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Fun, Food and Freedom in Vietnam
Visit: Hanoi - Halong Bay - Hanoi – Hue - Hoi An – Saigon
A 10-day free and easy tour in Vietnam with a selection of optional excursions for you to experience exhilarating cities, scenic stretches of countryside and memorable culinary adventures. Journey from the North to the South with possible extensions to Cambodia or to one of Vietnam’s beach destinations
Xin chao! Welcome to Hanoi, Vietnam. Hanoi, one of Asia’s most enchanting cities, is full of culture, history and the engaging contradictions of a rapidly developing and deeply traditional society. You are greeted by your guide and driver at Noi Bai International Airport for your transfer to the hotel.
Overnight in Hanoi.
Optional tour: The food pilgrim of the Old Quarter (dinner included)
The Old Quarter of Hanoi is a bubbling gold mine for just about anything, but above all, food. Follow your guide on a walking tour, or pilgrimage of sorts, to some temples of Hanoian food. Discover different cuisines, experience various atmospheres and have fun! We start our walk from the northern edge of the Hoan Kiem Lake, where we have a Nom as a starter. A kind of local salad. We then stroll around the former Cau Go street market and reach a very narrow alley where we sample our second treat. Few people, even Hanoians, actually know about this well-kept secret of Hanoi’s gastronomy: a delicious fish-roll filled with pork and mushroom. We continue walking, you will spot along lots of street food stalls including one of the most popular Pho noodle soup shops in the Old Quarter (people generally queue up for ages in front of the shop), and stop for a refreshment break at a sidewalk bia hoi. Bia hoi is an institution of Hanoi, sort of local pub serving fresh beer from the keg to the glass. Sit for a little while, and enjoy a beer as you watch the passers-by. We continue the walk to a rice wine tavern, also serving traditional ethnic dishes from the mountains of North Vietnam, an iconic name on the food scene in Hanoi.
Enjoy a full day at leisure to explore Hanoi on your own or take a private tour and unveil the so-called Inland Halong Bay on a fun-packed adventure.
Optional tour: Barge and bike in Ninh Binh (lunch included)
We depart from your hotel at 7am and drive to the South. It is an about two-hour drive to Trang An, which is probably the most scenic waterway of the entire region. We get there early to avoid the crowd and embark on a rowing sampan for a 2h 30min boat excursion. After the boat trip, we head to the valley of Tam Coc for a tasteful lunch at a nice garden house.
In the afternoon, we visit the Bich Dong pagoda which is 3 separate buildings in ascending order. Then, continue with a leisure bicycle ride on the back roads of the region for an easy 12-kilometre journey on a flat road winding between limestone rocks and rice fields to Hoa Lu. We then visit Dinh and Le temples before transferring back to Hanoi in the late afternoon, end of the day at leisure.
You are picked up in the lobby at 9.00am for your departure to Halong for your joined-group cruise. We drive across the Red River delta and reach the coast little before noon. We embark on a beautifully crafted wooden junk for an overnight cruise in the legendary seascape of Halong. Once on board, we are served a delicious lunch, while the limestone rocks are setting up the décor. In the afternoon, we reach a less traveled area and will devote ourselves to relaxation, sunbathing, and visiting a cave. The program is not fixed and depends on the time of the year and weather. We end the day on the sundeck while the sun sets. It is time for an aperitif or to attend a cooking demonstration before dinner. Overnight in a comfortable private cabin with attached bathroom.
At dawn, an early Tai Chi session is proposed, coffee and tea are served early as well for the early birds wishing to see the beautiful lights of sunrise. Check out the cabin and we then hop on rowed sampan to visit a secluded floating village, one of the last remaining communities living on the bay. We return to the boat and a brunch is served as we are cruising back to the dock. You disembark and are driven back to Hanoi. Your overnight train to Hue departs in the evening, it should let you the time stroll around the town and get a dinner before heading on your own to the train station.
Arriving Hue in the morning, you will be met at the train station and driven to your hotel, where you can drop your luggage (rooms available from 14.00). Spend the rest of your day to explore Hue on your own or take a private tour to travel in time for a while to the imperial past of Hue ancient capital.
Optional tour: Heritage and People in Hue (lunch included)
Hue was a craddle of culture, the Nguyen Emperors made it their capital and traces of this period of grandeur are still very visible all around the city.
