Vietnam Timeless Beauty – 28 Days

Welcome up on arrival by local tour guide and driver then we transfer to hotel. Relax for the rest of the day. Overnight in Hanoi.

Today is a free day until our tour guide picks you up at the hotel and transfers to Hanoi Station for the night train to Lao Cai, Sapa.

Bac Ha market, located in the heart of Bac ha small town is the largest one in the area. Every Sunday, the different and colorful ethnic minority come all here to sell their homemade products or buy something for the family. They are Hmong, Phu La, Back Dzao, Tay or Nung minorities. Some of these ethnic minorities can’t be met in any other areas. The highlights of this trip is to live yourself in Bac Ha colorful market that happens only on Sunday and also to take a wonderful boat trip upstream Chay River, to have some pleasant walks through Tay village.

You will be met by local guide and driver upon your arrival at Lao Cai station then transferred to a local restaurant for breakfast. Then start our drive to Bac Ha town. The road is relatively flat from Lao Cai to Bao Nhai Bridge. After crossing the bridge, we begin our journey up to Bac Ha. Bac Ha market, located in the heart of Bac ha small town is the largest one in the area. Every Sunday, the different and colorful ethnic minority come all here to sell their homemade products or buy something for the family. They are Hmong, Phu La, Back Dzao, Tay or Nung minorities. Some of these ethnic minorities can’t be met in any other areas. Your lunch will be provided in a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, we drive downhill towards Lao Cai for about half an hour. We stop on the way (before reaching Lao Cai) to take a short walk to Trung Do village inhabited by Tay people. Tay villages are always set up at the foot of a mountain or along a stream and are named after a mountain, a field, or a river. Each village contains about 15-20 households. A large village is divided into many small hamlets. The houses are built on stilts or level with the ground. Stop by a traditional Tay house for a cup of tea before taking a boat cruise upstream the Chay River. The scenery is very beautiful on both sides of the river. The boat trip will end at Bao Nhai bridge where your vehicle will be waiting for you for the journey back to Sapa.

*Kindly note that Bac Ha Market will be opened in Sunday only. In Saturday, you can visit Can Cau Market (further than Bac Ha and more expensive)

Met up at your hotel in Sapa by local guide and your trek will start through the market and leave the busy town behind. After a couple of minutes, you follow a road going downhill to Cat Cat village. You will stop by a waterfall and a hydroelectric station for a while before you trek on a dirt trail through rice paddy terraces. You also will enjoy spectacular scenery while walking along a narrow river. You eventually arrive in Y Linh Ho village of Black Hmong minority, where you can take a rest while you are served lunch nearby the river. After lunch, you head to Muong Hoa Valley. You will pass through Lao Chai village of Black Hmong minority and then Ta Van village of Giay minority by following a very popular trekking route. You will spend the night in local house of Giay minority. You will be able to take a walk to enjoy the valley view as well as swim in the river nearby.

Approx: 5 hours walking/ 1-hour lunch.

After having breakfast, you start today’s trek, which is mostly uphill until lunchtime. Whenever you stop for a rest, you will be able to enjoy valley view. Before noon, you stop again at a nice spot for lunch. The trek will be softer in the afternoon. But the scenery becomes even more beautiful. You will arrive in Seomity village of Black Hmong minority for overnight in a local family here.

Approx: 4-5 hours walking/ 1-hour lunch.

The trek today takes you through beautiful rice paddies and over old suspension bridges. You will trek on small trail sneaking through rainforest. You arrive in Den Thang village of Black Hmong by noon. Here you stop for lunch either nearby a river or in a local school according to the weather. After lunch, the trek will become tough on tinny footpath going up and down, which requires a lot of concentration. You will reach to Ta Trung Ho village of Red Dao minority where you spend the night in local house. Both the valley and the village have just received foreign visitors. The night will be even more interesting when you are in the wonderful hospitable atmosphere of the Red Dao.

Approx: 6 hours walking/ 1-hour lunch.

