THE BEST OF VIETNAM 18 DAYS : starting in Saigon and ending in HaNoi

Arrival in Tan Son Nhat airport, you will be picked up then transferred to the hotel in city center. Overnight at hotel.

Take the morning trip to visit Independence Palace, also known at the Reunification palace, was built on the sight of the former Norodom palace. The Independence palace is a widely known landmark of Ho Chi Minh City and was designed by the architect Ngo Viet Thu. Continue seeing the beautiful structures from the French Colonial times such as the Notre Dame Cathedral, the historic Central Post Office. Followed by the remarkable site of the War Remnants Museum the museum has a vast display of the both the Indochina wars.

Depart for Cu Chi tunnel, the trip will take approximately one and a half hours car driving. Upon arrival, before exploring the tunnels, you will have some short introduction followed by introductory video about how the tunnels were constructed and how the people survived in the harsh conditions of the war time. Then, spend your time to explore the remaining area and tunnel systems which included the special constructed living areas with kitchens, bedrooms side by side with other martial facilities like storage, weapons factories, field hospitals, and command centers helping whoever lives inside the tunnels meet their basic needs. Besides, there are also many hidden trap doors and dangerous traps within the maze-like tunnels for security purpose during the war. Afterward, special tea and cassava (guerilla’s food during the war) will be served.

Break time for relax or time for those who want to try the real shooting gun.

Return to Saigon. End trip.

At 8AM, leaving the hustle and bustle of Ho Chi Minh City and start your trip to depart for My Tho, the town lies on the left side of the Mekong River. Upon arrival, visit Vinh Trang pagoda which sated back to the late 19^th century. Then, you embark a boat on Mekong river and go down stream, along Dragon Island to see daily activities on river as catching, raising fish on farm and conquer the 3 km large river by crossing.

Next, you get through the Xep canal to village, visit some fascinating local industries and stop in farmer house to enjoy some fruits, honey tea and listen to local music. Drive on paths by horse cart and change on small rowing boat to river.

Lunch in local restaurant by river, enjoying some local speciality as elephant ear fish and shrimp. Boat takes tour to coconut candy and taste some sweet. In the afternoon, time for cycling around the village, meet the local villagers to experience the local daily life in the Mekong delta.

Go back to My Tho by get over back large river.

Return to Ho Chi Minh City for overnight

Morning, take flight from Saigon to Danang. On arrival, pick up & have a brief tour around Danang city

Take a drive south to Marble Mountain, a group of limestone and marble hills filled with caves. Travel to the top and gaze upon the city, seeing new high rise buildings standing alongside traditional wooden houses. Then explore the mountain’s main cave to see a beautiful Buddha statue built in the Cham style.

Next place is Son Tra Peninsula (known as Monkey mountain) – 10 kilometers to the north-east of Da Nang City and 693 meters above sea level. Son Tra Peninsula, with its sea-oriented appearance, serves as a giant screen protecting Da Nang from incoming storms and cyclones. There are still over 30 km² of natural forest, nearly 300 plant species, and hundreds of animal species, including rare animals. From the top of the mountain, you can see a panoramic view of Danang City, which is very interesting!

Arrive to Hoi An. Check in hotel for overnight

In the morning, explore Hoi An ancient town, when visiting the Japanese Pagoda Bridge, Chinese streets, old Phung Hung houses, Hoi An’s market and ancient port. On the 1st and 15th of every lunar month, Hoi An’s ancient town is lit up by hundreds of colorful lanterns, giving it an extra portion of sparkle. Enjoy the city’s transformation and stroll through this quaint, glowing fairytale town in your free time.

Afternoon, spending 2 hours walking around My Son with our Tour Guide. We also enjoy the traditional Cham dance. They show local costumes and song with traditional instrumental accompaniment.

Overnight at hotel.

07:45 – 8:00: Pick up from the hotel in Hoi An and start transfer to Ba Na Hills

Check in at the Suoi Mo Cable Car Station and transfer to Marseille Station

Explore Golden Bridge (The Hands of The Gods) – majestic and impressive as a scene in “Game of Thrones” or “ The Lords of the Rings”

Drop by Le Jardin D’Amour (the Flower Garden of Love) with 9 gardens of Le Jardin D’Amour are 9 amusing tales in 9 varying architectures, which harmonize so well in a visual sonata of beauty

Continue the trip with Linh Ung Pagoda & Debay Wine Cellar

Afternoon: Discover and play games at the Fantasy Park – a perfect tourist attraction for an entire family as well as to explore King Peak

