Day 1: Departure from Malta
Day 2: Arrival Hanoi
Welcome to Vietnam!
Our local tour guide will be welcoming you at Noi Bai airport; it takes us 35 minutes driving to the center of Hanoi to check-in hotel. It’s then your own time to relax after a long haul flight. Overnight in Hanoi.
Day 3: Hanoi – At leisure – City tour
Morning at leisure to relax of self explore the town.
In the afternoon, we will have an overall view of the capital by a “cyclo” visit, which will start around the Old Quarter of Hanoi, stop at Ngoc Son Temple located on the Hoan Kiem Lake (the “Sword” Lake), and at Quan Thanh Taoist Temple.
Our day end by a Show of Water Puppetry, a stage art created by the Vietnamese peasants. The show last more than an hour and is a wonderful opportunity to learn about some of Vietnam’s mythology, traditions and current customs in Vietnam. Overnight in Hanoi.
Day 4 : Hanoi – Hoa Lu & Hoa Lu – Hanoi
Morning drive overland to Ninh Binh, 100km south of Hanoi to visit wonderful scenery at one of the oldest capitals of Vietnam. We can take a rowing boat trip in Tam coc to visit “Halong-Bay-in-land” landscape with many grottoes on the Ngo Dong river, then go on to Hoa Lu to visit the temples dedicated ot King Dinh and King Le, who reigned Vietnam during the 10th centuries and climb up the mountain near King Dinh Temple to enjoy the panorama view of villages and ricefields of Hoa Lu. Back to Hanoi late afternoon. Overnight in Hanoi.
Day 5 : Hanoi – Halong/Lan Ha Bay
If you wish to see how the Hanoi people rise and shine in the morning, wake up early and run to a lake close by your hotel, you can join an exciting scene of hundreds of locals, passionately attentive in their morning exercises of Tai Chi quan, jogging, martial arts, classical dance and so on. After breakfast at the hotel, we will head to Halong Bay, a Natural World Heritage as designated by UNESCO since 1994 and 2006, and check-in our overnight boat. Enjoy a trip on Halong with stops to visit caves or to swim and enjoy the sunset on the sea. Dinner with fresh seafood! Overnight onboard.
Day 6 : Halong Bay – Hanoi – Da Nang – Hoi An (flight)
Situated in the “Eastern Sea”, so you may guess how miraculous it is seeing the sunrise over the islets of the Bay. The boat will take us to go about marvelous areas, where almost each islet has its own name, adopting its shape or reminiscent, including the Fisherman’s Head, Turtle, the Sail, the Incense Burner Rock, the cute Sea Dog Rock or Cock Fighting Rocks and so on.
Return to the Wharf at midday to be back Noi Bai airport for your onward flight to Da Nang.
Heading straight to your hotel in Hoi An later for overnight.
Day 7 : Hoi An – My Son – Hoi An ancient town
After breakfast, we will depart from Hoian to My Son, where you can discover the hidden treasure of the Cham culture that once brightfully developed in the area of present Central Vietnam. Thanks to the beauty and secrets of building the Cham Towers hereby, My Son had been also designated by UNESCO as one of the five World Heritages in Vietnam.
This afternoon, it’s your time to explore Hoi An ancient town. Together with our guide in Hoian, we’ll walk over the tile-roofed Japanese Bridge, visit taciturn Chinese Assembly Halls, visit ancient houses and Trading Houses, pagodas and stroll into the market located by Thu Bon river, where we may find out the same feelings of the artists, who see the rooftops of Hoi An a magical old world of Oriental feel and source of inspiration. This is also a wonderful town to shop for lanterns, soft silk, raw silk, or get your clothes tailored within a day. Overnight in Hoian.
Day 8 : Hoi An at leisure – Hue
There will be nothing better than a morning at leisure in the ancient town of Hoian to refresh yourself and chill out your recent impression of your visits in Vietnam. It’s your own leisure time in the morning.
On the way from Hoi An to Hue via the magnificent “Ocean Cloudy” Pass today, we can stop to visit the Lang Co Beach and Marble Mt., and contemplate wonderful seascape from the mountaintop halfway thru the Pass. Arrive at our hotel in Hue late afternoon.
Overnight in Hue.
