OVERVIEW

Essential Vietnam Northbound

Trip starts from the bustling and dynamic city of Ho Chi Minh to the peaceful Mekong Delta. Then heading to the colorful Old Quarter Hoian. Discover the typical portery and colored glass mosaic art in Hue. Then Hanoi and the magnificent Halong bay. This tour can be customized to meet your specific needs.

ITINERARY

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Day 01

Ho Chi Minh arrival

Welcome to Ho Chi Minh - the vibrant biggest city in Vietnam!

Accommodation: Hotel in Ho Chi Minh

Meals:

Xin chao! Welcome to Vietnam. Upon arriving to Ho Chi Minh, our tour guide and driver will personally meet you at the airport, transfer you to hotel in the downtown for check-in. The rest of the day you are free at leisure.

Day 02

Cu Chi Tunnels - Ho Chi Minh City Tour

You will visit the Cu Chi Tunnel and Ho Chi Minh city today!

Accommodation: Hotel in Ho Chi Minh

Meals: Breakfast, lunch

8:00 AM: Meet your local guide and driver at hotel lobby. You travel to Cu Chi tunnels for a half day tour. Cu Chi Tunnels was the former stronghold of the Viet Cong with a network of tunnels three levels deep stretching over 200 km.

Cu Chi tunnels played a vital part in the U.S.-Vietnam War in that they allowed the Viet Cong to control a large rural area only 30 to 40 km from former Saigon .

At its height, the tunnel system stretched from Saigon to the Cambodian border. The network, parts of which were several levels deep, included innumerable trap doors, specially constructed living areas, storage facilities, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centres and kitchens.

Nowaday the remaining tunnels have become a major tourist attraction giving the visitor a unique experience and feel of what underground life during the war must have been like.

The tunnels have been widened for our benefit (otherwise we would not be able to enter them!) For those interested there's even the opportunity to try an AK47 or MK16 at the nearby rifle range.

Have a lunch at a local restaurant. Then return to Ho Chi Minh city for the afternoon city tour. You will visit Reunification Palace that was the former residence of the President of South Vietnam until April 30, 1975. Then, you visit War Remnants Museum that is formerly known as the Museum of American War Crimes. This is a poignant display the futility of war.

Close to the museum, we go to visit the Central Post Office that is the country’s largest post office was built since 1891. It is a fine example of French architecture and is Vietnam's largest post office.

5:30 return to hotel. You are free at leisure.

Day 03

Ho Chi Minh - Ben Tre - Hoian

Mekong river boat trip

Accommodation: Hotel in Hoi An

Meals: Breakfast, lunch

8.00 AM: Our driver and local guide pick up you at hotel lobby. You travel the “Capital” of Coconut - Ben Tre.
On arrival in Hùng vương Pier (Bến Tre town). Take a boat on Bến Tre river - one of tributaries of Mekong
river, Sight-seeing lively activities along river as fishing, water transfering. Stopping at brickwork to see how to make bricks by handy traditional way. Visit one of a coconut processing workshop which located along Cái sơn canal.

Take a walk to family workshop making sleepmats and enjoying some fruits. Then take a tuk tuk or ride on shady paths, pass by green rice fields and vegetable plains to be able to touch on realy life and find out about tropical culture from Peasants. Lunch at local restaurant with the typical menu of the Mekong river foods.

Afternoon - Take rowing-boat along water palm creek and boat along Cái Cối creek back to Hùng Vương Pier. Then meet driver transfer back ho chi Minh airport for boarding a flight to Danang.
Upon arrival in Danang our local guide and driver will personally meet you at the port. Travelling to Hoi An. Check-in hotel. The rest of the day you are at leisure.

Day 04

Hoian – Cam Thanh Village – Tra Que – City Tour

Rural Hoi An tour. Cycling and cooking class. Hoi An old quarter walking tour

Accommodation: Hotel in Hoian

Meals: Breakfast, lunch

08.00 AM: Our local guide meet you at the hotel lobby, you enjoy a cycling trip 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. Peddle your way through palm forests, across bridges, fields of water buffalo. Riding along country lanes at a peaceful pace viewing local life and stop over to see farmers (If you can't cycle, we will arrange car or minivan as an alternative).

