17 Day Highlights Of Vietnam

From 2,560 USD/Person 17 days / 16 nights Based on 2 travelers

Trip overview

  • Explore the diverse sights of Saigon, from its colonial structures to its thriving Chinatown
  • Drift along the Mekong in your own private traditional wooden boat
  • Observe what urban life is like along the Mekong in Can Tho
  • Sample some of the delicacies of Vietnam’s traditional floating markets
  • Discover the iconic Ponagar Cham Tower and the Tong Lam Pagoda with its giant Buddha statue
  • Enjoy a relaxing boat ride along the Cai River, taking in spectacular scenery as we go
  • Live on the waters of Ha Long Bay and visit many stunning grottos and islands
  • Explore the 1000-year-old university at the Temple of Literature
  • Visit the so-called “Hanoi Hilton” – the Hoa Lo Prison that housed POWs during the Vietnam War

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Tour itinerary

Day 1: Arrival Ho Chi Minh City

Meet and greet by a local tour guide upon arrival. Enjoy a private transfer to the city where you will check into a hotel which is centrally located to explore the nearby sights and sounds of this vibrant city. Free at leisure by your own account. Overnight at hotel in Ho Chi Minh city.

 

Day 2: City & Saigon After Dark Foodie Tour (B, D)

Good morning Saigon! After your breakfast you will enjoy a comprehensive city of Saigon. Discover a city full of contrasts; French colonial architecture competes with Chinese influences and traditional characters. You will visit Catholic Notre Dame Cathedral and Post Office which are both wonderful examples of French Colonial architecture nearby and then we will head to visit the Presidential Palace. There is a chance to take a closer look at the City Opera Hall. After a short lunch break, you will visit Thien Hau pagoda – this gorgeous 19th-century temple is dedicated to the goddess Thien Hau, and always attracts a mix of worshippers and visitors to visit daily.

At 06:00 pm, join in our interesting Saigon after dark foodie tour on scooter. You will have great chances to sample and savor the most amazing dishes that Vietnam has to offer. Our drivers and guides will take you to different parts of the city that locals offer different Vietnamese foodies from South up to North. Back to the hotel at around 10:00 pm. Overnight at hotel

 

Day 3: Mekong Delta. Song Xanh Sampan (B, L, D)

Breakfast at the hotel and you will depart Saigon for My Tho which is 2 and a half hours away to beging your interesting waterway adventure. Life in the Mekong Delta is very much lived on, by or near the water. Stilt houses built to withstand the rise and fall of the river, entire markets conducted by boat and people fishing, bathing and washing clothes are everyday scenes in this watery world.

Begin cruising and from the sampan, observe life as it plays out on shore – people going about their daily activities against picturesque landscapes – while your attentive crew serves tea and seasonal fruit. Before arriving at Sa Dec, stop at various points along the river for a look into some of the cottage industries of the region including a brick factory where everything is made by hand, pass monkey bridges and tiny villages to visit a Cao Dai temple. Arrive in Sa Dec and stroll to the outdoor market. Visit one of the highlights of the charming town, the ancient house of Huynh Thuy Le, a real-life character in the celebrated novel and film “The Lover” by Marguerite Duras. Lunch is served on board while cruising towards Can Tho along a narrow canal teeming with life. Explore the countryside surroundings by local rowboat. Your last stopover before sunset is at an ancient house, dating back to the 19th century. The owner will welcome you and a candlelit dinner is served in this authentic countryside setting. After dinner return on board while the Song Xanh continues its cruise towards the Hau River. Overnight on board.

 

Day 4: Floating Market, Ho Chi Minh City

Wake up early at 6:00 am for a visit to the famous Cai Rang Floating Market which operates daily starting from 5:00 am. Breakfast is served on board while the Song Xanh navigates towards the market among local barges loaded down with fruits and vegetables from the Delta, making for some stunning photos. Continue cruising towards Victoria Can Tho and disembark at the hotel’s private jetty. Private transfer back to hotel. Free at leisure in evening. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh city.

 

Day 5: Saigon, Fly To Dalat (B)

Breakfast at the hotel and relax until you will be driven to the airport to take a shortly flight to Dalat. Pleasantly sized, it’s as easy to get around as it is on the eye. Remnants of the French colonization remain; favoring the city’s cooler climates, the French built their holiday chalets and villas here, giving Dalat a charming alpine feel that is only emphasized by the pine forests at its edges. 

