Charming Vietnam 16 Days - Viet International Travel and Trade Co., Ltd

You will be welcomed by ViTravel’s tour guide and driver at Noi Bai International Airport and be transferred to the city center for check-in at your hotel. Free at your own leisure to explore the bustling Old Quarter (Pho Co).
Overnight in Hanoi. 

Breakfast is served at your hotel.

We start the day with a visit to the Ho Chi Minh Complex. This famous site comprises Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum (closed on Mondays & Fridays), his former stilt-house residence, the Presidential Palace and Ho Chi Minh Museum. Following this, we head to the Temple of Literature constructed in 1070 to worship Confucius. Otherwise known as the first university of Vietnam, the site also honours the eighty-two Vietnamese doctorates that each passed a number of rigid exams in the medieval ages. Their names, birthdays and birthplaces are each engraved on headstones perched on stone tortoises. It is widely believed that touching the heads of these tortoises will bring luck. Its neatly maintained lawns, gardens and lotus ponds make it a tranquil hideaway from the city’s bustle and heat.

Next stop, lunch will be served at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, we visit the Museum of Ethnology (closed on Mondays, the alternative is the History Museum) dedicated to Vietnam's fifty-four officially recognised ethnic races. While the in-house exhibition is particularly informative, the outdoor display continues in the museum’s garden with fascinating examples of traditional houses, from the Kings to the ethnic groups of the Central Highlands. We then enjoy a 45-minute-cyclo tour of the Old Quarter where you can see streets with century-aged trees and French Colonial buildings. We then head to Ngoc Son Temple set on a tiny islet in the middle of Hoan Kiem Lake. Ngoc Son Temple dates back to the 13th century, and the lake itself is the picturesque heart of Hanoi, frequented by both tourists and locals.

Then, we will enjoy a truly Vietnamese ‘water puppet show’, a unique Vietnamese traditional art. This art is originated from rural festivals and involves the artists standing waist-deep in the water to manipulate the puppets, making them move, talk and laugh and even dance on the surface of the water.

Overnight in Hanoi. 

Breakfast is served at your hotel.

Morning, our driver and guide will pick you up at your hotel lobby and depart for Halong Bay. Sit back and enjoy the peaceful countryside symbolic of the Red River Delta. We will arrive at Halong Bay’s wharf around noon and board a cruise to go through the limestone cliffs and emerald waters of Halong Bay. Here we enjoy the striking scenery of this World Heritage Site. While being on board, we will be served fresh local seafood lunch followed by swimming and exploring some of the limestone caves in this area. Witness one of the world’s best sunsets before you sit down for a lush dinner. The captain then will anchor for the night nearby a remote island where you’ll have the option of night fishing or just sitting out on the deck and relaxing under the stars.

Waking up surrounded by the tranquil beauty of the bay, we have time for an early morning dip with joys and emotions for watching the sunrise on the sea followed by breakfast. The cruise continues to move around the bay for us to discover more secluded areas, we then take kayaking and swimming in the stunning bay. The junk will be near us at all times serving as a backup vessel for those that require it. At around midday, we will return to the main harbour before transferring to our awaiting vehicle for a 3-hour journey to Noi Bai airport for a flight to Hue.

Upon arrival at Hue airport, our driver will meet and transfer you to hotel for check-in.

Overnight in Hue.

Breakfast is served at your hotel.

After breakfast at hotel, we set out for the exploration of Hue's famous highlights, starting with a boat trip on the Perfume River to reach the picturesque Thien Mu otherwise known as Heavenly Lady Pagoda. One of the most poignant displays here is the car belonging to a former monk, who in 1963, drove to Saigon and set himself alight to protest against the South Vietnamese regime and its treatment of Buddhists. We then disembark the boat for a visit to the elaborate tomb of former emperor Tu Duc, which was built between 1864 and 1867 by 3000 soldiers and workers. It includes fifty monuments surrounded by a 1500m long wall covering.