9:00 AM: Take a short break in a local family at Cam Thanh Village before enjoying 1.5 hours ride on Traditional Basket Boat (round boat) in the Water Coconut Palm Forest. Learn how to sail the basket boat and spend your time to catch fishes and “purple crabs” in the Canal.

10:30 AM: Continue to drive to Tra Que Organic Vegetable Village where a large variety of vegetable are produced for the local community. At the village, you will be shown the environmentally sustainable practices which the local villagers have used for centuries and is still being used extensively today.

11:30 AM: Visit a local family and after a short, informative and fun cooking lesson, we sit down for a delicious lunch.

Afternoon, you will enjoy a walking tour through the Old Quarters to see the town's landmarks including Tan Ky ancient house, Phuc Kien Assembly Hall, Japanese Covered Bridge. They are all over 200 years old historical sites that enrich the culture of Hoi An.

5:30 PM: Return to hotel. You are free at leisure.

Day 05

Hoi An - Danang - Hue City Tour

Visit museum of ancient Champa kingdom’s sculptures and artifacts. Cross Hai Van pass. Perfume river boat trip

Accommodation: Hotel in Hue

Meals: Breakfast, lunch

7:30 AM. Our local guide and driver pick you up at your hotel, depart to Hue. Then you will pass by Danang city - the 4th largest city of Vietnam where you will visit Cham Museum – museum of ancient Champa kingdom’s sculptures and artifacts. This is a wonderful museum.

Then you will cross Hai Van Pass. At the hight of 450 metre above sea level Hai Van pass is the highest pass in the central coast of Vietnam. Here you can enjoy the magnificent view of the central coast. The pass of 23 km long is an interesting highlight not to be missed.

12:30 You arrive to Hue. Have a lunch of typical Hue cuisines. Then check in hotel.

3:00 PM: You take a private dragon boat trip upstream Perfume river to Thien Mu pagoda - a special cultural - historical site where still preserves a legendary tale about the Heaven Fairy Lady since Nguyen Dynasty.

Back to hotel in the later afternoon. You are free at leisure.

Day 06

Hue City Tour - Fly To Hanoi

Explore Imperial City Hue. Tomb of King Tu Duc.

Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi

Meals: Breakfast, lunch

You check out and get ready after the breakfast at the hotel.
8:30 AM: Our local guide and driver will meet you at hotel lobby, you travel to Imperial City Hue where includes the Citadel, Noon Gate, Royal palace, Woshing temples dedicate to the kings of Nguyen Dynasty. A very interesting complex with a lot of history to learn about. Here you will walk a lot to discover the whole complex.

Have lunch at a local restaurant. Then continue to visit the tomb and monument of King Tu Duc which is located in a very beautiful area. This is an opportunity to learn more about Nguyen Kings and to enjoy the spectacular landscape.

3:30 PM: You are heading to Hue airport for boarding a flight departing Hue at around 6:00 Pm heading to Hanoi. Upon arrival to Hanoi our local guide and driver will pick up you at the airport, travel to hotel for check in and relax.

Day 07

Hanoi city tour

Enjoy a city tour around Hanoi to explore a big part of the Vietnamese culture and history

Accommodation:

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

08.30 AM: Asia Top Travel's tour guide and driver welcome you at your hotel lobby departing for an exciting city tour of Hanoi's significant highlights.

Start with a tour of Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum: the final resting place of Vietnamese Revolutionary leader President Ho Chi Minh (It is closed on Monday and Friday).

Continue to Ba Dinh Square in front of the mausoleum: the site where President Ho Chi Minh declared the independence of Vietnam on September 2, 1945.