Check-in the hotel and in the late afternoon, we will take you to visit Thien Vien Truc Lam or Truc Lam Monastery. You will take the cable car to the peaceful peak, where the monastery overlooks the city and the surrounding countryside. Set in beautiful gardens full of wildlife both real and in topiary form, the monastery is the perfect place for a long walk or relaxing afternoon. 

 

Day 6: Cycling Around Dalat (B)

Breakfast at the hotel and today is spent with a cycling  tour to explore Dalat and environs. The city is also known as the “City of Flowers.” Pay a visit to the famous “Crazy House,” a hotel with extremely interesting architecture unlike any other in the world. Next visit the gorgeous, grandiose, once summer place of Bao Dai – the last king of Vietnam. Bike to the ancient Trai Mat Village to visit the exquisite Linh Phuoc Temple. Return to your hotel for some well-earned shut-eye. Back to the hotel and relax. Overnight in Dalat city.

 

Day 7: Dalat – Nha Trang (B)

Breakfast at the hotel and today you will head for Nha Trang. Check into either beach resort or hotel in the town. Rest of time at your leisure. Overnight in Nha Trang city.

 

Day 8: At Leisure, Nha Trang (B)

Breakfast at the hotel and balance of the days at your leisure to relax or indulge in a variety of activities on resort ground. Overnight at hotel in Nha Trang city

 

Day 9: Countryside Experience (B, L)

Breakfast at the hotel and today is spent with a comprehensive city and countryside excursion. Your first attraction of the day is to visit the ancient Ponagar Cham Tower, thought to have been a site for worship since the 2nd century. After visiting the temple, you will enjoy a boat trip cruising up the enchanting Cai river. This is a great opportunity to capture photos of the Ponagar tower from the water and of locals getting on with their daily business on the banks of the river. Continue cruising to a beautiful 200-year-old ancient house where you’ll enjoy a refreshing selection of fresh fruits and a green tea tasting. Next, we’ll hop on the bus to visit the iconic Tong Lam Pagoda, where you’ll discover one of Vietnam’s largest Buddha statues, plus sweeping panoramas over the rice fields beyond. We’ll continue on to some fascinating, local handicraft workshops: rice paper making, a dry noodle workshop, a mat weaving workshop and a charcoal burners workshop to name but a few. We’ll stop to have a chat with local people about how they make their living and we’ll have a go at weaving mats, an unforgettable experience and they will make a superb souvenir for you to take home! Coming back to the city, you will visit Dam market, the biggest and most famous wholesale market in Nha Trang. This busy three-floor building is densely populated with shops, food stalls and classic souvenir vendors. Back to the hotel and free in evening. Overnight at hotel in Nha Trang.

 

Day 10: Nha Trang, Fly To Danang & Hoi An (B)

Free at leisure after your breakfast until we will transfer you to the airport to take a short flight to Danang. Meet and greet on arrival by a local representative. Private transfer to a beach resort or a hotel in the town of Hoi An. Relax for the rest of the day.

 

Day 11: Hoi An Ancient Town (B)

Breakfast at the hotel. Be charmed by Hoi An, an ancient town, now a UNESCO World Heritage site is one of Vietnam’s most picturesque and atmospheric towns that you have ever seen. This morning is spent with a half-day walking city tour with a first stop to bustling and colorful market – a visually stunning place where you can see locals selling and buying staples for their daily meals. Get immersed in the area if you are interested in photo shooting, you will surely capture the ones that you love. Then we will come back to the town, walking along Thu Bon river to visit Japanese Covered Bridge – This symbolic icon of Hoi An was built by the Japanese almost 500 years ago. It is notable for its statues of monkeys and dogs, reflective of sacred Japanese emblems. Continue to a Chinese communal hall, a colourful mélange of bright gates, dragon statues and elaborate rooftops. Get an introduction to ancestor worship while visiting the family altar and watching local devotees making offerings. Next stop to visit Thanh Ha pottery village, a traditional village famed for pottery products. Watch how unique pieces are created. Spend your free time to go shopping at Hoi An’s famous handicraft shops, art galleries. Hoi An is a shopping paradise and the town is also famous for its large number of tailor shops, so if you want to have a new wardrobe made up, this is the time to do it. Return to hotel. Stay at hotel in Hoi An.