Day 9 : Hue city tour
Being recognized by UNESCO as the 1st Cultural World Heritage for Vietnam, Hue is highlighted by the old royal architectural works and the most traditional Vietnamese lifestyle. We will discover the charm of the city from the Royal Citadel, Forbidden City, Hue Royal Museum and Dong Ba bustling market. Afternoon, we go on to visit the Tombs of King Minh Mang and Tu Duc – two best-reserved monuments of the Nguyen Emperors since early 19th and early 20th centuries. Overnight in Hue.
Day 10 : Hue – Thuy Bieu cooking class – Saigon
Breakfast at hotel.
Pick up from Toa Kham wharf. With a boat ridden along the poetic Perfume River, you can reach Thien Mu Pagoda, the centre of Buddhism of the city, whose 90% are Buddhists.
Back to the boat, we continue to admire the beautiful scenery on both sides of the river, with the famous Thanh Tra gardens and the scenic Van Mieu and Vo Mieu on the riverside, where locate 32 steles of the doctors under the reign of King Dynasty.
Boat to Hue Ecolodge wharf, an eco-resort located right next to the romantic Perfume River
We will start going to the local market of Thuy Bieu village and explore the countryside market with fresh and clean foods grown by the people here and buy necessary for cooking ingridence under the guidance of the chef.
Return to the restaurant (Hue Ecolodge) to prepare for the cooking class:
- · Mixed figs, shrimp, meat (materials picked from trees in the garden).
- · Traditional Spring Rolls
- · Cakes (special dishes of the countryside).
At the end of the cooking class, you will enjoy freshly cooked traditional Hue dishes. In addition, the kitchen will serve 4 additional dishes as follows: Stir-fried vegetables with meat and shrimp, Vegetable soup, White rice, Seasonal fruit dessert (a product of the village). In the afternoon, our driver will take you to the airport for your onward flight to Saigon. Upon arrive in Saigon, greeted by your guide at the airport and transferred to the city centre. Overnight in Saigon.
Day 11 : Saigon – City tour – Cu Chi tunnels – Saigon
Let’s start the city tour at the Reunification Palace, the witness of the fierce Vietnam War ended in 1975. The grand building today is a Museum and Hall of official receptions. Nearby the Palace are the colonial-styled Post Office and the Notre Dame Cathedral (outside), built between 1877 and 1883 and one of the city’s major landmarks. The morning visit will end at Ngoc Hoang (the “Jade Emperor”) pagoda before we back to District 1 to join the bustling Ben Thanh market.
Afternoon, we will drive overland to Cu Chi Tunnels, an incredible underground network constructed by Vietnamese guerrillas to protect the region against the American attacks during the Vietnam War. We can even crawl a part inside the tunnel, visit their infirmary, kitchen…. to discover how people had survived hereby. Back to Saigon for overnight.
Note: Notre Dame Cathedral is under renovation until 2027. The visit will be arranged from outside.
Day 12 : Saigon – Ben Tre – Saigon
Morning transfer from Saigon to Ben Tre, a province nearby Saigon but full of the exciting life of the Mekong people. Being one of several mighties rivers in the world, the Mekong flows into Vietnam at its lowest part before coming to the Pacific and left behind a hectic life of “Mekong people”. Upon arriving, go between coconut lines by boat to reach some gardened houses where people run their family factories producing candy, feed honey bee or plant orchards.
You can taste some wine or tea with honey right at the gardens here. Back to Saigon later afternoon. Overnight Saigon.
Day 13 : Saigon – Phu Quoc island
It’s your own time today for more relax and shopping in Saigon, the biggest commercial centre of Vietnam. Our driver will see you at the hotel on time to transfer you to the Tan Son Nhat Airport for your onward flight to Phu Quoc island.
Upon arrival in Phu Quoc, picked up by the resort’s shuttle bus. It’s then your time to relax in the rest of the day to enjoy the sun and sea. Overnight in Phu Quoc.
Day 14 : Phu Quoc beach relax
It is your own time today, just to relax and enjoy sunshine beach of Phu Quoc. (No services provided). Overnight in Phu Quoc.
Please note: Many beach activities available in Phu Quoc, including snorkeling, diving, parachuting, sailing to the islands and remote plages.
Day 15 : Phu Quoc beach relax
It is your own time today, just to relax and enjoy sunshine beach of Phu Quoc. (No services provided). Overnight in Phu Quoc.
Please note: Many beach activities available in Phu Quoc, including snorkeling, diving, parachuting, sailing to the islands and remote plages.
Day 16 : Phu Quoc departure
At your leisure until taking the resort’s shuttle bus to the airport and take your departure flight. End of services.
