365 TRAVEL
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Vietnam Highlights

10 days
Styles:
Private Tour
Tour code:

From Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City plus Mekong Delta, this tour includes all the highlights of Vietnam have on offer. Acclimatize in Hanoi capital, see the sights, and experience the cyclo ride around the Old Quarters. Stay overnight in Ha Long Bay, go fishing and swimming in the emerald water and marvel at the natural beauty of the bay. From the atmospheric imperial capital of Hue and the charms of Hoi An to the vibrant Ho Chi Minh City, you can feel the diverse cultures and the energy of Vietnam. The tour comes to a pleasant end in Mekong Delta, Vietnam’s rice bowl with chance to taste the rural riverine life. Down here, it is less about the sights and more about the experience.


Full itinerary

DAY
1
Hanoi Arrival
Meals:

Arrive at Noi Bai International Airport, meet your driver for an airport transfer with a private vehicle and English speaking guide. The driving distance is approximately 45 minutes.

Your visa should be pre-arranged, or be sure that your visa-on-arrival letter is in your carry-on luggage. Please go to custom desk as your first point of entry into the country and present these documents for visa upon arrival.

Hanoi or “River-bound City” as its name literally means is Vietnam’s capital with a thousand-year-old history dating back to 1010. The city’s fascinating beauty which is characterized by unique cultural relics, ancient streets of antique houses, elegant French colonial buildings, tree-lined boulevards and romantic lakes has made it one of the most charming cities of Asia.

DAY
2
Hanoi Full Day City Tour
Meals:
B

The city tour begins with a visit to the Ho Chi Minh Complex which features the life of Ho Chi Minh, the nation’s founder. At the complex, visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, where the nation’s founder’s body is preserved (closed on Monday, Friday and through October - November), the colonial Presidential Palace, originally the French Governor Office and a fine example of French architecture in Hanoi, and the rural style Ho Chi Minh’s house on stilts where Ho Chi Minh lived and worked. Stop by one of Hanoi’s icons, the One Pillar Pagoda, built in the 11th Century in dedication to Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara or Buddha of Compassion and reminiscent of a lotus blossom rising from a pond. Continue to the Temple of Literature, known as the first university of Vietnam built in 1070 by the Ly Dynasty to honor Confucius, sages and outstanding Vietnamese scholars.

Afternoon, continue the tour to one of the following museums of choice namely the Museum of Fine Arts, the National Museum of Vietnamese History, the Museum of Revolution, the Museum of Military History or the Museum of Ethnology. Next, head for Hoan Kiem Lake, the center point of Hanoi whose name “The Return Sword Lake” originated from a legend of a sacred sword and home to a rare endangered giant turtle species and visit Ngoc Son Temple on the lake. Take a one-hour cycle tour of the Old Quarter of Hanoi with its ancient streets representing traditional trades from the past. Finish the tour at the Thang Long Opera Theatre with a traditional Vietnamese water puppet show.

DAY
3
Hanoi - Halong Over Night On Boat - Unesco World Heritage
Meals:
B,L,D

Morning pickup at 8:00 AM from your hotel for transfer to Ha Long Bay, which is about 160 km or 3.5-hour drive away. The transfer is approximately 3 hours. You will see some rural areas of the Red River Delta with plenty of chances to take photos of Vietnamese farmers working in paddy fields and you may stop on the way to admire the local scenery. 

Arrive in Ha Long City at 11:30 AM and check in aboard the booked junk when your journey across Ha Long Bay starts. Ha Long Bay meaning Descending Dragon Bay in Vietnamese as legend has it that it was where a holly dragon landed down from sky. The bay, famous as one of the world’s wonders and heritage sites whose formation dates back 500 million years, consists of around 2,000 karst islands and islets scattered over an area of 1,553 km2.

After lunch, take a short trek to a nearby summit for a panoramic view of the bay dotted with golden sails, go swimming on a quiet beach or sunbath on the sundeck. Later in the afternoon, you will visit an interesting fishing village with an opportunity to interact with local people who have been living in the bay for almost three generations. An optional kayaking trip is available weather permitting. Back onboard enjoy a lavish dinner and enjoy the bay view at sunset. Spend a night on board.

DAY
4
Halong - Hanoi - Hue Arrival
Meals:
Brunch

In the morning, refresh your body and mind with a Tai Chi exercise on the sundeck at the break of dawn. Have tea and coffee onboard and continue exploring Ha Long Bay sailing across its 2000 islets and visiting some of its major highlights. Normally, check out at 09:30, have a buffet brunch while cruising back to shore. Disembark at 11:00 AM to transfer to Hanoi capital. 

Free at leisure until meet our guide then transfer to airport for flight to Hue. Flight time is approximately 1hour and 15 minutes.  

