DAY 1: ARRIVAL IN SAIGON (Dinner)
Upon your arrival, our vehicle and Guide from ABI HOLIDAYS will welcome you at Tan Son Nhat Airport. Then our vehicle will take us to the hotel for check-in.
In the afternoon, we will go on to visit the Temple of God Thien Hau in District 5, a beautiful temple that appears in many fine pictures of Vietnam, and Binh Tay Market (or the Big Market). The culture of Saigon is influenced by many strong characteristics of the Chinese community: concentration, resourcefulness, and District 5 depicts them well.
In the evening, have dinner at a Vietnamese restaurant (Reserved). After that, you should head out and join the energetic nightlife of Saigon on your own arrangement. Overnight in Saigon.
DAY 2: SAIGON – CITY TOUR – CU CHI TUNNELS (Breakfast, Lunch)
After breakfast, we will start the city tour at the colonial-styled Central Post Office and Tan Dinh Church (the pink church). Our last stop this morning will be the War Remnants Museum, one of the most famous history museums in Vietnam. It will transform and challenge your history knowledge about the Vietnam War.
Have lunch at a local restaurant.
In the afternoon, we will go to Cu Chi Tunnels, an underground network constructed by Vietnamese guerrillas to protect the region against the American attacks during the Vietnam War. We can crawl a part inside the tunnel, visit their infirmary, kitchen, etc, to discover how people had survived hereby. Back to the hotel and have dinner at your own arrangement. Overnight in Saigon.
DAY 3: SAIGON – MEKONG DELTA – SAIGON (Breakfast, Lunch)
This morning, we will leave Saigon for My Tho, in the heart of the Mekong delta with a visit to the beautiful Vinh Trang pagoda on the way. Upon arrival, we will take a leisurely boat ride along the river, view the stilt houses, fruit plantations and fishing villages along the river bank. Proceed to Tortoise islet, we will have lunch in the orchard garden. Then take a boat ride to An Khanh, Ben Tre, enjoy cruising on a hand-rowed sampan under the shadow of the water coconut trees along natural canals, then enjoy seasonal fruit & honey tea.
Have dinner at your own arrangement. Overnight in Saigon.
DAY 4: SAIGON – DA NANG – HOI AN ANCIENT TOWN (Breakfast)
In the morning, we will go to the airport for the flight to Danang. Upon arrival, our guide and vehicle will pick you up from Da Nang airport to go to your hotel in Hoi An to drop off luggage.
Together with our guide, we’ll walk over the tile-roofed Japanese Bridge, visit taciturn Chinese Assembly Halls, visit ancient houses and Trading Houses, pagodas and stroll into the market located by Thu Bon river, where we may find out the same feelings of the artists, who see the rooftops of Hoi An a magical old world of Oriental feel and source of inspiration. This is also a wonderful town to shop for lanterns, soft silk, raw silk, leather or get your clothes and “ao dai” tailored within a day.
Have dinner at your own arrangement. Overnight in Hoi An.
DAY 5: HOI AN – TRA QUE VILLAGE – HOI AN (Breakfast, Lunch)
Depart from your hotel by bicycle in 30 minutes or private vehicle (optional surcharge) to Tra Que herb village. Take a short stroll around the vegetable gardens and listen to the history of the village. Then join gardening activities in preparing the land, fertilizing with seaweed, raking the ground, sowing, watering, picking vegetables, etc. Have lunch at a local village. After our morning excursions and lunch, we will learn how to harvest and wrap the vegetables. Afterward, we will go to a basket boat dock. This is a very fun activity, the small basket boats float on the water, skillfully pushed by the boatman.
After going back to our hotel, we will have dinner at your own arrangement. Overnight in Hoi An.
DAY 6: HOI AN – MY SON – HOI AN – HUE (Breakfast)
Breakfast at the hotel, we will transfer from Hoian to My Son, where we can discover the hidden treasure of the Cham culture that once brightfully developed in the location of present Central Vietnam. Thanks to the mystery and construction secrets of the Cham towers hereby, My Son has been also designated by UNESCO as the World Heritage in Vietnam.
Our vehicle will take us back to Hoi An to transfer to Hue. Have dinner at your own arrangement. Overnight in Hue.
DAY 7: HUE CITY TOUR – STREET FOOD – HANOI (Breakfast, Lunch)
This morning, we will discover the charm of the city from the Royal Citadel, Forbidden City. Move on to the colorful Dong Ba market where we can see many ingredients for making Hue local food, and explore the local business life.
Around noon time, we will embark on a special street food tour to discover the other side of Hue. Our journey will start from Sticky rice dumplings on a fried dumpling (Ram It) or Filtered tapioca dumplings (Banh Loc) to the well-known Hue’s beef vermicelli soup (Bun Bo Hue). Our street food tour will finish at a small restaurant serving Sweet soup (Che), a scrumptious local delicacy made of tapioca and local ingredients.
Head straight to Phu Bai airport for the flight to Hanoi. Upon arrival, our vehicle and guide in Hanoi will pick us up from the airport to the hotel. Overnight in Hanoi.
DAY 8: HANOI CITY TOUR (Breakfast, Lunch)
Have breakfast at the hotel. Let’s start from the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and the One-Pillar pagoda near Ba Dinh Square, where the most solemn ceremonies of Hanoi take place. Go on to Tran Quoc pagoda and the Temple of Literature, the very first high school of Vietnam Scholars.
After lunch at a restaurant in the old quarter, we will visit Hoan Kiem Lake – the heart and soul of Hanoi.
Move on to the Museum of Ethnology, which focuses on the 51 ethnic groups in Vietnam. Back to your hotel in Hanoi later to relax. Overnight in Hanoi.
DAY 9: HANOI – HALONG BAY OVERNIGHT CRUISE (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
After breakfast at the hotel, our vehicle and guide will pick us up to go to HaLong Bay, a remarkable UNESCO World Heritage in Northern Vietnam. The trip to the pier takes about 2h30’.
Welcome onboard and take a 2days-1night trip on a deluxe cruise with excellent and exciting activities [swimsuits recommended]. Being a bay with nearly 2,000 islands and islets, some with craters, Halong has been recognized twice by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage to emphasize its value and the need to be protected. This journey will awaken all our senses with the beauty of nature, the savory taste, the comfy facility, and the perfect service right at one of the natural wonders of the world. Overnight on-board.
DAY 10: HALONG BAY – HANOI (Breakfast, Lunch)
Wake up in one of the most beautiful bays in the world, enjoy breakfast, and visit stunning caves in the morning.
At noon, our guide will wait for us at the pier, taking us back to Hanoi to rest and prepare for the long journey ahead.
Overnight in Hanoi.
DAY 11: HANOI DEPARTURE (Breakfast)
After breakfast, free at leisure for relaxing or shopping before our vehicle arrives and picks you to the airport for your flight. Wish you a further good trip!