You are now at the fringe of the rainforest by the Hoang Lien Son mountain range. Fansipan, the highest peak in Indochina with its 3143 m, is located in this mountain range. You will start the trek today by ascending to Nam Toong village of Red Dao minority. Here your lunch will be prepared in a local school. After lunchtime, you descend to the valley where locates My Son village of Xa Pho minority, one of the smallest groups ethnic in Northern Vietnam. From there you take a short walk to Thanh Phu village of Tay minority. Here you spend the night in traditional house of the Tay. You can take a walk to explore local daily life while your dinner will be served with Vietnamese dishes.

Approx: 6 hours walking/ 1-hour lunch.

Today’s trek will be relatively short and soft. Once leaving Thanh Phu, you follow the trekking route built in the bottom of the valley, which offers the best view to the surrounding mountains. You stop at a nice spot for lunch. After lunchtime, you continue the walk toward Sin Chai village of Red Dao minority where the night will be spent in a local house in the village.

Approx: 3 hours walking/ 1-hour lunch.

From Sin Chai you will start heading towards Ban Ho. You will trek along the riverbank where you can enjoy a refreshing swim nearby a waterfall. At Ban Ho, your lunch will be prepared and served in a friendly local Tay family’s house. On the last hours you can enjoy the valley view one final time while trekking upward Supan. Here your car will take you on journey back to Sapa. On the way you still have many opportunities to enjoy magnificent views of valleys and mountain.

Approx: 1-hour driving/ 5 hours walking/ 1-hour lunch.

Today, you will be free until the shared limousine picks you up at the hotel in Sapa and transfer you back to Hanoi in 6 hours.

Hanoi, located in the Red River Delta, in the center of North Vietnam, and is the capital of the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam, the center of culture, politics, economy, and trade of the whole country. Throughout the thousand years of its eventful history, marked by destruction, wars, and natural calamities, Hà Nội still preserves many ancient architectural works including the Old Quarter and over 600 pagodas and temples. Famous sites include the One Pillar Pagoda (built in 1049), the Confucius Temple (built in 1070), Thang Long Citadel, the Hanoi Opera House, President Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, and so on…

Itinerary of Hanoi City Tour full day:
08h00-08h30: We will pick you up from your hotel in Hanoi Old Quarter or Hanoi Opera House. In the morning, we will visit:

• Tran Quoc Pagoda located on the east side isle of the West Lake (Tay Ho district), is considered the most ancient pagoda in Thang Long – Hanoi with its historical progression in 1500 years. It has a harmonious combination of the majesty, hoariness of architecture, and peaceful landscape of West Lake. From the Ly and Tran dynasties period, it had become the Buddhist center of Thang Long.
• Visit the complex of President Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum (Mausoleum and Stilt house) – Where the great leader lived and worked until the last years of his life. Here, you will have the opportunity to learn about Uncle Ho’s simple life. In addition, you will stop by One Pillar Pagoda to admire one of the 4 symbols of Hanoi.
  Note: with departure days on Monday and Friday, Mausoleum Management Board will carry out maintenance of the mausoleum, you will visit only outside of Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, stilt house, and One Pillar Pagoda.
• Vietnam Museum of Ethnology: This is the most recent yet probably the largest and undoubtedly the most interesting museum in Hanoi and Vietnam. There are indoor and outdoor sections, and while the in-housed exhibition is particularly informative, the outdoor display and activities make the museum stand out. There are a number of houses modeled after the traditional architecture of ethnic minorities, especially those who live in Northern and Central highlands.
  On Monday, the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology is closed, instead of the Vietnamese Women’s Museum.
  Noon: Return to the Old Quarter to have lunch at the restaurant. After lunch, you will see 36 streets from the car and listen to the guide tell stories about the streets of the ancient urban marketplace.

Afternoon: We will visit:

• The Temple of Literature (The first university in Vietnam): Being an ancient school of Thang Long and the first university in Vietnam, the Temple of Literature is acknowledged as an ancient historical-cultural heritage that gives tourists a deeper understanding of Hanoi’s years of culture and tradition.
• Hoa Lo Prison: Built-in 1899. The French held mainly political prisoners here, along with those awaiting sentencing at the nearby Court of Justice, as well as American pilots who had been shot down and captured as prisoners of war. The pilots sarcastically called it the “Hanoi Hilton. John McCain was held here at various times during his five and a half years as a POW.
  16h00: End of Hanoi City Tour, the car will take you back to the hotel.

