13 Days Vietnam Highlights Tour with Hue and Halong Bay Cruise

Day 1 Welcome to Saigon!

Flight: International flight on your own arrangement or upon request

Welcome to Vietnam! Upon arrival, our guide will greet you at the airport and escort you to Hotel for check in. then rest are at your leisure.

Overnight in Saigon

Day 2 Full Day Saigon Highlights Tour

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

At 8.30am your tour guide and car will pick you up from your hotel and will start our tour of Ho Chi Minh City. You will get to know its history and culture by stopping at: The Reunification Palace – on April 30th, 1975, what the Vietnamese refer to as the ‘American War’ officially ended when tank number 843 of the North Vietnamese Army crashed through the gates of what was, at the time, the residence of the President of the Republic of VietnamWar Remnants Museum – formerly known as the Museum of American War Crimes is a poignant display of the futility of war. Some of the black and white photography in the ‘Requiem’ exhibit is particularly touching and is dedicated to both foreign and Vietnamese journalists and photographers who perished during the conflict. Notre Dam Cathedral and General Post Office were built around 1877 and 1883 respectively. These two iconic buildings are fine examples of French colonial architecture.

Remarkably every stone used in the building of the Notre Dam Cathedral was shipped from France to Vietnam. The Old Post Office is also the country’s largest post office. The Opera House, after the lunch at local restaurant, we take you to see Chinatown and the Chinese market Binh Tay. We then move on to Thien Hau Pagoda, a temple entered through an iron gate and crossing a small courtyard. The roof is decorated with delicately fashioned porcelain figurines expressing themes from Chinese religion and legends. Lanterns and wooden models of Chinese theaters hang over the entrance. Our final stop before taking you back to your hotel is Ben Thanh Market, one of Vietnams largest markets and a real heart beat of Ho Chi Minh culture.

Overnight in Saigon

Day 3 Mekong Delta Discovery

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Discover the Mekong River, essential to Vietnamese life.

This morning, transfer to remote My Tho. This burgeoning capital rests in the Mekong Delta and is surrounded by beautiful countryside known as the “rice basket of Vietnam”. First visit Vinh Trang Pagoda, decorated with mosaics made from broken pottery. Overlooked by a tall white Buddha, it is set amongst lovely gardens overflowing with flowers, shrubs, lotus pools and tombs and ornate gates which provide entry. Continue on a boat ride along the river to view the stilt houses, fruit plantations and fishing villages.

After lunch, visit An Khanh, a small village that specializes in fruit orchards and coconut sweets. If time permits, you can take a short cycling trip through the island or explore the island on foot (the island is flat and relatively small). Return to Saigon hotel and rest on your own leisure.

Overnight in Saigon

Day 4 Cu Chi Tunnels Tour| Flight to Danang

Flight: Internal flight include in quotation and will be on INT`s arrangement
Meals: Breakfast

This morning, settle into your private air-conditioned vehicle with your guide for the 38-mile (60-km) drive to the Cu Chi tunnels. Upon arrival, learn the background of the site while watching a short film about the tunnels. Then follow your guide around the site to learn about the web of tunnels dug by the Viet Cong fighters, and how they made bamboo traps, rice paper, and rice wine. After the tour, transfer to airport for flight to Danang, upon arrive, our guide will meet you at airport and escort to hotel for check in.

Overnight in Danang

Day 5 Full Day Danang Tour| Drive to Hoi An

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

In the morning: Our driver will meet you at your hotel lobby starting for a new day visiting Danang city private tour. First stop visiting Marble Mountains – A five mountains complex with old pagoda and grottoes inside. This place is a good chance for you to learn about Vietnam Buddhism and enjoy the beautiful Danang Beach from the summit of the landscape.