Visit the Presidential Palace, constructed between 1900 - 1906 by the French architect Auguste Henri Vildieu, was intended to be Ho Chi Minh’s official residence but he had opted for a traditional Vietnamese stilt-house instead.

The humble traditional House-on-Stilts where president Ho Chi Minh lived intermittently from 1958 to 1969 is set in a well-tended garden adjacent to a carp-filled pond and has been preserved just as Uncle Ho left it is worth a visit.

Visit the Temple of Literature, originally built as a temple to Confucius. This is the site of Vietnam’s first University dating back to 1070. The temple highlights the importance that Vietnamese society place then and now on education.

Lunch will be served at the local restaurant.

In the afternoon, visit the Museum of Ethnology (closed on Mondays), widely acknowledged as the best in the country. It has an extensive display dedicated to Vietnam’s 54 Ethnic minority peoples. As well as the comprehensive array of exhibits inside, there are also traditional tribal houses reconstructed within the ground.

Discover Ngoc Son Temple, located on a jade island on the Hoan Kiem Lake. Its history dating back to the 13th century. The temple is reached by crossing the The Huc Bridge which literally means the ‘Place Touched by Morning Sunbeams’. The Hoan Kiem Lake is the local point of the city and the source of many legends.

A 45 minute - Cyclo Tour takes you through the Old Quarter that is also known as the 36 streets. This bustling area of narrow streets is home to literally thousands of small businesses and shopkeepers. Originally each of the 36s names’ was related to the products being sold there. It’s a great place to explore on foot with numerous photo opportunities.

Attend to the Water Puppet Show, before heading back to your hotel, you will enjoy this traditional art performance at Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre. Transfer back to your hotel around 17.30. Service ends!

Day 08

Hanoi – Halong Bay

Discover the world heritage site emerald Halong bay on a deluxe cruise

Accommodation: Overnight on boat cruise in the bay

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

This day you check-out and travel to Halong. You can ask the hotel to keep your big bags while you bring just small bag for 2 days 1 night cruise trip for your convenience.

9:00 AM: Our local guide and driver will pick up you at hotel lobby, travel to Halong bay on a private car via the new highway.

12:15 – 12:45 Embark on boat cruise by transfer boat. Have a cruise briefing and receive room key.

13:00 – 15:30 Savor a delectable lunch as cruises further along the limestone islands of Ha Long Bay. Time for kayak and swimming.

17:30 – 18:00 Return to boat and have bath then relax as the sun starts to set. Enjoy the Happy Hour at the bar and on the sun deck while cooking demonstration is organizing.

19:00 Dinner is served on board. Socialize with other guests, night squid fishing or just laze around. Singing and dancing activities are available till 22h00.

Day 09

Halong Bay – Hanoi

Say goodbye to Halong Bay, transfer to Hanoi for the last night in Vietnam!

Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi

Meals: Breakfast, lunch

06:30 – 07:00 Start your day with Tai Chi exercise on the sundeck.

07:00 – 09:00 Catch morning view of seascapes with a cup of tea or coffee, have breakfast while cruising toward to visit the Cave.

09:30 Check-out room. Luggage can be delivered to the reception area.

09:30 – 11:00 Head back to the Harbor. Have early lunch on board.

Disembark at around 12h00. Meet our guide and driver for a transfering back to Hanoi.

3:00 Pm Arrive to hotel for check-in. The rest of the day you can spend on strolling around to buy some souvenirs for your family.

Day 10

Hanoi Departure

Say goodbye to our team in Hanoi Airport

Accommodation:

Meals: Breakfast

Breakfast is at your hotel and check out. Then meet our guide and driver at hotel lobby. Depart to Hanoi airport for boarding your onward flight. Ends your trip with Asia Top Travel!

Price

We can customize this itinerary to meet your specific needs.
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TOUR INCLUSIONS

For your peace of mind, our tours are designed to include as much as possible in the price, but also to give you the freedom to find a special place to eat or to seek out an independent adventure that especially appeals to you.

Trip Inclusions