After dropping your luggage at the hotel, we start with the visit of Tu Duc Emperor’s tomb, a large space that served as a palatial retreat to the emperor and his wives before his death. We continue to the nearby village of the Mandarins. A hamlet of ancient houses built by the Mandarins of the Emperors. These beautiful garden houses are today inhabited by their descendants and still surrounded by lush fruit trees orchards including the famous thanh tra fruit, a special kind of grapefruit grown specially for the Emperors.
We explore the village on a bicycle (about 8 kilometers on narrow flat roads, very gentle) and get to one house where we will be hosted for lunch.
After lunch we take a boat trip on the Perfume River to go visit the imperial citadel, a landmark not to be missed in Vietnam. We exit the citadel and return to the hotel for you to check-in and relax for the rest of the day. Evening at leisure.
Enjoy a morning at leisure in Hue or choose to take a half-day tour to the city’s unknown lagoon and unsuspected pristine coast.
In the afternoon you continue by road with your private vehicle and driver to the south and Hoi An. The scenery is remarkable, as the route hugs the coastline of the East Sea before winding up the spectacular Hai Van Pass. Here you can stop to admire the stunning views: north over Lang Co Beach and south over Da Nang. Then continue driving along My Khe Beach to Hoi An. Check-in at the hotel and evening at leisure.
Optional tour: Bike and barge to Hue’s unknown lagoon (lunch included)
Take a break from Hue’s imperial past and join with us on an exciting trip to the city’s lagoon and pristine beach. Departing by bicycle from your hotel, we leisurely ride out of town to a nearby little village on the shores of Chuon Lagoon. We stop at a tiny market to take part in a one-of-a-kind culinary experience, buying fresh seafood from the morning’s catch and having them cooked into local pancakes right on spot. Our morning continues riding on small roads across a fishermen village surrounded by wetlands dotted with huts on stilts. We jump on a fishing boat and journey onto the lagoon to discover some of locals’ ancestral fishing techniques. Setting wheels on the other side, we complete our gentle adventure cycling on a coastal road to a hidden restaurant tucked away behind the dunes on a pristine stretch of beach. Sit back and relax while a delicious light lunch is getting prepared. Enjoy a dip in the waters and some lazy time by the beach before we continue with your transfer to Hoi An.
A full day at leisure to enjoy some shopping in Hoi An town or to go to the beach. We recommend An Bang beach, located about 4-kilometres North of Hoi An. If you want to try some typical local food, here are some helpful hints: street food addicts, we highly recommend you to get a Banh Mi sandwich at Madam Khanh’s stall (115 Tran Cao Van street), a legendary Cao Lau soup or a plate of crispy Hoanh Thanh. If you crave seafood, look for the little Huyen Tran Cong Chua street that goes along the River to the East of the Old Quarter; grab a seat at Song Thu restaurant and ask them to hand you a menu with prices on it. But if you prefer taking a joined-group hands-on culinary experience, then look no further and go for our exciting cooking class.
Optional tour: Cooking class by Red Bridge restaurant (lunch included) - joined-group
You are picked up at the hotel in the morning, follow the chef on an exciting cookery experience. We first visit the market and purchase necessary ingredients while the chef points out the different herbs and spices that shape Vietnamese food’s flavors. We then transfer by boat to a beautiful villa set on the banks on Thu Bon River. Enjoy an hands-on cooking lesson and culinary experience. Dine on the courses you’ve prepared. After that, you are dropped off at your hotel.
After breakfast, you are met by your driver and transferred to Danang Airport for your upcoming flight to Saigon. On arrival in Saigon, you are driven to your hotel for an end of the day at leisure, or you can choose to go for an excursion to the Cu Chi tunnels and enjoy a craft beers tasting afterwards.
Optional tour: Cu Chi Tunnels and craft beers tasting
Upon arrival at the airport, guide and driver meet you and off you go to discover the Cu Chi tunnels. Our first stop is to visit a family producing rice paper, an opportunity to learn how this essential ingredient of Vietnamese gastronomy is made and to exchange a few stories with locals. We continue and reach Cu Chi Tunnels. After an introductory video, viewing various mantraps, the remains of an American tank and numerous bomb craters, you will spend the next hour exploring the maze of tunnels to see how the Viet Cong survived in this underground network. You will return Saigon afterwards and head to the most famous taproom of the country to sample some delicious local craft beers.
Spend the day exploring Saigon on your own, its large avenues and colonial landmarks. Or come with us to explore the coconut land in the Makong Delta.
