Your Vietnam journey begins with your arrival in Hanoi. Your private driver will meet you at the airport, holding a signboard with your name. He will escort you to your accommodation right in the heart of the city, with the fascinating Old Quarter at your fingertips. You can easily explore the city at your own pace or relax at the hotel after the flight.
Overnight in Hanoi.
07:30: After breakfast, Limousine will pick you up to Ninh Binh province which is far from Hanoi city about 120 km.
10:30: The first destination in this trip is visit Hoa Lu ancient capital. This is the first capital of Vietnam. Come to visit Hoa Lu, you will learn about why the capital was moved to Hanoi nowadays. You are impressed on an outstanding architecture when entering temples of King Dinh and King Le, the first and second emperors of ancient Vietnam, built in the 17 centuries. Try to feel the ancient atmospheres in Hoa Lu ancient capital.
Then, Have a buffet lunch in the restaurant with a lot of local foods: goat meat, fried rice… Vegetarian food is always available at the buffet lunch.
13:00: Visit Tam Coc by 1,5-hour bamboo boat. During the boat trip, you will be surprised by the charming beauty here with paddy fields, river, water, cloud, sky and stunning cave system. All make a masterpiece which Vietnamese people called “Halong Bay on land “.
Continue the tour with 45 minutes cycling around the village to discover the life of local people.
15:30: Go to Mua Cave (Dancing Cave). Walk up almost 500 steps, you can reach the top of Lying Dragon Mountain, and have an amazing panoramic view of Tam Coc from here.
19:00: Arrive in Hanoi
Overnight in hotel Hanoi
Today your expert English-speaking local guide will give you an insight into the intricacies and traditions of Vietnamese food culture. We eat as we go, trying seasonal fruits and sampling a tasty French-inspired snack from a street cart.
Walking through the maze of bustling streets that make up Hanoi’s Old Quarter, we tempt our taste buds with the famed Hanoi dish such as Bun Cha and Banh Cuon at a local eatery. Watch in awe as the skilled chefs demonstrate how this tasty dish is put together. Continuing into the atmospheric heart of the Old Quarter, we wander past street stalls and quiet residential lanes where you can observe local life that has changed little since Hanoi was founded over 1000 years ago.
Our next two snack stops are at outdoor barbecue stalls. We sit down with the Hanoi locals and sample various meat, vegetable, and bread specialties that are flame-grilled over hot coals for extra flavor. It’s then time for dessert as we venture down a small alley to join in the local tradition of feasting on fresh fruit served in a cup and smothered with crushed iced and condensed milk – this specialty cannot be missed!
Your local guide will then take you to one of Hanoi’s best-kept secrets, a hidden street food restaurant to taste the top ten street foods in Hanoi – Banh My Hanoi, Vietnamese Rice Wine, and famous Egg Coffee. This hard-to-find café is one of the few left in the narrow street inside the old quarter of Hanoi. Or, if coffee is not your style, a cold beer awaits! At the end of the trip you are free to continue exploring the area or your guide will assist you with directions or a taxi back to your hotel.
Overnight in Hanoi.
6.30 – 7.00: Pick up from in Hanoi Old Quarter, get on sleeping bus/ limousine and depart to Sapa.
7.30 – 11:45: Following the Highway to Lao Cai city with the comfort break
11.45 – 13:00: Bus on the mountain road approaching to Sapa Town. On the way you can see beautiful view, the valley with terraces field.
13.00: Arrive Sapa Town with colorful traditional costumes of H’mong, Dzao, Tay ethnic People. – Welcome drink and itinerary briefing. – Enjoy the lunch with local Vietnamese dishes, check-in procedures.
15.30: A short walking to the Gate of Cat Cat village which is home of Black H’mong ethnic people and is located near the bottom of a deep valley at the foot of Fansipan Peak. Our local guide will show you the daily life activities of the locals, trekking down to the valley bottom to the waterfall where the French built a Hydraulic Power Station, short time for photo with bridge and the waterfall then you will be trekking up hill to get back to Sapa with very beautiful scenery in the late afternoon.
17.30: Come back to Sapa Town for dinner. Overnight at hotel with night activities.
Have breakfast at the hotel and get ready for one more day of trekking.
We will leave the hotel around 09:30 am and enjoy a nice walk to Y Linh Ho. First start of 6km of walking down to the southeast of Sapa along the side of Muong Hoa valley to Y Linh Ho village of the Black Hmong. Continue a 2km-trekking down to Lao Chai village, through terraced rice fields to Ta Van village of the Dzay minority people.
Lunch with a local family, gives you a worthwhile chance for you to learn about the local house architecture which is full of their daily lifestyles and exclusive custom.
Enjoy the landscapes…on the way. The last trek is about 2 km to the bus stop in Tavan then get back to Sapa by jeep or minivan.
14:30: Transfer back to Hanoi by bus
Overnight in Hanoi
(Trekking distance is about 12 km)
07:45- 8:20: A guide will pick you up from hotel, depart to Halong Bay
11:30. You arrival at Tuan Chau Island is the Cruises check-in lounge
12:15. After taken to Cruises, you will be checked-in. While enjoying welcome drink, you will be introduced the itinerary and safety briefing by Cruise Manager.
13:00. You will have a delicious lunch and enjoy the stunning views when the boat cruises towards the southeast of Halong Bay, passing Fighting- Cock and Finger Islet.
14:45. Visiting Luon Cave or Pearl Farm area by bamboo boat or kayaking.
16:00. You are going to Titov Island – where you can go swimming or hiking to the top for another stunning, panoramic view of the Bay.