 

Day 12: At Leisure, Hoi An (B)

Breakfast at the hotel and balance of the days at your leisure to relax or indulge in a variety of activities on resort ground or make your own exploration to go shopping in the town. Overnight at hotel in Hoi An city.

 

Day 13: Hoi An – Hue City (B)

After breakfast, we will leave Hoi An for Hue city, you will  You will find 3-hour road trip to Hoi An via Danang very interesting. Drive through Lang Co, a photogenic coastal fishing village. Continue driving south through the Pass of Ocean Clouds, a thousand-meter-high mountain pass by the ocean. Stop to drink in and photograph the beautiful view of the coastline. Continue driving to Hue city. Check-in the hotel and relax for a while. In the afternoon, you will enjoy 3-hour tour which will give you a great insight of this very peaceful and charming city. The our guide will reveals the fascinating history and spectacular beauty of this  town. Visit the ruined palaces of the Forbidden Purple City, which reflects the pomp and ceremony of the dynastic rulers. Next stop you will visit one of the oldest and prettiest religious buildings in the country: Thien Mu pagoda. A blessing from a Buddhist monk at a traditional Hue monastery is the perfect end to your day. Overnight in Hue city.

 

Day 14: Hue, Fly To Hanoi (B)

Breakfast at the hotel and this morning you will take a dragon boat trip to discover the eclectic and mesmerizing tombs of Emperor Minh Mang. After the tour, we will transfer you to the airport to take one-hour flight to Hanoi city. Met by a local tour guide and you will enjoy a private transfer to hotel. Check-into hotel and rest of the day will be at your leisure. Overnight at hotel in Hanoi.

 

Day 15: Hanoi City Orientation (B)

Breakfast at the hotel and then today you will enjoy a comprehensive orientation city tour of Hanoi. Hanoi is the country’s cultural heart, bearing traces of centuries of changing dynasties. You will visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Presidential Palace and the historic complex including Ho Chi Minh’s stilt house, One Pillar Pagoda. Also visit the infamous “Hanoi Hilton” prison, where American prisoners of war were once confined; the Temple of Literature and the Vietnam National Museum of Fine Arts or History Museum at your choice. Break time for lunch at a local restaurant and then later, travel by cyclo as a local would through the Old Quarters. You will enjoy an interesting traditional water puppetry performance by local artisans before transferring you back to the hotel. Evening is free at leisure. Overnight at in Hanoi city.

 

Day 16: Hanoi – Halong Bay (B, L, D)

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel and our tour guide and driver will pick you up at the hotel’s lobby to drive to enchanting Halong Bay for an overnight cruise. This exciting cruise will provide us a fantastic view of the picturesque scenery blending with the sky and some 3,000 limestone islands rising amazingly from the clear and emerald water. The limestone karsts formations are littered with beaches, grottoes and beautiful caves. Along the way we will anchor for a leisurely swim in a secluded cove and an enjoyable visit to one of the many hidden grottoes beneath towering cliffs. Stay overnight aboard the cruise.

 

Day 17: Halong Bay – Hanoi, Departure (B)

For early risers complimentary tea, coffee and pastries are served in the restaurant followed by-if you so desire – a Tai Chi Class on the Sundeck. A great morning activity to feel one with this natural wonder. The crew will bid you farewell and you disembark with our tender boat to the jetty. Driving back to Hanoi and then straightly transfer to the airport where you will catch your outbound flight onward. End of service.

Trip Inclusions

  • 15 night accommodation with breakfast
  • 1 night accommodation on the cruise in Halong Bay
    • 1 lunch, 1 breakfast and 1 dinner included
  • All private transportation with drivers
  • English speaking tour guides
  • Domestic on-tour flights by Vietnam Airlines
    • Ho Chi Minh - Dalat
    • Nha Trang - Danang
    • Danang - Hanoi
  • All admission and entrance fees per tour
  • All hotel government taxes and service charges

Trip Exclusions

  • Visa arrangements to Vietnam
  • All international flights to/from Vietnam
  • All daily personal expenses
  • Medical and travel insurance
  • Other meals that not mentioned in the tour
  • All tips and gratuities

NOTE: The above price is based on two people travelling together and sharing accommodation in low season. The price is only a guide and can vary according to selected airlines, hotels and date of travel. If you wish to travel with your family, friends or on your own we will be very happy to assist you with your arrangements. Click to email us or use the booking form to customize your own vacation.

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From 2,560 USD/Person

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