Vietnam Complete
21 days - 20 nights
- Explore the colourful architecture and atmosphere at the Hanoi Old Quarter
- Cruise on the emerald seas of Halong Bay for stunning water vistas
- Explore the verdant rice terraces of Sapa, visiting its local ethnic villages
- Discover Vietnam's imperial history at the Imperial Citadel in Hue
- Explore Hoi An Ancient Town – World Heritage site
- Passing rubber and coffee plantations, rivers, waterfalls and other unique landscapes in Central Highlands
- Venture down to the verdant landscape of the Mekong Delta by sampan cruise
- Infiltrate the secret underground network of the Vietcong at Cu Chi Tunnels
- Savor the best of street food in Saigon on motorbike
- Take a break with a difference in Phu Quoc island. Enjoy the white sandy beach, laid-back beach life
- DAY 1: HANOI ARRIVAL
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DAY 2: HANOI HISTORY & CULTURAL TALES
Begin the morning with a visit the Ho Chi Minh Complex, which includes Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum (outside), the final resting place of the beloved national hero, Uncle Ho, and President Ho Chi Minh’s stilt house where he lived off and on from 1958 to 1969. At 09:30 you’ll visit the One Pillar Pagoda, which is actually a group of structures that collectively make up a pagoda built over the water in the middle of a square lake.
After that, you’ll have a chance to explore the Tran Quoc Pagoda on the shore of west lake. From there, it’s onto the Temple of literature, which was Viet nam’s first university and is dedicated to Confucius. Stop at the University of Vietnam built in 1076. After lunch, enjoy cyclo ride through the busting Old Quarter, visit the Lake of the Returned Sword and Ngoc Son Temple at the late evening of the day. Overnight in Hanoi.
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DAY 3: HALONG BAY CRUISE
Today you will greet the beautiful Ylang, which will be home for the next two nights as you explore to start your exploration of Lan Ha Bay with a number of activities offered through the afternoon. After boarding around noontime and settling into your floating home, a beautiful lunch will be served on board as you enjoy the panoramic views of the passing scenery. Through the early afternoon as you journey deeper and further south into Lan Ha Bay, enjoy the onboard facilities from the plunge pool to the expansive Ylang Spa.
Upon reaching the first anchorage point, Cat Ba Island, you’ll be able to disembark and explore the island with a visit to Viet Hai Village, getting a taste for untouched rural life. Bicycles or electric cars are provided to explore further in land, passing lush tropical forests and small villages, where time seems to have stood still. In the evening, having returned on board, you’ll sail onwards to the overnight mooring and enjoy a sumptuous dinner. Afterwards you can choose to relax with other passengers for movie night in the dining room or try your hand at squid fishing with the crew! Overnight on cruise.
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DAY 4: LAN HA BAY CRUISE
For your second day exploring the beauty of Lan Ha Bay, you’ll have the chance to discover one of the few remaining floating fishing villages and hike through the scenic Cat Ba National Park.
Today early risers can take part in a Tai Chi session on the sun deck or a guided yoga class to greet the day before enjoying a delicious breakfast on board. For the first excursion of the day, you’ll set off to visit one of the few remaining floating villages of the area gaining a better understanding how these unique communities live and work on the water. From here, you’ll venture ashore to Cat Ba National Park to enjoy a leisurely hike whilst learning about the endemic flora and fauna on the island.
Lunch is served back on board whilst Ylang sails serenely into a secluded cove where the afternoon is at leisure to enjoy the beautiful landscapes. Choose to enjoy the natural beach of the bay, a kayak tour through the area or just simply sit back and relax on board or in the magnificent spa. For dinner you’ll again be treated to a beautiful feast and after be able to join a Q&A session to learn more about Lan Ha and Halong Bay.
