Ho Chi Minh City

Day 1

Arrival In Ho Chi Minh City.

Xin Chao! Welcome to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Upon arrival, your private guide and driver are waiting to meet you and your family at the arrivals lounge, holding up a welcome signboard with your names on it and take you directly to your hotel in the city centre.

After checking-in, you will have time to relax and adjust to the pace of HCM City, still called Saigon by the locals. There will be a short tour briefing this evening with your guide followed by a welcome dinner at Bloom restaurant. Your visit will ‘Make A Difference’ to this Culinary Vocational Training facility developed by the charity ‘Aid to Children Without Parents’ that provides training to disadvantaged young people in the hospitality industry enabling them to become self-reliant.

Please note: Your travel documents contain a Visa-on-Arrival letter (unless otherwise arranged). Please ensure to pack this in your carry-on luggage. Your Visa-on-Arrival letter must be presented to Customs upon entry into the country.

Day 2

HCM City – Cu Chi Tunnels & City Sightseeing.

Morning
After breakfast, you will be met by your private guide and driven to Cu Chi, a small community located northwest of Ho Chi Minh City, known for its network of deep tunnels that provided shelter and an effective source of infiltration for the Viet Cong during the later years of the Vietnam War.

Upon arrival, you will watch the original film footage from the period, followed by a walk through the reserve. The hidden network of Viet Cong tunnels is believed to stretch to “hundreds of miles,”  in total length, housed living quarters, storage rooms, makeshift hospitals, and kitchens…etc. Although originally very narrow, some parts have been widened for the tourists and you have the opportunity to explore parts of the system.

Try some of the main food of the Viet Cong Soldiers with a cassava tasting served with tangy tea. After that transfer back to the city.

Afternoon
Spend the rest of the day visiting some of Ho Chi Minh City’s key highlights. We’ll tailor your tour to suit you, but we particularly recommend visiting the Notre Dame Cathedral, the ornate City Hall (Hotel De Ville), the old Opera House, the historic Rex Hotel, the Central Post Office, renowned for its architecture, and Ben Thanh Market, where vendors display a vast array of goods and handicrafts, appealing to every taste.

Later stop at the Reunification Palace and the moving War Remnants Museum to for an insightful, yet sombre, look into Vietnam’s military history and turbulent past.

Proceed to the atmospheric Jade Emperor Pagoda before finishing the day in fine style with a sundowner at the top of the Bitexco Tower, the tallest building in Vietnam.

Day 3

 HCM City – Ben Tre (Mekong Delta).

Morning
After breakfast, your private guide and driver will take you out of HCM City in a private vehicle and onto some beautiful country roads to Ben Tre Town in the Mekong Delta, famous for its vast rice fields, numerous waterways, and beautiful landscapes. Known as the ‘rice bowl’ of Vietnam, this region produces most of Vietnam’s fruit, rice, sugar cane, and coconuts.

After the two-hour drive through the lush farming land, you will arrive in Ben Tre where you will set out on a motorized boat trip on narrow channels winding through the coconut forest. During the boat ride, you will stop at the local cottage industries to see how the local people make bricks and weave sleeping mats by hand. Learn about their craft handed down through generations.

Take a leisure walk along the village lanes, visiting the local homes to try fresh fruits, taste delicious honey tea while enjoying a local Tai Tu music show. Continue to visit another workshop where the local delicacy of coconut candy is produced and a wide range of coconut husk and fiber products are skillfully handcrafted.

Next, take a small sampan through palm-fringed back canals, gliding peacefully along the hidden waterways surrounded by an immense variety of tropical plants. The quiet, rural setting is a welcome and restorative retreat to the frenetic buzz of HCM City which seems far, far away.

Enjoy sitting in the back a Motor Cart (xe lôi) passing local hamlets, rice fields, coconut groves, and lush orchard farms while meeting with local people.

Afternoon
After finishing your sightseeing tour your guide will take you to a riverside restaurant for lunch with local specialties then return to the pier and drive back to Ho Chi Minh City.

This evening you will be free to visit the night market to discover the authentic local cuisine or simply enjoy a glass of cocktail on the rooftop bar of the historic Rex Hotel.

Day 4.

HCM City – Tuy Hoa – Whale Island

Morning
After breakfast and check out your private driver will collect you from your hotel and take you to the airport for a short flight to Tuy Hoa, a coastal city on the South Central Coast of Vietnam.

Upon arrival at the Tuy Hoa airport, you are picked up by your private driver and transfer to the tropical island retreat of Whale Island, located along the sandy white beach of stunning Van Phong Bay.

After 1,5 hours driving, you will arrive at the Jetty and then take a boat transfer for 20 minutes to Whale Island resort on the Island for check-in.

