Vietnam Explorer 15D/14N (from Ho Chi Minh City)

Welcome to Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam!

Upon your arrival, you will be pick up by our guide at Tan Son Nhat Airport for a private transfer to your accommodation. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh. 

A smooth one-and-half-hour bus ride through rice field scenery along National Highway 1 brings you to the beautiful rural district of Trung Luong.

On arrival at My Tho, after visiting Vinh Trang pagoda, take a leisurely cruise on the Tien River to view the four beautiful islands: Dragon, Unicorn, Phoenix, and Tortoise. Boats pass by the fish rafts along the Tien River, overlooking the Rach Mieu Bridge. Stroll along the village road, visit the orchard and enjoy seasonal fruit & honey tea to the sound of "Southern Vietnamese folk music" performed by locals.

Riding a hand-rowed sampan through the Tan Thach canal. Then visit the coconut candy mill and take an amazing rowing boat trip along the small canal on a hand-rowed sampan under the shadow of the water coconut trees along natural canals.

Enjoy lunch at the local restaurant; Then the motorboat will take you back to the cruise. Meet on the bus and return to Ho Chi Minh City. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh.

Free day in Ho Chi Minh (no services provided). Enjoy a free day in Ho Chi Minh, explore the city on your own. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh.

Enjoy breakfast in your accommodation. After, find your way to the bus station for your bus to Dalat. Upon arrival, meet your guide and transfer to your accommodation to check in. Overnight in Dalat. 

Get ready for your 8:30 AM pickup from the accommodation to take an exciting motorcycle tour around Dalat with an English speaking driver/guide. Ride on the back of a motorcycle to admire the beauty of this region filled with natural wonders such as lakes, waterfalls, lush green forests and floral gardens. Take a break at the Truc Lam meditation center and see the beautiful Paradise lake, Elephant waterfall and Linh An pagoda. Immerse yourself in the local way of life at a Chicken minority village and learn about the local industry as we stop by a vegetable farm, a mushroom farm, a coffee farm and a silk factory. Arrive back to Dalat around 17:00 pm.

Overnight in Dalat. 

After hearty breakfast, head to the bus station for your next bus to Nha Trang (guest’s own arrangments). Upon arrival, meet your guide and transfer to your accommodation to check in and have an evening at leisure. Overnight in Nha Trang. 

You will have nearly a full day to enjoy around Nha Trang on your own. Make your way to the bus station for your overnight bus to Hoi An. 

Bus time: from 20:30 pm to 8:00 am (01 transfer in Da Nang).

Arrive in Hoi An at 8:00 am. Upon arrival, meet your guide and transfer to your accommodation to drop off luggage. Enjoy a free day to explore the city on your own. Overnight in Hoi An.

This morning you will be picked up at your accommodation to go pick out a bike before heading out on your unforgettable day tour to Cam Kim island. We will cross the Thu Bon river along with plenty of locals heading to school or to the central market. Here we will make a stop in the Kim Bong carpentry village and take a look at the fishing boat builders on the riverbank. Here there are several families famous for generations of boatmaking and carpentry. They also contributed in building Hoi An´s beautiful wooden houses for Chinese and Japanese traders that make the town such a charming destination today.

Leaving the town, we will cycle past a scenic rice field and small river branches where you can see large fishing nets hanging over the water. We will visit a family on a small local island to see the most common local occupation: weaving sleeping mats, a tradition hundreds of years old.

Finally, we will cycle through the tranquil countryside to another family´s house for a homemade local lunch. After a great meal with even better company, we will cycle back to town. After returning your bike you will be dropped off at your hotel in the afternoon. Overnight in Hoi An.

After breakfast, please find your own way to the bus station for your next bus to Hue. Overnight in Hue.

We will pick you up at your hotel to start off our exciting day. We first bring you to the impressive Khai Dinh Tomb. Khai Dinh was an important Vietnamese emperor who ascended the throne in 1916 and died in 1925. Then we will watch a performance of the fascinating martial art called Vo Kinhy Van An. We continue to the Tu Duc Tomb which was completed in 1867. Walk around the extensive gardens filled with huge stone temples and structures, rivers and a reflection lake imagining what splendid life was lived here by the faithful Tu Duc court. Our final pit stop in the morning is visiting a village where incense making and conical hat making has become their speciality. 

In the afternoon, we will continue with the tour to the Citadel of Hue, which was built by the emperor Gia Long in 1804. It’s also known in Vietnamese as the Forbidden Purple City, a term similar to the Forbidden City of Beijing. Our next stop is the Thien Mu Pagoda, which is Vietnam’s tallest pagoda. It has an iconic status in Hue and it is known as the unofficial symbol of the former imperial capital. The way back to Hue will be on a boat down the beautiful Perfume River, where you will see local fishermen and traditional villages. Our journey ends upon arrival to the Toa Kham pier.

After the tour has ended, please make your own way to the train station for your overnight train to Hanoi (departure time: 21:30 pm).

Upon arriving at Hanoi station at 11:55 am. Arrive in Hanoi, you will be pick up by our guide and driver to transfer to your hotel to drop off luggage. Check in will be from 14.00. Have the rest of the day on your own exploring this magnificent city.

Meal: Breakfast at hotel.

Breakfast at hotel.

Today your cruising adventure will start at 8:00 am from Old Quarter area in a transfer to Halong Bay. Around 11:30 - 12:15 am you will arrive at Halong International Cruise Port. From here you will embark your bot. Check-in, enjoy welcome drinks and cruise briefing. After you have settled into your room, enjoy lunch while cruising to magnificent Bai Tu Long Bay, admire the fascinating formations on the way. Later you will have the possibility to explore the well- hidden Thien Canh Son Cave. Around 5PM return to boat – Swim or relax on sundeck. At 6PM we will anchor for overnight in Cong Do area. Join the pre-dinner cocktail party, at 6:30 you can enjoy a cooking class in the restaurant or outdoors, later savour a delicious set dinner in restaurant. In night time join squid fishing or relax and enjoy fresh air. Overnight on board. 

Please note that only international and local food is available on boat. The program will be little varied upon your chosen cruise. There is shared English speaking guide on board.

Wake up at 6.30 am to enjoy sunrise on the Bay. Morning Tai Chi session on sundeck. Later on, coffee, tea and breakfast pastries served in restaurant. After light breakfast, transfer to bamboo sampan boat to visit Vung Vieng Fishing Village. Rowers are local people wearing traditional costume. Once you have returned to the boat, check out of cabins. Start cruising towards the port. While cruising back to the port enjoy International buffet brunch served in restaurant. Once you have left the boat, a transfer will await to take you back to Hanoi. Around 15:30 pm you will arrive back to Hanoi where you will have the rest of the evening on your own. 

Meal: Breakfast at hotel.

You will be picked up at your accommodation for a private transfer to Noi Bai Airport (no guide escort). We wish you a nice onward journey!