Today is free day.

After breakfast, we pick you up at the hotel in Hanoi around 7:45 – 8:30 am by shuttle bus to start our journey. When we arrive at Tuan Chau Marina, you will get checked in at Le Regina Royal waiting lounge, and enjoy welcome drink and express check-in before boarding. Once arrived, you will be given a short briefing about your cruise itinerary and safety regulations while you enjoy some complimentary welcoming drinks. Shortly after, we start our vacation with a delicious lunch set menu in restaurant. As the cruise departs towards Halong Bay – a natural wonder of the world, absorb yourself in the gorgeous scenery and famous sights of limestone.

Around 15:00, your first excursion is a visit to Luon Cave. This is considered as one of the most ideal places in Halong for kayaking or rowing boat. After that, you will visit Titov Island, where you can go swimming or hike to the top for another stunning, panoramic view of the Bay. Then, we return back to the cruise and enjoy the Bay sunset while enjoying the “Happy Hour” special. You may also join our chef in the kitchen to learn how to make traditional spring rolls. At 7 pm, we enjoy our special dinner in the restaurant or on the sundeck (if the weather is permit). After dinner, it’s your choice for a fun squid fishing, spa (surcharge) or relaxing before spending the rest of night on board

11:30 Arrive at Le Regina Royal waiting lounge in Halong International Harbour, enjoy welcome drink and express check-in before boarding.
12:30 Transferred to La Regina Royal Cruise by a tender boat, enjoy Welcome Drink from crew member while manager introduce the safety briefing and clearing our the itinerary.
13:00 Let your vacation start with a delicious lunch set menu in restaurant. As the cruise departs towards Halong Bay – a natural wonder of the world, absorb yourself in the gorgeous scenery and famous sights of limestone
15:00 Your first excursion is a visit to Luon Cave. This is considered as one of the most ideal places in Halong for kayaking or rowing boat. After that, you will visit Titov Island, where you can go swimming or hike to the top for another stunning, panoramic view of the Bay.
17:30 Return to the cruise and enjoy the Bay sunset while enjoying the “Happy Hour” special. You may also join our chef in the kitchen to learn how to make traditional spring rolls.
19:00 Enjoy our special dinner in the restaurant or on the sundeck (if the weather permits).
After dinner, it’s your choice for fun squid fishing, spa (surcharge) or relaxing.

In the early morning, we greet the new day on the sundeck with a tachi session and enjoy the fresh air on the bay while you unwind with a cup of tea or coffee. Following, we visit to the magnificent Sung Sot Cave, where you can take in the panoramic views across Halong Bay. After the time in here, we return back to La Regina Royal Cruise and spend time to check-out before having the Vietnamese cuisine buffet is served at the restaurant while the boat heads back to the harbor and get on the shuttle bus to return back to Hanoi in around 2.5 – 3 hours.

06:00 Greet the new day on the sundeck with Tai Chi Exercise.
06:30 Light breakfast is served at the restaurant.
07:30 After the breakfast, Your next excursion is a visit to the magnificent Sung Sot Cave, where you can take in the panoramic views across Halong Bay.
09:00 Come back to La Regina Royal Cruise. Check out of the cabin.
09:45 Vietnamese cuisine buffet is served at the restaurant while the boat heads back to the harbor.
11:00 Disembark at the harbor.

On your arrival in Hanoi, our driver will transfer you to Noi Bai Airport for a flight to Hue. After arrival, you will be transferred to hotel for sleep.

