Highlights of Vietnam and Beach

Day 1 – Arrival in Hanoi

Upon arrival at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, welcomed by our driver and transferred to downtown. Check-in your hotel and overnight in Hanoi.

🏚️ Hotel Option in Hanoi: Adamas Hotel or similar.

Day 2 – Hanoi – Orientation (B)

After breakfast, you’re met to visit Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum before exploring his house on stilts. A short walk from the mausoleum is one of the great symbols of Hanoi, the One Pillar Pagoda, an 11th-century wooden temple built on a single stone pillar in the water. It was designed to resemble a blooming lotus. Visit the venerable Temple of Literature built in 1077 – Vietnam’s first university.
In the afternoon, visit the train street and the Old Quarter of Hanoi in a walking tour around the Old Streets which were named after the specific goods once offered for sale at these places. Stop at Hoan Kiem Lake & Ngoc Son Temple to learn about the legend of the lake. Enjoy a Water Puppet Show.

🏚️ Hotel Option in Hanoi: Adamas Hotel or similar.

Day 3 – Hanoi – Ninh Binh – Hoa Lu – Tam Coc – Bich Dong (B, L)

After breakfast, you will take 2.5 hours to drive to Ninh Binh Province. Upon arrival, visit Hoa Lu – Vietnam’s former capital before it was moved to Thang Long – Hanoi in 1,010 and the remains of Dinh & Le Kings’ Temples. Lunch will be at a local restaurant.
In the afternoon, get on a small rowing boat to travel along the canals amid local villages, green fields. Enjoy the beauty of Tam Coc (3 caves) which is also called “Ha Long Bay on land”. Go through the caves and then row back to the boat quay. Take a bicycle ride to Bich Dong temple, 2 km from Tam Coc, which was conferred by a King the title “Vietnam’s second most beautiful grotto”. Climb up the Ngu Nhac Son (Buddha’s Palm Mountain), be charmed by the marvelous scenery offered by the mountains, rivers, and pagodas.

🏚️ Hotel Option in Hanoi: Adamas Hotel or similar.

Day 4 – Hanoi – Ha Long Bay (B, L, D)

After breakfast, depart by road to Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Area of outstanding natural beauty. Travel through the rich farmlands of the Red River Delta and the landscape of rice fields, water buffalo, the daily life of the Vietnamese village. Board a traditional Junk. Lunch on board. The cruise passes by many rocks and islets in many funny shapes. The cruise may stop for a while for visiting one of the best caves on the bay. Later on, the Junk will anchor in a peaceful bay for relaxing and overnight.

🏚️ Hotel Option in Ha Long Bay: Oriental Sails Cruise.

Day 5 – Hanoi – Hanoi – Ho Chi Minh City (B, L)

Breakfast is served while the Junk cruises around Ha Long Bay, passing by many islets named by their shapes such as Dog, Incense Urn, Fighting Cock, Finger, etc. Stop for a while to explore a cave – one of the most beautiful caves of the bay. The Junk then continues cruising towards the wharf. Ready to disembark about 10:30 AM. Drive back to Hanoi and continue to Noi Bai Airport for a flight to Ho Chi Minh City.  Upon arrival, you’re greeted by our driver and transferred to your hotel for check-in.

🏚️ Hotel Option in Ho Chi Min City: Ha Hien Signature Hotel or similar.

✈️ Domestic Flight from Hanoi – Ho Chi Minh City is not included.

Day 6 – Ho Chi Minh City – Cu Chi Tunnels (B)

After breakfast, visit the Cu Chi Tunnels, which are 70 kilometers North West of Ho Chi Minh City, created in 1948 to assist the Viet Minh to combat the French. This is an underground city with living areas, kitchens, storage, weapon shops, field hospitals, command centers. During the American/Vietnam War, the entire area of Cu Chi has designated a fire-free zone and was heavily bombarded. Since 1988, two sections of the tunnels have been open for visitors.
In the afternoon, you will explore Ho Chi Minh City’s highlights including the Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, Old Centre Post Office, and Ben Thanh market.

🏚️ Hotel Option in Ho Chi Min City: Ha Hien Signature Hotel or similar.

Day 7 – Ho Chi Minh City – Ben Tre – Ho Chi Minh City (B, L)

After breakfast, it takes only a 2-hour pleasant drive to Ben Tre province crossing Rach Mieu bridge. Upon arrival in Hung Vuong Pier, hop on a motorized boat on Ben Tre River – one of the tributaries of the Mekong river while sight-seeing lively activities along the river such as fishing and boats transferring fruits, flowers, and rice to local markets. Our first stop is at a brick kiln to see how to make bricks traditionally by printing and baking. Those brick kilns are opened in the summertime only when it’s enough sunshine to dry bricks. Continue to visit one coconut processing workshop located along the canals. Return to the boat and go through natural scissors creeks to a village and see some local houses, making sleeping mats, and enjoying some local fruits.

Take a Tuk-Tuk (motorized cart) or bicycle on shady paths, pass by green rice fields, and vegetable plains to be able to touch on real life and find out about tropical culture from peasants. Have lunch at a local riverside restaurant. After lunch, we take a rowing boat along beautiful water palm creek before meeting the motorized boat and transferring you back to the pier where our driver awaits to take you back to Ho Chi Minh city.

🏚️ Hotel Option in Ho Chi Min City: Ha Hien Signature Hotel or similar.

Day 8 – Ho Chi Minh City – Mui Ne (B)

Breakfast at your hotel and take 5 hours drive to Mui Ne, one of the best beaches in Vietnam. Upon arrival, check in your hotel and be free for beach relaxation in the afternoon.

🏚️ Hotel Option in Mui Ne: Ravenala Resort or similar.

Day 9 – Mui Ne – Free on Leisure (B)

You will be free to spend your time on your own.

🏚️ Hotel Option in Mui Ne: Ravenala Resort or similar.

Day 10 –Mui Ne – Free on Leisure (B)

You will be free to do whatever takes your fancy.

🏚️ Hotel Option in Mui Ne: Ravenala Resort or similar.

Day 11 –Mui Ne – Free on Leisure (B)

You will be free to spend your time on your own.

🏚️ Hotel Option in Mui Ne: Ravenala Resort or similar.

Day 12 – Mui Ne – Ho Chi Minh City – Departure (B)

After having breakfast at your resort, our driver will pick you up at Tan Son Nhat Airport in Ho Chi Minh City for your departure flight.

Important Notice:
The transferring time from Mui Ne to Tan Son Nhat Airport is 5 hours and you must show up at the airport 2 hours before departure, so you will need 7 hours in total. A late afternoon flight is suggested. If you depart early morning, we suggest you come back to Ho Chi Minh City night in advance.