Vietnam offer visitors awe-inspiring beauty of the country's natural setting: the Red River Delta in the north, the Mekong Delta in the south and almost the entire coastal strip are a patchwork of green rice paddies tended by women in conical hats. There are divine beaches, soaring mountains, some of which are cloaked by dense, misty forests. Vietnam also offers an opportunity to see a country of traditional charm and rare beauty rapidly opening up to the outside world.
Day 1: Hanoi - Arrival
Meet on arrival at Noi Bai International Airport and transfer to hotel for check in. In the afternoon: City tour (if time permits): Temple of Literature, built in the 11th century as Vietnam 's first university, Hoa Lo prison and QuanThanh Temple. Overnight in Hanoi.
Day 2: Hanoi - Halong Bay
Morning: City tour with Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum (closed on Monday, Friday and whole October-November), Ho Chi Minh Residence, One Pillar Pagoda, Army Museum, The Temple of Literature. Lunch at local restaurant.
Afternoon: Spend about 3.5 hours for the bus trip to Ha Long - 180 km east of Hanoi. Overnight in Halong City.
Day 3: Halong Bay - Hanoi
Morning: Discover Halong Bay, listed as a World Heritage Area of outstanding natural beauty. A 5-hour cruise on a wooden boat through the picturesque bay of 3,000 limestone islands dotted with caves and grottoes, visit Surprised cave. Seafood lunch on board.
In the afternoon: Drive back Hanoi. Overnight in Hanoi.
Day 4: Hanoi - Hoa Binh - Hanoi
In the morning: Drive 75 km to Hoa Binh. 2,5 hour boat trip on Da reservoir with visiting ethnic minority villages where it is surrounded by rice paddies, farms and houses-on-stilts. Visit to Yang Mo village by car. This area is home of many hill tribes including Muong and Dzao ethnic minorities. Drive back to Hanoi. Evening: water puppet show, the unique Vietnamese traditional art. Overnight in Hanoi.
Day 5: Hanoi - Bat Trang - Dong Ky - Dong Ho - Hanoi
In the morning: Depart for Dong Ky village in Bac Ninh province. Visit the traditional carpentry village. Continue to visit Dong Ho village which is famous with the art of painting pictures. Drive back to Gia Lam to visit Bat Trang pottery village. Lunch at local restaurant.
Evening: Transfer to Hanoi railway station to board night train Hanoi-Hue. Overnight on train.
Day 6: Hanoi - Hue
07h30 Arrive at Hue railway station and drive to visit Tu Duc and Khai Dinh Tombs. Lunch at local restaurant. Transfer to hotel for check in. Afternoon boat trip on Perfume River, visit Thien Mu Pagoda and then drive to visit Imperial Citadel. Overnight in Hue.
Day 7: Hue - Danang - Hoi An
Morning:Drive to Danang across the Hai Van Pass, passing through many prettyred-tiled villages with fruit orchards, enjoying spectacular views of sky and sea. Visit Cham Museum.
Afternoon: Continue drive to visit Marble Mountain, China Beach then proceed to Hoi An and transfer to hotel. Discover the historic town which used to be a prosperous seaport city during the 16th to 18th centuries. Overnight in Hue.
Day 8: Hoi An - Danang - Nha Trang
Morning is free at leisure. Drive to Danang, lunch at local restaurant then transfer to the railway station for day train Danang - Nha Trang. Arrival, transfer to hotel for accommodation. Overnight in Nha Trang.
Day 9: Nha Trang
Morning visit Long Son Pagoda and the Po Nagar Cham Tower, a sacred Hindu site dating back to the 2nd century AD. The town was built between the 7th and 12th century and is still used today as a place of pilgrimage for the Cham and Vietnamese Buddhists.
Afternoon at leisure to enjoy the beach.
Transfer to Nhatrang railway station late afternoon to board night train Nhatrang - Ho Chi Minh City. Overnight on the train.
Day 10: Nha Trang - Ho Chi Minh City
Morning: Arrive at Ho Chi Minh City railway station and drive to visit Chinatown, Thien Hau Pagoda, Historical Museum and former Presidential Palace. Lunch at local restaurant. Transfer to hotel for check in.
Afternoon: Drive to Cu Chi (75 km) visit an amazing complex of underground tunnels used during the Vietnam war. Return to Ho Chi Minh city. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh.
Day 11: Ho Chi Minh City - My Tho - Ho Chi Minh City
Morning: Coach trip to My Tho (2 - hour drive from Ho Chi Minh City) and visit Vinh Trang Pagoda. My Tho is a prosperous town of 170,000 inhabitants in the Mekong Delta. It is famous for its extensive orchards and immense rice fields. Enjoy a boat ride on the Mekong River and visit an orchard on an island, with lunch en route. Continue with a visit to a snake farm and then drive back Ho Chi Minh City.
Alternative program: Pick up at hotel, drive to Cu Chi (75 km) and visit the amazing complex of underground tunnels used during the American war. Proceed to Tay Ninh, center of the Cao Dai religion founded in 1926, acombination of Buddhism, Christianity, Taoism and Confucianism. Lunch at local restaurant. Drive back to Ho Chi Minh City in the afternoon. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh.
Day 12: Ho Chi Minh City - Departure
Free until transfer to Ho Chi Minh City / Tan Son Nhat International Airport for departure.