Around 8.00 – 8.30 am, we pick you up at the hotel in Hue to start our journey. The first place of our trip is Thien Mu Pagoda – The oldest pagoda in Hue city. We go there by Dragon boat to have a different look at the fabled Perfume River and also fully admire the beauty of Thien Mu pagoda from afar. After that, we explore the Imperial Citadel – The home of Vietnam & the last royal dynasty – the Nguyen Dynasty. Famously being one of Vietnam’s seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the Imperial City of Hue has long been a must-see attraction for tourists visiting a hidden charm of Vietnam. Once you’re done admiring the imperial city of Hue, you are surprised by the rich collection of Hue Royal Antiques Museum – A collection of ornaments from the Nguyen dynasty. This Museum houses a fine collection of antique pieces belonging to the royal family, including gold seals, hand-stitched robes, gilded books, and silver screens.

Following, we go to Dong Ba Market to see the daily life of local people. It’s relatively clean, with ample space, and most of what’s sold will fit in your suitcase. This place is designed for locals so you can pick up some cheap and tasty eats. The market ranges from raw foods to t-shirts and the usual stuff you find at tourist markets. After lunch, we continue to visit Minh Mang & Khai Dinh King’s Tomb – a blend of Western and Eastern architecture. Khai Dinh designed his tomb himself, after exposure to France, and surely Chinese aesthetics, and it is very different from most other temples with nice colors, and beautiful fusion costumes (although he set a trend if you look at newer temples). This place will suitable for someone who likes history. The view is amazing, if try you can get a lot of perfect pictures. You will be impressed by the majesty and symmetry of the architectural constructions.

One more place on this trip is Conical Hat Village, an incense stick-making village. It has been a well-known trademark in Vietnam and around the world. When it comes to Hue’s traditional villages, Conical Hat Village is one of the most well-known brands. It is dedicated to preserving Hue’s distinctive cultural attractiveness. At around 4:00 – 4:30 pm, we go back to your hotel. Tour ends.

After breakfast at the hotel, we travel by vehicle to Hoi An along scenic highway 1A. Along the way, we will stop to contemplate the stunning views North, to Lang Co Beach and South to Danang city. On this way, we won’t have tour guide escort. We will arrive Hoi An in the afternoon and meeting our tour guide at this hotel. From here, we will have a walking tour in here to visit the Japanese Covered Bridge, the Pottery Museum, Tan Ky’s old house, the Cantonese congregation, the silk street of Hoi An, and the temples, and pagodas of Chinese appearance. After the tour, we transfer back to hotel in Hoi An for relax or you can have free time in the old quarter.

We have an early start this morning as we head off to our Farming & Fishing Life Eco Tour. Starting at Tra Que Village, we will get a personal insight into the local farming communities. We set about joining the farmers in preparing their land for sowing, helping to fertilize the garden using seaweed from the local river and watering it in using huge tin cans strapped to our backs. Following this, we will begin our leisurely cycling tour through the countryside witnessing local Vietnamese rural life firsthand. Late morning we will board our Hoi An Eco-tour boat for a river cruise. Here we will meet and witness local fishermen working their craft, before enjoying a hands-on experience of traditional net fishing. We then transfer to a Vietnamese bamboo basket boat for a quick race and ride down a coconut palm-lined waterway. Lunch today, is on board our boat, which is prepared using vegetables picked earlier at Tra Que Village. After lunch, we have some free time to wander around Hoi An town centre before heading back to the hotel.

07:00 am – 08:00 am: Our Minivan and a tour guide pick you up at the hotel lobby. Reach Ba Na Hills via Cable Car.
9:30 am: Spend your time on the most modern Cable Car in Southeast Asia, then take The Climbing Train to visit the top of the mountain& further explore Le Jardin D’Amour (consists of 9 gardens), Debay Wine Cellar (old wineries) & Ling Ung Pagoda. Continue the 2nd Cable Car to visit the French Village (enjoy Street Music, watch Art’s statue), Campanile, Nine Floor Goddess Shrine, Tombstone Temple, Linh Phong Monastery, Linh Chua Linh Tu Temple & Tru Vu Tea Shop. Watch Carnival Performance Show, Square Du Dome … Challenge the most popular adventure ride – Slide of Tube Car (free ride).
11:00: Visit the Golden Bridge. Located in the middle of the mountain, the bridge is designed to be soft, the entire bridge covered with a magnificent yellow. From the distance, the bridge is like a silk strip floating in white clouds. What makes the bridge more special is the huge supporting hand. Lunch at a Restaurant (Buffet). Join Fantasy Park by Walking in Fairy Forest, discovering Dinosaur Park, playing 5D wild west, enjoying a 4D death race ride, watching 3D mega 360 degrees, riding on Journey into the underground, entering Jurassic Park, challenging Freefall Tower, and participating in an adventure in Horror House and over 90 free games.
15:00: Return to the Cable Car to leave Ba Na Hills
16:45 – 17:45: Our Minivan brings you back to your hotel. Tour ends.

