Sapa is the one place in the northwest where tourism is booming. The town is orientated to make the most of the spectacular views emerging on clear days. It overlooks a plunging valley of cascading rice terraces, with mountains towering above on all sides. Lao Cai is right on the Vietnam - China border. Today Lao Cai is also a destination for travelers journeying between Hanoi and Sapa or further north to Kunming in China.
2 night(s) in Hanoi
1 night(s) in Halong Bay
2 night(s) in Hoi An
3 night(s) in Ho Chi Minh City
Day 1: Arrival At Hanoi - Transfer To Hotel
On arrival at Noi Bai International Airport, our local representative will be waiting outside the customs area to welcome you and to take you to your hotel (Check-in time is 3.00 pm). Rest of the day is free for you to explore Hanoi Town on your own.
Day 2: Full Day Hanoi City Tour
Morning, our guide will meet you at hotel and start to visit the Ho Chi Minh Complex with your private guide. Visit Ba Dinh Square, where silent sentries guard the marble and granite mausoleum where Ho Chi Minh lies in state. See the simple cottage where Uncle Ho lived and worked and visit the nearby Ho Chi Minh Museum – an extraordinary tribute to the life of the “father of the country.” Carry on to the Governor’s Residence, a fine example of Hanoi’s French architecture, followed by a stop at the One Pillar Pagoda to hear the legend of its construction. Continue to the Temple of Literature, built in 1070 and dedicated to Confucius, for a quick escape from the busy streets. After lunch, continue city tour to one of the museums (Fine Art, History, Revolutionary, War, Ethnology Museum) of your choice (closed on Monday), Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple and experience a one hour cyclo tour. Return back to your hotel for overnight stay.
Day 3: Hanoi - Halong Bay
Today transfer to Halong Bay - “Descending dragon” bay, a UNESCO World Heritage. Upon arrival check in hotel and free at leisure to relax or go shopping at local market/ shopping malls in Ha Long.
Day 4: Halong – Hanoi – Danang – Hoi An
Today morning after breakfast, check out of your hotel and you will be transferred to Hanoi Airport to catch your brief flight to Da Nang. Arriving in Danang, you’ll be greeted by your local guide and transferred to Hoi An Town to your hotel for check in. Post check-in relax for some time. Rest of the evening is free for you at leisure.
Day 5: Tra Que Village – Hoi An Ancient Town Tour
Start the day with a leisurely 20 minute trip to Tra Que village riding a 3 wheeled cyclo or bike. Renowned as the ‘village of vegetables’, Tra Que is famous for its special aromatic herbs. The unique farming practices used for centuries means leaves of the plants grown here are actually smaller than usual, however they pack a very particular aroma. The local people will show you how they grow the herbs and vegetables as well as teaching you how to cook some of the local specialties including a popular pork, shrimp and herb dish called Tam Huu. The afternoon offers free time for you to explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hoi An Town, recognised for its incredibly well-preserved streets and ancient homes. The quaint cobblestones follow the Chinese Temple, Japanese Bridge, the 200 year old Chinese houses, the Chua Ong Pagoda and the vibrant market. Return back to your hotel for overnight stay.
Day 6: Hoi An – Danang – Ho Chi Minh City
There’s time this morning to enjoy free time exploring Hoi An on your own before your transfer to Danang Airport for your afternoon flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Upon arrival you’ll be greeted by your local guide and transferred to your hotel for check-in. Rest of the day is free for you to explore Ho Chi Minh on your own.
Day 7: Full Day Ho Chi Minh City Tour And Cu Chi Tunnels
Day 8: Full Day Mekong Delta Tour
Today we take an excursion to My Tho. We will be traveling past miles of flat rice fields, along a bustling High Way. On arrival at My Tho, we board a Mekong cruise boat to Thoi Son Island where we will be entertained with traditional music. We will then change to a paddle boat to cruise through the narrow canals and visit home grown industries like coconut candy and rice-wine making. We next travel by motorized boat to another Mekong island to visit a bee farm and try tea with fresh honey from the beehives and enjoy fresh seasonal fruits. As we return to My Tho there will be a visit to the Vinh Trang Pagoda.
Day 9: Departure From Ho Chi Minh City
Today morning, check out from your hotel. Later on you will be transferred to the Ho Chi Minh Airport to catch your flight back home.