Panorama of Vietnam 09 days

Hanoi Arrival – First Discoveries (D)

Arrival at Hanoi Airport. Welcome and meet our guide.

Hanoi, Vietnam’s thousand-year-old capital, has preserved much of the charm of the French colonial era. It is undoubtedly one of Vietnam’s most charming cities, with its authentic atmosphere, wide shaded avenues, numerous lakes and well-kept gardens. The name Hanoi means “the city beyond the river.”

Transfer to the hotel and check-in. Begin discovering the city of Hanoi.

Depending on your arrival time, enjoy walks and visits around Hanoi for your first discoveries of the capital:

• The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Complex, overlooking Ba Dinh Square, and his stilt house, offering a better understanding of the modest lifestyle of this important historical figure.
• The famous One Pillar Pagoda, known for its unique architecture associated with an interesting legend dating back to the 11th century.
• Visit the Temple of Literature, dedicated to Confucius and his disciples. By visiting Vietnam’s first university, you will gain a better understanding of education during the country’s feudal era.
• Visit Ngoc Son Temple (Temple of the Jade Mountain), located in the middle of Hoan Kiem Lake. The giant turtle associated with the temple recalls the famous legend of the lake dating from the 15th century.

Welcome dinner at a local restaurant featuring local specialties.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Please note that you may book your own international flights and arrive earlier depending on your travel dates. All travelers will then meet and join the tour locally.

Hanoi – Ninh Binh (B,L,D)

After breakfast, depart for Ninh Binh.

Ninh Binh is located in the Red River Delta, southeast of Hanoi. The province marks the southernmost point of Southeast Asia’s karst limestone plateau. It is also one of the places in Vietnam where these limestone formations are most impressive, earning it the nickname “Halong Bay on Land.”

Upon arrival, visit temples dedicated to the kings of the Dinh and Le dynasties, then continue along a road surrounded by magnificent limestone peaks towards Tho Ha Village.

Lunch featuring local specialties at a stilt-house restaurant surrounded by rice fields.

In the afternoon, enjoy a sampan ride to explore caves formed by erosion in Thung Nham, an area still relatively untouched by mass tourism.

Visit Thien Ha Cave inside the mountain.

Continue towards Tam Coc – Bich Dong, where you enjoy a pleasant bicycle ride through authentic and beautiful villages.

Visit Bich Dong Pagoda: offering panoramic views over this enchanting region.

Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Ninh Binh – Halong Bay (B,L,D)

After breakfast at the hotel, depart for Halong Bay.

Stops are planned along the way to take photos of farmers in the Red River Delta planting or harvesting rice.

Legendary Halong Bay, whose name means “Descending Dragon,” is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This magical destination, sometimes described as the “eighth wonder of the world,” resembles a giant geological museum. Across an area of approximately 1,500 square kilometers, more than two thousand karst islands, islets and reefs of various shapes, dotted with caves, rise from the sea.

The three areas of Halong Bay, Bai Tu Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay (the latter forming part of Cat Ba) make up what is sometimes referred to as the wider maritime Halong Bay area.

Arrival in Halong around noon. Board the boat for a 24-hour discovery cruise through Halong Bay, one of Vietnam’s best-known natural destinations and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994.

After a seafood lunch, temporarily leave the boat to visit Surprise Cave (Sung Sot Cave).

Seafood dinner and overnight on board the junk boat in Halong Bay.

Halong – Hanoi – Hue (B,L,D) / Overnight Train in a 4-Berth Soft-Sleeper Cabin

After breakfast, board a small sampan to visit a fishing village and continue admiring the beautiful landscapes of Halong Bay.

After lunch, disembark and return by road to Hanoi, then transfer to Hanoi Railway Station for the overnight train.

Upon arrival in Hanoi, enjoy a traditional water puppet show, an art form closely associated with Vietnam’s wet-rice culture.

Dinner and overnight on board the train.

4-berth soft-sleeper cabin | Tourist-class comfort, equipped with mattresses and blankets.

Sightseeing / Walks (B,L,D)

Arrival in Hue at around 08:30. Meet the local team and transfer to the hotel for breakfast before beginning your sightseeing tour of Hue’s major highlights.

Visit the Imperial City with its three main enclosures: the Citadel, the Imperial City and the Forbidden Purple City.

Enjoy a dragon-shaped boat ride along the Perfume River to visit Thien Mu Pagoda (Pagoda of the Celestial Lady), the Tomb of King Tu Duc, a traditional conical-hat and incense-making village, and Dong Ba Central Market in Hue.

Hue was the capital of Central Vietnam, formerly known as Annam during the French colonial period, from 1802 to 1945. Located not far from the South China Sea, the city stands along the banks of the Perfume River (Song Huong), which has inspired generations of artists and painters.