Nestled amongst swaying coconut palms and a pristine sand beach, Whale Island resort is an idyllic tropical paradise. The resort accommodates all travelers in its individual, double, family or connecting bungalow. On the beachside and its unique landscape view or in the peaceful tropical garden, each bungalow has its own shower room and comes with fans and beds furnished with mosquito nets.

Afternoon
Take your time to unwind and relax or while away the rest of the day swimming in the turquoise waters.

Overnight in Whale Island

Meals: Breakfast.

Accommodation: Resort in Whale Island

Day 5

Whale Island.

The whole day will be at your leisure. You and your family can join a snorkeling trip. The snorkeling boat leaves the Resort every morning, as far as the water conditions allow it, to explore a coral reef close by Whale Island. The trip includes lunch and a visit to a local fishing village and a Whale temple.

Meals: Breakfast.

Accommodation: Resort in Whale Island

Day 6

Whale Island.

Another free day for you to relax and unwind at the beach. If you want to be active, you can rent snorkel gear, kayaks, canoes or a catamaran from the beach hut. At your request, one of your water sports staff could advise you about the use of the equipment or could even take you around the island.

Meals: Breakfast.

Accommodation: Resort in Whale Island

Day 7

Whale Island – Tuy Hoa – Da Nang/ Hoi An.

Morning
After breakfast, you will be picked up and driven back to Tuy Hoa Airport to catch your flight to Da Nang in the central of Vietnam.

Afternoon
On arrival at Da Nang airport, you will be met by your private guide and taken to your hotel in Hoi An for check-in. The rest of the day will be free at your leisure.

From the 16th to the 18th century the UNESCO recognized Hoi An was once a thriving international commercial port. French, Chinese and Japanese architecture is evident throughout and such is its diversity the town now boasts some of the country’s most interesting and delicious cuisine.

Meals: Breakfast, and Lunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Hoi An

Day 8

Hoi An – Walking & Food Tour

Morning
The whole morning will be free at your leisure. Enjoy late breakfast and the comforts of your hotel.

Afternoon
Your tour guide will pick you up and take you to the Ancient Quarter of Hoi An, where you will embark on a walking tour visiting the major attractions such as Chua Ong Pagoda, Tan Ky Ancient House, Fujian Assembly Hall, and the Japanese Covered Bridge.

Continue to visit the Precious Heritage Museum, home to the permanent exhibition of Réhahn’s Precious Heritage Collection. While transporting you to the furthest reaches of Vietnam, the collection will unveil the rich cultural tapestry of the ethnic tribes

The highlight of the day is the visit to the Reaching Out Tea House, a welcome little oasis of calm in the busy, vibrant Old quarter, owned and operated by the mute and deaf people. Here you will be treated to delicious cakes and incredible tea in the Eastern style.

Move on to the house of a lantern craftsman. There, you can observe the lantern craftsman’s technique before hands-on work through each stage of lantern-making under the guidance of the enthusiastic craftsmen: from bending it into the frame, cutting cloth, and gluing, to completing lanterns. Before this trip concludes, you will have your own lantern created by your own hands.

Now, it’s time for your Hoi An street food discovery tour. With your guide, you will weave in and out the tiny alleyways, and gets to chow down with the locals at stalls you’d never discover on your own. Every day at 4 pm, Hoi An’s streets are filled with a myriad of street food carts, stalls, and vendors. The street food tour is a great introduction for you to enjoy a few of the Hoi An specialties cooked up by the locals, introduce you to the faces behind the stock pots, and teach you how the Hoi An locals deal with those condiment trays!

Meals: Breakfast, and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel in Hoi An

Day 9

Hoi An – Countryside.

Morning
After breakfast, your private guide will pick you up for a leisurely biking tour to the peaceful island of Cam Kim. This car-free island is perfect for cycling excursions.

(Note: you don’t know how to ride bicycles, please use our scooter “XE OM” services with little additional charges)

After being collected from your hotel, a short bicycle competency test will be given. The first part starts with 13km (8 miles) cycling on small paved paths. Peddle your way through palm forests, across bridges and fields of water buffalo. Ride along country lanes at a peaceful pace viewing local life and pause to see farmers toiling in their rice fields using centuries of farming practices.

Upon arrival at Tra Nhieu, you will set out to explore this beautiful rural village. Paddle around the village and stop to see the local people make sleeping mats by hand. Later you will be welcomed by a local family where you will be served a delicious home-hosted lunch. Take a chance to talk to the family hosts and learn about their lifestyles and tradition.