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DAY 5: OVERNIGHT TRAIN TO LAO CAI
Start the day early again with another open-air session of Tai Chi before having a light snack to go with your tasty, traditional Vietnamese coffee. This morning, Ylang moors in another quiet spot to offer you one last chance to go kayaking or take a refreshing early morning swim - conveniently from the ship’s platform. Enjoy these final moments to fully take in the senses of the bay. While we pass back through Lan Ha and Halong Bay towards Ylang’s mid-bay anchoring spot, we serve breakfast and leave you some time to savour the moments of this unique journey while relaxing on comfy sun beds on the terrace deck.11:30 am, drive back to Hanoi, arrive Hanoi around 4:30 pm. Check in day-use hotel for rest, then we transfer to Hanoi train station to Lao Cai. Overnight on Train.
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DAY 6: SAPA, EXPLORE CULTURE VILLAGES
6:00 am, arriving Lao Cai, picked up at Lao cai Railway station early in the morning by car. Arrive at Sapa round 8:00 AM. Check in hotel, breakfast and shower.The road from Sapa winds through hilly terrain passing terraced rice paddy fields, where you reach Cat Cat cultural village, just 3km from Sa Pa town. A leisurely walk through the old village offers you an overview of the traditional customs and practices of the ethnic Black H’mong people. Stop by a stunning waterfall and the vestige of a hydroelectric power station, constructed by the French during the colonial era in Viet Nam. Follow a dirt trail snaking through the mountain. Enjoy spectacular scenery while trekking along a narrow stream until you reach Y Linh Ho village also home of the Black H'mong minority. Head toward Muong Hoa valley.
Descending into the valley, you will see the largest terraced rice fields in the Sa Pa area. (If you visit the valley between May and October, you have the chance to observe and experience how the local people plant and harvest rice). The walk takes you from Lao Chai village of the Black H'mong minority to Ta Van village of the Giay minority. You will take a break to enjoy a picnic lunch at a local house before transferring back to Sapa. Overnight in Sapa.
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DAY 7: SAPA, TREK TO RICE PADDLE FIELD
Start in the morning driving down to the lowest valley of Sapa, around 2 hours driving descending the Sapa valley, Along the way you have many chances to see breathtaking view of paddy terrace field and cornfield, where is the largest terrace paddy of Sapa District. Passing Ban Ho village. Your car ascend to My Son Village then Nam Cang Village, where are minorities people living such as Xa Pho, Red Zao, White H’mong Stopped by Nam Than Village, You can visit minority people house then You start to trek by suspension bridge.
First impression is approaching small waterfall with breezy and cool, Along your trekking are many small waterfall like that, Furthermore is the most stunning view of lowest Valley, Constituted by paddy terraces and “Buffalo house on stilts” scattered on paddy terrace, More special is along your trekking you have chance to enjoin with forest song –“Bird singing”. After 2 hours trekking you will have lunch in a minority people house on stilts in Thanh Phu Village then transfer back to Sapa by viewing sun set on the mountainous. Overnight in Sapa.
- DAY 8: HUE
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DAY 9: HUE IMPERIAL TOUR
Breakfast at hotel. 8:00 am, guide pick up at hotel for cruise on Perfume River to visit to Thien Mu pagoda, the Imperial Citadel where the Nguyen Dynasty ruled between 1802 and 1945. You will also stop to visit the Flag Tower, Noon Gate, Nine Dynastic Urns, Nine Holy Cannons, Thai Hoa Palace, and the Forbidden Purple City. Lunch at local restaurant. After lunch, we visit Khai Dinh Tomb. Back to hotel and free time. Overnight in Hue.
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DAY 10: HOI AN
Breakfast and check out hotel. 8:00 am, we leave Hue for Hoi An, on the way to stop for sightseeing the high mountain pass of Hai Van: Lang Co Beach; the lagoon far below with Danang spread. 1:00 pm, lunch in Hoi An. 2:30 pm, explore the ancient city of Hoi An which former name’s Faifo where there were a lot of Chinese living together with the Japanese and Vietnamese, the highlights will be Japanese Covered Bridge, Phung Hung Ancient Trading House, Phuoc Kien Temple, the Cantanese congregation, silk street in Hoi an, the temples and pagodas of Chinese appearance. Overnight in Hoi An.