Hue has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993. Built as an imperial city under the Nguyen Dynasty, it is today an important cultural and intellectual center of the country, known for its magnificent palaces, pagodas and royal tombs.

Royal Dinner: dress in costumes representing emperors, queens, princes and princesses and enjoy imperial-style dishes accompanied by traditional music (available for groups of 10 people or more).

Overnight in Hue.

Hue – Hai Van Pass – Hoi An/ Sightseeing (B,L,D) 

After breakfast, depart for Hoi An, crossing the famous Hai Van Pass, which offers panoramic views over the sea and Da Nang, described here as Vietnam’s fourth-largest city.

Stop at Lang Co Fishing Village to observe local fishing activities.

Take photos from the summit of Hai Van Pass.

Arrival in Da Nang and lunch at a local restaurant.

Continue to Hoi An and visit Hoi An Ancient Town, including several of its characteristic monuments: An old traditional house ,the Japanese Covered Bridge, the Phu Kien Chinese Assembly Hall..

Hoi An was once Vietnam’s most important trading port and was formerly known as Faifo. The town flourished during the 17th and 18th centuries, when Chinese and Japanese communities established their own quarters here.

It was also one of the places where early merchants from Portugal, the Netherlands, England and France arrived.

Today, this charming town attracts travelers with its peaceful atmosphere, distinctive architecture and authentic local life. 

Dinner in town and overnight in Hoi An.

Hoi An – Walks – Da Nang - Flight to Saigon (B,L,D) / Domestic flight around 4:00 PM

In the morning, enjoy pleasant walks and discoveries in the countryside surrounding Hoi An:

A beautiful bicycle ride through the countryside outside Hoi An.

A basket-boat ride through waterways surrounded by nipa palms, where you can observe local fishing activities.

Walk towards Kim Bong Village to discover local life.

Enjoy a 15-minute foot massage with a local family.

Join a cooking class with a local family, followed by lunch at the homestay.

Return to Hoi An, then transfer directly to the airport for the flight to Saigon.

Upon arrival in Saigon, meet the local team and transfer to the hotel for some rest.

Dinner and overnight in Saigon.

Saigon – My Tho - Mekong Delta – Saigon (B/L)

Depart for My Tho. A vast network of thousands of canals shapes life in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam’s largest rice-growing region.

The Mekong divides into nine major branches in southern Vietnam, forming a delta more than 100 kilometers wide. The land is humid and flooded every year, creating lush and diverse vegetation.

The vast delta can be discovered through its many rivers, canals and islands, by experiencing local life and exploring its floating markets.

Travel through the greenery of fields and orchards, with vast rice paddies dotted with lotus ponds.

Board a boat for a cruise on the Mekong River towards Thoi Son Islet, also known as Unicorn Island, an 11 km² tropical garden.

Taste tropical fruits and fresh honey directly from local orchards.

Lunch on the island featuring local specialties, including the famous elephant-ear fish.

In the afternoon, enjoy a sampan ride through narrow waterways, surrounded on both sides by lush tropical vegetation.

Return by road to Saigon.

Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel for some rest and free time.

Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Saigon.

Saigon / Sightseeing - Departure (B,L)

Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) is often contrasted with “traditional Hanoi,” as this economic capital represents modern Vietnam and the country’s drive for economic development following the wars.

Located in the heart of Cochinchina near the Mekong Delta, it is also described in the programme as Vietnam’s largest city, with a population of more than 14 million inhabitants.

Depending on the time of your return flight, explore the two main districts of Saigon:

Chinatown (Cho Lon), with Thien Hau Pagoda, Binh Tay Central Market, and Ngoc Hoang Pagoda (Jade Emperor Pagoda).

Lunch in the colonial quarter, followed by a discovery of this attractive Western-style district, including the Central Post Office, described in the programme as being built in a distinctive French style by Gustave Eiffel, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Opera House and City Hall, all featuring characteristic French architecture.

Enjoy a pleasant walk along the former Catinat Street, then finish with either a visit to a lacquerware workshop or Ben Thanh Market, allowing you to compare it with Binh Tay Market.

Transfer to the airport for your return flight.

Note:

• The visits included in the programme may be changed due to local weather conditions or other unforeseen circumstances.
• Prices may be modified if the programme is changed.
• The final programme, price and number of participants will be confirmed 31 days before the beginning of the trip.
• Travelers must hold a passport valid for at least 6 months after the return date.
• According to the original programme, this trip lasts less than 15 days and visa exemption applies to certain nationalities, including French, German, Spanish, Italian, British, Danish, Swedish, Dutch and Belarusian travelers. Beyond this maximum stay, the programme states that a 30-day tourist visa is required for Vietnam.