Vietnam Off the Beaten Path

Hanoi - Arrival (D)

Arrival in Hanoi.
Welcome by our local guide and driver, followed by a transfer to the city center for your first discoveries or some rest.

Take a walk through Hanoi’s Old Quarter, with its lively streets in the famous 36 Guild Streets area. Welcome dinner at a local restaurant featuring Hanoi specialties.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Hanoi / City Tour (B,L,D)

After breakfast,
Meet your guide at 08:00 for a full day of sightseeing, visiting Hanoi’s must-see monuments and taking photos around the city.

We begin with:

• Temple of Literature, dedicated to Confucius and his disciples. This complex was home to Vietnam’s first university.
• Tran Quoc Pagoda (Buddhism), whose name means “Pagoda for the Protection of the Nation”, located on a beautiful peninsula on West Lake (Ho Tay Lake), one of Hanoi’s most scenic lakes.
• Quan Thanh Temple (Taoism), dedicated to the deity Tran Vu, an important protector of the ancient Hanoi Citadel.

Lunch during the sightseeing tour.

In the afternoon, photo stop in front of the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, overlooking Ba Dinh Square, where you may witness the changing of the guard, at the heart of Vietnam’s political life.

Then visit Ho Chi Minh’s Stilt House, offering an insight into the simple and modest lifestyle of this important historical figure.

Continue to the One Pillar Pagoda, famous for its unique architecture inspired by an 11th-century legend.

Towards the end of the day, enjoy a pleasant walk to Long Bien Bridge, formerly known as the Paul Doumer Bridge during the French colonial period, followed by a glimpse of Hanoi’s famous Train Street.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Hanoi - Duong Lam Ancient Village - Overnight Train to Lao Cai (B,L,D)

After breakfast,
Meet at 07:30 and depart for a visit to the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology.

Continue to Duong Lam Ancient Village, famous for its traditional laterite houses, followed by a bicycle ride through the surrounding villages.

Visit Mia Pagoda. Lunch with a local family in a traditional old house in Duong Lam.

Return to Hanoi for an early dinner, then transfer to the railway station for the overnight train.

SP3 train, departure at 22:00 / Private 4-berth cabin / First-class soft sleeper.

Lao Cai – Sapa / Ethnic Villages and Terraced Rice Fields (B,L,D)

Early arrival in Lao Cai at around 06:00.
Welcome by the local team, followed by breakfast at a local restaurant near the railway station.

Then drive uphill towards Sapa, enjoying beautiful scenery along the way with picturesque villages and terraced rice fields.

Lunch with a local family, followed by a walk through other ethnic villages.

Return to Sapa town by car. Free time to relax and explore at your own pace.

Dinner at a local restaurant and overnight in Sapa.

Sapa - Coc Ly Market - Lao Cai - Overnight Train to Hanoi (B,L,D)

In the morning, after breakfast,
Meet at 07:00 and depart to visit the weekly Coc Ly Market, a colorful ethnic market held every Tuesday morning, around 110 km from Sapa.

Visit the market and enjoy a trip along the Chay River, depending on the water level regulated by the dam.

Return to Lao Cai with several visits along the way, including the border gate and tea hills.

Transfer to the railway station and dinner at a local restaurant near the station.

Overnight train / 4-berth sleeper cabin.

Hanoi - Mai Chau (B,L,D)

Arrival in Hanoi.
Welcome by the driver, then depart for Mai Chau, with breakfast stops as well as visits and photo opportunities along the way.

Visit the Muong ethnic village of Giang Mo.

Arrival in Mai Chau and walk through the preserved villages of Ban Lac 2, Ban Nhot and Ban Van.

Meals and overnight with a local White Thai ethnic family.

Mai Chau - Ninh Binh (B,L,D)

After breakfast,
Depart for Ninh Binh in the morning (220 km, approximately 4 hours 30 minutes), travelling through beautiful landscapes.

Along the way, visit the temples dedicated to the kings of the Dinh and Le dynasties.

Lunch at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, enjoy a rowing sampan trip through Thung Nham and visit Thien Ha Cave, a site still relatively untouched by mass tourism, gliding beneath the limestone mountains.

At the end of the sampan trip, enjoy a bicycle ride around Bich Dong Village, with visits to Bich Dong Pagoda and Thai Vi Temple.

Dinner and overnight in Ninh Binh.

Ninh Binh - Ha Long Bay (B,L,D)

Breakfast at the hotel.
Meet at 08:00 and drive to Halong Bay through the Red River Delta.