Next visit Son Tra Peninsula with famous Lady Statue Buddha. Transfer to Cham Museum to learn about Champa Kingdom and Champa’s Culture before our driver transfer to local restaurant for your lunch. In the afternoon: After Lunch, we will visit Dragon Bridge – One of the most beautiful bridges in Danang city. Last attraction we will visit Han Market for shopping or see the local people’s daily life before transfer to Hoi An hotel resort for a rest.

Overnight in Hoi An

Day 6 Century Cham Ruins and Hoi An Ancient Port Town

Meals: Breakfast

In the morning, travel to the My Son Holy Land. Tucked in the mountains up winding roads with serene views, lie the 4th century My Son Holy Land ruins. The surrounding mountains are strictly forbidden for living or development. The ruins lie in a beautiful mountainous landscape. Enter the temples to hear all about the history and stories of the Cham people and this holy site.

In the afternoon, continue on to the Ancient Capital of Hoi An, which features the 16th century port town in its preserved state. Visit the Museum of Trade Ceramics which houses art and pottery dating from the 1,500’s to the 1,700’s. Continue on a brief visit the Chua Ong Pagoda, a temple from the 17th century featuring China’s influence in the region. Enter the Ancient Town as the streets take on a magic of their own with old lanterns, French-style houses, intricately carved wooden doors and more Take a walk through the Old Tam Ky House to see it’s imperial styles meshed with French overtures. Continue on to stroll along the river and see traditional boats and locals on bicycles passing by. You’ll then approach the Japanese Covered Bridge which for centuries connected the Chinese and Japanese sides of town over the waterway. The old wooden structure has shown amazing resilience for more than 400 years.

At dusk, enjoy walking along the riverside as colorful lanterns light up the town. Then return to your hotel for an evening of relaxation.

Overnight in Hoi An

Day 7 Relax on the beach of Hoi An

Meals: Breakfast

Hoi An is also famous for its beautiful sandy beach. Today you will relax to just enjoy sun shine and the beach. If you want some fun activities today, we highly recommend you to join a fishing tour to experience being a local fishman, or go diving in Cham Island.

Overnight in Hoi An

Day 8 Mountain Coastal Road to Hue | Evening Street Food Tour

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Your guide will assist with check out. Then take a scenic ride along the mountain coasts of Vietnam (5 hours). Start by riding along the beaches of Danang where you’ll see hundreds of traditional fishing boats scattered along the water with beautiful mountains lining the horizon. As you approach the steep and narrow ascent you’ll find the scenery surreal. Along the way, there is a stretch of road which overlooks a beautiful bay with a small fishing village, perfect for a Facebook photo. Continue your climb to a summit where the clouds meet you. In Chinese, the summit is referred to as “Where the Clouds Meet the Ocean”. Onward through mountains, valleys, countryside, and shorelines you’ll find numerous breathtaking scenes, great places to stop for photos. As you enter Hue, you’ll be impressed by the many imperial signs and impressive houses and buildings. Check in to your hotel in Hue.

Meet your guide at your hotel, and hop aboard a traditional cyclo (three-wheeled bicycle taxi) to begin your evening street food tour. Accompanied by your guide, set out around the streets of historic Hue to discover the city’s most popular street food haunts. Jump off along the way to sample delicious banh beo (steamed rice discs topped with shrimp) and ram it (sticky rice dumplings), and listen as your guide explains some of the traditional ingredients and dishes of Vietnamese cuisine. Back on the cyclo, admire views along the Perfume River as you cross the Phu Xuan or Trang Tien Bridge, then glide past the UNESCO-listed monuments of Hue’s Royal Citadel. Stop to try another local specialty, banh khoai (crispy pancakes served with a soybean dipping sauce and fresh herbs) as your guide tells tales of Hue’s imperial history and fascinating heritage. At the entrance of Dong Ba gate, dig into a steaming bowl of bun bo Hue, a beef vermicelli soup that is a street food staple for locals. Cap it off with another delicacy – egg rice crackers with beef or pâté on charcoal – served at a small snack shop nearby. With your appetite sated, head into the pavilion of the Royal Citadel for a post-dinner cup of herbal tea or Vietnamese coffee, while enjoying views over the Imperial City. Finally, jump back on your cyclo for the return trip and end your tour back at your hotel.

