DAY 1: ARRIVAL IN HANOI (Dinner)
The private vehicle and ABI’s guide will welcome you at Noi Bai International airport. We will visit Thanh Chuong Palace [about 30 minutes from the airport], a great, typical house with whole collections of artifacts and cultural masterpieces. Another option is to go directly to Hanoi and visit Van Mieu (the Temple of Literature); The Huc red bridge in the city’s center. Then we go to Hang Buom’s ancient house in the Old Quarter, which was found in Hanoi in the 11th century, to learn more about the Viet culture.
Drop by Dong Xuan market before our vehicle picks us up and to a nice local restaurant for dinner with tasty and unique ”Cha Ca Hang Son”; a dish created in the 15th century and very popular now in the cold areas in Vietnam with vermicelli, fish and many tasty herbal ingredients.
After dinner, we will arrive at your hotel near the center of Hanoi. Overnight in Hanoi.
DAY 2: HANOI – HALONG BAY – HANOI (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
After breakfast at the hotel, a vehicle of our cruise with the cruising guide will pick us up at Ha Long Bay, a significant UNESCO World Heritage in Northern Vietnam. The trip to the cruise takes about 2h30′.
Welcome onboard and take a nice trip of 5-6hrs on the Wonder Bay with nice and exciting activities. [swimsuits recommended]. Being a small bay with nearly 2,000 islands and islets, some with craters, Halong has been recognized twice by UNESCO as a world heritage to emphasize its value and the need to be protected. We will have a great day here on a medium-sized cruise—lunch onboard at noon.
At about 5.30 pm, the cruise will take us back to the pier. Our vehicle will greet us again and come back to Hanoi. Arrive at your hotel around 8.30 pm and enjoy a dinner prepared for you at the hotel.
Overnight in Hanoi.
DAY 3: HANOI – NINH BINH – TAM COC – HANG MUA – HANOI (Breakfast, Lunch)
After breakfast at the hotel, our vehicle and guide will meet us at the hotel to head south to Ninh Binh today. Being an ancient capital city a millennium ago, Ninh Binh is now known for its poetic landscape and ancient relics. We will visit Tam Coc, a “miniature Ha Long Bay” place in Ninh Binh. With a system of magnificent limestone caves, it attracts many tourists every year.
Hang Mua is the next destination, with the only famous natural observatory in Ninh Binh sitting on the top of Mua mountain at an altitude of 142m, along with 486 white stone steps leading to the top of the mountain. Visitors can enjoy the panoramic view of Tam Coc, Trang An, and the famous Ngo Dong river. Because of such pristine beauty, Mua Cave is praised by beautiful names such as “Muse of Tam Coc”, “Queen of Trang An” and “Great Wall of Vietnam”. Lunch in Ninh Binh.
Afternoon visit craft villages nearby the pier before our bus take us back to Hanoi. We were having dinner reserved at an Indian Restaurant (own payment).
Overnight in Hanoi.
DAY 4: HANOI – flight to DA NANG – HOI AN (Breakfast, Lunch)
Have breakfast at your hotel until our guide and vehicle pick you up at the airport for flight HANOI – DA NANG. Welcomed by our guide and vehicle in Da Nang and depart to Hoi An. You can discover cultural values through nostalgic architecture, folk art activities, and poetic natural scenes; moreover, you also have the opportunity to enjoy unique dishes.
Lunch in Hoi An at local restaurants between visits.
The vehicle and tour guide will take you to the hotel near the My Khe beach. Enjoy the beach before having dinner at a local Indian restaurant (own payment)—overnight in Da Nang.
DAY 5: DA NANG – BA NA HILLS – DA NANG (Breakfast, Dinner)
Have breakfast at your hotel until our guide and vehicle pick you up to visit Ba Na Hills.
Sun World Ba Na Hills is Vietnam’s most significant resort and recreational complex. At the height of 1,487 meters from sea level, we will find ourselves relaxing in the typical rotation of four seasons in a single day and numerous festivities, recreations, and diverse cuisine, having a buffet lunch at Ba Na Hills (own payment).
Don’t forget to visit the Golden Bridge – a prominent golden silk stripe that shines among the majestic mountains, along with a pair of giant stone hands that seemingly hold the Golden Bridge – a true masterpiece that is memorable to many tourists.
Back to Da Nang. Our tour guide will take you to a local seafood restaurant to enjoy the freshness of the ocean cuisine in Da Nang. Overnight in Da Nang.
DAY 6: DA NANG – flight to SAI GON (Breakfast, Dinner)
Breakfast at your leisure time until our guide and vehicle pick you up at the airport for Flight DANANG – HO CHI MINH (or Saigon). Lunch at your arrangement.
Welcomed by our guide and bus in Saigon.
Being less than 400 years old, Saigon is dynamic yet peaceful, a warm city with lower humidity and no cold season like Hanoi or cities/towns up north. We will have a nice trip visiting the cultural aspects of Saigon, from its nice Catholic churches (Tan Dinh or Notre Dame Church) to Cho Lon’s exciting market and tasting local foods. Visit Thien Hau pagoda near Cho Lon before returning to our hotel overnight. Dinner is arranged between visits. Overnight in Saigon.
DAY 7: SAI GON – CU CHI – SAI GON (Breakfast, Lunch)
In the morning, after breakfast, we will visit the War remnant museum or the Reunification Palace to learn more about the fierce wars that defined Vietnam as a slow-developed country in Southeast Asia.
Lunch in Saigon. Afternoon we will go with our guide and the Cu Chi tunnel.
Being a huge underground system not far from Saigon, Cu Chi is the evidence of a very fierce war that the Vietnamese called “the War against the Americans” and the whole world called “The Vietnam War”. For many years before 1975, Cu Chi covered troops of Vietnamese guerillas not only from attacks but protected their daily lives; it became a strong base for Vietnamese troops during the conflicts. It is now a weird war remnant that can make any one of us feel a stronger love for peace and normal life each time visiting this place.
Back to Saigon, having dinner in an local Indian restaurant (own payment).
Overnight in Saigon.
DAY 8: SAIGON – VUNG TAU BEACH – SAIGON (Breakfast, Dinner)
With a 3,200km long coast, Vietnam possesses many good beaches, and today we can head to one of them to enjoy the beach atmosphere and some delicious seafood.
After breakfast, our guide and vehicle today will take you to Vung Tau, a beach 120km from Saigon, and visit the landscape and the city, go up to the peak of Vung Tau to enjoy the panorama of the area, and enjoy swimming and sunbath. Lunch at your arrangement for more flexibility.
After a time of our own, we went back to Saigon in the afternoon and had dinner at a local Vietnamese cuisine restaurant. Overnight in Saigon.
DAY 9: SAIGON DEPARTURE (Breakfast)
Having breakfast at the hotel in your leisure time until our vehicle and guide take us to the Tan San Nhat airport for our flight home.
