14 Days discovering beautiful Vietnam

Arrival in Hanoi, check in at hotel if available. 

Then, you willl visit Hoan Kiem Lake with The Huc Bridge and Ngoc Son Temple by cyclo.

Then, you visit Hoa Lo Prison, also known as “Hanoi Hilton” and “Maison Centrale”, is a historical site in the French Quarter of Hanoi. Loosely translated as “hell’s hole”, it was originally built by French colonist in 1896 to house and torture revolutionary Vietnam rebels.

Next, visit the home of the last traditional mask making artisan in Hanoi. Entirely handmade and always lingering with the faint smell of paper and glue, the paper masks have been part of the childhood for many generations of Hanoi people who wore them to celebrate the full moon night particularly during the Mid-Autumn Festivals. The visit to the artisan, will serve a cause of raising awareness about the preservation of this multi century old art.

Finally you will enjoy train street with challenging experience when train comes accros, very narrow distance to your table.

Then have dinner at Michelin Recognized Banh Cuon Ba Xuan (Expense on your own) – transfer for dinner included

Drive back to hotel. Overnight in Hanoi.

Hotel: Palago Hotel - 4 star: Palago – Boutique Hotel - Signature with Balcony 

Drive from hotel to visit the Ho Chi Minh Complex: Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum and his Stilts House, Presidential Palace and the One Pillar Pagoda nearby. You’ll also wander around the Old Quarter, the Lake of the Resorted Sword, Ngoc Son Temple.

Next, you visit Temple of Literature, the first university in Vietnam.

Lunch on your own

Continue to visit Vietnam National Museum of History, storing a heritage of over 20,000 documents and artifacts representing the entire historical flow of Vietnam, from the primary times to now. In particular, the museum has many national treasures, rare and precious antiquities compared to other similarly-themed museums in Hanoi.

Finally, you will enjoy a Water Puppet show. A uniquely northern Vietnamese art form said to have originated in the flooded rice fields of the Red River Delta. Drive back to hotel. Overnight in Hanoi.

Dinner at Tam Vi restaurant (expense on your own) – transfer for dinner included

Overnight in Hanoi.

Hotel: Palago Hotel - 4 star: Palago – Boutique Hotel - Signature with Balcony 

Depart at 7.00 am from your hotel to Mai Chau (135km from Hanoi) It takes around 4 hours drive with stops on the way to take pictures. Arriving in Mai Chau, checkin to your homestay or hotel. Free time for relaxation after the long journey. In the afternoon, you will visit Pom Coong and Lac village of White Thai ethnic minority people or take easy cycling through the verdant rice paddies. Return to the village for dinner.

Hotel: Mai Chau Ecolodge: Mai Chau Ecolodge - Deluxe - 4 star 

Breakfast  at  hotel  and  then to  explore  Mai  Chau  beautiful  ethnic  villages  including  Na Tang, Cha Long, Tong Đau, Van villages, Be welcomed by the friendly  local people, talk with them  and  discover  their  traditional  culture. Total  cycling  time  is  around  2 –3  hours  on  flat villagepaths.

Then back to Ecolodge

Take a rest.

Hotel: Mai Chai Ecolodge: Mai Chau Ecolodge - 4 Star - Deluxe Room 

Free and easy, then check out

Transfer to Ninh Binh

Arrival in Ninh Binh, check in at hotel and take a rest.

In the afternoon, you will visit Hoa Lu ancient capital and Thai Vi temple - Thai Vi Temple features an architectural style that blends Eastern and Western elements. All the pillars inside and outside the temple are made of solid green stones, intricately carved with elegant and graceful floral patterns.

Back to hotel

Overnight in Ninh Binh: Tam Coc Retreat - 4 star: https://tamcocretreat.com/ - Suite Garden Bungalow

Breakfast at hotel, then our guide will pick you up from hotel to Ninh Binh in around 2.5 hours.

The first stop is Trang An, a World Heritage Site recognized by UNESCO in 2014. While you’re there you can spend 2 hours on the boat ride to enjoy the beauty of this place, which owns a wonderful tunnel cave system.

Then you will visit Mua Cave, also known as the “Great Wall of China” in Vietnam, and climb 500 steps to reach the peak of Ngoa Long Mountain, overlooking the amazing view of the city and Tam Coc below.

Lunch on your own

In the afternoon, you will visit Bai Dinh Pagoda, a complex of many Buddhist architectural structures and Southeast Asia’s largest complex which holds many records.

Scenically set on the foot hill of  Dinh Mountain surrounded by amazing views of the exquisite river valley below and dotted and the limestone karsts dotted around which will take your breath away.

This pagoda complexes stunningly boast a array of the most massive and magnificent architecture of Vietnamese tradition refined ever built that it take a full day to explore all.

So you will visit some of the highlights that owned the national:

•           500 stone statues of “La Han” (Arhats)

•           2 huge bronze bells, one weighs 27 tons, other weighs 36 tones

•           Three bronze statues of Tam The (50 tons each)

•           With sacred atmospheres and intriguing Buddhism story which presented by our insider guide, you cannot fail to enchant.

Then check in at hotel and take a rest.

Overnight in Ninh Binh.

Tam Coc Retreat - Suite Garden Bungalow: Tam Coc Retreat

08.00 – 08.30: Breakfast at hotel, then our guide will pick you up to Ha Long.