Today, you will be transferred to Danang Station for morning train to Nha Trang. The transfer will take 12-13 hours. On arrival, we will be met and driven to our hotel, which is overlooking the Bay. The rest of the day free for strolling in the town, lazing on the beach, or whatever takes your fancy. We’ll spend the night in Nha Trang.

After breakfast at hotel, we will be picked up and transferred to the harbor. We first visit Vietnam Oceanographic Institute and see hundreds of special sea creatures. Get on our boat and have a short stop at Tri Nguyen Aquarium (outside photo shot only). Continue to Mun Island, we will have free time for snorkeling and enjoy local basket boat to explore the life of fisher-men at Mieu fishing village. We then come to a Bamboo Resort (or similar) for a special seafood lunch. Relax and swim at the Bamboo Island until afternoon. Back to the hotel and end the tour at around 5 PM.

Today, we transfer from Nha Trang to Dalat.

Dalat city is located on the Langbiang Plateau in the Southern parts of the Central Highland region. This is a capital of Lam Dong Province. The weather stands in contrast to Vietnam’s otherwise tropical climate. Mist covering the valleys almost year around leads to its name “City of eternal spring”…

Today we visit seven wanted places of Dalat city with the first destination of the Robin Hill, 1,650m height to get the panorama of romantic city of Dalat. We will then visit Truc Lam Zen Monastery that is the largest Zen Monastery of Vietnam (Cable car up on request); Tuyen Lam Lake, considered as the nicest lake in Dalat; Bao Dai Summer Palace where the last Emperor of Vietnam, Bao Dai King (1913 – 1997) stayed and ruled his Vietnam from 1949 to 1954.

After lunch, we keep on visting the Crazy House a brightly painted concrete house that winds itself around trees, mimicking their shapes; Dalat Railway station which is remarkable with its architecture and its old steam locomotive; Trai Matgo through vegetable farms. Later of the day, we take 7km train to this place (one-way train only), Linh Phuoc pagoda, this pagoda is the most colourful decorated one in Dalat, caved with tens of thousands of beer bottles and broken china ceramic, Lat minority people’s village, where the people live in wooden, thatched huts.

We transfer to Lien Khuong Airport for flight to Ho Chi Minh City. On arrival at Tan Son Nhat Airport in Ho Chi Minh City, welcome up on arrival by local tour guide and driver then we transfer to hotel. After check-in, we will be free to wander around the hustle and bustle city on your own.

Group size: 4 – 12 people
At 7.30 am, we will pick you up at the hotel in HCMC. The first place of the morning trip is Independence Palace, also known as the Reunification Palace, which was built on the sight of the former Norodom palace. The Independence palace is a widely known landmark of Ho Chi Minh City and was designed by the architect Ngo Viet Thu. We continue seeing the beautiful structures from the French Colonial times such as the Notre Dame Cathedral, and the historic Central Post Office. Followed by the remarkable site of the War Remnants Museum the museum has a vast display of both the Indochina wars. Lunch will be served in the local restaurant

Depart for Cu Chi tunnels, the trip will take approximately one and a half hours of bus driving. Upon arrival, before exploring the tunnels, you will have a short introduction followed by an introductory video about how the tunnels were constructed and how the people survived in the harsh conditions of wartime. Then, you can spend your time exploring the remaining area and tunnel systems which included the specially constructed living areas with kitchens, and bedrooms side by side with other martial facilities like storage, weapons factories, field hospitals, and command centers helping whoever lives inside the tunnels meet their basic needs. Besides, there are also many hidden trap doors and dangerous traps within the maze-like tunnels for security purposes during the war. Afterward, special tea and cassava (guerilla’s food during the war) will be served. We have a break time for relaxation or time for those who want to try a real shooting gun. At 7 pm, we return to Ho Chi Minh City.

