily one of the most romantic places on the planet! You will make your way on to your luxury junk boat where you will stay overnight and cruise through Ha Long Bay.
DAY 4: HA LONG – HA NOI
Wake up stress free and enjoy the sunrise and Tai Chi class on the sundeck You will get the opportunity to discover the Surprise Cave which is located in one of the karsts! All of this happens before breakfast! As the ship is cruising back to the harbor you will enjoy breakfast as you look out into the awesomeness of Ha Long Bay.
You will leave Ha Long Bay with a new found feeling of serenity and peace. We will transfer back to Hanoi by bus. If you missed any photos of the countryside on the way to Ha Long Bay, you will have another opportunity to take the classic “National Geographic Shot.” We will arrive in Hanoi in the afternoon and then you will have the rest of the evening of free time for exploring the city, shopping, or even relaxing with a massage!
DAY 5: HA NOI - HUE
Our day of discovery will start with checking out of the hotel and making a visit to the Museum of Ethnology. This is an amazing facility that explores the 54 ethnic groups of Vietnam. They have transported original ethnic minority hill tribe homes and communal areas for you to explore! We will then make our way to the airport and fly to Hue, the ancient Imperial capital of Vietnam. At sunset, we will visit the Tomb of Khai Dinh which is located in Chau Chu Mountain followed by a Royal Hue Feast Dinner with tastes of local Hue cuisine. Some would argue that it is the best food in Vietnam! It is the heart of central Vietnamese cuisine!
Day 6: HUE – DANANG
Our morning of discovering will start in Hue, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and include a romantic cruise down the Perfume River by boat. We will visit the Thien Mu Pagoda then make our way to the royal tombs of King Tu Duc, and the Imperial Citadel. Our day will include lunch at one of Hue’s finest restaurants. Our afternoon will continue with an overland transfer to Danang via Hai Van pass. Get lost in your daydreams as you are looking out into the world. We will arrive to Danang at your luxury resort hotel on the picturesque beach where the sand is waiting for you to bury your feet in it! It has been a long day, your evening is free for you to relax and catch up on some down time.
DAY 7: DANANG – HOI AN – DANANG
Our morning of discovery includes a daytrip drive to nearby Hoi An, which is an exceptionally well-preserved South-East Asian trading port starting from the 15th to 19th century. Its buildings and its street plan reflect the influences, both indigenous and foreign, that have combined to produce this unique heritage site which has been recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The discovering includes a stop at the Hoi An market where we will see all the local delights and handicrafts, the Tan Ky old house, the Japanese covered Bridge and the Fukien Assembly Hall. We will conclude the morning with a traditional Vietnamese cooking class and lunch! Enjoy the afternoon and evening at the resort. You will rest well tonight as this will be a fantastic day!
DAY 8: DA NANG
This morning of discovery will include a scenic drive outside of the city to the My Son Pagoda, a cluster of abandoned Hindu Ruins constructed between the 4th and 14th centuries. Upon return to Danang we will go to the Cham Museum of Sculpture which has the most extensive collection of Cham Artefacts. We will have lunch at one of Danang’s top restaurants. Enjoy the last night in Danang and soak up the relaxation time on the beach. The next few days will be busy!
DAY 9: DA NANG - SAIGON
The morning is free to explore on your own until we transfer to the airport and fly to Saigon. We will arrive to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) at the Tan Son Nhat airport. We will make our way to the hotel where you will have time to relax and freshen up before our city and orientation tour of Saigon. The city orientation tour will include a photo stop at the former Presidential Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral and the General post office. Our dinner will include romantic and lively cruise along the Saigon River on one of Saigon’s best boutique dinner cruise ships. Saigon is a beautiful city in the evening, after dinner why not go for a stroll around the city or head up to the Rooftop of the Rex Hotel and enjoy the festive music and environment!
DAY 10: SAI GON – CU CHI TUNNEL
Our day will start with a scenic drive to Cu Chi (75 km northwest of Ho Chi Minh City) including a pass through the rubber tree plantations to visit an amazing complex network of underground tunnels stretching over 200km long and the former stronghold of Viet Cong . Our visit will be above ground but for those that would like to try going underground into the tunnels, you will have the opportunity! We will return to Ho Chi Minh City and have lunch at one of Saigon’s best restaurants. Your evening is free to explore the city and go shopping!
DAY 11: SAIGON – BEN TRE – MEKONG DELTA - SAIGON
Our day of discovery will start with a trip to the Mekong Delta, also known as the rice bowl of Vietnam. Step back in time as we embark onto our boat and cruise along the Ham Luong river (a branch of the Mekong) and stop off at various local workplaces to give you a picture of how the local economy works including a candy factory and coconut processing workshop, where you can sample fresh coconut and see how every single part of this versatile nut is turned into food and other products; You will really understand how the Vietnamese people operate on this day. You will see how nothing goes to waste and they find innovative ways to do everything!
The boat will then make its way to a quiet village where you can have a short walk to experience real Mekong Delta village life and travelling into the forest where you can visit fruit orchards before stopping at a riverside restaurant for a delicious meal, featuring local specialties. The discovering continues on board a romantic sampan for a relaxing trip along the narrow canals. Our day will conclude with a drive back to Ho Chi Minh City and an unforgettable dinner at the local restaurant.
DAY 12: SAI GON DEPARTURE
This is your last day in Saigon, enjoy the morning on your own before you are taken to the airport for your departure flight. Don’t feel too sad, you will leave a piece of your heart in Vietnam and you will come back for it again and again!
**Please not this is only a sample itinerary we have created which features the highlights of visiting Vietnam in a 12 day period. We have a completely customizable itinerary so depending on the amount of times you have and the amount of things you want to see, we will make adjustments accordingly! We have Vietnam as our main destination visit and the other countries as pre or post extension tours just to give you an idea of planning your trip. Of course our goal is to make your trip to Southeast Asia as great as possible so let’s work together and create what is best for you!