Vietnam today 17 days

Day 01: Saigon arrival (D)
Arrive at Tan San Nhat airport in Ho Chi Minh city, welcome by our local guide and transfer to hotel. Free to discover the modern and busy Saigon. Welcome dinner at local restaurant and overnight in Saigon.

Day 02: Saigon - Cu Chi tunnels - Saigon (B.L)
After breakfast at hotel and then drive to Cu Chi Tunnels that consists of more than 200 km of underground tunnels. Walk around the tunnel area to see bomb craters, underground bunkers and deadly traps. Back to Saigon for lunch and visit the China Town, locally known as Cho Lon, the Thien Hau Temple. Then, visit Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office, which is in Romanesque art and French-style and a former Presidential Palace. Dinner on your own and overnight in Saigon.

Day 03: Saigon - My Tho (Mekong Delta) - Saigon (B.L)
After breakfast at hotel and then drive to My Tho Town in Tien Giang Province, one of 11 provinces in the Mekong Delta. You will take a boat trip on Mekong River to visit farmer's house and garden. Lunch on an islet. Visit bee-raising farm, coconut-candy enterprise. Drive back to Saigon. Stop at Long An Town to visit Cao Dai Temple, a strange religion in the South of Vietnam. Dinner on your own and overnight in Saigon.

Day 04: Saigon - Da Lat (B.L.D) by flight
Breakfast at hotel. Then transfer to the airport for the flight from Saigon to Dalat. Arrive in Dalat, welcomed and transferred to hotel for check in.  Discover Dalat include: Xuan Huong lake: this manmade lake is located in the center of Dalat and circumnavigated by a pedestrian path. The Hang Nga art gallery: nicknamed the Crazy House by locals, this guesthouse, café and art gallery is run by the gallery designer, Mrs. Dang Viet Nga, who lived in Moscow for 14 years. The architecture of the place is undeniably unique, with whimsical touches such as caves, giant spider webs, and a concrete giraffe. The French District: a small delightful area for strolling, reminiscent of a provincial town in France. The Dalat Cathedral : built between 1931 and 1942 for use by the French residents and holiday makers. Inside, the stained-glass windows bring a hint of medieval Europe to Dalat and the Flower garden: established in 1966 by the South Vietnamese Agricultural Service and renovated in 1985. Return to your hotel. Dinner on your own and overnight in Dalat.

Day 05: Da Lat - Nha Trang (B)
After breakfast at hotel, visit the Dalat colonial Railway linking Dalat and Tham Cham from 1928 to 1964, until it was closed due to war. The line has now been repaired and now operates as a tourist attraction, running 8km to Trai Mat Village and back. then continue by the Bao Dai’s summer palace : a twenty-five room villa constructed in 1933 and filled with artifacts from decades and governments past and the Valley of love: named the Valley of Peace by the Emperor, its name was changed in 1972 by romantically minded students from Dalat University. Paddleboats, canoes and motorboats are available for rent. Local delicacies (jams, candied fruits) are on sale here as well. In the afternoon drive from Dalat to Nha Trang. Arrive in Nha Trang. Free at leisure. Overnight in Nha Trang.

Day 06: Nha Trang (B.L)
Breakfast at hotel. 08:00 am transfer to Nha Trang pier to take a boat trip to Tri Nguyen Aquarium and Hon Mun Island. Relax and sunbath at Hon Mun, visit Hon Chong Rocks. Lunch with fresh seafood and cruise back to Nha Trang wharf. Visit the Cham Tower, Long Son Pagoda, Pasteur Institute and Nha Trang (Dam) market, the biggest fishes market in Nha Trang. Dinner on your own and overnight in Nha Trang.

Day 07: Nha Trang - Da Nang - Hoi An (B.L) by flight
After breakfast at hotel. Free to discover Nha trang until transfer to Nha Trang airport for the flight to Da Nang. Arrive in Danang, welcomed by our local guide and transferred to Hoian. Lunch at local restaurant. Visit China Beach, Ngu Hanh Son Stone Village (handicraft). Drive to visit Hoi An Ancient town, a World's Cultural Heritage in the central. Dinner on your own and overnight in Hoi An.

Day 08: Hoi An - Da Nang - Hue (B.L)
After breakfast at hotel. Visit the Japanese Covered Bridge, Chinese temple, Chinese Hall, Hoian market and the Tan Ky ancient house. Lunch at local restaurant. Then, depart for Hue via Danang, visit Cham Museum. Continue to Hue through Hai Van Pass. Stop on the top of the mountain for taking photos on Lang Co Beach. Arrive in Hue at the end of the day, check in hotel and free to discover Hue. Dinner on your own and overnight in Hue.

Day 09: Hue - Discover (B.L)
After breakfast at hotel. Visit Hue by taking a small sampan for a cruise on the Perfume River to visit the famous Thien Mu Pagoda and the Minh Mang King's tomb. Lunch at local restaurant. We then visit the complex of Tu Duc Emperor's tomb, visit Hue Imperial City and then, visit Dong Ba Market. Dinner at your own and overnight in Hue.