17:30. Back on board, you can enjoy Sunset party with HAPPY HOUR (from 17:30 –19:00) – buy 2 get 1 free at bar.
18:30. If you are interested in Vietnamese cuisines, please join our traditional Vietnamese cooking class on sundeck under the experienced Chef’s guiding (or in the restaurant in case of inclement weather).
19:00. Delight in the shimmering atmosphere of thousands of stars while eating a fantastic, expertly prepared dinner.
20:30. This is the perfect time for you to relax with spa treatments or enjoy a cocktail. Besides, we provide free for squid fishing tools at reception. Overnight on Cruises.
Morning: Warm up your day with a Tai Chi lesson on the sundeck with a breathtaking view as the sun rises on Halong Bay.
7:00. Light breakfast is served at the restaurant.
8:00. Your next stop is the magnificent Sung Sot Cave, one of the biggest caves in Ha Long Bay with beautiful stalactites. You will be surprised by the breathtaking panoramic view across the Bay once you exit the cave as well as the stalactites and stalagmites formed over millions of years which have taken on fascinating shapes.
9:30. Back on board, check-out and return to Tuan Chau Island
10:00. Brunch is served at the restaurant and payment
11:00. Disembark at Tuan Chau Marina
Our English – speaking guide will meet you at the hotel around 8:00 am and take you for a cycle trip to the countryside and rivers around Hoi An.
As you meander through the countryside, you will experience the friendliness of the local people greeting you along the way and enjoy the beautiful views of the neighborhood.
After that, you will explore the Eco-Village Cam Thanh which is associated with the heroic history of the anti-French and anti-American war by taking a paddle boat trip in a unique Vietnamese bamboo basket boat down the waterways of a coconut palm paradise.
Then you meet and engage with local fishermen, enjoy a hands-on experience of traditional net fishing and “Purple Crabs” in the canal, get some loveable handmade gifts from nipa palm leaves like hats, watches, rings …
After the boat trip, have a delicious lunch in our restaurant and cycle back to your hotel.
Hue City is the cultural, political, and economic center of the Thua Thien Hue province, and used to be an old imperial city of Vietnam under the Nguyen Dynasty.
During this time, the most remarkable architectural monuments were constructed, which now are listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Your guide will meet you at your hotel around 8:00-8:30 am.
11:00: Visit the Khai Dinh Tomb.
12:30: Enjoy a delicious lunch at a Local Specialty Restaurant serving Hue style dishes.
13:30: Continue to Hue’s main attraction, The Imperial Citadel.
15:00: Explore Thien Mu Pagoda, Hue’s largest pagoda.
You will be back at your hotel around 16:00-17:00.
Then transfer to the airport and take a flight from Hue to Ho Chi Minh City.
Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.
The tunnels are a great destination located 70 km from the Ho Chi Minh City Center to the Northwest.
Cu Chi was known as the “area of steel” in the war time, and the tunnel systems were over 200km, which was considered the unbreakable underground village in the Vietnam-American war. It is legendary for its network of tunnels and is a popular destination for both Vietnamese and foreign visitors.
Pick -up time: 12:30 – 13:00
Pick up at your hotel and depart to Cu Chi will take approximately one and a half hours bus driving.
Upon arrival, before exploring the tunnels, you will have some short introduction followed by introductory video about how the tunnels were constructed and how the people survived in the harsh conditions of the war time. Then, spend your time to explore the remaining area and tunnel systems which included the special constructed living areas with kitchens, bedrooms side by side with other martial facilities like storage, weapons factories, field hospitals, and command centers helping whoever lives inside the tunnels meet their basic needs. Besides, there are also many hidden trap doors and dangerous traps within the maze-like tunnels for security purpose during the war. Afterward, special tea and cassava (guerilla’s food during the war) will be served.
Break time for relax or time for those who want to try the real shooting gun.
Return to Saigon. Overnight in hotel Ho Chi Minh
07:00: Depart Saigon by road for Mekong Delta and its gateway city of My Tho, located 72 km south west of the city. Board a riverboat for an excursion across the Mekong through islands covered with lush flora and small rural communities. Cruise to Thoi Son Island where you will have the opportunity to visit a local house and taste some of the fruits that are grown locally in the orchards. Parkway in orchards, tasting tropical fruits. Lunch is at a local restaurant where you will have the chance to sample a local specialty: ‘elephant ear’ fish.
In the afternoon, time for cycling around the Tan Thach village, meet the local villagers to experience the local daily life in the Mekong Delta. Hammock relaxing and enjoy cool breeze for those can’t join the cycling trip.
17:30: Return to Ho Chi Minh City.
Evening: Overnight at Ho Chi Minh
Everyone was incredibly friendly and helpful. We saw many key sites as well as getting to try a lot of different foods. Great!
We had a great time in Vietnam, it was the whole 13 days of travel, but now I feel that it was a too short holiday. It was raining and flooding in Mekong Delta before we arrived, but the people were so friendly to help each other and we still could take the boat trip. Overall, everything was delivered as promised. Amazing guides, good vans, and interesting sites. We were pleased that all went as expected.
A tour is made memorable by its planning and the experiences which happen only if your guide is good. We had Mr. Thai as our advisor and he planned a perfect itinerary for us to cover the maximum also taking care that it is not exhaustive. Thanks Azotar team, great going!
I was worried at first because it was our first vacation in Vietnam, but we felt really well looked after from the moment we were picked up at the airport and throughout the rest of the trip. We received immediate answers to the rare questions we had. The hotels were very well chosen. In North Vietnam in particular, the people were extremely friendly. We can recommend Azotar Travel without hesitation.