Notes:
*The Notre Dame Cathedral has been restored, so the guests just visit outside.
*Drop-off time is subject to traffic, weather…so the finished time could be later than expected.
Inclusions: A/c van picks up and drop off (centrally located hotel in Dist1, HCMC), transfer & sightseeing as per program, English-speaking tour guide, entrance fee, pure bottled water, meal as lunch.

We pick you up at the hotel after breakfast and transfer you to Vinh Long. The program will start with a visit to Vinh Long market in the town. This is the best choice for us to take pictures of fish, shrimps, prawns, crabs, snakes, rice-field rats, tropical fruits, and vegetables… After that, we will travel by boat to visit the brick kilns where we can see how the local people create beautiful potteries from clay. Then, come to visit the orchard & traditional house. We will enjoy some kinds of fruits and tea when listening to traditional music at a homestay.

The rowing boat takes us deeper into the countryside on smaller canals so we can enjoy a peaceful time. It is so interesting to see traditional houses made of wood and palm tree leaves and see some activities of the local farmers with an opportunity to make contact with them and see how they catch fish or pick up fruits in ancestral ways in the Mekong Delta… One more thing to do on this trip is biking! It will be so amazing to bike on village paths to see the local farms, houses, “monkey” bridge, real life… The cruise transfers us back to Vinh Long City where we take our own vehicle to Can Tho.

Early morning today, we will take the boat trip to visit the famous Cai Rang Floating Market with the busy sense right at the time. This is a biggest floating market in Mekong Delta where we can see the daily life and local people selling their products on boats. If time permits, we can visit Binh Thuy Ancient House in here. After that, you will be back to the hotel and have free time until check out. At noon, we will head back to Ho Chi Minh City and have lunch en-route. Arrive at our hotel in the afternoon and have free time at leisure. We will spend the night in Ho Chi Minh City.

This unique itinerary is designed for tourists who want to discover a different Ho Chi Minh City by night. The traffic is still utter nightmare but the Vespa drivers are so good that we still feel relax and comfortable. You will travel around all the highlight places in Ho Chi Minh City and see how they are in the nighttime, colorful and brightening. You also try many kinds of local food such as Seafood, “Banh xeo – Southern pancake”, “Cha gio – Southern Sprillroll”, “Bo xien nuong – roasted beef” and local beers…. We are picked up by Vespa driver at 6 PM and drive to meeting happy point at Cafes Zoom where we enjoy welcome drink and snack. Here, we are also be top models when the Vespa Adventure staff takes us many nice photos and send to us after the tour.

We start our tour once the sun disappears in the west; the drivers drive us around the big streets to small streets and we can see all the daily nightlife of local people. Then we stop at a seafood workshop for our first tasting meal. With all picked up dishes, we enjoy with local beer, fruit juice or cold water while streets outside are still busy. After that, Vespa drivers take us back to center district, passing many highlight places in the city and we finally meet tour guide who take his private Vespa at the Banh Xeo workshop. This is a special street restaurant where we will have chance to see the local women cooking Banh Xeo what we later try with cold drink. When we think we can’t eat anymore, it’s time the Vespa drivers take us to a hidden Vietnamese-style coffee shop to have a taste of Vietnamese live music as local. There is no micro, no power light, it’s only live songs and candle and people whisper to pick up drink. We can stay here long as we can or we will move to the last destination to change the music taste if we are fan of Rock & beer (Optional for family is Ice-cream workshop). We are back to the hotels, say goodbye with Vespa drivers, tour guide, and enjoy a peaceful night.

Time will be free until our car arrives at the hotel to take us to the airport in good time to board our departure flight. Trip ends. Thanks for choosing Vietnam tour package from Vietnam local tour operator!