Vietnam Vacation: 13 Days Itinerary of Culture, History and Highlights

Day 1: Saigon Arrival – City Tour.
Day 2: Saigon – Mekong Delta – Overnight on river cruise.
Day 3: Can Tho – Fly to Danang – Hoian.
Day 4: Hoian Walking Tour.
Day 5: Hoian – Free day at leisure.
Day 6: Hoian – Drive to Hue – City Tour.
Day 7: Hue – Fly to Hanoi.
Day 8: Hanoi City Tour.
Day 9: Hanoi – Drive to Sapa.
Day 10: Sapa Trekking & Visit Hill Tribe Villages.
Day 11: Sapa – Coc Ly/ Sin Cheng/ Can Cau/ Bac Ha Fair Market – Hanoi.
Day 12: Hanoi – Halong Bay – Overnight on cruise.
Day 13: Halong Bay – Hanoi – Departure.

Day 1: Saigon Arrival – City Tour.
Welcome to Saigon, Vietnam’s modern metropolis. On arrival, you will be transferred to the downtown where your hotel is located. Enjoy an orientation tour of the city’s bustling streets en route. After having lunch (your own account), set out on a guided city tour exploring the city’s main attractions such as the Reunification Palace, the War Remnants Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, the City Post Office and Ben Thanh Market. Spend the evening at your own arrangement.
Meals: N/A.
Accommodation: Hotel in Saigon.

Day 2: Saigon – Mekong Delta – Overnight on river cruise.
This morning head west as you leave the bustle of the big city and drive to the lush Mekong River Delta.
Begin cruising from Phu An Jetty at 10:00 A.M. From the deck of sampan, observe life as it plays out on shore – people going about their daily activities against picturesque landscapes – while your attentive crew serves tea and seasonal fruit.
Before arriving at Sa Dec, stop at various points along the river for a look into some of the cottage industries of the region including a brick factory where everything is made by hand, pass monkey bridges and tiny villages to visit a Cao Dai temple. Arrive in Sa Dec and stroll to the outdoor market. Visit one of the highlights of this charming town, the ancient house of Huynh Thuy Le, a real-life character in the celebrated novel and film "The Lover" by Marguerite Duras. Lunch is served on board while cruising towards Can Tho along a narrow canal teeming with life. Explore the countryside surroundings by local rowboat.
Your last stopover before sunset is at an ancient house (a "Nha Co" in Vietnamese), dating back to the 19th century. The owner welcomes you to his home while you are served a candlelit dinner in this authentic countryside setting. After dinner return to the sampan and continue towards the Hau River. Overnight on board.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Accommodation: Overnight on cruise.

Day 3: Can Tho – Fly to Danang – Hoian.
Wake up early at 6:00 A.M for a visit to the famous Cai Rang Floating Market which operates daily starting from 5:00 A.M. Breakfast is served on board while your boat navigates towards the market. Local barges loaded down with fruits and vegetables make for some stunning photos. Continue cruising and disembark at Ninh Kieu pier. Transfer to Can Tho Airport for the domestic flight to Danang. Upon arrival, your guide and driver will take you on the short drive to the sleepy riverside town, Hoian. Check in hotel and free at leisure.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Hoian.

Day 4: Hoian Walking Tour.
Immerse yourself in the tranquility and charm of this sleepy riverside town. From the 16th to 18th centuries Hoian was a thriving international port frequented by Chinese, Dutch, French, Japanese, Portuguese and Arab traders, who came to trade in the high quality silk still produced in the region. Today, Hoian is a relaxing resort popular with tourists for its eclectic architecture, skilled tailors and numerous cafes. Take a half-day walking tour through the narrow winding streets of the ancient town centre, visiting Chua Ong Pagoda, the Chinese Assembly Hall, the 200-year old Tan Ky ancestral house and the famous Japanese Bridge. After lunch, take a short boat trip to a nearby island and visit a handicraft village specializing in ceramics. Return to the hotel in the late afternoon and enjoy a free evening at your leisure.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Hoian.

Day 5: Hoian – Free day at leisure.
Today you are totally free to choose what you want to do. You may just relax at the beach or go shopping around. In the case if you want to join us on a cycling, My Son exploration or making lantern tours, Hoi An Eco tour or a handicraft village visit, please feel free to contact with our travel consultant for the arrangement.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Hoian.

Day 6: Hoian – Drive to Hue – City Tour.
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel then check-out and drive over the 500m-high Hai Van pass to Hue. Enjoy a stop at the scenic Lang Co Beach for a drink before continuing on to Hue - a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Vietnam’s former capital. Spend the afternoon on a leisurely walking tour through the ancient city. Visit the Royal Citadel, the Imperial Museum, as well as the Mausoleum of King tu Duc (a replica of the king’s palace built for the next reincarnation of the king.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Hue.

Day 7: Hue – Fly to Hanoi.
This morning drive to Phu Bai Airport to catch your short flight to Vietnam’s capital city, Hanoi. Upon arrival, get transferred to your hotel in the city centre. In the late afternoon, take a walk around the center, visiting some of Hanoi’s main attractions: the Opera House, Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi.