11:30 – 11:45 Welcome to Heritage Cruises Lounge at No.28B of Tuan Chau International Marina. Please move from the Heritage Cruises Lounge to the speedboat (about 30 – 40 minutes) to the Heritage Binh Chuan Cruises Cat Ba Archipelago.

12:30 Board the Heritage Cruises boat and enjoy a welcome drink as you receive a cruise briefing, safety instructions, and check-in to your suite.

12:40 Heritage Cruises takes you to contemplate the magnificent sceneries made from the limestone mountains of Lan Ha Bay – Cat Ba Archipelago. This bay is untouched and remote, as not many cruise boats use this route.

13:15 Lunch is served at L’indochine Restaurant

15:30 The cruise vessel approaches the Ba Trai Dao (Three Peach beaches) (upon the weather), or Tra Bau area in Lan Ha Bay, a natural frontier between the provinces of Halong and Haiphong. This secret hideaway has beaches, caves, and coves, plus the spectacular natural beauty of about 400 islands. Guests can try kayaking or simply swimming in the crystal-clear waters of the bay.

17:00 Return to Heritage Cruises, enjoy life aboard the vessel or in your suite.

18:00 Activities include afternoon tea and the chef will lead a Vietnamese cooking class

Join our HAPPY HOUR (from 17:00 to 19:00) while enjoying the amazing scenery while watching the sunset over the Gulf of Tonkin.

19:15 A memorable dining experience will be offered at Le Tonkin Restaurant, with local food in an intimate and romantic setting.

19:45 Turn down service

21:30 Enjoy evening views of the bay at the bar on the top deck. Try your hand squid fishing on 1st deck or watching movie, sing karaoke on 3rd deck. The bars are open until late.

Overnight onboard

Cruise: 5 star Luxury: Heritage Binh Chuan Cruise: Heritage Cruises | Vietnam's First Boutique Cruise Ocean cruise

06:15 Start the day with a session of Vovinam on the sundeck, followed by coffee, tea, and pastries.

07:45 Full breakfast is served at Le Tonkin restaurant.

8:30  Transfer to Viet Hai Village by speedboat or dayboat. Take a bicycle ride or electric car through a rainforest tunnel that leads to local field. Visit a traditional house in a village deep in a national park where you can observe the lifestyle of the local people or visit Tien Duc cave – a cave located deep inside Cat Ba National Park (optional).

Then enjoy lunch in Viet Hai village or on dayboat and enjoy the scenery in Lan Ha Bay.

13:00 Visit the Cat Ba Archipelago and then go to the Ba Trai Dao beaches (if the weather and tide permit) or crystal-clear water area for swimming and kayaking.

15:30 Return to Heritage Cruises to enjoy cocktails, beer, and fine wine as the sky changes color.

17:30 Enjoy life aboard the vessel or in your suite, and with a cocktail in hand watch the sunset over the Gulf of Tonkin. The chef will lead a Vietnamese cooking class

19:30 Enjoy a fine-dining experience in the main restaurant

Heritage Binh Chuan cruise: Heritage Cruises | Vietnam's First Boutique Cruise - Ocean Cruise

06:15 Start the day with a session of Vovinam on the sundeck.

06:45 Have a light breakfast on board.

Or you can choose a luxurious breakfast, especially served in the swimming pool on the 3rd floor (time from 6:30 – 8:30). Maximum for 2 groups of guests and maximum to 6 guests (with surcharge).

07:15 Head off in a bamboo boat to explore the Dark and Bright Cave to enjoy the sparkling stalactites on the ceiling and feel the soul of the surrounding nature.

9:00 – 9:30 Return to the boat for checkout

09:30 Enjoy brunch while cruising back to the mainland

10:30 Return to Tuan Chau Marina and disembark for your onward journey

Then transfer directly to airport for flight to Nha Trang.

Arrival in Nha Trang, our driver without guide will pick you up to hotel for check in and take a rest.

Overnight in Nha Trang.

Six Senses Ninh Van Bay: Six Senses Ninh Van Bay Beach Resort & Hotel in Vietnam - Hilltop/Beachfront Villa

Free and easy

Six Senses Ninh Van Bay: Six Senses Ninh Van Bay Beach Resort & Hotel in Vietnam - Hilltop/Beachfront Villa

Free and easy

Six Senses Ninh Van Bay: Six Senses Ninh Van Bay Beach Resort & Hotel in Vietnam - Hilltop/Beachfront Villa

Free and easy

Six Senses Ninh Van Bay: Six Senses Ninh Van Bay Beach Resort & Hotel in Vietnam - Hilltop/Beachfront Villa

Free and easy, then our driver (no guide) transfer to airport for flight to Saigon.

Arrival in Saigon, check in at hotel

Free and easy

Overnight in Saigon.

Hotel: Au Lac Charner Hotel: https://aulachotel.vn/au-lac-charner-en Hamelin Executive

Depart in the early morning for a 2hr drive northwest to the Cu Chi Tunnels. The ingenious tunnel complex was initially started in 1948 to protect the Viet Cong guerrillas from the French air and ground sweeps. The tunnels also served as communication routes, storage facilities for food and weapon caches and contained hospitals and living quarters for guerrilla fighters throughout the American War.

Lunch on your own

Back to Saigon.

Free and easy in the afternoon

Overnight in Saigon

Au Lac Charner - 4 star: https://aulachotel.vn/au-lac-charner-en - Hamelin Executive

Free and easy, Then transfer to airport for flight home.

Trip ends!