Day 10: Hue - Hanoi City Tour (B.L) by flight
After breakfast at hotel. Transfert to Phu Bai airport for the short flight to Hanoi. Visit today Vietnam’s capital, including Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum, traditional stilt house, the revered One-Pillar Pagoda, Quan Thanh Temple and walk along the shore of West Lake to visit Tran Quoc Pagoda. Lunch at local restaurant. Then, visit the Vietnam’s first university, the thousand year old Temple of Literature, Hoan Kiem Lake, Ngoc Son temple and enjoy a wonderful rickshaw in the Old Quarter of Hanoi to explore the very busy part of Hanoi. At the evening, you will take part in the water puppet show. Dinner on your own and overnight at hotel in Hanoi.

Day 11: Hanoi - Hoa Lu - Hanoi - Lao Cai (B.L.D) by train
After breakfast at hotel, 8h00 depart for Hoa Lu, one of the most famous sites of Vietnam for its historic vestiges and its impressive pitons limestone. You will visit Temples of Dinh Bo Linh and Le Hoan Kings. After lunch at local restaurant, take a sampan cruise to discover the caves of Tam Coc ("three lagoons") and Bich Dong Pagoda. Visit handicraft village in the evening. Back to Hanoi and transfer to Hanoi Railway Station for the night train to Lao Cai. Dinner at local restaurant and overnight on the train.

Day 12: Lao Cai - Sapa – Lao Chai – Ta Van – Sapa (B.L.D)
Arrive Lao Cai station in the early morning, drive up to Sapa (45 minutes) on a road which offers a beautiful view. Check in the hotel and have breakfast, free at leisure to discover Sapa. Lunch at local restaurant and then trek down to the valley of Sapa, crossing rice-field until Lao Chai and Ta Van hill tribe’s villages to discover their daily life. Return to Sapa. Dinner and overnight at hotel in Sapa.

Day 13: Sapa - Bac Ha market – Hanoi (B.L.D) by train
After breakfast at hotel, depart in the early morning for Bac Ha market, the most colorful market in Northwest of Vietnam where you can meet different ethnic minorities, the place that people attend not only for trading but for rice-wine drinking, social communication, meeting, friend making. Lunch at a local restaurant and trek down to some villages of flower Hmong, Tays and Phu La people…. Return to Lao Cai for the night train back to Hanoi. Dinner at local restaurant and overnight on the train.

Day 14: Hanoi arrive - Ha Long – Overnight on boat (B.L.D)
Arrive in Hanoi in early morning and transfer to hotel for having breakfast. Then drive to Ha Long Bay, one of the World's Natural Heritage. Upon arrival, aboard on a traditional wooden junk, fresh seafood lunch (vegetarian menu available) would be served while the boat is gliding out.
A short tender ride from your boat in the middle of the bay to an island for the famous Surprising (Sung Sot) Cave, followed by another island visit (Titop Island) and swimming on its sandy beach. As the sun sets over the anchorage area, it is your own time to lean back on our well designed deck with your favorite drink. Dinner will be served with typically local seafood. Overnight on boat.

Day 15: Ha Long – Cat Ba Island (B.L)
Am : Morning breath taking in the serene Heritage Site then breakfast before leaving the boat for an active day on another site of the bay. A local support boat will take us to a sleepy water area of Cat Ba National Park, where you grab the paddle and make your own strokes to discover parts of Lan Ha Bay. It is your time to go exploring labyrinth of limestone cliffs that rise out of the sea, paddle through floating houses and deserted lagoons and wild sandy beaches from our sleek ocean kayaks.
Pm : Lunch (BBQ lunch on beach is at tidal permission) on boat, relax and swim from your own private beach. More kayaking to other parts of the bay, by now you are pro kayakers, seeing other amazing limestone karts formations from the water up close and personal, in ways many people can only imagine!
When you get tired, leave your kayaks behind to take a transfer boat to Cat Ba Island. We then drive you to Cat Ba Eco Lodge, an ideal jungle lodge that compliments the local culture, perfectly in tune with the surrounding environment.

Day 16: Cat Ba - Hai Phong - Hanoi (B.L)
Am : After your breakfast, options arise to:
+ Relax and do some reading at the lodge,
+ Rent a motorbike (at your expense) from the lodge and drive to see the town
+ Stick to our original itinerary: be guided to hike Cat Ba National Park (2 hours hiking) after a short bus ride from the lodge. Physical reward and magnificent view!
Pm: We take a hydrofoil boat ride from Cai Vieng Pier to Hai Phong City, and then 2 more hours drive back to Hanoi.

Day 17: Hanoi - Departure (B)
After breakfast at hotel. Free until transfer to the airport for departure flight. End of service.