Arrival Hue international airport, you are transferred to town by private car & guide. The transfer from airport to hotel is approximately 20 minutes. Check in & relax 

DAY
5
Hue City Tour With River Cruise - Danang - Hoi An
Meals:
B

Morning, take full day tour of Hue City, the former Imperial Capital of Vietnam for the 1802-1945 period and the last refuge of Vietnamese feudalism. The city’s beauty is characterized by a natural scenic landscape and an extensive variety of historical relics. Begin with Hue Citadel, a well-known UNESCO-recognized World Heritage Site which is a 520 ha fortress-like grand complex built in the early 1800s and featuring three enclosures separated by heavy ramparts namely Kinh Thanh Hue (Civic City) as the outer, Hoang Thanh (Royal City) as the middle and Tu Cam Thanh (Forbidden City) as the inner. Continue to Khai Dinh Tomb, the burial site of Vietnam’s second-to-last king, and the most elaborate compared to other kings’ tombs. The tomb shows a vivid European influence in architecture despite its Asian style. Next, visit Tu Duc Tomb, one of the Nguyen Dynasty’s finest architectural works nested in a pine forest where the 4th emperor of the Nguyen family was laid to rest.

We continue to take a boat cruise along the Perfume River to enjoy the open view of the river and its surroundings. Stop along the way and land on shore to visit two prominent historical landmarks namely the Minh Mang Tomb, where the 2nd Emperor of the Nguyen dynasty was buried, and Thien Mu Pagoda, an active Buddhist monastery overlooking the river from a vantage point with its origin dating back to 1601. Afterwards, transfer to Hoi An via the Hai Van Pass (Ocean Cloud Pass). Enjoy a stunning headland-and-bay panoramic view from the pass, which for miles hugs the mountainside along the shoreline and overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Arrival Hoi An, check in hotel for overnight 

DAY
6
Hoi An Full Day Ancient Town & My Son
Meals:
B

Today, transfer about 40 km West of Hoi An to visit My Son Sanctuary, another UNESCO-recognized world heritage which was once a religious center of Cham people where royal ceremonies and burials were performed. The site now is a colony of partially ruined Hindu temples from the total of 70 constructed by Cham Kings between the 4th and the 14th Centuries in dedication to god Shiva. It is regarded one of the foremost Hindu temple complexes in Southeast Asia and is often compared with other temple heritages of Southeast Asia such as Angkor in Cambodia, Ayuthaya in Thailand or Borobudur in Java. 

In the afternoon, discover the charm of Hoi An recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, is now a peaceful town of exceptionally well-preserved architecture, lifestyles and traditions. The town exemplifies a fascinating fusion of cultures between Vietnam and the outside world including China, Japan, Thailand and the Philippines. Your sightseeing will include the iconic 400-year-old Covered Bridge with a small temple attached to one side as a prominent example of Japanese architecture, the Museum of Trade Ceramics which is an elegant Vietnamese style wooden house built in 1858 showcasing antique ceramic artifacts, the 200-year-old Tan Ky House typifying an ancient Chinese merchant residence, the Ong Temple built in 1653 by Chinese settlers to worship Guan Yu, an ancient Chinese general whose character stands for loyalty, bravery and justice and the local market vibrant with colors and activities. Return to your hotel 

DAY
7
Hoi An - Danang - Ho Chi Minh Half Day City Tour
Meals:
B

Morning, free at leisure until transfer to Da Nang airport for flight to Ho Chi Minh City
Flight time is approximately 1.5 hours.

Meet your driver for an airport transfer with a private vehicle and guide. The transfer distance is approximately 30 minutes

Afternoon, we start the tour with a visit to the War Remnants Museum which features a comprehensive collection of the machinery, weapons, photos, and documentation of Vietnam War with the both the French and Americans and the Reunification Palace which was the former residence of the President of South Vietnam until end of April 1975. Last, stop for shopping at the French-built Ben Thanh Market which dates back to 1870 and whose main entrance clock tower has become a city’s symbol. 

DAY
8
Ho Chi Minh City Tour & Cu Chi Tunnels – Story Of War
Meals:
B

Morning, meet your guide and transfer about 75 km North-west of downtown Ho Chi Minh City. Discover the famous Cu Chi Tunnels, which were once a major underground hideout and resistance base of Viet Cong forces during the two wars against the French and the Americans. The tunnels, entirely hand-dug, formed a highly intricate network of interlinked multilevel passageways at times stretched as far as the Cambodian border and totaling over 120 km in length. Its complexity was beyond imagination containing meeting rooms, kitchens, wells, clinics, schools, depots, trenches and emergency exits all aimed for guerrilla warfare. The tunnels were deep and strong enough to withstand destructive bombings and self-contained enough to outlast prolonged sieges. Return to the city at noon time for a rest

Afternoon, tour in the city starting with Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica, a neo-Roman cathedral built over 130 years ago by the colonial French with materials entirely imported from Marseilles and stained-glass windows from Chartres. Next, visit Sai Gon Post Office, a fine colonial building which was designed and built in the early 20th Century by the famous French architect Gustave Eiffel. Move on to Cho Lon or the city’s China Town where you will visit the Jade Emperor Temple (Phuoc Hai), a rare Taoist structure in Vietnam built in 1909 in dedication to the Lord of Heaven. It’s filled with smoky incense and fantastic carved figurines and still buzzing with worshipers, many lounging in the front gardens. 