We then head back to Hue for your lunch at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, we visit Hue Imperial City, the last royal city of Vietnam with various beautiful structures including the Flag Tower, Ngo Mon Gate, Nine Dynastic Urns, Nine Holy Cannons, Thai Hoa Palace and the Forbidden City or Tu Cam Thanh. Built-in the 19th century by the Nguyen dynasty, the City was home to the former Emperors of Vietnam from 1802 until 1945. We then do the walking and shopping in Dong Ba Market to enjoy the speciality of Hue city.

Overnight at a hotel in Hue.

After breakfast at the hotel, we bid Hue farewell and continue our southbound journey to the old trading town of Hoian via Danang. Along the way, we will stop at Lang Co beach for refreshments. From here we head up to the Hai Van pass, stopping at the top to take in the stunning views north over Lang Co beach and south over Danang city.

Upon arrival in Hoian, we take a walking tour to Hoi An Ancient Town – an exceptionally well-preserved example of a South-East Asian trading port dating from the 15th to the 19th century. We start our day with the Japanese Covered Bridge – one of Vietnam’s most iconic attractions. Created by the Japanese living in Hoian in the 1590s as a way to reach the Chinese quarter across the water, the bridge is a beautiful historical piece of Japanese architecture. It would be a shortcoming without a visit to Tan Ky House - one of the many ancient houses that make up Hoian Ancient Town. Built two centuries ago with both Japanese and Chinese influences on architecture, this house has been preserved through seven generations. While walking, we will encounter pretty houses of Chinese merchants. Another must-see destination is Phuc Kiem Assembly Hall - an excellent work of architecture considered as a heritage of historical significance. Built-in 1690, this Assembly Hall is in fact a temple dedicated to the sea goddess Thien Hau. Back to your hotel late afternoon.

Overnight in Hoian.

Breakfast is served at your hotel.

08.00 AM: Our local guide picks up you at the hotel lobby, you enjoy a cycling trip along country lanes at a peaceful pace viewing local life and pausing to see farmers toiling in their rice fields using centuries of farming practices. Peddle your way through palm forests, across bridges, and fields of water buffalo. Riding along country lanes at a peaceful pace viewing local life and stopping over to see farmers (If you can't cycle, we will arrange a car or minivan as an alternative).

9:00 AM: Take a short break with a local family at Cam Thanh Village before enjoying a 1.5-hour ride on Traditional Basket Boat (round boat) in the Water Coconut Palm Forest. Learn how to sail the basket boat and spend your time catching fish and “purple crabs” in the Canal.

10:30 AM: Continue to drive to Tra Que Organic Vegetable Village where a large variety of vegetables are produced for the local community. At the village, you will be shown the environmentally sustainable practices which the local villagers have used for centuries and are still being used extensively today.

11:30 AM: Visit a local family and after a short, informative and fun cooking lesson, we sit down for a delicious lunch. Be back in town for relaxing.

Overnight in Hoian.

Breakfast is served at your hotel.

Today you are free at your own leisure or free to take some the activities such as walking/cycling around the ancient town or book a fishing/ snorkelling in the Cham Island Biosphere Reserve Zone (at your request).

Overnight in Hoian.

Breakfast is served at your hotel.

Today, you are free at leisure until being picked up and transferred to airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh city.

Upon arrival in Ho Chi Minh, meet our driver and we transfer to hotel. Check in and relax (We can arrange Saigon jeep tour by night or scooter evening tour, dinner on cruise… on your request). Overnight in Ho Chi Minh.

Breakfast is served at your hotel.

8:00 AM: Our guide & driver pick you up at the hotel.

A half-day tour to Cu Chi, located about 70 km from Saigon, where you will visit the Cu Chi Tunnels, the former stronghold of the Viet Cong with a network of tunnels three levels deep stretching over 200 km.

Cu Chi tunnels played a vital part in the U.S.-Vietnam War in that they allowed the Viet Cong to control a large rural area only 30 to 40 km from former Saigon.