Day 8: Hanoi City Tour.
Today is a full day to explore Vietnam’s charming capital. Start with a visit to the Temple of Literature, which is well known as the first university of Vietnam. Follow it with one of the city's museums (a choice between the History Museum and the Ethnology Museum) before your lunch (own account).
In the afternoon, transfer to the Ba Dinh Square where stands the Mausoleum of President Ho Chi Minh who led Vietnam to independence from French colonial rule. This site has become an important city landmark and a perfect place to learn more about Vietnam’s rich history. From there, wander through the beautiful surrounding gardens toward the One Pillar Pagoda and Presidential Palace, where a replica of Ho Chi Minh’s simple working space is on display. Later, hop on a cyclo, one of the most typical vehicles in Hanoi, is a human-powered transport with a seat at the front for passengers and the driver at the back. With this an hour leisurely ride, which is perfect chance for photos and slow-moving sightseeings, you will have the local closer touch. Disembark at the ancient city gate of O Quan Chuong, then continue walking to Thanh Ha local market and through bustling streets& alleys before ending at Ta Hien Street where you will enjoy a glass of local beer at its corner with all the locals around. Conclude the day with a traditional Water Puppet Performance – a unique Vietnamese Art form hailing from Southeast Asia’s wet-rice culture.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi.

Day 9: Hanoi – Drive to Sapa.
After breakfast, your guide & driver will meet you at the lobby of the hotel then leave Hanoi for Sapa on a six hour journey on the Vietnam’s longest and modern highway. On arrival, check in to your hotel then drive to Tram Ton Pass, Heaven’s Gate – the highest peak of roads in Vietnam (over 2000m). Admire the spectacular views, even the Fansipan summit, the highest peak of Indochina mountains (weather permits) and visit the nearby Silver Waterfall with marvelous scenery of the surrounding nature. Stop along the way to visit O Quy Ho village which known for the different kinds of vegetables, flowers, fruit trees and even medicinal plants grown here. Spend the afternoon exploring the charming town of Sapa or relaxing at your leisure.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Sapa.

Day 10: Sapa Trekking & Visit Hill Tribe Villages.
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel, before setting out on a full day’s trek to explore Sapa’s cultural diversity and haunting natural beauty. Take a guided hike through yawning valleys decorated with terraced rice fields and pass through remote hill tribe villages. You have three trekking options to choose from: Soft trek (~ 3 km), medium trek (~ 6km) and long trek (~12km). Trekking is an excellent way to explore the daily life and familiarize yourself with the cultures of the H’mong, Dzao and Dzay people who populate the region. Drive back to Sapa in the afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast, Picnic Lunch.
Accommodation: Hotel in Sapa.

Day 11: Sapa – Coc Ly/ Sin Cheng/ Can Cau/ Bac Ha Fair Market – Hanoi.
Early morning your driver and guide will take you to one of the local markets (Coc Ly on Tue/ Sin Cheng on Wed/ Can Cau on Sat and Bac Ha on Sun). Wander through the stalls packed with hand-crafted goods peddled by the various hill tribe peoples who come here to buy and sell their wares. The specific details will be proposed by your travel consultant based on the travel date. After lunch, farewell the Vietnam’s Northwest area for a journey back to Hanoi.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi.

Day 12: Hanoi – Halong Bay – Overnight on cruise.
Your guide and driver will meet you at lobby of your hotel, then set out on a 2.5 hour drive to the UNESCO World Heritage Site: Halong Bay. *The following Halong Bay itinerary is a sample for our standard service on a 3 star junk/ cruise. Different programs are available through our luxury cruise itineraries on the Violet, Jasmine, Ginger, Hera, Indochina Sails or Paradise. Please contact us for more details.
Spend nearly 24 hours on a traditional junk cruise in the amazing bay: a natural wonderland composed of jutting limestone islands and sparkling turquoise waters. Arrive at the dock around noon and board your junk. Savor a gourmet lunch of fresh seafood onboard as you sail out into the mystical bay. In the afternoon, cruise around some of Halong’s many islands, including Dinh Huong and Ga Choi. Along the way, visit one of the bay’s 3 largest caves (Thien Cung, Dau Go or Sung Sot). Stop at an island cove with a sheltered white-sand beach and take a dip in the warm waters of the Gulf of Tonkin (weather permits). Pass the night on your junk, lulled to sleep by the gentle rocking of calm waters
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Accommodation: Overnight on cruise.

Day 13: Halong Bay – Hanoi – Departure.
Awake early and participate in Tai Chi on the top deck or simply relax and enjoy the sunrise over the bay’s towering islands. Enjoy a morning cup of coffee or tea, before setting out to explore the nearby islands by rowboat. Return to the junk for brunch then take advantage of the sundeck and admire the amazing rock formations of Bai Tu Long Bay as you navigate back to Halong City, where the driver will meet you at the dock and take you to Noi Bai Airport to catch your departure flight.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: N/A.
This Vietnam tour departs from Ho Chi Minh City, If you want Vietnam tours from Hanoi, you can refer here.

• Experience the country side life in Mekong Delta.
• Leisure walking tour in Hoian, a World Heritage Site recognized by UNESCO in 1999.
• Discover Sapa, explore the traditional cultures of the ethnic minorities of Vietnam.
• Learning history in Hanoi, Vietnam's capital.
• Cast away on a traditional junk boat set sail through hundreds of limestone karsts that rise dramatically from the emerald waters of Halong Bay. Join activities such as: visiting fishing village on a bamboo boat, visiting caves, kayaking, swimming…