VIETNAM HIGHLIGHTS – 10 DAYS

Xin chào! Namaste! Welcome to Ho Chi Minh City. On arrival in Saigon, you will be met and transferred to your hotel, with the rest of the day free to stroll the streets and take in an overview of this bustling city.

Today’s experiences include the Cu Chi Tunnels, a historically important underground network hand-dug during the Vietnam War, with the opportunity to walk a section and sample the traditional tea and cassava eaten by guerrilla fighters, followed by the War Remnants Museum, Notre-Dame Cathedral, the nearby Central Post Office, and an hour at Ben Thanh Market. Return to your hotel, with the rest of the day free.

Arrive in My Tho and board a boat along the Tien River, crossing to Ben Tre, known throughout Vietnam as the land of coconuts, passing floating fish farms and markets near Dragon Island.

Cruise the peaceful Xep Canal to observe how locals harvest coconuts and craft handmade products from the trunks and shells, with a tasting of seasonal fruits to the sound of traditional folk music.

Continue by xe loi (a traditional motorised cart) along village paths to a local orchard for fresh honey served with tea or rice wine, and see beehives kept beneath the longan trees.

Board a small rowing boat to glide through the water-palm creeks, with lunch on an islet where available, then visit a local workshop to watch coconut candy being made and sample this famous speciality of Ben Tre province.

After lunch, a short walk brings you back to your driver for the return to Ho Chi Minh City. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for a short flight to Da Nang. On arrival, meet your guide and continue by car to Hoi An.

Take a walking tour of the town’s highlights, including the iconic Japanese Covered Bridge, historic Chinese assembly halls, the beautifully preserved Tan Ky Ancient House, and the lively local market, with free time to relax or sample local dishes at your own expense before your transfer to the hotel.

Depart your hotel at 8:30 AM for a full day at Ba Na Hills, beginning with a scenic cable-car ride offering panoramic views over Da Nang, followed by the iconic Golden Bridge, famously held aloft by giant stone hands, and a leisurely walk through Le Jardin d’Amour (Love Garden).

Continue to the Mythology Park and Linh Ung Pagoda, with an optional visit to the historic Debay Wine Cellar, a relic of the colonial era. A further cable-car ride leads to Moon Square for the immersive Flying Eyes 3D experience, and a mountain train to the French Village, a quaint European-style town where you may explore Fantasy Amusement Park, enjoy music and dance performances, visit spiritual sites, and wander Sun Square and the Rose Garden.

In the late afternoon, return by cable car to Da Nang Station (plan to be at the station no later than 16:00), where your driver transfers you back to your hotel in Hoi An

Transfer to Da Nang Airport for your flight to Hanoi. With a local guide, visit the city’s principal landmarks: the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum at Ba Dinh Square (viewed from the outside), the One Pillar Pagoda, built between 1028 and 1054 during the reign of Emperor Ly Thai Tong and now one of Vietnam’s most iconic temples, and Tran Quoc Pagoda, the city’s oldest, dating to the 6th century and visited over the centuries by kings and dignitaries, including India’s President Rajendra Prasad in 1959.

Continue to the Ceramic Mosaic Mural of Hanoi and the historic Long Bien Bridge, concluding at Dong Xuan Market, one of the city’s largest, in the heart of the Old Quarter.

Drive approximately two hours to Ninh Binh, home to Vietnam’s ancient capital from 968 to 1010 AD under the Dinh and early Le Dynasties, visiting two historic temples dedicated to the kings of that era, each nearly a thousand years old.

Continue to the Trang An World Heritage Site for a traditional rowing-boat journey of up to three hours through towering limestone mountains and serene waterways, including the Light and Dark Caves. Return to Hanoi for overnight.

Rise early for breakfast, then drive along a scenic countryside road through the paddy fields to Ha Long Bay, one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature. On arrival at the harbour, board a traditional boat and set sail through the limestone islands, with a seafood lunch on board, a sampan ride to a traditional fishing village, a short cooking class, and dinner as you relax on the upper deck at sunset. The rest of the evening is at your leisure.

Rise early for Tai Chi on the top deck, followed by a light breakfast. Disembark for a short exploration of a nearby cave, then return to the boat to check out of your cabin and enjoy a leisurely brunch while sailing back to shore. Your vehicle transfers you to Hanoi, arriving at approximately 15:00.

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before transferring to the airport for your departure flight. End of our services.