Overnight in Hue

Day 9 Full Day City Highlight Tour

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Hue, the former national capital, was seat of the Nguyen Dynasty. During your tour, you will experience the history and beauty of this city that is considered a must-see location in Vietnam. Begin with a tour of the Dong Ba market, an exciting market filled with colorful sights, sounds, and smells. You will be introduced to local vendors and traditional foods. Then, venture to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed wonder of the Citadel, a majestic walled city replete with regal tombs, sacred temples and ornate pagodas.

Delve into the fascinating past of the complex as your guide offers historical narration. Afterward, head to a local pagoda for a classic Vietnamese vegetarian lunch. After lunch, arrive at the famous Thien Mu Pagoda where you can view the perfume river. After visiting some of Hue’s most impressive tombs, you will visit the Tiger Arena to learn of the past brutality and eccentric emperors of the 20th century. Conclude your tour with a calming cruise down the Perfume River, an enchanting stretch of waters thronged with stunning scenery and impressive bridges. Disembark your boat then return to your comfortable car for the journey back to hotel.

Overnight in Hue

Day 10 Flight to Hanoi – the 100 Year Old City

Flight: Internal flight include in quotation and will be on INT`s arrangement
Meals: Breakfast

This morning transfer to airport for your flight to Hanoi. Upon arrival, our guide will meet you at airport and escort to hotel for check in. In the afternoon, you’ll cover a “best of” in historic Hanoi during the tour, covering sites that include Hoan Kiem Lake – whose name recalls a 15th century legend about a magical sword – and Ngoc Son Temple, also known as the Temple of the Jade Mountain. Learn about the intellectual and religious heritage of Hanoi at Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam, the Temple of Literature, an imperial school which was built during the dynasty of King Ly almost a thousand years ago. Stand at the food of the Pagoda But Thap, among the oldest pagodas in Vietnam, then see Dai Nghien, a carved, stone ink stand that rests on the backs of a trio of frogs. Visit the red-painted Huc Bridge, and take a cyclo ride through the winding streets of the Old Quarter, one of Hanoi’s most atmospheric neighborhoods.

Overnight in Hanoi

Day 11 Hanoi/Cruise along Halong Bay(Shuttle bus arranged by cruise company)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, travel to Halong Bay, one of the Wonders of the Orient (3 hr. drive). Your cruise across Halong Bay starts around noon on Tuan Chau Island at the doorstep of Vietnam’s most fascinating wonder. As the boat sets sails, you will be greeted by the Paradise Crew and Cruise Manager who will aim throughout your stay at providing you with the highest standards of service for pure pleasure and utmost comfort onboard.

During the afternoon, discover some of the treasures spread across the Bay of the Descending Dragon: fascinating caves, pristine beaches, picturesque floating villages, fantastic rock formations rising up out of emerald water. While onboard, you can take advantage at leisure of the Spa, Beauty & Massage services; surrounded by a stunning setting in motion, you can attend the chef’s cooking demonstration and try your skills in the art of traditional Vietnamese cooking.

One of the highlights of your stay on board is the innovative and varied cuisine offered at Lunch and Dinner in the elegant dining-room, accompanied by a wide selection of wines and beverages from around the world.

Overnight on Board

Day 12 Halong Bay/Return to Hanoi

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Wake up to Tai Chi exercises on the sun deck and continue cruising the bays. Breakfast buffet will be served in the restaurant, followed by a visit the limestone grotto. Disembark in Halong City around noon and transfer back to Hanoi hotel for check in and rest of the day on your own leisure.

Overnight in Hanoi

Day 13 Farewell from Hanoi!

Flight: International flight on your own arrangement or upon request
Meals: Breakfast

Today transfer to the airport for your flight to Saigon and connect your international flight back home.