Optional tour: Explore the coconut land in the Mekong Delta (lunch included)
From Saigon head South to Ben Tre in the Mekong Delta, a region famous for its coconut production. Upon arrival, set out on a boat trip on narrow channels winding through coconut forests. Stop at brick and coconut processing workshops to see how the locals make bricks by hand and learn how to make different products from coconuts as well. Then jump onto your bike and cycle on village roads through local hamlets, rice fields and coconut groves. Feel free to stop along the way to have a closer look at the local life and culture of this region. You'll then arrive at Mr. Sau Khanh’s house, whose ambition is to collect antiques. His collection varies from ancient and valuable ceramics, pottery pieces like bowls, dishes and vases, to ceiling lights, sculptures and Buddha statues. Chat with him and try out the local skill of climbing coconut trees. Return to the pier and drive to Ho Chi Minh city.
The day is at leisure until a driver picks you up at the hotel and transfers you to the airport for your outbound flight. Rooms are available until 12.00. If you’d like to unveil a secret Saigon before leaving, we highly recommend you to take a close look at the optional tour below.
Optional tour: Saigon behind the scenes (lunch included)
Your guide meets you in the hotel lobby at 8.00am and off we go for an original morning to explore the less travelled trails of this fascinating city. Prepare to travel back in time as we first head to District 3, where we visit the oldest café in town which was opened in 1938. Enjoy a refreshment, before we immerse ourselves into some genuine Saigon popular culture. Walk through a massive street-market, gently elbow your way between conical hats and mobile street food sellers to exit at Chung Cu. Here you will find yourself in the heart of Saigon’s working-class, which remains mostly unchanged since the 1960’s. Marvel at the size of these old residential buildings as we walk through and into the Ho Thi Ky quarter. A place known for its spectacular flower market, and its maze of quiet narrow streets. A place also surprisingly famous for its Khmer delicacies since the 1990’s. Here you will be able to enjoy some of these traditional snacks. We continue deeper into District 10, a fantastic destination where every street corner holds a surprise and a chance to amaze you. Our urban adventure ends at one of the most famous street-food streets in the city, time for lunch!
Inclusion
- Accommodation in twin/double room with daily breakfast at the below indicated room types (see hotel category list below) (check-in and check-out around noontime)
- All transfers and transportation with Air-Con vehicles (types of vehicles depend on the number of pax):
o1-2pax: minivan of 7 seats
o3-6pax: van of 16 seats
o7-10pax: bus of 25 seats
o11-15pax: bus of 31 seats
o16-30pax: coach of 45 seats (Universe)
- Local ENGLISH speaking guides
- Boat trip - as per program
- All entrance fees - as per program
- Meals (B/L/D) (Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner) as indicated in the program
- 01 bottle of mineral water per person per day on bus - on days of transfer and sightseeing only
- Government tax and service charge
Exclusion
- Airfares (international and domestic)
- Meals (other than mentioned in the program)
- Drinks
- Early check-in or late check-out
- Visa - as per country requirements
- Tips
- Additional transfer required due to any emergency situation
- Mineral water beyond that which is supplied
- Personal Insurance
- Optional excursions and activities
- Items of a personal nature (Phone calls, laundry, beverages, etc.)
- Peak season surcharges if any
- All not mentioned in Inclusions
Note
Expected Hotel List or similar
Category: Standard
Destination Hotel
Ha Noi La Dolce Vita Hotel
Ha Long Garden Bay Cruise
Hue Cherish Hotel Hue
Hoi An Kim An Hoi An Hotel & Spa
Ho Chi Minh Sanouva Sai Gon
Supplement for Optional Tour's is available on request
SURCHARGE FOR DOMESTIC AND REGIONAL AIRFARE will be added to the quoted tour cost
For economy class the luggage allowance is 1 peace of 23kg per person for check-in luggage, 12kg for cabin luggage. If you travel in business class, you benefit of 32kg per person for check-in luggage and 18kg for cabin luggage
The tour prices are based on our current transportation rates. Increasing petrol rates might affect our transportation and boat fees, in which case we reserve the right to revise our current rates. If any increase should arise we will of course keep you well informed.
Passport must be valid 6 months ahead since the time of departing the visited country
Compulsory dinners on Dec 24th (Christmas), Dec 31st (New Year) and applicable public holiday event within your host country will be advised at time of booking.
Escorted Experience
- Fixed Dates
- Modern Airconditioned Vehicle
- First Class Hotels
Tour Category
Tour Vehicle
Car or Small Van AC
Tour Guide
Local English only guide
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