Arrival at Halong Bay at around 12:30 and boarding a shared traditional junk / private cabin for a 24-hour cruise through Lan Ha Bay and the surrounding bays.

Activities will follow the cruise program.

Lunch and dinner on board. Visit caves during the cruise.

Ha Long Bay - Hanoi - Overnight Train to Hue (B,L)

Breakfast on board, followed by further cruising and activities.

Brunch at around 11:00 and disembarkation at approximately 11:30.

Drive back to Hanoi with sightseeing stops along the way.

Arrival in Hanoi and free time in the Old Quarter before dinner at a local restaurant.

Transfer to the railway station for the overnight train to Hue.

Sleeper train / 4-berth cabin.

Overnight on the train.

Hue (B,L)

Picnic breakfast on board the train.

Arrival in Hue at around 09:00. Welcome by the English-speaking guide and driver, followed by a direct transfer for sightseeing.

Visit the Imperial Citadel and Dong Ba Market.

Lunch at a local restaurant featuring Hue specialties.

In the afternoon, enjoy a one-hour cruise on the Perfume River to visit the Thien Mu Pagoda, followed by the remarkable Ming Mang Tomb.

Then take a walk through a traditional village producing incense sticks and Vietnamese conical hats.

Dinner at a local restaurant and overnight in Hue.

Hue - Hai Van Pass - Hoi An (B,L)

Breakfast.

Meet your guide and driver at 08:30 and depart for Hoi An via the famous Hai Van Pass and Da Nang.

Photo stop at the top of the pass for panoramic views over the East Sea and the Da Nang coastline.

Arrival in Hoi An and lunch at a local restaurant featuring Hoi An specialties.

In the afternoon, discover Hoi An Ancient Town, including a visit to a silk workshop and the historic center:

Japanese Covered Bridge, Chinese Assembly Hall, Museum of Folk Culture, Tan Ky Ancient House and the local fish market.

Dinner at leisure and overnight in Hoi An.

Hoi An (B,L)

After breakfast,
Meet your guide at 08:30 for a half-day of local activities:

Cycling through the Hoi An countryside, basket boat ride, traditional fishing activities, relaxing herbal foot massage, cooking class and lunch with a local family.

Return to Hoi An town for free time and/or relaxation at the beach.

Dinner at leisure and overnight in Hoi An.

Hoi An - Da Nang - Fight to Saigon (B,L)

After breakfast,
Meet the driver (without guide) at 08:00 for the transfer to Da Nang Airport and your flight to Saigon.

Arrival in Saigon, welcome by the local guide and driver, followed by a transfer into the city for lunch at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, explore two contrasting districts of the city.

Visit Chinatown, the Thien Hau Pagoda and Binh Tay Wholesale Market.

Continue to the Vietnamese quarter, with an opportunity to take photos in front of the Independence Palace.

Then visit Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Central Post Office, stroll along the former Catinat Street, and see the Opera House and City Hall.

Dinner at leisure and overnight in Saigon.

Saigon - Mekong Delta - Can Tho (B,L)

After breakfast,
Meet at 08:00 and drive to Cai Be (approximately 170 km / 2 hours 30 minutes), with a stop to visit a Cao Dai Temple.

Arrival in Cai Be and board a private sampan for an excursion through the Mekong waterways.

Visit local workshops producing rice paper, caramel candies, rice wine, puffed rice and other traditional products.

Lunch with a local family.

Continue the boat trip towards Vinh Long, then disembark in Vinh Long town and drive to Can Tho.

Direct transfer to the hotel.

Dinner at leisure and overnight in Can Tho.

Can Tho / Cai Rang Floating Market - Saigon (B,L)

Early in the morning, depart at around 07:00 to visit the authentic Cai Rang Floating Market by private sampan.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Continue towards the Mr. Ba Cong Ecological Garden to discover a variety of exotic fruit trees and taste fresh seasonal fruits on site.

Visit An Binh Local Market, then drive back to Saigon with a lunch stop along the way.

Arrival in Saigon and direct transfer to the hotel for some rest and free time.

Dinner at leisure and overnight in Saigon.

Saigon - Phan Thiet - Mui Ne (B)

After breakfast,
Meet the driver (without guide), who will take you to Phan Thiet if you wish to extend your stay with some relaxing time at Mui Ne Beach.

Alternatively, transfer to the airport for your return flight.