Return to the Cable Car Station and back to the Gateway then transfer back to the hotel. Overnight in Hoi An

Free to relax for your own exploration or beach relaxing

Free to relax for your own exploration or beach relaxing

You are free till transfer to the airport for flight to Hanoi. On arrival, be picked up to hotel for check in. Then we begin the street food tour. Hanoi is full of secret places & wonderful stories. With a history going back over 2.000 years, it makes the capital a promising destination for any gastronomic tourist. We decided to make you discover the Old Quarter with a local culinary point of view in an original way among the 36 Corporations. In the course of this tour (more or less 2h45), the traveler will discover North specialties such as Bun cha (noodle & BBQ meat), Bia (local ale),… & above all, a wide vision of handicrafts shops & traditional works.

Starting the day trip will be a visit of the Ho Chi Minh Complex, which compromises Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum (closed on Mondays & Fridays), his former stilt-house residence, the Presidential Palace and Ho Chi Minh Museum. We will then visit the Temple of Literature constructed in 1070 to worship Confucius, which served as the first Royal National University in Vietnam. The site also honors 82 Vietnamese doctorates who passed a number of rigid exams in the feudal ages. Their names, birthdays and birthplaces are engraved in 82 headstones perched on stone tortoises. It is widely believed that touching the heads of these tortoises will bring luck. Its peaceful green compound with its neatly maintained lawns, gardens and lotus ponds make it a tranquil hideaway from the city’s bustle and heat.

In the afternoon, we will visit the Museum of Ethnology (closed on Mondays, the alternative being the History Museum), which offers informative and well-documented displays of the country’s 54 ethnic groups, including elaborate and colorful hill tribe costumes. The display continues in the museum’s garden with fascinating examples of traditional houses of numerous minority groups, from the Kinhs to the ethnic groups of the Central Highlands. Then back to the Old Quarter for a 1 hour cyclo tour. We then head to Ngoc Son Temple set on a tiny island in the middle of Hoan Kiem Lake. Ngoc Son Temple dates back to the 13th century, and the lake itself is the picturesque heart of Hanoi, frequented by tourists and locals alike. Overnight in Hanoi

After breakfast, take 6-hour drive to Sapa by sharing limousine. On arrival, check in hotel for a rest

In the afternoon, The journey will be mostly driving downhill toward Lao Cai, before taking a left turn into a small paved road leading to Ta Phin village.

Here you can experience the unmixed cultural life of Black Hmong and Red Dao minorities, 2 largest ethnic groups in the area. They live happily together while maintaining their own tradition from generation to generation.

You can recognize them by dressing while they are both very famous of handicraft.

Enjoy walking among local people. The trip also offers you the opportunity to visit the local houses as well as visit the local caves.

Back to Sapa for overnight

After breakfast, private transport will take you to Silver Waterfall, the highest in Vietnam with a 300m drop. An ascent to the base of the waterfall will enable you to explore the surrounding landscape. This is a famous spot and is regularly visited by monks to pray. After that, we are driven to Tram Ton Pass where we will trek 30 minutes through the forest. Along the way, you have chances to see wild flowers. Trekking along the Golden Stream, you will arrive at Love Waterfall. It is the best place for relax in Sapa, returning to Tram Ton Pass. Then we continue our drive uphill to the Heavens Gate, the highest stretch of road in Vietnam as well as the provincial border of Lao Cai and Lai Chau provinces. Enjoy fantastic view over the valley!

After that we will be transferred to cable car station where we will have 25 minutes travelling to Fanxipan Mountain where is considered to be the most beautiful landscape of Vietnam now. Reach the altitute of 2800 meters, you have a good time to see the view and take photos, visit pagoda the spiritual destinations and trek up to 600 steps you will reach the peak of Fansipan – the Roof of Indochina. ( Spend about 1,5 hours for hiking and taking photos).

Back to Sapa for overnight

You will commence your short journey by driving south toward Muong Hoa valley. You will then start your walk by descending into the valley, which is the largest rice paddy terraced among Sapa area. The guide can provide you interesting information about rice. If you visit the valley sometime in between May and October, you will be able to observe and experience how the local do planting and harvesting, one of the most important activities in the daily life. The walk takes you from Lao Chai village of Black Hmong minority to Ta Van village of Giay minority. After visiting Ta Van the car will return you to Sapa. Then at 3PM, you are transferred to Hanoi by sharing limousine. Overnight in Hanoi

 Approx: 2 hours walking.