Afternoon
After lunch, you will visit a fishing hamlet and have fun with a fisherman by trying to cast a fishing-net for fish, shrimp, and crab. After that continue to cycle for another 3km (1,8 miles) to the other side of the island where you will visit Kim Bong carpentry village, renowned for shipbuilding and traditional woodworking products. Nestled along the river Kim Bong is home to generations of craftsmen from all over Vietnam who moved to Hoi An centuries ago when it was a bustling trade port.

At the village take your time to wander around the many workshops, chat up the friendly craftsmen and simply admire their age-old art. Continue to visit several local homes to observe how people make rice wine, rice noodles, and rice paper.

At the end of the tour, ride back to your hotel where the remainder of the day is at your leisure.

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch.

Accommodation: Hotel in Hoi An

Day 10

Hoi An – Day Train To Hue

Today you will have a chance to experience the best scenic train route in Vietnam from Hue to Danang.

Morning
After breakfast, your private guide will collect you from your hotel and escort you to Da Nang Railway station to catch the day train (soft seats with air conditioning) to Hue. The 3-hour comfortable train ride passes through picturesque countryside, winds up and over the spectacular Hai Van Pass (Sea Cloudy Pass) and then skirts on the side of a mountain as you travel along the beautiful coastline.

During the journey, you will have a chance to meet the friendly locals on board and make new friends on the journey!

Arrive at the Hue Train Station and transfer to your hotel for check-in. Enjoy your rest afterward.

Afternoon
Meet your private guide and head out to visit the ancient and atmospheric Walled Citadel, a vast complex built in the early 19th century containing the former Imperial Palace and the Forbidden Purple City. The original walls stretched for 10 km, and a wide moat surrounds them. The bombing during the Vietnam-American War has destroyed most of the buildings that you will see, but the monuments that remain provide a fascinating glimpse into the court life of the Nguyen Dynasty, the last feudal dynasty of Vietnam.

Leaving the royal city you will join the local crowds in kite flying, a popular Hue activity. Except on rainy days, hundreds of kites can be seen soaring in the skies over the Imperial Citadel every afternoon.

Continue your afternoon with a guided visit to the traditional village of Hue Kite. Here you will meet Mr. Cu, a third-generation kite maker and director of ‘Kite Flying Club’ in Hue, who will introduce you to his passion: the making and decorating of kites. With his assistance, you will draw and assemble for creating a type of traditional kite – Dong Noi Kite by yourself. When finished, you can keep the kite as a souvenir.

End your day at Dong Ba Market which runs along the north bank of Huong (Perfume) River. You will have a chance to discover a favourite Noddle shop by Anthony Bourdain – the World Famous Chef and TV Producer. Sample the best Bun Bo Hue “Hue Noddle soup”.

Return to the hotel in the evening where you will spend the remainder of the day at your leisure.

Meals: Breakfast.

Accommodation: Hotel in Hue

Day 11

Hue  City Tour - Hanoi

Morning
Today you will continue to explore Hue UNESCO World Heritage Site.

After breakfast, meet your guide and driver and transfer you to the wharf for your dragon boat ride on the romantically named Perfume River. During the boat cruise, you will stop to visit the iconic Thien Mu Pagoda – Hue’s most famous religious site. Explore the pagoda’s landscaped gardens, the seven-storey octagonal tower and watch the monks chanting.

At the end of the boat ride, you will be picked up and driven to the outskirt to visit the Imperial Tomb of Minh Mang, a majestic complex of courtyards, pavilions, and temples in a beautiful natural setting.

Pay a visit to Uu Dam Orphanage, home to 50 orphaned children of all ages. Gain insight into their daily activities as well as the effort to take care of children. Chat with the children to understand their life at school as well as their dreams, before teaching them basic English, or join them in some games. Roll up your sleeves to prepare a vegetarian lunch for the kids and join them for lunch.

Afternoon
After lunch, continue to visit Vietnam’s only Ancient colosseum “Tigers Arena” which was reserved for the battles between elephants and tigers. Most of the time, it was organized for the pleasure of the royal family and a part of the population.

Later, transfer to Hue Airport to board a short flight to Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam. On arrival, you will be met by your private guide and driver and take you to your hotel in the Old Quarter to check-in. Spend the remainder of the evening at leisure.

Meals: Breakfast.

Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi

Day 12

Hanoi Backstreet Tour.

Today you will join the amazing Jeep Tour, a fun way to enjoy the sights, sound, and aromas of Hanoi on an open-air war-time jeep car. This promises to be a one-of-the-kind experience.

After breakfast, you will be greeted by your guide and driver at your hotel lobby for some safety briefing then begin your adventure!

On the first part of your Hanoi Jeep tour, you will discover the REAL HANOI with a day in the life experiences, featured with the parts-unknown of the city with slices of life in the maze of backstreets, tiny alleyways, local homes, schools, random markets, experiencing where & how locals live, work and play.