At its height, the tunnel system stretched from Saigon to the Cambodian border. The network, parts of which were several levels deep, included innumerable trap doors, specially constructed living areas, storage facilities, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centres and kitchens.

Today the remaining tunnels have become a major tourist attraction giving the visitor a unique experience and feel of what underground life during the war must have been like.

The tunnels have been widened for our benefit (otherwise we would not be able to enter them!) For those interested, there's even the opportunity to try an AK47 or MK16 at the nearby rifle range. (At your own cost)

Your lunch will be served at a local restaurant en route.

Your afternoon begins with the exploration of Ho Chi Minh City, including the Reunification Palace which was the former residence of the President of South Vietnam until April 30, 1975. Then, continuing our trip to the War Remnants Museum that is formerly known as the Museum of American War Crimes. This is a poignant display of the futility of war. Close to the museum, we go to visit the Central Post Office which is the country’s largest post office that was built in 1891. It is a fine example of French architecture and is Vietnam's largest post office. Back to your hotel and free on your own.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Breakfast is served at your hotel.

07:30 AM, meet our tour guide at your hotel lobby and we depart for Cai Be.

Arrive in Vinh Long, we will start the tour with a visit to Vinh Long market in the town. This is the best choice for you to take pictures of fish, shrimps, prawns, crabs, snakes, rice-field rats, tropical fruits, and vegetables...

Mekong Travel boat will take you to have lunch at this local house.

After lunch, we come to visit the brick kilns where you can see how the local people create beautiful potteries from clay. Then, visit the local workshop to see how to make rice paper, coconut candy, pop-rice... Enjoy some sweets with a cup of hot tea. Then, we’ll walk to check in at Út Trinh / Út Quỳnh / Út Bình homestay.

Have a fresh shower before cooking some special dishes with the members of the local family. We’ll enjoy dinner & overnight at homestay.

Have breakfast at homestay. Check out & be on a boat to go across one of the longest rivers in the world, the Mekong River. Come to visit Cai Be floating market.

Then, the rowboat will take you deeper into the countryside on smaller canals to enjoy a peaceful time. Also, we’ll come to Tân Phong island for biking on village paths to see the local daily life: orchard, school, church, pagoda, traditional houses and maybe the ancestral ways to pick up fruits in Mekong Delta... On the way, we can make some stops to see how they make rice net for spring rolls, sew coconut leaves for cottage roofs and especially see how they wave the dried water-hyacinth to make many products: baskets, bags, hats, wallets, shoes... The cruise will end at Cai Be pier in the town. We then transfer back to your hotel.

Check-in and relax in Ho Chi Minh City. Lunch and dinner are on your own arrangement. 

Breakfast is served at your hotel.

You are free at leisure until being picked up and transferred to the airport for your flight to Phu Quoc Island. Phu Quoc is a paradise for sun and sea lovers. Here, you can spend a whole day swinging away in a hammock on a deserted beach, listening to the sound of the surf and then witnessing a mesmerising sunset. Those members of the family who love being active can keep themselves busy with cycling, trekking, snorkelling, scuba diving and fishing.

Upon arrival, the resort’s shuttle bus will pick you up and transfer you to your resort for checking in. You will have free time to relax and explore the island on your own. 

Relax and enjoy your Phu Quoc sandy beach: swim, sunbathe and take in the delights of this beautiful holiday resort.

Optional sightseeing or a visit to offshore islands, scuba diving and other water sports are available. Or, just relax and enjoy the resort facilities.

Relax and enjoy your Phu Quoc sandy beach: swim, sunbathe and take in the delights of this beautiful holiday resort.

Optional sightseeing or a visit to offshore islands, scuba diving and other water sports are available. Or, just relax and enjoy the resort facilities.

Breakfast is served at your hotel.

Free morning at your own leisure until the transfer to the airport for your flight departure. It’s up to your flight departure, we will assist you to book a domestic flight to Ho Chi Minh (or Hanoi city on your request)

Thank you for choosing our services!

ViTravel goodbye and see you again.