After breakfast, we pick you up at your hotel in Old Quater, departure for Hoa Lu – Tam Coc, enjoying the beautiful sceneries of the rural areas on the way.

10h30: After arriving in Ninh Binh province, the guide takes you to visit Hoa Lu – the Ancient Royal capital of Viet Nam. We will visit Dinh king temple and Le king temple, in the 10th century, finding out the heroic histories of this two Kings in Chinese Wars. After that, we go to Tam Coc (10 km far from Hoa Lu).

11h30: Visit Mua Cave (Mua mean Dance) with 500 steps up to the Top of Mua Moutain. On the Top, you can overview all the nice sence of Hoa Lu.

Have a lunch break

14h00: Depart to visit Trang An Eco-Tourism attraction, there is beautiful scenery landscape, you will boarding a small boat to visit Trang An, you will see majestic limestone cliffs and mysterious yet inviting caves, as well as countryside sights, like peaceful streams, rice paddies and deserted green fields. Take boat trip to visit cave complex: Sang Cave, Toi Cave, Ba Giot Cave, Nau Ruou in mystery and wildness, see scenery of mountain and rivers Ha Long on land of Ninh Binh.

17h00: Get on car and go back to Ha Noi.

08:15 – 08:45: Hotel or private address pick up with our shuttle bus. Short break half way.
11:45 – 12:00: Arriving Tuan Chau marina, transferred by tender of La Pandora cruises.

12:45 – 13:00: Welcome aboard the cruise. Refresh with our welcome drink. Meet the captain, crew in the cruise briefing, safety instruction.

13:00 – 13:15: A special lunch in Vietnamese cuisine of fresh seafood and an assortment of appetizing favorites are served while sailing through Islets of Con Vit.
16:00: The Cruise sails through Lan Ha Bay. The area is surrounding of extraordinary limestone karsts landscapes. We progress to Ong Cam Area of Lan Ha Bay- a separate part of Ha Long Bay. This is a quiet tourist paradise in Vietnam, enjoy kayaking and/or enjoy swimming in the crystal-clear waters of the Bay.
17:30: Back to La Pandora Cruise, drop anchor for staying overnight. Enjoy cooking demonstration (teaching you how to make our speciality, Spring rolls) and the complimentary Sunset Party on the sundeck with local wine and fresh fruit.

19:00: Dinner is served in the restaurant. Enjoy delicious local food prepared and served for you by our wonderful onboard catering staff. After dinner, retiring to your cabin or join the fishing excursion, watch a movie, have a drink at the bar, wifi access or play exciting games. Overnight on board.

06:00:   Enjoy sunrise and admire the never ending miraculous scenery of the Bay. Practice an invigorating Tai Chi session on the sundeck.

06:30:   Light breakfast, coffee and tea served.

08:00:   Transfer to day boat for visit Viet Hai village. You will take the bicycle trip along the village path and go through rain forests and dark tunnel. Enjoy stunning scenery of rice fields on the way. Stop at the village to relax. Visit an ancient local house, made from straw, mud, bamboo…you will have chance to see the local life on a valley of local people.

12:30:   Back to day boat for visiting Lan Ha Bay. Lunch served on day boat.

13:30: Visit Lan Ha Bay, free kayaking to discover bay by yourself and swimming in the blue water.

Visit the Van Boi area, which is the heart of Lan Ha Bay, there are a lot of white sandy and coral beaches.

16:30: Return to La Pandora cruise, time for relaxing.

17:30: Enjoy cooking demonstration (teaching you how to make our speciality, Spring rolls) and the complimentary Sunset Party on the sundeck with local wine and fresh fruit.

19:00: Dinner is served in the restaurant. Enjoy delicious local food prepared and served for you by our wonderful onboard catering staff. After dinner, retiring to your cabin or join the fishing excursion, watch a movie, have a drink at the bar, wifi access or play exciting games.

Overnight on board.

06:00: Enjoy sunrise and admire the never-ending miraculous scenery of the Bay. Practice an invigorating Tai Chi session on the sundeck.
06:30: Light breakfast, coffee and tea served.
07:00: Visit Dark & Bright Cave and islets by local rowing boats which is a wild and mysterious beauty in the middle of the World Heritage.
09:15: Back to our La Pandora Cruise, relax before checking out.
10:00: Lunch is served on board.
12:00: Disembark at the Tuan Chau marina by tender. Take our shuttle bus to return to Hanoi
15:00 – 15:30: Arrival back at your hotel or home.

You are free till transfer to the airport for departure flight