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DAY 11: HOI AN AT LEISURE
Breakfast @ hotel. Free time or join "Eco optional tours" in Hoi An. Overnight in Hoi An.
- DAY 12: BUON ME THUOT, CENTRAL HIGHLANDS
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DAY 13: BUON ME THUOT
8:30 am, guide pick up at hotel and visit Dray Nur waterfalls in the morning. Transfer to Ban Don. Stop over at some plantations of coffee along the way. Lunch at a local restaurant, then visit Ban Don Village where is very famous for elephants. Visit the wooden house on stilts built over 120 years. Learn about the legend of the King of elephant hunters, walk through the suspension bridge of bamboo 750m over the river of Serepok. Overnight in a hotel in Buon Me Thuot.
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DAY 14: SAIGON " THE PEARL OF FAR EAST"
After breakfast, transfer to Lak Lake, stop over at some plantations of pepper and rubber. Take a canoe ride on an on the Lake. Visit the village of M'lieng to discover their daily activities and their local culture. Have lunch at local restaurant. Back to hotel for lake check out. 19:30 guide pick up and transfer to airport for departure flight. Upon arrival, guide pick up in Saigon transfer to hotel for check in. Overnight in Saigon.
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DAY 15: SAIGON, EXPLORE CULTURE & HISTORY
8:30 am, we start this day tour by a visit to The Reunification Palace. This is one of the most important buildings in the city. Continue to The Post Office Center for the best examples of classical French colonial architecture in Saigon, Notre Dame Cathedral and War Remnants Museum, which formerly known as the Museum of American War Crimes. Lunch at local restaurant. In the afternoon, we will go to Fito Museum, Thien Hau Pagoda, Binh Tay market (outsite). Come back to your hotel around 4:30 pm. Overnight in Saigon.
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DAY 16: SAIGON, CU CHI TUNNELS & FOOD EXPERIENCE
8:30 am, guide pick up at hotel. Then drive to Cu Chi Tunnels. We then spend time exploring the maze of tunnels including innumerable trap doors, storage facilities, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers and kitchens. These tunnels consisted of many ‘moving parts’ making them a livable structure for long periods of time. Lunch at local restaurant, back to hotel for rest. 17:30 pm, Saigon food tour guide will pick up you at hotel and enjoy amazing street food. Overnight in Saigon
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DAY 17: MEKONG DELTA, RIVER CRUISE
8:00 am, In the morning we take you to Cai Be. You board your comfortable wooden river cruise vessel around noon. After a refreshing welcome drink we show you our on-board facilities and your cosy cabin. As lunch is served, the boat starts cruising. Sit back and watch the fantastic scenery and the daily life of the Mekong people.In the afternoon you can disembark for a guided leisurely stroll through a village and the surrounding fruit orchards or rice fields.
Meet the friendly locals and taste the local produce and fruits.Get back on board and enjoy a drink at the bar or relax on deck as the sun sets over the magnificent water landscape of the Mekong river. The cruise boat will anchor for the night. The day ends with a delicious on-board dinner. You stay overnight on board your floating hotel in the Mekong Delta.
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DAY 18: CAN THO, FLY TO PHU QUOC ISLAND
Early wake-up for a visit to the famous Cai Rang Floating Market up at 6: 00am which only operates from 5:00 am to 8:00 am every day. Breakfast is served on board while the cruise navigates towards the market among local barges laden with fruit and vegetales.
Later on, cruise towards Can Tho. Pick up and transfer Can Tho airport for flight to Phu Quoc. Upon arrival, driver pick up and transfer to resort. Free time at resort. Overnight in Phu Quoc.
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DAY 19: PHU QUOC AT LEISURE
Breakfast at resort. Free time at beach and overnight in Phu Quoc.
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DAY 20: PHU QUOC AT LEISURE
Breakfast at resort. Free time at beach and overnight in Phu Quoc.
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DAY 21: PHU QUOC DEPARTURE
Breakfast at resort. Free time till for flight back to Saigon. 11:15 driver pick up at hotel for flight to Saigon. Upon arrival, guide pick up and transfer to hotel for check in / next departure flight. Tour ends