DAY
9
Ho Chi Minh - Full Day Mekong Delta (My Tho)
Meals:
B

Today, you will be picked up and travel past miles of flat rice fields, along a bustling road to the Mekong Delta, the world’s largest delta and Vietnam's largest rice bowl.

On arrival in My Tho City, board a motorboat and navigate through intricate canals while observing the local daily life up close as well as the landscape of waterways and lush islands. Land on Thoi Son Island where you can listen to Southern traditional music performed by native artists. Next, you will change to a paddle boat to cruise through the narrow canals and visit households with traditional occupations of home-based coconut candy and rice-wine making.  Continue travel by motorized boat to another island to visit a bee farm and taste tea with fresh honey from the beehives and enjoy fresh fruits. On the return to My Tho, stop to visit the Vinh Trang Pagoda, a prominent local Buddhist structure built in 1850 with a unique architectural mixture of Vietnamese, Roman, Chinese and Cambodian styles characterized by a highly ornate façade. You might enjoy a lovely lunch at a local Vietnamese restaurant. At the end of the tour, you will find the way back to Ho Chi Minh. 

DAY
10
Ho Chi Minh - Departure
Meals:
B

Meet our guide & driver at the hotel lobby then transfer to Ho Chi Minh airport for flight...

Price & booking

Package Prices ($) (From 01/10 To 30/04)

Tour package2 pax3-4 pax5-6 pax7-9 paxSingle Supp 
Economy900754622615268Book a pack
Deluxe1129982851844446Book a pack
Luxury1502135612241217768Book a pack

Package Prices ($) (From 01/05 To 30/09)

Tour package2 pax3-4 pax5-6 pax7-9 paxSingle Supp 
Economy930781646636277Book a pack
Deluxe1117969834824385Book a pack
Luxury12011052918907226Book a pack

Package Prices ($) (From 01/10 To 31/12)

Tour package2 pax3-4 pax5-6 pax7-9 paxSingle Supp 
Economy947798663653294Book a pack
Deluxe11831034899889450Book a pack
Luxury1549140012661255783Book a pack

Promotions ARE NOT APPLIED to the air tickets price.

SURCHARGE FOR FLIGHT TICKET
Note: Subject to be changed without prior noticed
- From Hanoi (HAN) to Hue (HUI): US$ 115 per person
- From Da Nang (DAN) to Ho Chi Minh (SGN): US$ 115 per person

IMPORTANT NOTE:
• All prices are quoted in USD/ per person, based on Double/Twin occupancy
• Supplement for standard Vietnamese menu meals: US$ 14 for lunch & US$ 18 for dinner in case you need to book more meals.
• Private services & daily departure
• Quotation is quoted based on English speaking guide: Surcharge for other guide
- Supplement for German Speaking guide: USD 15/day per group
- Supplement for Spanish Speaking guide: USD 20/day per group
- Supplement for Italian Speaking guide: USD 35/day per group
• Surcharge for Compulsory dinner for Xmas and New Year Eve
• Surcharge for Peak Season at above mentioned hotels (if have)
• Surcharge for Vietnamese Lunar (TET) New Year - 25% of adult prices

FREE OFFER
• Mineral water is available during transfers
•Vietnam visa approval letter on arrival (this fees isn’t refundable even clients don’t need)

What's included

  • Accommodation in a twin or double room with daily breakfast
  • One night cruise on a wooden junk in Ha Long Bay
  • Lunch or dinner as specified in the itinerary 
  • Services of a driver and private air-conditioned vehicle during all tours and transfers.
  • Experienced English-speaking guide during all tours and transfers
  • Vietnam visa approval letter on arrival as complementary
  • Private board for sightseeing as mentioned in the program, Entrance fees for all visits as mentioned in the itinerary
  • Mineral water is available as complementary

What's excluded

  • International & Domestic flight tickets
  • Meals, if not specified in the itinerary
  • Gratuities for guides and drivers
  • Visa stamping fee at the airport (45US$ in Vietnam paid by cash at the airport) 
  • Travel insurance (we highly recommend that you purchase adequate insurance)
  • Personal expenses, such as laundry, telephone, drinks, etc. All other services not specified in the itinerary
  • All other services not specified in the itinerary
  • Not included VAT
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