On the second part you will pass by & stop at the  MUST-SEEE places of this beautiful city such as Ho Chi Minh mausoleum-the Mecca of Vietnamese, The 1000-year-old Buddhist and Toasist temples of Tran Quoc, the temple of Literature, the historic train-street, the enchanting French Quarter, the hustling & bustling Old Quarter, West Lake, Hanoi Opera House & famous Long Bien Bridge...etc.

On the third part, you are taken to the peaceful & allure out-skirt villages around West Lake and Truc Bach Lake to enrich your experiences about the contrast in the harmony of life between the city center and her out-skirt as well as you would experience a hidden tranquil of Hanoi, a hectic of Hanoi with thousands of Skyscrapers in the new parts of the city. It is not only a ride but also a journey that you would learn about Hanoi before, now and then.

On the last part, you will stop at different AUTHENTIC restaurants, eateries and food stalls to savor the tastiest of the tasty dishes of Hanoi including family heirloom & secret recipe dishes, local delicacies and specialties.

The tour will finish at the hotel after midday. The remainder of the day is free for you to explore this beautiful city as you wish. You could even visit a traditional water puppet show – a real spectacle where, as the name suggests, with the aid of fireworks and music, folk stories are played out by skillful puppeteers.

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch.

Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi.

Day 13.

Morning
After breakfast, your private guide and driver will collect you from your hotel and take you to the port city of Hai Phong, where you board the stylish Junk Boat that is your home for the evening.

On arrival around midday, you’ll be welcomed aboard your boat, each with its own individual route, to begin your cruise around the Lan Ha bay. Lying south and east of Cat Ba Island, the 300-or-so karst islands and limestone outcrops of Lan Ha are just as beautiful as those of Halong Bay but more isolated and untouched.

After checking into your cabin, a delicious lunch will be served, enjoy the delightful Vietnamese cuisine along with fantastic panoramic views of the passing scenery.

Relax on the terrace deck or on your private balcony and soak in the enchanting aura which emanates from the surreal seascape.

Afternoon
Continue the journey, the Junk boat snakes her way past the islets of Con Vit and Gia Luan, their karsts (limestone formations) rising dramatically from the bay.

Late afternoon you will reach the shore of a small lagoon on Cat Ba Island, hop on bicycles (electric cart transfers are also available) for a sightsing tour along small paved roads towards Viet Hai village. Little has changed in Viet Hai since the ancestors of the 80 households settled here centuries ago. Situated in a valley within Cat Ba National Park and surrounded on all sides by forest and mountains, the locals are isolated from the island’s other villages and towns. Here you have the unique and authentic opportunity to meet the local inhabitants, learn about the fruits and vegetables grown in the valley, have a glimpse of local households and try some homemade liquors.

Return to your Junk boat for a cooking demonstration with the chef. Learn about local ingredients as well as the preparation of classic Vietnamese dishes.

Evening
As the sun sets, you will arrive at a tranquil anchor spot for the night. In this hidden spot, you can revel in the memories of the day’s adventures with a cocktail under the stars.

After a scrumptious dinner, you may like to unwind at the bar with a digestif, watch a movie in the cinema, or have some fun fishing for squid before retiring to your room.

Note: If your time permits, we would highly recommend an additional night on board which gives you a lot more time to relax and take in the amazing landscape. You’ll get to cruise deeper into the Bay where it’s more beautiful and less crowded.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation: Overnight in Lan Ha Bay.

Day 14

Morning 
Wake up early and join the Tai Chi session on the terrace deck to ease your mind and muscles with the first rays of the sun touching the water. Coffee, tea and breakfast pastries await you in the dining room to start the new day.

It is time for Junk boat to lift her anchors and cruise toward Frog Lake, a secluded spot perfect for our morning excursion. Go for a refreshing “bay swim” or explore this captivating marine landscape via kayak. The cliffs stretch vertically out of the water and you feel a sense of freedom while meandering through this green medley of water and tree-topped islets.

Return to the Junk boat to check out of the cabin. Then enjoy a full brunch buffet as you cruise back to the pier.

Afternoon
Return to Got pier in Hai Phong city, your private driver is waiting for you and take you back to Hanoi.

After checking into your hotel, spend the remainder of the day at your leisure. Stroll around the Old town or visit Hoan Kiem Lake & Ngoc Son Temple, a short walk from your hotel. It’s beautifully lit up at night.

Meals: Breakfast.

Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi

Day 15

Departure Day.

Your private transfer greets you at the hotel after breakfast and escorts you to Hanoi International Airport where you board your flight home or travel on to more adventures, we will help you with the planning