Vietnam Essential Journey 10 Days

Arrive at Ho Chi Minh City airport where our driver will meet you and transfer you to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to recover from your flight or begin exploring Vietnam’s largest and most dynamic city. Wander through District 1 with its colonial buildings or sample some local cuisine at nearby restaurants.

Tour guide: English speaking guide
Meals: N/A

Your day begins with a comprehensive tour of Ho Chi Minh City’s historical landmarks. Visit the Old Post Office with its stunning French colonial architecture, the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral built with materials imported from France, and Independence Hall (Reunification Palace), which played an important role in the end of the Vietnam War.

In the afternoon, travel to the remarkable Cu Chi Tunnels, an underground network stretching over 250 kilometers that served as living quarters, hospitals, and supply routes for Viet Cong soldiers. As you explore sections of these narrow tunnels, you’ll gain understanding of the determination and ingenuity that characterized the resistance efforts during the war.

Return to the city and enjoy Ben Thanh Market where you can shop like a local for souvenirs, local handicrafts, and tasty Vietnamese snacks.

Tour-guide: English Speaking Guide
Meals: Breakfast

Cu Chi Tunnels tour

Enjoy a relaxed morning in Ho Chi Minh City at your own pace. Perhaps visit a local cafe for Vietnamese coffee or explore neighborhoods not covered in yesterday’s tour.

In the afternoon, transfer to the airport for your flight to Danang. Upon arrival, our driver will meet you and transfer you to your hotel in Hoi An, a charming UNESCO World Heritage town. The evening is yours to get a first impression of this atmospheric ancient town.

Tour-guide: N/A
Meals: Breakfast

Free day to explore Hoi An at your own pace. Alternatively, you can take the opportunity to join an optional tour (not included).

Optional tours:
1. Walking tour of Hoi An ancient town to see the Japanese Covered Bridge, Chinese Assembly Halls, ancient merchant houses, and the bustling central market.

2. Cooking class where you’ll learn to prepare authentic Vietnamese dishes.

3. Home-hosted meal with a local family for authentic cultural exchange.

4. Tra Que organic herb village where you can try your hand at traditional farming methods.

5. My Son Sanctuary, the ancient Cham ruins set in a jungle valley.

Tour guide: N/A
Meals: Breakfast

Another full day at leisure to enjoy Hoi An. Explore more of the ancient town, relax on nearby An Bang Beach, or shop for custom-made clothing from one of the town’s many skilled tailors who can produce quality garments within 24 hours.

Tour guide: N/A
Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, our driver will take you to Danang airport for your morning flight to Hanoi. Upon arrival, check in to your hotel and refresh before your afternoon walking tour of Vietnam’s capital city.

Your half-day tour takes you through Hanoi’s most fascinating areas. Explore a bustling local market where Hanoi residents shop daily, see the historic O Quan Chuong Gate (The Old East Gate) that once protected the ancient city, and visit the beautiful Joseph Church. Continue to the magnificent Hanoi Opera House with its distinctive French colonial architecture, then stroll around the serene Sword Lake while hearing its legendary story.

The highlight for many travelers is the cyclo ride through the narrow streets of the Old Quarter, where you’ll witness daily life happening all around you among colonial buildings and bustling shops.

Tour guide: English speaking tour guide
Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, drive south to Ninh Binh, known as “Halong Bay on land” for its dramatic limestone formations rising from rice paddies rather than water.

Visit the ancient capital of Hoa Lu with its 10th-century temples dedicated to emperors Dinh and Le. Next, take a private boat trip through Tam Coc’s stunning landscape of limestone karsts and rice paddies. Local boatmen navigate narrow waterways, passing through three natural caves. The journey offers intimate views of rural life, with farmers working in fields and limestone formations rising dramatically from the water.

After lunch, explore Dancing Cave with its impressive stalactites and stalagmites, then enjoy a bicycle tour through rural villages. Ride through picturesque landscapes, interact with local farmers and observe traditional rural life up close. Overnight in Ninh Binh.

Tour guide: English Speaking guide
Meals: Breakfast

After early breakfast, drive to Halong Bay. Upon arrival at Sunworld International Harbor, transfer to your cruise boat by tender. After embarking, enjoy a welcome drink as you settle into your cabin. While cruising through the emerald waters of Bai Tu Long Bay, enjoy lunch and marvel at the stunning seascape around you.

Your afternoon includes kayaking through hidden lagoons, swimming in clear waters, and relaxing at Cap La Beach. As sunset colors the sky, enjoy a BBQ dinner onboard followed by evening activities like squid fishing, board games, or simply stargazing from the deck. This overnight cruise experience is consistently rated as a highlight by travelers to Vietnam.

Tour guide: English speaking guide on board
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Begin your day with optional Tai Chi on the sundeck as the morning light illuminates the bay. After a light breakfast, visit Vung Vieng Fishing Village by bamboo boat, where you’ll witness a traditional way of life that has changed little over generations.

Return to the cruise for final views of this natural wonder while enjoying lunch as you cruise back to shore. After disembarking, transfer back to Hanoi, arriving late afternoon.

The evening is yours to explore Hanoi at your leisure.

Tour guide: English Speaking guide on board
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Enjoy free time until your scheduled transfer to the airport for your departure flight. Take this opportunity for last-minute souvenir shopping or a final Vietnamese coffee before bidding farewell to this remarkable country.

Tour guide: N/A
Meals: Breakfast